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New York (Letters 1972)

Expressions researched:
"N.Y." |"New York"

Correspondence

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 2 January, 1972:

Here in Bombay I have resumed my translating of Bhagavatam. Every day I am translating and Syamasundara is transcribing them from the dictaphone tapes. But the best place where I can do my translation work is in Los Angeles and New York. If in both places there is facility that as soon as I translate, the matter can be composed and if ISKCON PRESS can actually run efficiently so that they can print Bhagavatam chapter by chapter as it is composed, then this arrangement will be very favorable. Try and arrange for this. It will be a great credit to you if you can organize everything so nicely that my Bhagavatam can be published very regularly chapter by chapter.

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Bombay 2 January, 1972:

I thank you very much for taking so seriously to helping me fulfill the order of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati to distribute Krishna consciousness literature to the whole world masses. What strength our Movement has now got is due in large part to the enthusiasm we have had to distribute our literatures profusely throughout the world. I have got very, very encouraging reports how my books are being distributed vigorously in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Our New York Temple has got the most devotees so rightfully, they should also lead our Society in book distribution. You have got a very important duty to see that all the branches are kept with a full stock of all my books.

Letter to Hanuman, Amogha -- Bombay 4 January, 1972:

I have read the translation of the pamphlet published for distribution in Djakarta. It is very nicely done. And I have also appreciated the photos showing you distributing Prasadam and performing Kirtana. Southeast Asia is a very good field for our activities, so you should continue vigorously in the same way you have been. So far your request for a couple to come and teach school in Djakarta, from here in India there are no available men as we have got the very big tasks of developing Mayapur and Vrindaban. Best thing will be that you write to Bali Mardan in New York and ask him that he should arrange for a mature householder couple to come from the U.S. Since the principal is offering kindly this chance to us, we must take it, so please inform Bali Mardan that someone should go.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 11 January, 1972:

If you like, you may now order from our devotees stationed in Jaipur one pair of gorgeous Radha-Krishna deities for Detroit center. They are settled in Jaipur now especially for this purpose of sending very best murtis to all our ISKCON temples who request them, including dresses, ornaments, jewels, etc. So I think such nice deities can be ordered by you, and you can give them very first-class home and give them all comforts and luxuries, either in that place or if you get a better place. Already they have sent very excellent black Krishna to Nairobi and New York of 48" height.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Jaipur 20 January, 1972:

Why you should go to New York? Stay there and seriously edit all translation work as Chief Editor of German language. Your proposal to meet a Hamburg millionaire is very nice, go ahead. Your sincerity will be accepted by Krishna and He will give you intelligence from within. Simply we must be sincere, then everything else will follow automatically.

Letter to Jayadvaita -- Calcutta 18 February, 1972:

I think Pradyumna is feeling morose about his wife, that is not good so he will not be able to work. Therefore better let him come and live with me here in India and I shall train him properly in sanskrit language. He may come immediately, in time for Mayapur festival beginning by 25th this month. In this way, he can fly directly from New York to Calcutta and live with me.

Letter to Upananda -- Calcutta 19 February, 1972:

If Mohanananda is advising, that's nice for the time being because Bali Mardan is in New York with ISKCON Press. I have asked the GBC to settle this matter of a replacement for Bali Mardan.

Letter to Rudra, Radhika -- Calcutta 20 February, 1972:

I am very glad to hear that Louise Bourassa has joined us. Thank her for understanding our philosophy. She is PhD., so she may translate all of my books into French language in cooperation with Yogesvara at ISKCON Press in New York, who is in charge of the foreign languages printing of my books. She may also write article for BTG why she came to KC and comparing our philosophy to others.

Letter to Vaikunthanatha -- Calcutta 21 February, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 3, 1972, and I have noted with pleasure that you are pushing on with this Krishna Consciousness movement there with full enthusiasm. As for your shortage of literature, that seems to be the general story throughout the Society, but just recently Karandhara as gone to Japan and ordered nearly $200,000 worth of our books to be delivered by April 1st, so you may place your order now with New York or with Miami or whoever supplies you with books, and soon you shall have plenty. Meanwhile, you may send to ISKCON Press for any small literatures which are available, such as "Easy Journey" and "Topmost Yoga." I am told that ISKCON Press has recently printed a large stock of these two books.

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:

One thing, you say that you are too busy printing books so that you are unable to distribute them. So what is the use of printing if we are unable to distribute? There must be good program for distribution in New York also. I think New York City is a very very good field for selling our books, so I think if you increase by placing emphasis on this point of distribution, then our this Krishna Consciousness movement will be strong on two sides instead of on one side of printing only, and then progress will be rapid. Unless people can have access to reading our books, why print them?

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay March 22, 1972:

So far Bhagavad-gita As It Is, that is already signed, so we must continue as we have agreed. But practically we have increased our book distribution now to exceed what they are able to do, and still we shall have to purchase our books from them at 50%, and because we shall account for most of the sales, plus do most of the advertising ourselves, then they are making huge profit while we do the work! This arrangement is not good. But one thing is, because they have published our book, therefore there is some prestige in that. Now if you can induce them to distribute very profusely our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, by giving it big big publicity at their expense, then it is only fair and the agreement is all right. Another thing is that they must pay us for all the lay-out and pre-press work that we have done on the Gita, otherwise we are simply handing them everything while they take all the profits and we get nothing. So on the whole I am not very hopeful for dealing with this Macmillan Company, or any other big publishing house. I have seen in New York many many big big publishing houses, very rich, but I do not find any rich writers of books. Even Jawaharlal Nehru wrote some book on politics which became very widely known, but he remarked that their books are selling like anything but I'm not getting anything.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Sydney 2 April, 1972:

n.b. I have just now received one letter which has described your GBC meeting of nine men in New York, and I have cabled Rupanuga the following message: "GBC Meeting irregular. My strong disapproval, Make no changes. Inform others. Letter follows." So you can understand that I am very much perplexed why you have done these things without consulting me in the matter. If every time someone feels something they call for changing everything, then all that I have done will very quickly be lost. so for the time being there shall be no such changes as you have arranged, until I study the matter thoroughly.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Sydney April 3, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 20, 1972, and I am very much pleased by the latest books from ISKCON Press. Many, many such small booklets may be produced by you, make them very attractive, and they will sell like anything. There is no other literatures like ours in the world, and this information like "Here is God, just see Him, can you give any clear picture of God," this clear understanding of God is not available anywhere else but from our books, so if you are convinced on this point, then produce books voluminously. But one thing is you must also increase facilities in your New York and that side for distributing also, because I have heard that this program is being very much neglected in the eastern part.

Letter to All ISKCON Temple Presidents -- Sydney 8 April, 1972:

I beg to inform you that recently some of the Governing Body Commission members held a meeting at New York on 25th through 28th March, 1972, and they have sent me a big big minutes, duplicated, for my consideration and approval, but in the meantime they have decided some appointments without consulting me. One of the items which struck me very much is as follows:

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Sydney 10 April, 1972:

Actually, I have very great hope for these travelling parties, our Gurukula school, and all our other projects, that by engaging ourselves in these ways, so long we do not forget the purpose of such activity then we shall very much revise the nasty situation in the world as it exists present moment, and we shall observe that angelic persons like you all nice devotees will be very much prominent in public life everywhere. That is my hope. But I have been very much disturbed recently by the meeting which you all have had in New York, wherein you have passed so many resolutions and elected Atreya Rsi to GBC Secretary, and made so many other changes. I am very much puzzled by the whole business. Therefore I have not approved of it, and you may by now have received my letter why I have temporarily suspended the GBC. Let us not revive this old matter, but I want to know from you what is your opinion of the matter, and how is it that Hamsaduta and Atreya Rsi were able to persuade you all senior leaders of the Society to follow their foolish activities? Kindly inform.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Tokyo 26 April, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 19, 1972, along with the French and German BTG's and other literature. They are very nice. I am very much encouraged by the increase in literature publication by ISKCON Press and also by the distribution by New York Temple. But they do not pay their bills, Karandhara is here and he has told me. Why is that, they do not pay their bills for literatures to my Book Fund? You can ask Rupanuga to report to me if this is true and give me accounting, and you also explain.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Tokyo 4 May, 1972:

You are going to Kanpur, that is a good place, you can raise lakhs, many lakhs, for your Vrindaban scheme. Sighania himself can build. When I was in New York, Padampat Singhania promised me a temple in New York, but the government did not allow exchange. So he is a nice man, if you can convince him, simply he may require little attention, then he alone can build Vrindaban. Next to Calcutta and Bombay, Kanpur is the most important industrial center, so there are many rich men there, they require only some careful handling.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Honolulu May 9, 1972:

Pradyumna Prabhu says that he has sent the synonyms for chapters 15-33 in Canto 3 from Australia some time ago, but that the situation for receiving mail there in New York temple is not very good and that often letters are neglected or lost. Why these things are going on? I have appointed this GBC to maintain the standards. I don't do these things. I am always careful about the mail and the money. This is very serious business, if we go to so much effort to make these books available to the human society, and then no one takes care and portions are lost, and no money is paid by the temples to Book Fund, then what is the use? We must have a very efficient office at each temple, with facilities for prompt distribution of mail to the proper persons, not that the mail is simply left in a corner for everyone to pick through and find out for themselves. No, it should be delivered to the proper persons. And strict accounts must be kept.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Honolulu 9 May, 1972:

For instance, he reports that since first of January, 1972, New York has remitted only $1243 to BTG Fund and $1538.20 to Book Fund, leaving balances due to BTG and Book Funds of $4571.05 and $5235.90 respectively. But you say your BTG debt is only $1,620 and BKF debt is only $3,897. If you are selling daily average of 2,000 literatures, why so little money is being paid by you on these debts? 60,000 pieces of literature per month means you should send the entire amount collected until this debt is completely eliminated. It is not good if such big temples who are setting the example for the whole Society do not pay their bills. This is most irregular. I am trying to retire from the administrative affairs, but if the presidents and GBC men make such disturbances then how I can be peaceful? Things should be maintained automatically, then it will be peaceful for me.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Honolulu 9 May, 1972:

Karandhara says that New York is an "outstanding exception" to the regular payments of literature bills, and Bali Mardan has told me that you have "no inclination to supervise or check regularly on these financial matters, and thus it is left to a Treasurer who is also not very competent." He has suggested that you make weekly inventories and pay weekly for the books sold. That is a good idea. You can take his help, how to do it. You must organize these things in such a way that things will go on automatically and increase more and more. Now I do not know what is the real situation, they are saying one thing and you are saying another thing, but I want that this situation be immediately finished, and from now on all literature bills must be paid immediately by you.

Letter to Bhaktijana -- Honolulu 11 May, 1972:

I very much approve of your plan for spreading Krishna Consciousness in the black African neighborhoods in New York and other places. If there are some boys there who can take charge and do things nicely, you can assist them organizing this programme.

Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 15 May, 1972:

About the business proposed by Indira's brother, yes, we can give some land on condition that 50% of profit he gives us, but we cannot guarantee that our men will work. We have had bad experience in this partnership business in New York with Mr. Kallman, so we are not going to do that anymore. As far as possible we shall not deal in business. That will not be very good for our spiritual progress. But if somebody contributes for our good cause, that is different. I have suggested in previous letters that we want persons to live in our house who will observe our devotional regulations.

Letter to Bibhu -- Los Angeles 21 May, 1972:

I think my secretary has recently sent one copy of Gayatri Mantra for Kutila dasi and enclosed herewith please find one sacred thread and one copy of Gayatri Mantra for Mahendra dasa. Either you or Ranadhira can hold a fire sacrifice and present sacred threads to Kutila and Mahendra. One thing, you can get a copy of me reciting Gayatri Mantra from Rupanuga in New York but the tape must be heard through the earphones into the right ear.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Los Angeles 26 May, 1972:

So we have made friends with the Singhanias. Padmapat Singhania can alone construct the temple. He is a Vaisnava devotee of Lord Krishna and he wanted to construct one temple in New York but the government did not allow exchange. Guru dasa can go to see him and ask him to construct one temple on our behalf. He can tell him that he wanted to help us in New York, and in this way, very mildly, if he is canvassed he alone can construct the temple and we shall construct the residential portion. So far the temple design is concerned, in cooperation with these two gentlemen architects we can build in Vrndavana on a very grand scale.

Letter to Bhavananda -- Los Angeles 28 May, 1972:

Upon your recommendation I am enclosing herewith one thread and two copies of Gayatri Mantra to be given to Purnamprajna das and his wife Narayani dasi. So you can hold a fire yajna and give them their second initiation. One thing, as you have got no tape of me reciting Gayatri Mantra, you may ask Dayananda in London or Rupanuga in New York to send you one. The tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 8 June, 1972:

If your songbook is in English language then you may send it to New York immediately for publishing. You may send to me first and I shall read it and be very happy to write a short introductory note. One thing, if you can secure a nice Bengali typewriter for shipping to USA, there is some large amount of transcribing to be done from all of my tapes in Bengali language and there are persons in Los Angeles who will transcribe the tapes under my supervision and the manuscripts can be sent there to Calcutta for printing. If someone of our life members there in Calcutta might like to render this nice service to Lord Caitanya, he may donate us one Bengali typewriter for transcribing my tapes and making into books, and this will be a very nice service.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles June 12, 1972:

I am happy to learn from you that both the Press and the New York temple are running along very smoothly and that all our programs there are increasing. That should be, I expect that. It should not be too difficult for our New York center to be the leading book distributor of the movement.

Letter to Tejiyas -- Los Angeles 12 June, 1972:

So far Mr. Iswar Puri of Atmaram Book Store, let him make a concrete contract to publish our MacMillan version of Bhagavad-gita in cheap edition. You can send one copy of the contract to me and one copy to Bali Mardan at ISKCON Press in New York. I do not know if we are covered by copyright in India or not. You may inquire into this matter.*

Letter to Bob -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

One makes his advancement in Krishna Consciousness by giving up voluntarily his attachment to material nature or maya and such renunciation is called tapasya. But we are not very willing to perform austerities without good reason, therefore any man with scientific and philosophical good brain such as your good self, must appreciate first what is the transcendental knowledge. If you get knowledge, automatically tapasya will follow, and then you make your advancement in spiritual life. So to get knowledge is the first item for anyone who is hoping to find his perfection of life. Therefore, I advise you to daily read our books as far as possible and try to understand the subject matter from different angles of vision by discussing frequently with the devotees at New York Temple. In this way you will become gradually convinced, and by your sincere attitude and devotional service you will make progress.

Letter to Bob -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

I think we are just now typing up the tapes of those conversations we held in Mayapur, and we shall be publishing them into a book very soon. It will be called "Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers." I shall be sending you one copy as soon as they are ready for distributing. Meanwhile, I shall be stopping in New York for two or three days on my way to London for the Rathayatra Festival there. I am not certain yet when I shall be arriving in New York, but it shall be some time in the early part of July, and you may keep in regular contact with Bali Mardan regarding the arrival date, and I shall be very much engladdened to meet with you in New York once again. Again we shall discuss if you have got any questions.

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1972:

Encourage her to attend the meetings every day, and if you make the Deity worship very, very opulent and gorgeous, she will automatically be attracted to them. She has no children of her own, so why not she should take Radha and Krishna as her Children? So you can propose gradually and tactfully that she can alone build up a wonderful temple in our property and we shall name it "Sumati Temple" or "Sumati Hall". So encourage her in this way, and I am very much engladdened that she is so much willing to help us, now you apply yourself to the matter very diligently and think always of Krishna and it will come out very auspiciously. You can ask her to write me her itinerary in London, or if you think so, I will send her a letter personally. You can tell her that I shall be in London during that time also. I am leaving here on morning of July 2nd and arriving London July 5th via New York. I shall be very glad to see her and bring her in our temple there. Or she can write to me when she is there c/o 7 Bury Place. That is a good proposal to receive her at London Airport. Somehow or other, either she pays for the temple herself or she raises the funds from others, she must be persuaded in this great project, which will bring great benefit to her countryman and which will attract many, many foreign devotees of Krishna to the Indian soil for taking up this spiritual life very seriously.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 25 June, 1972:

I shall be arriving in New York sometime in the afternoon of July 2, and I look forward to seeing you all there at that time.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 28 June, 1972:

I am pleased to hear that the song books and tapes of Lalita Prasad Thakura are in New York for being edited and distributed. To answer your questions, the Deities in London, New York, etc. are not mentioned in TLC, the Deities mentioned there were before these Deities were installed. In Caitanya Caritamrta there is mentioned that all over the world there are to be found many Deities. They may be covered by flood, devastation, and so on. Svayam Prakasa refers to Baladeva. So far the songs of Jayadeva are concerned, there is one, Srita Kamala. Yes, if you want to translate the Bhakti-Ratnakara. When I go to New York in a few days, namely on June 2nd, I shall be very glad to peruse the tapes and writings you have sent there.

Letter to President of United States -- Los Angeles 28 June, 1972:

I would humbly like to request an interview with you to discuss the possibilities of my providing further service. My disciple, Atreya Rsi das (Mr. Marz Attar of Arthur Young and Company, 277 Park Avenue, New York, N. Y., phone 212-922-5957 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 212-922-5957 end_of_the_skype_highlighting) will assist your aides to arrange a suitable time and place for a meeting.

Letter to Ish Kumar Puri -- New York 9 July, 1972:

After you have studied the matter thoroughly, kindly send me your lowest quotations for printing the books listed herewith. I shall be in London at the above address until the 20th of this month, and after that you may write me at my New York temple-headquarters, 439 Henry Street, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. 11231.

Letter to Shyamsundar Mallik -- London 13 July, 1972:

I am presently engaged here in London for celebrating the Ratha-yatra Festival also. A huge festival will begin at Marble Arch and proceed to Trafalgar Square, where I shall speak to at least 10,000 persons. Similarly, my disciples are holding Ratha-yatra festival at San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York, Tokyo, Melbourne (Australia), Calcutta, and other places. So what was my childhood play 65 years ago is now a worldwide event. The same Radha-Govindaji worship and Jagannatha worship is going on all over the world.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Amsterdam 29 July, 1972:

I have received the tapes but have not had time to hear them yet, but I have not received the song books, they may be in New York.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- London 1 August, 1972:

Upon your recommendation, I have gladly consented to accept Elaine as my duly initiated disciple, and to give sacred thread to Audolomy. Enclosed please find one letter to Elaine, and one sacred thread for Audolomy. Her beads are being sent by separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for both of them, and give gayatri mantra to Audolomy. Show him to count on the finger divisions, and have him listen to the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, repeating each vibration as I say it. You can get this tape from Bali Mardan Goswami in New York. Then hang the sacred thread over his shoulder in the proper fashion. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear, and the function should be held amongst the devotees only.

Letter to Acyutananda -- London 5 August, 1972:

So far Yamuna is concerned, I never doubted once her impeccable character, simply I wanted to find out the actual position. There is a saying in Bengali, that whenever there is scandalous talk, there is something to it, so we must be careful always to avoid even what may be mistaken by others for scandalous situation. You know how the things are taken in India so be yourself very careful to always avoid these things and instruct others how to do it also. I am forwarding your reply to Lalitananda Bon Maharaja to ISKCON Press in New York for publishing in our BTG.

Letter to Jadurani -- New Vrindaban 4 September, 1972:

I am especially glad to hear that you have distributed 32 Bhagavad-gita As It Is in one day in New York. Now go on in this way and distribute all of our books profusely, as many as possible to all classes of men.

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

Now we have got a very big task before us to purchase the skyscraper building on 40th Street. So I am entrusting that you and Bali Mardan and the other big leaders there in New York will be able to do it. Cooperate amongst yourselves and try to raise the funds very scrupulously and if you remain serious and sincere in your efforts to get this wonderful building for Krsna, He will give you all help and guidance how to do it, without any doubt.

Letter to Bali-mardana, Pusta Krsna -- Los Angeles 18 September, 1972:

I have been informed by Sriman Syamasundara of your question via telephone from New York Temple, and my reply is that this sankirtana or street chanting must go on, it is our most important program. Lord Caitanya's movement means the sankirtana movement. You may simply take two hours for chanting sixteen rounds daily, two hours for reading congregationally, and balance of time go out for sankirtana. We must do both, reading books and distributing books, but distributing books is the main propaganda. Reading in class for two hours is sufficient and other reading can be done in spare time if one has got it, it is not that one has to be always reading. One hour a morning for Bhagavata class and one hour evening, either Bhagavad-gita or Nectar of Devotion, that is sufficient.

Letter to Bali-mardana, Pusta Krsna -- Los Angeles 18 September, 1972:

Now I want very much to get that building in New York so kindly inform me regularly what is the progress. I understand they have refused our offer of cash $600,000, so you may offer more, up to $900,000, or as you see fit, reducing the cash outlay, also as you see fit. And try to take a mortgage for fifteen years. If Kesava is there he may become the President of the New York Temple. If he is able to get that new place, then he will have done something big and he can take that post of President of New York Temple. And you are GBC man and in charge of ISKCON Press. This will free you for preaching more and traveling, because you are also sannyasi.

Letter to Bhaktijana -- Los Angeles 21 September, 1972:

Yes, that is a good program that you are doing in New York by going from place to place and holding classes, having kirtana in the street, and generally recruiting devotees for sending to the Brooklyn Temple. If you do like that, going from one part of New York to another, New York is the biggest city in the world and there are innumerable places where you can hold chanting and classes, so if you go on like you are doing, I have no objection. But at all times, give your kind cooperation to Bali Mardan for working together on your program. He is GBC and President of Brooklyn Temple and he can give you all advice and facilities for your work. So kindly cooperate with him as much as possible, and that will please me very much. So far going to Puerto Rico, I have no objection if you go there, but if your program in New York is successful, better to develop that. But if someone goes to Puerto Rico in the future, that also sounds like a good adventure. But I think it is better to develop what we have got for now, and later on we shall see if someone can go to Puerto Rico.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles 30 September, 1972:

Regarding that building on 40th Street, try to get it as much as possible, but if business of getting this building appears too much difficult or complicated, then give it up. If you like, if this place is not possible, you may try for another similar place. I have received one telephone call this morning from Kesava, who is in California, so he will not be able to take over the affairs there in New York. So how will you be able to leave New York affairs? New York is our most important center in all the world and it requires your strong leadership there, or a suitable replacement. I do not think anyone is there who is able to become president and manage the Press affairs altogether.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles 30 September, 1972:

So if the sankirtana parties in Satsvarupa's zone are irritating the public for selling so many books, that is one thing, but by their selling books they are doing the greatest service. What your one hour of preaching will do, they will hear and go away, but if they have one book at home, they will read, their friends will read, and something solid work is done. So the art is to sell many many books and not to irritate the public, so you may instruct all the others how to do this successfully. That is sannyasa. That is GBC. There are so many places to go, so why there should be business competition sankirtana parties in New York? This problem should be adjusted between the GBC men.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 30 September, 1972:

Regarding the Bharatapur house, try to convince the present king that everything will be in his name, that is, we shall name it ISKCON Bharatapur Temple or ISKCON Bharatapur House and we shall fix up a marble plaque in the front. For renovating we shall spend for all the three or four houses and they will be used for the same purpose, as a Radha-Krsna Temple and for accommodating foreign visitors and devotees. This movement is so great and ISKCON is propagating Krsna Consciousness all over the world, so why not Bharatapur Maharaja donate the building for this great purpose? They have lost their kingdom but still they have these buildings, so if they are given in our hand it will perpetually commemorate their nice gift to the ISKCON institution and thus to the world. We are purchasing a very palatial building in London and the Maharaja will be welcome to stay there as long as he wishes, or in any one of our places, especially in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, London, Bombay, etc. In this way try to induce him.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Vrindaban 24 October, 1972:

I can understand from your letter that you are doing very nicely and everything is going well. But you did not inform me what is the progress on our new building in New York, whether there is any new proposal? You have loaned London the $30,000 for deposit on their new place, and they shall repay you, but if you require some money for deposit on some new place in New York I can immediately help you. Now go on collecting very vigorously and distribute books as many as possible, I think New York is the best field in the world for collecting money, and very soon Krishna will give you suitable place.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Vrndavana November 2, 1972:

According to the list of names left in the file by Nanda Kumara, there are nine names listed for New York, as follows: Mike/Mahamuni; Steve Anderson/Sevananda; Steve Chichi/Satajit; Jeremy Darling/Yogendra; Jack/Jitasvara; Saul/Sunanda; Andrea/Alarka; Susan/Sikhandini; Rosemary/Ramesvari. So I do not know why they have never received their beads. I think best thing is to write to Nanda Kumara, who is now president of Laguna Beach temple, and he can explain.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Hyderabad 18 November, 1972:

Real business is to spread the message of Lord Caitanya throughout the world. But if we are able to get the place in downtown centre of New York City, that is the most important location in the world, and from that place we may broadcast Krishna Consciousness all over the world. You are the first-class business brain, so if you can get that place without too much difficulty, that will be a very great asset for preaching. So far the money you have loaned to London, they are trying for some other places, and you are also trying, so whichever of you requires the money first, then you may utilize as necessary by mutual agreement. For the time being you may leave the money in London bank, and if you need, they will send.

Letter to Ekayani -- Bombay 3 December, 1972:

We have already got our Vaisnava standard. That is sufficient for Madhvacarya, Ramanujacarya, it was sufficient for Lord Caitanya, six Gosvamis, for Bhaktivinode Thakura, for my Guru Maharaja Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, for me, for all big big saints and acaryas in our line—why it shall be inadequate for my disciples so they must manufacture something? That is not possible. Who has introduced these things, that women cannot have chanting japa in the temple, they cannot perform the arati and so many things? If they become agitated, then let the brahmacaris go to the forest, I have never introduced these things. The brahmacaris cannot remain in the presence of women in the temple, then they may go to the forest, not remaining in New York City, because in New York there are so many women, so how they can avoid seeing? Best thing is to go to the forest for not seeing any women, if they become so easily agitated, but then no one will either see them and how our preaching work will go on?

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Ahmedabad 11 December, 1972:

I think Gaurasundara in Hawaii is the GBC man for South American Zone, so you should also write to him in this connection and take his advice and make report to him, along with Hanuman, at least once in a month what you are doing. I have recently got one letter from Hanuman, and his address is: c/o Agencia Wallis C. A. Edificio Karam, PO Box 1826, Caracas, Venezuela. I am sending one copy of this letter to Caracas, as you have mentioned that you are leaving New York first week in December. If there is good possibility to arrange nice programmes, and if you have got a very nice place by then, why not I shall stop there in Caracas while returning to your country sometimes next year?

Letter to Karandhara, Bali-mardana -- Ahmedabad 14 December, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your several telegrams, and I have replied by telegram as follows: YES YOU CAN USE BOTH THE FUNDS IF IT IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW YORK GORGEOUS TEMPLE. One thing is, that you should inform me in detail and send the plans of that place, along with how you shall make all the payments. You may repay me the $80,000 gradually by paying the money to Dai Nippon and shipping books to India, as they require, and they shall pay Rupees there into our M-V Trust Fund Account in Indian Bank. Another thing, Syamasundara is going to London in one or two weeks for some other urgent business, so he shall see what is the position for getting the house there, and if there is no urgent need to use it there at London he may send the money you had sent for down-payment back to New York. If there is any immediate need to utilize the money for the London house, we shall make some suitable adjustment.

Letter to Name withheld -- 17 December, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 30th, 1972, wherein I am so shocked to hear from you that you have left your good wife for some time to have sex-life with another girl, who is also a devotee, and that she is now pregnant with your child. That is most disturbing to me. But I know that all big leaders are falling victim to sex-life. So let her live in New York and you live in Paris with your wife, what can be done? But you should not ever see or correspond in any way with her again. That will be the worst example. If you are leader, how you can do these things? If someone will have her, she may get herself married and be happy in Krsna consciousness—I do not want that she shall go away from shame. But you must have nothing more to do with her. Just like (another devotee) has done. He was like the sifter, full of holes, and he was finding fault only in others: Oh, just see that needle, he has got a hole. Now he has made one girl pregnant and they were found out, so he has left me as my personal servant. That is the common practice: full of holes, yet they are accusing others, "Oh! He has got one hole!

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 22 December, 1972:

Regarding your proposal to cash my bonds and take that house in New York, I have heard from Bali Mardan that the bid was refused and that he has made another bid, but it will be some time before it is decided. And Dhananjaya has telephoned to Bombay to request for keeping that down payment, because George is very keen to purchase one monastery and there is every chance they will get it before one week. At least let us see. So there is no immediate need to cash my bonds, nor take the money from London. Jayatirtha has informed that Bali Mardan has saved more than $100,000 in few months time only, so New York is very rich place for collecting, so why not he shall collect there for few more months to raise the whole price? Also, that place on 77th Street is not so much important as 5th Avenue and 40th Street. If we are taking such big place for big risk, why not in the important business district?

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 23 December, 1972:

I am enclosing one copy of my letter to Karandhara in this regard. I want to use those bonds for purchasing books for India.* But I think there is no shortage of funds to be collected by you and your men in New York only. I was told by Jayatirtha that you have collected more than $1,00,000 in last few months. So if you go on collecting in this way, where is the difficulty? Of course if there is great need, I can give you, but if you think that you can manage something independently, then try for that, that will be better. I had purchased those bonds originally for M-V Trust, so I want to utilize them in India.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 23 December, 1972:

Another thing is, if we get our headquarters in the very important business quarter of New York, just like I saw those photos, big, big skyscrapers surrounding, millions of people passing daily, oh, that will be very wonderful thing. But that quarter of 77th Street, that is costly also, but it is not very important. So I think if you get one place, one skyscraper building, just by the 5th Avenue, say, around 40th Street, 45th Street, Times Square, like that, that will be the beacon-light for our world-wide propaganda of Krishna Consciousness Movement.

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 23 December, 1972:

I am very, very happy to hear from you all the good news about New York centre. Yes, from the very beginning I went to New York because I thought that Krishna Consciousness is the most important idea in the world, so let me go to that place, New York, which is the most important city in the world, and if I am able to do anything for Krishna and my Spiritual Master, even I am at the fag-end of my life, at least let me try for it there. So my dreams have all come true, and all of you nice boys and girls are getting the credit. When I was alone in your New York, I was thinking, who will listen to me in this horrible, sinful place? All right, I shall stay little longer, at least I can distribute a few of my books, that is something. But Krishna was all along preparing something I could not see, and He brought you to me one by one, sincere American boys and girls, to be trained-up for doing the work of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Now I can see that it is a miracle. Otherwise, your city of New York, one single old man, with only a few books to sell for barely getting eatables, how he can survive, what to speak of introducing God-consciousness movement for saving the humankind? That is Krishna's miracle. Now I can see it.

Letter to Cyavana -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:

We must keep at least one nice temple of large size in that part of Africa. If we reduce in that way, that will not be good. Rather increase in all ways, that is our program. The moving and preaching work will be your most important business in Africa. There is not much population and the distances are great, so there is, no doubt, great need for several traveling parties to be working simultaneously. But if you keep that place in Nairobi as your base, sending all of the new recruits as you are able to convert them back to the Nairobi temple for getting themselves trained up, what is wrong with that? I think we need at least one big place for training up the new devotees just to the proper highest standard, just as we are doing in Los Angeles, New York, London, and other places. So also in Africa you require one such model center. If you remain only traveling parties, that will be nice for distributing many many books, and for having the sankirtana, but for new devotees that will be too much rigorous and they will not be able to adjust to the constant moving and changing about. That will spoil their chance for developing in their Krsna consciousness from neophyte stage. So keep the Nairobi center always very active, nicely decorated, worship the deities just to the highest standard, making sure that all of the students are rising to attend the mangala aratrika, chanting regularly sixteen rounds, reading books—in this way utilize what Krsna has given us there and develop it for the headquarters building for Africa.

Letter to Deva Mira -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:

Bali Mardan is my trusted senior disciple, do you think I am a fool to choose him for running on My big New York temple. Rather, if anyone criticizes him, they must be the fool. He has done so much wonderful service and I appreciate him so much. No amount of your foolish words will touch my estimation.

I am stopping in New York by next summer. Meanwhile, I shall request you not to make any disturbance and I shall request Bali Mardan to leave you alone. You must abide by the order of Bali Mardan, you write as Dr. Please let me know what kind of Doctor you are? Have you got any bona fide certificate? Send me the copy of the certificate at once. Please let me know this immediately.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your both letters dated December 21 and 22, 1972, along with the copy of income statement for six months ending November 30, 1972. I am most pleased to note from that income statement that since June your monthly income has doubled and that for six months you have collected $245,000. That is very much astonishing to me, and I can understand from seeing these figures just how much suitable you are for heading up the responsible position of senior man in the New York temple affairs. That means you have made the most substantial increase in financial status anywhere in our society. Krsna has blessed you with the best business sense. Studying the figures I can see that beginning in the month of September, after we had discussed everything at New Vrndaban at end August, the net savings total has almost tripled each month over the previous highest month's total for August of $8,500. Now December is finished and I think in your country this month is the best month for spending, being the Christmas season, so I shall be anxious to see what was your collection for December and what was your net savings.

Letter to Dhananjaya -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

So far painting of the deity, it will not be necessary to bring Muralidhara from New York just for that purpose. We should not be so hasty to make such drastic programs. Radha and Krsna are transcendental to such artistic work, they do not depend upon our painting of them for their beauty. But they should be painted as nicely as possible if there is at present some deterioration of the painting. But I think someone is there, either in London or some other place in Europe, who can do the work perfectly well.

Page Title:New York (Letters 1972)
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:19 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=62
No. of Quotes:62