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Passport

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.15.33, Purport:

The setting of the sun does not mean the end of the sun. It means that the sun is out of our sight. Similarly, the end of the mission of the Lord on a particular planet or universe only means that He is out of our sight. The end of the Yadu dynasty also does not mean that it is annihilated. It disappears, along with the Lord, out of our sight. As Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira decided to prepare to go back to Godhead, so also Kuntī decided, and thus she fully engaged herself in the transcendental devotional service of the Lord which guarantees one a passport for going back to Godhead after quitting this present material body. The beginning of devotional service to the Lord is the beginning of spiritualizing the present body, and thus an unalloyed devotee of the Lord loses all material contact in the present body. The abode of the Lord is not a myth, as is thought by the unbelievers or ignorant people, but one cannot reach there by any material means like a sputnik or space capsule. But one can certainly reach there after leaving this present body, and one must prepare himself to go back to Godhead by practicing devotional service. That guarantees a passport for going back to Godhead, and Kuntī adopted it.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.15.31, Purport:

According to the Vedic system, a sannyāsī, a person in the renounced order of life, is dressed in saffron-colored garments. This saffron dress is practically a passport for the mendicant and sannyāsī to go anywhere. The sannyāsī's duty is to enlighten people in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Those in the renounced order of life have no other business but preaching the glories and supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Vedic sociological conception is that a sannyāsī should not be restricted; he is allowed to go anywhere and everywhere he wants, and he is not refused any gift he might demand from a householder. The four Kumāras came to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead Nārāyaṇa. The word suhṛttama, "best of all friends," is important. As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā, He is the best friend of all living entities. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). No one can be a greater well-wishing friend to any living entity than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is so kindly disposed towards everyone that in spite of our completely forgetting our relationship with the Supreme Lord, He comes Himself—sometimes personally, as Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared on this earth, and sometimes as His devotee, as did Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu—and sometimes He sends His bona fide devotees to reclaim all the fallen souls. Therefore, He is the greatest well-wishing friend of everyone, and the Kumāras wanted to see Him. The doorkeepers should have known that the four sages had no other business, and therefore to restrict them from entering the palace was not apt.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Mexico, February 12, 1975:

Just like they are attempting to go to the moon planet, but the fact is they could not go there. Why they could not go there? The reason is that wherever you go, you must be fit for that place. Even in this planet, suppose somebody goes from one place to another place. He has to make himself fit to go there. He must know what is the temperature there. Accordingly, he'll take his dress. Then he'll have to take permission of the state, visa, passport. So many things you have to arrange. Then you can go, not that all of a sudden anyone can come to your country, Mexico, without arrangement. Similarly, if you want to go to the higher planetary system, then you have to make your arrangement in this life. You cannot go to the moon planet by force because you have got a tiny airplane. That is not possible. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). A man can go to the higher planetary system when he is preparing himself to go there. So there are millions and trillions of planets. Wherever you want, you can go. The descriptions are there in the śāstra.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

So apart from this discussion, you can go to the moon planet. That is also one of the heavenly planet. But you have to prepare for that, sir. That is karma-kāṇḍīya. You have to perform such and such yajñas. It is not that by force you can go any other planet. By force you cannot go even any other parts of the world here. If you want to go to America you have to take passport, visa, and so many things. And you'll be allowed to go to the moon planet without any visa or passport? How it is possible? It is common sense. They are so fools that some rascal will take some machine and go there? That is not possible. So we have to prepare.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:
There are so many instances. Just like even on this planet if you want to go to other countries, say, America, you have to fulfill so many conditions. Passport, visa, then P-form and so many other forms. Not easily. This is called conditioned life. We have no freedom to move. And there is another life which is life of freedom. Just like Nārada Muni. Nārada Muni travels everywhere. He goes in the spiritual world. He comes in the material world. In the material world he can go in any one of the planets. Sometimes by yogic practice we can go also, but not so easily. So there is a life of freedom. That is spiritual life.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

Just like to enter your African city, African country, there are so many rules and regulations, immigration. And you want to go to the Candraloka without any restriction. Just see. Candraloka is the planet of the demigods. There the people live for ten thousands of years, they are so advanced. Their comforts are many thousands better than this standard of comfort. And you want to go there without any passport and without any visa. From common sense, can you enter anyone's country simply because you have got aeroplane? But these things are going on.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

There are four ways suggested. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, not by force you can go to the moon planet. That is not possible. That is simply childish. You cannot go. You must have to be qualified how to go there. Just like if somebody comes to your country, Australia, he has to take the visa, permit, passport, so many things. Then you allow. So how you can be allowed to enter into the moon planet, which is the residential place of demigods? That is a very controversial point. They say that they have gone to moon planet and there is no life. This is simply nonsense. Every planet is full of living entities. But if they say they could not find any living entities, then it is to be understood they haven't gone to the moon planet. There are many other points also, we do not wish to discuss.

Lecture on BG 9.34 -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Don't try to overcome the laws of nature. That is not possible. You have been given this land, this planet. Live here. Grow your food, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and live peacefully. Why should we go to the moon planet? (laughter) But there is process. If you want to go, there is process. Not this that by force I can go there by machine. That is not possible, that is not possible. That is foolishness. Just like I am Indian. If I want to come to France, I must take visa, I must have the passport and so on, so on. By force, I want to enter, no. So we have got experience that by force we cannot do anything. You must be competent to go anywhere, provided you qualify yourself. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). You can go, but not in that way, that because you have got a tiny machine you can go. That is not possible. That is useless. It is not possible.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

So that mental condition one has to practice. What kind of practice? That is also, how the practice should be done, that is also indicated in the Bhagavad-gītā: yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25), They are trying to go to the moon planet, but you cannot go in that way. That is not possible. You cannot go by force in any planet. You have to prepare yourself. Just in this planet also, if you want to go to some other country, in America, you have to prepare yourself for passport, visa, and what... So many papers. Pink forms. And bank balance. This, that, so many things. You cannot by force, that "I have come to America..." The immigration department will immediately check: "Where is your passport? Where is your visa? Where is your bona fide?"

Lecture on BG 13.35 -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

Just like if you come to Europe... At least... Of course, we are different men. We are preaching. But other Indians, they come, they come here by dressing like European, European coat, pant. So just we have to arrange for going to another country, passport, visa and dress and so many things. Similarly, if you want to go to the planets of the demigods, you have to prepare yourself. Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). Deva-vratāḥ, they can go. Similarly, pitṛ-vratāḥ, they can go Pitṛloka. There are other planets.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hyderabad, December 16, 1976:

Just like we are now trying, the modern scientists. We are trying to go to the moon planet. It is failure. They will never be able to go there. I have discussed this point. We are conditioned. We cannot live one place to another without being proficient or without being eligible. Just like even in this planet you cannot go to the other country. Suppose from India if we want to go to America, it requires arrangement, not that all of a sudden you can go to America or the Americans come here. There is international arrangement, visa, passport, immigration, so many things. So many obstacles are there even in this planet, and what to speak of going to other planet. It is not possible. You must be efficient; then you can go.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Just like they are going, trying to go to the moon planet. So how to go to the moon planet, that process is described. You can, you can adopt that process and automatically, after your death, you'll be transferred to the moon planet. You don't require this artificial sputnik. No. Neither you can go there by the sputniks. It is not possible. You must be qualified to enter into a particular type of planet. You cannot go by force. I have given this example many times in America, that if somebody wants to come to America, he has to secure the proper passport and visa. Otherwise, the immigration department will not allow him to enter. Similarly, if you want to go to a particular type of planet, higher planetary system, you must have the required passport and visa.

Lecture on SB 1.7.24 -- Vrndavana, September 21, 1976:

Just like from here if I want to go to America, then I have to fulfill the condition: the visa condition, the passport condition, the health condition, the custom condition—so many conditions. You cannot go immediately. Or nobody can come from there also. In every respect we are conditioned. Every respect. This body is conditioned. You cannot enjoy this body unconditionally. No. That is not possible. You have to change. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). The body has to be changed. A baby has to be changed to become a boy. A boy has to be changed to become a young man. A young man has to be changed to an old man. You cannot stop that. Therefore it is called jīva-loka, conditioned. Every one of us is conditioned. An animal is conditioned. He cannot... There are so many animals in the jungles. They are conditioned. They cannot come in the city or in the town. We are conditioned. We cannot go to the jungle. Conditioned. Every step there is condition.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

So if you want to go, you must qualify yourself. Otherwise it is not so easy. Just like if you want to go to America, you must have qualification. You must have your visa, you must have your passport, you must have the... So many things—if you want to be immigration or if you want to go as a visitor. Similarly, the other conn... If there are so many processes you have to undergo from this country to that country, is it possible that you want to go to another planet without such qualification? This is futile attempt. It is not possible. Therefore you are conditioned. It is called conditioned. We cannot go, we cannot move freely, without being sanctioned by the superior authority. So we generally say, "Not a blade of grass moves without the sanction of God." Similarly, we cannot do anything.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

The moon planet, from the śāstra we understand that nobody can go there unless he is fit. Not only the moon planet, any other planet. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). These are higher planetary systems. The demigods live there. So unless you are fit to live with the demigods, you cannot go there. Just like Kṛṣṇaloka. Unless you make yourself fit to enter into the Kṛṣṇaloka, you cannot go by force. That is not possible. Just like to enter into some foreign country, you have to take visa, you have to take passport, immigration. Then you will be allowed. So such attempt to go there. And even if you go there, you will be driven away. So what is the use of such attempt?

Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Chicago, July 7, 1975:

So in this way, if you like to go to the other, higher planetary system, there is system, how to go there. As we have got system here in this world... If anyone wants to come to America, he has to arrange for visa and passport and so many things. Without going through the system, you cannot enter by force. So these foolish people are thinking that "There is no living entity. It is lying vacant, and by force, we can go there." And after spending millions of dollars, we come back with some dust, that's all. (laughter) And become proud that we have gone to moon planet. So the Vedic śāstra does not say so. But you can go there. You can live there, a higher standard of comfortable life, higher duration of life. Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). You can go there. But anywhere you go within this material world, either the moon planet or sun planet or Brahmaloka, Kṛṣṇa says, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, that is also not permanent settlement. After many, many years, you have to come... Kṣīṇe puṇye punaḥ martya-lokaṁ viśanti. When your resultant action of pious life will be finished, you will come back again.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

Just like in the prison house, no prisoner can leave this place to go to another unless he is ordered to do so; similarly, we are conditioned. It is not possible, "Because we have manufactured some machine, by force I can go anywhere." No. That is not possible. That is not possible. You may do it for perpetually, but śāstra says if you practice piously, then you can be elevated to the higher planetary system. It is very easy, but we are so fool, we cannot understand that... Suppose in coming, either from India to America or America to..., we have to make so many arrangements: visa, passport, medical certificate, this, that. No country will allow you without all these things. So how you can go to the other planets without being equipped? This is foolishness. This is not possible. We are conditioned means we cannot go from here to there. There is rule and regulation. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). So this is futile attempt. Therefore the Vaiṣṇavas recommend that "Why you are foolishly attempting so many things? Just utilize this life for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.107 -- New York, July 13, 1976:

Ten years before, in my Easy Journey to Other Planet, I have written that "This moon-going attempt is childish and waste of time." And still we are challenging that "Mars-going, so-called, it will also fail." Write it: It will fail. Not that process. So how we are saying? How we are challenging these big, big scientists? Because we know from the Vedic literature that it is not possible to go to the moon planet or Mars in that way. It is not possible. You have to qualify yourself. Just like to come to America one has to qualify himself for the proper visa, passport, and so many other things, bank balance, this, that. How you can go to the other? They are higher planetary system. So this is all childish. But if you want to go at all, then it is possible if you follow the proper process.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.62-67 -- New York, January 6, 1966:

Just like Gayā, a sacred place, it is situated in Bihar. And sacred place, Benares, it is situated in Uttar Pradesh. Vṛndāvana is situated on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Similarly, Kashmir, and Punjab also; in South India, Rāmeśvaram; in Himalayan province, Haridwar. In this way all these provinces were distributed, and still it is going on. The provincialism is amongst the educated circle. So far the mass of people are concerned, they don't know what is province. They travel from one province to another. They don't require any visa. They don't require any passport. So that was very nice.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Your United States is considered to have the best facilities, comfortable materialistic way of life. That is the calculation outside. So supposing that you have got the best facilities for material enjoyment. In higher planetary system there are many thousand times better facilities. You can go there. The living entities are therefore called sarva-gataḥ. A living entity can go anywhere he likes, but he requires qualification. Any country, when one is admitted, he must have visa, he must have passport, he must have required money to stay in a foreign country. So many rules and regulations are there. Similarly, in the higher planetary system also, where you get ten thousand years of duration of life, and their one year is far, far greater than ours. That is scientific.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Paris, June 26, 1971:

So according to Bhagavad-gītā, we can transfer to other planets also. This is explained in our book Easy Journey to Other Planets. The present endeavor is to transfer one to the moon planet. But as we get information from the Vedic literature, we cannot transfer ourself by mechanical arrangement to the moon planet. That is not possible. This is futile attempt. Every planet has got different atmosphere. So in order to enter into a particular planet we have to prepare ourself. This is also understandable very easily. Just like if we go to a foreign country we have to prepare for visa and passport. If in this planet also we are so much restricted, how foolishly we are attempting to go to other planet without being prepared for entering that planet.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Hayagrīva: He sees the lover of God as being a morally free person. He writes, "As St. Augustine's maxim, 'If you but love God you may do as you incline,' is morally one of the profoundest of observations, yet it is pregnant for such persons with passports beyond the bounds of conventional morality."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is very nice. Morality means to execute the orders of God. If God is satisfied then it is moral. Otherwise our so-called convention in this material conception of life, "This is good," "This is bad," they are described as mental concoction. We must have clear orders from God, and if we execute it for the satisfaction of God, this means, in other words, morality means the action which satisfies God, the Supreme Lord. That is morality. And if he does not satisfy the Lord, then it is not morality; it is immorality. We therefore sing every day yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **, and the orders of God is carried through the representative of God, spiritual master, because directly we have no connection with God. The spiritual master is the transparent via media between God and ourself. In our perfect stage, of course, we can talk with God, but in the beginning, neophyte state, there is no such chance; therefore we have to take instruction from the spiritual master who has got direct connection with God. And if we satisfy the spiritual master, this means we have satisfied God. That is happiness.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: So for attaining to the perfectional stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one should be very much enthusiastic. Yes. He must attain to the perfectional stage in this life. And then one should be patient also. Enthusiasm does not mean if I attain something immediately the result is immediate. No. The result may be delayed but we should not be disturbed. But we must go on working with enthusiasm. This is called patience. Enthusiasm, patience and confidence. Because we believe in Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that if you do this you get this result. Therefore I must have confidence. Just like Kṛṣṇa says that simply by understanding Him, what He is, how does He come, how does He walk, one immediately gets passport to enter into the spiritual kingdom. So we must have confidence that I'm working in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I must go back to Godhead, back to home. This is confidence. So enthusiasm, patience, confidence. And ... yaḥ syād ... niscyad... tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. Simply enthusiasm but no work. But you must be engaged in the prescribed duties of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And you must keep always yourself in the association of devotees. These things are, I mean to say, impetus for development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So the more you enthuse yourself with these six principles, patience, enthusiasm, then confidence, then engaging in the activities, keeping association with devotees and avoiding association with nondevotees. That is also another thing.
Interview with LA Times Reporter About Moon Trip -- December 26, 1968, Los Angeles:

Reporter: Now Dan not only said that you said that if people try to land on the moon they would not be able to. Can you explain what you meant by that?

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is very common sense. Suppose if somebody wants to land on your country, America. You do not allow. There are so many restrictions, visas, passport, and immigration. And how do you expect to land there, all of a sudden there? They are so intelligent and their duration of life so long. They are far advanced in knowledge. Everything they're advanced. So you cannot expect in that way to land there. This is common sense affair. Besides that, the scientists also agree that the temperature there is two hundred degrees below zero, so how you can expect to land there and live there?

Reporter: In other words, you don't... How do you yourself feel? Do you feel that if the United States or the Soviet Union were to attempt a landing and their spacecraft went down, what do you yourself expect...

Prabhupāda: No, so far our calculation goes, from the books, nobody can do so. That is impossible.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- November 7, 1970, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, Indian, one gentleman from Agra. So his son immediately sent me, sponsoring. But still, the government objected that "We cannot allow you to go there because you are sponsored by an individual person." But I wanted to see chief controller of, what is called, foreign exchange, Mr. Rao. So he kindly accepted. "Yes, Swamiji, you can go." He fought. (?)

Guest (2): That time it was very difficult. Passport I have got already.

Prabhupāda: Passport, visa.

Guest (2): Now, the difficulty is about visa only. Passport I have secured. He's cleared it for three years. Now it is easy to get a passport. I do possess. After getting the passport I wrote and corresponded with...

Prabhupāda: So there was no money with me and in an awkward position... My philosophy is completely different. I was to ask them to cease from four kinds of sinful activities, and they are habituated to these things. Illicit sex, and drinking, wine and intoxication and gambling—these are their daily affairs. So I was thinking, "I have to stop this. Who will hear me?" But Kṛṣṇa... Everything became...

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 25, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: ...not sentimental. There is no religion, and still, they are professing, "I profess this religion," Where is your religion? If actually there was religion in the human society, why there are so many problems? There should not have been so many problems. The problems are in the animal society. Why there should be problem in human society? Because they have given up the real principles. They are simply animals. Therefore there are so many problems. Actually there is no problem. Even they are not animal. Less than animal. In animal society there is no problem. There is problem, but not so acute. They are free. Just like the ducks, the pigeons, they fly from one country to another. They have no problem of immigration department, passport, or visa. They have no problem. These rascals should understand that they have created problem on account of their animalistic, less than animalistic civilization. There is no limit of sense gratification. The sense gratification, homosex, they are supporting.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1972, New York:

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, which would you like to take?

Prabhupāda: Any one will do.

Devotee: So shall I take your passport now, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: And health card?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So here is my passport, and here is my health cards. Is that all right?

Devotee: Yes.

Śyāmasundara: This we have to turn in when leaving the country.

Bali-mardana: Prabhupāda, can I offer you a fresh garland?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Thank you. It is too fresh.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1975, Bombay:

Lalitā: You take this benefit. (Bengali) ...spiritually conscious, everything will be... (Bengali) But if it is the nasty things, the nasty and...

Prabhupāda: Politically it will be failure, but spiritually it will be successful.

Lalitā: (Bengali) She is eager to meet him, so he should talk high level... (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: ...because I am missionary, (Bengali) permanent resident American... (Bengali) ...our visa, passport... (Bengali) ...certain percentage... (Bengali) ...so "You will have to wait for six years." (Bengali)

Lalitā: Mahārāja, we have to note down the point, "missionary movement," and what will be the subject. You have to submit one letter... (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) ...Indira's janma?

Morning Walk -- December 18, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā begins education, instruction. Immediately He puts forward that you are not this body. That is the beginning of education. Where is such education? Everyone is thinking, "You are this body." "You are Indian, you are American, you are Hindu, you are Muslim." What is education? Bhagavad-gītā says you are not this body. That is the beginning of education. And now education means be nationalist. Drive away and bark...

Dr. Patel: (something about passport in Hindi)

Prabhupāda: No, why passport? Even in our country, Mahātmā Gandhi was also infected: "Quit India." "Quit India."

Dr. Patel: No, he did not mean quit India. He meant "You quit your matter of ruling." I mean actually...

Prabhupāda: It was the exact word, "Quit India."

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Send this copy to Indira Gandhi.

Devotee (2): Indira Gandhi.

Prabhupāda: Yes, and request him to stop to send, give passport to all these nonsense. Do this. Yes.

Satsvarūpa: "For this reason I am very excited to see the publication of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, by Śrī A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda, from his very birth, was trained in the strict practice of bhakti-yoga, and he appears in a succession of gurus that traces back to the original speaking of Bhagavad-gītā by Śrī Kṛṣṇa. His knowledge of Sanskrit is impeccable. His penetration into the inner meaning of the text is befitting only a fully realized soul who has indeed perfectly understood the meaning of Bhagavad-gītā. Personally, I intend to use this book in the courses which I am directing by invitation of the Mexican government on the language, culture, and philosophy of India. This authorized edition of the Gītā will serve a double purpose in Spanish-speaking countries. One, it will help to stop the terrible cheating of false and unauthorized gurus and yogis; and two, it will give an opportunity to Spanish-speaking people to understand the actual meaning of Oriental culture."

Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Just like they are trying to go to the moon planet. It requires a different body. So yānti deva-vratā devān: (BG 9.25) this life, you aspire of going to the moon planet; next life, automatically you will go there. Why you are trying unnecessarily to go to the moon planet by sputnik? You'll go there. You just always think of the moon and you'll go to the moon. It is simple process. And by this way, you cannot go. Now, exactly in the same way that you get the body of a fish and you very easily, whole day and night, for so many years, you jump over in the sea. So moon planet is one of the heavenly planets. There is process how to go to moon planet. In the Bhāgavata it is stated. Those who are karma-kāṇḍīya, very, discharging the Vedic ritualistic ceremony, karma-kāṇḍa, they can go to the moon planet or sun planet. There are millions and trillions of planets they can go. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). The same thing. Suppose if you want to go to India, you prepare yourself, take the visa, the permit, the passport and necessary money and permission, so many things. You go there.
Room Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Devotee: You were staying in the YMCA.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) So I did not say anything seriously, but perhaps he took it very seriously, Gopal's father. So he might have written to Gopal that "Swami Bhaktivedanta wants to go to America. If you sponsor, then he can go." So whatever the correspondence was there between the father and son, I did not know. I simply asked him, "Why don't you ask your son Gopal to sponsor so that I can go there? I want to preach there." So after some months, three, four months, the No-Objection Certificate from the Indian embassy in New York, Gopal sent to me, yes, that he had already sponsored my arrival there for one month. So all of a sudden I got the paper, No-Objection Certificate by the Indian embassy. After so much inquiry, I learned that so much inquiry was done and so on, so on. Then I tried to take a passport and paper process. So I got the passport. Then I approached that Śrīmatī Morarji. She once gave me five hundred rupees in exchange of my Bhāgavata book, so I approached her, that "Give me one ticket." They have got their shipping company, Scindia Navigation. So she said, "Swamiji, you are so old, you are taking this so responsibility. Do you think it is right?" "No, it is all right." (laughs) At that time, I was seventy years old. So all the secretary, they thought that "Swamiji is going to die there." Anyway, they gave me the ticket, one return free ticket by their ship. Then arrangement was going on. So there is another process to get a P-form. You know.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Hm. I was in South Africa in, what is that city?

Hṛdayānanda: Johannesburg.

Prabhupāda: Johannesburg. From the downtown, the Indian quarters about ten miles or fifteen miles away. Indian.... African, black quarters, they are not allowed even to enter the city. They require a pass. If any black man enters the city without that passport, he will immediately be taken to police. The bus for the black man is different from the white man. I think Indians also they have got separate bus. But the bus in which the white men travel, the Indians and the black men are not allowed. Gandhi tried to adjust this injustice, but he failed. Then with determination he went to India, that "I must drive away the Englishmen." These South African white men, mostly they are Englishmen and Dutchmen. Originally, they were Englishmen and Dutchmen.

Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: So by this time, we shall be in Toronto tomorrow.

Hari-śauri: Yes. 5:45 the plane leaves. So we'll be there by 6;00, 6:40, something like that. They don't have a garden there, though.

Prabhupāda: Time difference the same? No time difference?

Hari-śauri: I don't think so. Oh, we'll have to go through customs though. It's Canada, so we have to travel through customs.

Prabhupāda: We require passport? Visa? You've got?

Hari-śauri: I think so. Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja already has it sorted out. My U.S. visa allows me to travel outside the country and come back in unlimited amount of times. I don't.... In Toronto also, one boy there was telling us that the priest that was selling that church, he said that he would rather burn it down than sell it to us. But because this Indian man bought it for us, then we were able to get it.

Prabhupāda: Ah, yes. It was sold to somebody else. But because it is an old church, the government municipality would not allow to break it. Then the man who purchased, he was obliged to sell to us.

Morning Walk -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Kīrtanānanda: They'll eat the fox. They're very rare though.

Prabhupāda: Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam.

ahastāni sahastānām
apadāni catuṣ-padām
phalgūni tatra mahatāṁ
jīvo jīvasya jīvanam

The handless animal is the food for the animal with hands. This is the beginning of life. Uncivilized man eats the animals. Apadāni catuṣ-padām: these grass, plants, they are for the catuṣ-padām, four-legged. Cows, deer, goats, they eat. And those who are weak, they are for the strong. In this way, this is the nature's way. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. One life, a living entity is food for another. (dogs barking) Immigration department. (laughter) We have got passport. (laughter) That's all right.

Kīrtanānanda: This is a dog's business.

Prabhupāda: Dog's business. Without any fault, they'll chastise. We have no fault, still they are chastising. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. You have got this independence. Little independence, more than the animals.

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Kīrtanānanda: I don't think there's as much trouble from our government as from the Indian government. Our problem so far has been Indian government.

Prabhupāda: What is the difficulty? If somebody wants to go, migrate in America, what India government will do?

Kīrtanānanda: They won't give them passport.

Prabhupāda: No, no, passport means coming back. But if he's going to domicile, Indian government cannot check. If I want to go somewhere and live there...

Kīrtanānanda: You have to have passport. As far as I know.

Prabhupāda: But passport means if he wants to return.

Kīrtanānanda: No, in other words, in order to get visa from US, you have to present your passport.

Prabhupāda: There are different kinds of visa. Immigration visa. Suppose if anyone wants to migrate in America, our society here, we give guarantee. I think there will be no...

Kīrtanānanda: No difficulty. We can try.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Take some?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, please, please, Śrīla Prabhupāda. If you like little salt on it?

Harikeśa: Can I have the key? To lock up the passports and...

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: This is a drink, Śrīla Prabhupāda, made of some melon, different melon.

Prabhupāda: This is also local?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, that is very local. Is that sweet, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: No, it is nice.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: It can become very sweet. Sometimes it is very, very sweet.

Prabhupāda: Very nice. So, very nice. Like bael. In India, like bael. So nice fruits.

Room Conversation -- September 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. His father came to see me some time in Agra. Agra. His father, mother came.

Hari-śauri: And then they suggested that he be your sponsor.

Prabhupāda: It was all by chance. I was for a few days guest at his father's place in Agra. I did not know that his son is in America. So he was talking about his family. He was little sorry that his eldest son went to America to study electric engineering, and he was entrapped by an English girl, and he married and settled there and did not come back. In this way... So I took the opportunity, that "Why don't you ask your son to sponsor me?" I wanted to go to America. So I did not know how seriously he took it. But I simply told him that "Why don't you ask your son to sponsor me at least for one month. So I am thinking of going to America." Then that was talking, beginning and end, that's all. I did not know that he took it very seriously. Then after two, three months, some documents came. I was receiving my letters in a post box. So when I left Delhi I used to keep my key of post box with some nice bookseller, Atmaram, he was manager. So he opened that, he got that documents. That is No Objection Certificate, Sponsor, and everything. I was out of Delhi. Then when I came back I took it. So everything was there, that sheet (indistinct) from the Indian Consulate, No Objection Certificate. Then I applied for a passport. In this way I had to go. So Gopal was unknown to me, but his father was, his father was known to me. His father was... Then his agent got me on the bus. So on the bus (I) went to Pennsylvania.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: Śrīla Prabhupāda? I would like to see Tarun Kanti Gosh. He once told me any time you wanted to go to Manipur he would give an official letter.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gargamuni: So if I can show him this letter I can make arrangements now so that after Māyāpura we can go.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Gargamuni: I can give them the names and our passport numbers.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I have the forms I brought from Manipur.

Prabhupāda: So you arrange it.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: He is robust also, like kṣatriya, Keśava, Karandhara's brother. All right, you may go. So that...?

Gargamuni: In this letter they have asked for six persons, five including yourself. I think if we send a few more by vehicle, by car, vehicles, then we can bring maybe ten or twenty more, and we can have big programs. Five men are not enough.

Prabhupāda: So do that. He'll do.

Gargamuni: So I can give the names.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Okay. Give me the names and passport numbers so that we can get the inner pass.

Prabhupāda: So immediately do it.

Room Conversation Meeting with Dr. Sharma (from Russia) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Dogs?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He is saying that just like with breeding of dogs or any animals, they keep a pedigree chart: "Here is the father, here is the father," pedigree. But with human beings they don't bother to do this. With the animals they are doing. Just like with our cows...

Prabhupāda: Therefore I say animal civilization. It is animal civilization. They are interested with animals.

Guest (1): Previously what (indistinct) says, (Sanskrit) His credentials are being presented with (indistinct) oneself. In other words it's a passport to being mentally carried with a man. And it's being just passed on to another woman. Nowadays of late in some of the countries in application forms, they are demanding that they should not ask father's name because many of them do not know. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is insanity.

Morning Talk -- June 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And they want that. Vajpayee wanted.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right, they want a list.

Prabhupāda: Surendra Kumar told me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So Gopāla, he's definitely going to do it. I mean, he told me he's doing that, that that's part of the application. He told me the different items. He will get their karmī names, spiritual names, passport number. He's aware of having to do that.

Prabhupāda: In America there are many thousands of Indians, permanent resident.

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Brijratanji -- Delhi 31 March, 1961:

This is to certify that Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami 1/859, Kesi Ghat P.O. Vrindaban (Mathura) U.P. India, is a bona fide visitor to the "CONGRESS FOR CULTIVATING HUMAN SPIRIT" will be held under the auspices of the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony from the 10th May through the 24th May this year 1961 at the important places in Japan.

It is understood that lodging and boarding arrangements during the period will made and payed by us.

It would be a great favor if necessary passport and a visa to visit Japan are passed to him to make his arrival in Japan before the 10th May 1961.

Letter to Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd -- Delhi 31 March, 1961:

This is to certify that Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami 1/859, Kesi Ghat P.O. Vrindaban (Mathura) U.P. India, is a bona fide visitor to the "CONGRESS FOR CULTIVATING HUMAN SPIRIT" will be held under the auspices of the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony from the 10th May through the 24th May this year 1961 at the important places in Japan.

It is understood that lodging and boarding arrangements during the period will made and payed by us.

It would be a great favor if necessary passport and a visa to visit Japan are passed to him to make his arrival in Japan before the 10th May 1961.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Sir Padampat Singhania -- New York 20 January, 1966:

Now taking for acceptance that Dr. Radhakrishnan will give us the exchange sanction, we have to decide whether to pay outright cash or to accept the proposal of installment. You may decide this in the meantime. And as soon as I receive the news of sanction, I shall let you know. If your man is to come here you may let me know the name and occupation of the persons so that I may arrange for his no objection certificate without which passport will be issued. I will have to find out some sponsor for him otherwise no P form will be issued. So pending the sanction let us be prepared for all these paraphernalia. In the future if circumstances changes, and we get the opportunity for spending more money, at that time we can sell of this or keep it as the circumstances allow. For the present let us begin in this small scale and let be grown up in the natural way.

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- New York 27 April, 1966:

Kindly therefore send your permission for taking this boy with me as abovementioned. He has his passport and some couple of hundreds to spend in India. When we come to India you will be pleased to see the boy (American). He is coming of a good family and a sincere soul to this line of culture. There are others also in the class I am holding here but I wish to take with me only one of them.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to 'Children' at New York -- Vrindaban 26 July, 1967:

We boarded the plane for the second time the next morning at nine a.m. and took off for Moscow shortly thereafter, and arrived at that bastion of propaganda about three hours later. We had an hour stop there, so we got off the plane just to take a walk. We were met by a "friendly guard" and informed that they would keep our passport until we returned to the plane, and then "guided" down the corridor to the terminal. Unlike London or New York, there was no hustle or bustle at the terminal, nor were there many people—and it was very quiet! The only remarkable features were the propaganada pictures and the many racks of free books and literatures. We were glad to get back on the plane and start for Delhi. The flight from Moscow to Delhi took about 8 hours, and when we arrived it was about midnight local time, and when we stepped out of the plane I KNEW IT WAS INDIA! It was like walking into a solid wall of HEAT. But that's what I've been wanting, and it felt good to me. Some friends were there to meet us, so after clearing customs we drove into town, where we stayed (and are presently) at a Radha Krishna Temple near Kashmiri Gate.

Letter to Mukunda -- Calcutta 23 October, 1967:

Now I feel certain that you will get my immigration visa, in the meantime as I have already informed you I've gotten a visitors visa immediately on presenting passport. So please let me know whether I should wait for the immigration visa as you intend to send me or should I start on the strength of the visitors visa. On the whole now I can start any day I like but if you think I should wait I shall wait. You must write me immediately. I'm leaving Calcutta the day after tomorrow for Navadvipa, the birth place of Lord Caitanya and my address is given on the overleaf (please find). You will reply this letter to my Navadvipa address and on hearing from you I will do the needful.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Mangalaniloy -- Montreal 7 July, 1968:

When I was in India there was some talks with you about your coming to this part of the world, but the difficulty was that even I had sincere desire to sponsor you, and if I sponsor your coming here through my society, the government of India would not allow you either the passport or travelers exchange. At the present stage, sponsoring is possible only if I guarantee to pay your expenditure so long you shall remain in the foreign country. My society will not agree to spend so much money for anyone whom they do not know. I was thinking about you since I have come back this time to this country, how to get you here, because there is ample possibilities for preaching Krishna Consciousness movement all over western world now, because the people are wanting something real spiritual life. Unfortunately, so-called swamis and yogis come in this part of the world and they exploit people and then go away. So the government here is also not very optimistic of such kind of swamis. But in spite of all difficulties, there is ample possibility of spreading pure devotional service of the Lord, or Krishna Consciousness movement, all over the western world.

Letter to Janardana -- San Francisco 9 September, 1968:

You will be pleased to know that I had no difficulty entering USA, with the Canadian immigration card. First of all, they wanted from me to see my visa, I told that I am Canadian immigrant. Then he said, oh yes, that's all right. So what for you are going; to visit there. How many months you want to remain there? I said about 4 or 5 months. So they did not make any etch in my passport. So I think even if I am not able to get the American visa, there will be no difficulty for my coming and going. Anyway, let us depend on Krishna. So Hamsaduta is there, the Kirtana party is there; please try to organize your center nicely. And I am also enclosing herewith one letter for Hamsaduta. Hope this will find you in good health and cheerfulness.

Letter to Mr. S. S. Sethi (Vice Consul of India) -- Seattle 26 September, 1968:

I hope by this time you have received two copies of photos I have sent you through Sri Somnath Dhar. Now with reference to your letter no. SANF/CONS/384/68 addressed to Mr. A.C. Misra, Attache, High Commission of India, Ottawa, Canada, I beg to inform you that they have sent me a wrong passport and returned back the postal order in order that I may receive the certificates from your office. In this connection they write to say as follows: "As you are no longer living within our jurisdiction, you are advised to contact our San Francisco office for police clearance and birth certificate." Please therefore issue these certificates per bearer and he will pay the required fees.

I do not know what to do with this wrong passport. The copy of the letter which I have addressed to Mr. Misra in this connection is also enclosed herewith. Kindly therefore do the needful immediately as I want both the passport and certificate very urgently, and I am simply waiting for them. I am sending my disciple Sriman Cidananda Brahmacari (Mr. Clay Harrold) to see you, and please advise him what to do.

Letter to Sri A.C. Misra -- Seattle 26 September, 1968:

While thanking you for your registered letter No. OTT/428/2/68, I beg to inform you that on opening the registered cover, I find that the passport does not belong to me. I am very much surprised how this misdelivery has been possible. The passport which I have got in my hand just now is No. I-062636, in favor of Charamma Sebastian, issued from your Bombay office, dated October 25, 1962.

Please therefore find out immediately where is my passport and send it directly to your San Francisco office care of Mr. Sethi, because without the passport I cannot get the police clearance and birth certificates. I have received back the money order, but I cannot utilize it without getting my passport. I have been so long waiting for the passport and twice I phoned your office in Canada, asking you to send it back, as requested by your San Francisco office, but when I got your registered package, it is a different one. Please therefore immediately arrange to return my passport care of Mr. Sethi, and on return of my passport, I shall return the wrong passport which is in my possession.

Letter to Cidananda -- Seattle 5 October, 1968:

I have received acknowledgement of my letter dated 26th Sept., 1968, from Mr. S.S. Sethi, whom you saw. So I am replying him and the copy of the letter is enclosed, herewith. You can immediately go and see him and deliver the wrong passport, and take receipt signature on the copy of the letter. And keep the copy of the letter with the receipt signature, carefully.

Before delivering the wrong passport to Mr Sethi, you keep in your diary the number of the passport, the owner of the passport, and the issuing office etc., in your notebook. And after delivering the passbook to Mr. Sethi, please let me know what does he say. And I hope you will carry this nicely, and I shall be also glad to know how your San Francisco branch is going on. Here everything is all right; we hope we shall get very good response from the student community here, because one of the representatives of the student newspaper came to see me and there was nice discussion, and I hope a good report will come out.

Letter to Dinesh -- Seattle 6 October, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Oct. 3, 1968, and have noted the contents. I am preparing for going away from this place for somewhere else by the end of the next week. So you can come and see me at once on receipt of this letter and we shall talk in detail. Bring the following things also along with your film tapes, namely:

1. My passport and two certificates which are lying with Cidananda. These are very important documents and bring them within your inside pocket carefully.

2. Some files and large brown envelopes that are lying in San Francisco.

Letter to Cidananda -- Seattle 15 October, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 11, 1968, and I have noted the contents carefully. I also thank you for sending my passport along with the two certificates which I have duly received yesterday and I am utilizing it for my medical examination, and other activities in connection with my permanent visa in USA. It is so much encouraging that your Sankirtana party is going everyday collecting some money and encouraging also that you are selling Back To Godhead. Similarly the Sankirtana party here also led by Tamala Krishna is doing very nicely. I understand that the son of Tulasi devi, Karnapura, has chosen coins in his Annaprashan ceremony. It is very nice. I think this boy will earn enough money for spreading Krishna Consciousness.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1969:

I am now Permanent Resident or Immigrant in the USA, so there is no need of my Visa, Passport, or P Form trouble for me. I can come and go from India without any formalities. If you simply cooperate with me, I can render some service to the fulfillment of the transcendental desire of Srila Prabhupada and Bhaktivinode Thakura.

Letter to Swami B. S. Bhagavata Maharaja -- Los Angeles 21 August, 1969:

I know there is some difficulty in the matter of getting the passport and visa for preaching in foreign countries at the present moment, but if the Gaudiya Mission decides to send their representatives in all other parts of the world, I can help them in this matter. Similarly, I would also expect cooperation from all our Godbrothers in the matters where I require their help. This mutual cooperation can be established immediately. Apart from the point of the acharya question, I think everyone is working in his individual capacity. That may not be disturbed at the present moment, but if we concentrate our energies for spreading the message of Lord Caitanya all over the world, that will be right missionary activities on behalf of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

Letter to Dr. Nagendra Babu -- Hamburg 28 August, 1969:

I saw your daughter, Bhakti Devi, very much devoted to Krishna Consciousness, just befitting the position of a Vaisnava's daughter. She offered me respects with some money also (two dollars), and I was very much pleased with her behavior. I asked about you and her mother from her, and I am so pleased to learn that you are now retired from worldly activities and are engaged in constant chanting of Harer Nama. I think by age you may be younger than me, if not by many years. So why not come to America and join me in this preaching work? I think if your daughter and son-in-law sponsor to receive you, there will be no difficulty for your passport, etc.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Manager of Bank of Baroda -- Los Angeles 25 March, 1970:

Replying your letter No. SB/34/, dated 14th March, 1970, I beg to reply as follows with reference to the last paragraph of your letter under reply:

1) Duration of my stay in U.S.A. is as present from 29th December, 1969. Before that, I was touring in Europe. (The duration of my stay outside India in my Passport is up to 9th June, 1971.)

2) My last departure from India was on 13rd December, 1967.

3) The "P" Form No. and Reserve Bank of India Permit No. is as follows: EC. CA Pass 4599/2-67, dated 18th November, 1967, approved.

4) My Passport No. I-276896

5) Purpose of visit is missionary preaching of Bhakti cult.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 11 April, 1970:

Who told you that I am a citizen of America? I cannot even apply for citizenship unless I have stayed here legally for at least five years. I am admitted here as permanent resident so that I can go to India and come back again without any visa or passport for this country. There are many Indian business people also who come and go from India and U.S.A. and vice versa. So at my present status I can come and go to and from India without any passport or visa—that is my position.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Bank of Baroda -- Surat 2 January, 1971:

1. I departed from India on December 13rd, 1967.

2. My Reserve Bank Approval Number and date is No. 4599/2-67 dated November 18th, 1967.

3. The purpose and duration of my stay abroad are preaching work on the philosophy of Caitanya cult and the duration was two (2) years and nine (9) months.

4. I was being maintained by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness of which I am the Founder and Acarya.

5. The date of my return to India is August 24th, 1970.

6. I do not hold any foreign shares or securities.

7. My Passport Number is I-276896, issued by the Regional Passport Office, Delhi, on June 10th, 1965.

I am enclosing herewith the Exchange Control Form A. 7 (C) duly signed by me in duplicate; please find.

Letter to Upendra -- Bombay 21 March, 1971:

I am so glad to learn that you are having success in preaching to the younger people there in Fiji, save for the language barrier, and that by Amrtananda going there, he will "break the ice" with the Hindi-speaking youth. So as soon as you acquire funds, you can send his ticket to Calcutta. 3 Albert Road; Calcutta 16, INDIA. The ticket can be made out in the name of Amitava Cakravarti. So you can immediately write him in Calcutta for securing passport and whatever other papers he needs.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 11 April, 1971:

Also, what has happened to my passport? If it is prepared, you can send it here immediately. So far as the beads are concerned, I have sent someone to Vrindaban to inquire there also and so I will let you know about them later on.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bombay 19 April, 1971:

Please find, and acknowledge receipt by telegram. In the mean time I have received a letter and telephone message from Krsna das in Germany. Most probably I shall have to go to Russia for a fortnight. So my passport is immediately necessary. I think Amritanananda and Rahul may be required to go with us because their names have been suggested. So Rahul may be in uncle's house.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bombay 19 April, 1971:

I have sent my passport by registered, insured mail. Kindly let me know whether you have picked up the new passport in exchange for this old one. The old passport may not be delivered to them, but it may be taken back with the word "CANCELLED". Yes, after purchasing the land in Mayapur, we will purchase a house in Calcutta if there is sufficient funds. I am very glad that "Bhagavata Dharma Discourses" activities in Calcutta are going on nicely and it is very encouraging that in one day you have collected checks, etc. for Rs. 8,000 from prospective sympathizers. The Remington House, as suggested by you is not good for our purpose, because it is in the midst of downtown office quarter. Office quarter neighborhood becomes vacant after office hours and besides that, I have seen that Remington House previously when I was in Calcutta and it is not good for our purpose. I think that Mohta house is the best for our purpose. Mr. Mohta's son came to see me and I have asked him to draw the draft of sales agreement. Most probably, he will be coming tomorrow or the day after and when he comes, I shall talk with him. It is understood that he goes to Calcutta and comes back two or three times in a week, so there is no difficulty in this negotiation.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 24 April, 1971:

You are taking in so much money for this event. That is very good. Also you should save some money for the building account. I have already sent my passport and I understand that the new passport is ready for dispatching. So I hope you have dispatched it yesterday.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bombay 25 April, 1971:

My passport is required immediately. If the new one is not ready then immediately send the old one. I am leaving for Kuala Lumpur this Friday, the 30th April, and so I must have it otherwise my journey will be cancelled. Syamasundara. has already advised about this by telephone call. The visa problem is also most urgent. If we cannot stay in India, what is the use of purchasing a house and taking so much risk?

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 30 April, 1971:

I am still in Bombay and am supposed to go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next Monday. I was supposed to go today but did not because my new passport was misdelivered by the post office. So I am trying to reserve my seat and probably will be going on Monday.

1972 Correspondence

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

I am very glad to hear that you are going to take Indian citizenship and passport. Now you be in charge of our Mayapur Center. Practically speaking you were my first disciple, and I think it is Bhaktivinode's desire that my first disciple shall go to Bengal and revive Krishna Consciousness there. So I have heard also from Tamala Krishna that he is going with his party to Bangladesh for preaching among the largely Mohammedan population. So your photos amongst the Mohammedan people of Nadia will also help you as propaganda items.* I am also glad to hear that you are attending all of the meetings of the big Sannyasis and Saintly persons from Navadvipa area and that you are one of the important members of the committee. for protesting against violation of our Vaisnava principles.

Letter to Sankarasana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

To perfect this art, that takes practice, so practice preaching from this understanding and gradually you will develop it more and more. But we should never steal anything like money, food, water, gasoline, just to enhance our service to Krsna. That is too much dangerous, and if we are caught then all of our work is finished. Just like in India recently, this Balyogi Guru Maharajaji was detected by the customs authorities attempting to smuggle some small items into India. By this one tiny incident his entire effort for preaching, even he his rascal number one and his preaching is nonsense, even so the example is there, his work is now ruined and he is practically finished as the government will not grant him passport to leave India. So we shall always be careful to avoid any kind of jeopardizing our high standing in the society by some foolish and small act of illegal stealing.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Amogha -- Los Angeles 1 May, 1973:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 19, 1973 and have noted the contents. I am sorry to learn that you had to leave your engagement in Indonesia. Anyway, so now you are in Australia, so you can consult with Madhudvisa Swami as to what to do there in Indonesia, and you also consult with Karandhara Prabhu as to the passport problem. If necessary, you can take the Australian citizenship.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 21 August, 1973:

Please accept my blessings. Please immediately send me the names and addresses of all the foreign devotees in India. Please also their passport numbers and nationality.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 4 October, 1973:

I have requested our Delhi Temple President Sriman Tejyas das Adhikari to find out the best way how these men can come to India and not be bothered by visa difficulties after coming. He has written me as follows:

"1. Entry visas for one year should be applied for and triplicate carbon copies sent to me and I will follow up here in pushing it through.

2. The occupation should be listed as student-trainee or some such thing but not minister or preacher.

3. I should get a complete list of the devotees by Karmi name, spiritual name, and all details such as Passport number and issue date, previous visits to India, etc.

4. The entry visa should be multiple entry."

Letter to Tejiyas -- Bombay 17 October, 1973:

Another thing, I want a diplomatic passport. Please inquire in this because I am always travelling, and this kind of passport will facilitate my travelling. I am a preacher of Indian culture, why they should not give me this kind of passport.

Letter to Minister in charge of Immigration -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 24 November, 1973:

I had my regular visas, health certificate and all necessary things for entering, but after passing through the health examination department, as soon as I entered the arena, some of the officers of the immigration department immediately took out the passports of my men as well as that of myself, and they asked my men to wait. So I had to wait for two hours, namely from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., but there was no definite decision by the immigration department, and whenever I sent my man to inquire, the man in charge simply replied "Please wait". Later on one gentleman came to inform my men that I was refused entrance in Nairobi from higher authorities. As such, he did not inform me what was the reason of my being refused to enter Nairobi, neither there was any written order from the department on me particularly to stop my entrance in Nairobi. Anyway, when I could understand there was no profit asking them the reason of my being refused, I immediately arranged for coming to London where also I have got two branches. Now from London, I wish to bring the matter for your consideration why I was refused entrance into your city without giving any written or verbal reason.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Pusta Krsna -- Bombay 6 December, 1974:

Regarding my travelling, no, I have not stopped travelling. I am trying to go on like a young man, but sometimes the health does not allow. That is beyond my jurisdiction. So you have finally gotten the visa for South Africa. So we are trying to get the endorsement on my passport for going to Africa here in Bombay.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Punja -- Bombay 2 January, 1975:

I am writing this letter to inform you that I am now sending Bhagavata dasa brahmacari there to Fiji to be co-manager with your good self. This man is very experienced in the Gujarati communities. He has preached in Africa to the Gujaratis there in Kenya, Tansania, Zambia, etc. for over 3 years, as well as London and Gujarat. He is I think capable of working with you very nicely there. If you would be so kind as to send him a ticket from Bombay to Fiji, he can leave Bombay immediately upon arrival of the ticket. He is very eager to make Fiji an established Krishna Conscious center and to work with you co-operatively. Please send the ticket to his Christian name, Joseph M. Selvester, passport number Z1964356. He is waiting here in Bombay at our Hare Krishna Land. I think you can send the ticket by wire through one of the airlines there that has their branch office in Bombay.

Letter to Sri Ananga Mahan -- Perth, Australia 11 May, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter in Bengali dated 16-4-75 and have noted the contents. It is understood that you are arranging for passport for going to the foreign countries and if you will get it, there will be no difficulty to see our temples in the foreign countries. I hope you have at least 7,000 rs. for your ticket along with return ticket. There will be no difficulty to stay in our different temples and when you are ready, you can write to my Honolulu address as follows: 51 Coelho Way, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. I will reach there by the end of this month.

Letter to Pusta Krsna -- Honolulu 15 June, 1975:

One travel agent in New Delhi has told us that two of her clients (American) were going to Johannesburg with visa, sufficient funds onward ticket, passport, etc., and due to some change all of the sudden in the Government, they were thrown into jail, and the next day, they were sent, at their own expense out of the country. The travel agent said that it could be even more severe for an Indian citizen, so, if there is any risk, it is not a very good idea. So, you should find out if there any risk at all and then let me know at my Los Angeles address.

Letter to Amogha -- Toronto 8 August, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 15, 1975 and have noted the contents. I think you should take Australian rather than the American passport. The Australian passport is better because it is Commonwealth. So you take the Australian passport, and immediately go to India. We require good men in India now. Indonesia is not a very important place.

Letter to Dhananjaya -- Indre, France 11 August, 1975:

Regarding men for Vrindaban, when I was in Toronto one British householder with wife and child has agreed to come. Please send me the list of all devotees there in Vrindaban giving their passport names, nationality, and passport number, and date of arrival in India. Send this list to Bombay. Krishna will arrange more men for you there. Do not worry. I have requested them to send more men from Canada.

Letter to Tejiyas -- Johannesburg 16 October, 1975:

Also, Pusta Krishna Swami is going to purchase one car for my travelling purposes in India and for this I want you to get him a three year visa from the government. The following information will be helpful.

Paul Howard Dossick

Passport number—Z2269551

Issued—U.S. Embassy London, England on May 5, 1975

Expiration date May 4, 1980

Birth date Feb. 8, 1950

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Please forward the visa to him in Johannesburg as quickly as possible. Also, kindly find out what are the regulations if a tourist brings (drives) his car into India and forward this information to Pusta Krishna Swami in Johannesburg.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Fagan -- Melbourne 22 April, 1976:

We are departing from Australia the 26th April, 1976, and first of all we will be visiting our centre in Hawaii. For the past several months, one of my disciples, Mr. Denis Harrison, holding British passport number P606464, has been my personal secretary and for this reason I require that he accompany me to the U.S.A. I know that he is a good boy as I have had ample time to study is character, and I can assure you as the Founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness that our society will take care of all his expenses, including maintenance and upkeep, as well as his air tickets to the next place after America; at this time we are scheduled to go to England after our program on the Eastern coast in New York city. I trust that you will do the needful to help me keep my schedule as I am expected to be in certain places on certain dates, and I require the accompaniment of Mr. Harrison, so kindly if you will issue him the required U.S.A. visa for the 3-4 months that he may be there in time before our departure on Monday April 26, 1976.

Page Title:Passport
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:27 of Apr, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=20, Con=20, Let=41
No. of Quotes:83