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Training of Yasomatinandana dasa (Letters, 1973 - 1976)

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" |"Kirtana" |"Language" |"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" |"Temple" |"Temples" |"The society" |"Translate" |"Translated" |"Translating" |"Translation" |"Translations" |"Yashomatinandan" |"Yashomatinandan" |"Yasomatinanda" |"Yasomatinandan" |"Yasomatinandana" |"Yasomatinandana's" |"Yasomatinandanana" |"Zonal" |"Zone"

Correspondence

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Yasomatinandan -- Herts, England July 20, 1973:

I heard you were transferring to our Los Angeles center but I do not know if you have left our Chicago center yet, so I am sending copies of this letter to both places.

The thing is Brahmananda Maharaj is having difficulty translating literature into the Gujarat language in Nairobi. There is a large Gujarati population there and he has had some of our literature translated by a non-devotee translator. You know well the havoc which can result if a nondevotee tries to give his interpretation of Krsna. Although Krsna understanding is very easy for those who are simple and submissive devotees, for the duratma, Krsna is very difficult. So if at all possible we want all our foreign language books to be translated by devotees. I think you are already working on Gujarati translations of our works, so please immediately correspond with Brahmananda Maharaj at our Nairobi center and offer your services as translator. Take this as a great responsibility and it will please me very much. I will be glad to hear your progress in this important matter.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Bombay 16 October, 1973:

Also enclosed please find the sacred threads for the gayatri initiations of Gopi Kanta das Brahmacari and Yasomatinanda das Brahmacari. So you can chant on the beads and hold the fire sacrifice amongst the devotees. The mantra should be heard from the tape through the right ear.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Vrindaban 28 October, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 13, 1973 and have noted the contents. So far your arranging to bring other men with you to India for opening a center, that is all right, but if they come as tourists and then go away that is not good. This kind of coming and going is a waste of money. Karandhara can arrange at least one year visa. In that way if you can bring some men here then it will be helpful. But, I think you can get local men here. That is the preaching process.

Yes, you can have the gayatri mantra, when I am coming to Los Angeles.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 5 December, 1973:

Regarding our Bombay project: somehow or other the foundation should be dug immediately. Yasomatinandana Prabhu, who has a degree in structural engineering, is here and I have requested him to go to India with Giriraja who is recovering. They will come as soon as possible.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 13 December, 1973:

Regarding our Bombay project: I am sending Yasomatinandana das there. He is a qualified engineer and he may deal with Mr. Shah and others. That will relieve you from this work. He is very competent and intelligent. He will return with Giriraja. He is our man and if he requires, he can take help from Mr. Shah. We should keep them all as friends. This is a very important point. Let our men and Mr. Shah do the needful—we don't require to hire any outside engineers. Regarding Mrs. Thirani, try to please her. She is the grand-daughter of Mr. Birla and the sister of Ashok Birla. She is a very important lady.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 24 December, 1973:

I have previously written you that our man Yasomatinandana dasa shall take charge of the construction in Bombay. He is very nice and enthusiastic devotee and a qualified engineer so he shall be the manager of the engineering and construction. Thank you very much for carrying on our work in India so faithfully and responsibly and I pray to Krsna always for your protection and advancement.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Los Angeles December 29, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 27, 1973. I am very glad to hear you are now about to leave New York for working at the great task of spreading Krsna Consciousness in India. Lord Caitanya has said those born in India have the special responsibility to spread Krsna Consciousness all over the world. So almost all Indians have ignored this injunction by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But now by the grace of my Guru Maharaj I have brought this message to the West and now you and your god brothers and sisters are helping me in bringing it back to the people of India and all over the world. It is a fact that all humanity's suffering is due only to lack of Krsna Consciousness.

I have received your check of $6,800.00 and I thank you very much.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:SGM

Iskcon

439 Henry Street

Brooklyn, N.Y. 11231

(handwritten) N.B. Please tell Bali Mardan that (unreadable).

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 31 December, 1973:

I have recently received one letter from Sridhara das Brahmacari who has left Bombay and gone to Vrindaban. He reports he is disappointed having been removed from his job of managing construction in Bombay. Sridhara is a very good boy and a hard worker. While I was there it was fixed up that he should take the responsibility for construction work. Why was he removed? Now Yasomatinandana is coming to join you and he is a qualified engineer. Between he and Sridhara they can, I think, manage construction affairs without your having to put a karmi professional in charge.

We have to manage our men in such a way that they may bend to our will but not break. After all, our work is purely voluntary. If they become angry and leave then our work is defeated. I have directed Sridhara to return to Bombay and work with Giriraja. Please give him some facility so he may work happily. Hope this meets you in good health.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 11 January, 1974:

Now Krsna is sending you new devotees to help in India. Yasomatinandana is a good boy, now utilize him properly. We are planning that he can open a center in Surat and he will attract many Gujaratis. He is sincere, learned, enthusiastic and qualified. Keep him nicely engaged. He has left $7,000 with me for starting a center in Surat. This money I have deposited in the Mayapur-Vrindaban Fund and when I shall start a center in Surat I will draw from that fund. For our arriving devotees they should all be coming on student visas for learning Sanskrit and Hindi languages and thus they can stay for 3 years. I have arranged this with the Consulate General in New York for the student visas for our men. I think Giriraja has written to you by now and he knows of this arrangement. Yes, Mohanananda is a very intelligent worker, now work cooperatively with him. The only fear I have is that you may fight. Please do not. That will ruin everything we have done. If there is any misunderstandings which arise, as they will, settle them up. You are all qualified American boys, now push on this glorious mission without letting it be hampered by personal differences. I am glad to hear you have a nice secretary there in Aditya; now take care of sending the BTG out regularly. There are some complaints in this department. So make Bombay the center for distributing BTG to life members.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Bombay 11 May, 1974:

Since the Mayapur and Vrindaban festivals in March I have been mostly staying here in our Hare Krishna Land. It is a large estate and requires much management. Today I was talking with Caitya Guru das Brahmacari who is the ground manager here and he suggested that your good self come here to take charge of general management here as the younger devotees are having so much difficulty. Actually the idea of a more mature Indian for management here is very suitable to me. The karmis who the boys deal with here are always cheating them, and only because I am here I catch so many things. As I am leaving on the 23rd May for a tour starting in Rome, I am fearful what will happen here in my absence? I take this suggestion of yourself a manager of Hare Krishna Land as a very sound idea. If you are agreeable to help by service in this way then come immediately to Bombay and help the situation. Giriraja das Brahmacari is the president here, Manasvi and Yasomatinandana and Caitya guru and the important managers, but they are all very young men with not much experience of the world. I understand you are now prepared to take on full time service of this nature, so I think this is the best place for you. I have invested about 20 lacs in this property and already the routine devotional service, deity worship and sankirtana is going on, but at present the police commissioner has denied us sanction to build our big temple according to our plans, and also the status quo is threatened as I do not think the boys can manage the buildings and land which we own here. Potentially things can be very wonderful here but it requires strong management which I think you can do. So consider my proposal seriously and I hope you will be able to come and lead management of Hare Krsna Land.

Letter to Giriraja -- Vrindaban 16 August, 1974:

Regarding Yasomatinandana's college programs, you should give him full facility for this preaching work. This should be very much encouraged. He is a good preacher in Gujarati and Hindi. Regarding engaging the men, it is required that nobody should sit idle.

Letter to Giriraja -- Mayapur 19 October, 1974:

Keep Yasomatinandana engaged in college programs. When I come to Bombay at the end of this month or the beginning of next month, if he can arrange my lecture on Bhagavad-gita in all colleges and universities, I shall speak to the students very gladly. It is good that boys are joining us and shaving up. Yes, whoever may live with us must shave and take kunti beads, otherwise they may come and go.

Letter to Gaura Gopala -- Bombay 15 November, 1974:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 6/11/74 and have noted the contents. My program in India is not yet fixed up. I may go out in December to Honolulu. Anyway Yasomatinandana dasa has written you to come, if he has written you to come, then you can come immediately with the Hindi typewriter.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Bombay 2 December, 1974:

I have received one letter from Sucarudev das, a devotee there who has some complaint, that he is left in charge when Mahamsa Swami goes out on tour, and no one cooperates with him, just sleeping and eating. So please enquire and let me know actually what is the situation there, and how things are going on. Also let me know what is the program for Hindi publishing there. Here in Bombay they are going on daily Sankirtana in Fort and selling 100 BTG's (English) daily, and they get requests for Hindi literature.

I have also received a letter from a diseased man, but what can I do? Please read the letter enclosed.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Niranjana -- Bombay 21 January, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 9th, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you very much for translating my books. It is so much important to me to have my books printed in all languages of the world. But, why are you sending the work to Ksirodakasayi for publication. I would rather have you send them to Bombay. You can send them to Yasomatinandana das adhikari here in Bombay. He can do the final editing as well as see to it that they are printed nicely. For the translation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you can say either Paramesvara or Bhagavan. Paramatma or Antaryami is good for localized Super-soul. If you can give the meaning of all the sanskrit words, that will be best.

I am glad to hear things are going nicely in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Mayapur 9 April, 1975:

Our deity installation ceremony is to be held on the 20th and the function was to begin three days before, namely, the 17th of April. So, instead of the 17th, you can make it the 16th. That will satisfy everyone. Srimad Bhimasena Vedacarya may be informed in this way and do the needful. Please let me know the result at Hyderabad by phone or if somebody is coming there, through him.

Letter to Niranjana -- Vrindaban 17 April, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 6, 1975 and have noted the contents. Go ahead and continue your work and try to work co-operatively with Yasomatinandana dasa. Concerning a temple in Gorakhpur, Ramananda can consult with me about that.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1975:

Regarding your making Yasomatinandana das BBT administrator, I have no objection, but I think he can be better engaged in printing work. Actually he has no business experience. Of course he may be trained up, but in the meantime he should not be in charge. I have given him charge of the publishing work, but what is he doing? Better not to change. Yes, the accounts must be kept very carefully. The book inventory must be recorded, and what is collected and what is spent must be there.

Letter to Giriraja -- Evanston, Illinois 4 July, 1975:

In Tirupati they have a nice system. You have to see how the hotels and dharmasalas are doing it. What laws there are to protect them. People are very cunning nowadays, and we have to be careful. You should manage the whole thing very nicely, just like in Tirupati they are managing so many buildings very carefully.

(TEXT UNCLEAR)

India to organize large scale book distribution. He can help Yasomatinandana Prabhu. Yasomatinandana is sincere but not a business minded. But, if sincerity is there, other things will come.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

N.B. All money sent to Bombay from L.A. is BBT money and must be paid back by you to the BBT account in Bombay. The money sent to you is on loan basis and must be paid back. You can pay back conveniently. We shall help you, but you must pay back.

Also One of the rooftop blocks may be dedicated for stocking books as go down. You may select the largest one available. If you fit it with book shelves that are away from the wall and not touching one another; i.e. the shelves should be wide enough to accommodate only one row of books and each shelf should be separated by a space wide enough for a man to pass; then you will not have the rat problem.

The Chand Society flat may not be sold. It can used as office and residence of Vaikunthanatha and Yasomatinandana. Two rooms used as residence and one room office and stock. The BBT should provide facilities for offices and stock go down. BBT should pay for the rooftop go down. By my calculation you should be able to sell in India at least four lakhs of Rupees worth of books per month. You simply have to organize it.

What is the report of Hyderabad?

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Evanston, Illinois 8 July, 1975:

I am enclosing some correspondence with Goswami Radheswaranand. There is one reply to him and also his latest letter.

So you go to Saurastra and see what is the possibility of opening centers there. I want that we should open up more centers in India. When I return to India I shall go there to Saurastra.

Letter to Giriraja -- Philadelphia 14 July, 1975:

Yasomatinandana is reporting that the publications are coming just now, but this has been going on for 300 years.

Letter to Niranjana -- Los Angeles 26 July, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 14, 1975. Regarding the temple that Ramananda is expecting to construct, who will pay for it? Has he mentioned this to you? Anyway, I will be speaking with him when I next go to India. I thank you for your report of the Rathayatra. Please ask Hamsaduta to send me a complete report of the Rathayatra festival in London. Yes, go ahead with your translation work. This is very important and work together with Yasomatinandana. We want very much to publish Hindi publications and distribute throughout India. This will be our next program, so please do it.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Vrindaban 7 September, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 11, 1975 with the enclosed letter from Laksmana devi dasi. I have already sent a telegram that I accept her for brahminical initiation.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Vrindaban 7 December, 1975:

You wanted one white assistant for facilitation of your work in Ahmedabad, so we have selected the best man for this work, Sriman Hai Haya Das Adhikari. I understand that you wrote one letter to Gopala Krishna disapproving sending Hai Haya. He is approved manager and why you thought that there is some politics. I am very much surprised to hear all this.

Anyway he is going there, work with him cooperatively and everything will be successful.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Bombay 17 December, 1975:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 11, 1975, I have noted the contents carefully. The program you have outlined is very nice, however I cannot go on long time procession because I am called by nature, I can go at most one hour.

So I shall come there on 25th morning.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Bombay 9 January, 1976:

I beg to thank you for your letter dated 3rd January, 1976 and I have noted the contents carefully.

I have sent you a telegram reading as follows: "Gandhi asrama house useless Letter follows." As described by you, there are so many disadvantages of that building. Therefore, forget it. We are not at all interested in it. The entire structure would have to be dismantled.

The other house which you describe sounds very nice. You can accept the offer immediately and begin living there. You say they are prepared to give it for a good cause. What is more public welfare than Krishna Consciousness? To awaken everyone's original consciousness is the best public welfare in the whole world. So occupy this house and show some good work and in this way they may be induced to let us stay. Even if you can only stay for three months, what is the loss? You can always look for another place. Now people are seeing how genuine our movement is, they are coming forward to offer us so many places. We simply have to maintain our strict principles, keeping ourselves pure, Otherwise, there are so many bogus institutions doing business in the name of God and simply cheating the people. We have to be careful not to degenerate like these others. Our strength depends upon regular chanting the required 16 rounds and rigidly adhering to the regulative principles.

Regarding Dr. Ashok's address, my secretary shall be sending it to you by separate post.

Hoping this meets you in the best of health.

Letter to Mahamsa -- Mayapur 18 January, 1976:

I am in due receipt of the names of the persons recommended for first and second initiation. I accept all the new devotees as my initiated disciples. Their spiritual names are:

Bhakta Phil—Sarvaksadasa

Bhakta Mark—Parivadi dasa

Bhakta Jimmy—Kalasamvara dasa

Bhakta Bruce—Rudracandi dasa

Bhakta Martin—Krodhesvara dasa

Bhaktin Karen—Sarvaga dasi

Bhaktin Sue—Brahmapatni dasi

All of them must agree to faithfully chant 16 rounds minimum daily and rigidly abide by the four regulative principles.

I accept Sriman Ram das and Sriman Dayasara das for second initiation. Their sacred threads are duly chanted on and are enclosed. Brahmin means to be clean—inside by always chanting the Lord's glories, and outside by regular bathing. Brahmin also means pandita, so they must be able to support their preaching by quoting sastric references. Particularly, they should study Bhagavad-gita, Sri Isopanisad, Nectar of Devotion and Nectar of Instruction as well as all the small paperbacks. There will be a yearly examination for all Brahmins based upon these books.

Now you must hold a fire ceremony. Afterwards, the brahmanas may hear the Gayatri mantra through the right ear from the tape recording. Teach everyone to follow the principles by your personal example.

I hope this meets you well.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Mayapur 15 February, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 12 February, 1976 and have noted the contents. I am very pleased with your monthly Bhagavata-Darsana. That is a solid program. Please continue it steadily. One thing is, you must be careful with the subscription books so that they are not counterfeit or used by cheaters. One man, Agarwal, was cheating us in Kota and is now captured and given to the police. Unless one is authorized no one should be given a receipt book. Therefore you must have printed on each receipt: "NO BEARER CHECK; NO CASH; ACCOUNT PAID CHECK ONLY—MAKE PAYABLE TO INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS ONLY."

Yes, I approve your distribution ideas, namely subscriber agents, news agents. The subscription drive is a solid program. And if you regularly publish and get registered, you can get a one or two paise charges (postal concession). All right, you may take advertisements. Go ahead and educate the public regarding our philosophy and ISKCON activities. Also in the future there are many cities such as Bombay, Surat, and Calcutta with large numbers of Gujaratis, you may arrange for getting subscriptions there. Gradually as you work there, you will get local men to join you.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Honolulu 26 May, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 23, 1976, and I have noted the contents with care.

I remember how so many people were coming to visit the temple. The Deities should be very beautifully decorated so that people will be able to see the gorgeous worship in the temple. Now you have also received shipment of books so distribute my books profusely. This distribution is the greatest welfare work for humanity. What will be the benefit of so many skyscraper buildings if in their next life they have to take birth as a cat or a dog? Where will be the advancement in such an arrangement? Actual progress is to become fit for going back to home, back to Godhead.

Concerning the incident where the two boys were killed in what appeared to be a bomb blast, it is unfortunate that the newspapers have made it appear that these boys are Hare Krishna devotees. Of course, anyone can chant Hare Krishna, just like we go on the streets chanting, and others will imitate us. However, in our aims you will not find that our organization is dedicated to such methods or goals. Our aim is to awaken people throughout the world to Krishna Consciousness, God consciousness, by chanting the Holy Names of God. We have published so many books to explain our viewpoint, and why we should sit idly by and allow the press to unfairly take advantage of such a situation to misrepresent the Hare Krishna Movement. In any case, the movement cannot be judged simply by the activities of some individuals, but these men were not in our camp and still the press took unfair notice of all the facts. We should demand at least equal time from the press to explain the entire situation clearly, and when necessary we should file suit against such newspapers in order that things are not distorted. It is not in our aims anywhere to build bombs for any purpose. The same mentality is involved in trying to blow-up a slaughterhouse as is there in meat-eating. Such things will not stop people from unnecessary animal slaughter. It is only by educating people in the science of Krishna Consciousness that they will automatically develop all good qualities. Yasyatma bhaktir bhagavati akincana, sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. And the nondevotee will not have any good qualities even they may be vegetarians. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad guna manorathenasati dhavato bahih (SB 5.18.12). So we should clearly establish our aims in such situations and sit by idly. We must preach very boldly whenever the situation is favorable.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 24 June, 1976:

Concerning the new bhakta program, unless one is educated, we should not admit anyone and everyone without discrimination. One who has got culture and education, he can be accepted. Yasomatinandana would be better to go to Bombay and do the Gujarati publications and from time to time he can organize programs in Ahmedabad. That will be better.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- New York 11 July, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your new Gujarati magazine with enclosed letter dated June 28, 1976, and I thank you very much.

Your program in Ahmedabad is very encouraging. Do it. Why not take the government land immediately. If you can publish these magazines you will get many supporters and sympathizers. If the order department in Bombay is not despatching the orders on literature to the foreign temples then you can sometimes go to Bombay and organize things. You are one of the trustees. You can organize it or have some professional shipping agent do it. Ahmedabad is such a big city. Aren't there any shipping agents there? Why from Bombay, why not from Ahmedabad?

The distribution results from the Rathayatra are very nice. There is no question of profit. Distribution is the first consideration.

I hope that this meets you in good health.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Vrindaban 24 September, 1976:

I am in receipt of your letter dated 19th inst. and copy of Gujarati magazine. It appears to be nice. So you have got a new house very suitable for our purpose; it is very nice. So try to purchase some land as soon as possible.

Regarding against propoganda, it is going on practically everywhere, especially Bengal. So we have to work very sincerely and Krishna will give us protection. The only hope, we can understand that demons are disturbed. That is quite natural. When Krishna was born, from the day of His birth, the demons wanted to kill him in so many ways but practically it was found that demons were killed by Krishna and He established His mission yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata/ abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamyaham (BG 4.7). So if we work sincerely, the Krishna Consciousness Movement is non-different from Krishna. As Krishna killed all the demons, we should also be able to kill all demons if we remain faithful in the discharge of our mission.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Chandigarh 14 October, 1976:

I am in receipt of your letter dated 8/10/76 and have noted the contents carefully. You say the farm is only five miles from the city, so we will build our temple on that land. The farmers should be trained up to become devotees of Krishna. The same Idea I have already given for Hyderabad farm. Invite the local farmers to participate in Kirtana and prasadam distribution, engage them to work the land. They may keep whatever they require for their maintenance and the excess production may be traded or sold. But we are not going to develop a competitive farming enterprise for making money. The basic principle is to become independent of artificial city life, working in factories producing nut and bolts. Gandhi had this Idea, the one defect was that there was no Krishna in the center. So the same idea of village organization, but keeping Krishna in the center should be introduced on our farm projects.

Do not install Gaura Nitai deities until sufficient men are there to take proper care of them.

Regarding men; everywhere there is shortage, we cannot continue to import men continually.

I hope this letter finds you well.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Chandigarh 14 October, 1976:

I am in receipt of your letter dated 8/10/76 and have noted the contents carefully. You say the farm is only five miles from the city, so we will build our temple on that land. The farmers should be trained up to become devotees of Krishna. The same Idea I have already given for Hyderabad farm. Invite the local farmers to participate in Kirtana and prasadam distribution, engage them to work the land. They may keep whatever they require for their maintenance and the excess production may be traded or sold. But we are not going to develop a competitive farming enterprise for making money. The basic principle is to become independent of artificial city life, working in factories producing nut and bolts. Gandhi had this Idea, the one defect was that there was no Krishna in the center. So the same idea of village organization, but keeping Krishna in the center should be introduced on our farm projects.

Do not install Gaura Nitai deities until sufficient men are there to take proper care of them.

Regarding men; everywhere there is shortage, we cannot continue to import men continually.

I hope this letter finds you well.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Vrindaban 28 November, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11/30/76 (somehow mistakenly dated).

I am very encouraged by your book distribution report as also your enthusiasm to publish my books in Gujarati. One thing, what is the reason no local men are joining? This is wanted. Then the center there will become strong.

You say we must have a gosala trust, that is our real purpose. krsi-goraksya-vanijyam vaisya karma svabhava-jam, (Bg 18.44). Where there is agriculture there must be cows. That is our mission: Cow protection and agriculture and if there is excess, trade. This is a no-profit scheme. For the agriculture we want to produce our own food and we want to keep cows for our own milk. The whole idea is that we are Iskcon, a community to be independent from outside help. This farm project is especially for the devotees to grow their own food. Cotton also, to make their own clothes. And keeping cows for milk and fatty products.

Our mission is to protect our devotees from unnecessary heavy work to save time for advancing in Krsna consciousness. This is our mission. So there is no question of profit, but if easily there are surplus products, then we can think of trading. Otherwise we have no such intention. We want a temple, a gosala and agriculture. A community project as in Europe and America. We are making similar attempts in India in several places. Immediately I'm going to Hyderabad to organize the farm project there. We have 600 acres. We have the permission from the government. There is no question of ceiling.

You may call the gosala: ISKCON Gosala and Farm Project Trust. The trustees shall be; myself as chairman, Pranlal Bhogilal, yourself, Gopala Krsna, Mahamsa, Hamsaduta, Kartikeya Mahadevia, Aksayananda, and the life member you have mentioned in your letter (You haven't mentioned his name, but you say that he is an actor and has a farm of his own).

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Hyderabad 14 December, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 7/12/76.

The publishing you are doing is very good. That is very enthusiastic propaganda work.

I'm going to Bombay by the end of the third week of December. If possible, try to see me there.

Regarding the artist you have written about, if he can paint improved paintings, we shall publish. Yes, you can bring him to Bombay when you come.

Page Title:Training of Yasomatinandana dasa (Letters, 1973 - 1976)
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas
Created:08 of Jun, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=36
No. of Quotes:36