# Letters — 1965

### Letter to Buro

**Date:** July 28th 1965 — **Location:** Bombay

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

---

Camp Bombay July 28, 1965
My dear Buro,
On the eve of my leaving India for America on the 9th of August 1965, I want to see you for entrusting you with money and books in the matter of my publication SRIMAD BHAGWATAM so far advanced.
I am going to America on the mission of propagating my publication Srimad Bhagwatam and I am taking with me 200 sets X 3 volumes of books depending solely on the goodwill of Srila Prabhupada. I had no difficulty for getting the passport but it was too difficult to get the "P" form sanctioned on account of strict Exchange control, but by the grace of Srila Prabhupada yesterday the Controller of Exchange has allowed me to go.
When I first met Srila Prabhupada in 1922 as the young manager of Dr. Bose's Laboratory Ltd, at first sight He desired me to do what I am just going to do and I have taken all risks of life just to carry out His order. When he came to Bombay and you were only a child of four years old, on your bowing down before Him, He was pleased to bless you and six months later when I saw Him at Radhakunda along with you, because in those days you were my constant companion, His Divine Grace lovingly called you as the cowboy friend of Lord Krishna and enquired from you where were your cows? So do not forget such causeless mercy of a great associate of Lord Krishna and just try to corporate with me in this great mission and especially in my ripe old age of seventy.
Now the only difficulty is that in my absence the printing work will remain suspended for want of supervision.
What I want that you may take the responsibility and I am prepared to pay you Rs 100/- one hundred per month. Please [illegible handwriting] this cause of Srila Prabhupada. On your serving the cause of Srila Prabhupada you will be profited both materially and spiritually, which I am seeing very clearly. Once this publication is established you [illegible] will get lacs and crores and the loss which you might have thought of on my leaving you all alone, -will now be compensated sufficiently if you cooperate in this great work.
There is no anxiety for money now and I shall arrange for everything and you have simply to manage the affairs and take your remuneration also. I do not wish to entrust the matter to a third person because I am confident that you shall be able to do it nicely in my absence. The printing work must go on otherwise such a big project cannot be fructified.
I am reaching Calcutta (Howrah Station) on the (3rd) third of August 1965 at 11 a.m. by the down Calcutta mail via Nagpur.
Please, therefore, see me at the station at the above scheduled time If you however [illegible] to meet me (on 3/8/65 at 11 a.m) then please meet me at the following address where I shall put up viz. 65 A, Pathuriaghata Street [illegible] the house of Govindalal Bangur. Hope you are well and [illegible] we meet.
Yours affectionately,
[Prabhupada's Signature]

### Letter to Gosainji

**Date:** July 31st 1965 — **Location:** Bombay

> Sri Gorachand Goswami
> Sebait Sri Radha Damodar ji
> Temple, Sebakunja
> Vrindaban

My dear Gosainji,

Please accept my dandabats. Tomorrow I am going to Calcutta to catch my ship M.V. Jaladuta and I am starting for U.S.A. by the 10th of August, 1965 reaching New York after a month. And I have sent you one M.O. for Rs 25/-day before yesterday which I hope you have received in the meantime. I may return to India by November next.
In the meantime Sri Atmasingh Bajaj will see you with this letter as he is going to Vrndavana sometimes in the next month. He is a great devotee of Lord Krishna and it is this gentleman about whom I talked with you in the matter of Sri Radha Madhavaji Vigraha of Sri Jayadeva Goswami.
He will erect a grand temple for Sri Radha Madhava jeu and conduct Rajaseva with great pomp and accompanied by Utsavas according to Vaisnava smrtis.
Please talk with him face to face about the negotiation and on my behalf I shall strongly to accept his proposal not only because he is my friend but also from the angle of improvement of the Seva Pujah.
I hope both of you will come to some happy agreement just to see improved condition of Seva Pujah.
Thanking you in anticipation,
Yours sincerely

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

### Letter to Sally

**Date:** November 6th 1965 — **Location:** New York

My dear daughter Sally,

I am so glad to receive your very affectionate letter of the 3rd instant and have noted the contents carefully. Yes I have got this nice typewriter by the Grace of the Lord and I am very much satisfied with it working. Before receiving your letter under reply I have sent two letters both to you and Gopala. I understand that you have received them. In one of them I have requested Gopala to dispatch 25 sets of books to Paragon Book Gallery and I am anxious to know if the books are already dispatched.
Regarding your reminder for my good cooking, I am very much thankful to you and next time when I shall go to your home, I must serve you with good lunches without fail. Now I am far away from you otherwise I would have at once gone to you and entertained you with such lunches. I am anxious to learn about the health of you all specially of your little children. How is your naughty daughter Kamla. Please offer them my love and blessings and so also accept both of you. Please write to me occasionally and as Gopala is not accustomed to reply promptly I shall henceforward write to you. Did you meet your good father and mother in the meantime? If you meet them please offer them my respectful regards. Both your father and mother are good souls and therefore you are a good daughter of your parents. I remember all of you always.
Please offer my good wishes to your friends who still remember me. I shall meet them again when I go to Butler. I like Butler more than New York and specially the quarters in which your home is situated. Had I had the means to rent a house independently I would have gone back again to Butler and hold my Bhagavatam discourses daily with good friends.
So far I have studied the American minds they are eager and apt to receive Bhakti Cult of Srimad-Bhagavatam because the Christian religion is based on the same principle. My mission is not turn any one from the affiliation of a particular religion but I want to let them know more knowledge about God and devotion.
Dr. Rammurti Mishra is also very kind gentleman and I am living very comfortably at his care. He is keen after looking my all kinds of comforts. I am negotiating with some booksellers and publishers and I hope I shall be able to settle something before I leave for the next station. I shall be New York still for a few days more and I shall let you know when I leave the station. I am so grateful to your kindness and surely I shall ask you if I need anything. I have left my hearth and home in India but here by the Grace of the Lord I have got good sons and daughter like you. So I do not feel any foreign complexion.
Hope you are all well and awaiting your early reply,
Yours affectionately,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

### Letter to Sally

**Date:** November 13th 1965 — **Location:** New York

My dear daughter Sally,

I thank you very much for your letter of the 9th instant and I am very glad to note that your little Bijo is growing to be more adventurous nowadays. Generally the son acquires the qualities of the mother and the daughter acquires the qualities of the father. And such children become happy in life. You have acquired the qualities of your intelligent father and your son will be as intelligent as you are and thus your son will be as good as your noble father. I wish that you be happy more and more with your growing children. You can take me also as Old Bijo and therefore even at my ripe old age I have taken some adventurous task and as your little Bijo requires your help always in his little adventures so also your old Bijo requires your help in his adventures in America.
Yes I am living here in a precarious condition and I wish to leave this place at any time. There is a room suitable for me but the lady wants $55.00 per month which I cannot pay. But there is a good suggestion for you also. If you be interested in your improvement of economic condition I would suggest you to start a lucrative business in New York. As you have liked my cooking so also here all the friends who have tasted my cooking have liked it. And by this I am suggesting you why don't you start an Indian restaurant here in New York? I am sure if you start a business like that you will earn at least $2000.00 a month net. This is not a dream but actual fact. In New York there are so many restaurants and all of them are full with customers so I thought like that you should also start a restaurant supplying new palatable dishes and they would like them surely. There are about three hundred item of good vegetable preparations and if they are introduced in America it will be recorded in the history of America. People will forget meat eating. I do not say that cent percent people in America will be vegetarian but I am sure that at least the higher section will turn to be vegetarian if they get such nice vegetable dishes. Why not introduce this new thing in America and help my mission also at the same time. It will be very profitable business and I wish that you may earn your fortune and help my mission at one stroke.
This west 72nd street is just in the centre of the city and I see there is a suitable place also now vacant for this restaurant business and if you come here for a day or two you can see the place and decide if you can start the business. The house is suitable for residence of the restaurant keeper and you see all these personally if you come here for a day or two. If you come here there will be no inconvenience for you because there is one lady friend at west 108th street and she will be very glad to accommodate you for a day or two. I think you should come and see the prospect of the business. I am sure you will get very good profit if you start this business and I shall teach you how to prepare nice vegetable dishes. I wish that you may consider this proposal a little seriously and decide to come here for a day or two.
Yes I have extended my visa period up to 1st April 1966 by paying ten dollars but I do not know how I shall live. Another ship of Scindia Navigation is starting on the 17th November but my negotiation with some publisher is not yet finished. The Paragon Book Gallery has received the 25 twenty five sets of books as sent by Gopala. The arrangement is that after selling the 25 sets they will pay the money and further sets will be taken. Similarly I may arrange with other booksellers in Los Angeles because it learnt that in California people are more interested in such books. But I cannot go to California for want of money. Besides that I have to embark on ship from New York. California is 3000 miles away from here and it is better to return to India from California directly without coming back here. But I have got my return ticket from New York.
So I am not very fixed up what to do or not. The first consideration is that I must be in New York at least for ten to fifteen days more for deciding the publication affair and then I may leave this place for India or California. But the place where I am living now has so many inconveniences which I do not wish to narrate in this small letter. Yes I am taking my meals once only for this inconvenience. In the evening I take some milk and fruit and nowadays the night being very long, I feel sometimes for this night starvation.
Yes there was all darkness in New York on the 10th instant and it was not a happy incident. I learn that may people remained in the elevators and in the subway trains for more than seven to eight hours in darkness. I do not read newspapers but there must have been some mishaps also which we may not know. That is the way of material civilization too much depending on machine. At any time the whole thing may collapse and therefore we may not be self complacent depending so much on artificial life. The modern life of civilization depends wholly on electricity and petrol and both of them are artificial for man. You will be surprised to know that I had to take help of the old crude method of lightening by burning some vegetable oil and use the small bowl as lamp to save myself from the extreme darkness. I could not procure any candle from the shop but by the Grace of Krishna one friend Mr. Bill happened to come and he arranged for some fruits and candle. Yes in India we such experience failure of electricity but I was surprised to see the same thing in America. In India the village people say that in Europe (
Vilait
) also there is ass. And I saw it practically that it is true. Even in such an advanced country there may be possibility such failure but failure in America is more dangerous than that in India. In India they are not so much dependent on electricity but in America the whole activity is dependent on electricity and think on that night it was a great deal of loss to the American nation. Any way the danger is passed but from the papers it is learnt the loss is very great. I do not feel much cold now but it is learnt that it will increase more and more and before that I wish to leave this place. But if you start the business I am sure I shall be very comfortable at your good motherly care. If you decide to come for a day or two please drop me a letter immediately when you are coming.
More when we meet and hope you are all well. With my blessings and good wishes for you all. Awaiting your reply.
Yours affectionately,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

### Letter to Sally

**Date:** November 19th 1965 — **Location:** New York

My dear daughter Sally,

I beg to thank you for your kind letter of the 16th instant and I have noted the contents carefully. I am glad to learn that you had been to your parents house for a few days and now you have returned home. I am still more glad to learn that you are going to observe the third birthday of Miss Kamala Agarwal on Saturday next. On this occasion I should have presented her some ornaments but as I am a Sannyasi I can simply offer my blessing for her long life and good prosperity. She cannot now read otherwise at least I should have presented a set of my books. But you set aside one set of my books for her future reading when she will grow up a beautiful and educated girls with full god consciousness. I am obliged to your good daughter for awarding me a good degree as
SWAMI JESUS
which is actually a great honour for me. Some time the Lord speaks through innocent child and I take this honour as sent by Lord Jesus through an innocent child free from all formalities of the current society. Lord Jesus preached the message of God and I have taken up the same mission, and it would be a good luck for me if I can follow the foot prints of Lord Jesus who preached the message of God in spite of all persecution. Lord Jesus is a living example how one has to suffer in this material world simply for the matter of preaching the message of God. In Bhagavatam also there is another example like Lord Jesus. He is Prahlada Maharaja a boy of five years old but because he was a great devotee of God and preaching the message of God among his little class mates, his atheist father tried to kill him. So the atheist class of men are always inimical to the devotees of God even though such devotee happens to be the atheist's son like Prahlada.
I proposed for starting the restaurant with a view that you may become one of richest family in America. One can become rich only by trying his luck in business. It is not possible by serving other. One should have independent source of income that is possible only if one is engaged in business or in land lordship. If you can invest $20,000/- in a property in New York which is worth $100,000/-, you can have at least $1000/- per month as the rent of the house. So that in 15 years time you become the proprietor of good house in New York which would fetch you $1000/- rent per month. That is my next proposal. I think you can invest $20000/- some way or other and if you can please do it immediately because that is chance also.
You can send me $40/- and it will help me going over California. I have decided like this. I am expecting a letter of reception from California and if I get it then I shall start for the country otherwise by the first week of December next I shall return to India. If I return to India then I shall return your money before I start otherwise I shall spend it for my California journey.
I hope you are all enjoying good health and with my blessings for you all, I am
Yours affectionately,

### Letter to Sripad Narayana Maharaja

**Date:** October 4th 1965

c/o Gopal P. Agarwal
415 North Main Street Apt 111
BUTLER, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami
Sripad Narayana Maharaja,
Please accept my dandavats, and also convey my dandavats to Muni Maharaja and of all the other Vaisnavas.
By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, I have had so much work to do since I came to the West that although I was thinking of writing you a letter, up until now I could not write. I came to stay here for one month, but if I can stay here longer, the work will be done well. Here they are naturally attracted to Christianity, but they also like to listen to me. Since I came here, I have been lecturing everyday either in a church, school, college, club, or society. Their English is a little difficult for me to understand because they pronounce words differently, and our pronunciation of English is difficult for them to understand. But the work has not stopped because of this. They don't dislike my English.
In the Butler Eagle Newspaper, which is one of the largest publications, they like my English, and together with my photograph they have printed this article: "In Fluent English Devotee of Hindu Cult Explains Commission To Visit West-A slight brown man in faded orange drapes wearing white bathing shoes stepped out of a compact car yesterday and into Butler YMCA to attend a meeting. He is

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

---

, a messenger from India to the peoples of the West. A Hindu by faith, the learned teacher has translated Biblical literature such as Srimad-Bhagavatam into English from ancient Sanskrit. He is now fulfilling a mission given to him by his spiritual master to enlighten English speaking people about their relationship with God.
I have explained in detail a short life history. Under my photograph, I wrote (in large letters): AMBASSADOR OF BHAKTIYOGA "Chanting the holy name of God is among the religious practices of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, who arrived on Monday for a month's stay in the Butler area, as a 'Missionary in the West.' Pictured in the apartment of his sponsor in the United States, Gopal Agarwal, the Swamiji is residing in the YMCA, and cooking his own meals at the Agarwal home. 'Every culture has religion,' he says. 'We are all engaged in service of some sort; the highest service is to the Supreme Lord.' The scholar-teacher has translated sixty volumes of Sanskrit scripture into English. Now, seventy years old, the appointed 'missionary' to the United States, was educated in India up to a Bachelor of Arts. He became a disciple in 1933, and received instructions until the death of his leader in 1936. He has severed all family ties, forsaking wife, children, and a business in Calcutta, to follow his beliefs."
To cross the Atlantic Ocean took ten days. This great sea is usually full of storms and fog and is very disturbing. But by the mercy of Krsna, there was no disturbance. The captain of the ship, the main officer, told me, " This kind of quiet Atlantic I have never seen in my life." I told them that this is only by Krsna's mercy, nothing else. After the troublesome storm in the Arabian Sea, I knew that if I had had to face a storm like that again, I would die.
I am thinking that the preaching will be very good here. I am lecturing-some days for an hour and some days for one half-hour. The people of America are now tasting some new thing. This is the first time I have come to a foreign country, crossing twelve thousand miles. All here are outcastes (not followers of the varnasrama-dharma system) yet I am never afraid to speak in front of them. For the first time in my life I delivered a speech in a church. The main thing is that I am alone and I am in my old age. Because of this, crossing twelve thousand miles in a ship, I became very sick. I crossed the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. I passed through Asia, Europe and Africa. I crossed these oceans and seas and became so sick. Due to my request, they served me vegetarian meals on the ship, yet I could not take them. I fasted continuously for eight to ten days. The pitta (fire) increased so much in my body thus I suffered terribly from colic pain.
Afterwards, the captain of the ship purchased an electric stove for me in Port Said. I then cooked for myself and took prasada. If they hadn't managed this stove for me, maybe there would have been no possibility of me reaching America. I could have died on the way, but instead Krsna mercifully brought me here. Why Krsna has brought me here, only He knows.
It is very expensive here. One room I found in the YMCA has a weekly rent of fifty-five rupees. This is a very, very expensive country. The laborers earn more than gentlemen in India. They are paid eighty to eighty-five or ninety rupees daily. Everybody has a motor car, since all the offices and markets are very far away. Every civilized person has one car, which costs ten thousand rupees each. In India that same car would costs fifty thousand rupees. People drive the cars themselves, they have no paid drivers to do it for them. Nor do they keep servants. There are lakhs and lakhs of motor cars. When I came from New York to Butler, I saw that on two lanes, for five hundred miles there was a solid line of cars. There was no need of electric lights because there were so many cars. At night in the city the shops are lit up and it appears like daytime. There are so many bridges and flyovers (overpasses) that the cars never need to pass each other on narrow roads. Every motor car is generally going not less than fifty miles per hour. Many houses are twenty-five to thirty stories high. In this neighborhood, there are cottages built on small plots. The people are very civilized, but they are ugra (high tempered, not polite or humble).
Today in New York, the Pope came. On television, everyone saw this. Television is an amazing thing. Just staying in one room, they can watch how the whole world is going on, and how they are all corresponding with each other. "The days are passed in vain work and the nighttimes in sleep." Here people are generally non-vegetarian. Without meat they can't eat anything. I have been taking muri (puffed rice) and peanuts with mustard oil. Somewhere I found mustard oil. Everything is available, but the price is so high. I purchased two hundred and fifty grams of mustard oil for five rupees. I had to travel to a shop twenty miles distant to get it. If you want to come to this country, reply to me.
Swami Maharaja

### Letter to Sumati Morarjee

**Date:** October 27th 1965 — **Location:** New York

Madam Sumati Morarji Baisaheba,
Please accept my greetings. I am very glad to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated the 9th instant and have noted the contents. Since I have landed in U.S.A. I have improved in my health and I am very glad to see that in America practically everything is available for our Indian vegetarian dishes. By the grace of Lord Krishna the American are prosperous in every respect and they are not poverty stricken like the Indians. The people in general are satisfied so far their material needs are concerned and they are spiritually inclines. When I was in Butler, Pennsylvania about 500 miles from the New York city, I saw there many churches and they were attending regularly. This shows that they are spiritually inclines. I was also invited by some churches church governed schools and colleges and I spoke there and they appreciated and presented me some token rewards. When I was speaking to the students they were very much eagerly hearing me about the principles of Srimad-Bhagavatam rather the clergymen were cautious to allow the students to hear me so patiently. They thought that the students may not be converted into Hindu ideas as it is quite natural for any religious sect. But they do not know that the devotional service of the Lord (Sri Krishna) is the common religion for every one including the aborigines and the cannibals in the jungles.
Any way so far I have studied the American people they are very much eager to learn about the Indian way spiritual realization and there are so many so called Yoga asramas in America. Unfortunately they are not very much adored by the Government and it is heard that such yoga asramas have exploited the innocent people as it has been the case in India also. The only hope is that they are spiritually inclined and immense benefit can be done to them if the Cult of Srimad-Bhagavatam is preached here.
The American public also give reception to the Indian art and music. So many of them come and every one of them is given good reception. Recently one dancer from Madras came here (Balasaraswati) and just to see the mode of reception, I went to see the dance with a friend although for the last forty years I have never attended such dance ceremony. The dancer was successful in her demonstration. The music was in Indian classical tune mostly in sanskrit language and the American public appreciated them. So I was encouraged to see the favorable circumstances about my future preaching work.
The Bhagavata cult is preached also through the art of music and dance as it was done by Lord Caitanya. I am just thinking of introducing the very same system for my Bhagavatam preaching but I have no means. The Christian missionary people are backed by huge resources and they preach the Christian cult all over the world. Similarly the devotees of Lord Krishna may also combine together to start the mission of preaching Bhagavatam cult all over the world. It is not for serving any political purpose but it is necessary to preach cult for saving the people in general from the dangerous tendency of Godlessness. The Christian cult or any other cult cannot save the people from being under the clutches of the growing communism but the Bhagavatam cult can save them because of its philosophical and scientific approach.
I am therefore thinking of bringing a Sankirtana party from India but I do not know how to do it. Unless there is an organized party or association it is very difficult to do it. The Rama Krishna Mission here is busy in preaching a misrepresentation and therefore practically they have failed to preach the real cult of India. The so called Yogis also could not establish the real cult of Bhagavad-gita. They are after material gains. The Bhagavata Cult is not there at all although it is the only remedy for raising the people in the world in the path of self realization and spiritual salvation.
I do not know what is in the mind of Lord Bala Krishna but I think that your attention to give an impetus to the Bhagavata cult and my humble attempt can serve great purpose. By the grace of the Lord you have a great position in the world and it is learnt that you are one of the richest woman in the world. But above all you are a pious lady with great devotion for Lord Bala Krishna and you can do a lot in this connection.
By the Grace of Lord Bala Krishna you are also free from all family encumbrances and as I have see you in your Palm Ban house, you live like a sage and a
Tapaswini.
I wish that you may take up this idea of Bhagavatam preaching work a little more seriously. What I want that immediately a society for this purpose may be formed and that will be recognized by the Government for cultural activity. So many cultural missions come here from India at the expense of Government and they simply waste the money. But if there is a real cultural mission for preaching the Bhagavatam cult a great philanthropic work will be done for the human society at large. I am just giving you the idea and if you kindly think over the matter seriously and consult your beloved Lord Bala Krishna surely you will be further enlightened in the matter. There is scope and there is necessity also and it is the duty of every Indian specially the devotees of Lord Krishna to take up the matter.
I shall be glad to hear from you about my humble suggestions per return of mail. Hope you are well. With my best regards, I am
Yours sincerely,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

---

N.B. I am very glad to note the last line of your letter under reply in which you write to say "I feel that if you should stay there till you fully recover from your illness and return only after you have completed your mission."
Yes I wish to stay here for all the days till I have finished the mission of life to preach Bhagavata Cult very rightly and for this very reason only I have suggested the above means and ways. If you kindly cooperate informing a society for this purpose with your great influence surely all Indians will combine and thus we can fulfill the mission very nicely declaring the glories of India. Please do it for the Lord's sake

### Letter to Sumati Morarjee

**Date:** November 10th 1965 — **Location:** New York

Madam Sumati Morarji Baisaheba,
Please accept my greetings and blessing of Lord Bala Krishna. I hope you have already received my letter of the 27th ultimo and I hope to receive your reply very soon. And in continuation of my letter as abovementioned I beg to inform you that the number of
Hiranyakasipus
and
Ravanas
in this age of Kali increased more than that in other Yugas. Hiranyakasipus are always inimical with the devotees of the Lord even if such devotee happens to be a son. Hiranyakasipu persecuted
Prahlada
although he was a boy of 5 years old and a beloved son of Hiranyakasipu. As I have already informed you that the American people in general are very much inclined to receive something from Indian culture of spiritual knowledge, they would be a first class recipient for the Bhagavatam culture provided an organized attempt is made for this purpose. The organized method is like this. They should have association of bona fide devotees of the Lord, they should join the Kirtana glorifying the Lord, they should hear the teachings of Srimad-Bhagavatam, they should have intimate touch with the temple or place of the Lord and they should be given ample chance to worship the Lord in the temple. Under the guidance of a bona fide devotee they can be given such facilities and the way of Srimad-Bhagavatam is open for every one. Apart from civilized men like the
Americans even the Kirata, Andhra, Pulinda,
Pukkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana, Khasadaya or any other lower caste, all of them can be trained up to be devotees of the Lord under proper guidance of a pure and bona fide devotee. That is the instruction of Sukadeva Goswami imparted to Maharaja Pariksit.
I think therefore that a
Temple of Bala-Krsna in New York
may immediately be started for this purpose and as devotee of Lord Bala Krishna you should execute this great and noble work. Till now there is no worshipable temple of the Hindus in New York although in India there are so many American missionary establishments and churches. So I shall request you to do this noble act and it will be recorded in the history of the world that the first Hindu temple is started by a pious Hindu Lady
SRIMAT SUMATI MORARJI
who is not only a big business magnet in India but a pious Hindu Lady a great devotee of Lord Krishna Krishna. This task is for you and glorious at the same time.
Simply by casual lectures there is no possibility of any tangible work but the abovementioned standard work will do impress the people what actually the Hindu culture is. I have already seen a nice house for this purpose and if you purchase that house for this purpose as your personal property and give the facility of working then you will see how the mission of Bhagavati cult is being preached here in America beginning from New York. I do not wish to disclose the names of the Hiranyakasipus here in America who are against this Bhagavata preaching. There are so many Indian missionaries like the Ramakrishna Mission, Sivananda Mission etc and all of them are against Bhagavatam culture and every one of them has refused to give facility to speak on the Bhagavati culture. Each of them have their own house but instead of worshiping the Supreme Lord they have created their own God and they try to put such manufactured gods to compete with Lord Krishna. So unless there is a place for me and facility to work systematically, my Bhagavati Mission will not be workable in this place. I have no ambition to become the proprietor of any temple or house in America because what shall I do with them after becoming a Sannyasi but for the facility of work our own house is absolutely required.
Please therefore purchase a house here in New York and let me work very seriously for this mission of Bhagavatam culture and I am sure that your goodness will not only be recognized by the Lord by you will be recognized by the whole Hindu community. Please take up this work very seriously and on hearing from you without delay I shall let you know further details.
My term to stay in America will be finished by the 17th November 1965 but believing on your foretelling "
you should stay there till you fully
[TEXT MISSING]
hope, I shall be able to get them. The house which I have seen for this purpose is just suitable for this great missionary work as if it was built for this purpose only and your simple willingness to do the act will complete everything smoothly. And thinking that you will agree to this I am just giving you an idea of the space etc.
1. Dimensions 18'6" x 102'2". Fully air conditioned by 10 ton central unit.
2. Bronze front approximately 4500 square feet.
3. The house is practically three storied. Ground floor basement and two stories up with all suitable arrangement for gas heat etc.
The ground floor may be utilized for preparation Prasadam of Bala Krishna because the preaching centres will not be for dry speculations only but for actual gain for delicious Prasadam. I have already tested how the people here like the Vegetable Prasadam prepared by me. They will forget meat eating and they will pay for the expenses. The American are not poor men like the Indian and if they appreciate a thing they are prepared to spend any amount for such hobby. They are being exploited by simply jugglery of words and bodily gymnastics and still they are spending for that. But when they will have the actual commodity and feel pleasure by eating very delicious Prasadam of Bala Krishna I am sure an unique thing will be introduced in America. As soon as everything is arranged, I shall bring my assistants from India to help me in all details. The price of the house is $110,000 subject to alteration and other expenses $5,144. Immediately cash may be paid on $35,000 and the balance by monthly installments to be completed in 15 years or the whole amount may be paid at once without
[TEXT MISSING]

### Letter to Tirtha Maharaja

**Date:** November 8th 1965 — **Location:** New York

Pujaniya Srila Tirtha Maharaja,
Kindly accept respectful obeisances at your lotus feet. Since I have come to the United States of America I had several correspondence with Sripada Govinda Maharaja. While I was in Calcutta at that time as well as in our different exchange of letters there was some hint from Sripada Govinda Maharaja, I should work in cooperation with your holiness and in my last letter I have already expressed my readiness to cooperate with your holiness and I had to ask from Govinda Maharaja as to the basic principle of that cooperation. Before I took Sannyasa perhaps you will remember it that I proposed to join you if my publications were taken up. But some how or other it was not possible and we missed the chance.
Now here is a second chance and without undergoing a long series of correspondence with Govinda Maharaja, I am directly writing you about my intention. Srila Prabhupada had a strong desire to open our preaching centres in the Western countries and both Bon Maharaja and Goswami Maharaja were deputed for this purpose without any tangible result.
I have come to this country with the same purpose in view and as far as I see it here in America there is very good scope for preaching the cult of Lord Caitanya. Here the Ramakrishna Mission is there for the last forty years and I attended their two centres here and I found there is no appreciable gatherings. Vivekananda preached for Daridra Narayana seva and the practical Americans question the swamijis of Ramakrishna Mission why there are still so many Daridra Narayanas lying on the streets and foot paths in India. In America there is no such scene of Daridra Narayanas lying on the foot path or in other words there is no question of Daridra Narayana here because every one has ample to eat and there immense vacant places for their homes. I have not seen a single spot here which is not nicely decorated with good houses and nice roads. Actually they have built a properous country in this part of the world and so material prosperity is concerned they are happy in every respect. So naturally there is spiritual hankerings and because India is well known for her spiritual assets they more inclined to take something spiritual from the East. But unfortunately either the Ramakrishna Mission or the Yogis have not delivered the goods they want. I had a talk the other day with Swami Nikhilanand of the Ramakrishna Mission and he also opined that the Americans are just suitable for the Bhakti Yoga cult and that is also my opinion.
I am here and see here a good field for work but I am alone without men and money. To start a centre here we must have our own buildings. The Ramakrishna Mission or any other mission which are working here all have their own buildings. So if we want to start a centre here we must have also our own building. To have a own building means to pay at least Rs 500000/-five lacs or one hundred thousand dollars. And to furnish the house with up to date paraphernalia means another two lacs. If attempt is made this money can be had also. But I think for establishing Matha and temples here you may take the charge and I shall be able to make them self independent. There is difficulty of exchange and I think unless you have some special arrangement for starting a branch of Caitanya Math transfer of money will be difficult. But if you can do so with the help of the Bengal or Central Government, here is good chance to open immediately a centre in New York. I am negotiating with some brokers here who can give us a house and they have suggested like above. Without our own house it will not be possible to open our own centre. For me it will take long time but for you it is very easy. The Calcutta Marwaris are in your hand by the Grace of Srila Prabhupada. If you like you can immediately raise a fund of Rs 10,00,000/- ten lacs to open a centre in New Work. One centre started, I shall be able to start many others also. So here is a chance of cooperation between us and I shall be glad to know if you are ready for this cooperation. I came here to study the situation and I find it very nice and if you are also agreeable to cooperate with it will be all very nice by the will Srila Prabhupada. So I am writing you directly this letter to elicit your opinion. If you agree then take it for granted that I am one of the worker of the Sri Mayapur Caitanya Matha. I have no ambition for becoming the proprietor of any Matha or Mandir but I want working facilities. I am working day and night for my Bhagavatam publication and I need centres in the western countries. If I am successful to start a centre in New york, then my next attempt will be start one in California and Montreal where there are many Indians also. There is ample scope for working but unfortunately we have simply wasted time by quarreling with one another while the Ramakrishna Mission with misrepresentation have made their position all over the world. Although they are not so popular in these foreign countries they have made a great propaganda only and as a result of such propaganda they are very prosperous in India while the Gaudiya Math people are starving. We should now come to our senses. If possible join with our other godbrothers and let us make an effort combinedly to preach the cult of Gaura Hari in every cities and villages of the western countries.
If you agree to cooperate with me as I have suggested above, then I shall extend my Visa period. My present Visa period ends by the end of this November. But if I receive your confirmation immediately then I shall extend my Visa period otherwise I shall return to India. Immediately I want some good assistants to work with me. They must be educated and able to talk in English as also read Sanskrit nicely. For preaching here two languages English and Sanskrit will be very much appreciated. I think under your leadership every camp of our god brothers should supply a man good for this purpose and they must agree to work under my direction. If that is possible then you will see how our beloved Srila Prabhupada will be satisfied on all of us. I think we shall all forget now the past fratricidal war and now come forward for a good cause. If they are not agreeable then do it yourself and I am at your service. Please therefore consider this and let me know by wire if you are agreeable. Otherwise I shall not extend my visa period but I shall return to India without being able to do anything tangible at my first tour. Hope you will take this matter as very urgent and let me know your decision by immediate return of post or by wire to my above address and oblige. Hope you are all well and thanking you in anticipation.
Yours obediently.

### Letter to Tirtha Maharaja

**Date:** November 23rd 1965 — **Location:** New York

> Pujaniya Sripada Tirtha Maharaja,
> May it please your holiness. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 17th instant and although it is not very encouraging still as I am not a man to be disappointed, I take courage from your letter as you write to say that there is possibility to raise the fund but it will take some time.
> Expecting your reply in the above spirit I had some correspondence with the broker firm and the latest reply which I have received from them is joined herewith please find.
> "

Dear Sir,

In answer to your letter of November 16 regarding the property for sale on West 72nd Street. This is located at 143 West 72nd Street. It is 18.6 by 100.2. contains a store and basement both the same size and a mezzanine. The owner is asking $100,000 for the property with $20,000 cash and will make good terms on a first mortgage that they will take back. As I have the keys, you can call at me for an appointment to see the property. Yours very sincerely Sd/Louis Baun for Phillips, Wood Dolson, Inc."
So I have seen the property and the whole space is twice as much as your Research Institute building on the road which is just in the central part of the city with all good facilities. Now if you decide to purchase the property, I can assure you that the building is just suitable for our purpose and it is almost on the same style as your Research institute. The basement can be used as cooking and dining department, the store as the lecture hall and mezzanine for installing the Sri Vigraha and personal apartment. The building is quite suitable and once started it will be possible to raise fund by lectures and membership fees etc by suitable arrangement. So the immediate investment is about $25,000 and I think this amount you can arrange immediately and just start a branch of your Sri Caitanya Math or designate the branch as New York Gaudiya Math. The idea is very nice to think of and it will be a nice reply to the local Ramakrishna Mission who indirectly denied to allow me lecturing in their hall. You will be glad to know that my lecturing propaganda is going on and so long I remain here it will go on without any hamper. Recently one lecture of mine is arranged in our Indian Government House (New India House) organized by the Tagore Society of New York who organize such meeting only for the most distinguished persons. The consul and other officers of the New India House are impressed with my book and practically the 2nd officer (consul) is arranging the meeting inviting all distinguished gentlemen both Indian and American with Tea Party. The copy of the invitation letter is also subjoined herewith.
"The Tagore Society of New York Inc.
Cordially Invites You to a lecture
"GOD CONSCIOUSNESS" by A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
Date: Sunday, November 28,1965. Time: Lecture, 3:30 P.M. Tea, 4:30 P.M. Place: New India House, 3, East 64th Street.
A widely respected Scholar and religious leader in India Swami Bhaktivedanta is briefly visiting New York. He has been engaged in the monumental endeavour of translating the sixty volume "Srimad-Bhagavatam" from Sanskrit into English.
etc. So my lecturing or appointing one selling agent here for my books is already finished and if I remain such many lectures can be arranged in different parts of the country. One Dr. Choudhry is prepared to arrange for my lectures in San Francisco, Los Angeles etc but in my opinion such casual lectures may be a good personal advertisement but factually they do not make any permanent effects. But if there is a centre of activity for attracting people as you are doing in the Research Institute, the people can be trained up in the cult by regular association and hearing the transcendental sound of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Now we have got our English Srimad-Bhagavatam and there will be no difficulty to impress the audience with our
Siddhantas
and any intelligent man impressed with our Siddhantas will certainly change his life's mode of action. I think you may take up this suggestion very seriously and immediately start the centre and other things will automatically follow. And above all this is to satisfy the transcendental desire of Srila Prabhupada who desired very enthusiastically to start centres like that in the foreign countries. If you want to start the centre on rented house, the rent will not be less than three to four hundred dollars but the space will be one fourth of the house as we want to purchase. If you agree kindly confirm it by wire so that I can ask the broker to stay the house for some time for sale to other party. The Christian churches are not very favorable in the matter of increasing the Hindu religious institutions as it is natural to think with sectarian views. I hope you will accept this proposal and confirm it by wire on receipt this letter by the end of this month. Hope you are all well and with my humble obeisances for all the Vaisnavas.
I am your obediently,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami