# Letters — 1961 ### Letter to Brijratanji **Date:** March 31st 1961 — **Location:** Delhi > Bombay My dear Brijratanji, Kindly accept my greetings. I hope you are quite well in all respects by the Grace of the Lord. I beg to inform you that an international congress for cultivating Human Spirit is going to be held in Japan in the month of May 1961 and you will be glad to know that the Japanese organizers have invited me to attend the congress. They have already taken from me in advance the copy of my views on Human Culture and their second letter confirms it that they are very much anxious to receive me there. From the copy of the enclosed certificate, you will find it that they have arranged for my boarding and lodging during the days of my stay there. Now I request you to arrange for my passage to Japan and oblige. Last you were ready to bear my passage expenses from India to South America. And as I could not get the No objection certificate I had to postpone the journey. This time there is no such question and the passage expenses to Japan are far less than South America. Kindly therefore do the needful immediately and give me a chance to speak to the enlightened people of the world the message of Human Culture from the Vedic literatures. I am sure such views will change the angle of vision of the world activities. Awaiting your early reply to the above camp Address and thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- True Copy. Certificate. From the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony. PO Box No. 43, Numazi City, Japan. To Whom it may concern. This is to certify that Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami 1/859, Kesi Ghat P.O. Vrindaban (Mathura) U.P. India, is a bona fide visitor to the "CONGRESS FOR CULTIVATING HUMAN SPIRIT" will be held under the auspices of the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony from the 10th May through the 24th May this year 1961 at the important places in Japan. It is understood that lodging and boarding arrangements during the period will made and payed by us. It would be a great favor if necessary passport and a visa to visit Japan are passed to him to make his arrival in Japan before the 10th May 1961. sd/-Toshihiro Nakano General Secretary International Foundation for Cultural Harmony Copy forwarded to Sri Brijratan S. Mohatta Peoples Building Sir P. Mehta Road Fort Bombay-1. N.B. If you want take my assistance in any matter to be executed at Japan, I shall consider it my duty to do without any obligation on your part, Yours etc ### Letter to Doctor Radhakrishnan **Date:** March 29th 1961 — **Location:** Delhi My dear Doctor Radhakrishnan, I beg to acknowledge receipt with thanks your letter of the 24th instant and have noted the contents. I have come back from Cuttack on the 26th night. You know that I am a Sannyasi without any relation with Bank neither I am attached with financing institution. But the Japanese organizers have liked my literatures and they want me to be present there. The Congress which is going to be held at Japan is on the matter of How One Should Cultivate Human Spirit. While the Indian leaders are giving more importance on the material construction of the human body, enlightened people of other countries are thinking of the Human Spirit. People of other countries who have already tested the bitterness of materialism, are now seeking something else other than matter. The sages of India in the bygone ages cultivated on the Human Spirit in an elaborate way. Sripada Sankaracarya, Ramanujacarya, Madhva and later on Sri Caitanya dealt on the subject most scientifically for the welfare of all men in the world. I think therefore that the Indian Government should send there all the representatives of the abovementioned Acaryas to deliver the message of Atma or the Human Spirit. A Godless civilization cannot bring about peace and prosperity and when they are anxious about it we must administer the required medicine. I am therefore very much anxious to attend the Congress although I have no means to go there. They are also very much anxious to get me there and if I say that I cannot attend the congress for want of means then I think it will be an insult to my country. Formerly the Zamindars and Princes would provide for such endeavours. But they are now finished. Under the circumstances it is the duty of the Government to arrange for our travel in such noble mission. I wish therefore that you can specially recommend my case to Minister Humayun Kabir to arrange for it. If it is impossible altogether, then personally you can send me there without any difficulty. They have already agreed to pay for my boarding and lodging for the days I shall remain there. I may also inform you that the Secretary of the INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR CULTURAL HARMONY has already agreed to publish some of my literatures. If you will kindly somehow or other dispatch me there, then it will be a chance for my mission. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to M. M. Malhotra **Date:** March 31st 1961 — **Location:** Delhi > Sri M.M. Malhotra > Ministry of Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs. > Government of India > New Delhi Dear Sri Malhotra, Thank you for your D.O.No.25(16)/61-r-II dated the 27th instant with enclosure. I have now come to Delhi and staying at the above camp address for expediting the matter and therefore further correspondence maybe made to my above camp address. Enclosed I beg to hand you herewith the form sent by you and duly completed by me. Thanking you in anticipation and awaiting your early reply. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Per registered post With A/D. Enclosure:-1 ### Letter to Ministry for Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs **Date:** March 20th 1961 — **Location:** Cuttack > The Secretary > Ministry for Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs > Government of India, New Delhi Dear Sir, I beg to inform you that I am in the renounced order of life devoted in the service of researching in the science of cultural affairs of human spirit. I am the author of several books in this like and the copy of the Foreword by Dr. N.K. Sidhanta Vice Chancellor of the Delhi University on my book "EASY JOURNEY TO OTHER PLANETS", is sent herewith for your perusal. As such I have been invited by the organizers of The Congress for Culturing Human spirit to be held at Japan in the month of May 1961. The copy of bona fides is also sent herewith for your reference. I am a Sannyasi and my mission of life is to propagate the idea of cultivating spiritual vision of life which alone can bring about peace and prosperity of the human society. I wish to impress upon the delegates who will internationally join the Congress for Culturing Human spirit at Japan about the necessity of an international movement for this purpose in cooperation of all the enlightened people of the world. The Japanese organizers have agreed to meet my expenses there as you will find it from the enclosed papers and I am simply seeking your help to dispatch me to Japan to attend this congress. I beg to inform you in this connection that the following gentlemen know me well and about my cultural activities in literary careers. 1. Dr. S. Radhakrsahnan Vice President of India. 2. Dr. H.K.Mahatab 3. Bhagirathi Mahapatra M.P. I must reach Japan (Tokyo) on or before the 9th of May 1961 and I shall request you to give me help and facilities in this connection. Awaiting your early reply and thanking you in anticipation. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mr. Genxo Abe **Date:** April 15th 1961 — **Location:** Delhi > Mr. Genzo Abe > Mayor of Fukuoka City > Fukuoka City > Japan Dear Sir, I beg to inform you that I have very kindly been invited by the noble Japanese organizers of the International Congress for Cultivating Human Spirit, to be held in your different important cities. I am an Indian Vaisnava Sannyasi dedicated to the cause of spiritual upliftment of the human society. I have therefore taken up the cause of the ensuing congress in your country and wish to meet you conveniently when I am in Japan. Present advancement of material civilization, in the opinion of the Indian sages, is going in the wrong way because it has neglected the spiritual side of human constitution. All living beings are spiritual sparks covered by material encagement. In his pure spiritual form a living being eternal, cognizant and blissful, but being covered by matter he is suffering threefold miseries of material existence. The human form of life is the highest developed stage in the evolutionary process and thus a civilization based on spiritual culture is the right type of human civilization. The human being must know what he is, where from he has come what is the position after death; why we are suffering threefold miseries of life; what is the ultimate goal of life; what is this cosmic universe; what is matter and what is spirit; which of them is superior etc. There are so many things to be learnt by the human being. Unfortunately, the present human society by the advancement of scientific knowledge, has manufactured lethal weapons to kill and destroy. They have no discovery for living and building peaceful and progressive life. The world has no information for the great problems life. I am very glad that some of your noble countrymen have taken notice of this defective civilization and have very timely invited this important congress with a future idea of forming an international body like the United Nations Organization not for conflict but for HARMONY. I am very glad to know this and I am anxious to meet you and render my full cooperation in this great, important and noble endeavour for welfare of the entire human society. I hope this noble movement will unite the communists and the capitalists alike for the common goal of life which still remained veiled for want sufficient intelligent class of men. I wish, therefore, that in this congress a combination of the most intelligent personalities of all nations shall unite together and teach the people in general, ignorant in spiritual knowledge, that (1) Human life is based on spiritual ground (2) Spirit is separate superior element than matter and (3) by spiritual culture of life only the human society can be brought into perfection. This perfection of life will help also in building up the next progressive life after death. The human society is meant for liberal cooperation for this movement of all round perfection of the human society without any bar for class or nation or dogmatic faith. Spiritual culture is not dogmatic faith but it is based on philosophy, reason and culture. This can be introduced very easily through convenient methods of music, dance and refreshment which are acceptable by all grades of human being in all parts of the world. It requires only to be organized by combined effort of the intelligent class of men of all nations. I have tried to explain the human cultural synopsis in fifty pictographical explanation and I wish that these pictographical explanations may widely be distributed. The sponsors of the Congress have taken charge of this and I hope they will do the needful. Without spiritual culture a human society is another polished edition of the animals. There is no value of education in the animal society as the trained up lion in a circus is never to be trusted. The lion is not trusted because it cannot assimilate spiritual knowledge. But a man is able to take up this knowledge and his formation of the brain is meant for it. It is nothing extraordinary for him because he is prepared for this culture and is awaiting proper administration only. The ways and means were envisaged by the liberated souls and especially by the sages of India and I proud to feel that Lord Buddha happened to be an Indian and we worship Him as incarnation of Godhead. His holy name is mentioned in the Vedic literature like Bhagavata. We can take help from the Bhagavata the cream and ripen fruit of the Vedic literature and stop at once the quarrel and turmoil of the present world. I hope that your honour along with other thoughtful men of your great country will give full attention to this movement and I am always with you for rendering my humble service for this cause. I hope this will meet you alright and more when we meet. Yours in the service of the Lord., A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. A similar letter by air is also sent to Mr. Teruta Kunito Mayor of Takamatsu City Takamatsu City, Shikoku Island, Japan ### Letter to Mr. Nakano **Date:** April 18th 1961 — **Location:** Delhi Dear Mr. Nakano, I am in due receipt of your letter of the 9th instant and I am grateful to you for all that you have said for me. I am a humble creature and I am just trying to do my bit in this connection because I was so ordered by my Spiritual Master Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja. As desired by you I have, immediately on receipt of your letter, sent two letters by air mail to the two respective Mayors of your country. The copy of the letter is also enclosed herewith as you desired me to do. While I am feeling too much ecstasy for the reception arrangement you are doing for me, I beg to inform you that my passage expenses which is near about Rs 3500/- not yet settled. I submitted one application to the Govt. of India for help and the copy of my application is also sent herewith. I also wrote a private letter to Dr.S. Radhakrishnan in this connection and the reply which I have received is also enclosed herewith. All these are not very encouraging for me. I therefore saw the Vice President to day personally but he says the same thing as he has written in his letter. Although the matter is not yet hopeless altogether I am disturbed in my mind thinking what shall I do in case the Govt. denies to help. I am therefore seeking your good advice in this connection. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan said to me that you had also invited him to attend your congress and he opines that the passage expenses might have been paid by you. The hope and expectation of the Congress is undoubtedly very great and I wish that I may fully utilize this opportunity for general welfare of the entire human society. I have fully explained my views authoritatively in my statements already sent to you for publication and the gist idea is expressed in the letter of the Mayors the copy of which is also enclosed. As a Sannyasi I have no personal purse for expenditure. Under the circumstances if the Government denies to help for the passage then I will have to ask for the same from you otherwise my going to the congress will end in dream only. I have very little faith in the dealings of the politicians and specially of the Indian politicians. From the conversation of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan it appeared to me that the Govt. does not approve of such congress as are organized by private persons and as such they do not participate in such congress. I shall wait for their final decision for one week more when the matter will be clear, yes or no. You have requested to send you my photograph and personal history and thank you for this. I am sending herewith some cuttings of photograph (Present) which appeared in the press. If these are not suitable for your purpose, then you can get a fresh promo-copy from the original negative which also is being sent herewith. Regarding my personal history I beg to state it shortly as follows: I was born 1st September 1896 in Calcutta as the third son of my father Late Gaura Mohon Dev and mother late Rajani Devi in the family of one of very respectable Gold merchant aristocracy of Calcutta. I was educated in the Scottish Churches College (B.A. 1920) and Netaji Subhas Candra was my college mate. I left education influenced by Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 and joined for some time in the national liberation and other social service movements. I was secretary of the Social Union movement of which Late Mr. J. Choudhury Bar-at-law was the president. In this movement there was a great stir for intercaste marriage in favor of Patel's (Vithalbhai) bill. I was married during my student life in 1918 with Radharani Devi and she is in Calcutta with her sons and daughters five children and a few grand children also. After my education I was appointed (1921) as the Asst. Manager of Dr. Bose's Laboratory Ltd of Calcutta and then engaged myself in my personal business in the chemical line. I was a research student in chemical and medicinal composition and for the first time in India, I introduced Gadine preparation in the medical profession. I met my spiritual master Late Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami in 1922 and he desired me to preach in the foreign countries the spiritual movement started by Lord Caitanya for enlightenment of all materialistic men all over the world. He gradually turned my mind from matter to spirit and I was accepted as his disciple in 1933 after full association of ten years. He left this world in 1936 and insisted to explain the mission in English. I started my paper Back to Godhead in 1944 and left home for good entirely to execute the order of my spiritual master in 1954. Since then my H.Q. is at Vrindaban and devote in literary work. [PAGE MISSING] ### Letter to Mr. Nakano **Date:** April 20th 1961 — **Location:** Delhi Dear Mr. Nakano, In continuation of my Reg. letter of the 18th instant I beg to inform you that on 20/4/61 I have received the reply from the government which reads as follows. I have therefore sent you today the following cable which I beg to confirm herewith. As you have developed a deep love for me, I dare to ask you to send me financial help to take me to Japan. I think you can immediately instruct your Embassy in Delhi to do the needful and dispatch me to Japan on your behalf. I am feeling too much to meet you and the Congress so that we can build up a solid institute for spiritual cultivation. I shall await your instruction by cable to fix up my programs. ### Letter to Mr. Toshihiro Nakano **Date:** April 1st 1961 — **Location:** Delhi > Mr. Toshihiro Nakano > Secretary General > International Foundation for Cultural Harmony. > P.O. BOX No. 43, Numazi City > Japan Dear Mr. Toshihiro Nakano, I beg to inform you that while I was on tour a letter from you was received in the office and it was sent to me on my tour. Unfortunately the same is missing and I shall be obliged if you please send me a copy of the same by return post. The subject matter of your letter under reference was, however, noted and as such I have dispatched to your address one copy of EASY JOURNEY TO OTHER PLANETS and the pictographical explanation of spiritual culture 21 typed pages per separate air mail book-post (Regd). Kindly acknowledge receipt and oblige. I have sent you about 20 pictographical illustrative ideas and explanations. There are more 30 also but considering that you may feel difficulty to get all these 50 pictures printed and published within such short time, I have sent you only 20 pictographical ideas. But if you think that I can send you the remaining 30 pictographical explanations also, you may let me know at once and I shall do the needful. For the present I have come to Delhi from Vrindaban and am staying at the above camp address. You can therefore address for the time being at my abovementioned camp address. My small booklet Easy Journey to Other Planets is a novel step towards the path of cultivating Human spirit. The Russian scientists are trying to reach other planets by sputniks but such attempt is more or less utopian. There are innumerable planets, within the visible sky and each of them have different climatic conditions. Human being of this planet can hardly adjust with the climatic conditions of other planets even if he is able to reach there by the sputniks. The easy method is suggested in my book which is called Bhakti-yoga easy to be performed by any layman in any part of the world. By such practice of Bhakti-yoga one can reach even the spiritual sky which is far far away from this material sky. But the propagation of Human Spiritual Culture, your institution the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony, can teach all the people of the world about the easy method of Bhakti-yoga which can carry the practitioner to any other planets even up to the spiritual sky. They are all results of cultivating Human Spirit. And if you take up the matter seriously, I can help you also very seriously in cooperation with all important gentlemen who will arrive at Japan from every corner of the world. Please therefore think of a programme for execution by your good Foundation. My advance copy of speech, which I have already sent you, together with the pictographical explanation, may be formed into one book and the pictures may be drawn in colorful expressive tone by your good Japanese artist. Japan is famous for artistic work and India is famous for spiritual culture. We should now combine together for uplifting the unhappy human being from the muddy things of gross materialism. The Book may be published under the auspices of your good foundation and if you like it we can publish many other books for cultivating Human spirit. When I go to Japan I shall carry with me some important mss of my works and if possible we shall get them published for every one's benefit. After the session of your organized session of the Congress I wish to make an extensive tour in Japan, China and U.S.A. for preaching the Cult of Human Spirit and I shall be glad if you consider this proposal with due importance. All great sages of the world like Lord Krishna, Lord Buddha, Lord Christ, Hazrat Mohammed, Acarya Sankara, Acarya Ramanuja, Lord Caitanya, all lived for enlightening men on this culture of Human spirit. And men like us should follow their footprints for all round welfare of the human society. Your Foundation has rightly taken up the cause in due time and I have my full cooperation with you. Hope you are well. Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Pramatha Natha Roy **Date:** November 5th 1961 — **Location:** Delhi Sri Pramatha Natha Roy 140/A Raja Dinusta Street Calcutta-4. Handed over the manuscript of Shi Caitanya Mahaprabhu for printing in a three forms book on the occasion of Sri Srimat Sakhi Charan Das Babaji Maharaja's first disappearance ceremony. If not printed the same is to be sent back to Delhi per registered post. If printed he will send me at least 100 copies for distribution here. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd **Date:** March 31st 1961 — **Location:** Delhi > Deputy Manager, > The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd. > Scindia House, Dougall Road > ballard estate, Bombay-1 Dear Sir, Kindly refer to your letter No. OPD/FREE/369 dated 30/12/58 and I beg to inform you that you agreed to give me 50% concession from India to U.S.A. and I had to postpone my journey for not being able to pay you even 50% charges. I am a Sannyasi and my expenses for propagting the transcendental message is borne by the philanthrophist every where. Recently I have been invited by the Japanese friends to attend an international Congress for Cultivating Human spirit and the copy of the invitation certificate will speak for itself. I shall therefore request you to give me full concession for going and coming back from Japan. India has to teach the world for cultivating human spirit and we are meant for this purpose. Please therefore cooperate with us broadcasting the message of cultivating human spirit and increase India's original culture of spiritual value for which counties outside India are always eager to have it. An early reply to my above camp address will enable me to arrange for my journey to Japan. Thanking you in anticipation, Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- True Copy. Certificate. From the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony. PO Box No. 43, Numazi City, Japan. To Whom it may concern. This is to certify that Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami 1/859, Kesi Ghat P.O. Vrindaban (Mathura) U.P. India, is a bona fide visitor to the "CONGRESS FOR CULTIVATING HUMAN SPIRIT" will be held under the auspices of the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony from the 10th May through the 24th May this year 1961 at the important places in Japan. It is understood that lodging and boarding arrangements during the period will made and payed by us. It would be a great favor if necessary passport and a visa to visit Japan are passed to him to make his arrival in Japan before the 10th May 1961. sd/-Toshihiro Nakano General Secretary International Foundation for Cultural Harmony N.B. Japan is far nearer than U.S.A. and therefore your sacrifice for travel to Japan even in full concession will be not more than 50% concession to U.S.A. I hope therefore you will agree to this international cultural harmony and let me know your affirmation per return of post. Thanking you once more. Yours etc