I am so much obliged to you for your devotion and affection for me. I thought of you all throughout my journey from Francisco to New York and I was praying to Lord Krishna for your more and more advancement in Krishna Consciousness. On my arrival here I was received by hundreds of devotees and friends although Mr. Ginsberg was out of the town. One young professor from India first greeted me and told me that Swamiji you are doing here real work whereas others who have come from India, have simply formed some groups of old lady students without any real information of Indian original culture. Any way the reception in New York was very good organized by our students here and there was distribution of varieties of Prasadam to about 100 men in the temple. I was not least tired and after landing from the air ship although there was some blockade in my ear still I continued meeting for three hours. I am now very well although I am feeling your great separation. Please continue Kirtana as usual with devotion and you will make more and more advancement in Krishna consciousness.
Training of Jayananda dasa (Letters, 1967 - 1977)
Expressions researched:
"Account"
|"Activities"
|"BBF"
|"BBFD"
|"BBT"
|"BKF"
|"BTG"
|"Back to Godhead"
|"Bhaktivedanta Book Trust"
|"Book Fund"
|"Book Trust"
|"Book Trust,"
|"Book"
|"Books"
|"Branch"
|"Branches"
|"Business"
|"Center"
|"Centers"
|"Check"
|"Checks"
|"Consult"
|"Consulting"
|"Cooperate"
|"Cooperated"
|"Cooperation"
|"Cooperatively"
|"Dai Nippon"
|"Debt"
|"Debts"
|"Deities"
|"Deity"
|"Deposit"
|"Distribute"
|"Distributed"
|"Distributing"
|"Distribution"
|"Duty"
|"Festival"
|"Finances"
|"Financial"
|"Funds"
|"GBC members"
|"GBC"
|"Governing Board Commission"
|"Governing Board Commissioners"
|"Governing Body Commission"
|"Governing Body Commissioners"
|"ISKCON"
|"Initiate"
|"Initiated"
|"Initiates"
|"Initiating"
|"Initiation"
|"Initiations"
|"Iskcon"
|"Jayananda"
|"Jayananda's"
|"Kirtana"
|"Language"
|"Languages"
|"Leader"
|"Leaders"
|"Leadership"
|"Leading"
|"Literature"
|"Literatures"
|"M-V trust"
|"M-V"
|"M.V trust"
|"Macmillan"
|"Magazine"
|"Magazines"
|"Manage"
|"Managed"
|"Management"
|"Managers"
|"Managing"
|"Manuscript"
|"Manuscripts"
|"Mayapur-Vrndavana Trust"
|"Mayapura-Vrndavana Trust"
|"Meeting"
|"Mission"
|"Missionary"
|"Money"
|"Movement"
|"Organize"
|"Our society"
|"Preach"
|"Preacher"
|"Preaching"
|"Press"
|"Print"
|"Printing"
|"Program"
|"Programs"
|"Publication"
|"Publications"
|"Publish"
|"Publishing"
|"Rathayatra"
|"Report"
|"Reports"
|"Sankirtana"
|"Tamal Krishna"
|"Tamal Krsna"
|"Tamal"
|"Tamala Krishna"
|"Tamala Krsna"
|"Tamala"
|"Temple"
|"Temples"
|"The society"
|"Translate"
|"Translated"
|"Translating"
|"Translation"
|"Translations"
|"Zonal"
|"Zone"
|"Zones"
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
. Since I have come to New York I have not heard anything from Jayananda Das Brahmacari (Jim). Is he regularly attending meetings. I shall be glad to hear from him.
I have already received letter from Jayananda with thanks.
My dear boys and girls I am so much obliged to you for your prayers to Krishna to save my life. Due to your sincere and ardent prayer, Krishna has saved my life. I was to die on Tuesday certainly but because you prayed sincerely I am saved. Now I am improving gradually and coming to original condition. Now I can hope to meet you again and chant with you, Hare Krishna. I am so glad to receive the report of your progressive march and I hope there will be no difficulty in your understanding Krishna Consciousness. My blessings are always with you and with confidence you go on with your chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
P.S. Also inform Jayananda I have received his letter and the difficulties of life may come as seasonal changes but we should not be disturbed by all those difficulties. Our process is to chant and that process will gradually clear everything in due course. There is nothing to be disrupted—you should go on with your work with enthusiasm and everything will be solved. We are on the sound footing of Krishna Consciousness.
Sometimes on the way there was little jerking (air pockets) and I got little nervous. Anyway I got down safely and was received by the anxious devotees here. Jayananda in a nice car brought me to the house, which is situated in an exceptionally nice spot, and the house itself is aristocratic.
I'm so glad to receive your letter of Aug 30, and I know also that you are a sincere devotee of Lord Krishna. When you drive your car you always chant "Hare Krishna" and when I was by your side I could understand how heartily you have accepted the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness. Krishna is very kind to all but He is especially kind to his sincere devotees. Krishna is always with us, within our hearts and He is always ready to give us direction but because everyone is independent Krishna responds cooperatively. Anyone who voluntarily cooperates with Krishna's desire He responds to his call very eagerly. Krishna descends to teach us Bhagavad-gita begging our cooperation and anyone who cooperates with Him becomes blessed. You are sincerely cooperating with Krishna and therefore you all boys and girls in San Francisco, working together harmoniously. Harmony means Krishna Consciousness. Without Krishna Consciousness there cannot be harmony in the world. I've received the report of successful performance of Janmashtami ceremony. I'm glad to learn that you are willing to come to India for further study. I received no letter from Dayananda or his wife Nandarani. I'm anxious to receive the report of the Los Angeles center. I do not know their address. Your acknowledgement "Krishna has been very merciful to me" is remarkable. You are realizing the fruit of chanting. So far my health is concerned I'm improving, by Krishna's grace and it is due to your feeling of my absence and eagerly awaiting for my return. Please go on cooperating between your godbrothers. I'm always with you never mind if I am physically absent. Please convey my blessings to all the boys and girls and tell them that I'm very eager to return.
I beg to thank you for your letter undated. I congratulate you on your being elected as president of ISKCON San Francisco branch. Your election as president is a recognition by Krishna and therefore I have got full support for you. Mukunda and other members have rightly selected you as president. Your service attitude for Krishna and your sincere attempts at being advanced in Krishna Consciousness will work with you and make your life more and more glorious and a happy state. I've been very glad that you are appreciating by your self the effects of sincere Krishna Consciousness. I've nothing new to instruct you, the same old instruction namely constant chanting and attentively hearing the transcendental vibration Hare Krishna is the only process for self realization in this age. In San Francisco while you were driving your car and I was sitting by you hearing your transcendental vibration, this very sincere attempt has enriched your consciousness and my only instruction is that you may constantly do this habit without fail. Regarding your dispute in your mind as to remaining a brahmacari, grhastha or becoming sannyasi, there is nothing to be bothered with. Anyone who is in full Krishna Consciousness and is dedicating his life for Krishna is already a sannyasi even if he is a married man. If you like you can become a householder and I've no objection to that. Our Vaisnava philosophy instructs to become "Vidvati sannyasis", this means a man who knows things as they are, therefore a devotee who knows that everything belongs to Krishna and that He is the proprietor of all such a devotee is certainly a Vidvati Sannyasi. Our philosophy is that we should accept things as prasadam of Krishna and nothing for sense enjoyment. Anyone who accepts things for sense enjoyment even if he is externally a saffron dressed man is not a sannyasi. The mayavadi sannyasi considers himself as God, this concept of life develops under illusion. When a person fails to become the Lord of the universe it is like the sly fox who attempts to taste grapes and failing to do so says the grapes are sour. The mayavadi sannyasins are frustrated beings in their attempt to enjoy the world, therefore they say the world is fake or the grapes are sour, the world is not false, Krishna is the supreme truth and the world is His energy therefore the energy of the supreme truth cannot be false; but we must know that this energy is inferior to His spiritual energy. As there are hairs and nails on the body and sometimes we separate these parts from the body similarly when the the material energy is separated from the service of the Lord it is inferior energy. Inferior energy is not false but temporary. The same temporary energy when surcharged with Krishna Consciousness it transforms into supreme energy by the supreme will. By this will any energy can be transformed into another just like electronic energy in a refrigerator or in a heater, to an ordinary layman, he sees cold and hot but to an electrician, he sees electricity. So when one is engaged in the service of the Lord that person is already in the spiritual energy, and a sannyasi and the real purpose of a sannyasi is to transform himself from the inferior to the superior, spiritual energy. If your consciousness is absorbed in Krishna you are always a sannyasi.
Krishna wanted that both you and your husband must be engaged in organizing nice center. Jayananda is unique devotee. He paid you sincerely and therefore as soon as you reached Santa Fe you found out a good place better than the former place.
1968 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your statement regarding Jivanuga, and it is clear that he is crazy. I have already advised Jayananda in this connection that we cannot make the society an asylum for crazy people. It is not our business.
Jayananda is a very sincere and intelligent boy and I think his decision should be accepted as final in the matter. Not only in this case, but in every other complicated case. The elected authorities in the management of the temple should be the final authority in these matters.
So far I know, Gargamuni's activities are approved by the president Jayananda, and so far I know Gargamuni, he has a business tactfulness, but his aim is to help the society financially.
To finish the whole Bhagavatam I require about $40,000, out of which I have got about $12,000 contributed by Brahmananda, Jayananda, and others.
I understand the new place is quite suitable and it will be very convenient for the students coming there. I have got all agreement with this proposal but still you consult with Jayananda and Mukunda and settle up things immediately. Jayananda is there and Mukunda has also gone there.
P.S. Please inform Brahmananda & Jayananda that I have received their letters & it will be duly replied.
I have already instructed Jayananda not to occupy the storefront in Berkeley if it is too much risky. We should not accept anything very risky because that will hamper us in our program of Krishna Consciousness. Our motto is simple living, high thinking; we should think of Krishna without being hampered by material disturbances, as far as possible. So too much risky thing is not for us. If something comes very easily for our manipulation we welcome it.
Regarding Srimad-Bhagavatam printing: It has already begun in India, and they have sent a specimen which I am enclosing herewith, please find. The $5000 donated to me by Jayananda will be used for printing in India. So I don't think in America anyone can print cheaper than India. But if you think Bhagavatam can be printed in America, which I have tried for the past 2 or 3 years and did not get opportunity, so I decided to print in India, so it is already begun.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your latest letter, and I am so glad to learn that you are making nice arrangements for my lecturing in different places, and I expect to return in San Francisco by the tenth of March, and wish to execute all programs within 20-30 days from the date of my arrival before starting for New York. I shall be very glad to initiate girl friend if you recommend her actual mental condition. We should not initiate anyone who is not willing to follow our regulations. In the meantime let her attend our classes and join the Sankirtana program regularly. I am so pleased to learn that you are by the Grace of Krishna improving day by day in the matter of Krishna Conciousness. Thank you very much for your sincere service.
You will be glad to learn that Jayananda the President of San Francisco is purchasing a nice house there as we tried in New York. The price is $50,000.00 or near about and he has asked my approval. I think I shall send my approval with pleasure and as soon as the house's purchased we shall install Sri Sri Radha Krishna Vigraha there in a permanent place.
I am so glad to receive your letter dated Feb. 23, 1968. The description of the house which you propose to purchase is very much attractive. And I think it is Krishna's arrangement by His inconceivable energy in exchange of your sincere service to the Lord. I have gone through the whole letter and it is all encouraging, and therefore I have full sympathy with the transaction, and I approve of your good attempts to purchase this house according to the right estimation; it appears to me all round good. The arrangement of payment is also very nice. I know that you haven't got to pay the house tax, as it is owned by ISKCON, which is tax free organization all round.
As you have desired to liquidate the loan in respect of this purchase, I am sure Krishna will help you in this direction.
We are starting for S.F. on the 8th, flight no. 977 at 10:10 a.m.; this information is already sent to Uddhava. I think you will do the needful.
In the meantime there is a good news for us that Jayananda, the president of our San Francisco center, is attempting to have their own house in San Francisco. I am returning to San Francisco on the 8th March. I shall see how the matters have proceeded there.
You will be glad to know that Jayananda is purchasing a nice house for San Francisco & I hope I shall get the Permanent Visa also.
The Temple atmosphere is very nice, when meeting takes place, the temple is full to its capacity, and people are taking very much interest in our philosophy. So I am very much hopeful of this center under the guidance of Sriman Jayananda.
P.S. Regarding church negotiations, Mr. Kallman's letter of assurance shall be the last word from us. They must reply it now yes or no. If "yes" then take in writing and send it to me. If "no" then take back the check for $1000.00; there is no need of lingering the matter. Please inform Jayananda and Cidananda about my opinion in this connection.
Of course we will regularly pay Mr. Kallman or his banker this $270 without fail, because we are already paying everywhere more than $270 as rental. So there will be no difficulty to receive the money from San Francisco, and if required, Jayananda can give Mr. Kallman in writing about the assurement. I am enclosing herewith the letter of Jayananda dated May 24, 1968, and I hope this will clarify the whole thing.
I know also that you are a family man, and in India you have got your wife and 2 daughters. The first thing is that you may remain in the temple with the permission of Jayananda Brahmacari, the president of the temple, and as you are rendering some service to the temple, I think he will be very glad to accept you as one of the inmates.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 3, 1968. I have heard about your successful execution of Rathayatra festival in San Francisco from so many sources. And I am so glad to hear the news. But till now I have not received any newspaper clippings, or photostats of news articles. I am very much anxious to get them.
Yes, this Jay boy has come here, and I have seen he is sincere in accepting this principles. I have decided to initiate him very soon. They have got a two days' engagement of Kirtana here in the expo pavilion, and they have agreed to pay $150.00 per day. If the two days' program is successful, then they may get more money and more engagements.
Yes, I have received Sriman Vinode Patel's letter, and I have replied the same also promptly. He appears to be a great help to your temple, and please try to keep him nicely. This is the sequence of Krishna Consciousness. He is a foreigner and belonging to a different country and culture, but Krishna Consciousness is so nice that one forgets his material designations and one tries to associate with similar Krishna consciousness persons. This is a Sanskrit word, is called Swajati Snigdha Saya. That means melted on the pure spiritual platform. We hope to bring everyone to such spiritual platform so that everyone will forget his material false identification and come to the real platform of becoming eternally the servant of Krishna.
I am so glad that your parents are realizing the importance of Krishna Consciousness through their worthy son, Jayananda. A similar incident was there when Lord Caitanya was present, that one father became a devotee of Lord Caitanya through the exigency of the son. The son was prior a devotee than the father. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the father whether he was father, or the son was father, and the father replied that in his spiritual enlightenment, his son was his father. So you are acting like a good father to your parents. So Krishna Consciousness will spread nicely in this way. And Lord Caitanya will be very much pleased on your benevolent activities. I have seen your father and mother, and they are very good souls, especially I remember your mother. And I hope by the Grace of Lord Krishna they will take to this Krishna Consciousness very seriously.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 12, 1968 and I have noted the contents. I am as much anxious to go to San Francisco as you are always anxious get me to San Francisco, and receive me there. But immediately I never said to Pradyumna that I can go to San Francisco, so immediately do not arrange for renting any apartment, because I am contemplating on going to Vancouver. It is not yet settled, but there is chance of my going there and I wish to go to San Francisco from there. Yes I have inquired from Govinda dasi that she and her husband can utilize the half ticket facility, so when I settle to go, certainly I shall ask you to send me the necessary money and I am so pleased that you are always ready to send us the required money and return back to San Francisco. In the meantime, please go on as usual, and I am so pleased to learn that the Patels are taking great interest in our temple affairs. Please convey by blessings to all the boys and girls there.
Last night we had very nice performance of Janmastami ceremony and all the San Francisco devotees and some of the New York devotees including Uddhava are all now present here. The Indian public here also took great interest in this program this year. And today they are performing both the Vyasa Puja and Nandotsav ceremony.
Regarding Murli Manohar Murti, I understand that the Patels are ready to present silver Murti, but we cannot worship Murli Manohar alone, without being accompanied by His most favorite consort Radharani. You know that we worship Radha's Krishna. We should always understand that Krishna is sold to the loving service of Radha, therefore Krishna cannot be alone. And the Gaudiya Vaisnavas they want to see Krishna as Radha's property. Therefore, if Mr. Patel can present a Pair of Radha Krishna Murti, not less than 18" in height, never mind even They are made of yellow brass metal, that will be very nice. And if They are made of silver, that is still more nice. And it will be my great pleasure to install the Murtis in the temple as soon as They are ready. If it is possible to rent a bigger place for our temple, even without possessing the same as our property, I think that will be a great facility. I understand that new men are now coming in the temple. You may consult with the Patels about this and do the needful. Thank you all very much for your doing nicely in San Francisco.
Yesterday, Mukunda and Gurudasa were telling me that the man known as Asoka Fakir, now living in San Francisco, is advertising himself that the members of our temple are all his disciples. This man has written me letter also, from which I can understand that he is a hodge-podge man. He is not a pure devotee of Krishna, neither his behavior is quite up to the standard. Therefore you should warn all our devotees not to mix with this man very intimately.
Your suggestion for a committee. and the names you have suggested, just like Jayananda, Subala, Gargamuni, yourself, Rupanuga, Satsvarupa, Kirtanananda, Dayananda, is very nice.
About my coming to San Francisco, I have already written to Jayananda. I am always hankering after going there, but because there are some other program, immediately, so please ask all the devotees on my behalf to wait and in the meantime, enjoy chanting Hare Krishna. The chanting Hare Krishna is our main business, that is real initiation. And as you are all following my instruction, in that matter, the initiator is already there. Now the next initiation will be performed as a ceremony officially, of course that ceremony has value because the name, Holy Name, will be delivered to the student from the disciplic succession, it has got value, but in spite of that, as you are going on chanting, please go on with this business sincerely and Krishna willing, I may be coming to you very soon. I have already written to Jayananda about this, so don't be impatient. Pray to Krishna that I may meet you very soon.
P.S. Please find out my stationary somewhere in the basement kept by Upendra and send them here. Inform Jayananda that I have received his check for $75.00.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your note, along with the forms. And I thank you very much for this. The forms are already fingerprinted because on inquiry it was found in the American Consulate here, so I have done the necessary fingerprints and submitted to them. And let us see what happens. But I understand that you can get a personal certificate from the police officer or the police station nearby, if it is possible, get it. That will help us very much. And you may know that London party has already left Montreal and they are in New York, and from there sometimes within this week they will go to London.
I understand from various sources that our San Francisco center under your good leadership is going on very nicely; I thank you for your such transcendental activities, and Krishna will be certainly very much pleased and give you more and more strength to understand Krishna Consciousness and make advancement in that line.
I also beg to acknowledge receipt herewith of your letter dated July 13, 1968, which was not delivered so long due to mail strike. And you enclosed in that letter a check for $75.00 which has been duly received. Regarding Tamala Krishna, I have replied separately, I understand from different sources that he is doing very wonderfully. And he has become a great assistant to you. It is all Krishna's Grace. Please ask him to enhance the Sankirtana party more and more, and then the whole San Francisco city will be followers of our Krishna Consciousness movement. It is so pleasing that more and more boys are joining the Krishna Consciousness movement and I wish that the whole group known as the hippies may take advantage of this movement, and make their life very successful.
I have received one letter from Vinode Patel also, and it is understood that he is living in Berkeley School, and I am replying him separately. He appears to be sincere boy.
The scheme regarding the will of Hayagriva Brahmacari, as well as the lease agreement between the society and Hayagriva Brahmacari, the tax payment, all this scheme are very nicely made, and I have got all my approval and so far the trustees are concerned, this is also required, and I can suggest that amongst the trustees, your two names, Kirtanananda and Hayagriva, and then Brahmananda, and from San Francisco Jayananda, and Mukunda, and Satsvarupa, Dayananda, Syamasundara., etc. and such sincere boys, who are working with their life and soul for the society, may be the trustees, and I think you should immediately make correspondence with Brahmananda, and I have already advised him that we should make a central committee. for management of all the centers.
I am so grateful to you for your invitation to come to San Francisco as soon as possible, and equally I am also anxious to go there, but for certain unavoidable reasons, I cannot immediately go to San Francisco. One of the reasons is that I may have to go to Vancouver and I am expecting instructions in this connection at every moment. So if I go to Vancouver then from Vancouver I shall go to San Francisco, and if I do not go to Vancouver, then probably by the end of September I must go to San Francisco.
I am in due receipt of your letter, Jayananda, dated August 21, 1968, and I am glad to learn that one Indian gentleman, Sri Ranchhoubha Patel, is returning to India and upon returning they will send two 18" marble Radha Krishna Murti, and certainly when you receive those Murtis, we shall have a grand festival. In the meantime, the Murti of Murli Manohar when arrives by the end of September, I must be present and do the needful nice ceremony. When I go to San Francisco, I shall deal with these Indian ladies and gentlemen, and in the meantime, keep them alive in the activities of our temple. It may be that we may open another center in San Francisco, near this Patel community. Anyway, let Murli Manohar come, then Radharani will automatically come.
Regarding the Associated Press: It is a very good opportunity to push our publicity through this sympathetic press. I have got so many things to say to such press representative, and if you can see the gentleman and arrange to send a representative here in Montreal, so it will be a nice opportunity to speak to them personally.
You wanted to send me one certificate for the police officer, and I also confirmed this, but I have not received as yet the certificate. If possible, please send it immediately.
I am so much pleased with the good reports of your Sankirtana party there, and please continue to spread our Krishna Consciousness movement in this way, and you will receive the blessings of Lord Caitanya. I am very happy to hear of the so many new boys and girls taking a sincere interest in this philosophy, and I am also very eager to meet with them when I come there to San Francisco.
In the meantime, please continue your very excellent work of spreading this Krishna Consciousness all over that part of the country, and try to attract more and more new boys and girls to this great movement.
Thanking you once more for your many kind letters of invitation, and hoping you are well and happy.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
N.B. Please send my stationery (like this sheet), which is lying with you there, if you have not yet done so, as we will be needing it very soon.
We have safely reached yesterday after noon at 3:00 and there was grand reception, arranged by Jayananda and Patty. Many Indians were present, and I was very much pleased to see the activities of San Francisco devotees. They are doing very well. In the evening, some of the respectable Indian gentlemen came to see me, and they have offered one silver Murti of Krishna, to be installed today. So this evening, I am going to install that Deity, as well as initiate some of the newcomers devotees, as well as offer the sacred thread to Jayananda, Tamala Krishna, and like that, old students. So far our San Francisco business is concerned, they are doing very nicely.
So all my disciples here are doing marvelously in spreading Krishna Consciousness. In San Francisco, Jayananda arranged a grand meeting yesterday amongst the Gujarati community here and most probably we shall very soon have our own gorgeous temple in San Francisco.
Here the Sankirtana party, headed by Jayananda and Tamala Krishna is doing very nice. They are collecting an average of $45 daily, as contributions, and selling an average of 100 copies of Back To Godhead.
The engagement which you have fixed up on the 25th Oct. is not possible to accept because on the 25th I shall be in Montreal, and on the 26th I shall be starting for Santa Fe, and from Santa Fe I am coming to Los Angeles. Perhaps you have already known this fact from your husband, because Jayananda talked with him, about the program.
On the 23rd of October, 1968, I am going to Montreal to keep one appointment with the Consulate General of United States, and then by the 26th instant I wish to go to Santa Fe directly. I hope you have already talked with Jayananda in this connection. And now you can arrange for that.
When I received the news sent me by your husband to Jayananda that you are going to be operated, I was little bit perturbed, but immediately I submitted my prayer to Krishna, and I am so glad that Krishna is so merciful.
I am very glad to learn that your Sankirtana party in San Francisco is doing very well, and similarly you will be pleased to know that here Sankirtana, led by Jayananda and Tamala Krishna, they are also doing very nice. Average, they are collecting about $50 a day, and selling about 50 to 75 copies of Back to Godhead.
And the kirtana party led by Tamala and Jayananda, they are also selling Back to Godhead daily, at least 50 to 75 copies, and collecting money also, average of 40 or 50 dollars daily. So this branch is very nice.
I am in due receipt of your two letters dated Nov. 8, one addressed to Jayananda, and I am pleased to note the contents.
You are intelligent and Krishna will give you more and more intelligence to serve Him. I shall ask Jayananda for the permit and he will send it to you, along with the information required.
1969 Correspondence
As for someone to help you distribute books on the West Coast, I understand that Jayananda has volunteered for this assignment, and you can decide who you will like.
Have them take the books to a customer, and send you the bill, and the customer will pay you directly in N.Y. So you arrange the charges, and keep the accounts with you. So far the responsibility of the shipment is concerned, Jayananda and Tamala Krishna will take full responsibility jointly. I shall write to them in this connection, or send them a copy of this letter.
I think you should now make an ad hoc committee. of management, comprising yourself, Jayananda, Cidananda, Dindayal, Upendra, etc. If in this way you can take charge of management affairs, it will be a very nice thing.
Please convey my blessings to Jayananda, who is helping so much now in organizing for the Rathayatra Festival.
I thank you very much for your letter of August 11th, 1969, and I am so pleased to learn that your activities in San Francisco are going on nicely in cooperation with Jayananda and Cidananda. Jayananda and Chidananda are tested devotees as much as yourself and Tamala Krishna. You are all unique pairs.
Mulgibar Patel is a nice gentleman, and when he offers $5,000 he can be elected a life trustee of our temple. That is a nice proposal. If the arrangement is successful, then immediately complete the negotiations and purchase the house. I am also glad that Tamala Krishna, Gargamuni and Jayananda also agreed. So it is a good chance, and the best opportunity is that we can keep the three Rathas in the garage. As expressed by you, our Rathayatra Festival in San Francisco must be continued every year with increased gorgeousness.
I have received Jayananda's letter explaining the mistake by the bank. Please thank him for this letter. There are so many nice Vaisnavas in our San Francisco temple, so surely Krishna will bestow His blessings upon you all.
1970 Correspondence
By Krishna's Grace you have met such a nice friend, and if he is prepared to spare his apartment in Bombay immediately we can start a Bombay center and send Jayananda along with his wife and begin work in Bombay.
Madhudvisa and Jayananda have gone to San Francisco, and Tamala has gone to London. So out of the four leading boys of the Sankirtana Party, three are already out. So the remaining one's, Visnujana's, presence is needed here.
Regarding Visnujana, that is a common factor of all your letters, but you must know that the development of L.A. Temple was practically done by you four; namely yourself, Madhudvisa, Visnujana, and Jayananda.
You know that the expenses of the Temple have gone up to $2,000 per month. There are at least 30 devotees, and practically all old boys like you, Jayananda, Madhudvisa, etc. are not here. Besides that, Visnujana is training all the new devotees who are coming.
1971 Correspondence
The proposition in San Francisco sounds all right, if Jayananda is willing to take the responsibility to make payments on the remaining $80,000 due.
The procedure should be as follows for presenting Pavanadeva with sacred thread: First you must secure a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra from Karandhara in L.A. or Jayananda in Berkeley.
The procedure for initiation should be as follows: First of all secure the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, either from Karandhara in L.A. or from Jayananda in Berkeley. Then you can hold a fire yajna.
1972 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated May 9, 1972, and have noted the contents carefully. I have no objection to any of the points mentioned therein by you. Only thing is, we must try to avoid becoming too much overly organized like the material businessmen. Our business is to ourselves become Krishna conscious, advance in spiritual life, and to preach to others how they can also take advantage and come to the perfectional stage of life. Too much business or paperwork, vouchers, plans, these things become too much cumbersome for our spiritual growth, they take us away from our real emphasis of work, namely, to go back to Home, back to Godhead. But I think your plan is not like that, so far I can see. It is practical and to the point. But now you must do it very nicely and complete it. Not that we make some plan, change things, then do not complete it, again change, this way, that way—no. There was some plan by Kesava to purchase a new San Francisco temple in a better part of the city. What happened to that plan?
I shall be coming to Los Angeles by Thursday, May 18th. So we shall discuss later. When I shall come there, I shall be glad to give sannyasa order to Jayananda, as Kesava has recommmended.
I have decided not to give Jayananda das the sannyasa order of life at this time, let him wait.
1973 Correspondence
I am in receipt of your letter dated November 13, 1973. I was very happy to hear from you. I am always thinking of you and praying to Krsna for your advancement in Krishna Consciousness.
That you are engaged in street Sankirtana in San Francisco is fully approved by me. That you are feeling more and more enthusiasm by doing this is quite natural as Sankirtana is our life and soul. My Guru Maharaja used to say, "One who has got life, he can preach."
Yes, I remember the old days in San Francisco. Krsna has been so kind upon me to have sent so many sincere disciples to help me push on this Movement on behalf of my Guru Maharaja. You continue with your program there in San Francisco, always strictly keeping our principles and Krsna will bless you with greater and greater realization of the importance of this Movement. I am dependent upon you, my older disciples, to carry it on.
Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Trayi devi dasi, and thank her on my behalf for the three nice drawings of Krsna lila. Also, please thank Bhavatarini devi dasi for her drawing of Gopala Krsna. So far how she can serve me, the best service is to chant Hare Krsna always and spread it to every town and village.
1975 Correspondence
The book, "Hare Krishna and the Counterculture" written by Professor Judah, the copy of which was presented to you was lying here at Honolulu temple. I have read it with great interest. Just to congratulate the Professor, I am enclosing herewith a letter to him. I do not know his address therefore I am sending it through you. I wish to present him also one copy of the book titled, "Lord Caitanya in Five Features." So, kindly immediately see him with my letter and the book and congratulate him on my behalf.
I don't know what is exactly your address and therefore I am dispatching this letter through my disciple Sriman Jayananda Adhikari. I shall be very glad to meet you again when I go to the mainland.
I am in due receipt of your letters dated June 13rd and 15th, 1975 and have noted the contents. It sounds like things are going very nicely there. I will come for Rathayatra festival and then I shall see the new building also. The photos were very nice. Regarding the sannyasis convincing men within the temple that they should leave and go with them on their parties, that is not at all good. I have never approved of this action. You can tell them. Everyone is concocting something of their own. It must be checked. The sannyasis should work with what men they have got and they cannot secretly convince men in the temples to leave their duties. Those duties also must be done and they are just as important as any other service.
Regarding the books being sold for less than $4, that we shall discuss in L.A. with Ramesvara.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
N.B. Why did you publish this college program book independently and unauthorized? Any literature that is to be published on behalf of the movement, must be authorized by the BBT Trustees. You have not even mentioned my name in this book. This is not at all good. Why have you done this?
I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 11, 1975 and have noted the contents. What you have done is good. Why should you remarry? Rather you should take sannyasa. Now you are getting very good training. Why has Jayatirtha suggested you to remarry?
In Delhi there is a certain kind of laddu which has such a taste, that anyone who has tasted it once, he laments, oh how I would like to taste again. And anyone who has never tasted, he also laments, oh I have never tasted. So one who has tasted, and one who has not tasted, both are lamenting. Wife is like that. You have already tasted, now you are lamenting. But my advice to you is not to try to taste again, otherwise your lamentation will increase. You have got no children, so you are free, so take sannyasa.
Sex life is nasty, but out of illusion we think it is nice. Now you are experienced, so don't take sex life again. You should not take sannyasa out of sentiment nor artificially, but it is better to accept it anyway.
1976 Correspondence
For so long I have wanted to have Rathayatra in New York and now at long last you have helped me fulfill this long-cherished dream. The Ratha-carts were very strong and attractive and I thank you and all of your assistants for working so hard to prepare such nice carts. May Krishna bless you all for your sincere service that you may all go on making more and more advancement in Krishna Consciousness.
1977 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 21st, 1977, and I thank you for the check as well as the nice sentiments you have expressed. In the beginning you also gave me $5,000 and now again you have sent.
This body is today or tomorrow finished. We should not be very much bothered about the body. Trees also live for thousands of years but that does not mean a successful life. A successful life is one of Krishna consciousness. By the grace of Krishna from the very beginning you are a devotee and that is the real profit of your life.
I thank you for your check, but I would prefer that you may require the money for your treatment. So if you like I can return it. But I hear that you have some income. I pray to Krishna for your more advanced Krishna conscious life.
About a sadhu it is said, "jiva va mara va," a sadhu may live or die, it doesn't matter. While living he is engaged in Krishna Conscious business and when dying he goes back home back to Godhead.
I am feeling very intensely your separation. In 1967 you joined me in San Francisco. You were driving my car and chanting Hare Krsna. You were the first man to give me some contribution ($5000) for printing my Bhagavad-gita. After that, you have rendered very favorable service to Krsna in different ways. I so hope at the time of your death you were remembering Krsna and as such, you have been promoted to the eternal association of Krsna. If not, if you had any tinge of material desire, you have gone to the celestial kingdom to live with the demigods for many thousands of years and enjoy the most opulent life of material existence. From there you can promote yourself to the spiritual world. But even if one fails to promote himself to the spiritual world, at that time he comes down again on the surface of this globe and takes birth in a big family like a yogis' or a brahmanas' or an aristocratic family, where there is again chance of reviving Krsna Consciousness. But as you were hearing Krsna-kirtana, I am sure that you were directly promoted to Krsna-loka.
- janma karma ca me divyam
- evam yo vetti tattvatah
- tyaktva deham punar janma
- naiti man eti so' rjuna
- (BG 4.9)
Krsna has done a great favor to you, not to continue your diseased body, and has given you a suitable place for your service. Thank you very much.
Jayananda's death is glorious. It is very good that he had stated, what is the use of such a useless body, better to give it up. He has left his body very wonderfully, and he has been transferred to Vaikuntha. I have already sent a condolence letter for publication in Back To Godhead. Everyone should follow the example of Jayananda. I am very proud that I had such a nice disciple. If possible Jayananda's picture should be hung in the ratha of Lord Jagannatha, and in all of our temples a day may be set aside for holding a festival in his honor, just as we do on the disappearance day of the other great Vaisnavas.
| Page Title: | Training of Jayananda dasa (Letters, 1967 - 1977) |
| Compiler: | Alakananda, Visnu Murti, Matea |
| Created: | 28 of May, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=70 |
| No. of Quotes: | 70 |