Training of Nityananda dasa (Letters, 1970 - 1977)

Correspondence

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Nityananda -- Los Angeles 6 March, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1 March, 1970, along with your beads and request to become my initiated disciple. I am glad to learn that you are already progressing nicely in Krsna Consciousness and actively engaged in leading Sankirtana Party at Buffalo Temple.

So I am very happy to accept you as my bona fide initiated disciple, and your spiritual name is Nityananda Das. One who is desiring to have the eternal bliss of association of Lord Krsna by devotional service must be the sincere servant of Nityananda Prabhu, and in that way win His grace. Therefore your name is Nityananda Das, servant of Lord Nityananda. I have chanted your beads duly, and they are returned herewith. I am also enclosing one sheet of standard practices for devotees, for your reference.

Please follow the regulative principles strictly, and chant daily sixteen rounds of beads regularly without fail. This is the essential process for dissolving the clouds of illusion or Maya; and when the cloud of illusion is removed, then we can understand Krsna Consciousness perfectly and that is the highest perfection of human life. So be fixed in devotional service, chant Hare Krsna mantra and be happy. I am waiting to hear of your further progress in spreading this Krsna Consciousness movement for the benefit of all concerned.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 7 March, 1970:

I am very glad to learn that Nityananda Das (Nico Kuyt) is currently leading your Sankirtana. Please keep him nicely advancing in Krsna Consciousness under your guidance, and help him to learn our philosophy very well.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 20 March, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17 March, 1970, and noted the contents. In the meantime, I have also received your note dated 18 March, 1970, along with the new set of beads for Nityananda Das. I do not know how they have been lost from the packet in the mail. But I have duly chanted this new set, and they will be sent securely wrapped.

Letter to Nityananda -- Los Angeles 21 March, 1970:

I have just received one note from Brahmananda which informs me that your original set of beads was lost in the mail and did not arrive in the packet with your letter of initiation. Brahmananda has sent one set of new tulsi beads, and I have duly chanted upon them and I am sending them to you enclosed herewith.

I hope you are doing well in Buffalo under the guidance of Rupanuga Prabhu. Please be sure to chant at least sixteen rounds of the Holy Name daily and be happy.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 1 December, 1970:

Yes, all blessings for this marriage between Nityananda das and Carol. Please also offer my blessings to the others. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Kanya Kumari (Carol Bouchier) -- Bombay 1 April, 1971:

Your husband, Nityananda Das, is now president of our newly formed New Orleans center and as his wife, it is your duty to help him in every way possible. So work cooperatively, husband and wife, and make our New Orleans branch a grand success. And remain unflinching in Krishna's service by strictly following the regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds of beads daily, without fail, and reading all our books. Then Krishna will surely help you.

Letter to Nityananda -- Bombay 1 April, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2nd February, 1971 and have noted the contents, I am so glad to hear that you and your wife Kanya Kumari (Carol) have gone with one brahmacari, Pavanadeva (Peter), for opening a center in New Orleans. Thank you very much. I am so much appreciative to you American boys and girls for helping me fulfill the order of my Guru Maharaja. Simply you are going, husband and wife, chanting Hare Krishna, and preaching pure Krishna Consciousness. May Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu bestow upon you His full blessings.

Now you are beginning to preach at the universities. That is a very good program, so increase it more and more. It is also a good opportunity for distributing our books. You should give much effort for book distribution, it is such a valuable service. Simply if one will read our KRSNA book, TLC, NOD, and Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, he will surely become a Krishna Conscious person. So somehow or other distribute these books, either in schools and colleges, libraries, through life membership, bookstores, or wherever else you think they might be accepted. Do so with enthusiasm and determination and Krishna will surely help you.

Enclosed please find beads for Kanya Kumari and Pavanadeva duly chanted on by me, as well as letters addressed to them also.

Letter to ISKCON New Orleans, Nityananda, Joseph, Debra, Kanya Kumari, Aubrey, Michael, Susan, others -- London 15 August, 1971:

I beg to thank you very much for your kind feelings of appreciation of my humble service unto you. You are all helping me in pushing forward this mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, coming down by disciplic succession to my Guru Maharaja. So whatever you have spoken, it is simply due to them. I am simply the via media to receive them, on behalf of my Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada.

Letter to Nityananda, Kanya Kumari -- London 26 August, 1971:

I am so glad to hear that your program is going on so nicely there in New Orleans and especially that Sankirtana and BTG distribution are so successful. That is very encouraging. This Sankirtana and BTG distribution is our main business and you should give as much energy in this direction as possible. Also your travelling Sankirtana party to various universities in the Southern cities is wholly approved by me. So do it nicely and in conjunction with Satsvarupa Prabhu. He is guiding you all. So be serious in following the rules and regulations and chant 16 rounds. These things will give you constant strength and spirit and I am sure that wherever you go in your preaching program you will be successful.

Please offer my blessings to your good wife Kanya Kumari (and thank her for her very kind letter) and also to Bhagavata, Subrata, Debra, and Michael. Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Letter to Nityananda -- Delhi 12 November, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 20th October, 1971 and have noted the contents. I am very pleased to know that your temple is doing nicely and that there are sincere souls trying to understand this Krishna Consciousness process. You must always remain very serious and enthusiastic about chanting and hearing the message of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and set a good example for the new devotees to follow.

Bhakti Yoga is the process for all the ages, but the method is different in each age. The rascal people have got some idea of Bhakti according to their whims. Some meditate on light, but real meditation means to concentrate on Krishna.

An example of summary punishment is this: If you are sentenced to be hanged but instead you are given a simple pinprick, that is very nice. Krishna minimizes the devotee's suffering to the lowest. So long as one is engaged in devotional service, he is immune to the reactions of his past sinful activities, but if he chooses to give up this devotional service, then he has to undergo all these reactions.

For all devotees chanting, attending arati ceremony, taking prasadam and attending classes is compulsory. If it is possible, everyone may go on sankirtana.

Principally there are four sampradayas; Nimbarka sampradaya coming from the four Kumaras; Sri Sampradaya coming from Laksmi; Rudra Sampradaya coming from Lord Siva; and Brahma Sampradaya. Vivasvan is in the Brahma Sampradaya. All the sampradayas are related with one another because the conclusion is the same: that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entities are His eternal servants.

It is a basic principle that one must accept a bona fide spiritual master in order to achieve the highest perfection of life, love of God. I thank all of you very much for accepting me as your spiritual master, and I promise that I will take you back to home, back to Godhead. I ask you all to promise me to always chant at least 16 rounds, follow the regulative principles, read our books and try to preach this Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world. So far my qualifications are concerned, I am simply trying to carry out the order of my Guru Maharaja.

Letter to Nityananda -- Bombay 17 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 3, 1971, and I am very happy to hear that you have got a new son to raise as a great devotee of Krishna. You may call him Bhakta Vimal Das. So long as a devotee is not initiated he should have Bhakta before his name, if he is a male, Bhaktin if she is a girl.

I am very pleased to hear that you are increasing in your distribution of our books and magazines. This is a good sign that your preaching work is also strong. The more you increase your strength in preaching, the more you will go on selling books. I want especially that my books be distributed widely. So it is also very encouraging to learn that you are preaching in the schools. If you do this nicely, then you will have no end to your success, because these students can understand our Krishna philosophy and become convinced by it, more easily than others. So if they join you, then our Movement will grow like anything.

As soon as the Jagannatha deities are finished, you may install them nicely. Satsvarupa will give you direction how to do it. He is in Dallas now.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Nityananda -- Bombay 22 March, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 3, 1972, and I am very glad to hear from you that you have got a nice new temple there, which is also large, and that in general everything at New Orleans Center is progressing well under your supervision. I am very much satisfied. I am also pleased to hear something about Kirtanananda's party, and if you have them, kindly send me one photo of these painted busses, how they look, so I may be inspired by seeing them.

The newsletter is also very nice, and you may encourage all centers to correspond in this way regularly amongst yourselves. When I shall come there to Los Angeles, then we shall see when I can also come to stay at your new temple.

Letter to Nityananda -- Honolulu 5 May, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 18, 1972 and I have noted the contents. Thank you very much for your kind invitation, and when I return to the U.S., I will seriously consider the proposal. So far your concern about management, the solution is to be always thinking of Krishna and the Spiritual Master, then maya cannot touch you. If you very strictly follow the regulative principles and chant 16 rounds minimum, there is no question of ever falling down. Krishna has given you very nice facility there, so you continue to serve Him with great faith and enthusiasm, and He will give you all blessings.

Letter to Nityananda -- Honolulu 10 May, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 29, 1972 and I have noted the contents. Upon your recommendation, I have agreed to accept Axel and John as my duly initiated disciples, and also to give second initiation to Subrata. I am sending a separate letter for them. So far going to Dallas for the fire yajna, better you should learn how to perform it and do it there. Every temple president must be very expert in all these things, so you can consult our Krishna Consciousness Handbook for the procedure and if there are any further questions, you can consult with Satsvarupa and he can give you instruction.

Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/nkd

P.S. Satsvarupa has got a tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, so you can get that from him, and hold the fire yajna for all three boys. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear.

Letter to Anandavardhana (Axel Anderson), Jogindra Vandana (John Berg) -- Honolulu 10 May, 1972:

Upon the recommendation of Nityananda, I have gladly consented to accept both of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Axel Anderson,

Anandavardhana das (one who is always increasing in ecstasy)

John Berg,

Jogindra Vandana das (one who is worshiped by the great yogis)

I am so glad to learn that both of you have been such a great help to Nityananda there in our new Orleans center. I can understand that both of you are very sincere boys, and are very eligible candidates for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street sankirtana and book distribution, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end you will reach the Supreme destination.

Letter to Sukadeva -- Los Angeles 16 August, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 4, 1972, and you may know I have just arrived here from London. I am very pleased to hear that all of the programs there in New Orleans center are improving more and more under your capable supervision. Especially I am glad to note the judges decision in your recent court case and the nice words that he has used to describe our movement. Yes, that is the case, he has said rightly. So you may distribute a copy of the judges statement and the testimony of the child to all of our centers around the world. I am very glad to hear that you are training the devotees nicely in our philosophy and I also fully approve of your system for management. It appears in all respects that everything is going well at New Orleans center and I am so much pleased upon you for helping me in this way.

So far the repayment of loan, we are not very much for big, big houses, especially if they become burdensome. Our first program is for preaching, and if we have to simply work for paying money for a house, that is not very much desirable. So you pay the loan at your convenience, better to concentrate on preaching and not so much for making money for repaying the loan quickly. Even if it takes some years to pay, at least you will not be always in anxiety where to get money in that way. But if you can repay the loan in two or three years time, and save so much interest money, that is a very good plan, provided it is easily done.

Regarding your questions, in the sense that they do not belong to disciplic succession, in that sense Christ, Buddha, and the others are not bona fide. But because they have got some special power we accept them as bona fide. Just like Buddha. We accept him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sometimes they play like that because they may have to. Although they are bona fide, they play sometimes as unbona fide. For example, we reject Buddha as unbona fide, but we accept him as an incarnation of God. We worship Lord Siva as a Vaisnava, but as a demigod we reject him. But to speak the truth, these personalities are not bona fide because who is caring for them? This so-called resurgence of feeling for Christ by the young people is due to our Krishna Consciousness movement. They are seeing that the foreigners are here, there is some national feeling and they think why not our Christ? Whatever they are doing we do not approve. But that does not mean that they should stop their work, this factionalism will go on. But one can see by the results. It is better not to talk with these people. Better let them remain as Christians and Buddhists, we do not want to convert them. You tell them that if you stick to Christ you will come out all right. It is better to avoid these comparative studies.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Sukadeva

—

Los Angeles

16 August, 1972

My dear Sukadeva,

I have received your letter dated August 7, 1972 and I am very happy to note that things are improving more and more there in our Seattle Center. Yes, the program of increasing book distribution is very much appreciated by me, and especially if you can preach very widely to the university students nearby to your place, that is the best program. Try to get a course of instruction in the college and preach daily in a scholastic way. If we can attract this student class of men by our preaching work, that will enhance everything and we are very much in need of intelligent preachers for expanding this movement all over the world. I want that you all my advanced disciples become very bold preachers and take up this task of saving the fallen humanity from its worst condition of sinfulness. If you simply convert the leaders of your country to our philosophy, then the whole world will follow and be saved from ruin. Otherwise, they are all doomed to become animals like hogs and dogs. So you preach like that, very strongly, to especially the hippie class of men and the student class of men and convince them to give up their sinful activities and find out their real perfection of life in this Krishna Consciousness movement.

Now I am concentrating on translating of Srimad-Bhagavatam and wish to not be any more distracted. But if there is opportunity, I shall be very glad to visit your center in the future.

Letter to Nityananda -- September 9, 1972:

I beg to thank you very much for your kindly remembering me on Vyas Puja birthday, and I have duly received your gift of $50.00, and I have appreciated your warm sentiments with great satisfaction. I am very much encouraged by your programs in Krsna Consciousness. Now go on in this way always striving to please Krsna and you will feel yourself becoming happy more and more. That I want.

Letter to Mahendranath -- Los Angeles 29 September, 1972:

On the recommendation of Nityananda I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. I have duly chanted your beads and they have been dispatched by separate post. I have given you the spiritual name of Mahendranath das Brahmacari.

Letter to Nityananda -- Los Angeles 29 September, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 23 and I have noted the contents with care. Yes, I shall be very glad to hear that you have installed these Lord Jagannatha deities in your New Orleans temple, and I can see from the photo that they are very nicely made. Now hold the ceremony as per the enclosed instructions. During the fire ceremony you can also give the sacred thread and Gayatri mantra to Bhudara, which I am enclosing also herewith. Teach him to chant on the finger divisions and play the copy of the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra into his right ear. Also I am sending the beads for Michael Lightfoot, duly chanted by me, under separate post. So you may hold the fire yajna, install deities, and give initiation to these two boys.

I am very happy to hear that the temple is improving more and more under your expert guidance. Now go on with our program and try to increase your attraction of Krsna Consciousness movement to the public and recruit local men more and more to become fixed up devotees of Krsna.

Letter to Nityananda -- Bombay 25 November, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 12, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care. I am forwarding the copy of your letter, along with my reply, to Satsvarupa in Dallas. I think he is the GBC man in that zone, and he is the best man to come there immediately and see what is the situation and do the needful. Of course I do not know what are the facts, but I have seen that you have done very nicely there, so far I know. And no one has made complaint to me. So maybe there is a little fighting amongst yourselves, that is natural, but you are advanced disciple, don't be disturbed by these things. Actually I want that householders shall manage in the temples, because they have got propensity to manage things and they want to take responsibility and they will not go away. Brahmacari, householder, it doesn't matter, but householders are doing nicely all over the world, why the others shall resent householders in your temple? That is not reason. This attitude of changing this, changing that, if there is some small thing to make it something very great, changing the leaders three every week—these things are going on, I know. This is not at all good attitude, that if by adjustment, this and that, changing everything, I may create the perfect combination and everything will be all right. I am more impressed if someone has opened one centre and that he has stayed there tightly and developed nicely, not going away whimsically. So you have been leader at New Orleans temple for long time, you are the pioneer there, so why you should be whimsically discharged? Only the GBC man shall be able to make these changes, not any so-called secret meeting of devotees. Why they have misunderstood these things? If they have objection they must lodge it with their GBC, and differences must be discussed openly amongst ourselves, not secret meetings. We are Vaisnava devotees, not politicians. So these things must be stopped, plotting. Your merit stands far above theirs, you have done some tangible work to please me by spreading this Krishna Consciousness message in New Orleans, that is the test. Let them do something first, then we shall see what is their criticism. Simply criticizing and no work, that is the business of inferior men. So do not be disturbed by them, go on with your work, increasing more and more. Never mind the jackals howl.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Nityananda -- Melbourne 11 February, 1973:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 16th and I have noted the contents carefully. I can see from your account that everything is being conducted in a first class fashion and if you continue to spread Lord Caitanya's movement in this way your life will also become glorious. Therefore I recommend that you go on with more enthusiasm to inspire the devotees of New Orleans Yatra and I am confident that through your sincerity you can very shortly be one of the top distributing centres in the world.

The initiation that you have recommended are approved by me. Victor Mistretta is now to be called Vrikodara and Darrel Martin is now Dvibhuja. You may send one letter to Kirtanananda Swami along with their beads for chanting on. I have authorized him to chant on the beads on my behalf. I hope this finds you in good health.

Letter to Nityananda -- Sydney 18 February, 1973:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated February 5th. with the enclosed daksine and I thank you for the same. Again I am feeling overjoyed at hearing of your increased distribution program and I request that you increase more and more. There can be no limit to our distribution because Krishna is unlimited therefore devotional service to Krishna is also unlimited, so you may instruct the devotees there about this.

Regarding your proposal for having Ratha Yatra in New Orleans I request that you consult with the GBC in your zone, Satsvarupa das Goswami and ask him to discuss this matter with the other GBC men there in America. But one thing is very important. If you decide to do it, then you must do it very opulently, as they are doing in San Francisco. This is very important.

I am approving of the first initiation of Debra Hillard. However it is not our policy to give first and second initiations at once. It is better she wait some time. Her new name will be DEBRAJA DASI and also I am agreeing to the second initiation of Shanti dasi. Now you please arrange it so that the Deities are worshiped very very properly and always remain humble in their presence.

I am here in Australia and everything is going nicely. I will be returning to India by March 2nd. and then to America by mid-April and I look forward to seeing you again. I hope this finds you in good health.

Letter to Nityananda -- Los Angeles 17 April, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 14, 1973 and was very pleased to read of your Sankirtana book distribution results. That you are sending good amount to the BBT even you have smaller size temple is much appreciated by me. I am very much pleased how all you disciples are distributing my books. Just now Karandhara has informed me that he is printing new editions of Krishna Trilogy, Sri Isopanisad, and NOD, all 100,000 copies each, and Krishna hardback sets, 50,000. So I am very much engladdened by this news. My Guru Maharaja used to be very much pleased whenever there was book distribution. So you just continue it solidly, that is my request.

Yes, you can install Gaura Nitai Deities in your temple . . Just now we are ordering very nice first class murtis three feet high from Philippines. They will cost $50.00 per set plus shipping. So we can supply you from Los Angles.

Enclosed is one brahmana gayatri mantra sheet for second initiation of Debraja Dasi. Now you show her how to count on the fingers, and have fire sacrifice, and she can hear the tape through the right ear.

Letter to Nityananda -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 20 July, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 15, 1973 and I have carefully noted the contents.

It is very encouraging for me to see the activities of the New Orleans temple. I can see you have a nice house which you have purchased in the Society's name and that you are taking care to worship Lord Jagannatha with opulence. The picture of tulasi is especially indicative, because if tulasi grows luxuriantly that proves the sincere devotional service of the place.

On you recommendation I am accepting the three candidates for initiation as my disciples. Their names are as follows:

Miss Jeri Whorrel—Hamsini dasi

Roy Roberts—Satyavrata das

David Deben—Caturbahu das

You can send their beads for chanting to Satsvarupa Maharaja in Dallas. Now hold a fire yajna and invite as many guests as possible; hold kirtana and distribute prasadam. I am enclosing one brahmana thread duly chanted on by me for Vrikodara; have him hear the tape recording of me speaking the gayatri mantra, in his right ear and you instruct him in his Brahminical duties.

Regarding Radha Krsna worship, yes, when your new temple is completed, so long as you have sufficient Brahmins you may plan to install Radha Krsna deities.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

NB: Thank you very much for your two checks; I am placing them in my appropriate accounts.

Letter to Nityananda -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 17 August, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 14, 1973. Regarding the deity installation you may consult Satsvarupa Goswami your GBC secretary for this. I have appointed these GBC men to oversee and manage all the affairs of the society giving me relief to do my translation work fully.

On your recommendation I accept Srimati Hamsini Devi Dasi for second initiation. Please find the Gayatri Mantra enclosed.

Letter to Nityananda -- Los Angeles 15 December, 1973:

I am in receipt of your letter dated December 11, 1973. Yes, I received the photo album and it was very nice. Thank you very much.

I hereby accept the two devotees you recommended for second initiation and enclosed find two sacred threads and two gayatri mantras.

Take instruction from Satsvarupa Goswami on how to properly perform the fire yajna after which the initiates may listen once to the mantra in the right ear from the cassette tape I have made.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Bhima, Krsna dasa, Sanat Kumara, Nityananda, Samba, Joseph -- Bombay 16 May, 1974:

I thank you very much for your letters which were sent to me by Paramesvari Das Brahmacari on the 15th of April. All of the sentiments expressed in all of your letters are just according to the Vaisnava parampara. This means that you are understanding the Krishna Consciousness philosophy rightly and I am very pleased. It is a fact that by serving the spiritual master one becomes free from material life and makes spiritual advancement. I have not done anything personally, very wonderful. I am simply serving my spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja and all the acaryas in the disciplic succession. If I have done anything of credit it is that I have not changed their teachings. I have not added anything of my own interpretation. So I am very happy that you are finding Krishna Consciousness very blissful in the Nairobi temple and this will be the key to your success. That you also follow exactly as I have instructed in my books to my disciples such as Brahmananda Swami. That means to rise early, clean the body and clean the clothes. I have seen films of the Deity worship in Nairobi and it is very gorgeous. Proper Deity worship means to be clean, punctually and nice offerings of foodstuffs. Brahmananda Swami can teach you these things.

You are fulfilling my great hope. Because you are native Africans, you are the best ones to convince other Africans to become Krishna Conscious. Unless they become Krishna Conscious they can never end their suffering. We can not expect every single African to take to it. But if only a small population can take it seriously it can do real good. Therefore you are the real leaders of the Kenya nation. Please take seriously what you have learned and help spread this happy life to everyone you meet in Africa.

Letter to Nityananda -- Rome 27 May, 1974:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of April 29, 1974.

On your recommendation I have accepted Robbie Bernstein and James Steelman a my initiated disciples, and their spiritual names are as follows:

Robbie—Rajendra dasa

James—Jvarajit dasa

Please work with them carefully so they will always keep up chanting their rounds and remain enthusiastic to follow the principles.

I am also accepting Jogindra vandana for second initiation who has been initiated for two years. I want to stress to you to be very cautious about giving me recommendation for second initiation. There are four orders of life, it is not that everyone has to be a brahmana just because he has been initiated 1 or 2 or any number of years. Especially if one cannot even rise early for mangala arati he should never be given brahminical initiation. All your programs are encouraging to me and keep sending me information.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Nityananda -- Mexico City 15 February, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Feb. 5th, 1975 and have noted the contents. I am very glad to hear that your farm project in Mississippi is going on nicely. Develop it nicely like New Vrndavana.

I have accepted the two persons that you have recommended for 1st initiation. Their names are Michael—Muniraja, and Robin—Rajanatha. Their beads can be chanted by Kirtanananda Swami. Train them to be first class devotees by following very strictly all of our rule regulations, chanting at least 16 good rounds daily.

Thank you for the 100 dollars donation.

Letter to Nityananda -- Honolulu 5 June, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 31, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for the nice photos. Your Deities are very nice there. Regarding my coming there, we shall see later on.

I have accepted Caron Dempsey for first initiation. Her name is Krsna-pujya devi dasi. Her beads can be chanted on by Satsvarupa Maharaja. Be sure that all of the devotees there are very carefully following all of the regulative principles and chanting 16 rounds daily and let them study the books deeply.

Letter to Nityananda -- Denver 1 July, 1975:

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

Upon your recommendation I accept Paul Warren Menard as my initiated disciple. His spiritual name is Pana dasa. Please see that he maintains the Vaisnava standards and chants always 16 rounds minimum.

Letter to Nityananda -- New Delhi 21 August, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 5, 1975 and have noted the contents. The news clipping was nice. Regarding your festival of Ratha Yatra, you have got my blessings. Either with or without my presence, you will be successful, so do not worry.

I have seen your farm, and it is very nice. Develop it very nicely. You have already done nicely, so develop it further. That is very nice that you are saving money U.S. 250.00 per month on cow feed. Grow for animal and man food as far as possible. That is Krishna's order. annad bhavanti bhutani (BG 3.14). It is also nice that you are making so much profit from your Spiritual Sky. Use it wisely.

Upon your recommendation I am accepting the following disciples as initiated and their names are as follows: Thomas White—Padavja dasa; Henrietta Whelan—Jayaprada dasi; Katherine Kern—Kamarikanta devi; Jim Tucker—Jagatkarta dasa. I also accept for second initiation Sanatanai devi dasi. The mantra sheet is enclosed. I think you can inquire from Jagadisa about getting the tape. Hold a fire sacrifice amongst the devotees and let her hear the tape through the right ear.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Nityananda -- Honolulu 4 May, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 17, 1976, and I have noted the contents with care. You can call your farm, Talavana. Concerning constructing a temple at the farm, it is feasible only if you have sufficient brahmanas to take nice care otherwise no. You have seen our Vrndavana temple, also the temple in Melbourne and Los Angeles. So things must be at this standard in order to have a temple. The standard must be very high. Neatness and cleanliness are the first business of temple worship. I shall see later on whether or not that Krishna Balarama can be installed there. You cannot paint the Deity with paint to make bluish. Don't manufacture ideas. What is standard you must follow. Don't make it a farce.

On your recommendation I am accepting the following devotees for initiation:

Lee Sutton—Kuruksetra das

Ernie Courey—Vidyapati das

Barbara Sutton—Parijata dasi

Padavja das Brahmacari (second initiation)

Hold a yajna and instruct the initiates that they must follow the 4 regulative principles: no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling, and no illicit sex-life, and chanting minimum 16 rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra daily. The brahmanas must cultivate the brahminical qualities as mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita and in the other literatures. They must keep clean externally by bathing regularly each day, and internally clean by always chanting Hare Krishna. The beads of the first initiates can be chanted on by one of the sannyasis and the thread for brahmana initiation is herein enclosed. After the fire yajna you can play a recording of the gayatri mantra played into the right ear of the brahmana initiate.

Letter to Nityananda -- Honolulu 23 May, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 18, 1976 and I have noted the contents with care.

If the Varnasramadharma can be instituted it is welcome, but it is a little difficult today to do. If it can be done we want that. Training is required. The things are there but who will take up the training? Otherwise, the symptoms are mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita and if according to the symptoms some training is given, it is alright. But, everyone is after money and as soon as money is there they drink, eat meat, illicit sex, so who is there to be tained as a Brahmin?

On your recommendation I am accepting Danny Miller and Michael McKinly for first initiation into Hare Krishna chanting. You can have sannyasis chant on their beads, and give them their spiritual names and beads at the fire sacrifice. They must abide by the regulative principles; no illicit-sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating, and chanting minimum of 16 rounds daily. Then there will be steady and sure progress. Their spiritual names are:

Danny—Kalaksara das

Michael—Gunavasa das

Letter to Nityananda -- Washington D.C. 5 July, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 1, 1976, and I have noted the contents carefully.

On your recommendation I am accepting Jvarajit das Brahmacari for second initiation. Hold a fire sacrifice and after the fire sacrifice a tape recording of the gayatri mantra should be played into his right ear. Enclosed is one brahmana thread and gayatri mantra sheet. Brahmin must practice cleanliness both externally and internally. Externally he must bathe regularly, and internally he must chant Hare Krishna.

Letter to Nityananda:

I am in due receipt of your letter and have noted the contents with care.

On your recommendation I am accepting the following disciples for first and second initiation:

First Initiation:

Michael Hyldahl—Vamsimohana dasa

Rodolfo Rios—Rasa-Vilasa dasa

James Lanclos—Jnana-natha dasa

Willie Butch McCord—Vaninatha Raya dasa

Second Initiation:

Jitamitra das brahmacary

Hold a fire sacrifice and present the beads and gayatri mantra tape with brahmana thread at that time. The initiates should follow our four principles of Godly life namely; no eating of meat, fish or eggs; no gambling, no intoxication, and no illicit sex. All devotees must also chant the prescribed 16 rounds on the beads daily, without fail. Enclosed you will find one brahmana thread and gayatri mantra. After the fire sacrifice the tape of the gayatri mantra should be played into the right ear of the initiate. To become a brahmana means to be always clean outside by regular cleanliness and inside by chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra. The beads for the first initiates should be chanted on by your GBC man and the names given at the time of the sacrifice.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Nityananda -- Mayapur 16 March, 1977:

I beg to thank you for your letter dated February 21st, 1977, and I have noted the contents. The New Talavan Review and the brochure are both very nicely done and I thank you for them.

So far as Gurukula is concerned, literary education is for the Brahminical class, not for all. Others should learn by seeing, like the ksatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras. Just like driving a bullock cart; it doesn't require education. Modern so-called education is simply a waste of time producing hippies. Shameless! Why compulsory education? To make hippies—compulsory education to degrade. So it is very fortunate that there is no compulsory education required by the state of Mississippi.

Whatever is available easily we can use. There is no objection to using electricity. But we should not be dependent upon it. Produce oil from castor seeds and stock the oil sufficiently. It can be used in so many ways—for burning, grease, cooking, and as a purgative to cure all diseases. And oxen can be used for driving carts and go preaching village to village. What is the question of killing them? Here in India our Lokanatha Maharaja has successfully organized such a program and it is a great success. He has traveled all over India and everywhere they distribute books, prasadam and perform kirtana, village to village. Each night they stop at a different village. We can introduce many millions of such carts all over the world.

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

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

I am returning one Deity photo to you. This dressing style is not authorized. But the other photos are very nice. Please go on very enthusiastically developing your farming community.

Letter to Nityananda -- Bombay 12 April, 1977:

I beg to thank you for your letter dated 29 March, 1977.

Oh yes, it is quite correct to try for complete exemption for your land. Why we should be taxed? Our work is all welfare work meant for the good of the general public. Such properties are always given tax exemption as you have pointed out to the newspapermen. The presentation of our position in the article is nicely given.

Yes, if our householders cannot distribute books, then let them live in the farm communities. They can produce thread for cloth, spinning, and other such activities. But they must do something, not sit idly, for an idle brain is the devil's workshop.

As you have recommended them, I am accepting for first initiation Kiki Laureen Cogan and David Hughes. Their initiated names are Krsna Kripa dasi and Dasanu dasa. Now you must hold a fire ceremony and they must vow to follow the four regulative principles and chant 16 rounds daily. I also accept Kamarikanta devi dasi and Jagatkarta dasa for second initiation. Jagatkarta's brahmana thread is duly enclosed. After the fire ceremony they may both be allowed to hear the Gayatri mantra from the tape in the right ear. By your good example teach them how to be brahmanas.

Page Title:	Training of Nityananda dasa (Letters, 1970 - 1977)
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