Training of Citsukhananda dasa (Letters, 1969 - 1976)

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- London 18 November, 1969:

Regarding Citsukhananda, I do not know whether his Spanish education is sufficient for the purpose of right translation, but he can make some portion and send it to me. I shall examine it and then give my direction. In the meantime he can try to translate our BTG and you may try to print a Spanish edition of BTG as you were doing in Montreal of French edition. That will be a nice job for him and an opportunity to nicely expand our literary activities.

Letter to Aniruddha -- London 26 November, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 21, 1969. I am glad that you have received my letter to to you, addressed to New York. Therein I have expressed my opinion about your marriage. So it is very nice program. Just get yourself married, and as you propose to go to Argentina with Citsukhananda to open a branch there, I have all approval.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- London 7 December, 1969:

Regarding Citsukhananda, he needn't bother at present to translate into Spanish. Unless we have got branches in some country where the Spanish language is important, he should not divert his attention. Regarding the little boy named Jimmy and his mother, the mother may do work; just like sweeping, cleansing the temple, collecting flowers, making garlands, washing dishes, etc. The boy should be trained to be a nice brahmacari, but it is risky to keep a boy of this age away from the public schools. In your country the law is very strict to send such minor children to school. The best thing will be to send him to New Vrindaban to be taken taken care of by Kirtanananda, Ranadhira, Satyabhama, Syama Dasi and Paramananda. They are already taking care of some young boys who are there. They are trying to develop a school of our ideal in that place. So after some time, if the mother sticks to our principles, the child may be sent to New Vrindaban and she can remain in the temple and gradually be initiated. In the meantime, encourage her to read our literature and books, and be engaged in some service as above mentioned.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Candravali -- Los Angeles 9 January, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 5, 1970. I am so glad to learn that you are going to be married with Citsukhananda on Sunday, 11th January, at the Radha-Krishna Temple. I like this marriage ceremony because it has given practical proof of my ideas that boys and girls of this country better be married and engaged in preaching work. By the grace of Krishna, our centers managed by the married couples, like Boston, Hawaii, Detroit, New Vrindaban, St. Louis and Buffalo, etc., are doing very well. Similarly, when you are married, as it was discussed in Los Angeles, you also go somewhere, probably in Mexico as you desire, and organize a center there and start an edition of BTG in Spanish language. Our BTG in French language and German language are improving sales and people are appreciating. So why not in Spanish language, which you know well and I think Citsukhananda also knows well. So this is very good news. I was, since a long time, thinking of your marriage. Now Krishna has given you this opportunity. Utilize it properly and be happy. I am glad to learn that Hamsaduta is going to officiate the ministerial function in the marriage, and I think he has got the tape of all the mantras in this connection. So be married, chant Hare Krishna and be happy. This is what I want.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1970:

I am very happy to learn that you are arranging for opening another center in San Jose. From your letter I can understand that it will be a good start in spreading our Krsna Consciousness movement to the Spanish speaking people. I do not care whether the center is opened this place or that place, simply I want to see that eventually a center is opened in every place. So far now you may start the center in San Jose, and as you say that there are many advantages to this procedure, you must develop it nicely. This will be a good opportunity for Citsukhananda and his wife to engage some Spanish speaking devotees to help them when the South American center is first opened. So by the near location you should keep in close touch and give them all assistance as much as possible. Your plan is fully approved by me, and you may immediately begin your preparations without delay.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Los Angeles 12 March, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10 March, 1970, along with the check for $50, and thank you very much for the same. I am pleased to see the newspaper clipping from San Jose State College newspaper, and learn that the students are already attending your Bhagavad-gita class at the Experimental College.

I am also very much pleased to have your report of progressing the public interest in Krsna Consciousness. The secret of success will depend on yourself keeping on the spiritual strength by regularly chanting and following the regulative principles, and side by side you have to act on preaching the gospel, and it will go on without any impediment.

I was so pleased to learn that the police officer was afraid of being converted and therefore he asked you to go, but with full support for your Sankirtana activities. It is very nice.

I am sorry to learn that Candrabali is not there, and she is living with her uncle. Do not be worried, she will come back; and if you give me her address, I shall write to her.

Krishna will give you timely a suitable place, don't worry about it. Our leader, Sanatana Goswami, was living underneath a tree, and He was keeping His Deity, Krishna, hanging on the branch of the tree, wrapped up in a cloth—and still He was always engaged in the service of the Lord. So place or no place, we must go on with our preaching work. Please keep me informed about your progress, and offer my blessings to all the boys.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Los Angeles 28 April, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23rd April, 1970, and I am so much encouraged to learn of your activities in the San Jose area. I have noted the newspaper clippings, and they are very favorable comments. I am especially happy with the article placed by you in the Red Eye, it is very nice presentation of Krsna Consciousness in nutshell. I have also received the check for $50, and I beg to thank you very much for this.

Regarding your first question, who is the speaker of Isopanisad? The speaker is the Vedas personified. In the Vedic age a disciple heard from the Spiritual Master messages which were coming down in disciplic succession, so a disciple, whatever he heard from his bona fide Spiritual Master, would recite. The Vedic mantras are known as Sruti, to hear from authoritative source and then repeat it, chanting. So there is no question of who wrote it, it is said that no human being has compiled them. Later on, before the beginning of Kali Yuga, all Vedic mantras were written in books, most of them were done by Srila Vyasadeva Mahamuni and his different disciples.

Regarding your second question, in reference to Isopanisad mantra 15, should a devotee ask the Lord to reveal Himself the answer is yes. Unless the Lord reveals Himself, the devotee cannot see Him, He reserves the right of being exposed or not being exposed. The yoga maya curtain is always covering the Lord, and in the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, "I am not visible to everyone." Even in the material world, a man in the position of Presidentship is not visible to everyone. So one has to qualify himself by devotional service, then God will reveal Himself. So this Isopanisad mantra is an appeal by the devotee to move the veil of yoga maya or the glaring effulgence of Brahma so that the devotee can see Him face to face. The idea is one has to transcend the material conditions as well as the Brahma effulgence, then one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here the word "face" means the Absolute Truth is a Person. That is the most important point, that God is ultimately a Person.

Regarding the disturbing groups of "Christians" so-called, that is alright. Let them follow Lord Jesus Christ. Regarding their dogmatic insistence, everyone thinks like that, so if one is not prepared to advance more, it is better to avoid them. If one is limited by some formulas only, he is described as an animal which is bound up by the chain of the master and cannot move beyond the length of the chain. So we are concerned with persons who are not chained by anything.

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

Letter to: Damodara

—

Los Angeles

4 May, 1970

70-05-04

Bahulasva Berkeley Rshi Kumara New York

Satsvarupa Boston Umapati Paris

Harer Nama Boulder Subaladas Philadelphia

Rupanuga Buffalo Sridama Providence

Jaya Gopala Columbus Vamanadeva St. Louis

Bhagavan dasa Detroit Madhudvisa San Francisco

Hamsaduta Hamburg Citsukhananda San Jose

Gaurasundara Hawaii Revatinandana Santa Barbara

Durlabh Laguna Beach Gajendra Seattle

Gurudasa London Bali Mardan Sydney

Sripati Montreal Sudama Tokyo

Hayagriva New Vrndavana Jagadisa Toronto

Cidananda Vancouver Damodara Washington

My Dear Damodara,

Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center.

As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple—chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Sankirtana Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books.

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

Hope this will meet you in good health, and more when we meet.

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

I hope everything is going on well in your center.

As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple—chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Sankirtana Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books.

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

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1970:

I hope everything is going on well in your center.

I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distributions of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program.

But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep a daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice.

Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Allahabad 10 January, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th, December, 1970, and noted the contents. I beg to thank you for your nice appreciations of this transcendental movement which I have been trying to present to you on request of my Guru Maharaja. Now I am counting on your good self and all my other good disciples to kindly take this message very seriously and make your lives sublime and the lives of all you contact similarly sublime. That is our business—to please the transcendental Lord by disseminating His message of Krsna consciousness or Love of God by the simple method of Sankirtana.

I am so glad to know that our San Francisco Temple is improving at the new location. Regarding the arrangement for an altar, you may follow the arrangements made in L.A.—that is just suitable—and when the Radha Krsna Murtis arrive from India everything will be complete.

Please continue your program in the universities. They are the best places for propagation of our philosophy and the students are very eager for this crucial information. They are not unaware of the futility of material education which gives a paper degree only, because it is common observation that the graduates are unable to find good employment and the students are becoming hippies, etc. So they are wanting something good and that best thing is Krsna consciousness.

I am glad that you are finding the work of the GBC to be very nice. That is required. Everything should be done in a spirit of cooperation and Krsna's work will go on unhampered. That is our only desire. It is very good that you have begun to spread Krsna consciousness literatures in Spanish language and that was your proposal since a long time, so do it. We are requiring all our energies to be channelled in the service of Krsna and then only will our mission be complete and our life perfected.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Gorakhpur 21 February, 1971:

Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good wife, Srimati Candravali Dasi, and your son. I was glad to receive your encouraging letter dated 6th January, 1971. It is very good news that your Temple has attracted so many sincere, intelligent and enthusiastic devotees. Please see them all trained nicely in devotional service and let them continue to follow the regulative principles and work on patiently. Patience is required for the successful discharges of Krsna conscious duties. Krsna is pleased to award benediction upon the aspiring devotee engaged in His service with patience determination and regularity.

I am also pleased to know that the program for distribution of our literature and "Back to Godhead" is expanding. Just keep yourselves to the standard by regular and attentive chanting, study, preaching, working, Sankirtana, and distribution of literatures and Prasadam. Then everything will be alright. It is very good that Candravali is in charge of informing the public of our activities. This is very important work. It is our main consideration in the development of our centers that the people should be attracted to this Krsna consciousness Movement one way or another. So we inform them of Lord Caitanya's sublime message which easily enables any man to overcome the difficulties of materialistic existences and graduate to the pure transcendental platform where he finds shelter from the ravages of birth, death, disease and old-age. By Krsna's grace you are getting ample facility for spreading the transcendental message and as you work sincerely Krsna will certainly give all things needed for the continuous dissemination of the Hare Krsna Mahamantra.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 24 March, 1971:

So far as Citsukhananda going to replace Brahmananda Maharaja (whose last report was from London, where he is raising funds for going to Karachi), I have just received one letter from him dated 3rd March, 1971 saying that he is in L.A. making final arrangements for opening Mexico City branch. So who shall go to Tallahassee?

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Bombay 25 March, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3d March, 1971 and have noted the contents. I am so glad to hear that you are now in L.A. discussing final plans for opening one center in Mexico City. That is very encouraging news. I am anxious that we establish centers in major cities all over the globe and Mexico City is certainly an important landmark. Both you and your good wife Candrabali can speak Spanish language nicely, so you are certainly qualified for such a mission.

I am also glad to note that you have begun working on BTG Spanish edition. Actually we want that BTG be printed in every major language and distributed all over the world so that there is no language barrier in taking to our movement. So go there, husband and wife, and make our Mexico City branch a grand success, and Krishna will certainly bestow upon you all blessings.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- London 7 August, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your very encouraging letter dated 28th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. I am so glad to hear that you have gone to Mexico City with Jan and Bhutavhrt Prabhus and have rented a nice house in the central part of the city. From your description I can tell that there is great field for spreading this Sankirtana movement there and if you are sincere and determined in your efforts then surely Krishna will give you all facility. So go on and do things nicely and work very hard to make our newly formed Mexico City branch a grand success.

Keep in contact with me occasionally by mail and as soon as you have established yourself nicely there, then as soon as I find opportunity I shall visit Mexico City.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Nairobi 12 October, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 29th September, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to see that Candrabali and your son have returned to you again. It is very good. Husband and wife, there may be some disagreement but it should not be taken at any time very seriously. So combinedly together, go on with your preaching work.

I am so much pleased that you have got a nice place. I shall try to go to your center at my first opportunity. Some time back I went to Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is a nice small city. I think Santa Fe is near Albuquerque. These tracts of land are full of hills.

I quite follow the situation prescribed by you, and all these yogis are mostly bluffers. They have no substance to give. You can openly declare this fact. Try to distribute our books very widely and preach also. These bogus yogis and swamis will vanish.

It is very good that you have registered the society. It is very important. Actually we are not a religious institution. We are presenting a cultural program, making men of good character. Therefore it is a cultural institution. We are also registered here in Nairobi as International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Ltd. Many people are becoming our life members also and we have collected over 30,000 shillings and are trying to find out land where to locate ourselves.

One thing is that all translations should be checked by you and Candrabali because those who are not our students, if they write some wrong conclusion, the whole thing will be murdered.

The prose and appreciations are very nice. Thank you very much. It is all being sent to Satsvarupa for future publication after examination. Please offer my blessings to the others there. Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Auckland 15 April, 1972:

I have received your letter dated 3/10/72, duly forwarded to me here in New Zealand from our Bombay branch. I am very much pleased to hear that Mexico City center is developing very nicely under your expert supervision, and I also note that you say that Latin America is very much ready for Krishna Consciousness movement. So if you like I can come there after leaving Hawaii, before coming to Los Angeles, where I shall end my touring. So we are going to Honolulu from Tokyo on May 6th, 1972, and I think we shall remain about two to three weeks in Hawaii, then we can come to Mexico City direct from there, say, near end of May. Is that all right? You may correspond with my secretary, Syamasundara., in this regard, and make all arrangements with him. I think we can stay in Mexico City about one week or ten days before we must return to Los Angeles.

I am sending one of our new sannyasis, Hanuman das Goswami, to South America. He is here with me now, but he shall leave by ship very soon, so if you have got any Spanish-speaking devotees there who can assist him in preaching throughout South America, you can tell them to write him here at the above address, and they can make arrangements to meet for performing this great task of pioneer preachers on South American continent.

So far your wife is concerned, you have given her one son, so that is sufficient—now she will always have some engagement to raise the child and train him in Krishna Consciousness, so you can be free to devote yourself more fully in spreading this Krishna Consciousness movement.

Upon your recommendation, I shall accept Jan Prabhu as my duly initiated disciple, and his letter follows.

Letter to Ujjal -- Auckland 15 April, 1972:

Upon the recommendation of Citsukhananda, I am very glad to consent to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and I am sending your beads, duly chanted by me, under separate post. I have given you the spiritual name of UJJAL DAS. I am very pleased to hear that you have been such a great help to Citsukhananda there in our Mexico City center. I can understand that you are a very sincere boy and are a very eligible candidate for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles very strictly, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours, and in this lifetime you will become perfectly happy and in the end reach the Supreme destination.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Tokyo 3 May, 1972:

We have received your letter dated April 26 1972, and noted the contents. I do not think I shall require special visa for going there for one or two weeks, an ordinary tourist visa will suffice. I shall be reaching Los Angeles about the 20th of May, 1972, and from there we shall make further plans and get visas for going to Mexico later.

The prospect there is very nice. I have read your progress report. As many Spanish-speaking devotees can go there as possible and help you, and you can expand into South America from there. The Mexican public is very sympathetic, so produce voluminously Spanish language literature. You can correspond with Karandhara in this respect of producing many, many Spanish books and magazines.

Letter to Hanuman -- London 14 July, 1972:

If you require books in Spanish language, you may request Karandhara and Citsukhananda and they shall ship to you wherever you like, but this distribution of books, combined with preaching, is the best process for spreading Krishna Consciousness, so always there must be books.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Amsterdam 29 July, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter from Mexico City dated July 17, 1972, and I have noted the contents. I am also eager to come there but immediately I am in Europe. But I promise I will go again, and I will let you know when I can come. I also want that you take that place at Puerto Vallarta from our Daniel. I like that place very much.

Everywhere wherever Krishna Katha is spoken, that is Vaikuntha. And wherever I go to my branches, you my good devotees turn it into Vaikuntha and I wish to be there where my disciples are.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- London 8 August, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated July 30 and August 4, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to hear that those boys have joined you, and I have also received one happy report from Daniel that he is living with you and he has no complaints, he is very happy. So you give Daniel all cooperation for expanding this movement in Mexico, he has got good energy and he is a very good soul. So far his asrama in Puerto Vallarta, we are not taking that place on lease or rent, only if he gives it to us can we manage. It is very nice place, and I want to come there for spending some time, but he has told me it is our ISKCON place so he should make good his promise and give it to Krishna, otherwise we shall not take it.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Los Angeles 13 September, 1972:

I have received your letter from Mexico City dated September 8, 1972, and have noted the contents. I would have liked to go to Mexico City but I have already gone this year and too much traveling now for me is a strain. Therefore I am going directly from Los Angeles to India, but when I return next year then I shall certainly come again to Mexico and visit all of my nice disciples there.

Regarding the new altar, Sri Guru and Gauranga altar would be appropriate. If you are able to make that show in the theater for the public of our kirtana and aratrika, etc., that will be very very nice. And I am very much pleased to hear that you have purchased some land for asrama and that you will be having cows there on six acres. I shall be anxious to see that place when I come back from India.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Ahmedabad 11 December, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 17, 1972, and I have noted with pleasure that you want to go to Caracas, South America, to join Hanuman for opening centre and preaching work there. That will be very, very nice. I know that you are the right man because I saw for myself how nice you have created the Mexico City temple of ISKCON, and I was very much inclined to those devotees. Only I had some difficulty with language difficulty to preach, but still I could see how pious they were and eager to listen anyway. That is the only qualification, if someone is eager for spiritual improvement. So I think because Hanuman is always sending me successful reports of preaching meetings, so many newspaper articles and photos, that this Krishna Consciousness movement will be very famous there and you will find many interested persons to become devotees, just like at Mexico. Now you go there, along with your good wife and family. But one nice thing is, before you had told me you thought it was best if first you had got one nice place and made all arrangements before your wife and child joined you, then they will not have to suffer unduly nor shall you be hampered in the beginning to work very hard without good facilities at first. Later they may come when there is sufficient place.

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 Candravali -- Ahmedabad 13 December, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 4, 1972; and I have noted the contents with great care. I have received also one letter from your good husband Citsukhananda and he is going to Caracas, South America, for opening our ISKCON Branch there. I am very much pleased upon him for his doing such prominent work in spreading this Krishna consciousness movement to that part. Especially I was happy to see your nice temple in Mexico City, and I am always thinking of that place and all the nice devotees there.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Sydney 16 February, 1973:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 4th of February and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very much encouraged by your work in pioneering this movement in South America and I pray to Lord Sri Krishna that he will protect you in all your endeavors. Hanuman and yourself appear to be working so nicely as a team that I am writing to you as a team so you please discuss the points I have mentioned in Hanuman's letter and do the needful in this regard. I hope this meets you in good health.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Los Angeles 18 May, 1973:

I am in due receipt of your Air Mail Special letter dated 14 of May, 1973, and I have noted the contents.

Tomorrow I am going to Dallas because the weather here in Los Angeles is not good for my health. It is too cold and cloudy. So I am going to Dallas to get some sunshine. If the weather there is not suitable, I may come at once to Caracas. However, if the weather is good in Dallas I shall remain there until May 30 and then to New Vrindaban for the corner stone laying for our first temple there. Then I shall come to Caracas from Pittsburgh.

Please let me know in Dallas whether or not you can make arrangements for tickets for four to Caracas.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. I have already come to Dallas and it appears nice 5/19/73

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Calcutta 1 June, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 24, 1973.

Thank you very much for your kind note. I am feeling a little stronger now. Tomorrow we are going to Mayapur where I want to take complete rest for some time. After my recovery I will return to Los Angeles and at that time I would be very pleased to come to Caracas. So please contact me when I go to Los Angeles and we can make arrangements at that time.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 4 October, 1973:

Herewith also find enclosed one letter from Mr. Alfred Reis written on behalf of Mr. Eustace Paul. . He wants to give us a house but wants me to come there personally. I have written to Rupanuga and Hanuman but whether they have done anything about it I do not know. The thing is that if my presence is required, then he should send round trip tickets for four. I think this will be costly, so if possible try to settle it there. You can contact Rupanuga or Hanuman of Citsukhananda.

Letter to Jose Serratos -- Los Angeles 4 December, 1973:

Yes we require all of our books to be translated into Spanish. In this connection please contact our Haihaya Prabhu at our Mexico City branch or Citsukhananda Prabhu at our Caracas branch as they are managing Spanish translating.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Los Angeles 5 January, 1974:

Letter to: Citsukhananda

—

Los Angeles

5 January, 1974

74-01-05

Dear Citsukhananda,

Please accept my blessing. On your recommendation I am accepting the following devotees as my initiated disciples and there Spiritual names are as follows:

1st Initiation

Wilfredo—Varesa

Ricardo—Urdhvabhaga

Pedro—Puruji

Harry—Tarksya

Carlos—Durantavira

Steve—Siddhajana

Salvador—Gopesa

Jorje—Kavi

Teo—Krato

Solvai—Subhanana Dasi

Bula—Tilakaini Dasi

Maria—Modani Dasi

Anthony Velasquez—Pitamvara

Lenox—Vasuki

Anthony—Vama

Reinaldo—(now here in Los Angeles) Simhadasa

2nd Initiation

Viraha dasa

Pramona dasa

Tamoha dasa

Vara devi dasi

I have duly chanted on the threads of the three men recommended by you for Second initiation, Viraha, Pramona, and Tamoha, and you may also distribute gayatri mantra to Vara devi dasi. Play the tape of gayatri mantra in their right ear and instruct them regarding Brahminical principles. For those receiving first initiation impress on them the importance of chanting at least sixteen rounds daily without fail and always observe the regulative principles. You may hold fire yajna for the initiates and instruct them on the ten offenses to chanting.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:SDG

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Los Angeles 14 July, 1974:

I am glad to receive your letter dated July 5, 1974 and have noted the contents. You can immediately secure that land, and I am asking Saurabha from Vrindaban to send you the sample plans exactly like our Vrindaban temple. When the time is ripe, I shall be very glad come there and open the temple.

Krishna may bless you because you are doing so much for Krishna. Try to have a nice temple for Krishna at Trinidad. It is an important place.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Vrindaban 31 August, 1974:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 19, 1974, with enclosed clippings and a copy of the Hare Krishna News. Your work there is very much pleasing to me. Take good attention to the negroes and they will come out good devotees. How many copies have you printed of your local newspaper? I think that everyone will be interested in it. Regarding life membership, Brahmananda Swami can instruct you. You say that the money can be sent out; there are no objections from the government to do this? Please give the details how you can send the money here.

One thing, is the Society registered there?

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

Regarding the plans for the temple, you should send to Saurabha a site plan for the area of the plot and then he can send you the plans. If possible also send photos of the plot. Be sure and mention what is the exact area of the plot and he can make the plans accordingly.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Bombay 6 January, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 26th, 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding your new engagement, you can consult with Gurukrpa Maharaja and decide which engagement will be best for you.

Your new son's name can be Virat das.

Always continue chanting 16 rounds and reading my books, observing all the rules and regulations and you will be strong in Krishna's service.

Letter to Mooljibhai Patel -- Honolulu 8 June, 1975:

Since a long time, I did not hear from you. Hope you are all doing well with your business and family affairs. Recently, we have purchased one building at Berkeley and the Deities, I have understood are being removed by the 1st of July. I understood also that the Gujarati Vaisnavas there are not happy on account of the temple being moved to Berkeley. The San Francisco temple, not being situated in a nice quarter, they are trying to remove to somewhere else. Now they have got a Berkeley temple. It is not my policy to close any temple, but if there is inconvenience, we change the place. If we can get another nice house in San Francisco in good quarters, we can immediately re-open another temple in San Francisco. Sriman Citsukhananda das Adhikari is also enthusiastic in this connection, therefore, if your good self along with other Hindu Vaisnavas help us in this connection, it will be my pleasure to get another temple in San Francisco as soon as possible.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Mayapur 22 January, 1976:

Many times in the past it has proven difficult to get the support of the Indians in San Francisco. Because Citsukhananda said there were many men who were willing to help I was encouraging. Now abandon it. Citsukhananda should join Berkeley instead of wasting time. The Berkeley project is actually important. Your idea for establishing a center in San Jose is nice, so you may bring it up before the GBC at Mayapur. As you are finding a good preaching field at the colleges in Berkeley, you will find all places similarly receptive. Human psychology is the same—simply you have concentrated on Berkeley thus far. Now make this propaganda very vigorously every where.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976:

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

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Bombay 24 December, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 16, 1976.

I approve your plan to combine together with Kesava to lead a party of Spanish speaking devotees with nama-sankirtana to every town and village in Spain.

Page Title:	Training of Citsukhananda dasa (Letters, 1969 - 1976)
Compiler:	MadhuGopaldas
Created:	31 of May, 2010
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=38
No. of Quotes:	38