# Letters — 1967 ### Letter to Aatie **Date:** October 28th 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Aatie, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated Oct. 19 & I am so happy that a boy of 17 years can feel so nicely about Krishna Consciousness. I am so happy that the Krishna Consciousness movement is attracting young innocent hearts of America. From this I can think that the future of this movement is very hopeful. I was very glad to learn that you are following our four principle rules, therefore your picking up of the process of acquiring spiritual knowledge from Bhagavad-gita is very nice. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that one should "prostrate oneself at the feet of the wise, rendering him all forms of service & question him with a guileless heart again & again", is the only means to attain spiritual knowledge. The process of speculation without approaching the bona fide spiritual master is simply a waste of time. In the Caitanya Caritamrta, Lord Caitanya affirms this principle, when he says that a fortunate living being while wandering in different species of life gets the chance of meeting a bona fide spiritual master by the causeless mercy of Krishna. In the Vedic literature there is a nice story about Dhruva. This Dhruva understood from his mother when he was only five, that God can be found in person in the forest. Dhruva went to the forest in search of God. The Lord Narayana in heaven or in the heart of Dhruva understood the sincerity of Dhruva's purpose & sent Narada, His great disciple to initiate Dhruva in the matter of Krishna Consciousness. This incident confirms that by the grace of Krishna, Dhruva was able to get the help of Narada as his spiritual master. Therefore, Krishna Consciousness is a parallel process in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead & the Spiritual master simultaneously. Your desire to become the servant of the servant of Krishna is very pious. Lord Caitanya desired the same thing in order to set an example, though he was Krishna Himself [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. The Bhagavad-gita confirms this. I am so pleased to learn that you are all living in the Brahmacari house with Jayananda & Upendra & I am more pleased that you are all working. Everyone can achieve the highest perfection of life by working in his specific capacity. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Acyutananda **Date:** January 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Acyutananda, Please accept my blessings. Since Kīrtanānanda is absent certainly you are feeling some strain. But the more you serve Krishna the more you become stronger. I hope you are being properly assisted by your other Godbrothers. I shall be glad to hear from you. May Krishna give you all protection in the discharge of your transcendental duties. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Acyutananda, Ramanuja **Date:** December 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Acyutananda and Ramanuja, Please accept my greetings. I have become too much anxious about you. Please accept my blessings and let me know the news of Delhi affairs. I have sent you a letter to Vrndavana address but have received no reply. Here I am well and delivering lectures with evenings meetings. Yesterday I met Mr. B. K. Nelson and he's arranging for my permanent visa. Yesterday I have also signed the agreement with MFS MacMillan Company for publication of Gita. Please reply to this letter immediately and let me know all the reports. Hope you are doing well by the grace of Lord Krishna. Awaiting your early reply. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Advaita **Date:** December 16th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Advaita dasPlease accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 20, 1967.Yes, you can marry but wait until my arrival in N.Y. very soon. I have very much enjoyed your appreciation of my humble service to Krishna. Hope you are well. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Balai **Date:** December 29th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Balai dasi, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter of Dec. 26, 1967. In reply I am very happy to hear you are doing so nicely in executing this Krishna Consciousness. Please go on chanting Hare Krishna, and typing, cooking, cleaning or whatever the engagement for Krishna; that way you will always be happy. To answer you question regarding your names: Balai is the name of Baladeva., Krishna's elder brother. His wife is called Balai dasi, or His girlfriend is called Balai dasi. Baladeva. is not different from Krishna. He is first expansion from Krishna. All the incarnations and expansions begin from Baladeva. Lilasukha is name of Bilvamangala Thakura; this Bilvamangala Thakura was a great devotee of Krishna and he wrote a famous book Krishna Karnamrta, recognized by Lord Caitanya. Kancanbala was one of the gopis in the association of Krishna. Indira was also one of the gopis in the association of Krishna. Ekayani was the wife of a great sage who was in the Satya Yuga when all persons were paramahamsas or liberated persons. Ekayani's husband was a liberated person. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Ballabhi **Date:** April 22nd 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Ballabhi, Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your letter of the 18th instant and I have noted the contents with so much pleasure. I know that you poor girl have been frustrated by the so called society and you deeply needed the shelter of Krishna Consciousness. Krishna kindly sent you to me and I have tried to give you whatever I had in my possession. Please go on chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna as you are doing now and this very chanting will give you all peace and prosperity both in this life and the next. Never expect any good from the so called society, friendship and love. Only Krishna is the genuine friend of all living beings and it is He only who can give us all benediction. The more you advance in Krishna Consciousness chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna the more you become spiritually advanced and happy in all respects. The separation which you are feeling on account of my physical absence is good sign. The more you feel such separation the more you will be situated in Krishna Consciousness. Lord Caitanya felt this separation and His process of approaching Krishna is the feeling of separation. However I shall return to San Francisco as soon as possible. How is Nandarani and her husband Dayananda __ not hear from them since I have come back to New York. Herewith please find some notes for Sriman Subala das and his wife Krishna Devi. ### Letter to Ballabhi **Date:** May 5th 1967 — **Location:** ISKCON Inc. > 26 2nd Ave, New York, N.Y.LT_670504_D1To: San Francisco My dear Ballabhi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 27, 1967. I am very glad to learn that you are making advance in Krishna Consciousness very sincerely. While chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna you should always feel the presence of Krishna in Person and as soon as you remember Krishna in Person you can remember also about His talks with Arjuna. If you cannot remember Krishna in Person you should try to hear attentively the word Krishna, Hare as you go on chanting. The correct spelling of your name is Ballabhi. The meaning of this word is that one who tries to please Krishna in all respects. The spirit soul does not evolve like the body. The body has got six transformations, namely, the body takes its birth, it grows, it remains for some time, it produces some by-products and it dwindles and then it vanishes. All these six changes of the body are not applicable to the soul. The soul is permanent. It has no development, no decrease, no destruction, nothing of the sort as compared with the body. The only difficulty of the soul is that in the conditioned state of material body, the soul is supposed to forget its identity; by chanting Hare Krishna gradually the soul revives its identity or it comes out from the forgetfulness. This is not exactly development, but it is reviving one's consciousness. Everything will be gradually clear as you go on chanting Hare Krishna. Please try to chant at least 16 rounds of the beads and while chanting try to hear each and every word. That will make you advance in every respect. If you analyze yourself very scrutinizingly then you will find that you are spirit soul. How can you do it if you think of yourself, what you are, you will analyze that you are not this body, you are not this hand, you are not this leg, you are not this mouth, but you are something. And what is that something? That something is continuing. When you were a child that something was there, when you were a little more, a girl, then that same something was there and now you are a young girl, the same something is there, and when you will be old enough, the same something is there. Therefore, this same something is there even you have changed your body in so many ways. Therefore next conclusion should be that even if you change to another body, that something will continue. Therefore that something will continue. All this truth about the soul will gradually develop as you go on chanting Hare Krishna. If you try to follow my instruction you will feel that my body is in your presence always. I know that you all devotees of San Francisco are very much anxious to get me back there and I am also trying to go back there as soon as possible, in the meantime go on with your chanting and hearing and everything will be all right by the grace of Krishna. I hope this will find you all right. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bank of Baroda (Delhi) **Date:** May 10th 1967 — **Location:** New York > Agent The Bank of Baroda Limited Foreign Department Mohan Mansion Chandni Chowk Post Box No. 1409Delhi, India Dear Sir, I beg to thank you very much for your letter No. FEX.19/994 of the 27th April 1967 addressed to me San Francisco. Since then I have come to my New York H.Q. and the letter redirected here today. I very much appreciate your suggestion mentioned in the second paragraph of the letter under reply and I may inform you that I have to pay Rs 25000/- and odds to Asia Press Delhi for printing books. Please let me know if you will issue letter of credit in their favor and if you do so please send me your advice how many dollars I have to transfer from New York to your office. Awaiting your early reply and thanking you in anticipation. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Blanche **Date:** November 5th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Blanche, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter appreciating Krishna Consciousness movement. As stated by you, it is truly a happy movement. Lord Caitanya said that the ocean of Krishna Consciousness increases daily and it is never experienced in the case of mundane ocean. In other words, nobody is static in Krishna Consciousness and everyone becomes a dynamic force for spreading the movement. It is understood that you have been in the Temple for not a very long time and still you have appreciated very much the spiritual movement. Try to read our book and you will advance more and more. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Blanche Hochner **Date:** December 17th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Blanche Hochner, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter Nov. 21. I reply late because I have come back to San Francisco on the 14th Dec. I can understand your position in Krishna Consciousness from your letter and I reply it appears that Krishna Consciousness is acting upon you. You very rightly say that we cannot really give anything to Krishna because everything belongs to Him already. Therefore the energy which we have received from Krishna should be utilized for Krishna's service. Devotional service means to apply one's energy in the service of Krishna. That is the instruction of the Bhagavad-gita. You know that all our girl disciples are applying their energy in the service of Krishna. Jadurani, Govinda dasi, and other girls, they are very sincerely applying their energy in the service of Krishna and I wish that you also do the same. Yes, we cannot understand about Krishna with our limited potency and senses, but if we engage ourselves in the service of the Lord, He will reveal Himself to the faithful servitor. Advaita has written me about your marriage. I think both of you should wait a little more till my arrival in N.Y. I shall personally perform your marriage ceremony. You have rightly said that learning more and more about Krishna makes you so happy. The more we learn about Krishna from the authoritative sources, the more we can be attached in Krishna Consciousness. I shall chant all the beads today at the time of the initiation and send you by post tomorrow. Your initiated name will be Balai dasi. Hope you are well. Your ever well wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Boys, Himavati **Date:** June 7th 1967 — **Location:** New York > Montreal My dear boys and Himavati, I have duly received your kind letters and it was so pleasing to me that you are all sincere souls in Krishna Consciousness. I am making progress very nicely and tomorrow I shall be discharged from the hospital, to go to New Jersey to take rest for a fortnight in front of the natural sea. The basic principle of Krishna Consciousness is to receive one and all as our Master, and serve them with prasadam as diet and Krishna Kirtana as medicine for being free from materially diseased condition. So we shall follow this principle and Krishna will help us on our onward march. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** January 25th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Brahmananda, I am in due receipt of your letter of the 21st instant and later on yesterday I have received five tapes in good condition out of which I have sent today two tapes duly recorded. So long am here I shall send you two tapes duly recorded every day and similarly you also send me two tapes daily so that there will be no difficulty. While coming San Francisco I advised both Kīrtanānanda and Gargamuni to dispatch one tape reel to India. It was duly packed and addressed as follows: Sri Radharamana Das Brahmacari Sri Gaudiya Sanghasram 23 Doctor Lane Calcutta-14 India. I am very much anxious to know if this reel has already been dispatched by air mail. If not please immediately do it and let me know that you have done so. I have received letter from the above Brahmacari that he has not as yet received the same. Please treat this as very urgent. Sriman Karalapati (Carl Yeargans) has sent me one check for ten dollars which I am enclosing herewith for credit of his account and he has said that some of his relatives would pay $50.00. If not received please let Sri Karalapati be informed of his dues till now and he would remit. His address in Greece is as follows: K. Yeargans, Poste Restante, Lindos Rhodos, Greece Also please send him all the copies of Back to Godhead and other literatures so far published. He is very anxious to get my commentary on the Bhagavad-gita. So let me know if there is any possibility of publishing this book from U.S.A. otherwise I shall immediately arrange for its printing in India. The translation and commentary is already finished. I shall begin Caitanya Caritamrta Essays & Text. If I am assisted by one expert typewriter like Neal, as he is doing now, we can publish every three months a book. And the more we have books, the more we become respectable. It is understood that $5000.00 five thousands of dollars have already been credited in the account of INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, INC. on January 23, 1967 and as advised by me in my previous letter the payment should be made to the seller of the House under strict instruction of the lawyer appointed in this connection. In India it is the custom that immediately after payment the buyer gets possession of the house immediately. I think the same procedure is followed in this country. Further, $200.00 may be transferred to my account in the Trade Bank And Trust Co. at 4th street for purchasing some musical instruments for Mr. Jonathan Altman. This month as usual the check may not be sent to him but advice may be sent to him that the amount has been paid to my account for purchasing his musical instruments in India. The cost will be about $500.00 out of which $200.00 has to be sent immediately. So after transferring the above amount you can let us both know about it so that I can take the necessary steps. While Kīrtanānanda coming he may bring with him some stationery and envelopes of the Society as well as dry mango juice for me. Kīrtanānanda knows where to get it. I have also sent some instructions with Rayarama and I hope you have received the same. Here everything is going well. Four devotees have been initiated and two devotees have been married. On the marriage ceremony day there was extraordinary gatherings (150 at least) and all of them were distributed prasadam. Sriman Ranchor assisted by some girls prepared kachoris, Samosa, Iskcon Balls, Puri, Chatni etc and there were many fruits also and all the guests enjoyed the Prasadam very nicely. The initiated persons are as follows: Sri Haridasa Brahmacari, (Harvey Cohen) Sri Syamasundara Adhikari (Sam) Srimati Malati Devi (Mrs Melody) Srimati Harsa Devi (Miss Hope) In the morning class there are not less than 25 students and in the evening there are 30 to 50 students. And I think they are gradually understanding the philosophy seriously. Sriman Mukunda Das has in view a plot of land about sixty acres for the society and he wishes to organize our community camp there. It is very encouraging. Please reply this letter point by point and let me know the progress of the house purchasing negotiation. Hope you are doing well with greater enthusiasm even though I am absent. Please take care of Jadurani so that her painting work may go on very nicely. She is entrusted with great responsibility. More in my next. With my sincere blessings for you all, I am Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure check for $10.00 ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** February 25th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Brahmananda, I have sent you three four letter consecutively but I have received no reply. Please reply those letter as well as let me know if my presence is required in N.Y. on account C. B.S. show. Also let me know whether you have received the consignment from India. Besides the above please immediately on receipt of this letter dispatch per Air Mail special delivery the following literatures: All sorts of press cuttings 5 copies each (New York Times, East Village Voice with my pictures)My picture with Photo of Prime Minister ShastriBhagavatam colored Radhakrishna PicturesThe letter of appreciation by the Mayor (which Garga Muni used for the Cart license) or any other things that are used for our propaganda. I require this immediately for presenting to the Naturalization and Immigration office here where I have to be present on the 2nd March 1967.After this I shall be free for three weeks and if required I can have a trip for New York which I have already informed you in my letter of yesterday. I hope you will receive this letter on Monday next and if you post the above articles immediately by air mail special delivery, I must get them latest the 1st of March and for which I shall thank you very much. Hope you are all well and with my blessingsYour ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** March 14th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my thanks and blessings of Lord Krishna for your letter of the 12th instant describing your meeting with a Maya the illusory energy and combating her by Krishna consciousness. In future if any one challenges our philosophy one may put his questions in writing and must be prepared to receive the answers from human understanding. We cannot talk with any one who is not within the purview of human understanding. You are completely right when you refuse to debate and accept invitation for chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Although we should not chant in a society which is disruptive but as soon as one invites us for chanting we take it for granted that they are friendly and we must take the opportunity. A female is never awarded the order of Sannyasam. Because a female is never considered independent and Sannyasam was never awarded to any female in the past by the great Acaryas like Sankara, Ramanuja etc. The female Sannyasins are to be immediately understood as pretenders or prostitutes. In India they have organized so many organizations where specially young females are maintained to attract rich women-hunters who pretend to pose as righteous in the society. This is the age of Kali which plunders away spiritual sense of the human being and it is only the Divine Grace of Lord Caitanya Who can protect us from all these dangerous pitfalls. You were not agitated by unfavorable criticism and yet you chanted Hare Krishna Mahamantra that is the way of chanting Hare Krishna. I thank you very much for this forbearance. I am very glad to note that you can know the foolishness of the modern society in spiritual understanding and I thank you very much for your appreciation of my association. This association is disciplic and as such all thanks are due to Lord Krishna Who infuses His powers through the bona fide disciplic succession. But I am very sorry to learn that Mr. Taylor is still playing in his own way. I do not know why. If the financier is paying him all cash what is the cause of delay. We have already handed over the amount $5000.00 and if things are still lingered in such a way it becomes really disturbing. I shall be glad to hear from you how things are taking place. In your last letter I was given to understand that while signing the agreement Mr. Taylor was not present. This was something like marriage performances without the bridegroom. In your last letter you informed me that you are going take possession of the house immediately. I hope you are going to do so and I may inform you that the possession must be taken on or before the 26th March 1967 because that is the day of Lord Caitanya's birthday. You shall observe Lord Caitanya's birth day as follows:1. The picture of Lord Caitanya with His party should be nicely decorated with flowers and garlands and Sankirtana should be performed regularly from Morning to evening. Just after seeing the Full Moon on the sky the days fast should be broken. I mean the devotees should observe fasting the whole day. In the evening the devotees should take food as in the Ekadasi days.2. The next day you can celebrate feasting on account of Lord Caitanya's appearance and read about His life as given shortly in my Srimad-Bhagavatam and you can read also from the teachings of Lord Caitanya part of which is going to be published in the present issue of Back to Godhead. If the psychedelic men want to sell our Visnu pictures you can charge them at least $50.00 for each picture. For display you lend them one only returnable on demand. We require many pictures as painted by Jadurani for decorating the lecture-hall in the new building. You will be glad to learn that here also we have got another Jadurani whose name is Govinda Dasi wife of Gaura Sunder. Both the husband and the wife are good artist and they have printed a very nice picture of Radha Krishna. I am glad to learn that Donald has purchased Prof. Sanyal's book Krishna Caitanya. Late Prof. N. K. Sanyal was my Godbrother and his book Krishna Caitanya is approved and authoritative. Keep it very carefully and we may publish in Back to Godhead some articles from the book. It will help us a great deal because my Spiritual Master has given His approval to this book.* Please keep it carefully and when I return I shall see to it. I shall be glad to hear from you when you are going to take possession of the house. Inform all friends there that I wish that we may enter the house on or before the 26th March 1967. You have done right by removing the pictures which deal in Gopis and Krishna. They are never for public show. They are very confidential and meant for advanced devotees who know Krishna fairly well. The neophytes will be misguided by such pictures. I hope you will understand me right. With my blessings for you all. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- *The picture of my Spiritual Master in the book may be painted in color by Jadurani: this will be another type of picture of my Spiritual Master ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** March 14th 1967 — **Location:** ISKCON New YorkLT > _670316_C1To: San Francisco, California Branch 518, Frederick Street My dear Brahmananda, Please accept by blessings and offer the same to all devotees. I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 13, 1967. I am surprised to note that still meetings and negotiations are going on while our money is arrested. I do not know what short of business is this, if the negotiations are not complete while Mr, Taylor is so unscrupulous how this transaction can be terminated I do not know. If Mr. Taylor is receiving cash money what is his further demand I cannot imagine. I guess there is some defect in the whole manipulation. However we are completely dependent on Krishna and let us see what does He desires. There are so many gentlemen involved in this negotiation and all of them are Americans so I have nothing to say in this matter. And what about Mr. Kallman? Still he is manufacturing records? I shall be glad to hear about him. Please offer him my regards. And we have another Mr. Ypslantin. Mr. Goldsmith suggested that he would take $200.00 and we have already paid him $300,00 and still he wants $150.00. But we need immediately permanent visa. Without it I think I cannot go to Canada because as soon as I leave the border of U.S.A. the bill pending in the congress on my behalf will be automatically cancelled. So I will have to take new Visa from Canada for entering USA of which we cannot say any thing what they will decide. In any case I will have to go to Canada by the end of April as it is already arranged and if it is possible to get the permanent residence Visa. I think we may pay Mr. Ypslantin further $150.00. If not then I do not know what to do. Better consult our other Lawyer friends. What can I advice more. Man's artificial civilisation has created so many artificial laws that we, although God's men, have difficulties to travel in God's countries on God's business. The foolish law makers should have at least given us some facilities to make people Krishna conscious so that they might be happy in this life and in the next. The Kingdom of Maya is like that and still we have to execute our business in Krishna Consciousness. Regarding Tilak I give you permission for the interested friends. ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** March 28th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Brahmananda, With reference to your letter of the 24th March 1967, I beg to request you to see in the Bank as to who has taken payment of the check. Any one either Mr. Hill or any one else who has taken the payment must be sued along with Payne. In whose favor did you sign the check? I think you signed the check in favor of Mr. Hill because he is supposed to be the financier and who else can take payment of the check except Mr. Hill. If you expect that Payne is coming with $20000.00 second mortgage money then we shall not lag behind. We are prepared to pay the balance $5000.00 and other fees at any cost. If you lag behind to pay the balance money certainly you are not eligible to get back the money. So we shall not lag behind. If we are actually getting possession of the house, then I take the responsibility to pay the balance money rest assured. But I do not know what is the agreement you have entered into. Payment of the next installment of $5000.00 dollar is not the issue: the issue is that Mr. Payne has made a false transaction and Mr. Hill is his accomplice to take the money under the plea of being the financier to purchase the house. I am not a Lawyer but this is common sense affair. Mr. Hill has taken the money and he must finance to purchase the house. If he has no money to finance then it is a cheating case clear and simple. Mr. Lerner said that he has no money, therefore, he must be sued along with Payne. But if he is able to finance as per agreement we are also prepared to pay the balance money. So if Payne comes with the money, I take the responsibility of paying the balance $5000.00.The scheme of Mr. Herzog to serve notice to Mr. Taylor will clear up the case. So to serve the notice of action to Mr. Taylor is very good. So far $750 paid to Mr. Payne his firm should be given all pressure even up to the court. My point of view is that provided we are getting possession of the house we shall not lag behind in the matter of all stipulated payments. If we lag behind we are not going to get back the money $5000.00. We want the house and we are ready to pay all with all hardship on our part but if it is a maneuver on the part of Mr. Payne and His accomplice Mr. Hill they must be brought to the criminal court for proper punishment. If however we get the money back without a farthing less, we are not going to take any step even though we can do so legally. In such critical points how you can leave New York. Suppose Mr. Payne secures the second mortgage money by the 31st March and you are absent who will look after the transaction. We must get into the possession of the house for Krishna's Temple or we must get back the money for Krishna's service. And we are prepared to fulfill the terms of the agreement. On the birthday of Lord Caitanya we have installed the deity Jagannatha (in three) in the temple of the San Francisco Branch and the celebration of feasting was nice last night. People are taking interest in the temple and they are attending meetings regularly. I think similarly Jagannatha should immediately be installed in New York. If some of you who may know carpentry work can engrave such deity, as Syamasundara has done here, I can give you the model. If not I shall ask Syamasundara to carve one set for you. I do not know if you are going to change the present place as it was indicated in the letter of Satsvarupa. At last also I may say that you can forget the great loss. Do work sincerely in Krishna Consciousness abiding by the order of Krishna and everything will be in order. Yours ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** June 14th 1967 — **Location:** Long Branch > NJ My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 10 1967. Yes it is due to your prayers that this time my life has been saved. Your appreciation of the movement is very keen and interesting. Actually I was also attracted by my Guru Maharaja when he convinced me that God lives and we can live with Him. I find the same conviction in you and it has given me so great pleasure. Yes, it is the greatest discovery. Human society under the spell of illusion is doing things, each on his own responsibility and they are becoming entangled in material existence. This is the greatest blunder in human society. They have not only forgotten God but they've declared openly that God is dead. This declaration of the foolish human society is the greatest blunder in life. I therefore appreciate your conviction and I am still more glad that you are determined to progagate this message to the world at large. I am sure you can do this because all of you are determined to propagate this message to the world at large. I am sure you can do this because all of you who have come to me are sincere soul and you have understood the inner force of Krishna Consciousness. Please try to propagate this new movement combinedly. I have already explained to Satsvarupa that for the present I may return to India and try to recoup my health as well as begin the American house there. I understand the attitude of Rabbi Newman is not very encouraging. So if I go to India and utilize the building fund there, it will be nice. If we spend there 10,000 dollars only we can have very nice accommodations for training American youths in the matter of preaching work of Krishna Consciousness. We have tried our best to secure a house in N.Y. but so far we have failed and I think we can continue our centers in rented houses without endeavoring more for our own house. Rather we may train up boys for preaching work and send them back to all the parts of the world to preach this gospel. After 6 months if I am fit I my come back again to work with you with renovated energy. So I shall like that. You, Satsvarupa and other members may discuss this point and come to some conclusion so that we can do the needful when I return to New York. In the mean time you can make your decision. Even in my absence there will be no stoppage of activities, will go on nicely by regular exchange of correspondence and there will be no difficulty. At last I may inform you that if I get my permanent visa and if Rabbi Newman agrees to give us the house then I may not return to India—that is my inner wish. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** July 11th 1967 — **Location:** Stinson Beach > Calif My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I hope things are going on in New York very nicely, but I have not heard from you since coming here. On the plane I had no inconvenience, and I ate all the puris brought by Kīrtanānanda. Sometimes on the way there was little jerking (air pockets) and I got little nervous. Anyway I got down safely and was received by the anxious devotees here. Jayananda in a nice car brought me to the house, which is situated in an exceptionally nice spot, and the house itself is aristocratic. So there is nothing to complain about the house and place. The only difficulty is that I cannot go to the temple on account of the zig-zag course of the road in crossing the mountains. Anyway, the devotees are coming here, and the Rathayatra Festival was performed with great pomp. More than 500 people followed the procession to the beach, and there were about two dozen cars. They distributed thousands of capatis, and at last Sri Jagannatha, Subhadra, and Baladeva. kindly came here in our house and will stay here for one week and then return. So for my health is concerned, on the whole it is nice, but sometimes I feel not so good. Everything depends on Krishna, and as He desires it will happen. Dvarakadhisa has informed me you have received one letter from the Japanese printers. I am very anxious to see the letters. You can direct my mail to: ACBBodes Paradisio"Alameda PatioStinson Beach, Calif. I shall be glad to hear from you. Hope you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** July 24th 1967 — **Location:** London My Dear Brahmananda, Accept my blessings. I am always thinking of your separation feelings. Please do your duty nicely and Krishna will help you in all respects. We are delayed here for 16 hours. Starting this morning at nine for Delhi. The attention of Mr. B.K. Nehru the Ambassador of India was drawn to me the other day. I have told him about my permanent Visa and he has promised to help me when I come back. Please make an appointment with him informing that I wish to present him our set of Bhagavatam and our other literatures. Then go to him and personally present the books etc. at Washington D.C. It may be that I shall be coming back very soon as soon as I feel some strength. Up to now there was no disturbance about my health and I hope to reach Delhi this night. I shall write you again after reaching Vrindaban. Convey my ardent affection and blessings for all the boys and girls. I am very much hopeful of my movement. Please keep steady, follow all my instructions scrupulously, chant Hare Krishna and Krishna will give you all strength. Hope you are all doing well. I amYours ever well-wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** August 2nd 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. In continuation of yesterday's letter signed by Kīrtanānanda, I may further inform you that the MacMillan contract is very important. I have already confirmed the terms, and you are herewith authorized to sign on my behalf. If the contract is bona fide, then there is no need of printing the books at my responsibility either in Japan or in India. I shall be satisfied with the commission and shall only be glad to see that the books are being read by hundreds and thousands of men. Whatever profit may be derived from it will be utilized for development of the American House here. I would have been very glad if Hayagriva, yourself, and Rayarama, along with Kīrtanānanda, would have been present combinedly and give a start to the American House. Negotiations for the plot of land is going on and as soon as it is settled we shall begin the work. Kīrtanānanda is feeling the warmth of the city a little tediously. For me this warmth is little bracy. Anyway, you try to fructify this contract and it will be a great relief to me. We have already written to Hayagriva to return to N.Y. and deliver the mass. copy over to MacMillan; the balance part of Gitopanisad which is being edited should be finished as soon as possible; and wherever necessary he may consult me by mail. The first three vols. of S.B., completing the first canto, may be published in one vol. without the sanskrit, i.e. only translation and purport. Similarly we can publish the second canto in one vol., and so on, one vol. per canto. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** August 4th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban > New York My dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 8/3/67. Don't be afraid of my being attacked by maya. When there is fight between two belligerent parties, it is always expected that there will sometimes be reverses. Your country and the western world is mostly under the grip of Maya and the modes of nature in passion and ignorance, and my declaration of war against the maya is certainly a great battle. Maya saw me very successful within one year, so that I got so many sincere young flowers like yourself and others, so it was a great defeat to the activities of maya: western country youngsters giving up illicit sex, intoxication, meat eating and gambling is certainly a great reverse in the activities of maya. Therefore she took advantage of my old age weakness and gave me a death dash. But Krishna saved me; therefore we should thank more Krishna than eulogize maya. So far my present health is concerned I think I am improving; at least I am taking my lunch better than in N.Y. So as soon as I am a little fit to return to the field of battle I shall again be in your midst. Regarding your question about Lord Caitanya's thinking himself lower than the grass, it should be understood spiritually. The dimension of the spirit soul is 1/10,000 part of the hair tip; so the spirit soul is certainly smaller than the grass. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was teaching us as a teacher, so he represented himself as an ordinary living entity; but as the Supreme Brahman he is greater than anything. I am glad that you had a demonstration of kirtana at the home of the Consul General. Whenever you meet you should strictly speak the Truth without any consideration of future material gains. If we are sincere servants of Krishna, our material necessities will never be hampered. But I was anxiously awaiting your reply about your meeting the Ambassador, Mr. B.K. Nehru, with my books. After your presentation of the books and personally seeing him and his reactions I shall begin correspondence with him. We need his help in so many ways. I am glad that Sri Radha Krishna Murti etc. has arrived. For the present you can keep the murti packed. I am expecting to return within six months, as I told you; and maybe earlier, calculating on the present improvement. I have already instructed you that Gargamuni should get married. They should get a marriage certificate as soon as is possible. In the temple the ceremony should be observed by chanting Hare Krishna before the fire, offering the clarified butter with the word Saha, and the bride and groom should exchange their garlands before the Lord Krishna deity and promise not to be separated in life. They should know it that bodily relation between the husband and wife is secondary; primary factor is that both should help one another in the matter of advancement of K.C.I sang this mantra at the airport: K, K, K, K, K, K, K, HE (twice); K, K, K, K, K, K, raksa mam; K, K, K, K, K, K, pahi mam; Rama Raghava, Rama Raghava, Rama Raghava raksa mam; K. Kesava, K. Kesava, K. Kesava, K. Kesave pahi mam. You have written nothing about MacMillan. Please let me know about this. Please send $30 from three centers, and also some stationery. I am sorry the old chariot broke down. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** August 15th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. In your last letter you asked how to celebrate Krishna's and Radha's birthday. As last year, on K's with fasting up to midnight, and R's fasting up to noon. Then feasting. Certainly those who take Krishna's advent as that of an ordinary man are great fools, but if one can simply understand the transcendental nature of this event as well as His disappearance, he becomes immediately liberated. So long as Hansadutta and Himavati remain in N.Y. please see that they are well taken care of. There seems to be some difficulty. I am a little disturbed to learn about your financial position as serious. I think you don't have to pay anything to Boston, as every center should be independent, especially when Satsvarupa and Rayarama are there. If printing BTG is too expensive, then revert to mimeograph. Unless positive gain, we should not take risk about BTG. You will be glad to know that for the last two days I am taking part in the cooking; so this is positive proof of improvement in my health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** January 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Brahmananda, I am in due receipt of your letter of the 28th instant. I was very much eager to get the records but they are still delayed. Our yesterdays function was very successful. There were about 1500 or more audience and all of them chanted and danced continually for one hour and fifteen minutes. I came back at 11-30 at night. I think Sriman Haridasa Brahmacari (Harvey) will contribute $1000.00 towards the building fund at New York. I am sorry that the Lawyer of the owner is delaying the matter. Will the proprietor of the house be carried by the Lawyer? If it is so what is the use of wasting time in that way. If they are serious they must finish the business without delay. I wish that we must enter the house by the 1st of March 1967. Please try to secure a copy of each film so far taken of us while performing Kirtana. If required we may pay something for this; better they should contribute a film to the society as we have not charged anything. If we get the film we can then purchase a projector to show in different places. Please send the records as early as possible. There is possibility of selling a great number of records here. They are all purchasing cash. Please expedite the matter. One thing you may note also as a matter of etiquette. The Spiritual Master is addressed as His Divine Grace, a Godbrother is addressed as His Grace, and any Sannyasin is addressed as His Holiness. I am very much anxious to know about the progress of the house negotiation as well the records. Hope you are well. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** August 22nd 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 8/15/67, as well as the one to Kīrtanānanda. It is very good news for me that you are going to have $5300 very soon, and I thank you very much for offering the entire amount to me. I think the whole amount should be utilized for further publication of my books. I am very much anxious to know if any arrangement has been made with MacMillan. If not, then either we have to print the books here in India or in Japan. Please therefore let me know what is the fate of the contract. I am also anxious to know if you saw personally the Ambassador Mr. B.K. Nehru with my books. These things are very important for our future. Regarding my health, everyone says that I am much improved, and I also feel that way, except that I'm not in normal condition of movement, but the doctor says that that is mainly due to the heat, not my heart. So far my eating is concerned, I am doing it with more relish than N.Y. If the improvement goes on at the present rate, I think I shall be able to return by the end of October. Here in Vrindaban I have secured full cooperation of my god-brother Swami Bon, and he has very kindly offered me full tuition, room, boarding, etc., for at least ten students among my disciples, who may come for further study in the matter of K.C., as enunciated by the authorized Goswamis, who are direct disciples of Lord Caitanya. So immediately, if some of you come here for such studies, there will be no difficult; but at the same time I am also trying to have our own house, and probably it will be done. Regarding Gargamuni's marriage, I have already sanctioned it. Perhaps you did not receive the letters containing all instructions. I repeat: the bride and groom should sit before the Deity Lord Krishna or Jagannatha and you should ignite the fire to offer clarified butter; simply chant Hare Krishna, all of you, and offer the butter to the fire with the word SAHA. The bride and groom should exchange their garlands, and the groom should promise never to forsake his wife, and the wife should promise to serve the husband for all her days. Then when there is opportunity, I shall further bless them personally. Rayarama wants $300 loan. So you can judge on the spot, and if possible try to help him. We received the fuses. Thank you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Hello Prabhus: I am thanking Krishna that I am now in good health, and enjoying Vrindaban to the fullest. I have seen so many beautiful temples-but unfortunately most of them are in very bad state of repair. We are hoping (hopeing) to get one of them for our society quarters here; I know it would be nice for you all, and I think it would be a great service to the Lord. You will be interested to know that Swamiji has initiated a very wonderful Indian boy here as our first Indian brahmachari, and he is now assisting His Divine Grace personally in every way. His name is Dinesh.love, Kirtanananda ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** August 27th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Your nice letter of 8/18 in hand; your nice philosophy that Krishna takes and Krishna gives, is very nice. This means Krishna is not impersonal. He is the Supreme Person and fully reciprocates. The impersonalist cannot reciprocate. Krishna does not take anything from them, neither does He give them anything. The Impersonal, therefore, simply enjoys the troubles of speculation. I have received news from Sante Fe that they have opened a nice branch there in an old castle, and it is very much pleasing to me. Now Kīrtanānanda Swami is going very soon to the U.S.A., and I expect that all of you will combine together to open at least 108 centers before I leave this world. I hope by this time you have seen Mr. Nehru; I am anxiously awaiting your report. I am also glad to learn that MacMillan is going to publish our books, and are including Gita and Bhagavatam on their spring lists. So I shall not bother to arrange for printing in India. Please confirm this. I am going to Delhi next week (Sept 5), and may not be returning to Vrindaban, so please direct all mail from now on to P.O. Box 1846, D Delhi 6. The 10.00 dollars monthly contribution from each center will be a nice resource for development of the Vrindaban House. I am so much pleased to learnt that you are getting a car from a friend; now please take care of it carefully. Offer my blessings to all the devotees. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** September 15th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Brahmananda, On arrival in Delhi I received a letter and I request you to take proper care of Gargamuni. Let him take complete rest in the hospital and give him rock candy as advised above. For a diseased person suffering from jaundice, rock candy will be just appreciated and as soon as he regains health the original taste will be appreciated. As soon as it is so the patient is understood to be cured. Regarding money, you can deposit in my savings account #19282 there is a balance in my favor of 27.29 and as soon as it is 100 I shall request them to transfer 100 to my Indian account. Harsarani Dasi writes that she has enclosed $10 but unfortunately I don't find it. It is therefore risky to send bills like that. The best thing is to deposit bank checks in my above account as I have instructed so there will be no misdelivery. I understand from San Francisco that they have sent you $20 for my maintenance in India so advise them to send from all the centers (6) to you the $10 that they have agreed to pay. You then deposit checks in my account and on hearing from you I shall do the needful. Please advise them not to send money via mail, it is very risky. ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** September 22nd 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Brahmananda, I am in due receipt of your letters of the 16th and 2nd of Sep. As you are all feeling my separation, similarly I'm also anxious to return as soon as possible. I think I'm fit to go back to your country at present and as scheduled previously I'm sure by the end of October. I must be fit to return, but before this there are many things to be done. I'm not yet assured of the permanent visa. The best thing will be that from each center an invitation should be sent that my presence is urgently required. Regarding the American House, as I told you previously, I'm trying to get a nice house in Vrindaban and unless I'm sure of that I can not advise anyone to come here incurring so much expenditure and undergoing so much trouble. Students at Swami Bon Maharaja, can come only if they are very much eager and serious about study. He has already given me a letter that 10 students can be accommodated with food and rooms. In this connection Acyutananda wishes to submit a report by practical experience. Presently I'm very much anxious to begin printing here if Macmillan company does not take up the work. Please therefore let me know yes or no from Macmillan; if he is serious or not, then immediately send the manuscripts, finished or not, to the following address: Pundit Hitsaran Sharma c/o Dalmia Enterprises, Scindia House, New Delhi. After dispatching let me know and I shall do the needful. If possible I think you should personally go to Washington and see Mr. Nerhu for my permanent visa. If my permanent visa is made then I shall be very happy to return. Please arrange for this by all means. Please take up the matter seriously as it can be effected. Mr. Ypsilanti has simply taken money. It is so hard to get a sincere lawyer. To summarize the whole thing I beg to state that the following items are most important: 1, Permanent visa. 2, Final decision of MacMillan. Kīrtanānanda has already gone back this morning. I have given him an introductory letter to London. In this connection much money have been spent from the building fund. If he gets a favorable response then Rayarama may join him there and when he goes, then I shall go. I think I'm now fit to travel and Krishna will give me strength. I'm glad to hear that Gargamuni is out of the hospital and things are going nicely. Hope you are all well. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. I requested the monthly subscription of 10$ from each center may be deposited in my a/c in New York when it is $100.00 then I shall get it here by fast motion. Kindly let me know if it has been done now. I have received only $10.00 from Boston centre. ACB ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** September 23rd 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept blessings. I have not heard from you since a long time. I hope everything is going on nicely. I think the MacMillan transaction is not successful. Please therefore send one copy of the Gitopanisad MSS as instructed above. Let me begin the printing immediately as we have waited so much time. I am now fit to return back but I shall be glad to return with permanent Visa. I am going to Calcutta to visit Lord Caitanya's birthplace and next letter may be addressedC/o Madan Dutta, 76 Durgacharan Doctor Road, Calcutta-14If you have collected the contribution from different centers, you can pay Acyutananda's mother $88.00. This amount was taken from him on a/c of Kīrtanānanda's ticket. Kīrtanānanda should return to you $20.00 which he took from me on the plea of stopping at London. I am feeling too much for his disobedience. ACB ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** October 4th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Your note along with Rayarama's is in hand and I am so glad to read it. Yes wait for the final decision of MacMillan & Co. & I quite agree with you. If they take up our work it will be very very good so let us wait for it. So you need not send manuscript until you hear final word from MacMillan. I am glad to learn that Kīrtanānanda Swami is now in N.Y. & that he looks very nice in midst of his glowing God-brothers. But he would have been looking more nice if he had stayed in London for a few days as it was settled here. Anyway I shall be very glad if Kīrtanānanda goes with Rayarama to London & opens a branch there cooperatively. He has got an introductory letter for a London lady. Immediate correspondence may be opened with her. Regarding Ambassador Nehru I am especially interested in him because he wanted to help me in getting my permanent visa. Please try to utilize him in some way or other to get this visa otherwise I am quite fit to return to your place. I am always anxious to be with you for the remaining days of my life, preaching Krishna Consciousness in the Western World. This time I shall go with the determination for my mission in the Western World & try & get me a permanent visa or immigration papers—whichever is easiest. I think you have my certificates in my apartment & you can utilize them. Two very important things are resting with you. First arrangement with MacMillan and second to get my permanent visa. You are very sincere and Krishna will certainly help you in this attempt. I have duly received the bank receipt along with the letter. The pictures that you ordered from S.S. Brijbasi & Sons have been sent to San Francisco by mistake. Write Mukunda that you may get them back. He has received 3000 pictures from them by air. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** October 11th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. On my arrival in Calcutta I have duly received your two letters dated __ & 5th instant. Regarding change of dress, I beg to inform you that every Krishna conscious person must be clean shaved, must have Tilakas on the forehead and other eleven places and must have the Sikha on the top of the head besides beads on the neck as usual. Rarely one can continue to keep beard but it is better not to keep it to distinguish oneself from the Hippies. We must let the public know that we are not Hippies. Do not try to follow the unauthorized advice of Kīrtanānanda. Nobody cares for the dress; every sane man follows the philosophy and practical talks. Let Kīrtanānanda Swami do something practically. Let him do whatever he likes and let us see that thousands of American are following him. Unless he does so do not accept his principle. I think all of you except a Sannyasi may dress yourself just like a fine up to date American gentleman but one must have the Tilakas etc as I have mentioned above. Kīrtanānanda is the first man in our society who cleanly shaved and kept the Sikha on the top of the head and now he has begun to keep beard again. This is not good. Whatever he is doing nowadays has no sanction from me. And he has deliberately disobeyed me by not going to London. Now he appears to be out of my control and therefore I advise you not to follow his principles unless he shows practically something wonderful. I gave him a chance to do this in the matter of opening a Branch in London but he has failed to do it. Now let him show first of all that by seeing his newly grown beard he has been successful to have many Americans following him and our financial condition has improved, then try to follow his instruction. Otherwise reject all idle talks. A Krishna conscious person must be seen by ears and not by the eyes or in other words one should try to know the depth of realization by Krishna conscious person and not see the beard which has become the practice of the Hippies. You should have immediately utilized Mr. Nehru to give me a certificate. Lord Caitanya's movement is genuine and I am the bona fide representative in your country for this movement. Now if Mr. Nehru certifies this, then where is the difficulty to obtain the permanent Visa either from there or from here. Please see therefore immediately Mr. Hejmadi and obtain the certificate as abovementioned. I think Mr. Nehru must have already spoken to Mr. Hejmadi about this. As advised by you I am writing separately to Hayagriva about the manuscript of Gitopanisad. For typing, Satsvarupa is always ready and therefore there is no need of employing a paid man. Regarding other problems, depend on Krishna and try to find out a suitable place if Mr. Judy has a tendency to exploit us. I think Kīrtanānanda may do this practical service to the Society first if you are certain that Macmillan Co. is not going to take to our publication, then you must keep aside the $5,500. for this purpose. We must have our books printed, we have wasted much time in the matter of editing and finding out a suitable publisher. When I was alone there were three volumes published but during the last two years I could not publish a single volume more. It is a great defeat. If I have one or two sincere souls like you and if we can make more publications, then our mission will be a great success. I am prepared to sit down underneath a tree with one sincere soul and in such activity I shall be free from all diseases. I know that you are very much anxious to see me in good health and by the Grace of Krishna I am getting well day by day. The only thing is that this time I wish to return on permanent Visa or immigration Visa and before I go I wish to begin the printing of Gitopanisad. ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** October 14th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for sending me 2 copies of BTG stationery & envelopes. I have received a letter from Damodara (dated Oct. 9) in which he writes to say:"Swami Kīrtanānanda has returned to the United States and is causing quite a stir among the devotees. Following his suggestions, we have stopped wearing robes and have cut off our flags. He said these appurtenances are too strange-looking to outsiders and only make it more difficult for them to consider chanting Hare Krishna. Swami Kīrtanānanda has said we must avoid appearing to be Orientalists if we are to have 108 centers in the US."This is very much disturbing to me & has caused me much pain. Please therefore stop Kīrtanānanda from making his mental concoctions. Do not be misled by him. I have never advised him to act like that. If he is causing such disturbances he should not be allowed to indulge in such nonsensical activities. I have already written you to inform you that somehow or other he has become crazy; otherwise he would not have disobeyed me to go directly to N.Y. For the time being he has cut all link with me, therefore any instruction given by him is unauthorized & should at once be rejected. He has no right to dictate as he has without my sanction. Whatever is to be done will be executed when I return. He is too much puffed-up nonsensically therefore you should copy this letter & forward to all centers that Kīrtanānanda has no right to dictate anything to the Society in this way. I am very sorry that he is exploiting his present position as a sannyasi. I have no objection if members of the Society dress like nice American gentlemen; but in all circumstances a devotee cannot avoid tilak, flag on head, & beads on neck. These are essential features of a Vaisnava. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisherA.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** October 16th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter (dated Oct. 10) & I've also received Kīrtanānanda's letter. From different centers of our society the news of the activities of Kīrtanānanda is giving me too much pain. From Rayarama's letter it is clear that Kīrtanānanda has not rightly understood Krishna Consciousness philosophy & it appears that he does not know the difference between impersonal & personal features of Krishna. The best thing will be to prohibit him to speak in any of our functions or meetings. It is clear that he has become crazy & he should once more be sent to Bellevue. He was in Bellevue before & with great difficulty & with the help of Mr. Ginsberg we got him out. But it appears that he has developed his madness again, therefore if he is not sent to Bellevue then at least he should be stopped from speaking such nonsense. It is clear from his activities that he has been attacked by maya; he is a victim. We shall pray to Krishna for his recovery but we cannot allow him to speak on my behalf. I am trying to return as soon as possible & when I return everything will be all right. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** October 19th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of Oct. 11. It was a great pleasure to note the contents, now you have nicely expressed your real mind, In your previous Letter in which I saw a little tendency of being turned by foolish Kīrtanānanda. but I was confident that Kīrtanānanda was not so strong as he would be able to defeat you. I was completely confident of your sincerity of service & my choice of your being president of the society is right. I may disclose herewith that I never took Kīrtanānanda into complete confidence but I was trying to improve his position because he has also rendered much personal service to me. I am very much obliged to him for the service as I am to my other disciples & I am very sorry that Maya has taken advantage of his disobedience & he has fallen to Maya's illusion—but he should not continue for a very long time as I will always pray to Krishna for his recovery. For the time being he should simply chant Hare Krishna without any attempt at lecturing. The impersonalist cannot render any service to Krishna because he is a great offender. Under the circumstances, Krishna will not accept food prepared by Kīrtanānanda in his present diseased condition. If he at all wants to render service to Krishna he may be engaged at washing dishes & this will improve his condition. You will be glad to know that the US consular office has granted me visitors visa and yesterday I've asked the travel agent to arrange for my seat. So in all probability I am sure to return to USA as early as possible—just after my return from Lord Caitanya's birth place. Be assured always that Krishna is transcendental Personality & men with poor fund of knowledge cannot understand what is this transcendental form. Our Society for Krishna Consciousness stands pledged to this philosophy & I require strong men such as yourself for preaching this cult in this world. I am very glad that you are trying to understand this philosophy & there is nothing to be sorry about your being misled by Kīrtanānanda. It is not in his power to mislead a sincere soul such as yourself; but I must congratulate Gargamuni, the simple boy, who never believed in impersonalism. He is your younger brother as important as Lord Laksmana was younger brother to Lord Rama. I am very glad that that this simple & honest boy has saved you from calamity. I am praying to Krishna to bless you, your brother Gargamuni, Rupanuga etc. for their eternal life in Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisherA.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** February 10th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your note along with Sriman Kīrtanānanda's letter. They are very much anxious to get the records since you have sent the cover only. Please ask Mr. Lerner if Mr. Kallman is unwilling to send the records for reasons known to him so that I can inform here to the parties concerned. We must have some definite understanding instead of prolonging a matter. I think everything is going well there by the Grace of Lord Krishna. I have invitations from other organizations to lecture on 11th, 12th and 14th at Self Realization Organization, Himalayan Academy Administration and San Francisco University College. Some of them writes as follows: "Your Holiness: You have brought great beauty and harmony to our community through your love and devotion. Many souls have found their inner peace in your teachings of the Krishna Consciousness" I could have immediately distributed many records in these meetings by practical demonstration of the records. What shall I do with the empty case? I cannot understand the policy of Mr. Kallman. Please try to understand him and let me know what is the actual position. ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** October 22nd 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated Oct 11, & Oct 18. I have noted the contents. I have received stationery & prospectus both from Montreal & New York. So far as Kīrtanānanda's chapter is concerned, forget all this, Maya's play. We shall be sorry for Kīrtanānanda's plight under Maya and may not waste our valuable time talking about him. The best thing that you have done is that he should no longer speak in our temples. We shall all pray to Krishna for his recovery & only by His grace can he come back to his real identity. I've already informed you that a visitor's visa has been granted to me. & as you say that on my return this visitor's visa may be converted into a special immigration visa as a minister. So on my return necessary arrangements may be made as suggested by the clerk at the U.S. immigration dept. On Wed. next I am departing for Navadvipa, I shall stay there for at least a week & after coming back my program is to start for U.S.A. But as you say that permanent visa can be arranged from here on the basis of certificates which you intend to send me. So you will immediately let me know whether or not I shall start on the visitor's visa. I inquired in U.S. Consulate about this & the man who immediately granted me my visitor's visa told me that a permanent visa will take a long time for decision, so I accepted the visitor's visa. My Navadvipa address you will find on the envelope. Tomorrow I shall take information of Mr. William Stuart, The U.S. vice consul in Bombay. Regarding final typing of Gita Upanisad; the copies must now be ready as I am expected to return soon. So if MacMillan Company does not respond we shall try to get it published by another U.S. publisher, failing that we shall publish in India. Your suggestion for opening a center in Russia is welcomed as the Europeans were very enterprising in the Middle-historical period for colonization. Similarly we should be enthusiastic to open different branches in different parts of the world other than India. In India they are opening many such branches, but our responsibility is to open branches outside India. So it will be a great endeavour if you four go to Russia to open a center there. I am very much appreciate your lecturing arrangements in different educational institutions & I have full confidence in both you and Rayarama. Indian things may be exported but I do not know the varieties of goods that would be saleable there. For the time being I have arranged for musical instruments with Dvaraka & sons, & so also I am arranging for incense. If Indian Saris are required, that also can be arranged. But unless I definitely hear from Mr. Kallman what particular things he wants I can not guess what is to be done. The most important thing is that you let me know immediately whether or not I should start on the visitors visa. Visitors visa I've already got. I could start without delay but if you want me to apply for permanent visa it will take some time. So I shall await your immediate reply. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. If Kīrtanānanda honestly believes in his new doctrine, he should honestly return the certificate of his Sannyas which he very tactfully secured from me. He should not utilize this certificate without any allegiance ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** November 2nd 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Now I understand that I may return with my visitors visa which can be altered once I am in USA. If MacMillan is silent then immediately send me the correspondence which Dvarakadhisa had with the Japanese printers. Most probably I shall stop in Tokyo & hand over the printing to them. Hope you are well. ACB ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** November 5th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Replying your letter dated Oct. 21, I quite appreciate your statement and I am happy that you have now taken care of the Gita Mss. I have already written to Hayagriva that the instructions which I impart are not dogmas. Our instructions are all based on sufficient logic and philosophy. The thing is that while conducting missionary activities it is quite natural that sometimes the situation may become very provocative, but we have to deal in these matters very carefully. The boy who spat upon the person of Kīrtanānanda must send a letter of regret and apology. That will be nice. You should always try to pacify the living entities in their rebellious propensities. These individual propensities are factual evidence for their becoming individual entities. If everything would have been impersonal there would have been no scope for the individual manifestations. It is understood that Hayagriva will purchase the property at Wilkes-Barr with the help of Dr. Henderson's financial assistance. I do not mind that they will do something separately, but I wish that there may not be any misbehavior between the God-brothers. I think you can write Hayagriva a personal letter regretting the incident which had unfortunately occurred, namely spitting over the person of Kīrtanānanda. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** November 11th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to see your letter dated Nov. 3, in which you have sent the good news that MacMillan Co. has agreed to publish my Gita Upanisad and the contract has been prepared. This service is done by you is a great asset for our society's future activities. The quotation as you have given from my letter of Oct. 11, just stands. I do not want crowd of Kirtananandas but I want a single soul like Brahmananda, Mukunda, Rayarama, and Satsvarupa. The same example is always applicable that one moon is sufficient for the night as not thousands of stars. Please carefully handle the dealings with MacMillan Co. which was begun by your good self. If publications are there we can work from one center only like New York or San Francisco for propagating our cult all over the world. Let us stick to the publication of BTG more and more nicely and publish some Vedic literatures like Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrta, etc. I've received one telegram from Mukunda, reading as follows: SWAMIJI BRAHMANANDA AND I AGREE YOU START IMMEDIATELY ADVISE EXACT ARRIVAL—MUKUNDA in reply to this, I may say that I am expecting my P-Form sanctioned and most probably I shall be starting sometime next week. If I stop in Tokyo for a day to probe if there is any possibility of starting a center. From Tokyo I shall let Mukunda know by telegram when I am exactly arriving in San Francisco. From San Francisco I shall try to go to see our two new centers, namely Los Angles and Sante Fe.I have read your statements regarding opening centers. I am not in agreement with Mr. Altman that we are expanding very thinly. In my opinion, a single sincere soul can maintain a center. You know I started the center at 26 2nd Ave. alone. I took the risk of 200.00 dollars per month for the rent. At that time there were no assistants. Mukunda was at that time a friend but there was no responsibility for him for maintaining the center. Gradually Kīrtanānanda and Hayagriva joined but they did not take any responsibility. Still I was maintaining the establishment simply depending on Krishna and then Krishna sent me everything—men and money. Similarly, if a sincere soul goes out and opens a center in any part of the world Krishna will help him in all respects. Without being empowered by Krishna, nobody can preach Krishna Consciousness. It is not academic qualification or financial strength which helps in these matters, but it is sincerity of purpose which helps us always. Therefore, I wish that you will remain in charge of New York, let Satsvarupa be in charge of Boston, Let Mukunda be in charge of San Francisco, let Janardana be in charge of Montreal. Let Nandarani and Dayananda be in charge of Los Angeles. And let Subala das be in charge of Santa Fe. In this way you will follow my example as I did in the beginning at 26 2nd Ave. That is preaching, cooking, writing, talking, chanting everything one man's show. I never thought about the audience. I was prepared to chant if there were no man to hear me. The principle of chanting is to glorify the Lord and not to attract a crowd. If Krishna hears nicely then he will ask some sincere devotee to gather in such place. Therefore, be advised that thousands of centers may be started if we find out a sincere soul for each and every center. We do not require more men to start. If there is one sincere soul that is sufficient to start a new center. With this expectation I wanted to send Kīrtanānanda to London but he has proved himself unworthy. When I arrive in your state, I may ask Rayarama to go to London and your good self to Russia and Gargamuni to Holland. The incident created by Kīrtanānanda and Hayagriva may not disappoint us in the least. Let us remain sincere to Krishna and His bona fide representative and we are sure to carry out our mission successfully. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** November 15th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Nov. 9, 1967 and have noted the contents very carefully. The Kīrtanānanda incident is certainly very unhappy and your dealing with the situation is quite appropriate. Lord Caitanya composed the verse that one should be humbler than the straw and more tolerant than the tree for chanting the Holy Name of Krishna, but the same Author learning the insult committee upon the person of Lord Nityananda became furious and the Lord wanted to immediately kill the insulter. The idea is that personally, one should be very meek and humble even in the presence of greatest provocation, but a slight insult to Krishna and His Representative should at once be taken seriously and appropriate measures should be taken. We should never tolerate any insult or blasphemy to Krishna or His Representative. So your action was quite all right, but because we are in the public eyes we have to act cautiously so that people may not misunderstand. Anyway, forget the chapter, there is nothing to be lamented. If thousands of Kirtananandas or Hayagrivas come and go. We have to prosecute our real program being sincere to Krishna and Krishna-Caitanya. I am just ready for starting for America but as you know our competent government is very slow in action. The P-form was submitted almost a month ago, but still it is going under red tapism. The visa was granted to me within half an hour. The passage money was deposited within two days but unfortunately the Reserve Bank of India is delaying the matter unnecessarily. I expect the P-form at any moment and as soon as I get it I shall start for your country. I understand that you want Subala to go to Amsterdam but who will take care of the Sante Fe Temple? I think Subala and his wife should take care of the Sante Fe Temple, as much as Dayananda and Nandarani should take care of the Temple at Los Angeles. Once a center is opened it must be maintained. A responsible man for each center must be found out before opening. In your previous letter you wrote something about difficulties in our different centers, therefore you should be cautious before opening any further centers. Regarding Gargamuni and Karunamayi's problem, I have already replied and if required, you can see his letter. ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** November 18th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Replying your letter of Nov. 9, I beg to inform you that Kīrtanānanda and Hayagriva's recent standing is being directly dealt by me; at least Hayagriva is not as fanatic as Kīrtanānanda. His latest letter reveals that he is not out of Krishna Consciousness as we understand. The whole episode was generated by personal grudge. This personal grudge is not inhuman and as I have told many times, that individualism is the cause of personal misunderstanding. When such individualism is employed in the center of Krishna there is no harm even if there is personal misunderstanding. Personal misunderstanding exists even in the higher levels. There is competition of loving Krishna even in the party of Srimati Radharani. It is a kind of rasa to compete in loving affection centering around Krishna. We shall, therefore, try to bring back Hayagriva and Kīrtanānanda to their senses. After all we must understand that we are dealing with persons affected by Maya. Every one of us is under the influence of the external energy, Maya. The best way to get out of the clutches of Maya is to concentrate our attention in the loving service of Krishna. I understand that Hayagriva and Kīrtanānanda are continuing to chant Hare Krishna is their center. I hope therefore they will not go astray and the misunderstanding may be cleared up in due course of time. (Even amongst our God-brothers we have misunderstanding but none of us is astray from the service of Krishna. My Guru Maharaja ordered us to execute his mission combinedly. Unfortunately we are now separated. But none of us have stopped preaching Krishna Consciousness. Even if there was misunderstanding amongst the God-brothers of my Guru Maharaja none of them deviated from the transcendental loving service of Krishna. The idea is that provocation and misunderstanding may remain between one man and another. But our staunch faith in Krishna Consciousness may not allow any material disruption. Please therefore try to be sympathetic with any person even if they differ. The only qualification we have to scrutinize is if one is acting in Krishna Consciousness as far as one is able to do it.)Regarding BTG, it is understood that Rayarama is in some difficulty financially. The recent editions of BTG is very much encouraging to me. The standard should be maintained and improved so that one day it may come on the level of such magazines as Life, Time etc. If he is in difficulty financially I think you can give him loan of $500.00 to be paid in monthly installments of $100.00. As he is now engaged in finishing Gita Upanisad, it is understood that he cannot work. The editing of Gita Upanisad is already much delayed. I think it was in this month of November last year my compilation of Gita Upanisad was finished. The editing work was first entrusted with Rayarama, but as he could not finish it the work was transferred to Hayagriva. In this way even within one year the editing work could not be finished. This is not very encouraging. Now it must be finished within three weeks and hand it over to MacMillan Co. Today I shall go to the travel agent's office for booking my seat and may start by next Monday or Tuesday. In my next letter I shall let you and Mukunda know of my journey from Calcutta to San Francisco, via Bangkok, Hong Kong etc. Hope you are well. ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** November 22nd 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. You will be pleased to know that I am arriving in San Francisco on Nov. 24 at 12:45 PM by Pan Am. flight no. 846. I've sent this news to Mukunda. I am enclosing a separate letter authorizing you to sign the contract in my behalf. I've already written a letter to D.S. Agarwal and when he goes there Acyutananda will see him personally to settle up the matter. The books from Swami Bon are already with the shipping agent and will be sent with all my books mrdangams and karatalas on the 7th of December. Hope you are well, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** December 7th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I'm in due receipt of your letter of Nov. 30, and I duly appreciate your program for European tour, as well as coming to India for doing business. Actually we are experiencing Indian business dealing as not very prompt. The best thing is therefore to purchase goods ourselves from the firm, pack and book it all ourselves. SS Brijbasi has taken so much time for nothing, they do not even reply letters, but on the other hand they have promptly delivered Mukunda's order, this means that business managing is not regular. You can send the copy of the letter to Acyutananda in which they have acknowledged payment. Acyutananda and Ramanuja will return to Vrindaban next week and I am starting for Japan on Sun or Mon positively. I shall try to get some Friends there and also try to meet Prof Rudolf Stein in Hawaii. While I shall try to open some branches in the Pacific you can also try to open branches in parts of Europe as you have suggested in your letter under reply. I'm trying to find out some reliable man who can purchase goods and book them personally. If you come here it will be a nice idea, but you should come with money, purchase the goods and book them immediately. Air cargo will be too costly, we have already sent 1 tanpura to Mukunda and the cost was 106 Rs. but air cargo was 1,100 Rs. So you cannot do business by paying 11 times more than the cost for freight. Regarding books I've already consigned along with mrdangams harmoniums karatalas and beads & bags. I have arranged for supplying incense with a gentleman here and I'm taking samples with me. Similarly I've arranged for sending spices and frankincense. The contact with MacMillan should be finished before you leave. Your journey, as you have suggested is important for your touring in Europe. We cannot expect any tangible help from Miss Bowtell. She is not my godsister but a disciple of my godbrother. The best thing will be to start a center independently. Regarding beautifying the temple, we should always know that every place is temporary, but wherever we live we should decorate and beautify it for Krishna, so go on decorating our temple as nicely as possible. Hope you are well Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** December 12th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of Your letter Dec. 2, 1967 with great pleasure. I am so glad to learn that we are receiving orders for our records from far distant places. It is all Krishna's mercy. You will be pleased to know that I have purchased my ticket for New York via Tokyo and San Francisco. I am starting tomorrow morning at nine-thirty. By evening reaching Tokyo via Bangkok and Hong Kong. I shall rest 24 hours in Tokyo and on the 14th at night, I am starting for San Francisco. By local time I am reaching San Francisco on the same day, the 14th at 12:45 p.m. by P.A.A. 846. Yesterday I have sent one telegram to this effect, and I hope I shall reach there safely as scheduled. I am so glad to learn that Satyavrata and yourself are trying to get the teachings of Lord Caitanya published. You do not know how pleased I am to hear this news. When one book is published I think I have conquered an empire. So try to publish as many books as possible and that will enhance the beauty and prestige of our society. The Ramakrishna mission has nothing to say substantial but because they have money and have published so many rubbish literatures they have become very cheaply popular. You can just imagine how much powerful our society will become when we have as many substantial literatures published. We should not only publish in English but also in other important languages such as French and German. I've also noted down your program for European tour. I am very glad that you are preparing the ground work for starting our centers in London, Amsterdam and Berlin. It may be that we can add another in Tokyo. Yes, we must have hundreds of such branches for preaching Krishna Consciousness all over the world. I have already made arrangements for supply of Saris, incense, musical instruments, mrdangams, karatalas, spices, etc. I am also arranging to print 2 volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam in Delhi. Acyutananda and Ramanuja are going back to Vrindaban on the 15th after sending me off for San Francisco. I am already in negotiations with the government of Rajasthan for securing one palace in Vrndavana. This house is perhaps the best house not only in Vrindaban but also it is one of the best palaces in all of India. When you arrive in India you will see it and you will be pleased. I am leaving behind my dictaphone and when you come here you will take it back to me. I quite appreciate your program for contributing $3,000.00 in the matter of publishing Teaching of Lord Caitanya. Please finish the contract with MacMillan, take $1,000.00 from them, add $1,000.00 from the reserve fund to you, and take $1,000.00 from Satyavrata and get the book published immediately. You should not waste too much time for editing as we have done in the matter of Gita Upanisad. If there is good English it is welcome but we should not edit as Hayagriva has replaced "devotional service" with "knowledge of self". Knowledge of self is not complete until one is actually engaged in devotional service. There are many citizens who have complete sense of national knowledge but out of many of them, one who is engaged in national service like Washington or Gandhi, he becomes the most prominent with national consciousness. Similarly, when one is mature in knowledge of self, he must knows what is the duty of the self. The impersonalist due to poor fund of knowledge, forgets of the self. They are much concerned for being freed of all duties which is not possible by the living force. The living force is always dynamic, therefore the living entity cannot stop discharging duties. Real duty begins in Krishna Consciousness. The impersonalist cannot accommodate such spiritual activities of devotional service therefore they are satisfied only by so-called knowledge of self. I shall expect your reply in San Francisco. With Blessings for all your God-brothers and sisters, I amYour ever well-wisherA.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** December 21st 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Your handwritten letter of 12/18/67 is a great pleasure. Your handwritten letter is more valuable than type written. Regarding Damodara's plight, we are very sorry but we must always expect that some of the weak soldiers may fall down in a fight waged against the great Maya external energy of Krishna. The sex attraction is very great in the material world. But in the spiritual world it is different. From Srimad-Bhagavatam we know that the opposite sex namely the female members of Vaikuntha are many many times more beautiful than they are in the heavenly planets. Their hips and attractive smiles cannot stimulate sex urge passion of the man or male devotees. In the Vaikuntha planets the opulence is very great and yet they are all engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. It is very difficult to conquer over the influence of Maya, but who firmly fixed up in Krishna Consciousness cannot be a victim of Maya. Anyway, we cannot stop our fighting with Maya, neither we can expect that all our soldiers will remain unhurt. You know Arjuna's son Abhimanyu was killed in the battle in which Bhismadeva was a party. Fight Krishna's cause sincerely and you will be gloried with victory. I was glad to hear from Gargamuni that you refused to set me in the N.Y. Times columns along with the other so called Swamis or yogis. We have a distinct position that we are neither cheated nor cheaters. We are the genuine representative of Krishna who is the friend of all living creatures. We must play our part independently only on faith in Krishna and His bona fide representatives. Krishna was very kind to me when He sent you to me for cooperating. My hearty thanks for you when you write to say that "Krishna Consciousness is the full perfection of life". Lord Caitanya was eulogized by Rupa Goswami as the latter understood that Lord Caitanya was there to distribute Krishna Consciousness. The only gift for the humanity at large. Lord Caitanya wanted that the message should be distributed in every village and town of the globe. Let us do this service as far as possible in all seriousness. We can not make any compromise with anyone for cheap popularity. Regarding the Teachings of Lord Caitanya, it must be very nice. I think Dai Nippon Printing Company agreed to print our books 6 1/2" x 9 1/2" size best paper 400 pages 10 to 12 point composition with best hard back binding with gold lettering on the backbone at $5000.00 for 5000 copies. I think you will immediately contact the company and send the manuscript for printing without any delay. Contact Dvarakadhisa and he will help you in this connection. He is good boy. Regarding business, Gargamuni has already began the experiment and he will send the estimate for starting the business. If Mr. Kallman wants we can import either from India or from Japan. When you go to India, you let me know and I shall give you some introductory letters to Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Navadvipa, Jaipur, Kanpur, etc. Perhaps you have to visit Udaipur also. But in Europe wherever you will go, you must arrange for opening a centre. May Krishna give you more and more strength my dear child. I am very poor but Krishna is very rich. I can simply pray to Krishna. But Krishna is very great and magnanimous; He can do everything for you and for us all. Thanking you once more. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. While going to India please take with you the empty typewriter box (Olympia). This typewriter is with Acyutananda and the case (box) is required there. And when you come back, you please bring back my personal books (3 or 4) left with Acyutananda. I am making here a series of lecture on K.C. yoga system. They are tape recorded. If Mr. Kallman wants to make some gramophone records on this series of lectures, he can do so at least in those long time records. Please talk with him and let me know if he is agreeable. I think the magnetic tapes for Dictaphone are lying in my compartment. If so please send them here and oblige. Gargamuni's first experiment in Dhupa mfg. has come out very successful. He is making more & more experiment ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** February 14th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept blessings and offer the same to all your Godbrothers and sisters. With reference to your telephonic conversation last night and your letter of the 10th February, I beg to inform you that the Branch at San Francisco will act as a separate identity and the New York establishment has nothing to take risk for this centre. I have also received the letter of Mr. Altman and I shall act according to his desire. So you can transfer $200.00 for Altman and $6000.00 altogether $6200.00 to my savings account No. 19282 at the Trade Bank And Trust Company and letter of transfer is enclosed herewith. I have duly signed the letter and you also sign it and forward it to the Bank. They will do the needful. This $6000.00 will be transferred forth with by me as soon as there is a Sale contract for purchase of the house. Till then it will remain in my Savings Account. When actually there is Sale contract signed I shall induce the San Francisco Branch to contribute $1000.00 positively rest assured. In the opinion of the devotees and trustees here $1000.00 dollar has been risked without any understanding. I know that you are doing your best but still there has been an error of judgment. I am not at all displeased with you but they say that Mr. Payne will never be able to secure financial help from any other source. He is simply taking time under different pretext changing constantly. Therefore you should not pay even a farthing more than what you have paid. If he wants any more money you should flatly refuse. Kīrtanānanda's presence in New York is essential; therefore I have postponed his journey to Montreal. Advice of friends here has been accepted by me that opening of too many branches at the present stage will be too heavy for us. Let us consolidate there in two places which we have already opened. Besides that the Montreal Branch wants men and Money which we cannot spare at the present moment. Your note on the dictaphone is taken care of. It is sent for adjustment because there is some defect in the machine. In the meantime they have supplied a machine for my work. I have now five tapes only. Three more required. Neal has not come here. Chant Hare Krishna be jolly. We are all secured by Krishna rest assured. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure: 1 ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** December 29th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 12/27/67, along with the MacMillan Co. agreement form. Prior to this letter I have received your other two letters, but I was expecting this letter, so I did not reply your prior letters earlier. I am sending herewith the agreement duly signed by me. Regarding Mr. Alan Watts introduction, I may inform you if the books will sell nicely by Mr. Watts introduction I do not mind his nonsense. The other gentleman Professor Edward Dimmock of the University of Chicago who is a student of Vaisnavism is willing to give some introduction. But you say he is not well known. For me, either Professor Dimmock or Mr. Watts both are nonsense. Now for selling purpose, if you think Mr. Watts is nice, I have no objection. I give you full power of attorney in this connection. Whoever you like like you can accept. Regarding other books printed by, published by, or distributed by some European firm is very welcome. You have got also the full power of attorney in this connection. Krishna has sent you to me to help me in my mission. As you are my sincere spiritual son, Krishna will dictate to you what to do in this connection. So I have full faith in you and you can determine as Krishna speaks within your heart. Regarding Hayagriva and Kīrtanānanda, if they come again we should accommodate them and should not continue the misunderstanding that has been engineered. I think Hayagriva is anxious in having his name printed in the publication of Gitopanisad. I do not have any objections that his name may be mentioned as one of the editors helping in the editing of Gitopanisad, just to encourage him and keep him in our camp, in case that he may come back and accept our philosophy and resume his editing talent. He has committed a blunder, but just so that he may be encouraged to come back you may mention his name also along with Rayarama's. He is not so convinced of his impersonalist philosophy. It is only due to Kīrtanānanda's influence that he has left us. Yes, please send the $500.00 to the United Shipping Co. as I have instructed. When you go to India you may see the manager of Scindia and talk with her with the letter of introduction that I shall give you. It is my decision that you do not leave until the MacMillan agreement is completed. Your idea of manufacturing the incense in one center is my idea also. Here in S.F. Gargamuni has told me that he is arranging for it to be produced. From here all the temples will be supplied, not that every temple should make it. I have received the Dwarkin and Sons letter. I have not received any letter from Acyutananda as of yet so please wait till I have received a letter before you write him. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- P.S. Please deliver MSS. to M/s M&Co. as much as already complete ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** February 17th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Brahmananda, In continuation of my yesterday's letter and in reply to your very long letter of the 13rd February 1967 I beg to inform you that I have received one letter from Mr. Payne and the copies of the schemes dated 19th January 1967 which did not fructify. It appears that Mr. Payne has not been successful to secure any financial assistance till the 14th february 1967 and it is hinted therein that I may also try for the source of money. I have, therefore, replied him and the copy of the reply is enclosed herewith please find. So my opinion on the house purchase is clearly defined there. We must have a sale contract and then let us try for the fund combinedly. That will be some practical proposition. So far things have been done in "entire negotiation is irregular" as stated in your letter. Now it appears that Mr. Payne is not very hopeful himself for raising the fund otherwise he would not have written me as "It had occurred to me, your Excellency, that there might be a possibility of money source in the area in which you are working. This I do know, money men and their operations there are not so sophisticated or unimaginative as they are here." I think if there is sale contract, it may be possible to raise the fund by combined effort both here and there. Without sale contract it will be not practical to raise fund. So far records are concerned, the secretary here told me that they are prepared to pay enough for the records up to 1500 pieces. Do not misunderstand me that I have no interest in having a permanent building at New York. I want the house more than you; my only objection is that "This is not a regular business transaction" as admitted by you. Why not make it regular now as suggested by my letter to Mr Payne? If you can have a sale contract then every thing will be regular and it will be easier to raise fund. What is the difficulty in getting the Sale contract as suggested by me. I have not sent the Pass Book. But the letter of transfer is sufficient and I hope you have already sent the letter to the Bank. Hope you are all doing well. With my blessings for you all, Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** February 18th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco > CONFIDENTIAL My dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. With further reference to my letter of yesterday's date I may inform you that from the letter of Mr. Payne and the schemes which produced no fruit, it appears to me that he is not in a position to secure money for the house from any financial party. That is my conviction. Now if you think that he is able to secure money for us, if you think that there is something hopeful by this time then you can continue the negotiations as he is doing but do not for Krishna's sake advance a farthing more on any plea by him. He may be trying his best but he is incapable to do this. That is my honest opinion. Next thing is that when a man takes work in his own hand it is sure to be done. If you are serious about purchasing the house then do not depend on Mr. Payne take the work in your own hand. Just enter with Mr. Taylor in agreement of hire purchase system sale contract for any reasonable market price. We shall pay rent to the amount of $1000.00 per month and cash down $10,000.00. The repairing work may be done by Mr. Taylor as he is doing. So long his full money is not recovered we shall continue to remain as tenant and as soon as his full money is paid up the title automatically becomes conveyed to us. We have already engaged our Lawyer and Mr. Taylor has his Lawyer. Let them draw a hire-purchase-sale-contract on the above basis. It is not amortization but it is practically an agreement between the tenant and the Landlord. Let us remain as tenant and let Mr. Taylor remain as land lord. As Landlord he will have full right to evict us failing to pay the stipulated rent. So there is no risk on the part of Mr. Taylor and I hope the lawyer of Mr. Taylor will gladly accept these terms. Mr. Taylor will be profited by this, because he gets an immediate tenant and income up to 1000 dollars per month for a house which is lying vacant for so many years. And for us we get a house which is suitable for us. Convince Mr. Taylor like this and enter into such hire-purchase system-sale-contract. I think this is the best solution for both Mr. Taylor and ourselves. Try for this and quickly occupy the house without waiting for help from so called financiers. No sane financier will invest money on the complicated schemes drawn by Mr. Payne. It is simply utopian it will never be successful. Now next proposal is that why don't you arrange for Kirtana and lectures by me in every school, college, clubs, association, etc in New York. Now we have "Mrdangas" and cymbals. Let us organize a Kirtana party both at New York and at San Francisco and on our off days at least twice in a week let us have our Kirtana outside. Here the students are arranging another dance meeting like the one they did on the 29th January and they are expecting good collection. Even there is no good collection, by outdoor Kirtana and lectures we shall at least be popular to everyone and automatically we shall be successful in raising fund. The other day we had a very nice meeting in the California State College it was grand successful. They are going to arrange again like that in Berkeley college where they are expecting three thousand audience. I am enclosing herewith a copy of the letter received from Himalayan Academy. See how they are appreciating our method of peace movement. So in this way we have to forward our cause. No business man will come forward to help us on utopian schemes as contemplated by Mr. Payne. We have to try for ourselves. So the summary is to obtain a hire purchase sale-contract from Mr. Taylor and popularize our movement by outdoor engagements as many as possible. Now my staying in your country is increased for two years at least and while I am here (U.S.A.) we can work tremendously by working ourselves on the above scheme. Let us take help from Krishna by honestly working for Him than on utopian theories. Even there are three centres I can move everywhere without any tiresome feeling. I can stay one month in each centre every quarterly and see things going in order. I hope you will try to understand my view point and let me know how do you appreciate the scheme. Neal has arrived here yesterday evening and he feels jolly. Please send me all the tapes that are lying there. I hope you will realize the repairing charges for Dictaphone. There is again some defect in the microphone. It is not rewinding by pushing the finger clip. I do not know what to do. I hope you have by this time cleared off the consignments per M.V.Jaladuta from India. And I shall be glad to know how you have received the goods. Here everything is going on nicely. I have not heard anything from Kīrtanānanda. I hope everything is well there. I understand that Sriman Acyutananda is feeling my absence. I shall be very soon there. Please offer blessings every one specially Sriman Acyutananda and Srimati Jadurani. Please ask Gargamuni to write me occasionally about his good account keeping. Please ask him to dispatch all the Srimad-Bhagavatam sets without delay. They have paid me the price of former consignment. It is understood that you have now an electric Typewriter. If so why not send it here to be worked on by Neal or Howard. Awaiting your early reply. Your ever wellwisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ,Enclosure :1 ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** February 21st 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 18th instant and have noted the contents. I am glad to know that the "Happiness On Second Avenue" film has come out very happy. Please see it and let know the result. I hope you have received my last letter suggesting therein the scheme of hire purchase agreement with Mr. Taylor. I have not heard anything from Kīrtanānanda till now. Neal, one day evening, came here but since then he is not here and do not know if I shall send the recorded tapes or not. Because here there is no typewriter. Howard is not serious about general typewriting. ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** February 23rd 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I hope this time you have received the goods from India Jaladuta in good condition. Out of the goods, you keep one Mrdanga and six pairs of cymbals there at New York and all the balance goods including all the papers or letters therein may be sent here at once. They are arranging kirtana programme at different places and I think the Mrdanga and cymbals will increase the dignity of kirtana. For the Mrdangas, I personally paid to India. So later as we shall see what is the actual expenditure. Ranchor has given a packing instruction. Please see that the packing is nicely done as instructed and as illustration is given there. Hope you are all well and with my blessings for all! Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. Yesterday I have sent 3 tapes. Ask Satsvarupa to do the needful ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** February 24th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept blessings. Hope you are all doing well. I have not as yet received from you the reply of my letter in which I suggested to negotiate with Mr. Taylor on hire-purchase-scheme which is equally good for Mr. Taylor as well as ourselves. In the meantime I have received one letter from Kīrtanānanda asking for $200.00 for Montreal and has also suggested as follows:"Secondly I recommend that you return to N.Y. for the showing of the C.B.S. program. I recall Mr. Gerard stressing on me the importance of your presence in N.Y. for the two or three weeks following the program. This is because so many people will be visiting the temple and wishing to see you. Even if you should desire to return to S.F. after two or three weeks, the $300.00 involved in flying is nothing compared to the millions in publicity value we are getting on the TV. I know N.Y. would be more willing to spend the money if need be."So if you think that my presence will be necessary as suggested by Kīrtanānanda then immediately book my seat in the air line when you want me to go there. I shall then cancel all programs here for three weeks. If need be you can talk with me on the phone. Kīrtanānanda has also highly recommended your combined management at N.Y. He writes in this connection as follows:"I know you will be pleased to know that the N.Y. center is really doing well; in fact, I believe they are really stronger Now than ever before." I am very glad to learn this and I am very much encouraged to know it. It is all Krishna's mercy. I have decided to contribute to the Montreal center $100.00 from each center namely New York and San Francisco. ### Letter to Brahmananda, Hayagriva, Kīrtanānanda, Satsvarupa, Gargamuni, Acyutananda, Jadurani **Date:** January 19th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Brahmananda, Hayagriva, Kīrtanānanda, Satsvarupa, Gargamuni, Acyutananda, Jadurani, Please accept my greetings and blessings of Guru Gauranga Giridhari Gandharvika. You have already got the news of our safe arrival and good reception by the devotees here. Mr. Allen Ginsberg and about fifty or sixty others received us on the air port and when I arrived in my apartment there were some press reporters also who took note of my mission. Two three papers like the Examiner and the Chronicle etc. have already published the report. One of the reports is sent herewith please find. I wish that 1000 copies of this report may be offset printed at once and 100 copies of the same may be sent here as soon as possible. I understand that you are feeling my absence. Krishna will give you strength. Physical presence is immaterial; presence of the transcendental sound received from the spiritual master should be the guidance of life. That will make our spiritual life successful. If you feel very strongly about my absence you may place my pictures on my sitting places and this will be source of inspiration for you. I am very much anxious to hear about the final decision of the house. I wish to open the house by the 1st of March 1967 and arrangement may be done dexterously in this connection. I have not as yet received the tapes for Dictaphone and I have sent you tapes yesterday. Please offer my blessings to Sriman Neal. Sriman Rayarama is cooking well and distributing Prasadam to the devotees numbering sometimes seventy. It is very encouraging. I think this centre will be very nice branch without delay. Everything is prospective. Hope you are all well and awaiting your early reply. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure: 1 ### Letter to Brahmananda, Satsvarupa, Rayarama, Gargamuni, other Trustees **Date:** March 4th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco > Sriman Brahmananda Brahmacari,Sriman Satsvarupa Brahmacari,Sriman Rayarama Brahmacari,Sriman Gargamuni Brahmacari,and other Trusteesof the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Inc26 Second Avenue,New York N.Y.10003 My dear boys, Please immediately hold one meeting of the Trustees of International Society For Krishna Consciousness Inc and resolve whether $5000.00 dollars should immediately be paid to the seller of the house under agreement and as advised by the appointed Lawyer Mr. Seymour Herzog. In my opinion the check should never be drawn in favor of the financier. But it should be drawn in the name of original seller Mr. Taylor. If the Financier pays to Mr. Taylor the purchase money it is then only the above $5000.00 should be money paid on behalf of the Financier and the Financier should enter into agreement with you acknowledging receipt of the amount with definite date or immediate possession of the house. In all circumstances the check may not be drawn in favor of the financier. The check should be signed by the President and the Secretary because Brahmananda and Satsvarupa are the main support for purchasing the house and Kīrtanānanda is supplement to this from his kitchen department. The money and society is yours. You can spend in any way but it is my duty to give you guidance as ever well wisher. You should send me a copy of the resolution you will make in this connection in the meeting of the Trustees. Please note that I have already advised the Bank to transfer $5000.00 in the account of the Society and have sent them the Pass Book as desired by Brahmananda. Pray to Krishna for your successful transaction and I hope when I go to New York next I shall enter the new house forthwith. Please send me a copy of the agreement entered. With my blessings, I am yoursEver well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda, Satsvarupa, Rayarama, Gargamuni, Rupanuga, Donald **Date:** March 28th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Brahmananda, Satsvarupa, Rayram, Gargamuni, Rupanuga, Donald, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of the 24th March 1967 and previous to this I received one copy of the letter addressed to M/s. Willium Alfred White Inc. I have replied Mr. Goldsmith's letter also giving him the whole history of the cheating business. It is understood that Mr. Goldsmith says the hope of getting back the money is very slim. Under the circumstances there is no need of pushing good money for the bad. $6000.00 has already become bad money and therefore no more good money should be spent after this. Forget the chapter. Take it for granted that Krishna has taken away this money from you for your deliberate foolishness. In future be very cautious and abide by the orders of Krishna. If you abide by the orders of Krishna, He can give you thing that you may need. Be cheerful and chant Hare Krishna without any lamentation. As I have told you several times that my Guru maharaj used to say that this world is not a fit place for gentleman. His version is corroborated by the following verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is said like: Yasya asti bhagavati akincana bhaktiSarvai gunais tatra samasate suraHarav abhaktasya kuto mahat gunaManorathena asato dhavato bahi."A person who is not in Krishna consciousness has no good qualifications. However so called gentleman one may be or academically educated he may be he is hovering over the mental plane and therefore he must commit nuisance being influenced by the external energy. A person who has however unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead has all the good qualifications of the demigods." In other words you should not keep your trust on so called gentlemen of the world however nicely dressed he may be. In the matter of discharging our mission of Krishna consciousness we have to meet so many so called gentlemen but we must be very cautious for dealing with them as we are cautious in dealing with serpents. I have taken quotation from good printing houses in San Francisco for Gitopanisad and it is estimated to cost about $11000.00 for five thousand copies case bound and golden title. I will have $5000.00 from here and shall be glad to know how much you can contribute so that I can take up the work. I wish that you may contribute the balance either by selling my books (Srimad-Bhagavatam) or by raising funds. Over. ### Letter to Carl E. Maxwell-Payne **Date:** February 17th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco > Carl E. Maxwell-Payne William Alfred White Inc.513 Avenue of the Americans New York 11. N.Y Dear Mr. Payne, I thank you very much for your letter of February 14, 1967 and I have received the copies of your schemes which did not fructify. From a letter of Mr. William J. Taylor dated January 20, 1967 it appears that he authorized you for first mortgage negotiation and I do not know how Mr. Taylor's Lawyer can change this arrangement. I can also understand from your letter and other sources that so far you have not been able to secure any financial assistance with any tangible hope. You have also hinted in your letter under reply that I may try here some possibility of money source. Of course my students here raised fund by one scheme of dancing a fund of $4000.00 since I have come here and they have spent in different items almost all the fund. But they cannot take up the matter seriously unless there is fact. It may be possible to raise fund in that way if we have got actual sale-contract from Mr. Taylor on legal standing. It is understood from letters of Brahmananda that the Lawyer of Mr. Taylor has now agreed to convey the title of the property on cash down payment of $105,000. I think you should get a sale contract on this basis and take maximum time, not less than, three months for final payment. If required you can pay earnest money at most $750.00 which you have on our behalf. If there is sale contract, my students here and in New york will be able to raise the fund very seriously. In the absence of any sale contract everything appears to be in the air and Mr. Taylor or his lawyer can change his word as he has already done. I think that is the best solution of the present deadlock. I am forwarding a copy of the letter to my students in New York. Hope you are well. With regards, Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to "Children" at New York **Date:** July 26th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban Dear "children" at New York, Please accept my blessings. We had a very nice plane ride here to New Delhi, although it took somewhat longer than we had anticipated. We arrived in London on schedule Sunday morning, and Kīrtanānanda gave me a massage, and then I took shower bath and rested until afternoon. We boarded the plane for Moscow and no more than we got in our seats, when it was announced that due "to health regulation" there would be a short delay—the delay, however, turned out to be some 16 hours. It seem that someone on the plane when it came into London had smallpox, so the plane was quarantined until it could be thoroughly fumigated. So they put us up for the night in the "Excelsior" Hotel, which was something like a dream palace, complete with air conditioning, TV, Hi-Fi, swimming pool and everything else. We had a nice meal and slept very nicely. We boarded the plane for the second time the next morning at nine a.m. and took off for Moscow shortly thereafter, and arrived at that bastion of propaganda about three hours later. We had an hour stop there, so we got off the plane just to take a walk. We were met by a "friendly guard" and informed that they would keep our passport until we returned to the plane, and then "guided" down the corridor to the terminal. Unlike London or New York, there was no hustle or bustle at the terminal, nor were there many people—and it was very quiet! The only remarkable features were the propaganada pictures and the many racks of free books and literatures. We were glad to get back on the plane and start for Delhi. The flight from Moscow to Delhi took about 8 hours, and when we arrived it was about midnight local time, and when we stepped out of the plane I KNEW IT WAS INDIA! It was like walking into a solid wall of HEAT. But that's what I've been wanting, and it felt good to me. Some friends were there to meet us, so after clearing customs we drove into town, where we stayed (and are presently) at a Radha Krishna Temple near Kashmiri Gate. Today I have consulted with two Ayur Vedic physicians, one of whom is famous in these quarters, and they conclude that my trouble is with my heart, but that all danger is past, and that I will be just fine, provided I follow simple regulative measures with my diet and work. I also have been given some medicine, so we shall see how Krishna desires. Tomorrow, Krishna willing, we will go to Vrindaban, where you can send mail to me. I have played the record a number of times here, and when they hear it they think it is wonderful. I am very anxious—even more than ever—for our American House in Vrindaban. I always said that if I could get the American boys and girls to take up this movement the rest of the world would join. Now my theory is being proved. So now I am depending on you all to carry on this great mission in my absence; chant and hear, and Krishna will bless you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** October 13th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of Oct. 9. I am very sorry to hear that Kirtanananda is advising you to give up the robes and the flags on the head. Please stop this nescience as I never instructed Kirtanananda to act like that. I am not at all satisfied with this action of Kirtanananda. Kirtanananda has no right to instruct you in that way, without consulting me. People are being attracted to the chanting of Hare Krishna & not to Kirtanananda's devices. Kirtanananda suggested to me when he was here that the Americans do not like the robes & flag. I told him personally if you think that Americans in great numbers will follow you, simply for not having robes & flag, I therefore advised him to drop for a few days in London & test this theory. But he has gone directly to N.Y. & is now causing these disturbances without consulting me. I have not sanctioned these methods. In my opinion, Clean shaved Brahmacharies & Grhasthas in saffron robes look like angels from Baikunta. Translation of prayers into English is good & if somebody dresses like nice American gentleman without any robes, I have no objection; but every one of my disciples must have the flag & marks of tilak on forehead. This is essential. Besides that, nobody should do anything without my sanction. I am very sorry to hear Kirtanananda, without doing anything practical, changes his ideas constantly. He was first man in our society to take the robes shave cleanly, & take flag & now he is changing his position. You have asked me to tell you whether you are right or carry one by the following the foolish advice of Kirtanananda, & I say straight that Kirtanananda is wrong and you are right when you say that the movement will come to nothing if I am not satisfied with your actions. You have written to say that a devotee can do anything for Lord Krishna; this is right provided such action is sanctioned directly by Krishna or his Bona fide representative. The idea of film making is very good & any propaganda medium can be utilized for Krishna Consciousness. In future if you get opportunity we can produce many films of life of Lord Caitanya, scenes from Bhagavad-gita & Srimad-Bhagavatam. Your plan to remain in Boston till March and then start for N.Y. for film opportunities is quite approved by me. Thank you for your energetic enthusiasm. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Dayananda **Date:** July 22nd 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Dayananda, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to read your letter of appreciation for my services, and I can understand that you are making good strides in Krishna Consciousness. May Krishna bless you more and more so that your ambition to preach Krishna Consciousness may be successfully carried out. Both you and your wife, Nandarani, are very intelligent, and I have several times received her letters, and she is also making very good progress. It is the Grace of Lord Krishna that He has put me in contact with so many rare souls who are taking Krishna Consciousness in all seriousness, and I am confident that in the future all my student boys and girls will preach this Krishna Consciousness in the western world more successfully. Due to my indifferent health, for the time being I am going to India; and even if I cannot come back, I will work for an American house there so all you transcendental children can come there and learn and be strong enough to preach this cult for the benefit of all the human society. I thank you very much for your appreciation. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Dayananda, Nandarani, Uddhava **Date:** September 20th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi > Los Angeles My dear Dayananda, Nandarani and Uddhavadas, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter post dated the 8th instant and I am very glad to note the contents. I was very much anxious to get the new address of our new center in Los Angeles and now I am pleased that our desire is fulfilled by the Grace of Lord Krishna. Your specific duty is to chant and hear the transcendental Name of the Lord, read some passages from my English version of the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Srimad Bhagavad-gita (Gitopanisad) and explain them as far as possible you have heard from me. Any devotee who has developed genuine Love for Krishna can also explain the truth about Krishna because Krishna helps such sincere devotee seated in his heart. Every one must be frustrated who is not Krishna conscious because the eternal relationship with Krishna is so nice. That eternal relationship with Krishna can be revived simply by chanting His Holy Name in right earnest. I understand from your letter that the situation in Los Angeles is different from San Francisco or New York, in the matter of communications. But the flavor of Krishna consciousness is so far-reaching that it will go far and wide if we chant with devotion. After all Krishna is the master of all situations. In the beginning you may feel some difficulty but rest assured that Krishna is always with you and he will help you in all respects. I understand also that you are very much anxious for my return to your country and I am also equally anxious to return and see you again. So far my health is concerned I am definitely improving in my health but if I work a little hard or walk a little more I feel tired. Unfortunately there is no good typewriter here and this letter I am typing my self. Acyutananda is not fast typewriter and Kīrtanānanda is going back to London tomorrow. I have advised him to start a centre in London positively and after a month Rayarama will join him from Boston. Kīrtanānanda has experience to start a new centre and therefore I have entrusted him with this great task. I hope he will be successful there as I have given him one important letter of introduction for London. Please pray to the Lord that he may be successful. I have heard from friends that the climate of Los Angeles is warmer. For my health I require warmer climate. Whatever improvement is made here in the matter of my health it is all due to warm climate. As such I shall be pleased to know about Los Angeles with special reference to its climatic conditions. Encouragement to the dead souls in the western countries is to inform them that God is not dead. He is not only alive but also we can go and live with Him face to face. The Bhagavad-gita gives us this specific information and one who goes there in the Kingdom of God would never come back to this miserable material world. There is no need of artificial talents. One has to serve Krishna sincerely with whatsoever talent one may have. Guidance of the Spiritual Master and sincere service to the Lord will give us all strength in the science of Krishna. The Tiloks on the forehead and other parts of the body are symbolic representation of Radha Krishna Temples. In other words by marking Tiloks on all parts of our body we become protected by the Lord from all sides. Besides Tilok marking at once makes one known as Vaisnavas therefore they are necessary as much as the beads. Hope you are well and shall be glad to hear from you. Yours ever well wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Devananda **Date:** September 27th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Devananda, Please accept my blessings. Your nice letter with deep regard for Guru is quite appropriate. Guru and Krishna are two parallel lines on which the spiritual express runs very smoothly. In the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said "Guru Krsna prasade paya bhakti lata bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]." By the Grace of Guru one gets Krishna and by the Grace of Krishna one gets a bona fide Guru. Therefore Krishna consciousness means staunch faith both in Guru and Krishna. One minus the other is no good for the devotee. So your faith in the principles of devotion to Guru will certainly help you more and more Krishna. Do not ever try to approach Krishna directly. Anyone who talks of Krishna without service to Guru will not be successful. So your faith in Guru and Krishna simultaneously will help you to become crowned with success in the progressive march in Krishna consciousness. Do not be worried, be situated in the present aptitude and everything will be clear. ACB ### Letter to Devotees **Date:** March 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear devotees, I am aware that you are feeling my absence just as I am feeling the absence from you. But in the meantime this must be so and Krishna will provide for you as long as you keep chanting Hare Krishna. I want to see each and every one of you, so I am asking Mukunda to arrange my visits since he has volunteered to render this service. If any of you have any particular points you wish to discuss with me, please have Mukunda make an appointment with me for you. I am always at your service. If you chant always Hare Krishna, read my books, and preach this philosophy sincerely, then Krishna will provide you with all facility, and you will not fall down into material entanglement. AffectionatelyYour ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** January 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Gargamuni, Since I have come here I did not hear from you. Hope you are doing well with full cooperation of your elderly God brothers. Did you go to your mother along with Brahmananda? I hope she is alright now. I have already transferred $5000.00 to the A/c of International Society for Krishna Consciousness Inc. Checks should be drawn with full deliverance. Have you transferred $200.00 to my account instead of sending the check to Mr. Altman? I have already sent you instructions in this connection. Shall be glad to hear from you. Hope you are well. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. Up to date I have only 5 tapes with me. Please let me know how many you counted altogether ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** October 19th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Gargamuni, Please accept my blessings. I was very glad to receive your letter dated Oct. 13. I congratulate you for your successful dealing with your good brother, Sriman Brahmananda, against His falling back a prey to Kīrtanānanda's recent propaganda. To save a man from impersonal calamity is the greatest service to humanity. I also thank Rupanuga & Rayarama for helping you in your very laudable action. Brahmananda is very pure at heart. He might have been misled by Kīrtanānanda for the time being but Krishna did not allow him to fall back. According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord is full in six opulences & the rascal impersonalists says that the Lord has no form & the most dangerous accusation for the Lord that He assumes a material form when he descends. The Impersonalist is of the opinion that the absolute has no form & He appears in a particular type of form according to the whim of nonsense; The impersonalist presents any form nonsensical by his imagination & worships it as God. This accusation of the Lord is the greatest offense of the nonsense impersonalist. Such offender can never realize the transcendental form of the Lord & the Lord puts such nonsense into more & more darkness so that the dangerous impersonalist can never know the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I do not believe that Kīrtanānanda has gone to such an extent of ailing situation but if he does not rectify himself immediately his future is very dark. If he is sincere in his concept of impersonal Absolute he should enter into correspondence with me & I shall refute all his arguments; but I understand that he could not answer you even when you hit him with some questions. I shall request that you save this poor creature from impersonal calamity. You will be glad to know that I've already secured my visitors visa for going to U.S.A. & I am advised by travel agent to book my seat conveniently. I am going to Navadvipa, the birth place of Lord Caitanya next with Acyutananda & Ramanuja. My next mailing address is; c/o Sri Caitanya Saraswat Math, Kolergunge, P.O. Navadvipa. District Nadia. W.B., India. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisherA.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** November 13th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Gargamuni, Please accept my blessings! I am in due receipt of your letter dated Nov. 8, 1967. You have written to say that your wife and you have a problem on which you require my help. The whole world, beginning with the highest planet to the lowest in this material world is facing this problem. Combination of husband and wife is a necessary satisfaction of the sex urge. The foolish people see everyday this problematic situation, still they are not intelligent enough to avoid it. Training of brahmacari life is especially meant for this purpose, and a student is advised not to indulge in sex life just to avoid these problems. It is very difficult to satisfy a woman by a person who has no good income, neither very good health. The woman as a class wants sufficient means to eat, and decorate and at the same time full satisfaction of sex. Any husband who cannot satisfy his wife by these three items, namely sufficient food, sufficient dress and ornament, and sufficient satisfaction of sex, must meet all these problems. And as soon as one becomes engaged in solving these problems it is very difficult to make any progress in Krishna Consciousness. If one is serious to make any success in the matter of Krishna Consciousness, one should avoid the association of woman as far as possible. Married life is a sort of license to the incapable man who cannot avoid sex life. On this statement, you can understand your real position. I do not agree with your wife's statement that New York is unfit for human habitation. A real Krishna Conscious person can adjust things nicely even in hell. A fully Krishna Conscious person is always in transcendental position and he is not afraid of any place which is so called, unfit for human habitation. A Krishna Conscious person is always satisfied whether in Vaikuntha or in hell. His satisfaction is not the particular place but his sincere service attitude towards Krishna. I have no objections if your wife and you go to San Francisco and live there peacefully as man and wife concentrating your attention for Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** February 3rd 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Gargamuni, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter with enclosures and have seen the balance sheet. I have seen also the check account. Thank you very much. I think you are now expert account keeper may Krishna bless you for talents and sincere endeavour for service of the Lord. The more you serve the more you become expert in everything. Now you should become little cautious to sign checks. At least $6000.00 now should always remain in the Bank without fail. Expenditure should be met with from balance above $6000.00. In other words this should be the deadline for drawing check. I had talk with your brother Brahmananda yesterday on the dial. I am glad that Mr. Payne has promised to return the amount $750.00 in case no sale contract is made. But any case you should not pay any farthing more than what you have already paid either to the Lawyer or to Mr. Payne unless there is actual sale contract is made. It appears to me very gloom about the transaction because there was no basic understanding before the payment of $1000.00 either to the Lawyer or to the Real estate. This is not businesslike. Unless there is no basic understanding where is the way of transaction. If there was no basic understanding why so much waste of time and energy I cannot understand. And if there was basic understanding why it is changed so quickly. I am therefore perturbed in the mind. When there was no basic understanding what was the need for appointing Lawyer. Anyway it is my advice that you should consult me before issuing any further money. But I hope you will make the transaction successful without further delay. I hope you are duly receiving my tapes and Sriman Neal has no difficulty for typing. Today also I have received one tape from you and I have sent you five tapes in three days hope you have received them duly. Please consult the Dictaphone supplier why the it stops sometime while working. It appears that it clogs either for the tape or for the machine. Please let me know what is to be done. Does the tape or the machine require to be cleaned. So far the machine is concerned it is brand new and there is no need of cleaning the machine. But if the tapes are to be cleaned how it is to be done. Please consult the gentleman who supplied the machine and let me know the instruction. If there is cleaning instruction either of the tape or some part of the machine how it is to be done and what are mediums please let me know in detail. I am also sending the pass book under separate post please find and do the needful. A letter for Neal is also enclosed herewith please find. I hope you have all received all my other letters. Please send me regularly the Mango juice (dry) and Papad made by Bedekar with spices. I hope Kīrtanānanda has already arrived destination. I shall be glad to hear from him. Hope you are all well and performing Kirtana regularly. Kīrtanānanda has learned one tune to be sung in the morning which please practice as far as possible. Brahmananda must attend his office timely so that he may not be called for explanation or reprimanded. Now Kīrtanānanda is there and I think there will be no difficulty in the management. I have received the cover of the record and hope to receive the records as early as possible. Thanking you all for your sincere service to the Lord. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure: 1 ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** February 10th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Gargamuni, Please accept my blessings. I have already informed you that the Dictaphone is clogging at the last stage from point 25. Is it due to the tape or the machine? Please let me know what to do. Also please pay the rent of Ranchor's apartment since he is here. I hope you are well. ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** February 11th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Gargamuni, I am anxious to hear from you about the clogging of the tapes in dictaphone. Please ask the supplier why it is clogging at the end say from .25 to .30 situation. How to solve this problem. Please let me know. I have now only one tape with me and what about the others. I shall be glad to hear from you. ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** February 21st 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Gargamuni, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your statement. It appears that you have $5,823.04 in the treasury. You can therefore deposit $5,700.00 to my account by transfer advice. Since Neal is not available here, I am sending the recorded tapes to New York for typing as you have the Dictaphone there. I am also returning the letter of authority to the shipping company duly signed by me. There is some defect in microphone also of the dictaphone. What is to be done. The dictaphone seller does not appear to be very honest. When I inquired they told that it should be taken to some local dealers and when it is repaired they say that they are not going to pay for the labor. So if there is any defect, has it to be sent to New York at their expense? You can send the sets of Bhagavatam keeping there two sets only. And the sets which you have already sold, proceeds may be deposited in my account. Mr. Altman has not got to be paid this month because as soon as I hear from you that you have transferred the amount to my account I shall send $200.00 to India for purchase of harmonium. ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** February 24th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Gargamuni, I hope you have duly received my former letter. I have asked the Bank to forward $100.00 to Montreal from my account knowing that you may not have sufficient money in the society's account. Have you transferred the amount to my account. I am very much anxious to know if the goods from India Mrdanga etc have been already received by you. Please let me know as soon as you receive them. Hope you are all well. With my blessings. ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** June 14th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Gargamuni, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 12 1967 and I am glad that you are being assisted by an accountant friend. I quite appreciate your endeavor, and I think the process suggested by your friend in keeping account will save much of your time. I'm glad that you are figuring trial balance every day. This is very nice. I shall be glad to see one of such trial balance—how you are doing. So far my health is concerned, I am improving daily, but due to my weakness sometimes I feel dizziness. Your prayer and all other boys' prayers has saved me and I hope to render some service to you all for some more years. Please pray to Krishna and He will give us strength and energy in every respect. Thanking you once more. Hope you are well. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** September 15th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Gargamuni, Please accept my blessings. I was very much anxious about your illness, but I've received news from Brahmananda that you are improving. Now whatever condition it may be I advise you to take rock candy as much as possible always keep a piece in your mouth. So far as eating is concerned, take ripe papaya as much as you can, also if possible boil green papaya, this will be your diet and medicine. Besides this take sufficient rest and chant Hare Krishna; so long as we have got this material body we have to undergo these situations, if we increase our love for Krishna we shall be able to get out of this maya. People who therefore not exerting to improve Krishna Consciousness are simply wasting there valuable time and human life. Their human life is a chance to be out of the entanglements of material bodies. We get material bodies according to our activities, doggish men get the bodies of dogs in the next life, men in Krishna Consciousness get bodies like Krishna, so developed consciousness of human life is to concentrate of Krishna Consciousness so that we may be out of the clutches of material entanglement. These truth should be preached all over the world and those who are intelligent enough will take to Krishna Consciousness very seriously. You will be cured very soon rest assured, but after you get out of this diseased condition please keep fit with regular habits at least once a day take your bath and timely eat drink and sleep. Now you are married man you have got facility for sex life, but also this should be regulated. Increased Krishna Consciousness will reduce the propensity of sense gratification and too much sense gratification is the cause of obtaining material bodies. So there may not be bodily disturbance it is necessary to maintain a regulated life and easily prosecute our Krishna Consciousness. I shall pray to Krishna for your quick recovery. ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** September 23rd 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Gargamuni, Please accept my greetings on your recovery from illness. I was so much anxious for your illness. Now I am relieved that you have come back from Hospital. I am also glad that you are doing your work for the Society nicely. My blessings for Karunamayi also. By separate post I am sending my Pass book, which may be presented as and when required. Where is Rayarama? He may take back from Kīrtanānanda the letter of introduction to Miss D.C. Bowtell and may go to London as it was previously arranged. I entrusted this matter to Kīrtanānanda but he has disobeyed which has given me a shock. Once he disobeyed my order and we lost $1200.00 in connection with Mr. Payne. This time he has again disobeyed me. If he sets such example in the Society it will be a great impediment. Obedience is the first law of discipline. We are thinking of a great world wide organization which is not possible to be executed if there is disobedience. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** August 24th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban Dear Gurudasa, Please accept by blessings. I am so much pleased to receive your letter of 8/16/67, and it has given me much encouragement for your being advanced in K.C. Sincere souls who are engaged in the service of Lord Krishna are benedicted by the Lord by revelation. Sri Krishna, His Name, Form, Entourage, Paraphernalia and Pastimes are not material; they are purely spiritual. Therefore, in the beginning they are not appreciated by our materially conditioned senses, but as we go on chanting Hare Krishna with service mood and attitude, the Name, Qualities, etc., become revealed as Reality. For the Unbeliever Krishna and His Name etc are fictitious, but those who are advanced in K.C. realize that K.C. is pure and eternal. I am very glad that you are gradually realizing these truths. I very much appreciate your attempt for a photo book of the Sankirtana movement. I have cent percent support for your noble attempt, and I am sure Hayagriva will be able to help you in this respect as he has so many facts at his disposal. I shall try to send some photo. I am pleased to learn that you are teaching Spanish people English to help the mission. And you are worthy to become V.P. of our S.F. branch. Regarding Yamuna, your wife, I've got a very great regard, because she is very sincere girl. I'm sure you should feel fortunate to have such a wife. Please offer my blessings to her, and always cooperate with your wife in the service of the Lord. You'll be happy eternally. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna **Date:** May 5th 1967 — **Location:** New York > San Francisco My dear Guru das and Yamuna, I am very much pleased to receive your writing and short letter dated 25th April, 1967. Please accept my blessings. I hope you are living very peacefully and chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. I am very much pleased to see your good handwriting. I shall therefore request you to utilize your talent in the service of Krishna. I think if you write Hare Krishna Hare Krishna in the same style as you have sent me one specimen, on bigger type on canvas, say 30 inches by 20 inches in color or black and white, it would be a very good engagement for you and at the same time we can utilize those sign boards hanging in nice places. So if you have got time you can prepare immediately such signboards Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare, as you have sent me the specimen, on canvas. Make the canvas colored bluish Krishna color and write Hare Krishna in white. It will be very nice. I have very good appreciation for both of you, Guru das and Yamuna, you are 2 good souls, now you have combined. Live peacefully, chant Hare Krishna and be happy in your life. Thanking you, Ever your well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** August 15th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 8/9/67, and I have noted the contents carefully, and I can see that you are a little disturbed in mind. Don't be. Everything will be all right, by Krishna's Grace; we are Krishna's property, but now we are seated in these bodies of maya, so it is sure that from time to time there will be disturbances—just like I am experiencing now. So don't worry about it, just go on chanting Hare Krishna and engage your energy for Krishna in the best way open to you. I am also very happy to learn that Himavati is going to have a baby. A child is a rare gift given by Krishna, but at the same time a great responsibility; every parent has the responsibility to see that his child grows up K.C. I know that you understand this, and will always make Krishna the center of your home. Now as to what you should do: there are a number of courses of action open to you. First of all, you are a family man, and usually at this point a man must think about providing for his wife and child. So if you like you can take a job in N.Y. or elsewhere and settle as an ordinary householder, like Rupanuga and others; or, if you prefer, you can continue to work within the Temple, either at Montreal or wherever there is sufficient space to accommodate you. But you must think of your health. I had already noticed a deterioration when I was in N.Y., and now you say it has gotten worse. That is not good, and you must correct it. So do the needful. Above all don't be worried. Krishna will help you. If it is necessary to go to work in order to maintain you wife and family nicely, Krishna will give you all support necessary. At any rate, I shall be back by the end of October, and then everything will be all right. ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** October 13th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of Oct. 5. "Money is the honey" goes so far as it is employed for Krishna consciousness. The body is undoubtedly a material vehicle but when it acts for Krishna Consciousness it becomes spiritualized. By the grace of Krishna material energy can be transformed to spiritual energy & spiritual energy is never deteriorated. To be in Krishna Consciousness means to be in Spiritual energy. More in my next. Hope you are well. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Harsarani **Date:** April 22nd 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Srimati Harsarani, Please accept my blessings. I have duly received your bags for the beads and thank you very much. I hope you are __ Kirtana nicely and feeling transcendental happiness. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls. Hope to hear from you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** May 6th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. You have nicely done ____ Lord Caitanya Drama 1st Act. It is nicely done literature but when playing you will have to make it cut short otherwise it will take too long a time. I have given it over to Rayarama for reading. Rayarama has arranged for a press. We can now work our own press. So Back To Godhead and our books now can be printed in this press by our own men. I think you should now come back and see the printing work done nicely. You will hear more from Rayarama. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** May 10th 1967 > Sriman Hayagriva Brahmachary518 Frederick Street San Francisco, California 94117Twenty-Six Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10003Telephone: 674 7428Acharya: Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta Trustees: Larry Bogart James S. Greene Carl Yeargans Raphael Balsam Robert Lefkowitz Raymond Marais Stanley Moskowitz Michael Grant Harvey Cohen My dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to inform you that it has now been arranged that Geetopanisad shall be now printed in India and therefore you are requested to send me back all the corrected forms of manuscripts on receipt of this letter. Besides that Back to Godhead is now to be printed in our semiown press so I think you should now come back to New York to see the work nicely done. Awaiting your early reply and early compliance. Hope you are all well. With my blessing for all Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** May 21st 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter. I understand that some girls have volunteered to type and therefore you can now get the revised Gitopanisad nicely and correctly typed before it is handed over to the press. I am advising Rayarama to send you the sixth and seventh chapter for editing and I shall take with me the balance for re-editing and Typing. I am reaching San Francisco by the Second week of June 1967. Hope you are well. ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** June 10th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. Although I am practically on the path of death, still I cannot forget about my publications. I wish that if I live or die you should take very serious care for my publications. Immediately I want to send Gitopanisad to Japan for publication. The complete fair copy of Gitopanisad has to be submitted. I hope you have completed fair copies of at least seven chapters. The balance are typed from the dictaphone, and there does not appear to be any possibility of their being edited here, so I think you have to do it. After sending fair copies of what you have done already you will have to edit the dictaphone copies. The original verse [Sanskrit] is to be taken from Dr. Radhakrishnan's edition, and the word to word English equivalent, as well as the translation and purport is to be found already on the dictaphone copies. The only thing you have to do is to place them properly and to make the complete fair copy. I am thinking of going to San Francisco just after getting some strength, which I hope I will get by the end of the month; but in case I cannot go, you have to do it carefully, and send it to Japan. Please, therefore, let me know whether you'll do it. If you say yes, then I will send you the dictaphone copies for doing the needful. This will give me great relief, and I am expecting a reply as soon as possible. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** June 25th 1967 > Twenty-Six Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10003Telephone: 674 7428Acharya: Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta Trustees: Larry Bogart James S. Greene Carl Yeargans Raphael Balsam Robert Lefkowitz Raymond Marais Stanley Moskowitz Michael Grant Harvey Cohen My dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your new record which you have sent, and I have enjoyed it like anything, especially your speech on the essay of "Krishna the Chariot Driver." I can understand from the essay that Krishna, from within your heart, is giving you good intelligence, so that you could write so nice an essay. I'm very glad to hear it. Think seriously of Krishna Consciousness, be sincere, and Krishna will give you all necessary instruction. I have every hope that in the future you can be a good preacher for Krishna Consciousness in the Western World. I have fixed up to come to San Francisco on the 5th of July, but everything remains on the Supreme Will of the Absolute Person: man proposes, God disposes. So far my health is concerned, generally it is improving, but sometimes I feel too weak. I hope that by another week, however, that I will get sufficient strength to fly over to San Francisco. Regarding the Chinmaya publication of Bhagavata, it is not required by our students for the following reasons:1. It is published by an association who are thoroughly atheistic. According to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Buddhists are called atheist because they do not accept the authority of the Vedas; but the impersonalists, who under the cover of Vedic knowledge deny the Personality of Godhead, are greater atheists than the Buddhists. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said that any version by the impersonalists is so dangerous that it can create havoc to the readers.2. We are not concerned with the stories of Srimad Bhagwatam. The book which you have sent is quite nice in abridging the stories of Bhagwatam, but there is no profit simply by knowing these stories. We must know the philosophy of Srimad Bhagwatam, and if one can understand the first verse of the Srimad Bhagwatam janmadyasa be becomes a great learned man in Vedic knowledge. All the great Acharyas have tried to elucidate Bhagwatam very elaborately; they never tried to abridge it; so we are trying to explain Srimad Bhagwatam elaborately, and students interested in Bhagwatam may purchase our books and try to understand it without any attempt to try and know the stories. Regarding the Chaitanya Charitamrita, we want to make a concise edition, and you can do it even without permission from the translator. But I request you not to divert attention at the present moment. Let us finish Geetopanishad and a few more parts of Srimad Bhagwatam. We have already made "Teachings of Lord Chaitanya," which contains all the essence of Chaitanya Charitamrita. Regarding the missing page of Geetopanishad, I am very sorry that in spite of your repeated demands for this, Rayarama has not sent it; so I have instructed Brahmananda today to do it immediately, and also Kīrtanānanda to have a copy sent from Montreal. One way or another I trust you will get it immediately. I understand that you have selected a nice house for me in Savastapol, which is 56 miles north of San Francisco; but I do not know how we shall meet together. I require to meet you at least a few minutes each day, so that you can finish the editorial work. Anyway, we shall see about making some arrangement when we come. I thank you very much that you are nicely conducting classes, and I am very happy that the boys and girls are nicely chanting Hare Krishna, which I can understand from the tune of the record. I can simply pray to Krishna for the advance of you all in Krishna Consciousness for the benefit of individual persons and the world at large. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** July 21st 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I have arranged to start for India tomorrow by Air India, and Kīrtanānanda is accompanying me. Krishna willing, we shall reach Delhi next Monday morning. I am trying for your free passage, and have written another letter to the managing director of Scindia Co., and I hope it will be successful. When you come to India, you'll take my trunk and whatever packages I leave labelled in my room. Also, you should take either the tape recorder I have here, or one which Mr. Kallman will supply. Finally, there is the big Royal typewriter, which you must pack nicely and bring. I shall let you know my arrival news from India. Hope this will find you all right. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** August 29th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to receive your first letter to me in India. So far Gita is concerned, please get it completed as soon as possible; it must be published now, either by a publisher or by ourselves. There is a bag in my apartment in which all the old mss. are there, and besides that there is in my closet (the key is with Brahmananda) a cloth bundle in which you will find carbon copies; and I think also there are some carbon copies with Rayarama. Please find the missing verses there, and if not, I shall do it again. Regarding separation, you may know that I am also feeling ____ it is all Krishna's design that we can not separate ________ transcendental field, the feeling of separation is more __ feeling of meeting. Physically I am trying to go back to your states as soon as possible. I have got a fancy for your country, and being inspired by that, I first went to your country, and still I feel that way. I am improving, although slowly; but I am eating and sleeping better than in N.Y. Regarding your speculation as to whether or not you should accept a position: Krishna wants that everyone should utilize his talent as far as possible. Arjuna was a great fighter, and Krishna encouraged him to fight. He never said that he should sit down and I shall do it for you, although He was able to. The principle should be that we utilize our talents for the service of the Lord. That is real sannyasa. Formal acceptance of sannyasa, as required for all old men, means that one should retire from materialistic life, and devote his time and energy for the service of the Lord. As you are devoted already to the service of the Lord, without any personal consideration, you are always sannyasa at heart. Now if you can get some money for our cause of K.C. I think it will be a great service. Furthermore so far as kirtana is concerned, there is no possibility of stopping it in any circumstance. Wherever you accept service you can also organize a center very nicely. A teacher's position is always influential; so your sincere effort for kirtana may be followed by some of your students and co-workers. This means that your sincere service will be utilized more fruitfully among educated people. At the same time your good editorial work will also continue, so I think you may accept a position like that. I am so glad to learn that you have sacrificed your long beard and hair. I have forgotten your mother's address, or I would have informed her of your action, and I think she would have liked it very much. Anyway, you must have reduced your age considerably by sacrificing this "maya," and now you must look like a very nice young gentleman. I have received one letter from Acyutananda that he is coming here on the 1st. I will send Kīrtanānanda to receive him at Delhi. I am also scheduled to go to Delhi on the 5th; so after Acyutananda's arrival, if he likes to stay for some days in Vrindaban, I will make arrangements with Swami Bon (who as you know has offered free room and board and tuition to any interested student), or he can accommodate __ three of us will do some traveling about India __ for the society. Since we have this good arrangement with the Inst. for Oriental Philos., I think we may not for the time being open such a center in the states. I am also going to Bombay to try and induce the managing director to give us some concession on the Scindia Line. I repeat once more, that I am also feeling your separation, and I am trying to return as soon as possible. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** September 27th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your letter of the 24th instant and have noted the contents. Regarding Gitopanisad I have already informed to send the manuscript one copy to the following address namelyTo Sri Hitsaran Sharma C/o Dalmia Enterprises, Scindia House, Connaught place, New Delhi-1.I have arranged everything for the printing and so you will kindly arrange to send one copy of the manuscript without delay finished or unfinished. Whatever is to be done further in this connection I shall manage to do it personally and also fill up the missing stanzas of the 9th chapter. Please therefore send it immediately. One copy must remain there. You need not send the Mss all together but send them part by part as they are finished. I hope you will follow the instruction. Kīrtanānanda Swami prearranged with you to reach on the 24th instant but he arranged here with me that he would stop at London and I gave him one important introduction letter. Although he had in his mind not to stop at London and yet promised before me that he would go, for which I gave him extra $20.00. I cannot understand why he played with me like this. If he had no desire to go to London he would have plainly told me like that. It has certainly given me a great shock. He is one of my very faithful disciples and if he does like that how can I prosecute my programmes. I have received one post card from him from London Airport in which he writes that he is going directly to N.Y. I understand also from Umapati's letter that he has already reached New York although I have not heard anything from him from New York. It is all my misfortune. I am so glad to learn that you have secured a nice job. Please accept it and do the job very faithfully and try to inject Krishna consciousness amongst the students. I hope the Dentist's business with you has successfully been done. Your plan for starting an Indian philosophical society amongst your students is very good for propagating Krishna consciousness. Wherever you may remain please do not forget Krishna Kirtana and it will do good to you and your friends. Now I am quite fit to start for your country. The best thing would have been to go this time with a permanent Visa. Kīrtanānanda met the U.S.A. Consul general and he knows what to do in this connection. If I go with a permanent Visa it will be very nice for me. Please do the needful in cooperation with your other god brothers as also Mr. Nehru the Ambassador whom Brahmananda might have met by this time. ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** October 19th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated Oct. 3rd, sent to my Delhi address is redirected to Calcutta & therefore I have delayed in replying. We are again leaving this place for Navadvipa & you can reply there, the address you will find on the envelope. It is so nice to read your letter & the reply as to how you are always thinking for Krishna. When you write to say that "I would like very much to be teaching them Krishna Conscience instead of English" it reminds me of Lord Caitanya. For some time Lord Caitanya was conducting a Catuspati, which is a small tutorial village class run by a learned Brahmin. When Lord Caitanya was teaching grammar to his students he was explaining Krishna. There is a chapter in Sanskrit grammar which is called Dahtu, it is verbal denominations. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was explaining Dahtu as Krishna & He would continue to explain Krishna in every step. When the students felt that the teacher was crazy the Transcendental Teacher closed his class. So your desire to teach Krishna Consciousness to the students instead of English is very nice & Krishna will be bestowing his blessings upon you for your thinking in that way. From my part as I am your ever well-wisher I wish that you may preach Krishna Consciousness to the students of the entire western world. You are a sincere soul & both your mother Father are happy to see you in Krishna Consciousness. Please continue this attitude throughout your life & you will be blessed not only in this life but in your next eternal life in association with Krishna. Krishna has given you a very nice chance in the city of Wilkes-Barre Penn. & the idea of purchasing land as you have suggested is very nice. I think you can negotiate for this land immediately & the Society will be able to pay $3,000.00. After purchasing the land you can gradually develop it into an asrama by dint of your personal labor as teacher in college. From N.Y. the members may visit the place every weekend because it isn't very far away. They take a 4 or 5 hour journey every week end so a 3 hour journey is not much. If you think you shall stick to your present occupation you can seriously think of this scheme. I am already preparing for returning to U.S.A. & I have obtained visitors visa the day before yesterday. Most probably I shall take the first chance to return to USA upon my return from Navadvipa. Regarding the Gita. I fully agree with your suggestions. So far MacMillan is concerned I shall be so glad to hand over the matter to them for publication, but in case they do not do it—please negotiate with another publisher & in the mean time keep the MSS ready, at least in 2 copies. I think there is no need to employ a professional typist. Our dear typist, Satsvarupa is always ready to do this work. He has already finished my book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, & he is now free to type the Gita. So you can send it in installments & when he acknowledges receipt of first part you can send him the second, and so on. Or if possible you can hand it over to him personally, as you can conveniently arrange. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. I am booking 3 Mridangas & 4 Harmoniums to New York & one Tambura to San Francisco. ACB ### Letter to Himavati **Date:** September 23rd 1967 — **Location:** Delhi > Boston My dear Himavati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter. Please try to be steadfast in your time of pregnancy and Krishna will be pleased. Yours will be the first baby born into a KC family in America, so we must be very careful for him while he is in the womb. In SB the environment of a child in the womb is described by Narada Muni as a very awful place and after nine months when the child has developed its body and consciousness to some degree the entrapped soul begs to Lord Krishna to set me free and promises that in this life he will be a devotee. At that time the baby is allowed to be born but, unfortunately during the Kali yuga as soon as the child is come out of the womb he is in 90% of the cases he is not given any facility to further its KC. However in your case Krishna has shown this soul great mercy. The Bhagavat also says that no one should become the parent unless he can deliver the child from the clutches of death. So it is your duty to make this baby KC so that he may not have to take birth again. My advice for the present is that during your time of pregnancy you should eat very simple foods, hot or spicy foods are not to be taken and also sexual relations are forbidden. All blessings to Hansadutta and yourself. A.C. Bhaktivedanta ### Letter to Himavati **Date:** November 2nd 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Himavati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26 Oct. and I may advise you that in your pregnant condition you may not take any pungent foodstuffs. Your husband knows how to prepare nice capatis and you can take them nicely buttered. Don't be mortified with Kīrtanānanda's behavior. The present feature of Kīrtanānanda and Hayagriva are temporary manifestation of maya. They will be corrected as soon as I return. You have rightly said that he and Hayagriva came like two children and took their things from the temple. Don't you think that all this is childish activities? If Kīrtanānanda donated the candle holders and clothes to the Temple of Krishna how could he take them back for his own purpose. If they think impersonally that Krishna is present everywhere, how could they think of Krishna not being present in the New York Temple. So all their activities are befitting children; so as children commit mistakes and again reforms similarly they will be reformed in due course. After their malady of impersonalism is over. You can go on with you regular classes, chanting Hare Krishna sincerely, without taking seriously into account the childish activities of Kīrtanānanda and his friend. Leave the __ to Krishna. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Indira (Iris Mendoza), Ekayani (Esther Mendoza) **Date:** December 17th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco > My Dear Indira dasi (Iris Mendoza) and My Dear Ekayani dasi (Esther Mendoza), Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters and I am very glad to note the contents. I can understand that you have considerably advanced in Krishna Consciousness because your heart is simple. Girls and women are generally very soft hearted and they take things very easily, but then there is also chance of being misled. So you chant the Holy Name of Krishna and Krishna will keep you from being misled. Last night there was initiation ceremony in which your beads were sanctified. You'll take on string of small beads for sticking on your neck and the bigger ones you can chant according to the rules. There are 10 kinds of offenses in chanting Hare Krishna and everyone should avoid such offenses. They are listed on the paper and you can have it from Brahmananda. Krishna Consciousness is very nice, simple, and sublime. If you stick to this principle, undoubtedly you'll be happy both in this life and next life. For the present you should continue going to school because education is important. Without education nobody has any social position and all our students in Krishna Consciousness are expected to be preachers. So preachers must have sufficient education because they have to meet with so many opposing elements. Education should be continued at the same time chanting should be continued. There will be no difficulty. I am very glad to learn you are chanting 48 rounds. Actually it is all right that one should chant 64 rounds, even 16 rounds, so if one is able to chant more than 16 rounds up to 64, it is very good. You fix up your rounds. Try to increase it but never decrease it. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** January 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Jadurani, Please accept by blessings. I have heard about your good work although you did not write me. I always remember you as the nicest girl because you are so devoutly engaged in the service of Krishna. I am sure Krishna is pleased on you and He will bestow His blessings upon you. Better you accept Krishna as your Husband and He will never be unfaithful. Mundane husbands and wives never agree with one another. Because in the material world the relations are on the basis of body which is false basically. Under the circumstance how we can have the genuine thing on platform of false existence. Devote yourself therefore 24 hours in the service of Krishna and see how you feel happy in all respects. You are very good girl, because I have heard you chanting while working. It is very good and may Krishna give you more and more enlightenment. I always pray that you may be happy by our Lord's Grace. I shall be glad to hear from you. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** December 16th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I was so much happy to receive your letter Nov. 21, 1967, on my arrival. I hope in the meantime you have received my letter from Calcutta. I also hope you might have received some pictures which were sent from Calcutta. If you can, send one offset copy of the horses and chariot of Arjuna. Govinda dasi may draw a small picture of the same chariot for printing on the front page of Back to Godhead. When I left your country on the 22nd of July, I had very little hope to come back again. But Krishna informed me that I'm not going to die immediately; therefore, I have come back again to get inspiration of Krishna Consciousness from you all good souls. Although officially I am your Spiritual Master, I consider you all students as my Spiritual Master because your love for Krishna and service for Krishna teach me how to become a sincere Krishna Conscious person. Yes, as I told you before, you can send all the different varieties of pictures to every center, especially the Sankirtana picture and Radha-Krishna picture. As you asked, the Panca-tattva paintings also. I understand that there are only three persons at Boston, but each of you can work for 300 persons, so it is not the numerical strength that works, but it is Krishna Consciousness that works. A Krishna Conscious person is never tired of working and the symptoms I can see in you as you want to be overloaded with work. This is the test of how one is advancing in Krishna Consciousness. Nobody becomes tired but wants to work more and more. Your God-brother Satsvarupa also told me the same thing that he may be overloaded with typewriting work. Similarly, Govinda dasi and Gaurasundara also want to be overloaded with work. So your examples are great encouragement for an old man like me. I have got the same spirit of being overloaded with Krishna Conscious work, but physically I am not as strong as you are all young boys and girls. You can pray to Krishna that I may get your strength to serve the cause of Krishna Consciousness. Please convey my blessings to Satsvarupa and Pradyumna. Inform Satsvarupa that very soon I'm going to overload him with tapes for typing. My dictaphone is a little out of order (Gargamuni has taken charge of repairing it) and as soon as I get it back my work on Srimad-Bhagavatam will begin. At the present moment, I have got some difficulty in sleeping. I cannot sleep more than 3 hours at night, and 1 hour in day. So if it continues like that, and if I keep fit, I think I shall have ample time to work writing books. Hope you are well. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** December 23rd 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated Dec. 15 in hand. I am very glad to know that you are helping your God-brothers in Boston, just like the Queen of King Jadu. King Jadu was a very powerful King and Jadurani was his constant companion. Krishna selected to appear Himself on this earth planet, selecting the Jadu Dynasty as His Predecessors. So your help to your God-brothers just apt your nice name. Regarding your coming to San Francisco, I have no objection, but because you are only three in Boston, your absence may be felt by your other God-brothers. So if Satsvarupa agrees to leave you, you can come to S.F., otherwise, wait for the proper time. Now by Krishna's Grace, we have got many fine art students like Govinda dasi, Indira dasi, and Malati and many others. So as director of the art dept., you should organize them in one place and overflood with pictures. We require these pictures in large quantities both for selling and for decoration. So I think you should immediately organize these potential artists in one place, either in S.F. or N.Y., or wherever you like, and give daily at least one dozen pictures. You should think of this line and how we can help you and how your God-brothers can help you. I have no objection to your sending to N.Y. for the print of Panca-tattva. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** December 29th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter of Dec. 23(?), 1967, and I am glad to hear you are doing so nicely in Krishna Consciousness. Regarding your questions: This incidence is in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhismadeva, when he was lying on his arrow bed before passing away, Lord Krishna, accompanied with the Pandavas, came to see him. Ordinarily, Bhismadeva was worshipper of Lord Visnu, but he knew also that Krishna is the same Lord Visnu. When Krishna came to see Bhismadeva on his death bed, Bhismadeva remembered Krishna in His fighting feature at the battlefield of Kuruksetra. Bhismadeva wanted to see Krishna angry, he knew that Krishna was very kind upon him, but to make a front he displayed a chivalrous mood, pretending to kill Arjuna, although he knew it very well that no power in the world could kill Arjuna while he was shielded by Krishna Himself as his charioteer. Yet he tried to agitate the mind of Krishna, but Arjuna he almost killed. Actually, Krishna thought it that Bhismadeva was to see Him in His angry mood and supposed to be broken in His promise, to fulfill the desire of Bhismadeva. He got down from the chariot and took a wheel of the chariot, going forward as if to kill Bhismadeva. Bhismadeva, as soon as found Krishna in that angry mood, he gave up his fighting weapons and prepared himself for being killed by Krishna. This attitude of Krishna pleased Bhismadeva very much, and at the time of his death he recalled back the angry feature of Krishna. He was a military man so he was pleased to see Krishna in military spirit, as much as the Gopis wanted to see Krishna as the most beautiful lover. There is no difference between the attitude of the gopis and Bhismadeva in the matter of exchanging transcendental mellows between God and His devotee. Krishna can be loved in any feature and because he is absolute there is no difference to love Krishna as a military man or as a simple Gopi. During the day the two sides would battle, and at night they would visit one another's camps, just like friends, talking and eating together. Bhisma was accused of not trying hard enough to kill the Pandavas, due to affection for them. So, he said, tomorrow I will kill all five brothers, and these five special arrows I shall kill them with. For safekeeping Bhismadeva gave the five arrows to Duryodhana, who had accused Bhisma of too much affection for the Pandavas. Formerly, Duryodhana had made promise to Arjuna that he could someday ask for some favor, so Krishna, knowing all these things, sent Arjuna to Duryodhana for asking favor of giving the arrows to Arjuna. So as the promise was made, Duryodhana gave Arjuna the arrows, that night. Next day, Bhisma knew it was Krishna who arranged all this, and so he told Duryodhana, today it will be either Arjuna or I, but one of us will die. And so he fought very hard to kill Arjuna, but with Krishna as Protector, no one in world could kill Arjuna. Krishna's body was pierced, here and there, all over as you like. As military man, Bhisma had no right to shoot the chariot driver, but he knew Krishna's body is not material, and will not be harmed, so he took pleasure in piercing the body of the Lord. Bhismadeva became so pierced with arrows that he laid down and with the arrows all standing on end, all over stuck through his body. Yes, Lord Brahma and Lord Siva came and were there in the sky with many demigods, and throwing flowers. You can consult Srimad-Bhagavatam second part. The picture and contents of the article appearing in Harvard Crimson is very nice. Krishna has already recognized you as one of the prophets of this missionary work, and I approve this statement. Please go on in Krishna Consciousness and I'm sure even in my absence you will be doing nicely acting as prophet. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- P.S. I have received your Namakali wrapper. Thank you very much. ACB ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** February 10th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 7th February 1967 and have carefully noted the contents. May krishna be pleased on you more and more for your sincere service. As you are good artist so also you write good hand. Accept Krishna as your husband and He will never cheat you. He is competent to maintain any number of wife with full comforts because He is Omnipotent. So remain busy in the service of your Husband and you will be happy in this life as well as in the next. May Krishna award with His all benedictions upon you. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** March 15th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter. You have asked me something for which it is difficult to answer from such a distant place. You are grown up girl you should rather decide what to do. Fix up your mind always in Krishna and He will give you good counsel. I am sending herewith two pictures. I wish that you may enlarge one of them in painting. I like both the pictures but as an artist you can make your choice. I prefer the picture which contains all the body of Krishna on my right side. Anyway one of the pictures may be painted in three so that each branch may have one picture. I shall be glad to know how many pictures you have completed by this time. Hope you are all well by the Grace of Lord Krishna. ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** July 8th 1967 — **Location:** Stinson Beach > Calif My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 7, 1967, and as you are very much eager to see me stronger, similarly I am also very much eager to regain my former health and serve you all. On the whole I am getting strength little by little, and I hope very soon I shall be able to work. My immediate program is to open some branches and go to Montreal to install the deities. If my visa is not obtained by that time, I shall not wait for it, but shall go to Montreal and maybe I may return to India from there. When I return to India my ambition is to construct an American House at Vrindaban and get some of you boys and girls there to train for our preaching work in this part of the world. After all, I am old man. There is no certainty of my life, and at any moment I can collapse and it will not be surprising. But I wish to leave some of my spiritual children who have so kindly joined me in faith and respect so that they may work, and this philosophy of Krishna Consciousness may be broadcast all over the world. You are all educated, cultured, young boys and girls, and if you understand the philosophy it will be a great help for the suffering humanity. You have asked me how many hours you should work. Our life is dedicated to Krishna, and you should work for Him 24 hours. We have different varieties of service. For you, you should work on painting as long as you think yourself fit; don't overwork. Balance time should be spent for chanting and reading S.B. So far remembering me and Krishna, it should be simultaneous. I am your Spiritual Father, and Krishna is your Spiritual Husband. A girl can never forget either her father or her husband. In the Sastras it is said that Spiritual advance of life is achieved thru the combined mercy of the Spiritual Master and Krishna. Those who are sincere souls, Krishna helps them to have a bona fide Spiritual Master, and the bona fide Spiritual Master helps the disciple to approach Krishna. This is the process. I know you are a sincere devotee of Krishna and He will give you proper intelligence how to prosecute your present activities. I can simply pray to Krishna that He may bless you with all energy for serving Him. I am very much appreciative of your work, which you are doing for the society, and I wish you may continue to do like that. I am Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** August 22nd 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter along with Brahmananda's. Yes I am definitely improving, and I expect to return soon. In the meantime it has been decided by me to transform Kīrtanānanda into a Swami, and he may then go back to Montreal for improving the center, and for opening more centers in that country. He has no complaint now for his health, and I hope, by Krishna's Grace, he will keep well here. Please give one painting to Yogi Denkar, and charge what you like. I am so satisfied with your service for the cause of Krishna Consciousness, and I shall simply pray to Krishna for your good health, sound mind, and steady progress in the matter of K.C. Please offer my blessings to all the girls especially who are living with you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Hello Prabhus: I am thanking Krishna that I am now in good health, and enjoying Vrindaban to the fullest. I have seen so many beautiful temples-but unfortunately most of them are in very bad state of repair. We are hoping (hopeing) to get one of them for our society quarters here; I know it would be nice for you all, and I think it would be a great service to the Lord. You will be interested to know that Swamiji has initiated a very wonderful Indian boy here as our first Indian brahmachari, and he is now assisting His Divine Grace personally in every way. His name is Dinesh.love, Kirtanananda ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** September 9th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. Your letter of 8/24 contains some important questions. The six goswamis are not all eternal associates of Krishna. Only Rupa and Raghunath Goswami are eternal associates. You know there are two kinds of living entities: nityamukta or eternal associates of the Lord, and nityabaddha or eternally conditioned. This material manifestation is a chance for the eternally conditioned entities to go Back to Godhead; but when they go back there is no distinction between the two. When Krishna appears some of his eternal associates come with Him to assist Him in His different incarnational activities; and some of the living entities from conditioned life are liberated by following the footprint of Lord Krishna and His bona associates; so all the six became eternal associates of Krishna. Regarding Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, he decended from higher planet for being liberated in the association of Lord Caitanya, so his conditioned life came to an end after he contacted Lord Caitanya. The distinction between subtle and gross bodies is elementary. There are eight elements: five gross and three subtle. When a living entity has only subtle body he is considered to be a ghost, and when he has both, he is considered in full strength. To remain in subtle body in this material world is very uncomfortable. Regarding your work in the temple by painting, wherever you remain, if you are fully absorbed in your transcendental work in K.C., that place is eternally Vrindaban—It is the consciousness that creates Vrindaban. The Lord remains in the hearts of every living entity. He lives in the heart of a hog, and the hog lives in a filthy place. That does not mean that the Lord lives in a filthy place. The Lord lives always inconceivably in His transcendental abode. Similarly, a fully K.C. person lives always in the pastimes of Lord Krishna by such consciousness only. The material atmosphere is no impediment for continuing our K.C. in any circumstance. I think you may not attempt to open a center. Your duty is already fixed up. Better you remain peaceful under the protection of your god-brothers, and prosecute your transcendental avocation. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** October 13th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to receive your letter (undated). Yes I am feeling stronger. I always think of you because you are so nice in Krishna Consciousness. Several times I talk about your nice qualifications which you are employing amongst my visitors. Krishna Consciousness is always dormant in everyone's heart & it can be awakened simply by service attitude. You are already allotted a nice service & if you continue this reponsibility anywhere you live & at the same time chant at least 16 rounds a day you will do all right in any circumstances. You have written to say that I am "as hard as the thunderbolt & softer than a rose" is quite right in the line of Krishna Consciousness. I am very sorry to inform you that Kīrtanānanda is playing the part of a foolish man after his return to N.Y. & it is necessary for me to play the part of a thunderbolt for his nonsense activities. He has unnecessarily instructed something to Damodara which is not sanctioned by me. Since he has developed this nonsensical attitude so much so that he is dictating something which is not sanctioned by me, all his instructions should be neglected. Please inform this to all centers. Krishna can be present simultaneously everywhere. He lives in His abode Vaikuntha & still he is all pervading. Krishna is never limited by space & time, therefore he can manifest Himself in Casual Ocean as well as in Vaikuntha. I do no follow why you should feel uneasy in my presence. The easiest thing for you & for all others is to follow my instructions wherever you may be or I may be. When Rayarama returns tell him that I have seen a copy of BTG. and that I am very pleased with it. Tell him to increase the quality and quantity of BTG. Also ask him to send me as many copies of BTG (at least 3) to this address. ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** October 26th 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Oct. 20 & I am very glad to note the contents. The brahmacarini asrama is not yet started. You should not bother about it at the present moment. When the brahmacarini asrama is established then you should consider going. Most probably I also will go to San Francisco directly from India. When I am there I shall see if your presence is actually required there. In the meantime you can continue with your painting as usual & enjoy the spiritual life. In the Scriptures it is said that a woman is just like fire & a man is just like a butter pot. The butter melts in the pot while in contact with fire. In your country association of man and woman is very common without restriction; thus the result is known to you better than I am able to explain. In spiritual life attraction of man & woman in the understanding of material body hampers very much, therefore, some sort of restrictions are necessary to check this hampering problem. In spiritual life there is no allowance of association of man and woman without being married. I have already secured my visitors visa & have advised my travel agent to purchase my ticket via the pacific route, & I have already secured my passage money. So on any day I can start for your country, but recently I've received from Mukunda stating that he is arranging for my permanent visa which will enable me to move freely. I've already asked him to let me know whether I should wait or start on the visitors visa. I have seen the latest issue of BTG & have very much appreciated the presentation with your combined efforts—you artists & poets should try to increase the beauty of BTG as well as to promote the sales in larger & larger numbers. Your appreciation of Rayarama's effort is also shared by me in improving the condition of BTG. You can keep & stack your paintings & when I return I shall see where they will be most required. Regarding Kīrtanānanda, there is nothing to be said about but one should be very careful not to fall sick like him. In the material world there is constant fight between maya & the living entity. Maya is very strong & we can fall a victim at her hand at any moment. The only means of protecting us from the attack of maya is to be fully Krishna Conscious. The proportion in which we fall back in Krishna Consciousness is filled up by the influence of maya. It is exactly like the proportion of negligence of our health is subsequently resulted in our falling ill. The person who is very careful about his health does not generally fall ill. Similarly a person who is always fixed up in Krishna Consciousness cannot be defeated by maya. Sometimes in spite of our full Krishna Consciousness we fall a victim to maya but that is temporary just as seasonal changes such calamities do come & pass away & we have to endure them. If Kīrtanānanda has ever sincerely served Krishna, & his spiritual master, he will not fall down. The temporary systems will fall down without delay. We should all pray to Krishna for his steady recovery. My grief for Kīrtanānanda isn't anything personal but I am sorry that he has become like a mayavadi in spite of my best efforts to help him. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** December 12th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter Dec. 3, 1967. You have described in your letter that my presence again before you will be wonderful. I quite agree with you. Your sincere prayer to Lord Nrsimhadeva is helping me to recuperate my health., and you will be glad to know that I am arriving at San Francisco on 14 Dec. at 12:45 pm by PAA 846. I can understand that you are all thinking of me 24 hrs and therefore Satsvarupa had a dream that I had gone to Boston and was enjoying your company. Similarly, I also think of you all, especially of you because you are so nice and good. I understand also, there was a Kirtana performance given by Sri Purna das. You have rightly remarked whether they are devotees. You are right. These people are professional singers. Krishna Kirtana is not for earning livelihood. Krishna Kirtana is not meant for entertaining the public for demonstration of arts. It is dynamic service to the Lord. We do not therefore mind so much about the artistic presentation of Krishna Kirtana but we want to see how much a devotee is satisfying the Supreme Will. The pictures of Lord Krishna and His expansions are particularly meant for giving chance to the neophytes for offering devotional service. It was very nice that Purna das offered respects to the Sankirtana painting. That will enlarge Krishna Consciousness. Your program for publishing pictures in details of great authorities like Bhisma and others is very much appreciated. I am so glad to learn that Rayarama, Satsvarupa, yourself, Gaurasundara, Govindarani and others are doing so much for improving BTG. I quite appreciate your endeavours and you must continue the Mahajana series, and whenever necessary you can ask me for necessary informations. I would advise, unless there is dire necessity, you should not divert your attention from painting. Somehow or other you have to manage everything in full cooperation, but your main engagement is painting. Your God-brothers, Acyutananda and Ramanuja das are doing well here. We very much appreciate your offering of respects and they wish to convey the same to you. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisherA.C. Bhaktivedanta, SwamiJai Prabhus, Did you receive my letter? I haven't heard from the Boston center for some time. I am so proud of my godbrothers and sister for making such a success in Boston, it encourages me so much. There is a possibility of getting a huge palacial temple here in India and if we land it, it will be a big success and Swamiji is very enthused. He wants very much to have an American house and this see(m)s in our reach, it can accomodate 100 devotees easily. Brahmananda may visit here and he can look at the house and temple grounds, we could have a garden and raise a cow, a cow a real cow. I'll be returning to Vrindaban soon with Ramanuga and we'll meet Harivilas there. I have some big plans here and with some grace and energy I may be able to pull them off. I want to popularize our Guruji and Param guruji, Prabhupad to their rightful degree of recognition. ### Letter to Jadurani, Rayarama **Date:** February 11th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Jadurani, If Kīrtanānanda goes to Montreal you can give him one Visnu Picture. I hope you have received the Visnu names sent by me. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. My dear Rayarama, Please keep in touch with Mr. Leo Ypstantin. One Indian gentleman who is here for the last five years as permanent resident, suggests that if my students and admirers submit application to the visa department submit that they want me for their benefit they sanction Permanent Resident Visa: Several other organizations the __ mothers my students as admirers, __ papers have appreciated my work. Why not adopt this procedure before the expiring of my tentative period. Please consult Mr. Ypstantin and let me know his opinion. Show him the cuttings. ACB ### Letter to Janaki **Date:** September 16th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Janaki, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter of Sept 5, 67. I'm so pleased for your writing such nice sentiment. I've especially noted that you could express yourself so beautifully. I know both you and your sister have inherited a good heart from your good mother. Your eagerness to get me back in the states will surely be a success because I'm also eager to return. Tears for Krishna is as good as associating with Him personally. In the spiritual world separation is more valuable than meeting. So your feelings and tears of Krishna Consciousness will make you more enriched in spiritual advancement. Your husband Mukunda is a very very good boy and you are fortunate enough to have such a nice devotee husband. A similar combination is there in your sister and Gurudasa. You will be angry if I say that your sister is better than you but I think I'm right because Mukunda supports me. Rivalry between good hearts is very nice job, but I'm equally pleased with both your sister and yourself. Please convey my blessings to your sister and brother-in-law. I've received their good hand-writing and they have actually done it in full Krishna Consciousness. Swami Kīrtanānanda is returning to the states very soon. You are very much anxious to get him back home and your desire will be fulfilled very soon. Perhaps you know that Acyutananda is now with us and since he has come Swami Kīrtanānanda has retired from all sorts of activities and Acyutananda is helping me. Anyway he is leaving behind a good representative so I'll not in trouble be. Most probably Acyutananda will stay in India to take charge of an American House. I shall be glad to know if Upendra is coming. Upendra and Acyutananda will be a good combination, both are silent workers without any protest. Please convey my blessings to all the boys and girls. ### Letter to Janaki **Date:** October 7th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Janaki, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard for a long time from you. Previously I received so many letters from you and your sister but nowadays I am not receiving but I am always thinking of you and your good husband. I hope you are all doing well. I have received one letter from Haridasa from Santa Fe. He is willing now to marry and you may arrange for that. Please do remain in Krishna consciousness fully and you will always be happy. I am now almost cured & I wish to return back as soon as I am in receipt of a permanent Visa or immigration Visa which is in the hands of your good husband. I am starting for Calcutta on Monday morning and I shall be glad to hear from you at my Calcutta address. Please convey my blessing to all the boys and girls and I hope to meet them very soon. Yours A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. I am negotiating with a local medal manufacturer. The cost will be about 15 ps per dollar. If you want please send money at least for 15 oz medals for $100.00. The size of the medal will be like the Radha Krishna picture on the Prospectus. One side the picture and the other side the Society's name and the word MEMBER The idea is anyone who will become a member will have this aluminium nice medal glittering like Silver. Please let me know your decision in Calcutta. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Janaki **Date:** November 4th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Janaki, Please accept my blessings. Every minute I think of you and and as you asked me to go to San Francisco while returning from India, I am trying to fulfill my promise. I am thinking of going directly to San Francisco. Please offer my blessings to Syamasundara, Malati, and others. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Janaki, Haridasa, Mukunda, Syamasundara, Malati, Hayagriva, Harsarani, Devakinandana, Lilavati, Ravindra Svarupa, Haladhara, Upendra, Subala, Krsna Devi, Dayananda, Nandarani, Jayananda, Ballabhi, Syamadasi, Ramanuja Yamuna, Gurudasa, Yoga... **Date:** April 10th 1967 — **Location:** New YorkLetter > to: Janaki My Dear Janaki Devi, Haridasa, Mukunda Das, Syamasundara Malati Devi, Hayagriva Das, Harsarani Devi, Devakinandana, Lilavati, Ravindra Svarupa, Haladhara Dasi, Upendra, Subala Das, Krishna Devi, Dayananda, Nandarani, Jayananda, Ballabhi Dasi, Syamadasi, Ramanuja Yamuna Devi, Gurudasa, Yogamaya, Mr. Mathews, and all other devotees and friends, Please accept my hearty greetings and blessings. I am so much obliged to you for your devotion and affection for me. I thought of you all throughout my journey from Francisco to New York and I was praying to Lord Krishna for your more and more advancement in Krishna Consciousness. On my arrival here I was received by hundreds of devotees and friends although Mr. Ginsberg was out of the town. One young professor from India first greeted me and told me that Swamiji you are doing here real work whereas others who have come from India, have simply formed some groups of old lady students without any real information of Indian original culture. Any way the reception in New York was very good organized by our students here and there was distribution of varieties of Prasadam to about 100 men in the temple. I was not least tired and after landing from the air ship although there was some blockade in my ear still I continued meeting for three hours. I am now very well although I am feeling your great separation. Please continue Kirtana as usual with devotion and you will make more and more advancement in Krishna consciousness. Hope you are all well and I beg to remain. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jananivasa **Date:** August 27th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Jananivasa, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to receive your letter of 8/20, and glad to hear that everything is going so nicely at our newest center. It all sounds very beautiful, and I am very anxious to come to you personally. Perhaps in October I shall go directly from here to San Francisco, and then to Santa Fe, before going to N.Y. About your question: The Spirit Soul is certainly eternal and changeless; and the fall is superficial, just like the relation between father and son cannot be broken ever. Now we are simply in a phase of forgetfulness, and this forgetfulness is called Maya. There is a nice example in the waning of the moon. To us the moon appears to be changing, but in fact the moon is always the same. So as eternal servitors of Krishna—our constitutional position—we fall down when we try to become the enjoyer, imitating Krishna. That is our downfall. Krishna is the Supreme Enjoyer, and we are constitutionally to be enjoyed by Him, and when we revive this constitutional position where is no more Maya. K.C. gives us the opportunity of rendering service to Krishna, and this service attitude only can replace us on our original position. Please therefore, continue to chant faithfully, and Krishna will reveal Himself, by His Causeless Mercy, and you will know everything automatically. I shall, of course always be ready and anxious to answer any question you have. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Janardana **Date:** January 22nd 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco > Montreal My dear Janardana, I thank you for your letter of January 17, 1967, redirected from New York. I have come here on the 16th instant by United Airline Jet plane, and I am glad to inform you that my students here—especially Mike and Harvey—made very nice arrangements for receiving me. The center is open now and exactly like New York we are executing the service regularly. Some of the devotees will be initiated today. Now it is your turn to open a similar branch at Montreal. To open a branch and to conduct it nicely according to our line of action is the path of Krishna Consciousness. In my absence in New York the students are nicely managing affairs. They, although feeling my absence, are not discouraged. Rather they are executing the service very nicely and exactly. I think they will manage to purchase the house under negotiation. 80% of the transaction is finished. They are taking a great burden in paying $200,000.00. They are very enthusiastic, and I hope you will also manage to open a nice branch at Montreal like that. In the spiritual world also there is competition for the best satisfaction of Krishna. I hope you will take me to your place by the month of April, 1967—or earlier as you think best. Before returning to India, if I am able to run at least three centers like the one in New York, another in San Francisco and the other in Montreal, then I shall feel successful in my mission. I hope you will help me in this direction and oblige. Ranchor has come with me from New York. Yes, he has your goods in his apartment. Herewith you may find his note in this connection. I am also enclosing a press cutting which will speak for itself. Hope you are well, and with best wishes for Mrs. Dumbergs. The girl is very intelligent, and you should peacefully teach her about our great mission in the world. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Janardana **Date:** March 15th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Janardana, Please accept my blessings. I am glad to learn that your good wife is now days taking interest in Krishna Consciousness. Please offer her my blessings. I think a good and sincere husband's influence is working in her. Be happy in family life and both of you become blessed by Krishna consciousness. What about my books. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure:2 ### Letter to Janardana **Date:** April 12th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Janardana, I am in due receipt of your very long letter of April 10,1967. On the same day I received also your wife's letter requesting me to pay $300.00 which she gave in loan to the Society. I have at once replied to her letter through Rayarama that the money, $300, which she has given in loan to the Society must be returned to her, and I am glad that you are going to repay next week. If you, however, find any difficulty to repay her, then write to me and I shall manage to send her the $300. Of course it will be difficult for the managers to send $300 while they have lost $6,000. Still, I do not wish to put your wife into trouble for the money which she faithfully loaned to the Society. So kindly let me know that you are going to repay her loan. Otherwise I shall send her the money. I can understand that there is some difficulty in meeting the regular expenditure of your Society—namely $350, as you have stated in detail. I apprehended this difficulty in San Francisco when you first informed me of opening a branch in Montreal, and I discouraged the enterprise. But you were, both you and Kīrtanānanda, all enthusiastic. Now when you have opened it is not good to close it; that will be a discredit for the Society. Try to continue the branch by cooperation. I can understand that you are a family man. You cannot expend the whole amount you earn, but as your wife has proposed that she can allow you to spare 50%. So either 50% or any per cent you can easily spare for the Society, we shall welcome. Don't be overburdened. We don't want anyone to be overburdened. Rather I shall ask Kīrtanānanda who is not a family man to take the whole responsibility. So don't be agitated. Prosecute Krishna consciousness in peacefulness. One thing I shall request you and your wife: to translate into French all our books. The Society will be obliged to you by your intellectual service more than by money; because you are a family man and you require money. I hope this will satisfy you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Janardana **Date:** April 14th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Janardana, Please accept my blessings. I hope you have duly received the note sent for your grandmother. Although we have spent $500.00 till now for my permanent Visa, our Lawyer is not yet successful. He does not advise me to cross the borders of U.S.A. otherwise the Visa which is now extended to February 1969, will be cancelled. And I cannot return to U.S.A. It is very difficult to deal with these lawyers. Now if it is possible for me to have Canadian Visa as Kīrtanānanda has suggested in his letter under reply and which you have also confirmed that it can be done, then please do it immediately and I can start for Montreal never mind it is cancelled here. You will find herewith two certificates of my bona fides in the matter of my becoming the teacher of Caitanya Cult. I have got my books also. So if I am appointed as teacher I think the whole problem is solved. I hope you will try for this and let me know what is the opinion of Mr. McGill who is your friend. Jadurani also has drawn one design for the Montreal Prospectus enclosed herewith please find. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure: 3 & 1 Letter from N.Y.U ### Letter to Janardana **Date:** May 1st 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Janardana, Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your letter of April 27,1967 and have noted the contents carefully. My first instruction to you is that you must pass your M.A. Examination before any other consideration. Your degree will be a great asset for the society in the near future. So this is your first consideration. Regarding returning the money you do not bother much. Your good wife gave in loan to the society $300.00 and she must have the money returned. So do not bother about it. The society will return the money to N.Y. conveniently. There is no immediate necessity. Regarding my Canadian Visa, I shall go to Montreal when you are confident of getting it there. Otherwise I shall lose the U.S.A. Visa also. So conveniently you try to get information from the right source and the best thing will be to get me as a teacher as you suggested in your previous letter. So far I am personally concerned either I remain here or there my business is to chant the glories of Lord Krishna. Wherever I get chance to chant is good for me. I have no idea for sight seeing in any country because I know that all land belong to Krishna and anywhere I remain I remain at His Lotus Feet. But if you think my presence in Montreal will be good for the Branch there I am prepared to go there any moment you ask me to go at all risk even if I am bereft of the U.S. visa. I do not mind it. Offer my blessing to all devotees there and your good wife. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Janardana **Date:** July 22nd 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Janardana, Please accept my blessings. I have read with great interest the copy of your letter, and I am so glad to learn that you are feeling more and more Krishna Conscious. So far the stories are concerned, the Vedic literatures are full of instructive stories for the spiritual advancement of the human society. Because the less intelligent class of men, like women, mercantile people, and laborers, want to hear stories, for them the Vedic idea or concept was explained in 18 Puranas and the Mahabharata. If I get good assistance I can overflood your country with stories so nice and instructive. I wish that after finishing your M.A. exams that you be fixed up and come for some time to Vrindaban in my personal touch. In the meantime, just go on organizing your Montreal center, and the Indian gentleman, Professor Dwivedi may be induced to take a more substantial interest in the temple. When I come back, I shall install Radha-Krishna Murti in the temple, and I hope it will be a great center for the society and for both Canada and the Indian community. I am leaving this evening with Kīrtanānanda, and shall write you on arrival. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Janardana **Date:** September 30th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi Dear Janardana, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your interesting letter & also the copy of the letter you have sent to the newspaperman. Yes, you must now be careful so that people may not misunderstand us to be a second edition of the hippy movement. What is done in the past to advertise us is already done. Now we should work solidly to attention of important men, and try to make them understand that this movement is the most authorized scientific agitation to invoke man's dormant Krishna Consciousness. I completely support your idea about the preaching method. We are not lacking in philosophy—by the grace of Krishna we have got ample stock to answer anybody's intricate philosophical questions. There is no necessity of stopping questioners by dogmatic statements as it was done in the beginning. I have every hope in you because you are educated and have understood the philosophy completely. You should try to get another newspaper article out explaining the real scientific position of our movement. I am very anxious to go to Montreal. Therefore you must try your best to get my immigration visa on the basis of my being an authorized Vaisnava minister, based on Srimad Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. I hop you have got the copies of my certificates in this connection. If not you can get the same immediately from N.Y. of S.F. centers. I wish that either from Canada or U.S. I should get my visa for free movement. Regarding the incidence that took place on Janmastami day immediately send the following gentleman a copy of your grievance.* (see next page)Pandit Ram Natha Kalia, Secretary Vishwa Hindu Dharam Sammelan,1936 Chandni Chowk, Delhi 6,Tel. 262025.It is understood that this man has got some connections with members of parliament & he can help us in raising this question in the Indian Parliament House. You should tell him that you are forwarding same under my instructions. Do not enter into correspondence with this man without my consent. The man is a politician and according to Canakya, a politician & a woman are never to be trusted. Regarding Easy Journey. I may inform you that whatever is written there is authoritative. The information contained in EJ is contained in various Vedic literatures. In Bhagavad-gita as well as in Srimad-Bhagavatam it is clearly indicated that beyond this visible space there is another spiritual space which is eternally existant. Modern astronomers & scientists have no information of the extent of this visible space. And what can they speak of what is beyond this visible space? Therefore our movement is novel. God is living, He has got a particular place & anyone who is God conscious can approach it in this very life. One of our students, Brahmananda, appreciated very much this discovery. He wrote to me a letter that my delivery of this information has given them life—that God is not only alive, but that we can go & live with Him. So what is applicable to Brahmananda is applicable to all sincere souls & we have to present this to the whole world very nicely. I am very glad that your wife Mona is gradually understanding Krishna Consciousness. Women are generally less intelligent. Give her time & scope & she will turn out a very good assistant for your life. Convey my blessings for her. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- *Send him this:1. Copy of your speech and letter to me of 28 Aug. 1967.2. Clippings of newspaper or hand bills announcing Miss Uma Sharmas' dance in the Temple.3. Full name & designation of Mr. Dayala of EXPO.4. List of people present. Addresses.5. Copy of letter of regret by Miss Sharma.6. Limited information on I.S.K.C.O.N.7. Addresses & names of officers and temple members in Montreal. Reply to this letter may be addressed to me in Calcutta. ACBN.B. I am going to Calcutta on 9/10/67 with Acyutananda & Ramanuja. My address is overleaf. Swami Kīrtanānanda has given me a great shock. I advised him to go to London with introduction letter and money but he flew away to N. Y. without my knowledge. His first action after taking sannyasa is a great shock to me which please note. ACB ### Letter to Janardana, Hansadutta, Himavati, Pradyumna **Date:** June 28th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Janardana, Hansadutta, Himavati, and Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. While on my sick bed I was so much encouraged by your successful carrying on the Montreal Branch even in spite of the absence of Kīrtanānanda. There is a verse in the Bhagavad gita tenth chapter that anyone who serves the Lord sincerely with love and affection is certainly instructed by the Lord from within. The Lord helps us in two ways: internally as paramatman, and externally as Spiritual Master. So I think your sincere activities are being appreciated by the Lord from within and He is dictating you all for advancement of Krishna Consciousness. I hope that I may be able to go to San Francisco on July 5th, and from there if I get my permanent visa I shall go to Vancouver where there is every possibility of opening a new branch. There is a friend who is prepared to cooperate, and I understand that there are many Indians also. From Vancouver I may come to Montreal, perform the opening ceremony of installation of Radha-Krishna Vigraha. Then I may go back to India for six months, as there is a program for construction of an American house for training preachers at Vrindaban. Vrindaban is the only solitary transcendental abode within this universe where Krishna Consciousness automatically reveals. Therefore I have a great hope to train some of my disciples for preaching work, even in my absence. I am now old man, and attacked with serious disease; I may be overcome by death at any moment. Therefore I wish to leave some trained preachers so that they can do the work of Krishna Consciousness in the western world. That is my ambition. I hope you all pray to Krishna so I may be able to execute my duty properly. Thanking you all for your nice advancement. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Janardana, Pradyumna, Sivananda **Date:** August 9th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Janardana, Pradyumna, and Sivananda, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to inform you that we have safely reached India on the 25th July at midnight due to a sixteen hour delay in London. But I am glad to inform you that there was no bodily discomfort while traveling. Kīrtanānanda and I stayed for a few days in Delhi and then came to Vrindaban on the first. I am undergoing the treatment of an ayurvedic physician celebrated to be the best there is in the area, and I think I am feeling a little better. Anyway, as soon as I am a little fit, I shall return to you by the Grace of Krishna. Janardana: I had some talks with my god-brother, Swami Bon, head of the Institute for Oriental Philosophy here, and there is possibility of good cooperation between ourselves. If you want to learn sanskrit, there is ample opportunity in this institute. We had some preliminary talks, and it is hopeful that Swami Bon can give us some land for our own building; but even so, arrangements can be made with existing facilities so there would be no difficulty for the students who come here to study sanskrit and the goswami literature. I shall be glad to know about the activities in Montreal, and herewith you may find a note from Kīrtanānanda. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jayagovinda **Date:** September 15th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Jayagovinda, I understand that the draft board is also disturbing you. It is also disturbing to me, but we have no other recourse than Krishna. Do your best to serve Krishna and he will give you required intelligence to cope with disturbing situations. Kīrtanānanda is to return to NY soon and I will have to spend $600 somehow or other, so anyway Krishna will arrange. NB It is expected that one gentleman Dr. Dalmia a prominent Indian business man who is now touring in the U.S. may visit our temple in N.Y. and other centers. If he goes therefore, please try to receive him properly and inform him about our preaching work and our paintings and Lord Jagannatha deity there, offer him some prasa-[TEXT MISSING] ### Letter to Jayananda **Date:** September 16th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Jayananda, Please accept my blessings. I'm so glad to receive your letter of Aug 30, and I know also that you are a sincere devotee of Lord Krishna. When you drive your car you always chant "Hare Krishna" and when I was by your side I could understand how heartily you have accepted the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness. Krishna is very kind to all but He is especially kind to his sincere devotees. Krishna is always with us, within our hearts and He is always ready to give us direction but because everyone is independent Krishna responds cooperatively. Anyone who voluntarily cooperates with Krishna's desire He responds to his call very eagerly. Krishna descends to teach us Bhagavad-gita begging our cooperation and anyone who cooperates with Him becomes blessed. You are sincerely cooperating with Krishna and therefore you all boys and girls in San Francisco, working together harmoniously. Harmony means Krishna Consciousness. Without Krishna Consciousness there cannot be harmony in the world. I've received the report of successful performance of Janmashtami ceremony. I'm glad to learn that you are willing to come to India for further study. I received no letter from Dayananda or his wife Nandarani. I'm anxious to receive the report of the Los Angeles center. I do not know their address. Your acknowledgement "Krishna has been very merciful to me" is remarkable. You are realizing the fruit of chanting. So far my health is concerned I'm improving, by Krishna's grace and it is due to your feeling of my absence and eagerly awaiting for my return. Please go on cooperating between your godbrothers. I'm always with you never mind if I am physically absent. Please convey my blessings to all the boys and girls and tell them that I'm very eager to return. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jayananda **Date:** September 29th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Jayananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter undated. I congratulate you on your being elected as president of ISKCON San Francisco branch. Your election as president is a recognition by Krishna and therefore I have got full support for you. Mukunda and other members have rightly selected you as president. Your service attitude for Krishna and your sincere attempts at being advanced in Krishna Consciousness will work with you and make your life more and more glorious and a happy state. I've been very glad that you are appreciating by your self the effects of sincere Krishna Consciousness. I've nothing new to instruct you, the same old instruction namely constant chanting and attentively hearing the transcendental vibration Hare Krishna is the only process for self realization in this age. In San Francisco while you were driving your car and I was sitting by you hearing your transcendental vibration, this very sincere attempt has enriched your consciousness and my only instruction is that you may constantly do this habit without fail. Regarding your dispute in your mind as to remaining a brahmacari, grhastha or becoming sannyasi, there is nothing to be bothered with. Anyone who is in full Krishna Consciousness and is dedicating his life for Krishna is already a sannyasi even if he is a married man. If you like you can become a householder and I've no objection to that. Our Vaisnava philosophy instructs to become "Vidvati sannyasis", this means a man who knows things as they are, therefore a devotee who knows that everything belongs to Krishna and that He is the proprietor of all such a devotee is certainly a Vidvati Sannyasi. Our philosophy is that we should accept things as prasadam of Krishna and nothing for sense enjoyment. Anyone who accepts things for sense enjoyment even if he is externally a saffron dressed man is not a sannyasi. The mayavadi sannyasi considers himself as God, this concept of life develops under illusion. When a person fails to become the Lord of the universe it is like the sly fox who attempts to taste grapes and failing to do so says the grapes are sour. The mayavadi sannyasins are frustrated beings in their attempt to enjoy the world, therefore they say the world is fake or the grapes are sour, the world is not false, Krishna is the supreme truth and the world is His energy therefore the energy of the supreme truth cannot be false; but we must know that this energy is inferior to His spiritual energy. As there are hairs and nails on the body and sometimes we separate these parts from the body similarly when the the material energy is separated from the service of the Lord it is inferior energy. Inferior energy is not false but temporary. The same temporary energy when surcharged with Krishna Consciousness it transforms into supreme energy by the supreme will. By this will any energy can be transformed into another just like electronic energy in a refrigerator or in a heater, to an ordinary layman, he sees cold and hot but to an electrician, he sees electricity. So when one is engaged in the service of the Lord that person is already in the spiritual energy, and a sannyasi and the real purpose of a sannyasi is to transform himself from the inferior to the superior, spiritual energy. If your consciousness is absorbed in Krishna you are always a sannyasi. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Krsna Devi **Date:** September 29th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Krishna Devi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your short note regarding your marriage. So far I know that you are married with Subala das before me and as such you forget all your previous life. You are now liberated from all other obligations because you surrendered yourself unto Krishna. Such surrender has no more obligations to anyone. So far Subala is concerned he is also a surrendered soul and thus your combination is quiet apt for the service of the Lord. You have, by the Grace of Krishna, got a very nice place to develop a full fledged temple and your husband is becoming competent to conduct the service nicely. I have already given him instruction how to do things and that is published in the New Mexican paper. Please do follow the instructions both husband and wife, and help your God brothers and sisters to follow the instructions faithfully. Krishna is always with you provided you are sincere in His service and faithful to your Spiritual Master, that is the secret success. It is plain and simple, please try to be faithful and sincere. You are very intelligent and devotee of the Lord. Please know it that I do not approve anyone's separation who are married by me. If they disagree, they may live separately, but there cannot be divorce. When one is separate, one may fully devote in Krishna, but no more marriage. If this is not followed, I will not take part in anyone's marriage in the future. I hope you will understand me right and do the needful. Hope you are well. Your ever well wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Krsna Devi **Date:** October 8th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Krishna devi, Please accept my blessings. I am very pleased to have your note along with your husband's letter. The poetry composed by the old lady Joan Hightower. This poetry indicates that there are many people in your country who really appreciate India's original spiritual culture. I am rather proud to say that the movement of Krishna Consciousness which I have started in your country will fulfill the desires of many sincere citizens of your country who are actually anxious to have a bon-a-fide spiritual guidance from India. There are man other swamis & yogis in your country & I am very sorry that they can simply exploit the sentiment but they can not deliver the real thing on account of their ignorance of presenting things in the modern situation. Please try to help the cause of this movement & I am sure you shall be able to satisfy many sincere souls. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Krsna Devi **Date:** October 29th 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Krishna devi, Please accept my blessings. I was very glad to receive your letter dated Oct. 20. I can understand your anxiety about your husband & rest assured that I shall never advise your husband to leave you. Both of you are very good souls & constantly engaged in the service of the Lord. One who has got a helpful wife at home does not require to accept Sannyas. If required, both you and your husband can preach Krishna Consciousness combinedly. We are concerned more for Krishna Consciousness & if that work is executed more nicely by cooperation of husband & wife, there is no necessity of thinking wife as impediment to Krishna Consciousness. While I am living you should act according to my instructions & there is no question of impediment. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Krsna Devi **Date:** November 12th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Krishna devi, Please accept my blessings. You will read the letter of your husband & try to know my mind. I am coming very soon to see you when everything will be adjusted. Hope you are well. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Krsna Devi **Date:** December 16th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Daughter Krishna devi, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to know that Krishna did not allow you to do something that was not His plan. Krishna wanted that both you and your husband must be engaged in organizing nice center. Jayananda is unique devotee. He paid you sincerely and therefore as soon as you reached Santa Fe you found out a good place better than the former place. Please utilize your energy in this good task as I am sure success is awaiting you. If there is labor cheap you can organize there some incense manufacturing concern. I wish that in every center we shall now manufacture incense very good quality. The only thing you have to assured to get the splinters or the thin sticks. If you think it will be possible to get, then immediately start the work. The ingredients are the splinters, charcoal, starch or gum and essential oils. It will be very lucrative business and the profits will be sufficient to maintain the center once you begin the work. I will give you many business ideas by which you can accumulate nice profits. For business four things are required. Namely place, labor, capital and organization. For incense we have already organization. Little capital you are gathering. The poverty place means you can get cheap labor and the place you have already in your possession. Guidance, I am present. So do it immediately and there will be no scarcity of money. I hope you understand me right. Be an ideal couple of husband and wife in your country. Be Krishna Consciousness by full cooperation of husband and wife and you be happy both in this and the next life also. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Krsna Devi **Date:** December 21st 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Krishna devi, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter of Dec. 21, 1967. And I am glad to learn that you are getting strength in Krishna Consciousness so that you have decided to remain in the Temple in the absence of your husband. This is very nice. We should learn to depend on Krishna more and more. Actually, Krishna is always guiding us as Supersoul, but due to our forgetfulness, we do not understand that Krishna is friend everlasting. With advance of Krishna Consciousness one is able to realize that Krishna is always with His devotees—not only with His devotees, also with the non-devotees, but the devotees can recognize His Presence and the non-devotees cannot. The more you make advancement in Krishna Consciousness you will see Krishna everywhere. Not only on the bank of the river, but also on streets, trees, lampposts, and so on. The more you see like that you know you are making tangible advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Actually, there is nothing but Krishna all around us. This is explained in the Gita. He is the taste of water, light of the moon, the fragrance of the flower, light of the sun, sound of the sky, the power of the strong and so on. so one who is actually making progress in Krishna Consciousness, he can see Krishna everywhere. At every stage of life, who can avoid the sunlight, the moonlight, the fragrance of the flower, the taste of the water, the sound of the sky, and so on; but one has to learn it, that there is Krishna in all these varieties of existence. Without Krishna there is nothing. It is simply by the influence of Maya that we forget the relationship of Krishna with everything that be. Simply always chant Hare Krishna and with faith in Krishna and the Spiritual Master. I am very glad Krishna is helping you and He will help you more and more in the future. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Krsna Devi, Subala **Date:** December 8th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Krishna Devi and Subala das, Please accept my blessings. I am glad to learn that you are going to re-open your Santa Fe temple. Please make it a point that once a center is opened should not be closed. I have already given charge of six temples to six boys. You and your husband must take charge of the Santa Fe center and Krishna will bestow all blessings upon you. I shall be very soon one of your guests. Hope you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Krsna Devi, Subala, Lilavati, Yamuna, Jayananda, Upendra, Malati, Gurudasa, Syamasundara, Haridasa, Mukunda, Janaki, Aunt Edna Howell **Date:** June 5th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Krishna dasi, Subala das, Lilavati dasi, Yamuna dasi, Jayananda das, Upendra das, Malati dasi, Guru das, Syamasundara das, Haridasa, Mukunda das, Janaki, Aunt Edna Howell, My dear boys and girls I am so much obliged to you for your prayers to Krishna to save my life. Due to your sincere and ardent prayer, Krishna has saved my life. I was to die on Tuesday certainly but because you prayed sincerely I am saved. Now I am improving gradually and coming to original condition. Now I can hope to meet you again and chant with you, Hare Krishna. I am so glad to receive the report of your progressive march and I hope there will be no difficulty in your understanding Krishna Consciousness. My blessings are always with you and with confidence you go on with your chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Thanking you once more, Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** February 10th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Kīrtanānanda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of 7th (March) February 1967 and I am very glad to learn that you are improving your department very nicely. I learn also that you made the new kachori according to my direction and it has come out very successful. I have taught two more things to Ranchor namely "Nan khatai" and "Peda" which you have to learn from him by succession. Srimati Jadurani writes "many of Swami Satcitananda's disciples were present in the last Sunday's feasting and returned this morning to Kirtana. Our traps are too strong to resist. " I think you will agree with her. I am glad to learn that the film taken by Mr. Richard Witty has come out very successful. It is all Krishna's blessings. I think we may purchase one copy of the film at some concessional rate from Mr. Witty. Regarding the house I was correct in my remarks that there was no definite understanding. If Mr. Taylor can change his word of honour transpired between him and Mr. Payne certainly that is not definite understanding. Mr. Taylor's lawyer cannot change the understanding between the two gentleman, he can simply give a legal shape only. Therefore, in such negotiations everything is done in black and white. Nothing is being done in black and white but everything is being done with faith on Mr. Payne. Now forget what has been done in the past. Do it now businesslike. Mr. Taylor's lawyer has agreed to accept $105,000 cash for the house "as is" and Mr. Payne has agreed to pay the same secured from Pittsburgh. Let this understanding be completed within 1st of March 1967 and close the chapter. I think this is my last word in this connection. You are all grown up boys and you use your discretion and you can now complete the transaction without prolonging it indefinitely. If, however, we are not able to purchase a house it does not mean closing our activity at 26 Second avenue. So there is no question of packing up and come to S.F. Regarding your editing, I would very much like it. I am sending my lecture copies to you. I think my other copies are lying on the left side of my seat in a cardboard box which please find out. Please be careful not to change the ideas. ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** October 16th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Kīrtanānanda, Please accept my blessings. I've received your note along with Brahmananda's for first time since you left to N.Y. You had no desire to stop in London. This is clear to me from Hayagriva's letter which indicated that you had already planned to go there even before you left India. Since you have returned to N.Y. you have falsely dictated that I do not want the robes or flags. Why are you disturbing the whole situation in my absence. I never ordered you to speak like that. They must continue to have robes & tilak & flags & they must distinguish themselves from the hippies. I never objected to any of my students dressing like nice American gentleman, clean shaved; those who are my disciples must have flag, tilak & beads on neck without fail. Anyway I never advised you to dictate on behalf, please therefore do not misrepresent me. You have been given sannyasa to follow my principles & not to disturb me. If you do not agree with my philosophy you can work independent and not within the walls of ISKCON. You have not understood Krishna properly. The best thing will be to stop your talks my return & if you love me at all please do not talk in any meeting but chant in solitary place—anywhere you like. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** October 28th 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Kīrtanānanda, Please accept my blessings. I've received your note along with Brahmananda's for first time since you left to N.Y. You had no desire to stop in London. This is clear to me from Hayagriva's letter which indicated that you had already planned to go there even before you left India. Since you have returned to N.Y. you have falsely dictated that I do not want the robes or flags. Why are you disturbing the whole situation in my absence. I never ordered you to speak like that. They must continue to have robes & tilak & flags & they must distinguish themselves from the hippies. I never objected to any of my students dressing like nice American gentleman, clean shaved; but those who are my disciples must have flag, tilak & beads on the neck without fail. Anyway I never advised you to dictate on my behalf. Please therefore do not misrepresent me. You have been given sannyasa to follow my principles & not to disturb me. If you do not agree with my philosophy you can work independently and not within the walls of ISKCON. You have not understood Krishna properly. The best thing will be to stop your talks till my return & if you love me at all please do not talk in any meeting but chant in solitary place - anywhere you like. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** February 11th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Kīrtanānanda, Please accept my blessings. I hope you have by this time received my former letter and the package of lectures for editing. I have received one letter from Janis Dumburges at Montreal proposing a Branch there and he has selected one very nice place for this purpose. He wants two students from New York to help him and four hundred dollars. I wish therefore that you should at once go there for a week or so and if you approve this place and prospect, we can begin a Branch there also. He has asked help for $400.00 in this connection. And if you approve then both New York and San Francisco will contribute each $200.00 and this may be returned by the Montreal Branch later on. I wish that each and every Branch shall keep their independent identity and cooperate keeping the Acarya in the centre. On this principle we can open any number of Branches all over the world. The Ramakrishna mission works on this principle and thus as organization they have done wonderfully. Bob is prepared to go there also but I shall send him to assist you there on hearing from you from Montreal. The address of Janardana Das Adhikari (Janis Dumbergs) is as follows: 311 St. Louis Square Apartment # 2 Montreal Quebec, Canada. The thing is that in April 1967, there will be a great exposition and millions of people will gather there from all parts of the world. We have to prepare literatures both in English and French and have to draw the attention of the university students as our members. Mr. Janis proposes that by end of March 1967 the Branch organization must be completed and by the end of third week of April I shall go there after opening of our New York house (as per present negotiation). I think the idea is good and we shall take the opportunity and for this I select you to go there first and study the prospective situation immediately. I shall be glad to know per return of post about your decision in this connection or if you start immediately on receipt of this letter then you can write me from Montreal. Neal has not yet arrived here. ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** February 15th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Kīrtanānanda, Your absence from New York is not advisable while I am not there. Therefore I have postponed your journey to Montreal. Please take care of the bill of Lading for clearing the Mrdangas. I think the ship Jaladuta must be reaching New York by this time. Please do the needful and clear the valuable goods. Hope you are all well. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** March 15th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Kīrtanānanda, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to all the devotees there. I hope by this time you must have received another $100.00 from new york which was delayed on account of the Pass Book. The Bank has however sent me the debit note for this $100.00. I am anxious to know what you have done about editing my lectures. Have you done something or not. I shall be glad to hear from you in this connection. I was indisposed for four days on account sudden attack of cold. Now I am well. Please send me a weekly report for all the work that you are doing there. I understand that Jadurani is there and she is doing well. I am sending herewith a work for her. I am returning to New York by the 9th April 1967. ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** April 7th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Kīrtanānanda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your affectionate letter of the 3rd instant and have noted the contents carefully. Hayagriva informed me that you have become sorry for not receiving my letters and for this I must beg your pardon. But do not think that I neglect to write you letters. Of course I do not reply your each and every letter, I always think of you because you are all my heart and soul. I am so pleased to have your association and I always thank my Spiritual Master Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja for His favor by sending me some sincere representative of Him in missionary activities in this part of the world. I came here to execute His Will and by His Grace I have so many good souls like you, Brahmananda, Satsvarupa, Hayagriva, Rayarama, Haridasa, Mukunda etc. I consider you all as representative of my Guru maharaj to help me in this helpless condition. My Godbrothers did not help me but my Spiritual Master has helped me. So do not think that I can ever forget you even for a moment. I pray to Krishna for your more and more advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Be happy and execute more and more service for Krishna and Krishna will accept you in His association. I am very glad to learn that Lord Jesus Christ has approved our activities. Perhaps you have marked it in my preaching work that I love Lord Jesus Christ as good as Krishna; because He rendered the greatest service to Krishna according to time circumstances and society in which He appeared. Similarly Hajrat Mohammed and Lord Buddha also rendered greatest service to the human society according to circumstances. So work with more enthusiasm and we are sure to be successful in our great mission. Last night we had very successful meeting at Berkeley and I think there were about three hundred students who participated in the meeting for two hours, danced with us and after the close of the meeting they surrounded me to offer their respects and some of them inquired various questions. Every one appreciated what I could speak in the meeting for about forty minutes and so I was very much encouraged. By Krishna's planning Brahmananda's presence at Montreal was so much helpful. I very much appreciate your selection of Janardana as the President and Paul and Helena as treasurer and secretary respectively. May Krishna bless them and let me congratulate them for execution of Krishna's service so nicely. You will be please to know that we have already installed the Sri Murtis of Lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra in the temple of San Francisco center and I wish to establish similar temple at Montreal. Probably I shall carry with me the Deity for New York. Editing of my lectures may be a hard task for you but it will prove an examination test for you as how far you have heard me attentively. Never mind it is slow but it must be sure. You can keep a note of my activities and can wait for writing book at suitable time. I am asking Mukunda to send one copy of the presentation as he has made a presentation to Sriman Brahmananda. I have received letter from Brahmananda that he is going to take delivery of the records on Thursday and he is going to send 500 records to San Francisco. I do not know if he is going to send you some records. Regarding my going to Montreal it is understood that Brahmananda has already paid $150.00 to Mr. Ypslantin the Visa Lawyer to save me from my Visa being cancelled. But in any case I must go to Montreal and if my Visa is not granted again to enter New York, I think I shall remain for sometime at Montreal and then proceed for London to establish a center there. I wish that at least four centers may be established in the Western countries including one in London and then a company of twelve at least of all your brothers and myself may have an extensive tour all over the world for preaching this unique cult of Hare Krishna. And because it is approved by Lord Christ at least the Christian world will accept our Kirtana procedure. I have seen in the bible that Lord Jesus Christ recommended this Kirtana performances in the Bible. You know better than me and I would request you to write a small book on SANKIRTAN MOVEMENT IN THE BIBLE. I have given a note of direction to Hayagriva for writing a Drama on Lord Caitanya and if he can deliver us a nice Drama for staging in your different parts of the State it will be a great stride for our mission and I hope it will help us financially a great deal. Just you encourage Hayagriva to write this Drama very nicely in Poetry so that they can be sung in western tone all over America and Europe and staged everywhere to cover our expenses. Brahmananda may try Mr. Kallman and Mr. Fulton to help me getting a permanent Visa immediately. These two gentlemen have entered into Contract with me for recording and lecturing all over U.S.A. and it will be a great loss on their part if I am not granted a permanent Visa. Mr. Fulton may arrange immediately some lectures in Canada and that will help us both ways namely to save the Visa from being cancelled at the same time I can visit Montreal without any hindrance. You can reply this letter to New York address because by this time 3-15 P.M. (San Francisco time) on Sunday next I shall be in New York. Convey my blessing to Sriman Janardana, Paul, Hansa and Helena. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** April 13th 1967 — **Location:** New York > IHA YASYA HARER DASYE KARMANA MANASA VACHA.MIKHILESVAPYAVASTHASU JIVAN MUKTA SA UCYATE,by work, words & mind."A person, who is always anxious to render service unto the Supreme Lord Hari, as His eternal servitor, in all conditions of life he is considered to be liberated even though within the material body" My dear Kīrtanānanda, Please accept my blessings and convey the same to all devotees there. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 10th instant and have noted the contents with great delight. Your mutual understanding with Sriman Janardana making Krishna as the center of attraction is very much enlightening to me. Transcendental jealousy is not wrong but it is absolute. In the transcendental world there are jealous parties also like the party of Radharani and the party of Satyabhama. Radharani and Satyabhama are always jealous of one another but the center is Krishna. There are many material examples also. There are many political parties in a state but in spite of all political jealousies they are one in serving the state. Similarly Krishna being the center all competition and jealousies for serving Krishna the best is always Absolute provided such jealousies do not come down to the material plane. Krishna consciousness means to increase the number of persons in Krishna consciousness. Therefore it is the duty of a Brahmacari to go door to door as beggar and enlighten people in Krishna consciousness. Whenever you go to some person he will hear something from the devotee about Krishna consciousness and that will be very much beneficial for both the devotee and the person who hears the devotee. In India the Brahmacaris are meant for begging from door to door for the Spiritual Master. But in your country this activity is not allowed, therefore some devices like selling the publications recruiting members, inviting them to our meetings and likewise activities must be taken by the Brahmacaris and that will be nice. Grhasthas or the householders have responsibility of family therefore whatever contribution they can offer for the Society is welcome. After all, Krishna is the ultimate Person. We are just trying to serve Him. Your conviction that we have to supply the demands of Krishna and not to demand anything from Him is the pure devotional philosophy. The followers of Lord Caitanya never makes Krishna the Order supplier but the devotees become the order supplier of Krishna. Krishna wants that all His bewildered sons may be turned towards Him and therefore the more we are able to turn devotees of Krishna the more our service is recognized. We have to work practically how this mission can be well organized. Residential quarters for students and others on terms of our rigidity is very good project. We should increase this project like Y.M.C.A. organization without any profit. We shall supply nice Prasadam at cheap rate and we shall give shelter to persons who will abide by our rules. That will help in increasing the numbers of devotees because they will attend our lectures and take our Prasadam and will have opportunity to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam etc. I think we should make an experiment of this project during the world Exposition. I understand that you are going to take sanction of India Govt for distribution of the literatures. But the present India Government has a phobia against anything which is religious fervour. The best thing would have been to have one small stall for ourselves from the Exposition authority without any cooperation of the Indian Pavilion. Then we would be able to function independently. If we distribute our Prasadam, our literature, try to sell our books and other literatures and go on playing our records and sell them, I think that will be proper utilization of our Krishna Conscious energy. If possible try to work on this line. When I think of Indian Government I become at once hopeless on account of the secular procedure. I have approved your prospectus and I am sending herewith copies of certificates about my bona fides from Gaudiya Vaisnava Societies in India. Our Gaudiya societies are many many times older than the Ramakrishna Mission. I am the only representative in U.S.A. of my 500 hundred years old societies in India. If Ramakrishna mission can have all facilities from U.S.A. Government for preaching their cult and allow all Ramakrishna Mission Sannyasis remain here, why I shall not be allowed to remain here for propagating Lord Caitanya's movement. Anyway I have now certificates from my Godbrothers in India where we have got very big organizations in the matter of Krishna consciousness and let me see how things take shape. Today I am going to initiate five devotees who were waiting for me while I was at San Francisco. Hope you are well and awaiting your early replyYour ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosures: 7 ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** April 14th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Kīrtanānanda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 12th instant and have noted the contents very carefully. It is very pleasing to learn that you had very good Kirtana on the 11th instant night with many devotees. Forget everything and go on with your Kirtana that will bring us all transcendental bliss. I received all letters from Janardana and I have duly replied to them including one meant for his grandmother who is ailing for some time past. You are all good souls and therefore Krishna has sent you all for giving me chance to serve Krishna. Regarding permanent Visa from Canada it is very welcome suggestion. As I have told you several times that I want at least twelve trained devotees and let us tour all over the world for preaching the gospel of Krishna Consciousness. That will satisfy me. Now we have both records and books and I have ordered for more books from India and I have now money to print the Gitopanisad. Janardana's friend Mr. McGill certainly can help me in this connection. Why not make me an Hon. teacher in the Religion Department for teaching the cult of Lord Caitanya which is the living religion of the world. All other religions of the world are carried by more sentiments than philosophy but Caitanya cult is full of philosophy and transcendental sentiments or emotions. I am enclosing herewith certificates of my bona fides and see if you can arrange for my Permanent Visa from Canada. Mr. Ypslanti the Lawyer for my Visa asks me not to go to Montreal because as soon as I cross the border of U.S.A. I shall not be allowed to enter U.S.A. until I return to India and apply for new visa. And He is simply taking time to draw some more fees. Under the circumstances if it is possible for me to get Canadian permanent Visa through the good office of Mr. McGill then I can immediately start for Montreal. Please let me know how far it is possible and if Janardana has made any progress in this connection."Why we cannot eat meat", to answer this question the staight reply is that "because Krishna does not eat meat". We are concerned with Krishna Consciousness so our eating is dependent on Krishna Consciousness. We cannot eat, cannot do, cannot think, cannot will or can do nothing without Krishna consciousness. By nature one has to eat some weaker living being and therefore animals are eaten by man, vegetables are eaten by animal or the weak is eaten by the strong and therefore one living being is eaten by another stronger living being. But there is a systematic rules and principles for eating and a human being is to eat Krishna Prasadam. If Krishna would have eaten meat, we would have also eaten His meat Prasadam. We are concerned with Krishna Prasadam. In this connection please consult my writing in Srimad-Bhagavatam third volume page 822 "One living being is the food for the other" also please consult page 984 "The principles of Cow Killing" ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** April 27th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Kīrtanānanda, Please accept my blessings. By the Grace of Sri Krishna you are doing well in the management of the Montreal center and your combined service will improve the condition more and more. Be jolly always knowing well that Krishna is with you and all sincere attempt to improve the Montreal Branch will be successful. I have already asked Syamasundara of San Francisco to sculpt one set of Sri Murtis of Jagannatha for Montreal but if you can locally do it there will be great saving of transport charges. I am sending herewith one picture of Jagannatha as they are situated in San Francisco. You have seen the place and now you can arrange for the Deity like the picture and I wish to follow the same principle in all our branches. The Deity room should not be separate from the common lecture room but it should be situated in such a place that all can see the Deity perfectly. But arrangement should be made in such a way that there would be one round curtain to cover the place when there is no class. They should not always be exposed, only during the class hours the curtain should be open. The picture enclosed herewith may be enlarged and sent me back again. Regarding Easy Journey to Other Planets if you like this book just edit it nicely and we shall get it printed here with addition of my chanting essay. Now I am trying for printing arrangement and this book also can be nicely printed provided you take charge of distribution. I am very much anxious for sale of my books. It has to be organized; please think over this matter. If the books are not properly sold how I can print so many books. Let Pradyumna help me in selling the books. If it is possible you can make Jagannatha statues in various sizes for sale and I approve this project. We have ordered for some Krishna pictures and they are also for sale. Regarding Bengalis. I think it will be difficult for them to join us because we are pure Vaisnavas. The Bengalis are generally worshipers of Goddess Kali for facility of eating meat and fish. But some of them may join us in minority. Indians other than the Bengalis may join us in large numbers because most of them are vegetarians. Any way do not disturb them or any one about their personal affairs but give every one the chance of joining us in Kirtana that will pave the path of Krishna Consciousness. You are intelligent enough and I hope you will understand me right. You will be glad to know that I have been able, by Grace of Krishna, to recover $4227, and odds out of the $5000.00 gone in the belly of Sir Conman Fraud (Payne) and Mr. Goldsmith is trying to recover at least $500.00 out of another $750.00 in the belly of Payne. I prayed to Krishna specially for this recovery because I thought that Krishna's money may not be utilized for sense gratification. So I think still we shall be in loss of about $1000.00 or more which cannot be recovered because they have been shared by the Lawyers. Any way it is Krishna's Grace but in future all of you must be very cautious to deal with men like Payne whom I trusted not from the very beginning. Krishna is dictating you from within for nice management and I am very glad to have detailed statement of accounts. You will also be glad to know that Steadhisa (Stanley) has joined us again in good health. He is a sincere devotee of the Lord. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure :2 ### Letter to Kīrtanānanda **Date:** May 5th 1967 — **Location:** New York > Montreal My dear Kīrtanānanda, I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 1st 1967 and I am very pleased to go through it. Please accept my blessings. You are doing very nice alone, and Krishna will help you more and more. As you are managing our Montreal center, similarly, Mukunda and Haridasa and Syamasundara are also very nicely managing the center in San Francisco. I have received also one letter from Mukunda of the same date, May 1st, 1967 and he writes as follows: "I am happy to report that many more people are attending kirtana. Someone has made a beautiful technicolor movie (our first in Golden Gate Park) called 'Hare Krishna.' It has sound, our voices." I am sorry that you have no good mrdanga, but if you send me a hundred dollars as I have already written to Pradyumna I can get a mrdanga and good harmonium for you so that you can have your kirtana very nicely. I am very much pleased to learn that our comments on the Bhagavad-gita are being appreciated by the audience in Montreal. Regarding printing, if I print the Bhagavad-gita in your country, it will cost not less than 12,000 dollars, out of this I have already secured about 5,000 dollars from one of my students at San Francisco and still I require 6 to 7,000 dollars. I do not know how to secure it, but the only hope is that I have my books. If you can organize the sales of my books, either you or Pradyumna, then there is no question of scarcity of money. I can go on printing so many books. But because the books are not selling nicely, neither there is sufficient money, so I am handicapped. Anyway, let us depend on Krishna and when He will desire, everything will be very nice. Perhaps you have heard that I have recovered out of that 6,000 dollars which had undergone in the belly of Sir Con Fraud. I have realized about 4700 dollars—the pleaders have taken about 1200 dollars, including Mr. Hill's lawyer, our lawyer Herzog and I have paid also something to Goldsmith. Anyway, that affair is closed. Now we are searching after a bigger place. So far we have not been able to find out a suitable place. We found out a very nice suitable place at 6th Street on Grand, but the difficulty is just on the side there is a butcher and the smell is obnoxious, so we could not do it. Now there is a bank building on Houston Street, so, that is very nice, but we do not know how to secure it; we are trying for it. I have already written to Janardana about his studies and I have requested him to have his M.A. degree by all means. You will be pleased to know that appreciation of our Back To Godhead and records has come from London and our disciple Dvarakadhisa, Donald Dougherty is arranging to send 100 records, 3 sets of books and Back To Godhead to London. This time they have made a very nice cover of Back To Godhead and the articles and poetry are very nice. I think they will dispatch to you, and you will enjoy them. Think over how to popularize our sankirtana. If we can popularize our publication then it will be very nice propaganda. You will be pleased to learn that yesterday we had a nice meeting in the City College, 138th St. There were about 200 students attending and the program began at 12 noon and ended at 1:30. First of all we chanted and prayed for 45 minutes, then I lectured for another 30 minutes then there were questions and answers for 20 minutes then again, there was chanting and kirtana and dancing for 15 minutes and at the end all the students danced and sang with me. They appreciated the meeting. If we can arrange such meetings in the schools and colleges it will be a very nice thing, because my purpose of coming here to enthuse the younger generation and it is very pleasing to me that Krishna is sending me younger generation and sincere souls like you. I think some of you like yourself, Satsvarupa, Brahmananda and Mukunda and Gargamuni, Acyutananda and all of you had already cultivated this Krishna Consciousness in your past lives, now Lord Caitanya wants that this movement should be spread in the western countries, so most probably in your previous births you were all Indians and cultivated this Krishna Consciousness. Now Lord Caitanya has placed you in the western part of the world so that you can now combine together and broadcast the holy message all over the world. Your detailed account of the receipt and expenditure is very nice, do your duty and Krishna will help you. I have got all approval of your activities and I am thanking you very much. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- NOTE: If you want to come here for 2 or 3 days it will be a very welcome suggestion. So we can talk together about our future programs, and it will be very nice. Hayagriva wants to hear from you. He wants that you should join his Editorial Department but he will only use you for Iskcon Bullets of which he is very fond of. ACB ### Letter to Lilasukha **Date:** December 17th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Lilasukha Dasi, Please accept my blessings. Your letter of Nov. 26, 1967, received along with your beads. I have sanctified your beads last evening when I initiated two other boys Cidananda and Krishna das. I am very glad to know that you are realizing Krishna Consciousness. The more you chant, the more you will realize. I think Krishna has brought me again in your country for the purpose of training you perfectly. One must be educated. The education may be taken either in schools or privately but one must be educated. We want many preachers to broadcast this message Krishna Consciousness. Without education we cannot preach because a preacher has to meet many kinds of opposite elements. One has to be engaged in one's specific occupation and at the same time to advance in Krishna Consciousness. Herewith please find your beads. Get some Small Beads to be fixed up in your neck. Have regularly the Tilaka marks. Brahmananda will assist you in all details. Be happy in Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Lilavati **Date:** October 23rd 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Lilavati, Please accept my blessings. I'm just in receipt of your letter. Your child should be named Subhadra, the name that you have already chosen, this is nice. Regarding the horoscope, it is a nice idea and if I meet a good astrologer I shall try to get one for your little child. I'm glad that you have sent me the exact time and date of birth, this will help. N.B. I have purchased one Tambura for you costing Rs 106/- from Dwarkin & Sons. They have allowed me 20% discount (special) on the price. This Tambura is going to be booked by air cargo tomorrow by Ramanuja. The charges will be too much. But hence forward you can order directly to M/S Dwarkin & son, 8/2 Esplanade East, Calcutta-1. The price is Rs 125/- Less 20% and there will be no sale tax charges if you send the amount by Bank draft in dollar direct to the firm. The will pack & ship the instruments by surface which will be very cheap. Always order in the ISKCON Stationery which are printed with my name. ACB ### Letter to Lynn **Date:** November 23rd 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Lynn, Please accept by blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter (undated) and I thank you for it. It is very nice and encouraging. Krishna Consciousness is so nice that if one takes part in it in either ways, like hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, praying, or even simply by eating prasadam, the transcendental effect will be visible. I am very glad that you have developed these nice sentiments and now you are living with other devotees. If you continue like this I am sure you will make rapid progress in Krishna Consciousness. I am returning to San Francisco very soon and soon after that I shall go to your city also. When I meet you, surely you shall be initiated. I thank you once more for you nice appreciation. ### Letter to Madhusudana **Date:** November 2nd 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Madhusudana, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 24th October 1967. Kīrtanānanda was awarded the position of a Sannyasi because he wanted it although I could understand it that he wanted to be a spiritual master himself. Lord Caitanya wanted every one should be a spiritual master provided he follows the order of Lord Caitanya. The Lord's mission was to defeat the Mayavada philosophy and establish in the philosophy of Krishna consciousness because Krishna is the Supreme Lord the Personality of Godhead. Anyone following the order of Lord Caitanya under the guidance of His bona fide representative, can become a spiritual master and I wish that in my absence all my disciples become the bona fide spiritual master to spread Krishna Consciousness throughout the whole world. I want it but Kīrtanānanda was too much puffed up and artificially he took up a certificate from me that he has been awarded the order to a Sannyasi, In the spiritual field nobody can become a bona fide spiritual master by dissatisfying his spiritual master. It is said that one can satisfy the Supreme Lord simply by satisfying the spiritual master and one who dissatisfies the spiritual master has no place in the spiritual world. Kīrtanānanda wanted to become a spiritual master by dissatisfying his spiritual master and as such he has fallen down. He cannot say anything genuine any more till he has had revival of his pure consciousness in the spiritual world as mentioned above. Differentiation between spirit & matter is clear & practical experience, when a living creature is dead no amount of material advancement of science can bring back a dead body to life. The thing which is absent from a dead body is the spirit. As there is individual spirit in individual body, similarly there is the Great Spirit in the universal material form. As the individual spirit is working systematically within the individual material body, similarly, the Supreme Spirit is conscious of the universal body. The lord knows what is happening in each & every planet as much as an individual soul knows what is happening in each & every part of his body. Therefore, the individual consciousness which is limited, when dovetailed with the Supreme Consciousness of the Lord is called Krishna Consciousness. When I return some of you shall be offered Sacred Thread. I very much appreciate your version that Rayarama is roaring like a Lion-cub. I wish that every one of you should be Lion's descendant. Our Lord Krishna assumed the form of Lion & killed the atheist, Hiranyakasipu, & by disciplic succession we shall also kill all impersonalist atheist. Absolutely there is no Krishna Consciousness for the impersonalist. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisherA.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Madhusudana **Date:** December 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Madhusudana, Please accept my blessings. I am so happy to read your letter dated Dec. 28, 1967. And I am very concerned that due to your sincerity and service mood you have improved in Krishna Consciousness excellently. Whatever allocation of duty there may be, if we try to execute such specific duty sincerely, that alone can make us much more advanced in Krishna Consciousness. In the Bhagavad-gita, it is stated that for the fixed up devotee there is one duty. This duty is understood through the transparent medium via media of the Spiritual Master. It is better service to Krishna and Spiritual Master in a feeling of separation; sometimes there is risk in the matter of direct service. For example, Kīrtanānanda was giving me direct service by massaging, cooking for me, and so many other things; but later on by dictation of Maya, he became puffed up, so much so that he thought his Spiritual Master a common man, and was existing only on account of his service. This mentality at once pushed him down. Of course, those who are sincere devotee, they take direct service as an opportunity, but the illusory energy is so strong that it acts on this doctrine of familiarity breeds contempt. Kīrtanānanda was thinking I was existing on his service, instead of realizing I was giving him opportunity to do me some service. My advice to you is to continue your good attitude that you are keeping now and this alone will help you in advancing your cause of Krishna Consciousness. I am pleased that you are very diligently assisting Rayarama. Rayarama is a sincere worker and by assisting him you will be benefited. You are doing your best and I shall advise you to continue this attitude. Regarding smearing on the Body of Lord Jagannatha: You should always know that the Body of Lord Jagannatha is spiritual. We are given the chance of serving the Spiritual Body and according to Revealed Scriptures, we should serve the Transcendental Body of the Deity just as we try to serve our worshipable personalities. To continue a sense of devotion, it is better to wash the Body of Lord Jagannatha with hot water so that we may have the feeling that Lord Jagannatha is more comfortable. We should offer foodstuffs to the Deity and allow enough time to eat them. These are all transcendental sentiments. At Vrindaban, the Deities are offered foodstuffs and time is allowed as in the case of others. Yes, before offering anything to the Deity you must be satisfied that it is a first class offering and there is no objection if you taste it by smelling. But you should not smell for other purposes. The whole idea is that devotional service should always be immune from sense gratification. I am very glad that you are prepared to go to Vrindaban. Many students, boys and girls, are also prepared here to go to Vrindaban. I am just in negotiation for a good place for you and as soon as it is fixed up, we shall go to Vrindaban, at least one dozen students. Acyutananda and Ramanuja had very good reception and they are planning to preach Krishna Consciousness and to open a branch there, and I have encouraged them in that idea. My dream is that at least one dozen students shall remain in Vrindaban and trained up nicely, and sent for preaching work all over the world. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mahapurusa **Date:** October 17th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Mahapurusa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your detailed letter. Brown rice generally is doubly boiled, therefore it cannot be used for Krishna prasadam. Unpolished rice which looks like brown can be used. Generally in American the brown rice is doubly boiled therefore unfit. We do not mind polished or unpolished but doubly boiled mustn't be used. Doubly boiled rice is considered impure. Sun baked rice is all right. ### Letter to Malati **Date:** May 4th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Malati, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter of the 25th, April 1967, and I am very glad to know the sentiment expressed therein. You are a very sincere girl and your sentiment is also very nice. One should always feel very humble, that will help one to make progress in Krishna Consciousness. So your humble feeling that you are shrouded by illusion is very nice, at the same time your feeling that Krishna Consciousness is so nice that it makes everything easy. You have desired me to return to San Francisco by the 1st of June. If Krishna wishes it is not impossible. My program was to go to Montreal but there is some difficulty about the visa so I may not go to Montreal, and in case I do not go it will be not difficult for me to return by 1st June to San Francisco. If I am not there by 1st of June by the 1st of July I must be there. Thank you very much. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Messrs Atmaram and Sons **Date:** July 29th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban > Messrs Atmaram and Sons English Department Kashmiri Gate Delhi 6.Att: Sri Ishkumar Dear Sir: I beg to inform you that I have come back from the U.S.A. in an unwell condition; therefore I cannot come to see you personally at the present time. But I request you to send me a statement of account at my Vrindaban address listed above. Furthermore, I request you not to pay anything more to Candra Shekhar. Please send the check crossed account payee. Thanking you. Sincerely yours, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mr. and Mrs. Renovich **Date:** June 9th 1967 — **Location:** New York > S. B. & K. Renovich4909 Norfolk St.Burnaby 2, B.C.Canada My dear Mr. and Mrs. Renovich: I thank you very much for your letter of 3rd June 1967. I have noted the contents carefully, and I am glad that you are reading my god-brother's book (Raghava Caitanya Das). You are correct in your conclusion that "Hari-Nama" is the only means for spiritual realization in this age. Swami Bon Maharaja is also my God-brother, and under the discipline of our Spiritual Master we were all trained up for preaching this gospel of chanting the Holy Name, and I am trying to do my bit in these western countries; and by Krishna's Grace people are receiving the mantra with great interest. In our three branches, (New York, San Francisco, and Montreal), this new line of spiritual realization is being received with enthusiasm. Last Sunday there was a meeting in the Tompkins Square Park and thousands of people participated. I was seriously ill for the last few days, so that I could not attend the meeting, but I sent a message through my disciple, and when the message was read it was received with great applause. I wish to open a similar branch in Vancouver with your cooperation. If you are serious about it, then you arrange for our reception, and I may go there with some of my disciples. The Indians in Montreal are taking a great interest in our temple, and similarly we may expect that when there is a temple in Vancouver all the Indians will take an interest. One of my chief disciples, Sriman Kīrtanānanda, has very nicely organized the Montreal center, and on hearing from you either myself or Kīrtanānanda may go to your place. This Sankirtana movement is so natural and nice; we had a very good experience at Stanford University where all the students joined with us and danced with us. I am enclosing one press report and hope you enjoy it. Yours sincerely, ### Letter to Mr. Bruce Scharf, Brahmananda **Date:** November 22nd 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta > Mr. Bruce Scharfc/o Iskcon Inc.26 Second avenue New York 10003 NY Dear Mr. Scharf, I hereby authorize you to sign the contract with Messrs. MacMillan and Co. in the matter of publishing my Gitopanisad. You are also authorized to receive payment on my behalf. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mr. Dambergs (senior) **Date:** April 12th 1967 — **Location:** New York Dear Mr. Senior Dambergs, Kindly accept my greetings. I am unknown to you but I have heard about you from your very good grandson Sriman Janardana (Janis). I have heard that you have been ailing since a long time but I have heard also that you are a great devotee of Lord Jesus Christ. It is very good. I am also an insignificant servant of Lord Jesus Christ because I am preaching the same message as Lord Jesus did. I'm preaching God consciousness or Krishna consciousness. Fools thought that Lord Jesus Christ was dead by crucifixion but He resurrected. All living entities are parts and parcel of the Supreme Lord and therefore they are also eternal. All our ailments are due to the external body. Although we have to suffer some time from bodily inconveniences specially in the old age, still if we are God conscious, we shall not feel the pangs. The best thing is therefore to Chant the holy Name of the Lord Constantly. I would you request you to chant always God's holy Name. We are chanting God's holy name always and instructing our students to do so. If you have any holy name for God do chant Him always and it will do you the greatest benefit. And by chanting so when you will be remembering Him always then you transfer to the Kingdom of God is guaranteed. When you return to the Kingdom of God there is no necessity to come back again to the rotten world full of miseries. We are chanting God's Name asHare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. The Lord Has millions of holy names and you can chant any one of them and each and every Name of the Lord is full potential. We chant the abovementioned holy Name of the Lord because the name was Chanted by Lord Caitanya the father of this movement of Krishna Consciousness. We follow Lord Caitanya's footprints to achieve very quick result. I would advise you also to follow the principle. Krishna means the most attractive reservoir of Pleasure. Who does not want such pleasure? Therefore we want Krishna and nothing more. Hope you will understand me right. May Krishna give you all peace of mind. You are so lucky that you have got a nice boy like Janis as descendant of your good family. He will render you greatest service to your family by his becoming Krishna conscious, Yours very sincerely A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mr. Fulton **Date:** April 3rd 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco > Mr. Richard Fulton Inc.200 West 57th Street New York N.Y. 10019 Dear Mr. Fulton, I thank you very much for your letter of the 31st March 1967 and I have noted the contents carefully. Mr. Alan Kallman of Pixi Records is my well wisher friend and it is very kind of him that he has desired to push my cause through your valuable endeavour. I am returning herewith the Agreement duly signed by me along with some papers of my activities. Amongst the papers you will find one copy of literature of my Srimad-Bhagavatam and if you have no objection to mail such literatures then I can send you copies as many as you may desire. Any order received through you directly or indirectly will credit your account by the same commission namely 33-1/3%Thanking you once more and awaiting your early reply. I am returning to New York on the 9th April 1967 by United Air Line. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure: Signed Agreement & eight other papers. This is to certify that His Holiness Tridandi-Swami Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja is a bona fide initiated disciple of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of the Gaudiya Math Institutions and in November 1959 he took Sannyasam (renounced order of life) from His Holiness Tridandi Swami Bhakti Prajnan Kesava Maharaja, the Founder-President of the Gaudiya Vedanta Society. He is therefore an authorized Preacher and Teacher in the line of disciplic succession from Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who preached Krishna Consciousness all over India about 500 years ago and authorized His all disciplic successors to preach the Philosophy of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam in all towns and villages of the world. It is a great pleasure for all members of the Gaudiya Vaisnava Vedantists that Tridandi Swami Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja is engaged in preaching the cult in the western world. Swami B. V. Narayana ### Letter to Mr. Taber **Date:** June 9th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Mr. Taber, I thank you very much for your letter and I have noted the contents carefully. You will be glad to know that I am improving my health gradually and today I took a shower bath by myself here at the seashore in N.J. Probably I will have regained my strength sufficiently by the 25th of this month to come to San Francisco, but if I do not go at that time, then I shall advise you to come to New York. So far as your distress is concerned, it is not new: it is the general condition of living entities who are distressed for want of sense gratification. Unless one is related with Sri Krishna, The Reservoir of All Pleasures, it is very difficult to have complete pleasures perception in this material world. You have read Bhagavad-gita and it is stated that ultimate happiness can be realized by transcendental senses only. Our movement for Krishna Consciousness is to turn the present polluted senses into its original pure form, just like when a man cannot see properly due to cataracts in the eyeball, similarly we cannot have real sense pleasure without being purified in Krishna Consciousness. This purification can be done only by engaging the senses for Krishna. Krishna is called Hrsikesa, or the Master of the Senses. His senses are omnipotent; therefore, when our senses will be engaged to satisfy the senses of Krishna, at that time we will have perfect sense gratification, and be free of all distressed condition. A spirit soul is not impersonal, and because he is a person he has the latent desire for sense gratification; but in the material condition he does not know how to enjoy; therefore one should purify the senses being free of all material designation. In conditioned stage we are designated souls like "American," "Indian," "dog," "demigod," etc., but in pure consciousness or Krishna Consciousness, we are part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. By Brahman realization, as you may have read in Bhagavad-gita: brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. So in our pure stage when we understand that we are eternal servants of Krishna there is no more distress. Therefore the devotee prays: "My Lord, when shall I be freed from all material desires and be completely engaged in your transcendental loving service. At the present moment I am forlorn and nobody is my master. When shall I have You as my Supreme Master; then shall I joyfully wander over the whole universe knowing that You are my master." Please therefore try to be in Krishna Consciousness and there will be no distress. Gradually as you realize this, you will experience it also; but the process is the same, both at the beginning and at the end. Hope you are well. Your sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACB:kdb ### Letter to Mrinaline **Date:** August 27th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Mrinaline, Please accept my blessings. I have your letter of 8/22, and thank you very much for it. I am so glad that you have returned to Krishna. Krishna is kind that He does not let us go, anyone who sincerely takes to Him. And therefore you do not wish to leave Him anymore. This decision will lead you to your eternal life of bliss and knowledge. Certainly in your past life you must have had been a devotee of the Lord, otherwise you wouldn't have felt like becoming a nun at such a young age. Anyone who has a natural tendency for rejecting sense-gratification is considered to be advanced or liberated in spiritual life. Your appreciation of Maya as false and Krishna as the only reality is a great asset. Nobody has ever gained anything by becoming a tool in the hands of Maya, but everyone has become eternally happy by serving Krishna. The feeling which you had by becoming compassionate to the fallen bum is very good, but the best way to deliver a bum is to revive his dormant Krishna Consciousness. If you can do that then give the bums good food and shelter. If you cannot do that, then simple supplying food and shelter, is serving the Maya. But there is no benefit to serving Maya, as you know, as it is all false, temporary or illusion. We are concerned with Reality, not Maya, and that should be the object of life. I am very glad to learn that many of my devotees are coming to India. Students who will come here for studying Krishna philosophy as scholar and devotee will have ample opportunity. My god-brother Swami B.H. Bon, has agreed to give them free boarding, lodging and tuition, at least for ten students at a time. So they are welcome. I am also trying for their concession of passage as well as a permanent home in Vrindaban. Let us depend upon the Will of Krishna. Your letter is certainly full of sense, and a K.C. boy or girl cannot be "nonsense". I am proud to have disciples like you, who think freely, but correct their mistakes by consulting me without any reservation. I am always feeling separation for you all. Let Krishna help us meet again. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** April 12th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my greetings and hearty blessings. I hope in the meantime you have received my previous letter informing my safe arrival in New York. Today I have received the certificates from India and the copies are enclosed herewith. Please immediately consult your Lawyer friend who wanted this certificates and do the needful. I must have now the Permanent visa otherwise I cannot go to Montreal and work will suffer very much if I do not go to Montreal by the next month. Kindly let me know what you have done in this connection and I shall wait your letter with interest. I heard that for appointing a teacher-foreigner expert in particular subject one has to submit application with $25.00 fees and certificate of bona fides of the teacher sponsored by some American. The form I got from the office of Immigration is perhaps lying at San Francisco. Anyway you wanted the certificate which is now obtained and now you can do the needful quickly and let me know what you have done. Please offer my blessings to all my devotees and specially Janaki Devi. Awaiting your early reply. I hope you are following the prescribed routine work for holding the classes and shall be glad to know about it. Your ever well wisher. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure: Copy of the certificate. N.B. I have not heard anything about the printing affair of Bhagavad-gita ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** August 3rd 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Mukunda, Yesterday I have sent you a personal note on the request of Vinod Kumar. If immigration Visa's burdensome for the Society, then don't take the risk. I think to get immigration Visa is very difficult and therefore you may not unnecessarily involve the society in it. We cannot pay him any salary at the present moment or unless we see his talents, I shall let you know later on more about it. Hope you are well. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** September 16th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi > San Francisco My dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of Sept. 1, I could not write you because I was busy for coming to Delhi. I am very happy to learn that Janmashtami was performed with great pomp at our temple. A similar report comes from Montreal. Regarding Vinode Kumar, I think it will be difficult for us to take him to the States. The difficulty is that Scindia Lines has recently refused to give free passage to anyone except myself. So if we want to take him there we have to spend some thousands of dollars for his passage. I don't think the society can take the risk for a person who is not very expert. I have of course a mind to see the managing director in Bombay and unless a definite arrangement is made we can drop the idea of getting Vinode Kumar in the states. So far your requisition for musical instruments is concerned you can let me know your definite proposal, how many sitars and other things you require monthly. I think your friend or Mr. Kallman in N.Y. can invest some money in this connection. I've also written Mr. Kallman separately so you can let me know your definite ideas. One sitar manufacturer is prepared to go there and manufacture sitars locally for us, but I don't think, for the present moment it is a practical program. My health is improving slowly but undoubtedly there is improvement. ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** September 29th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I'm in due receipt of your letter dated Sept. 21. I understand from your letter that you received one consignment of pictures from Brijbasi of Bombay. Did you order these pictures or were they sent of their own accord? From New York we placed an order last April, to their Delhi office the Delhi branch says that the order is forwarded to Bombay for execution. Please inform N.Y. that you have received the pictures. I think the picture you have must belong to the N.Y. branch. So far as musical instruments are concerned I don't think it is worthwhile. Shipping charges and packing and duty come to more than that one could purchase in the states. To send one tamboura by air the total price would come to $163 and by ship 110. If you wish to purchase 20 items at a time then you can get trade shipping rates. Please send my blessings to all the boys and girls in San Francisco. Your ever wellwisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. I am going to Calcutta next week and I may see there how the business is possible ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** October 7th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated 30th September 1967 duly in hand. I understand that you are all very anxious to know about me. By the Grace of Lord Krishna I am now 90% well although the basic difficulty namely that I cannot walk very long distance is there. While sitting on my seat I do not feel anything abnormal; even nowadays I can type letters. I am eating also more than what I was eating in the states. On the whole I am now fit to go back to your country. I think I have several times asked you for arranging my Permanent Visa or immigration Visa. This will settle myself in your country and I can move freely. While I was in the States you told that my certificates are sufficient to give me permanent Visa on the basis of being the Minister of the Society. Why not try for this and get me a permanent Visa. I am starting for Calcutta with Ramanuja and Acyutananda (9/10/67) who I think have already written to you about your Tanbura etc. Tanbura from Delhi by Air Mail is very costly. When I go to Calcutta on the 9th October 1967 I shall personally try for the Tanbura Harmoniums etc and settle the terms with Dwarkin and Sons. My address in Calcutta is mentioned above. The record player which you gave me at the Stinson Beach is lost. It is stolen by somebody from my room while I was alone sleeping. I can take some police action but I do not wish to implicate myself in such a way because I am going to Calcutta. Is it possible to send me another to my Calcutta address by air mail. If it is too costly do not send. But such portable record players are not available in India. What happened to your cymbals. Now as I am going to Calcutta, I shall personally try for all kinds of supply. Please let me know in details all the goods that you may require from India to execute regular transaction for which you have already started a partnership establishment. The pictures which you have received from S.S. Brijbasi & Sons, belong to the New York center. They sent the order and paid $125.00 for the price. If you want to keep the pictures then your establishment must send $125.00 to me so that I can arrange to send another consignment for New York. ACB ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** October 18th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your telegram reading as follows;"Swamiji Now Filling third Preference Visa with Documents"Today I have been to the American Consular office & upon presentation of the invitation letters from the different centers I was at once granted visitors visa under #B2. The officer whom I met was very sympathetic & he said that Immigration visa from this side would take a long time for being granted better I took the visitors visa—so I have accepted it. Now for the present you may not take any steps until my arrival. Tomorrow we shall get your tamboura. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisherA.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** October 23rd 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of Oct 16 with great pleasure. Now I feel certain that you will get my immigration visa, in the meantime as I have already informed you I've gotten a visitors visa immediately on presenting passport. So please let me know whether I should wait for the immigration visa as you intend to send me or should I start on the strength of the visitors visa. On the whole now I can start any day I like but if you think I should wait I shall wait. You must write me immediately. I'm leaving Calcutta the day after tomorrow for Navadvipa, the birth place of Lord Caitanya and my address is given on the overleaf (please find). You will reply this letter to my Navadvipa address and on hearing from you I will do the needful. When coming from San Francisco I promised to Janaki and other girls that this time when I come back I shall first come to San Francisco. So I shall return by Pacific route and possibly make a break in the journey in Tokyo and Hawaii. I have duly received the copies of your correspondence with SS Brijbasi. I understand that there was no mistake on your part. Along with your letter I have the note of Janaki's Aunt Edna. Please convey my greetings and good wishes to her. She may remain there with you till my return. I have duly received your telegram as well. ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** October 28th 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for sending me a record player by air freight, but since you have not mentioned that it is an unsolicited gift, customs has raised objections & they want to levy duty to the extent of 100 Rs. Please immediately send a letter addressed to Calcutta Customs stating that the record player was sent to me as an unsolicited gift. Send the letter to: S.K. Dutta, 76 Durga Charan Doctor Rd., Calcutta, 14. Also please let me know if I should start on the visitors visa or whether I should wait for your permanent visa arrangement. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** November 4th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Oct. 22 and I've noted the contents. I am much obliged to you for sending me the record player which is essential but I could save the customs duty of 120 Rs if you could have sent a note stating that it was an unsolicited gift. Anyway the machine was received intact and I am enjoying it. But I have not heard anything definitely whether I shall wait for the final disposal of your visa application or if I may start immediately. As you say that my absence is being felt now more deeply than ever, so I also feel to start immediately without waiting. The morning prayer can be recorded when I return. If there is actually a brahmacarini asrama organized by San Francisco devotees, it will be very nice to keep there Jadurani as the leader of the brahmacarinis. I am very glad that two other devotees are waiting for me. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** November 11th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Nov. 5, including the air waybill but before this, I had cleared the record player paying a duty of 120.oo Rs. So there is no more any chance of getting back this money. But your timely dispatching the machine is very much appreciated by Krishna and I thank you very much for this prompt service. Regarding your telegram; I may inform you that I am starting sometime next week. I shall inform you as soon as I book my ticket of my time of arrival (ETA). Regarding your business, I have seen many merchants who will supply us incense, frankincense, saris, musical instruments, dancing ghungru (jingle bells for feet) etc. Hope you are well Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** November 21st 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. Today I have booked my seat for San Francisco. Please inform this news to all the devotees, My spiritual sons and daughters. I have sent you one cablegram reading as follows; Arriving 24th November 12:45 P.M. By PAA 846More when we meet. Hope you are well Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** May 5th 1967 — **Location:** New York > San Francisco My dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 1, 1967 and thank you very much. You will be pleased to know that yesterday at noon at the City College of New York I had a very successful meeting amongst the students. There were about 200 students present, and at the last kirtana they all danced and sung with me, and there were 20 minutes of answers and questions. This meeting was arranged by the Philosophy Dept. Chairman, so it was very nice and successful. Regarding your inquiry about the individual soul present, I think you will remember that I have several times explained that throughout the whole cosmic creation, not only in the cosmic creation, in the Spiritual World also, the individual is full everywhere, they are numberless. In the material world, the number of souls are very small. In the Spiritual World the number of individual souls are far far greater than what they are here. The conditioned souls are just like prisoners, as we have got less population in the prison house, similarly, in the material world the number of individual souls are very small. So you may understand from me that the individual souls are everywhere, means, anywhere you go within this material world there are individual living entities, in all planets in the outer space, in the water, on the land everywhere. You have done right by attaching a lace on the mrdanga just to make it convenient playing while dancing. I request you to get more mrdangas, of course the first consignment of mrdangas and the cymbals I sent money from my personal book account but if you want more mrdangas you will have to arrange to pay. A first class mrdanga available in India is about ten dollars. I think you should get at least 4 mrdangas and teach, so that other students also can play on it, so if there are 3 or 4 mrdangas played at the park and there are about 20 pairs of cymbals then the kirtana will be more beautiful. We have to popularize this movement everywhere so if you send me 100 dollars then I can secure for you, one best harmonium and 2 mrdangas and 3 pairs of cymbals. What happened about your preparing the cymbals; if you prepare the cymbals there is possibility of being sold in New York, many pairs—so why don't you do it? But if you are not doing it then you must get it from India. It is very pleasing to hear that you are keeping the temple neat and clean, at the same time you bedeck the temple with flowers. I am very glad to learn that you have got a technicolor movie and it is very nice that it has sound added of our voices. I duly received the photos and immigration material, but neither the photos could be offset printed, nor could I use the immigration material as sent by you. Mr. Ypslantin the lawyer is going in his own way, so he does not take this material formerly I offered, so let the matter be done in his own; there is no other way than to depend on the lawyer. Similarly in Montreal also, Janis our student, Janardana is trying for a Canadian visa. Let me see what is done. I received a letter from your wife, Janaki. I think she is the foremost girl who is feeling my separation, so kindly inform her that I am very much pleased to learn that she is making progress considerably in Krishna Consciousness. I have also received a letter from her sister and her brother in law, Guru das, so I am replying to them separately. I think I shall address them care of our temple and when you receive you can re-direct if they are not there. I shall be very glad to receive some letters from you. Give me the weekly report of your activities at San Francisco. Thanking you once more, I am your ever well-wisher, Yours, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. I learn that in the temple there are sometimes men with no work. This should not be allowed. Every one must be busy with some work in Krishna Consciousness. Idleness is not Krishna Consciousness. Please take care of this omission I shall be glad to hear from you about this. ACB ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** December 8th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. You will be glad to know that after the petty trouble in Calcutta and the city being normal, I have today booked my ticket for San Francisco via Tokyo. I am starting on Wednesday morning (Dec. 13) reaching Tokyo the same day. I shall rest there for 24 hours and then start for San Francisco arriving at 12:45 p.m. on Dec. 14 by flight PAA 846. I have got one general introduction letter from the mayor of Calcutta and it may be that I shall be meeting important people there. You will be glad to know that I have arranged with Messrs. Dwarkin & Son, 8/2 Esplanade East, Calcutta-1, to supply all kinds of musical instruments to our society at a special discount of 20%. Ramanuja has already written you about this thing. There is one company, the "American Mail Line" Navigation Service from Calcutta to San Francisco, Los Angeles, etc. They have got their office in San Francisco at #601 California Street. You can see the manager there and try to get free or concessional freight service for our temple goods. The only thing is that you have to impress upon them that Krishna Consciousness is an international organization for invoking man's dormant spiritual life. You can show him our other literatures, records and activities to convince him in this regard. You can also inform them that on the other side (Calcutta to New York) the Scindia Steam Navigation Co. has already given us facilities. We have also arranged for incense supply with a nice factory in Calcutta. I am carrying with me some varieties of samples. On the whole I have fixed up the carrying co., the musical co., the incense supply co., the cloth supply co., and all other things which you might require from India. You have no difficulty in getting things and you can chalk out your own program. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** May 13th 1967 — **Location:** New York > San Francisco My dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 9th May as well as Srimati Janaki's letter of the same date. Please convey my blessings for her and all the boys and girls in San Francisco. Since I have come to New York I have not heard anything from Jayananda Das Brahmacari (Jim). Is he regularly attending meetings. I shall be glad to hear from him. The gentleman who wrote on Meditation is Dr. Haridasa Chowdhury. You can find his name from the telephone directory. The devotees of the temple must keep themselves engaged otherwise they cannot make progress in Krishna consciousness. The maya is very strong and as soon as there is opportunity the Maya will come and attack. Therefore every one should be very careful against the attack of Maya. And the only effective defense is remain Krishna consciousness always. If you can prepare cymbals surely there will be good demand for it. There are many customers here already demanding it. Gargamuni is supplying them small finger cymbals and they are accepting it. So far questions on spiritual realization and doubts in the study of the Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam may be placed before me and I shall try to solve them to my best knowledge. Regarding publication of the Bhagavad-gita the quotations so far received are 11000 to 13000 thousand dollars. I have got about 6000 thousand dollars and I am eager to have the balance from any other source. The profit derived from record selling may be given to this fund. Gargamuni is paying me in that way. I wish that you may also follow the same principle. Any sitar player or tabla player or any other musician invited in the temple cannot play anything except Hare Krishna. Neither any one can utilize the temple for some musical demonstration. Such things are items for sense gratification. If somebody comes in the temple to chant Hare Krishna by his musical talents he is welcome otherwise not. Please follow this principle. Here also new youngsters are coming more and more to take interest Krishna consciousness. We require a bigger place but I do not know how Krishna will help us. There is a very nice building in this area and we are negotiating but do not know what is Krishna's plan. Hope you are all well. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. Nandarani has sent a letter to Brahmananda asking back her Typewriter. Did you not ask her when I wanted to exchange with mine? N.B. I have received Balabhadra & expecting Subhadra. In Montreal they are preparing there order so you may not prepare for Montreal but if possible make for Los Angeles. ACB ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** May 24th 1967 — **Location:** New York > San Francisco My dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. Since I wrote you last an important negotiation is going on in respect of purchasing a very nice house for the ISKCON H.Q. in New York. So I may not start in the beginning of the Second week of June 1967; but I am sure to reach there by the end of Second week of June 1967. I hope this will not cause any inconvenience. I shall be glad to hear from you. Please convey my blessings to Janaki and other girls. Hope you are well, Your ever well wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** June 6th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Mukunda, The record which you have sent singing Sri Ram, Jaya Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram, and other Kirtana is really a new turn and we have enjoyed the record so nicely. This Narada Muni song is in your country tune and I think it will attract many more of common man to join the Kirtana so you should practice this standard Kirtana more conveniently so that during your Rathayatra festival you can have this singing with the procession. Please inform all the devotees, boys and girls, especially Janaki devi, that I am progressing well. As soon as I get a little strength for travelling I shall come to San Francisco. In the meantime I shall be very glad to know what arrangements you are going to do for the Rathayatra festival. Make it a grand procession and unique introduction in the United States. Please inform Upendra that I have very much appreciated his letter of service attitude. This service attitude is a great asset of revelation in Krishna Consciousness. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- P.S. Also inform Jayananda I have received his letter and the difficulties of life may come as seasonal changes but we should not be disturbed by all those difficulties. Our process is to chant and that process will gradually clear everything in due course. There is nothing to be disrupted—you should go on with your work with enthusiasm and everything will be solved. We are on the sound footing of Krishna Consciousness ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** June 9th 1967 — **Location:** New York Dear Mukunda, With reference to our telephone conversation, I beg to enclose herewith three photo-offset copies of certificates. I have come to the seashore in N.J. and am progressing well. Today I have taken a shower bath by myself for the first time since getting ill. I am enclosing two offset copies, one from N.Y.U. and one from Slippery Rock State College, also one from Saint Fidelis College and Seminary. So far my certificates are concerned, if the originals are required I can send them, but I hope that these offset duplicates are as good as the original and I hope you will make proper use of them. Most probably I may be able to come to S.F. by the 25th of this month. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACB:kdbEnclosures 6 ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** June 10th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I hope you have already received my yesterday letter with enclosure of certificate of photostatted copies. The original copies are lying in my room; they could not bring them, but if you think that the same certificates will serve our purpose, and the original are needful, then I will arrange to send them somehow or other. But you must ascertain whether that certificate will serve the purpose. I am a bona fide preacher in the line of Lord Caitanya. There is no doubt about it. That is practically proved. The certificates are also there. I am very much anxious to know if this will serve your purposes and a reply by return post will give me great relief. The idea is that if I get that permanent visa, then I shall settle things up in that way. I do not mind whether I am in the U.S.A. or Vrndavana, because my life and soul is to preach Krishna Consciousness; but if you think those certificates are not sufficient for my permanent visa after consulting gentlemen like Mr. Dhar or others whom you are consulting, then I shall think of going back to India. But if I get the permanent visa, even in my broken health I shall stay in U.S.A. and try to propagate my mission through my disciples like you, Hayagriva, Kīrtanānanda, and others. I don't mind whether I die here or in Vrndavana—wherever there is Krishna, that is Vrndavana. So I shall be glad to hear from you the clear position about this. That will give me relief and new energy. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** June 26th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 20, 1967. Although I am passing through critical stages of my health, still good reports from San Francisco, Montreal, and New York are giving me life. I understand that the certificate which you were to receive by registered post was dispatched from Calcutta on 2 May by ordinary mail, and it might be missing; so I have asked Tirtha Maharaja to send another to your address. The copy of the letter addressed to Tirtha Maharaja is enclosed. Please look for the mail. I hope the certificates which you have already are sufficient; but still, this certificate from Tirtha Maharaja will be more valuable. I have fixed up to start for San Francisco on the 5th July, and the rest remains on Krishna. Hope you are all doing well. Offer my blessings to Srimati Janaki Devi. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- encl. 1 ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** August 2nd 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban > San Francisco My dear Mukunda, I have not heard anything from you since I have come back to India. Vinod Kumar who was supposed to reach U.S.A. on visitor's Visa is not granted the same. Please see if it is possible for him to get Immigration Visa. The forms are sent herewith please do the needful & let me know the result. I am awaiting to hear from you at an early date. Improving gradually. My Blessings for all & Janaki. Your ever well wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda, Janaki **Date:** May 21st 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Mukunda and Janaki, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 17th instant. Your ardent call is responding from heart and I have decided to return to San Francisco any day after 5th June 1967. You can advise therefore the American Air Lines for booking my seat and take my instruction here when I shall start as you did it last time. I have already received letter from Jayananda with thanks. I have received letter from all my spiritual children and I am very sorry that I could not reply them timely although I have replied some of them already. But you may announce to them that I am coming at San Francisco very soon some time in the second week of June 1967.The pamphlet which you have sent to me is very encouraging. It is clear from the statement that some of the young men of this country are very much eager to have some spiritual enlightenment and as such this movement Sankirtana inaugurated by Lord Caitanya, is just the suitable contribution for such searching after truth. So let us take this opportunity and convince them that this movement of Sankirtana is the only means for spiritual realization, very simple and universal. In our Kirtana there is no need of so called meditation and gymnastic of bodily exercise. It is simple and can be practiced even by the small children and we have practically seen it how small boys and girls do take part in it by chanting dancing with us and what to speak of eating the delicious Krishna Prasadam. So you can talk with the leaders of the movement to accept this common formula namely chanting Hare Krishna, dancing with it, hear the sublime philosophy of Bhagavad-gita directly from the representative of Krishna, and eat Krishna Prasada. Let the leaders be open minded and not be biased by any sectarian thoughts of religiosity. This movement is universal. We invite every one to our feast and Kirtana but when one comes into the confidence we initiate him in the process and request him to observe four principles of restrictions based on philosophy and morality. Nobody can realize spiritual enlightenment without following the principles of purity. Therefore our four principles of restriction must be adopted when one is serious about further enlightenment. I am glad that Ravindrasvarupa and Devakinandana (David) is already negotiating with the authorities and it is good that you are arranging for twenty four hours chanting in the proposed camp. ### Letter to Murari **Date:** August 3rd 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Murari Das, I am so glad to see your letter dated 7-19-67. Both Kīrtanānanda and myself reached safely on 14 July at Midnight, after undergoing customs etc., we took shelter at our temple in Delhi at about 3:00 a.m. Still we could not sleep all night. Due to that, I became indisposed and was obliged to stay there for three or four extra days. I have now come to Vrindaban on the 31st., and am staying at the Radha Damodara Temple. You have inquired about the import of Murari Das: Murari is another name for Krishna; therefore one who is pledged to become the servant of Krishna is called Murari Das. I am so glad you are playing music for Krishna. It is a great service of your talent. Anyone's special talent should be engaged in the service of the Lord, and thereby becomes successful in his life. I think that you can go on playing on your guitar and make it successful for Krishna kirtana. You do not require to learn freshly about sitar. We are not meant for learning something new for the service of the Lord; but we have to engage whatever talents we have already got. Our life is short but any type of education is great and long; so the best part of valor is to utilize properly whatever qualifications we have got for the service of the Lord. If you think still that you want a sitar, I will request you to make correspondence with Messrs Dwarkin and Sons, Esplanade Calcutta. Please convey my blessing to Lilavati, who is so sincere in the service of the Lord. Hare Krishna! Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Nandakisora **Date:** December 24th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Nandakisora, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to accept you. I am in due receipt of your letter of Dec. 24, and I am very glad to accept you as one of the servitors of Krishna. You are right when you say our past life is a dream only. Just like at night we see so many dreams and in daytime we forget everything. Similarly we forget everything of our past life and as such so long we do not be reposed to our spiritual factual life, all these changes of lives one after another are considered to be dreams. Less intelligent persons are very much interested in dreaming life, but one who is intelligent enough he searches after eternal life. The modern civilization does not understand what is eternal life. They are busy with the spot life of 50 or 100 years. Fools cannot think that one is not for 50 or 100 years, but one is for eternity. Krishna consciousness is the life of eternity and I am glad you are interested in it. So I am sending you beads chanted by me and your name is Nandakisora Brahmacari. Please follow the rules and regulations and ask Brahmananda about these rules and regulations. He will help you. Krishna consciousness is the process of eternal life. The process is simple and the results are sublime. You follow it and you will be happy in this life as well as in the next. I do not know whether you sent me these beads from N.Y. with stamped envelope; if you sent it, that is all right. Otherwise someone has sent them and I am missing his name. Anyway you can chant on these beads and inquire if anyone is missing his beads. Then I can send another (if these are not sent by you.)Hope you are well, Your ever well-wisher, ### Letter to Nandarani **Date:** June 9th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Nandarani, I am very glad to receive your recent letter. I am also glad to inform you that I am improving my health by the Grace of Krishna. I don't believe in medicine or doctors, but I am practically perceiving that the massaging is helping me beyond expectation. Today I have taken a shower bath by myself, and I am reciting from Srimad Bhagavatam, and am enjoying the seashore here in N. J. I believe that within a fortnight I shall recoup my health sufficiently and be able to start for San Francisco and meet you all there. I am also glad to learn that you have a child within your womb, and please accept all my blessings for the newcomer for whom we shall be very glad to receive just after a few months. Please take care of your health so that the child may grow very healthy and become Krishna Conscious. Prahlada Maharaja was in the womb of his mother and heard the instruction of Narada Muni and later on he became the most famous devotee of Lord Krishna. It is the duty of all parents to make every child Krishna Conscious, so that the fortunate child born of Krishna Conscious parents may not have any more to take birth in this material world. Thank you for the very fine leaf. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACB:kdb ### Letter to Nandarani **Date:** October 8th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Nandarani, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter Oct 2 & I am so glad to have it. You and your husband's service in respect of opening the L.A. center will be recorded in the history of our Krishna Consciousness movement. Most probably I shall be in your country by the end of October or early in Nov. I am thinking of going by pacific route so when I am in your country I shall either be first in San Francisco or L. A. My mind is always with you. Practically your country is my home now. India is foreign country for me. The reason is that my spiritual family is there & my material relationships are in India; therefore factually where my spiritual family exists, there is my home. Regarding your personal question in the matter of relationship with your husband. Your relationship with your husband is all right. You must be faithful & devoted to your husband, Dayananda. Vedic system advises women to become very chaste & accept the husband as master. Your husband is especially good because he is progressing in Krishna Consciousness. I am very glad that you two are very good combination & your devotion for your husband & your husband's love for you are considered great achievements so I have also advised Krishna Devi for her husband, Subala. I feel very happy when I see my spiritual boys and girls especially those who have been married by my personal presence are very happy in their conjugal relationship. Even if there is some misunderstanding between husband & wife that should be completely neglected & you should always remain rigid in service of Krishna as you have written to say, it is pleasing to be in the service of Krishna. Discharge of Krishna Consciousness is our primary objective & all other relationships should be faithful to this principle. Follow this principle. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Nandarani **Date:** October 29th 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Nandarani, Please accept my blessings. I was very pleased to receive your letter. I have come to Navadvipa since I've received your letter, the birthplace of Lord Caitanya. We came here last Tuesday & probably I shall return to Calcutta early next week. Regarding the Teachings in the temple; everyone of my disciples may become a teacher strictly following my instructions. I am a bona fide teacher as long as I follow the instructions of my spiritual master. That is the only one qualification for becoming a teacher. As soon as one deviates from this principle one is no longer a teacher. I do not know how Subala das speaks but if there is any deviation you can point it out & adjust things between yourselves. Personally I know both yourself & your husband, Dayananda, are very sincere souls & I am much obliged to you because you have opened a nice center in L.A. Similarly, Subala das also opened a center at Santa Fe. All this activity is very encouraging to my mission & I believe sincerely that you are doing the best to serve the cause of ISKCON.I have already arranged for going back to your country & I have secured a visitors visa & the passage money is also deposited with the travel agent, so the only thing is that Mukunda is trying to get my permanent visa & I am waiting for his final word in this connection. I thank you very much for your proposal that I shall stay at L.A. & you will arrange for all my comforts. I am looking forward for the opportunity. From India I shall first go to San Francisco & then to your place. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Nandarani **Date:** November 28th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Nandarani, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated Nov. 16, 1967. I was as much anxious to return to San Francisco and then to your place Los Angeles. It was almost finalized that I should start on the 23rd Nov. but due to the political strikes in Calcutta things have taken a different turn. I am just waiting for the opportune moment. Most probably everything will be alright by the end of this week and I am start for your country by Monday next via Japan. Anyway, I am reaching your place as soon as possible. In the meantime have some patience till my arrival. I am very sorry that Subala das has assumed such air of importance. We should always remember that we are on the path of perfection, but we are not perfect. If Subala das or anyone thinks that he has attained perfection he will be wrongly directed. I have asked you all to address your Godbrothers as prabhu. This prabhu means boss. If everyone of us thinks of his fellow worker as boss there is no question of misunderstanding. The mistake is that being addressed as boss or prabhu one thinks himself as exactly Prabhu or the boss. One should not forget himself as humble servant even though one is addressed as prabhu. The spiritual master is offered respects as they are offered to the Supreme Lord. Unfortunately if the spiritual master thinks that he has become the Supreme Lord then he is doomed. A bona fide spiritual master always think of himself as the servant of the Lord. One should never forget __ be humble in dealings. If everyone of us would conduct our business in that spirit of prabhu and servant then there is very little chance of being misunderstood. Sometimes misunderstanding may take place but it should be adjusted in a spirit of service attitude to the prabhu. I know that my presence is very urgently required. Arrangement is already completed circumstances alone have checked my departure. Please therefore don't be worried. I am coming to your place within a fortnight. Convey my blessings to Dayananda and others. I am Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Nandarani, Krsna Devi, Subala, Uddhava **Date:** October 3rd 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Nandarani, Krishna devi, Subala das, and Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to know that you are now in Los Angeles & organizing the most important temple. I had great desire to have our center in L.A. & by grace of Krishna you have fulfilled my desire. I had another great desire to open a temple in London and hoped also that Kīrtanānanda after accepting sannyasa would do this job. For this purpose he was given and introductory letter to a London lady along with expenses. However out of his whim he did not go to London but went directly to New York. This is a terrible example and it has shocked me. Your service attitude encourages me because Krishna can never be an order supplier. We should always remember that Krishna is the only order giver. His order is received through the agency of the spiritual master. The bona fide spiritual master is the manifest representative of Krishna. The spiritual master is described in the scriptures as good as Krishna because he is the most confidential servitor of Krishna. To please the spiritual master is to please Krishna. On this principle we must advance our Krishna Consciousness and there is no danger. Dayananda, Nandarani and Uddhava first went to L.A. to open this branch & in the absence of Dayananda, Subala and Krishna devi have come to help. Whenever there is new branch of our society for Krishna Consciousness I become very very happy, & my blessings in heart and soul are with you. I went to your country for spreading this information of Krishna Consciousness & you are helping me in my mission although I am not physically present there but spiritually I am always with you. Our procedure is very simple and consistent. We chant, we read from Bhagavad-gita & Srimad-Bhagavatam and we distribute prasadam. Another thing I request is that everything in the Temple should be kept nice and clean. Everyone should wash hands before touching anything of Krishna's. We should always remember that Krishna is the purest & similarly only the pure can associate with Him. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. As to my returning to U.S., I wish to get a permanent visa this time so that I may work without being checked as to my moving. Please therefore consult Mukunda (S.F.), Brahmananda (N.Y.) Janardana (Montreal), Rayarama (Boston) & send me either immigration papers or permanent visa on the strength of becoming minister of the society. I am now 90% fit to go to your country. I am starting for Calcutta on the 9th and my address there is on the front of envelope. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Nripen Babu **Date:** March 18th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Nripen Babu, Please accept my humble dandabats and blessings of Sri Sri Radha Damodara Thakura Dev. I am in due receipt of your kind letter of March 11, 1967 and have noted the contents very carefully. I am very sorry to learn that things in the Temple Srila Jiva Goswami has deteriorated so much. Please therefore immediately go to Vrindaban and make things alright. Stay in the temple for sometime as co-servant and do things as already planned by you. I am very much surprised to note that indulgence in liquor within the temple is going on. Of course I had personal experience that indulgence in Ganja was freely going on and now it has deteriorated to the utmost degree. Please do the needful immediately otherwise things will deteriorate to many more things. I think Governor Visvanatha Das is already aware of the condition of the temple. Many people at Vrindaban has complained against the Gosain of Radha Damodara Temple and consequently the Governor withdrew his promise to pay yearly Rs 500/- for Kirtana in the Temple on Janmastami day. He publicly promised this in the temple while meeting was going on Janmastami day organized by me. Unfortunately a demonstration was made by one woman who made a great show by crying that Panchu has cheated her by Rs 800/-. This show of the woman and subsequent adverse letters by other envious persons marred the whole project. Since then I could understand that no improvement in the Radha Damodara Temple can be made under such condition. The cheating of Panchu by 800/ rupees was subsequently confirmed before me by one woman disciple of Gauracandra Gosain. I remained silent and this the first time I am disclosing the fact before you. Any way please try to save temple of Jiva Goswami because in very near future many people all parts of the world will come to see the Temple and Samadhi of Jiva Goswami and Rupa Goswami. If you get court permission to sell the land there will be no objection for purchasing __ so far I know that your maternal uncle and cousin brother are also ___ in the temple. Sunderlalla son (the Vakil at Mathura) told me like that when negotiation was going on for lease. But I think if court sanction is obtained it will be quite alright. As far as possible do not get into litigation with your cousin Gauracandra but try to settle things by your presence. Your presence in the temple is essential to establish your claim. In your absence some body as your representative must remain there. It is essential. And you can publish in the paper that no transaction will be valid without your signature as copartner. You have sought my advice and I beg to submit humbly that you must stay in the temple for some time till things are not out of order. If you feel inconvenient to stay with Gauracandra Gosain, you can stay in my rooms but I think you should remain in the rooms set aside for your staying. You must keep your claim intact. As you are going to restore order in the temple I am always with you because Srila Jiva Goswami's temple is my heart and soul. I think with your cooperation I shall be able to render some genuine service to the Gosvamis Who are staying in the temple. I shall be glad to hear from you now and then specially when you reach Vrindaban during the Holi festivals. My American students are all glad to have your good blessings for them. If Radha Damodara desires many Americans will go to see the holy place of Jiva Goswami in the very near future. I am just trying to[TEXT MISSING]Last time when I was in Vrindaban, you know how much attractive and pure Sankirtana was performed by my disciples. To arrange for 50 men's prasadam nowadays means daily expenditure not less than Rs 100/- daily or Rs 3000/- per month. I do not wish to disturb the position of the sevaits of Radha Damodara Temple, but simply if I am given the facility to live there with my disciples, it will be my pleasure to serve Their Lordships Sr Sri Radha Damodara to my best capacity. Now it is up to you all sevaits to decide on this fact. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- cc. Nripendra Natha Banerjee Nathauram Goswami ### Letter to Nripendranath Banerjee **Date:** December 13th 1967 > Sri Nripendranath Banerjee114, Elliot Road, Mirpur,Kanpur - 4, U.P.Kashi Mullick's Thakur Batty142, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Cal-7 My dear Nripen Babu, Please accept my greetings. I hope you have duly received my previous postcards. The Calcutta situation having come down to normal conditions, I have now purchased my Ticket for Japan (Tokyo) on my way to San Francisco and New York (U.S.A). My disciples Sriman Achyutananda Brahmachary and Sriman Ramanuja Brahmachary both will start for Delhi via Kanpur after sending me off for Tokyo. They are starting on 15th night at 9/45 P.M by 39 Up Janata Express reaching Kanpur on the 16th night at 10 P.M. As they are new men, kindly receive them at the station. They can give lectures in Vaishnava cult and if possible you can arrange for their kirtan and lectures; otherwise they may go to Mathura after taking rest for a day or so. I hope this will find you in good health and I shall be glad to hear from you to my San Francisco address as follows: C/o ISKCON 518 Frederick Street San Francisco, California 94117, U.S.A.Thanking you once more, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Sender's name and address :-A.C.Bhaktivedanta SwamiC/o ISKCON518 Frederick St. San FranciscoCalifornia - 94117 ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** April 27th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Pradyumna dasa Brahmacari, Please accept my blessings and I beg to thank you for your letter of the 22nd instant. I am returning herewith the Bank card duly signed by me. Pradyumna is Krishna's plenary expansion like Vasudeva, Aniruddha and Sankarsana. When Krishna appeared on the earth Pradyumna appeared as His son born of Rukmini. The immediate expansion of Krishna is Baladeva. who appeared as elder brother of Krishna and Baladeva. expands Himself further as Sankarsana, Vasudeva, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. There are such innumerable expansions of Krishna and Pradyumna is one of them. There is no difference in potency of all these expansions. I am so glad to learn that you had no difficulty on the border. These man made borders of land are disturbances in the Law of the Lord. All lands belong to Krishna and as servant of Krishna we have every right to enter any land but artificial man made civilization has created so many nonsense and these are the conditions of material existence. Sometimes we have to place ourselves under such conditions to make the best use of a bad bargain, but rest assured in the discharge of Krishna conscious duties Krishna will always give us His protection and we may discharge our duties unhesitatingly. I have seen in you that Krishna has special mercy upon you and utilize this mercy fully so that in this very life you can be elected as the associate of Krishna in His supreme abode Goloka Vrindaban. As you are all good souls Krishna will help you always in your business of Krishna Consciousness. Regarding Harmonium, you can immediately send me a Money Order check $100.00 and I shall arrange for one Harmonium the best as well as for one good Mrdanga and a few pairs of Kartal. ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** August 25th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters of the 15 and 16th inst., as well as the Janmastami day circular. I am so much pleased that everything is going on so nicely in Montreal, and that you are ever more actively engaged for Krishna, even in the absence of myself and Kīrtanānanda, It is a great credit to you, and I thank you for it. You should know that it is all due to your sincerity of heart; when we are sincere, Krishna will always help us, either in external direction by the Spiritual Master, or internally by His Paramatma expansion. The program you have decided on for the Lord's Advent Day is nice. I also very much appreciate the work you are doing in trying to promote my books and record, and I am very glad to know that the new BTG is selling well. These publication are the backbone of our movement, and if we can distribute them successfully. then everything will be all right. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** October 17th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I've received your letters of Oct. 6&7. Acyutananda is learning Hindi & when he is well versed in the language probably he will be able to translate all the Puranas available in Hindi into English. Brahma Samhita is the gist of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the Bhagavad gita as well as in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Krishna is accepted as Supreme Lord & everything about him is nicely described there, similarly in the Brahma-Samhita everything about Krishna is perfectly described. In the very beginning of the book, Krishna is accepted as the Supreme Lord existing eternally in his transcendental form and is the cause of all causes. One who reads Brahma Samhita very carefully & scrutinizingly can understand everything of Krishna without any fault. I recommend, therefore that all my students read Brahma Samhita very carefully—especially because it was translated personally by my spiritual master Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja. Regarding Kīrtanānanda, he is undoubtedly a good soul, but lately he has been attacked by maya; he thinks too much of himself—even at the risk of disobeying his spiritual master & talking nonsense about Krishna. As a man haunted by a ghost talks so much nonsense, so also when a man is overpowered by the illusory energy—maya, also talks all sorts of nonsense. The last attack of maya upon the conditioned souls is impersonalism. There are 4 stages of attack of maya; viz.: 1) stage is that a man wants to be a protagonist of religion, 2) is that man neglects religiosity and tries to improve his economic development, 3) is to be protagonist of sense enjoyment & when a man is frustrated in all the above mentioned stages he comes to, 4) which is impersonalism, and thinks himself one with the Supreme. This last attack is very serious and fatal. Kīrtanānanda has very recently developed the 4th stage malady on account of his negligence & disobedience to his spiritual master. Sometimes a foolish patient when he is out of feverish attack by the grace of the physician, thinks that he is cured and does not take precaution against relapse. Kīrtanānanda's position is like that. Because he helped the society in starting the Montreal center I thought he is now able to start other branches & when he asked me to give him sannyasa I agreed taking the opportunity of his presence in Vrndavana. Simply by his Sannyas dress he thought himself as cured of all material diseases & all mistakes but under the influence of maya, he thought himself a liberated patient, just as the foolish patient thinks himself cured from the disease. Under the spell of maya, he deliberately disobeyed me by not going to London & consequently his disease has relapsed. Now in N.Y. he has began to dictate nonsense in my name—such as giving up robes, flags etc. Instead of opening new centers he has began to deliver his nonsense sermons amongst his God-brothers which are all against our principles. For the present he should simply chant Hare Krishna & cease to deliver lectures because he has not understood the whole philosophy very nicely. Regarding the hippy religion; we must distinguish ourselves from the hippies. The hippies generally maintain long hair & beard & in order to distinguish ourselves from them we should be clean shaved. When our devotees go outside I have no objection if he dresses as nice American or Canadian gentleman. Up to date gentlemen are all clean shaved so if we do not keep long hair & dress ourselves nicely with tilaka, flag & beads on the neck, apart from our devotional service, then certainly we shall be distinct from the Hippies. I think we should follow this principle rigidly & there is no question of giving up robes in the temple. We do not wish to be estranged from the material world. That is another nonsense. We have to deal with persons in the society & perhaps we are the only community in the world which can render the best possible service to the society. Ramacandra's victory celebration is observed in the last day of Durga Puja. Vaisnavas are not concerned with Durga Puja. Dipavali or Devali is observed as new years day by certain mercantile community. The Vaisnavas have nothing to do with this ceremony but just on the last day after Devali the Vaisnavas observe Annakuta ceremony. This celebration is the day when Lord Krishna lifted the hill & Madhavendra Puri established the temple in Gopala. Use brown or unrefined sugar if you can find it. Hope you are well. ### Letter to Pradyumna, Satsvarupa, Jadurani **Date:** November 21st 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Pradyumna, Satsvarupa and Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letters but have no time to reply them in detail as I am busy making hasty preparations to leave for the USA. I shall arrive on 24th November, 12:45 P.M. San Francisco time. Killing proposal is not good. We have to kill them with arguments and reasons not with sticks and weapons. Jadurani—I am very glad that you want to kill the non-devotees. You should, however, leave the matter to your good God-brothers who will take care of it. I am pleased to learn of your spirit of protest, but sometimes we have to tolerate. Hope you are well Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Ramananda Bhaktisindhu **Date:** March 11th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco > His Grace Sripada Ramananda Bhaktisindhu Gaudiya Sangha (Regd)23 Doctor Lane, Calcutta-14India My dear Sripada Ramananda Prabhu, Kindly accept my humble dandabats. I am in due receipt of your kind letter dated March 3, 1967. I can understand your difficulty for the work I wanted to entrust upon you. But I shall be much pleased if you kindly introduce to me some good presses who can take up the work. To print my books in U.S.A. is five to ten times more expensive than in India. I therefore want to get the books printed in a first class press in India. So if you can send me some names of first class press it will be very kind of you. I am enclosing herewith one letter for Sripada Sar Maharaja which will speak for itself. The certificate is urgently required per return of post. The thing is that I have to go to Canada Montreal next month to open the third Branch there. But as soon as I leave the borders of U.S.A., my Visa for this country will automatically cancelled. Then I will have ask for new Visa to enter U.S.A. which may be delayed for formalities. I am therefore trying for permanent visa and for that purpose the certificate is necessary. I have also written to other Godbrother Sannyasins because such certificate is necessary. If Sripada Sar Maharaja is not in the station or if there is no chance of meeting him immediately, then I shall request you to send me certificate in your official form and signed by you as Secretary. I hope you will treat this as urgent and oblige. Hope you are well. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Ravindra Svarupa **Date:** May 21st 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Ravindra Svarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to learn that you are doing your best and your good wife is helping you nicely. I have received her letter but I am sorry that I could not reply this good girl. I very much appreciate her feelings and specially the hand writing. So you have very nice qualified girl as your life's companion and I bless you all that you peacefully carry out the message of Krishna Consciousness to the needy men of the world. I am glad to learn that you are in touch with the council for A summer of Love. Please try to convince them that this movement of Krishna Consciousness is the only remedy for treatment for the diseased condition of human society. The basic principle of disease is Godlessness and this movement is approved method for reviving God consciousness. So let the leaders take this movement more seriously and it will actually relieve the suffering humanity and specially the youths who are out to search out something spiritual. The youth of America who are so searching I am very much sympathetic with them and their qualification of detachment to the material advancement of civilization will alone help them to advance in Krishna or God consciousness. If they patiently hear me I am sure they will be convinced as you have been. So before my arrival you may make some arrangement so that I can speak to the greatest number of people and I am sure they will appreciate my presentation. Hope this will find you all well. Please convey my blessing to Sriman Devakinandana Brahmacari and others. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure: one design for Syamasundara for carving ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** January 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Rayarama, I am in due receipt of your letter of the 26th instant. The service proposal is very nice and I approve of your acceptance this job. Not only your income will be a great help to the society but also it will be a great opportunity for learning how to organize our magazine Back to Godhead. This Back to Godhead will always remain the backbone of the society because more the magazine is popular the more society becomes popular. So your ambition should always be how to improve the quality of the paper so that it may be read by all respectable persons. In future we may have one French edition of this paper. If our Back to Godhead goes on nicely then we can have our all publications without waiting for any other publishers. Regarding Srimad Bhagavad-gita I am now arranging to get it published independently and to print it in India because it will be cheaper. What we will spend for 2000 copies here will be sufficient for printing 5000 copies in India. And the abridged edition may be printed here through some publisher. I have asked Howard to edit it immediately. I am so much pleased to learn that everything is going on well at N.Y. centre. So long our kirtana is alright there is no difficulty at all. Hope you are well along with your other God brothers and sisters. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** October 4th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your very interesting letter dated 27 Sept. along with Brahmananda's. When I receive letters from you and Brahmananda immediately I feel new energy. I thank you very much as much as Mr. Kallman for improving our BTG. Krishna has entrusted you with a nice responsibility for improving the quality & quantity of BTG. I am very happy that since it is entrusted to you the things are improving. This means that Krishna is giving you more & more facilities. Krishna is such a nice boss that he gives more facilities & improvement to the sincere servant. From the very beginning of your meeting with me you have very sincerely & honestly carried out my orders & I am so much obliged to you for your simple and plain behavior. Kindly continue this attitude & advise all your God-brothers to do so & they will be happy consequently I shall also be happy. Please guide your innocent God-sisters who have come to our shelter. Girls are more susceptible to the finer attack of maya. Boys are a little stronger in getting out of the intricacies of Maya. Mrinalini, Jadurani & all other girls who are so qualified, good-looking, intelligent, educated & seriously engaged in Krishna Consciousness, should always be give protection from the attack of maya. In my philosophy there is no abstinence from sex life but K.C. should teach us that sex life is the cause of us becoming conditioned to the material nature. Therefore advanced Krishna Consciousness student should know it well that sex life also should be dovetailed with Krishna consciousness. Better to avoid it; if not possible, to have in a regulated married life. But in all circumstances, our primary necessity is to advance in K.C. I am glad that you are training Jagadananda to become my personal secretary as well as you are training Mr. Phil to translate our thoughts to German. Please keep this boy with great care because Krishna has sent him to help us. It is a good combination. Janardana is well acquainted with French, Hayagriva & you with English & Mr. Phil is well acquainted with German. So combinedly you can perform great blitz for bombarding the Western World with Krishna philosophy. This I wanted & Krishna is sending my good lieutenants. I was under the impression that you were in Boston so I have sent you some letters there. Anyway please send to my Calcutta address by air mail some Prospectus, BTG & stationery. I am going to Calcutta on the 9th. The address is on the envelope. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** October 11th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Rayarama, I am in due receipt of your letter. Yes you try to make successful BTG as you have recently planned and then you may proceed to London. And because you are so engaged I asked Kīrtanānanda to go to London on his way back but he did not like the idea and has gone back to New York directly without any reason. Please send me some stationery and copies of Back to Godhead to my Calcutta address by Air mail immediately. Please offer blessings to all the boys and girls and Madhusudana may be informed that I have duly received his letter. Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** October 16th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter (Oct. 12). I've received copy of #14 BTG & it is very nice. I do not wish to disturb you in your responsibilities with BTG & you can go to London at your convenience. I am glad that you have started correspondence with Mrs. D.C. Bowtell, & that will settle matters more directly. One of our girl devotees, Srimati Annapurna devi, who is in San Francisco has also facilities to visit London because she belongs to that place. So you can open correspondence with her also. I have already requested Brahmananda to stop Kīrtanānanda's speaking at any of our functions till my arrival. If he wants to preach anything he can do it on his own in a different place. Krishna is certainly one and different, but his oneness is stressed by the impersonalists which is distinct from our philosophy. Our philosophy of Krishna's oneness & difference is explained in the 9th ch, 4th verse of B.G. in which it is clearly stated that Krishna is one by distribution of his diverse energies. When Krishna controls his diverse energies he does not become impersonal. If Kīrtanānanda believes in one-Self, why does he stress the vibration & not the words? Why does he find difference in vibration & words? If he believes in one there is no difference between vibration & words? And why shouldn't one be attached to the chanting? All this means that he has no clear idea & he is talking nonsense. If Kīrtanānanda does not understand this philosophy then better he should stop speaking nonsense. I can understand his designs but I cannot help because I am far away from the place. I am leaving here with a note to Kīrtanānanda which you please show him & do the needful. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** October 27th 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. My blessings are for you for the latest nice edition of BTG's. I am so pleased for your sincere endeavour for improving the quality & quantity of BTG. Krishna is helping you in this endeavour & he will help you more & more for your sincerity. Our circulation manager, Sriman Gargamuni, is surely taking great interest in seeling the copies. Regarding Kīrtanānanda's article, I do not know what he has written but I can guess that it must be polluted with impersonal poison, so for the time being you can keep this article aside. I was so glad to learn that you are acting exactly like a lion cub & I know that in the future you shall conquer ever many jackals. We have got experience in India that the jackals roar four times at night without any influence but the one roar of a lion drives away many elephants. The pressure Maya is elephant-like, big, but the roaring of Nrsimhadeva can drive away many elephants. Please convey my thanks to Satyavrata (Moskowitz) & inform him that I've received his letter. His humble attitude is just befitting a genuine devotee. I very much appreciate his devotional attitude. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** November 2nd 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated 24 & 25 Oct. respectively. I may say that in reply to your letter of Oct 24, you may go to England around the first of Dec. or whenever you find it convenient. There is no hurrying the attempt. In the meantime go on improving the condition of BTG which you are doing very nicely with the cooperation of your very respectable God-brothers. Regarding Kīrtanānanda, I cannot allow him to become Keith again. He is my spiritual son and I shall never allow him to fall down. When I return I shall drag him forcibly and make all right again. Anyone who has once come to me has become my beloved son; temporarily one may display some Mayic affliction, but that can not prolong. I thank Lord Krishna for Satyavrata (Moskowitz) and Woompati and I hope sincerely that Kīrtanānanda will also come back again with renewed energy. I am glad that Hayagriva has returned the manuscript of Gita and I understand from Brahmananda's letter that they are being made ready by professional typist. From Madhusudana's letter it is understood that MacMillan has agreed for paper back printing. Anyway get it ready and print it immediately anywhere you like without delay. I requested Satyavrata (Moskowitz) to publish Lord Caitanya's teachings which is ready with Satsvarupa. Thakura Bhaktivinode's book Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu may be printed in thousands and distributed. If Isopanisad is also printed it will be very nice. I shall take one copy of Brahma Samhita and I shall try to print it. I have decided to return back with visitors visa as advised by you. Therefore I am returning to Calcutta tomorrow and my next address will be as it is in the return address. You can send by surface mail our latest BTG copies to (copies #14, 15 & onward)Balendranath Natha Kundau B.A., B.Sc., B.T.P.O. Teacher and JournalistP.O. NavadvipaDistrict Nadia, W.B., IndiaHope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** November 5th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. In replying your letter of Oct 21, I offer to you my sincere most blessings for the most kind words that you have sent me as a sincere devotee. This attitude of service will help you progress in Krishna Consciousness and perfect Krishna Consciousness will help us to go back to home, back to Godhead. I have already sent you my congratulations for improving the get-up of BTG and I am sending news to Gaurasundara for his wonderful service to the cause. I've received one letter from Hayagriva expressing his sorrow about Kīrtanānanda's plight in relation with his God-brothers. He has complained that some of the boys had spat upon Kīrtanānanda's body and it is a fact it is the most regrettable incident. The fact is that once combined in Krishna Consciousness, one cannot be separated at any time but the incident of separation from the society of Kīrtanānanda and Hayagriva is accidental. I had advised that Kīrtanānanda should be asked to not speak but I never asked that he should not enter the Temple. We invite outsiders to come and hear our kirtanas but I think Kīrtanānanda might have been disturbing the peace of the Temple and therefore you all asked him not to enter the Temple. I do not know what had actually transpired but the incident is not very happy. If possible the boy who had spat upon Kīrtanānanda in the presence of Hayagriva must be requested to send a letter of regret and apology for the mistake he had done. I have already given you a list of good behavior for the devotees. The person who is a devotee must develop those good qualities. Kīrtanānanda's attempt to defy me might have provoked all these undesirable incidences, but in the future we shall be very much careful to deal in such provocative situations; I can understand the provocation in this situation was set in motion by Kīrtanānanda's uncalled for behavior. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** November 9th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Rayaram, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated. Oct. 28, 1967. It certainly is very good news that MacMillan Co. may now agree to publish Gita Upanisad in a soft cover edition and is considering the hard cover very seriously. In one other letter Brahmananda writes that there is not yet contract signed. So I do not know what exactly is the position. But under any circumstances, the MSS must be made ready. I do not follow you when you write to say that Hayagriva won't deliver the MSS. If he does not return it then how are you going to publish it and how are you going to edit it. In two previous letters you write that he has already returned it. In letter of Oct. 21, you write "Hayagriva has left the manuscript of Gita with me and I am going to have it typed and sent to you, a few chapters at a time." In letter of Oct. 25 you write "I've been working on the manuscript which Hayagriva returned to me". In this letter you wrote to say that he is trying to obviously punish us by not returning same. The quarrel amongst yourselves, the Godbrothers is not very much palatable. I am now thinking about our society. We were very smoothly going on but this disruption created by Kīrtanānanda has plagued and disturbed the situation. The best thing is to do our duty nicely with faith in Krishna and everything will be adjusted. You are nicely doing BTG.The separation of Kīrtanānanda and Hayagriva is not a very happy incident. I was practically in tears for their attitude of separation on such flimsy grounds. In other words it is my incapability that I could not save these two souls, but this a great evidence that every soul is individual. The nonsense theory of oneness becomes null and void by the evidence presented in this incident. But we should not be angry with these poor souls. Try to convince them by argument and reason but do not become angry with them. Lord Nityananda when he was dealing with Jagai and Madhai maintained the maximum amount of tolerance and patience in spite of the greatest provocation. The two brothers, Jagai and Madhai, committed violence on Lord Nityananda. Even Lord Caitanya, the author of Siksastak, became agitated. But Lord Nityananda Prabhu in the matter remained calm and quiet and delivered the two rascals to the highest elevation. We should always try to represent Lord Nityananda Prabhu in the matter of preaching work. Kīrtanānanda is a crazy man. That is proved. He says that he has become equal to the spiritual master but he is such a fool that he does not understand the principle of disciple even in ordinary worldly affairs. Even if one becomes equal to the spiritual master in education and knowledge, still one has to maintain the disciplinary principle of obeying one chief man in any establishment. If such discipline is not maintained, no establishment can make any progress. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** November 15th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters, Nov. 7 & 8, 1967. The incident of Kīrtanānanda and Hayagriva chapter may now be closed. We shall always pray to Krishna for their recovery and we should not seriously take their counter propaganda. I am sure they will flap for some time without any effect on our Krishna Consciousness, service. Let us go ahead with our work and everything will be all right. Most important thing at present is to deal with MacMillan Co. Regarding editing of my books it was rightly entrusted to you from the very beginning but Kīrtanānanda wanted that the editing should be done by Hayagriva. But I understand from your version that in some places of Gita Upanisad he has followed Swami Nikilananda who is quite unaware of Krishna Consciousness. By their present behavior it appears that Hayagriva belongs to the same feather and Krishna has saved His Gita Upanisad by transferring the whole thing into your hands. Now please do your best and hand it over to MacMillan Co. for necessary action. We have tried our best in the Gita Upanisad that Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Person and His energies acting impersonally. The devotees are primarily concerned with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna and His impersonal expansion of energy is of secondary importance to the devotees. Less intelligent asuras are attracted by the impersonal manifestation because they have no chance to meet Krishna face to face. In the last paragraph of your letter of the 7th, you have mentioned very nobly that you can work with me on the project of Srimad-Bhagavatam and it will be a great success of my mission if we jointly finish up complete Bhagavatam published by MacMillan Co. The chance is there, let us carefully handle up the situation and as soon as I return to the States, we shall take up Srimad-Bhagavatam in the same Spirit as I have published First Canto. The MSS of Canto two & three is ready and if we jointly work on the other 9 cantos I shall feel very much obliged to you. If I can leave behind me the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Gita Upanisad, and Lord Caitanya's Teachings, & if you continue to work in the spirit of pure Krishna Consciousness, surely we shall be able to do some tangible service to Humanity at large. Hope you are wellYour ever well-wisherA.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** November 18th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I have advised Brahmananda to give you loan of $500.00 from the funds which are set aside by Brahmananda for publication of my books. The condition is that as promised by you, you must return the money by monthly installments of $100.00. Please be always strongly fixed up in the Lotus Feet of Krishna, just as the bees are fixed up in the honeycomb. This staunch affection for Krishna will save us from all kinds of dangers created by Maya. You know it very well that the material energy is so strong that it captivates the spiritual spark, living entity and the only remedy is to cling to the Lotus Feet of Krishna. This age is especially meant for dissension, therefore whenever there is such occasion we should simply call for for the help of Krishna. Our task is very heavy because we have declared was against Maya. She will always try to defeat us or even kill us but we can always be saved by clinging unto the Lotus Feet of Krishna. Kindly remember this secret of our success and try to convince all your God-brothers on this point. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisherA.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** November 23rd 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter Nov. 19, 1967 and I am sending by air mail the purports of verses 16-28 of the Ninth chapter. Please set them nicely and at the end if you add the general purport which you have written, I have no objections. My return to your country is already settled. My ticket was booked for starting on 23rd Nov. but due to certain political strike my starting has been held up. I think that everything will be alright by the end of this week and I may start by Monday next via Japan. You may not write anything to Miss Bowtell. I think she will not be helpful in our scheme. The best thing is that you finish up the Gita Upanisad hand it over to Messrs. MacMillan Co. and then make practical progress to start for England. Certainly I shall be in need of your assistance in finishing Srimad-Bhagavatam. On my return I shall make practical progress so that both of us may go on compiling Srimad-Bhagavatam and opening different centers in all parts of the world simultaneously. We are completely dependent on the Supreme will of Krishna. Let us try our best to serve Him and He will give us all facilities in our mission. Our San Francisco friends may be very anxious because I sent them two telegrams, one informing of my arrival and the other cancelling it. You can inform them of the real position as you understand by this letter. The booklets which you have sent are very much appreciated. Printing and painting are our life back bone. Our nice Guru who have been sent to us by Krishna are trying their best and I am sure we shall be successful. More when we meet. Hope you are well. Convey my blessings to all prabhus. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** February 10th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Rayarama, I have not heard from you since a long time. I hope you are doing well with your new job. Now as I am going to send the Gitopanisad to India for printing, please see the 1st and 2nd chapters finally if there are any grammatical or spelling mistakes. Also mark the verses with diacritic signs as they are in Dr. Radhakrishnan's book. Mark the words in synonyms also. When you let me know that you have done it then I shall ask you to send it to India. With my blessings I hope everything is well there. ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** December 14th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. On my arrival in San Francisco amongst my sincere spiritual sons, daughters and practically in my spiritual home in U.S.A., I was so glad to receive your encouraging letter of December 23, 1967. I have already sent you the purports of each and every sloka that you sent me for correction. I hope you may have received them by this time. If not, please write me and I shall send you another copy. Regarding your last but one paragraph of your letter under reply. I may inform you that you cannot be fool as you have humbly expressed yourself. Better to remain an ever fool before the spiritual master. But if a disciple is actually fool it reflects on the spiritual master. To think of becoming a fool is the real qualification for a bona fide disciple. As soon as one thinks that he has become the wiser man than the spiritual master one is surely doomed. We should remain everlastingly a fool before the spiritual master. Not artificially but feelingly and then we can make real progress. Even my spiritual master a great scholar remained a so called fool before His spiritual master Who was outwardly an illiterate village fellow. So in the Absolute world the fool is also the master and the master is also a fool in reciprocal exchange of dealings. Lord Caitanya also accepted Himself a great fool before His spiritual master and all of us must follow the transcendental process. Regarding Miss Bowtell I have already written to you. If Pandit RupaVilasa Brahmacari writes you in this connection you can reply him as I shall say. We cannot write directly to RupaVilasa Brahmacari. If the Gaudiya H.Q. wants our cooperation why Miss Bowtell does not write RupaVilasa Brahmacari. Otherwise end the negotiation, we shall do everything independently. Yes, you ignore the request of Miss Bowtell! As soon as you finish the Gitopanisad business and the matter is handed over to the MacMillan Co. we begin on the Bhagavatam work without delay. Bhagavatam must be finished before my mortal body stops to work and your help in this connection will be very much helpful. You can stop for the time being the London scheme. Brahmananda is shortly going there and after his return, we may all go together to London and start a branch there in grand scale, so also in Amsterdam and in Berlin or Moscow. We have to save the world-people from the misconception of voidism and impersonalism. "The absolute is sentient Thou hast proved all impersonal calamity Thou has moved." These lines were presented by me to my spiritual master and He was highly pleased with me. Let me follow the same principle and my Guru Maharaja will bless me. I have always my good wishes and blessings for you all because you are cooperating in a great mission. Thank you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. This evening I expected your call at 7 p.m. but I could not. At 7/10 pm I began, my class lasted for 1 1/2 hours and then I left the temple. ACB ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** December 21st 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Rayarama, please accept my blessings. My first concern is that you are not eating well. It is a case of anxiety. Please don't eat dal and spices. Simply boiled vegetables, rice and a few capatis. Take butter separately and eat only as much as you may require for taste. Drink milk twice, morning and evening. Don't eat at night. Eat some fruits in the evening. Use some digestive pill after each principle meal. I think soda-mint tablets will help. Be careful about your health first. This information is not only for you but all my noble sons. I am an old man. I may live or die it does not matter. But you must live for long time to push on this Krishna Consciousness movement. I hope you have received all my letters and the purports of Gita which I sent you from Calcutta. I am anxious to know about Damodara. What happens to him. If he is in need of sex, who forbids him. A man in sex life is not neglected by us. The only thing we want, that sex life can be allowed only in married couples. So get him convinced about it. What is the reason that he wants to leave us? It is understood that the finished MSS. of the Teachings of Lord Caitanya is with him; whether he has delivered this final MSS. to Brahmananda for printing purpose? Please inform me about this. Too much editing is not required. If Satsvarupa has already edited it, there is no need of further editing. Please send me the address of Dvarakadhisa. He had some correspondence with DP Dai Nippon Printing Co. of Japan. If possible we may get the TLC printed from Japan or in Holland as you informed me, at chapter rate. Please talk with your Godbrothers and let me know about it. So far my health is concerned, you know that it is a broken old house. You cannot expect as good as you are doing. So my future hope is you all good spiritual sons. Still I am taking as much care as possible. My only desire is that you all good boys may take up the matter very seriously. I am very sorry for Hayagriva and Kīrtanānanda who have left me when I need them very much. Krishna may give them good sense and let them come back to work with me. Hope you are well. Offer my blessings to Brahmananda and others. Please send me the third Canto English translation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam done by the Gita Press. You got these copies from the Gita Press for reference. I want the third canto, please send as soon as possible. Thanking you once more, Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** December 31st 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. My joy has no bounds when I received your calendar so nicely imagined. Now I think Krishna has selected the right person for our propaganda department—Sriman Rayarama Brahmacari! A sincere worker is always recognized by Krishna. I do not know how shall I thank you, but I am confident of my future hopes in the sincere students like you, Brahmananda and others; & now if I die I will die blissful, the work will go on. Here, all the students, especially Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi are taking my personal care. Upendra and Uddhava they are personally cooking for me, and Mukunda is personally looking after my permanent visa. So I see all round hopes; there is nothing to be disappointed in my service to Krishna. Let us go on with our work for Krishna for His satisfaction and for the benefit of the whole world. Thank you once more for your great service. I have already sent the contract signed by me and given Brahmananda full power of attorney to do best as he likes. I think if they accept our philosophy in total, we can make some compromise with Hayagriva and Kīrtanānanda. But they cannot interpret our philosophy in their own way. Thanking you once more for your great service. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure-1 ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** February 21st 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Rayarama, I am in due receipt of your long letter. I do not know why Back to Godhead is not printed timely. If it is printed send here the necessary copies. I do not know who said that Back to Godhead is to be printed here. Unless there is written order by me Back to Godhead should regularly be printed from New York. There is no question of its being printed here. So go on printing it right time. You can send the copies here with bill and I shall see that it is duly paid. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** February 24th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Rayarama, I am in due receipt of your letter. According to our agreement Mr. Ypslantin cannot ask any more. It was understood that further money will be required when the bill is actually in the congress session for consideration. We have already paid him three hundred dollars which was full for dealings in the preliminary stage. Any way I have a call from Naturalization office to see them on 2nd March. And I shall let you know what is to be done thereafter. Or in the meantime if I return to N.Y. I shall let you know what is to be done. Have you taken delivery of the 1st chapter Bhagavad-gita from the publisher with whom you left it for examination? You have not informed me about this. Please take care of this. Here everything is going well. We have got some engagements up to Tuesday next week. Kīrtanānanda is trying to start a third center of the Society at Montreal. It is all Krishna's Grace. I have received the copy of Back to Godhead. Your well wisher. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** February 28th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to all your Godbrothers for your doing the respective duties nicely. I am in due receipt of the copy of Back to Godhead dated 15th February 1967 and I am glad that it is nicely done. The only defect is that picture which is wrongly put there without asking me. There was no need of interpretations and why you have interpreted the picture as one has to be naked before the Lord to become perfect? We have no interpretation in any one of the verses in the Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. They were not fictitious and therefore there is no need of interpretation. Krishna actually took away the dresses of the Gopis and actually He saw the girls naked. There is no interpretation there. The girls of Vrindaban of the same age like Krishna wanted Krishna as their husband. In India the girls are married earlier by ten years at least and thus the girls who were of the same age were married although they wished Krishna as their husband. Krishna fulfilled their wishes by this pastime. Nobody can ask any woman or girl to become naked except the husband. That is the moral etiquette of Vedic culture. Krishna is actually husband of every woman. There was no necessity of formal marriage. But still Krishna played like husband by asking them to become naked. In the spiritual world there is no cohabitation; simply by such emotion in transcendental ecstasy the desire is fulfilled. These pictures of Krishna and the Gopis are not understandable by a layman who has no idea of Krishna. Therefore, this picture was wrongly put without asking me. Please, therefore, consult me before putting any such picture or interpretations. One must understand first Krishna from the Bhagavatam by reading the first nine chapters. Otherwise Krishna would be taken as ordinary man and His pastimes will be wrongly understood. Besides that a Brahmacari should not see any kind of naked picture. That is violation of Brahmacari law. I am asking you therefore not to put the picture in the issue of Back to Godhead. I have asked here not to put this picture and so also I am asking you. I think all the pictures are not yet stapled and therefore it must not be put in there. Last night we had very nice function at Stanford University. More than three hundred students gathered and all of them sang and danced with our Kirtana for full one hour. There was lecture for 15 to 20 minutes questions and answers about 25 minutes and the balance for Kirtana. So altogether there was two hours program and it was very successful. On Sunday afternoon there was Kirtana in the Golden Gate Park and there was about 3 to 4 hundred audience and most of them danced in ecstasy. It reminded me of our activities in the Tompkins Park. I have asked them to arrange for loudspeakers and microphones so that next week we may have greater audience to join us. It appears to me that people of this country will accept this movement nicely if we do it in accordance with prescribed directions. When we receive the Mrdangas we shall have better chance to perform the Kirtana more nicely. Please try to send the Mrdanga and cymbals as early as possible as I have already instructed. Hope you are all well, Yours ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** March 7th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 3rd instant and noted the contents carefully. Gita Press is full of Mayavada Philosophy which says Krishna has no form but He assumes a form for facility of devotional service. This is nonsense. I am just trying to wipe out this Mayavada philosophy and you may not therefore order for any more copy of the English Bhagavatam published by the Gita Press. The one which you have got may be kept only for reference on having an understanding of the Mayavada Philosophy which is very dangerous for ordinary personThe Mayavada Philosophy has played havoc in spiritual understanding leading to Atheistic tendency. The interpretation that one has to be naked before the Lord is also mayavada philosophy The pictures which Dan might have brought in the temple are certainly unauthorized. In future before publishing any picture you must consult me. Any stage of life in Krishna consciousness may be a victim of strong material energy. Therefore we have always to take care and strictly follow the rules and regulations. You are a good boy and sincere devotee and I hope you will understand me right. I am glad that you are getting some nice job. They have tried for so many days and still the experiment is going on. Any way if by the Grace of Lord you can help the Society it will be a great help. You are taking a great responsibility in the matter of purchasing the house. It is very good to take all risks for Krishna but for our personal satisfaction we should not take the least risk. I am very glad to learn that Brahmananda, Yourself and all others have the transcendental courage to take all risks for Krishna and this act will enhance your glory in Krishna consciousness. So far my going back to New York I have already sent you a letter that I shall start from this place ater 6th April 1967 In California the scope of Krishna consciousness is gradually taking some solid ground. Formerly when you were here the audience was hearing sitting but nowadays all of them stand up and dance. In Stanford University although the demonstration was first introduced still they took it as hypnotic chant. Many Yoga societies here feeling the strength of our movement. Yours ever wellwisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. Please send me the copy of resolution you made in connection with purchasing house as also the copy of agreement made in this connection. I hope next time when go to New York, I shall accommodate in the new house ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** March 16th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I am pleased to learn that you are conducting classes very nicely and Krishna is supplying you intelligence to answer some critical questions by the audience. It is very good news. The more one can meet opposite elements successfully the more one is supposed to be advanced in Krishna consciousness. To a sincere heart Krishna gives all intelligence to combat such dialogues. Be sincere servant of Krishna and Krishna gives you everything. By the Grace of Krishna you are now engaged in some good work. Do it sincerely and help the organization to your best. Now coming to the question of Gitopanisad, I am sorry that the book is not yet ready for printing although I have finished the book I want to get it immediately printed either there in U.S.A. or in India but the editing is not yet finished. Howard wants to do it but he has no time to finish it or to type it. You are also engaged in various ways and I do not know how to make it ready. Both you and Howard want to edit it but nobody takes charge to finish the job quickly say within a month. The matter is already there simply it awaits the finishing touch. I want to print also the Teachings of lord Caitanya. We must publish our books as much as possible because that will create our position. Back to Godhead should be the life and soul for the Society. Please let me know your program. Have you taken back the First Chapter of Gitopanisad from the publisher whom you delivered? I have asked you several times about this but I have received no reply from you. Please take it back. ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** August 22nd 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter of 8/17/67, and have noted the contents. Krishna's Janmastami ceremony may be celebrated in the same way as last year. I understand that Acyutananda is coming here on Janmastami Day, but I have received no word from him. Anyway, if he comes it will be a great joy for us. You will see in the letter to Brahmananda that any student who comes here for studying further in K.C. will have no difficulty for room, board, and tuition. It is a good opportunity for our students, and I shall be very glad to learn how many of you desire to come. In the meantime, I am trying to get other facilities for passage. Please give your primary attention for improving BTG, the backbone of our movement. Kīrtanānanda is going to be the first sannyasa among my disciples. I am improving gradually. Hope you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Hello Prabhus: I am thanking Krishna that I am now in good health, and enjoying Vrindaban to the fullest. I have seen so many beautiful temples-but unfortunately most of them are in very bad state of repair. We are hoping (hopeing) to get one of them for our society quarters here; I know it would be nice for you all, and I think it would be a great service to the Lord. You will be interested to know that Swamiji has initiated a very wonderful Indian boy here as our first Indian brahmachari, and he is now assisting His Divine Grace personally in every way. His name is Dinesh.love, Kirtanananda ### Letter to Rayarama **Date:** September 23rd 1967 — **Location:** Delhi > Boston My dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I think by this time you have gone to Boston. In your letter I understand that you have taken the matter of Back To Godhead in your heart. I've received news from other centers that BTG is now in demand and your idea for publishing 5000 copies is very encouraging. The news which we are publishing in Back to Godhead has certainly a novel presentation to the people in the western world who are hankering after spiritual enlightenment. So if you continue to write articles on the basis of BG and SB certainly they will appeal to the core of the hearts of all human beings and surely they will respond. So, continue the policy scrupulously and you will be successful. Since I'm here I have not seen a single copy, although I've heard from many sources of its improvement. I'm also anxious to know whether the advertisement of Scindia delegation is published. Yesterday morning I sent Kīrtanānanda to London with a letter of introduction to Miss D.C. Bowtell 27 Cornhurst Road London NW 2 Basurey Gaudiya Math. I hope this lady who is supposed to be a Gaudiya Vaisnava will receive him well there and there is possibility to start a center there. You were to start for London by the beginning of November, if Miss B gives us her cooperation and Kīrtanānanda is successful in his mission you will reach there timely and on receipt of a favorable report myself and Acyutananda may also go. AB ### Letter to Rayarama, Satsvarupa **Date:** March 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear RayaramaMy dear Satsvarupa, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters with enclosures. Thank you very much and accept my blessings. Regarding the house and the money which you have foolishly mishandled, I can give you still good counsel as follows: I do not know what is the agreement you have entered into and paid the check for $5000.00 but I can guess it that the agreement is drawn on the understanding that Mr. Hill is the financier who is going to purchase the house on our behalf from Mr. Taylor and the check is received by Mr. Hill as earnest money with provision that further $5000.00 shall be paid by 31st March 1967. Mr. Payne knew it very well that you have not got further $5000.00 to pay by the 31st March and he thought that on your failure to pay further $5000.00 dollar the first $5000.00 dollars can be usurped by the gang. But actually this Mr. Hill has no sufficient money to pay Mr. Taylor. Mr. Taylor may know this fact and therefore he was not present when you all foolish boys assisted by similar lawyers signed the agreement without the presence of Mr. Taylor. I repeatedly warned you even at the last point that we should not pay the check unless there was agreement between Mr. Taylor and Hill. The agreement was signed like marriage ceremony without the presence of the bridegroom. The mistake was there and now you are repenting. Any way if on the 31st March Mr. Hill and his accomplice comes forward with second Mortgage money $20,000.00 and demands the second installment of $5000.00, do not lag behind. In case the house is actually being purchased by Mr. Hill from Mr. Taylor and if there is genuine transaction between the parties, we are prepared to pay the balance $5000.00 immediately. But I know this Mr. Hill has no money, as Mr. Lerner told me, to purchase the house on our behalf. It appears a bogus representation of Mr. Payne. Therefore it is a clear case of cheating and therefore all of them must be punished in the criminal Law court at any rate. I asked you to send me the copy of the agreement but you have not sent it. Otherwise I would have been able to give you clear directions. And yet I give you some suggestions as abovementioned and I do not know how you would tackle. If it can be proved that Hill has no money to purchase the house then it is clear cheating case arranged by Mr. Payne. So on the 31st March challenge them whether they have entered into agreement with Mr. Taylor or whether they have actually paid our money to Taylor. If it is a fact that he (Mr. Hill) has paid the $5000.00 to Mr. Taylor and if actually we are going to have the house, do not lag behind, we are prepared to pay the balance within a fortnight rest assured. I do not know why the Lawyers are not serious about this cheating case. If Mr. Hill has no money and on pretention of purchasing the house on our behalf he has accepted the money, then it is a clear case of cheating and Payne is the organizer of this cheating maneuver. And if this is genuine case that the house is actually going to be purchased we are prepared to pay the balance $5000.00. Let us have the house or return back the money. In default there is clear case of cheating as far as I can guess. Now you can do as you like. English translation of Caitanya Caritamrta by Nogen Roy have been seen by me. There is no commentary and therefore it can be read. But I do not know who is this Sanjib Choudhuri. Any way there is no harm reading simply the translation. Regarding the Mimeograph machine if it is very expensive to send do not send it. Rayarama, you took some quotation for printing the book Gitopanisad in U.S.A. If you therefore take immediately quotations from several places on the following details and let me know then I can decide immediately what to do. You can take further quotations on the following details: Description: Case bound BookQuantity: 5000 five thousand copies. Size: 12 1/2 x 9 1/2 flat & 6 1/4 x 9 1/2 folded. No. of pages: 400 plus the cover. Paper: Best quality offset Book. Composition: By the printer in 10 and 12 pt and italics. Press work: Black ink two sides and one tricolor photo. Cover: Title engraved and gold stamp on backbone. Quotation: Each book. Delivery: Maximum time to be delivered partly in New York, partly in San Francisco and partly at Montreal. Please take this quotations and let me know so that I can decide where to print the book either in New York or in San Francisco. Hope you are well. Further Gargamuni suggested that there is some chance of opening a branch in London. I shall be glad to know about the possibility. If I can establish one branch in London after Montreal it will be a great success of our mission. Please let me know in detail. Yours ever well wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** February 11th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 7th February and am surprised to note that temperature of New York has gone down below Zero and there was a regular snow blizzard for two days. Certainly this situation would have been a little troublesome for me because I am old man. I think Krishna wanted to protect me by shifting here at San Francisco. Here the climate is certainly like India and I am feeling comfortable but uncomfortable also because at New York I felt at Home on account of so many beloved students like you. As you are feeling my absence so I am feeling for you. But we are all happy on account of Krishna Consciousness either here or there. May Krishna join us always in His transcendental service. I am very glad to learn that Eric has learnt Krishna Consciousness better than his parents. I thank him very much. This is the example of unsophisticated mind. The child is innocent and therefore he has taken the consciousness so quickly. And he appears to be previously practiced to such consciousness. Please help him more and it is the duty of good parents to help their children advanced in Krishna consciousness. I am glad to learn that devotees at New York are improving especially in the chanting on beads. This evening we had very successful performances of Kirtana and discourses for two hours (7-9 P.M.) at the Himalayan Academy the Christian Yoga Church and there were about 100 respectable gatherings. All the ladies and gentlemen were cultured and decent and all of them appreciated our Kirtana and lectures. They profusely garlanded me and exposed me for photo snaps. Ranchor played the Harmonium and they were pleased with his playing and garlanded him. They handed over to me some collection about $12.00 and most probably they will invite us again for such performances. The students of this Himalayan Academy have built a very nice temple and I wish the students in New York also finish the proposed building as nicely as they have done at San Francisco. Tomorrow we are going to see Dr. Haridasa Chowdhury one Calcutta man who has a similar institution under the name of Self Realization Organization of San Francisco. An American gentleman Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) will take me there by engagement. And in the evening tomorrow a couple will be married and two students will initiated prior to their marriage. And the same Kirtana function will be performed at California college on the 14th instant Tuesday. I think our popularity in this part of the country is increasing. I think in New York also you should arrange for such Kirtana programs in different churches and societies on off days like Tuesday, Thursday, Saturdays. Wherever we get opportunities we must perform such Kirtana. ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** September 9th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban > New York My dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters. You have a problem before you in respect to living separate from your wife. If your wife keeps herself peaceful living separately from you, I think you can arrange for the time being like that, but in my opinion, this business of separation may not be developed into a case of divorce. So far Eric is concerned, he is developing K.C. from very childhood, and it is a great opportunity on a human being. I think his father has got a special duty to protect this child in his K.C.; The mother has also similar responsibility, so either your wife or yourself must take care of the good child. If you wife takes charge of him, then you become completely free personally, and you can live in the temple with other brahmacharies, either in N.Y. or elsewhere as you think best. If however, your wife leaves the child with you, then you can take care of him; that will be nice. But I think it is very difficult, because he is not sufficiently grown up. Anyway, both your wife and yourself cannot think of marrying again; that is not my advice. Even if your wife decides to marry again, for your part you should forget it; and if by the Grace of Krishna you can live peacefully without any wife, completely devoted to K.C., that will be the best part of your life. You can love and put all your affection to the child, and try to make him fully K.C.Regarding our temple affairs, as stated in your previous letter, I think Brahmananda might have written me something to my Delhi address, where I may go early next week; but in any case the temple affairs should be adjusted in the manner where the important members or all the members may work and support the temple affairs. I am getting very encouraging reports from S.F. and Montreal; but reports from N.Y. is not very much encouraging. Kīrtanānanda has decided to return back for preaching work in the states as he has accepted the sannyasa order of life. Acyutananda is here, but he is not eating well, so I am also put into anxiety. In the beginning Kīrtanānanda was also sick, and he also at the present moment is feeling some pain in his leg. On the whole, the American boys who come here become first depressed, so I do not know how far our American house in Vrindaban will be successful. I am negotiating with the Revenue Minister of Rajastan government to have some place in the very nice temple of Jaipur. This temple is very ideal place for our imagination of an American house, and it is almost 50% settled that the house may be partly occupied by us. But in any case, at least two American boys must live here and take charge of the management. I am old man. At the same time sick. Even if I am well, it is not possible for me to look after the affairs of the American house. I want to remain free, being taken care of by all of you. In your states I was happy being taken care of by you, and that enjoyment is liking to me in this old age. Anyway, ask Brahmananda what to do in this connection. ### Letter to Sar Maharaja **Date:** March 11th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Sripada Sar Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. I am in receipt of your letter dated February 20,1967. I am so much thankful to you all for encouraging me in my humble attempt to preach the message of srila Prabhupada in this part of the world. I am sure to be successful if I am blessed by you all Vaisnavas. I can understand your difficulty in the matter of my publication work. I am glad to learn that your activities following the foot prints of our beloved Gosvami Maharaja is being conducted nicely. By the by I may inform you that in the matter of permanent Visa in this country I require some certificates from India. Will you kindly send me a certificate in your personal form of letter as the President and Acarya of the Gaudiya Sangha (Regd) in the following words and oblige. Wordings of the certificate: "This is to certify that His Holiness Tridandi Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ji Maharaja is a bona fide disciple of my Spiritual Master On Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Goswami Prabhupada. We have highly appreciated his publication Srimad-Bhagavatam in our Sajjan Tosani Patrika (Monthly Magazine) in June 1963. Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta was the Editor of the above magazine while the paper was started from Delhi. Subsequently he has accepted the renounced order of life (Sannyasam) from His Holiness Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Kesava Maharaja the Founder President of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samity in 1959. He is therefore bona fide Preacher in the line of disciplic succession from Lord Caitanya Who preached the cult of Krishna Consciousness in India about 481 years ago. We all godbrothers of Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami in India are very much pleased to learn that he is executing the mission of our Spiritual Master in the Western countries even in his good old age. We wish all success for him in his great and noble attempt. Sd/------------------(Bhakti Saurabha Bhaktisar Maharaja)President & Acarya."Kindly send this certificate by return of post and oblige. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** January 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessing. I understand that Neal has left us and you have taken the responsibility for typing the records. Please let me know how many tapes are with you. I think you have five tapes with you because I have got only three with me. See that the tapes do not miss. You are a sincere devotee of the Lord and certainly He will bless you with auspicious advancement in the matter of spiritual understanding. Your assistant Ranchor is doing well with me. He is not now disturbed in his mind. I hope you are all in full cooperation in the service of Krishna. I shall be glad to hear from you. Hope you are well. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** October 6th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter of 29th September 1967 and have noted the contents very carefully. The letter which you have enclosed therein to facilitate my permanent Visa appears to be nice but if an invitation or provisional appointment as lecturer is possible, I think that will be still nicer. I am going to Calcutta with Acyutananda and Ramanuja to visit Lord Caitanya's birthsite at Mayapur. So until further information, you can address my letters to the abovementioned Calcutta address. Kīrtanānanda may be eager to address in the Harvard university but recently he has lost his link on account of disobedience. You sing every day morning that by the mercy of the Spiritual master one can please the Lord and one who has not pleased the spiritual master cannot have any access in the realm of Krishna Consciousness. Very recently Kīrtanānanda has developed a different consciousness of Maya which is called misuse of one's minute independence offered by Krishna. By misuse of one's independence one at once becomes a victim of Maya and thus he loses all importance in Krishna Consciousness. So it is my definite opinion that his lecture anywhere now will bear no spiritual sequence. He must rectify his mistake before he can play in our Society any important role. By lips he says that he is a surrendered soul but by action he is thinking differently. I may inform you in this connection that photo offset copies of the following testimonials are lying in my apartment in New York. Namely1. Certificate from Sri Caitanya Matha Mayapur,2. Certificate Institute of Oriental Philosophy Vrindaban3. Certificate Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha, Mathura.4. Certificate Gaudiya Samghasram, Calcutta.5. Certificate New York UniversityIf it is possible to get an official or provisional appointment letter through the influence of Mr. Ross and on the strength of the above certificates, it will be easier to get the permanent visa. Regarding Manuscripts you can hold on till my arrival or next letter in this connection. The thing is that there is regular negotiation with M/s MacMillan Co for taking up the publication. Brahmananda in his recent letter has informed that the sanction is awaiting the President's signature. So let us wait a few days more for the final word. I can understand that you have secured a very nice place in Boston and there is very good possibility of pushing our movement amongst the students community there. Our movement is certainly very much appealing to the younger section of your country and if we are successful in the matter of attracting the students community in your country certainly this movement will scatter all over the world and the foretelling of Lord Caitanya that in every village and every town of the world the ___ will be famous for His glorious Sankirtana movement. Please try for this your heart and soul and your life will be a successful mission. I can understand the hint which you give me about Himavati and Hansadutta. As a matter of fact woman is like fire and the man is like the butter pot. They must keep apart for healthy atmosphere. But in your country the social system is different. In fact in our society, at least, we should make separate arrangement of residence for the boys and girls. Gradually we have to organize like that. I am always aspiring after returning at your care and overload you with typewriting tasks. You have done this work always very nicely and sincerely and a secretary like Satsvarupa Brahmacari is a great fortune for me. I hope we shall very soon meet again and help each other in the matter of discharging Krishna consciousness engagements. I am now 90% alright and I think I can return now safely. This typewriting work is done by me. For two days I am alone and doing everything myself as experiment. This proves that I am now well. Please offer blessing to all the boys and girls there. Your ever wellwisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** October 26th 1967 — **Location:** Navadvipa My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I have already duly received the invitation from Harvard University. It is understood that they are scheduling me for 20 Nov. between 6 and 10 PM. I can start immediately on the strength of my visitors visa, but I am waiting for Mukunda's reply who is trying for my permanent visa. Yesterday we have all come to Navadvipa. This place is another establishment of one of my Godbrothers. It is very nice and extensive place and my God-brother, B.R. Sridhara Maharaja has spared one entire nice house for my stay. He has also agreed to cooperate with our society. We shall observe his birthday ceremony tomorrow and the brahmacaris shall learn how to celebrate spiritual master's birthday. I hope to reach your state by the 20 of November. Hope you are well. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** December 16th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings & convey the same to Pradyumna & others. I missed your telephone call but I understand that your center is doing well. When I go to New York I shall go to Boston. I understand that Damodara has gone to N.Y. with manuscript of Teachings of Lord Caitanya. I thank you for your sincere service. I pray Krishna for your more & more improvement in Krishna Consciousness. Your ever well wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** December 23rd 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated 17, Dec. duly in hand. I am preparing the text in dictaphone for sending you as usual, but you must have a dictaphone there, otherwise how you can hear the tapes? So arrange for this, either one to hire or on purchase system. And as soon as you let me know that you have one dictaphone there, I will send you the tapes regularly. I have already written to Rayarama about Lord Caitanya's Teachings, that there is no need of editing the final manuscripts. Better let us prepare for its printing. He had some correspondence with Dai Nippon Printing Company of Tokyo, and our Dvarakadhisa did all the negotiation. Please contact him immediately, and ask him to send me the correspondence he had with the printing company. I also do not like too much editorial work. This too much editorial work on Gitopanisad has created some misunderstanding between the editorial staffs. Anyway, in future, one man should edit it and be sufficient for our printing. And I do not want that Lord Caitanya's Teachings should be edited again and typed again and waste time in that way. I have also informed Rayarama of this, and you can also inform him like this. The book should be printed immediately without any waste of time. That is my desire. Regarding Boston and Harvard University Kirtana, I quite appreciate your noble activities. Our Kirtana movement is genuine, and if the unsophisticated students take it seriously, it will be a great achievement. I know that all these Bogus Yogis they are cheating the public, but at the same time your countrymen also want to be cheated. They are cheating the public by words of extravagancy, saying that anyone can meditate even he is a drunkard. These cheap words attract people and these rascals become popular. So we don't want cheap popularity; I was very glad to learn from Gargamuni that Brahmananda refused to place my identification with so many cheater Swamis. We shall always remain distinct from all these cheaters. If we can convert one person in Krishna consciousness, that is our success of life. We don't want too many rascal followers. Let us perform this movement sincerely with faith in Krishna and people will gradually appreciate our service. I thank you very much once more for your ardent desire to cooperate with my missionary work. Krishna will make you happy. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** December 30th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I have received back the tape which you have typewritten. The inquiry about porce should be force. Today I am sending you two Krishna Conscious lectures, tape recorded into the dictaphone. Please write them properly and send me one copy. The best thing will be as soon as you typewrite the two, send me one copy after editing as you were doing formerly. I'll keep one copy with me, you keep one copy with you, and if further editing is required for which another copy should be kept with you. You will be glad to know that yesterday I have signed the agreement with MacMillan for publishing Gitopanisad, and also, Mr. B. K. Nehru was met by me day before yesterday and he has promised to help me in getting the permanent visa. So far my health is concerned, Gaurasundara is keeping me quite fit by massaging and Govinda dasi is supplying me upma. Perhaps you have never tasted what is upma. But if Jadurani can prepare it I shall send the formula. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** February 10th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your note. Yes please send me immediately one copy of Bhakti Sutra (with original Sankrit text). I shall immediately begin the commentary. Yes you can edit on the tapes of Teachings of Lord Caitanya. I am very pleased to receive your voluntary offer. Thank you very much. ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** February 15th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I hope you have received my previous notes sent to you in different letters. I have not as yet received the copy of Narada Bhaktisutra which you want me to write commentaries. I hope you are duly editing the tapes of Teachings of Lord Caitanya. While typing the records after your editing make it in duplicate and send me one copy to see how you are doing it. I have now just five tapes with me out of which I am returning one to day. Please let me know how many tapes are there till today. Neal was to come here but he has not come; therefore, I am sending you the tape both for typing and editing. I hope you will do it nicely. May Krishna be pleased upon you. I have advised Brahmananda to transfer $6200.00 to my savings account and please see that it is immediately done. I have sent him the letter of transfer simply he has to sign it or you may sign it and forward it to the Bank. I allowed you to deal with the Bank for two reasons. 1. That I may be free from monetary dealings 2. That you may learn also how to deal with. But recent indiscriminate issues of checks have perturbed my mind. By indiscriminate issues of checks $1000.00 of society's money have been put into risk. So far I can see from the correspondence of Brahmananda it is not possible for us to get the house for so many reasons. The main reason is that we have no money to pay cash and nobody is going to invest cash in that house because it is neither complete nor has any income. It is simply utopian to think of possessing the house and Mr. Payne is simply giving us false hope. That is the verdict of devotees and trustees here and for reasons I believe it is correct. Please see therefore that the above amount is immediately transferred. When actual sale contract is there I shall again retransfer the amount as I did it a few days ago. You are all innocent boys without any experience of the world. The cunning world can befool you at any time. So please be careful of the world in Krishna Consciousness. When Krishna will desire the house will come to us automatically. But we should not ask Krishna to give us a house let Krishna give us when He likes. If Mr. Payne is able to give us the house it is so far very good. But from circumstances it appears that Mr. Payne cannot get financial assistance from any businessman. If somebody gives us donation for the right cause that is a different thing. So we should only wait for Krishna's mercy and should not jeopardize the hard earned money for service of Krishna. I hope you will not misunderstand me. Both you and Gargamuni must be careful about the accounts and see that checks above $50.00 are not issued indiscriminately. Hope you are all well and shall be glad to hear from you by return post. Please ask Rayarama to write to me. I am anxious to know if he had any talks with Mr. Ypslantin. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** February 24th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. To day I have sent you the first installment of "Narada Bhakti Sutras". Please let me know how do you like it or if there is any difficulty to understand it. On hearing from you I shall take up the next installment. Here there is no typewriter nor any typist. Neal has not come here. I do not know where he is. Therefore you have to type the tapes there is no other alternative. Howard does not wish to work on the tapes. Today I have got a letter from him (Neal) from somewhere in California but there is no address. ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** March 4th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear SatsvarupaIn your previous letter you informed me that you are not going to pay a farthing unless you are in possession of the house. So you must follow the determination. You should not sign the check if you are not satisfied yourself. ACB ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** March 16th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I have seen the typed copies of Narada Bhakti Sutra as well as Teachings of Lord Caitanya. Both of them are nicely made. I think let us finish first Teachings of Lord Caitanya and then we take again Narada Bhakti Sutra. The subject matter discussed with Narada Bhakti Sutras is already there in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya. I have sent you matter for the Second part of the Teachings and please go on sending me one copy of your typewritten matter. I shall be glad to hear from you. ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** March 21st 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. Regarding your question about the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi or Vrindaban it is to be understood that Vrindaban is the original abode of Lord Krishna as He is the original Personality of Godhead. In that transcendental plane He has His transcendental associates in different exchange of humor. For ourselves when we are in perfect stage of devotional service, we can know our eternal relation with Krishna and as such one of the associates of Lord Krishna becomes our ideal leader. This acceptance of leadership by one of the eternal associates of the Lord is not artificial. Do not therefore try it at present it will be automatically revealed to you in proper time. Regarding the house, you are already in trouble. The best thing is to stop this strain. Mr. Lerner told me that Mr. Hill has no sufficient money to purchase the house. I definitely instructed you if Mr. Hill enters into agreement with Mr. Taylor it is then only you could hand over the check of $5000.00 to Mr. Hill or his agent. But you have not followed my instruction and now you are in trouble. If Mr. Hill has no money to purchase the house then his accepting our check is clear case of cheating. So immediately inquire if Mr. Hill has at all money to purchase cash from Mr. Taylor. If not immediately demand back the check otherwise consult our good lawyers and file a cheating case. We cannot forego this cheating conspiracy, if Mr. Hill has no money. He must either deliver the possession of the house immediately or must return the money immediately or file cheating case against all the combined group namely Mr. Payne, Mr. Hill and Mr. Palmer. I do not know what is actual case but from the telephonic conversation of Brahmananda it appears to be an organized cheating case and you have to face with courage without excusing any one of them. We are not revengeful but we cannot lose Krishna's money for nothing. Brahmananda has asked me whether San Francisco Branch will pay some money for purchasing the house. But where is your house and where is the purchase? So far it is talks of Mr. Payne and company in which you innocent boys have been entrapped. I do not know how I can help in great blunder. I can only hope that Krishna will help you. Howard wants one of the Mimeograph machine here so that copies of Back to Godhead required here may be printed here. What is the weight of the machine and what will be cost of transport charges. I think you can spare one machine for San Francisco and charge cost of it. Please ask Rayarama to get back the first chapter of Gitopanisad from the publisher. I have asked this several times but there is no reply. I shall be glad to hear from you about all the points mentioned therein. Ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** September 23rd 1967 — **Location:** Delhi > Boston My dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I received many letters from you and some I have replied. I don't know whether I've replied all your points. I'll be glad to hear from you about the progress of the Boston center. So far as my health is concerned, definitely I've improved because I am now cooking and typing. I think I will be returning by the end of October. Please send a letter of invitation stating that my presence is urgently required in the States. This will help enormously in obtaining my permanent visa. I must produce concrete evidence of the necessity of my presence in America for this visa status. AB ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** October 3rd 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings, I've not heard from you in a long time. Please convey my blessings to Rayarama, Damodara & others. Since I've come to India, I've not received a single copy of BTG. There is no stationery nor prospectus either. I asked for these as well. But I've received nothing. I am starting for Calcutta on Oct. 9, You may send some stationary, BTG, and Prospectus to my Calcutta address by Air Mail. My Calcutta address is:c/o Madan Dutta76 Durgha Charan Dr. Rd.Calcutta, 14.In my last letter to Brahmananda, Hayagriva I've already requested that Rayarama take the introductory letter from Kīrtanānanda & as previously settled Rayarama may go to London in Nov. In London there is one Miss. D.C. Bowtell, 27 Cranhurst Rd., Crickle cod, London. NW. 2. This old lady was given Hari Nama while my Guru Maharaja was on earth. Since then she is maintaining one apartment & may be doing some preaching work. So Rayarama may open some correspondence with her before going there. This will help in the matter of opening center in London. This function was intended for Kīrtanānanda while returning to N.Y. He was to stop there & see her but he was so much frenzied to see & meet his old friends that he forgot the order of Krishna & indulged in a sort of sense gratification. It is certainly a shocking incident which I never expected from a disciple like Kīrtanānanda. Besides that I shall be glad to hear whether my book, Lord Caitanya's Teachings is now complete. I am afraid if there is no contract for publication with MacMillan Co. I have already asked Brahmananda to send Manuscript of Gita Upanisad to following address: to Hitsaran Sharmac/o Dalmia EnterpriseScindia HouseNew Delhi 1.Please ask Brahmananda if he has already dispatched the manuscripts to the above address. I do not wish to delay publication any longer but I wish to publish here in India. Regarding my return. I may inform you that I am now 90% cured & I can immediately return but I want to return with permanent visa. Please therefore consult Mukunda, Brahmananda & Co. & do all the necessary action. I shall expect your reply touching all the points made herein to my Calcutta Address. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. I have received the letter of Jadurani. Please offer my blessing for her. I shall reply her letter touching all the points duly. ACBS ### Letter to Sivananda **Date:** October 17th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Sivananda, Please accept my blessings. I am trying to go back to your country as soon as possible. Hope you are well. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Sri Krishan Pandit **Date:** June 27th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Sri Krishan Pandit, Kindly accept my greetings. I am very much thankful to you for your letter dated June 15, 1967. Your prayers to Lord Krishna are heard by the Lord, and by His Grace I'm getting improved in health day by day. Your suggestion to return to India is welcome. As soon as I get a little strength I must return to India. I also thank your son-in-law, Yog Raj Sharma, for his suggestion. As you have not received the gramaphone record as yet, I guess it has been taken away by somebody. Therefore, I have advised my students to send another one by registered post. With that record was a check for Rs 50. (check no. 0055447, dated April 15, 1967) in your favor, so you go to the Bank of Baroda, Chandnichawk, Delhi, and stop the payment by showing this letter, and upon hearing from you I shall arrange for sending you cash from here. Your former letter was properly replied from here. I request you to see Messrs. S.S. Brijbasse Co. at Fatehpuri. We sent them an order for pictures and $100., but they are silent. Kindly enquire what is the fate of the money and the order. My blessings for your wife and children. Hope you are well, and thanking you once again. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sri Krishna Pandit **Date:** June 1st 1967 — **Location:** New York > Hari Bhakta Nudasa Sri Krishna Pandit Kuncha, Dilwali Singh Rajmere Gate Delhi 6 Dear Hari Bhakta Nudasa, I'm writing this letter from the hospital. All of a sudden I've developed some headache, as well as throbbing of the chest. When I rub my chest I feel sensation in my left hand and when I rub my hand I feel sensation in my chest. My left hand no more works independently. I therefore ask you if there is any good Vedic physician in Mathura who can send me some medicines, that is, you purchase and send them by air mail to our temple: ISKCON, 26 2nd Ave., New York, N.Y. The symptom is predominantly when I get severe pain within my head. And the trembling of the left hand is coming every ten or fifteen minutes. I am afraid if this is not a disease like Lakhya; the boys are taking utmost care of me, there is no scarcity of care. But still after all, this body is subject to death. I came here with a great mission to execute my Spiritual Master's order but my heart is stabbing me. Of course, I'm not afraid of Maya, I know Maya cannot touch me, but still if I die in this condition, my mission will remain unfulfilled. Please therefore pray to Prabhu Lord Caitanya and Vrindaban Bihar, to rescue me this time, my mission is still not finished. I wish to live for a few more days. They're prepared to call an experienced Ayur Vedic physician who treats such diseases but I've not allowed the boys. But if necessary, if you can give me an expert physician who can travel here we can send necessary money for his coming here or arrange for air ticket. You can consult the man in charge of Dacca Shakti. At last I may inform you that I am inclined toward Ayur Vedic treatment. You can consult the Ayur Vedic physician in Vrindaban who is a Gaudiya Vaisnava. He knows me very well. He sells my books also. Two things are to be done if it is possible: to send me proper medicines and directions, that will be nice. But if I require to return that also I can do. Please try to reply as soon as possible in English because my students cannot read Hindi. So long as I'm in bed it's not possible to read letters. You can treat this letter very urgently. Consult necessary physicians and let me know what I am to do. In Mathura there are undoubtedly many Ayurvedic physicians and many quacks also. Try to avoid the quacks. I would have returned to India immediately but the doctors say it is risky. If need be, I shall return as soon as I get strength to take the strain of the journey. I repeat my symptoms so that you can take necessary care. All of a sudden I developed some throbbing between the heart and stomach about 4 days ago. It was so exhaustive, it was like fainting—then I consulted a doctor who came and gave me medicine but it was of no good effect therefore my students at once transferred me to the hospital where they're spending more or less 400 rupees daily. There is no question of neglect. All scientific treatment is going on. But I think Ayur Vedic medicine will be proper. Therefore I request you to take immediate steps and reply me. I hope this letter will convince you of the actual position. While reading this letter you may consult some friend who knows English very well so that he'll read it correctly and reply correctly. There is no scope for corresponding in Bengali or in Hindi. Yours Sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Stephen GuarinoSecretary, ISKCONfor Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta ### Letter to Sri Krishna Panditji **Date:** April 15th 1967 — **Location:** New York > TRUE COPY of Letter under separate post with Gramophone Record AND A CHEQUE FOR RS 50/- My dear Sri Krishna Panditji, Please accept my greetings. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 9th instant and have noted the contents carefully. As promised by me previously I am sending herewith the Gramophone Record of my Kirtana and short speech thereof. I hope you will enjoy it. I am very sorry to learn that Srimati Bahuji is suffering from Pyorrhea. It is due to excessive Betel chewing. Any way I am sending herewith a small cheque for her treatment. Please accept it with my blessings. Regarding printing work, I am prepared to guarantee for payment to the press if the printing is first class just suitable to the American taste. If Joshiji appears to be not interested why not yourself do the work and I am prepared to pay you as stated in my previous letter. Regarding your introduction to my disciples here, you can immediately note down the following address. He is interested in importing musical instruments from India. If you can immediately arrange to supply from Delhi things like Aggarbatti, Dhupa, Musical instruments, Varanasi Sari, Bronze cymbals, Printed matters, Printed cloths from Agra and Farukhabad etc, you can do very good business and make profit not less than Rs 200/- per month or more. Add only 5% on the purchase price or sometimes less than 5% on purchase values and you will be do good business. But if you can not write in English how you will make correspondence with them. You must write in English or get it done by some one who knows English. Unless you write in English how can you deal with them. Please note down the following address immediately and correspond with him giving reference of my name. Mr. Michael Grant 518 Frederick Street, San Francisco, California 94117.Regarding my room in the temple, I can understand that you want to use it for many other purposes and you cannot agree to use it exclusively for my Bhagavatam Printing. I do not wish to disturb you. As you are very much anxious to get the room vacated, I have decided to vacate it without delay. I have advised Srimad B.V. Narayana Maharaja of Mathura (Kesavji Gaudiya Matha) to vacate the room without delay. When he goes to the Temple please help him as far as possible and he will certainly vacate the room for your other religious purposes as you have informed me in your letter under reply. In conclusion I may inform you that I can introduce to you many names in this country provided you can arrange for correspondence in English. Who will read your Hindi letters. Please note that without English you cannot be in touch with the outer world at least in Business. Why not train at least one of your sons in English correspondence and I will help him in doing our world business and your family will be profited. Hope you are well. Your ever well wisher. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- My Sri Krishna Panditji, The above letter was to be posted by air mail. But my students have posted it along with the Gramophone Record by ordinary mail. So it will take some time to reach you. I therefore send the copy of the above letter by air mail so that you can know the reply of your letter of the 9th instant. Kindly help Narayana Maharaja in clearing the room. Awaiting your reply. Yours etc. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sri Krishna Panditji **Date:** October 9th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi > All Glory to Sri Guru & Gauranga My dear Sri Krishna Panditji, Please accept my greetings. I am leaving for Calcutta today as it was already settled. You promised to come and see me yesterday at 2 P.M. but you didn't come; When I was at Vrindaban you several times asked me to come to Delhi for several times and I came and remained here for a month but you did not do anything about the room, I would not have come to Delhi at least my Gramophone machine wouldn't have been stolen, now you can definitely let me know your decision to my Calcutta address as it is on the overleaf.(1) If you want to transfer the Trust to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the Society will do everything for the improvement of the Temple and also engage you as paid whole time manager on behalf of the Society. You asked Rs 300/- per month and this is agreed herewith.(2) If not I am prepared to advise my banker to pay you Rs 25/- per month without fail but the key of the room will be with me.(3) I have not begun my printing works because you have not said anything about the room. If you therefore settle about the room in either of the above mentioned (1) & (2) (proposed) __ I shall come __ from Calcutta, do the needful & then I shall go back to U.S.A. If you are not settling anything __ room, then I may not come back to Delhi any more. I will go to U.S.A. directly from Calcutta via Pacific (route ?) for which Sri Dalmia Seth has already promised for the ticket Rs. 5,500/-. So kindly reply this letter forthwith to my Calcutta address & __ Hope this will find you well. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sri Krishnaji **Date:** March 25th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Sri Krishnaji, Please accept my greetings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 16th March 1967 and with great difficulty I could guess only 75% of the hindi writing. There is no body here who can read Hindi. Anyway I have got the summary of the letter and the immediate issue is that the room must be cleansed and I may inform you that as soon as I return to New York on the 9th April 1967 evening, I shall arrange to send the key for opening the room at least for cleansing. The key is in New York otherwise I would have sent it immediately; sent it from here. But rest assured that the room will be opened and cleansed or vacated by the end of April 1967. Please do not be anxious. My reservation by the United Air Line is already booked on the 9th April and I am returning there. Regarding publication of my books, you know that since I have come here the work is stopped and that is great loss for me. My primary duty is to publish the Srimad-Bhagavatam and finish it in my life. But preaching in the western countries is also my duty as it was ordered by my Spiritual Master. I thought that I shall be able to publish my books from America but it is very much expensive: therefore I have to get books published from India at any cost. Sriman Surya Kumar Joshi B.A. in charge of the publication department All India Congress Committee No. 7 Jantar Mantar Road New Delhi has very kindly agreed to take the burden of proof reading and if you also join with him to help me in this connection it will be great help for me. If you have time you can please see him and talk with him face to face how you can help me. If you both cooperate then the publication work may immediately be revived. Surya Kumar Joshi is expert in proof reading and as such if he and you cooperate there will be no difficulty. Regarding Seva Pujah of the temple I have already written to Sripada Narayana Maharaja if he would come to Delhi and live in the temple. If he comes he will relieve you from the seva pujah of the temple and he will do it nicely. Regarding cooperation in the matter of preaching work in the western countries it is the duty of every Indian and Hindu to cooperate in this task. There are so many Sanatana Dharma establishment in India but no body has tried to preach the principles of Bhagavad-gita in the Western countries although Bhagavad-gita is widely read all over the world. Swamis like Vivekananda or others who came here before me, manufactured their own ideological religion and that is not in conformity of the Bhagavad-gita. The straight way of Bhagavad-gita is that Lord Sri Krishna is the Original Personality of Godhead and He is the only worshipable object for all humanity. "Mattah nanyat parataram kimchid asti dhananjaya". There is nothing superior Truth than Sri Krishna is the Gospel of all Vedic instruction. I am trying to implement this truth in this part of the world and it is the duty of the Hindus and Indians to help me in all respects. As far as possible try to help me in this mission at least in the publication of my books from India and if possible meet Sriman Joshi with this letter and talk with him. Let me know know your joint decision and that will help me much. If you reply this letter after 31st March 1967 then you may reply this letter to my New York address namely 26 Second Avenue New York N.Y. 10003.I am glad to learn that Srimat Bahuji and other members of your family are all doing well by the Grace of the Lord and I wish that you be happy in your execution of Harbhakti in which Lord Rama has already engaged you. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. Your friend who wants to come here & stay may directly send me letter about his expenditure for coming here. He may also let me know why does he want to come here & what is his qualification. Then I shall see here. I can help him in the matter of his stay in this country. ACB ### Letter to Sripad Narayana Maharaja **Date:** May 24th 1967 "Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatho" A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- 26 Second AvenueApt. # BIRNew York, N.Y. 1003 USAD/ May 24, 1967.Sripad Narayana Maharaja, Accept my dandavats. I received your letter dated 19.5.67 and became very happy to read it. I always consider you as my son! But I was very hurt to read a part of your letter which had in it some harsh words. But now I have forgiven you just as a father forgives his son. I always have a very high opinion of you. If I ever chastise you with harsh words, you tolerate it thinking that I am your old father. If I ever advise you, you shouldn't think it to be unwanted. Rather, it will be auspicious for you. In the house, if the father and son quarrel, it does not break the relationship between them. After receiving your letter, I request that you first go to Delhi and get all the books packed. If you are late going to Delhi, then you should write to the manager of the temple, Sriman Sri Krsna Pandit, 4092 Kuncha Dilwali Singh Ajmer Gate, Delhi 6, and let him know you are coming. Mention in the letter the date on which you will arrive there. In the context of your receiving money late, I have written to Sriman Vrndavana in Calcutta to come to you with money. If he comes then there is no need to spend his money but out of the Rs 2250 I sent to you, the expenses of coming to Delhi, staying there and packing the books in a box, can be met. That means that up to a maximum of Rs 300 only can be spent in Delhi. After getting the books packed, please send these goods to Howrah Station by freight train-marking them FREIGHT PAID. Send the railway receipt by registered post to: M/S United Shipping Corp14/2 Old China Bazaar StNo. 18. Calcutta 1They are our shipping agents. I have received their letter dated March 27, 1967 asking us to send the books to Howrah and to send the railway receipt to them along with a list of the books. (When writing to them please mention about their letter).Whatever instructions I have given to you in my previous letters about work to do in Delhi, please take care of it. There is no need to buy the musical instruments. There is a very good musical instrument company in Calcutta. M/S. Dwarkin and Son. The money has to be sent to him. Keep only Rs 800/- with you for spending and the rest of the Rs 1850/- deposit in my account either in Vrndavana or Delhi. Vrndavana - Punjab National Bank A/C no. Savings Fund 2913 or Delhi - The Bank of Baroda Limited, Chandni Chowk S-A A/C no. 1452After finishing the work in Delhi and depositing the money, kindly write me a letter. I will then make a separate check to Dwarkin and Son, they will arrange to send the musical instruments. Six months ago I sent Trivikrama Maharaja Rs 200/-to buy a mrdanga and karatalas, but I don't know why he still has not sent them. I will be very grateful if you can send him a reminder letter. About Vinoda Kumara, this is the situation. In his first letter he did not reveal his mind clearly. Then later he asked for Rs 800/-for clothes for himself, and said he wanted to stay as a music master. He refused to wear kunti-mala and tilaka. If he speaks like this before he comes here-who knows what he will ask for afterwards, that will not be within our capacity to supply him. I am trying to build the characters of these American boys, who are lakhs times more tarpan(servants of their own senses) than Indian boys. Then if an Indian boy enters this situation and also serves his own senses it will not make the atmosphere very peaceful. I had to leave my own family and children because I was unable to tolerate seeing them remain servants of their senses. All the American children who are staying with me have shaved their heads, have mala and tilaka and always follow my orders. As soon as they see me they do dandavat pranamas (obeisances). All the work is done very peacefully. In this situation, if an Indian boy, especially a disciple from our sampradaya, doesn't wear mala and tilaka and doesn't agree to wear the robes of a brahmacari-it will not make a peaceful atmosphere. I don't want such a thing. If Vinoda Kumara is ready to come here and live in my style, and follow my orders for six months, and if I then understand he is capable of running a musical school, I may open a musical class for him. The society will spend everything for him. That's enough of this talk for now. Especially if one comes with a visitor's visa, he is not allowed to earn money as I have told you before. To make a visa for a musical teacher is not very difficult. With the help of the society, it can be made even after coming here. He must discuss and consider all of these points and then he can come. Otherwise the society is unable to welcome him. The society wants to say that he should have written all of these details before. Now do whatever you think is correct. Whatever we want to say from our side is written in the Appointment Letter. If you have not seen that, please see one. I hope everything is well. I am waiting for your reply. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sripad Narayana Maharaja **Date:** June 14th 1967 > International Society for Krsna Consciousness, Inc.Twenty-Six Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10003 Telephone: 674-7428Acarya: Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta Trustees:Larry Bogart James S. Greene Carl Yeargans Raphael Balsam Robert lefkowitz Raymond Marais Stanley Moskowitz Michael Grant Harvey Cohen My dear Narayana Maharaj, I thank you very much for your letter dated June 7 1967 along with the letter of Sriman Rayrama (Raymond Marais). While replying you this letter I am feeling well. From the hospital I have been transferred to the New Jersey seashore and I am glad to inform you that I am improving daily, a little bit. The weakness is still continuing and sometimes I feel dizziness but the seashore breeze gives me such relief. My disciples here are Godsend, they are all more than my father and mother, and they are taking so much care for me that I shall never be able to repay the debts. I hope to survive by the prayers of the boys otherwise I would have died on the day when the stroke was so severe. All the boys in three branches in New York, San Francisco and Montreal, prayed for me to Sri Krishna and chanted the whole night and with vow they fasted and I am sure only for their prayer I am on the path of recovery. I cannot express my gratitude for their sincere love for me and I can only pray that Sri Krishna may bless them with advanced Krishna consciousness. In the hospital they spent money like anything up to the extent of 600-700 rupees daily, so there is no dearth of care and treatment, but still I think Ayurvedic treatment is better for this kind of disease. After all only Krishna can help me; medicine is not sufficient. I thank you for your letter and consulting Giri Maharaja and other Vaishnavas. Your good wishes and other Vaishnavas good wishes can only save me. Your letter has also given me sufficient strength. I am thinking of returning to India as soon as I get a little strength because by plane it will take at least 24 hours by the fast air line so I must have sufficient strength to fly that long a period and as advised by you I shall go directly to Calcutta and after consulting some good physician there I may come back to Mathura-Vrindaban. But I am sure if I can go back to Vrindaban the atmosphere will cure me. The danger period is over by the grace of Lord Krishna. So far the Delhi books are concerned, you can arrange immediately for their dispatch to Howrah station by goods train which runs every week and goes very fast. All the books should be listed in duplicate and one of them should be sent with the railway receipt to M/S. United Shipping Corp. 14/2 Old China Bazaar St. No. 18, Calcutta 1. By registered Post with Acknowledgement [Indistinct]. The other copy of the list of books may be sent to me. The packing may be done very nicely and the steel trunks may be used for packing. If they are not sufficient to cover all the books, then wooden boxes should be purchased and packed nicely bound with iron straps. The steel trunks also should be strapped with iron straps. In each and every packing box the following marks should be given: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- New York (Via Howrah Station)For the time being you can purchase some bottles Chavanaprasa and… [Indistinct]…-purchased from Sadhana Ousadhalaya who has got branches in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. In Fathe-Puri, [Indistinct] No. 32 there is a firm SS, Brijbasi and Sons, please see them and enquire what they have done in respect of our orders for pictures for which we have sent 100 dollars--and let me know the fate of our order. From the amount Rs 2 235/-you will spend all that is required for performing Delhi affairs and the balance may be deposited in my SB account # 1452 with the Bank of Baroda Ltd. Chandni Chowk, Delhi. If I return to India money will be required or if I do not return the same will be paid by check to Dwarkin and sons who have already submitted their invoice for musical instruments. I hope you will kindly do the needful as per my instructions and let me know by return mail. All the expenditure including your going to Delhi and coming back, postal conveyance, everything, should be done out of my money. Vinod Kumar may come here after he has duly received the passport and visa. I am replying his letter separately. Hope this will find you in good health. Am awaiting your kind reply. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiN.B. Sri Krishna Pandit and Chandra Sekhar & Vinoda Kumara will help you in doing things nicely. Please make the R/R Freight Paid and send me [Unreadable] R/R along with the duplicate list of books ### Letter to Sripad Narayana Maharaja **Date:** July 1st 1967 26 Second AvenueApartment BIRNew York 10003 USASripad Narayana Maharaja, Gradually I am becoming well. Today is my best day which is why I am writing you a letter in my own hand. I still have not received a reply to the letter I sent you on June 14th. I am very eagerly waiting to know if you have been to Delhi and if the books were sent or not. In the meantime I have written a letter to Vinoda Kumara. I haven't received any reply from him. I am worried about that also. As soon as you receive my letter, please kindly reply to me. It is decided that I am going to San Francisco on Wednesday 5th July, and on July 9th there will be Sri Sri Jagannatha Deva Rathayatra maha festival. I don't know how successful it will be, but the program is settled. There were some plans for my return to India, but at present it is not possible for me to travel twenty-four hours by airplane. I am therefore going to San Francisco which takes only six hours. It has been decided that I will stay on the beach by the sea. As soon as you receive my letter, please reply to the following address: International Society for Krishna Consciousness,518 Frederick Street, California 94117What happened to Vinoda Kumara's passport? I have written him a separate letter, but there has been no reply so far. In this far away foreign country, with a very weak body, I feel some difficulty if I don't receive letters on time. I still don't feel fully strong, but I am writing to you in my own hand. I hope you will make me happy by responding as soon as you receive my letter. The work I have at hand will take two to three months to finish. I hope that by next September I may be able to return to India. If I obtain all of your blessings, I hope I will quickly finish my work and be able to return to Sri Sri Vrndavana dhama. I pray you all are well. Vasamvad(Gratefully),A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sripad Narayana Maharaja **Date:** July 12th 1967 > International Society for Krsna Consciousness, Inc.Twenty-Six Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10003 Telephone: 674-7428Acarya: Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta Trustees:Larry Bogart James S. Greene Carl Yeargans Raphael Balsam Robert lefkowitz Raymond Marais Stanley Moskowitz Michael Grant Harvey Cohen My Dear Narayana Maharaj, Please accept my dandabats. I thank you very much for your letter dated July 3, 1967. I am very pleased that you have so kindly dispatched the books from Delhi. I am now staying at the following address: C/o Budes ParadisioAlamed PatioStinson Beach, CaliforniaI have come here for recuperating my health. It is a very nice place. The building is most aristocratic, and just situated on the sea beach, Pacific Ocean. I hope I shall be able to get sufficient strength here and I expect to return to India by the next month of September. I understand that you have already spent Rs. 402 out of Rs. 2235, so out of the balance you can spend as follows: to the Vrindaban Gosain, I wish to pay him Rs. 100 in kind. That is to say you can purchase some rice, dahl and wheat worth Rs. 100 and deliver them for sevapujah of Sri Radhadamodar. But if grains are controlled and you cannot purchase on open market, then you can pay him cash Rs. 50, and take a receipt from him. You can also keep with you Rs. 50 to be paid to him at the rate of Rs.5 per month until I return. I think until I return you can go to Vrindaban once in a month, and get my rooms cleaned by Sarozini and pay him Rs. One for cleaning and taking care of my outside veranda. So, you can spend your coming and going charges, pay to Gosain Rs. 5 and to Sarozini Rs. one per month. After this expenditure the balance remains Rs. 1733.If Vinodkumara has secured his passport and "p" form, then let him purchase two best harmoniums. I think he can purchase from Dwarkin and Sons at the cost of 556 Rs. each. So, get one bank draft for Rs. 1110 in favor of Messers Dwarkin and Sons, Esplanad, Calcutta, payable in Calcutta, and let Vinodkumar take this draft deliver to Messers Dwarkin and Sons and take delivery of two harmoniums. Out of the balance money he can take Rs. 75 for his going to Calcutta for some pocket expenses on the ship. From the balance money he can purchase sitar and tampoura from Calcutta according to his choice. I think this arrangement will be approved by us all. I am very much eager to return to India for a change, but at the present state of health it is not possible. Vinodkumar must bring the medicines while he is coming here. I have sent $ 100, that is Rs. 750, to Trivikram Maharaj for purchasing khole and kartal. Vinodkumar must go to Nabadwip while going to Calcutta and take delivery of the khole and kartal. All these things must be very nicely packed and brought with him as his personal luggage. I thank you very much once more for the trouble you are taking for me. This is all for Srila Prabhupada's service. Finally do not mind all the trouble which I give you occasionally. Let us cooperate for propagating Krishna Consciousness all over the world. The Delhi room may be kept as it is until my further advice. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sripad Narayana Maharaja **Date:** July 14th 1967 "Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatho" A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- c/o P.M. Stinson BeachCalifornia U.S.A.Sri Sri Vaisnava Carana Dandavat PurvikiyamI am offering my dandavat pranaamas to the Vaisnavas' lotus feet and then I am writing. Sripad Narayana Maharaja, I am very happy to receive a letter in your own handwriting dated the 8th of July. I have received all of your letters and I have replied to each. I hope you have received them. I am worried that Vinoda Kumara still has not received his passport and "P" form, If he still hasn't received the passport, deposit the rest of the money in the Vrndavana Bank. It is very possible that I will return to Vrndavana in the upcoming August. After, if Krsna keeps me alive, I will come back here. I had planned to preach so much here. But all the work is postponed due to my health deteriorating. Certainly the disciples are doing their best but they need to learn a lot. It is all possible if Krsna bestows His mercy. At present I am anxious to return to Vrndavana. Here I stay in a palatial building. There are always four of them ready to serve me, and there is no want of prasada, lodging or any care. However, I still feel that my broken kutira without any opulence, bathing in the Yamuna, darsana of the temples, and the ripped cotton quilt of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas are so very sweet. Being so far from Vrndavana I am realizing its mahatmya (greatness). Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "As Krsna is to be worshipped so is Vrndavana." Now I am somewhat realizing that. As Krsna is sweet, Vrindavana is similarly sweet. You bless me so that I can return to Vrndavana. I am old now. I am not afraid to die, but if my life air passes away in the lotus dust of the Vaisnavas in Vrndavana then that would be very blissful. As soon as I am well I want to return to Vrndavana. Then, if I feel better I will return here and preach. The foundation of preaching has become good here. In the future, even if I do not come, any sincere Vaisnava can come and do hari-kirtana hereAmong the three branches I am willing to install Sri Sri Radha Krsna in Montreal (Canada). The Deities will arrive there at the end of this month. I shall then go to Montreal. And if I am alive I shall reach Delhi, directly via London and Moscow. I shall let you know on time. In Delhi there are many books in the almirah. If you can send those, it would be good. Anyway I shall write you later about this. I have replied to the United Shipping Corporation accordingly-no worry. I hope you are well. Write to me about Vinoda Kumara. You wanted to know about my health. "As in a broken house with only fireflies for light, as long as it lasts, is good." I was not supposed to survive the stroke that attacked me, but Krsna somehow kept me alive. With the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and his Thakura Krsna's desire, I am still alive. You should know that this is a wonder. Every moment the signs of my health change. Only Krsna's mercy is keeping me alive. Gradually life is coming in my dead body and there are some improvements. That is why I am writing to you in my own handwriting. You are a sincere Vaisnava. Krsna will certainly listen to you. You pray to Krsna that before dying I will be able to have darsana once more of Vrndavana. Vasamvad(Gratefully),Sri Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sripad Narayana Maharaja **Date:** July 15th 1967 "Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatho" A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Bodes PardisioSri Sri Vaisnava Carana Dandavat PurvikiyamI am offering my dandavat pranaamas to the Vaisnavas lotus feet and then I am writing. Sripad Narayana Maharaja, If Krsna desires I will reach Delhi or Calcutta next week, so you have no need to spend any money. If Vinoda Kumara gets his passport, he must wait for my letter. Only one disciple will come with me. The cost for one ticket is Rs 50000/- (fifty thousand rupees), so I am now a little bit worried. For now don't spend whatever rupees you have left. Wait for my letter. Vasamvad(Gratefully),Sri Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sripad Narayana Maharaja **Date:** April 14th 1967 "Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatho"By Air Mail Registered PostInternational Society for Krsna Consciousness, Inc. Twenty-Six Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10003 Telephone: 674-7428Acarya: Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta Trustees: Larry BogartJames S. GreeneCarl YeargansRaphael BalsamRobert lefkowitzRaymond MaraisStanley MoskowitzMichael GrantHarvey CohenSripada Narayana Maharaja, Accept my dandavats. I received your and Vinoda Kumara's letters together on 6.4.67 on time. I read the letters the day before yesterday, and on 12.4.67 I have sent you three hundred dollars 300 x 77 is 2,250, that is two thousand two hundred and fifty rupees. Let me know as soon as you receive the money. I am sending you my Delhi and Vrndavana room keys, and some other keys along with my letter. I still did not receive any letter from Trivikrama Maharaja. You had deposited Rs 1500 in the Vrndavana account. I sent a check of Rs 200/- to the Vrndavana bank. If Trivikrama Maharaja finds it difficult to cash the check, tell him to write on the back of the check, "paid to B.V. Narayana Maharaja," and you can cash it. If he had returned the check to me, I would have cashed it and sent it back to him. Anyway, if he has not cashed the check, you take it and cash it. I have some money in Vrndavana which I have not spent. Therefore the total is Rs 2,250/- and there is 200 is to be deposited. Spend the money as follows:1 harmonium (A) according to description Rs 350/-1 harmonium (C) according to description Rs 500/-1 Sitar (A) according to description Rs 250/-1 Sitar (B) according to description Rs 275/-Rs 13751 tanpura (A) according to description Rs 200/-1 tanpura (B) according to description Rs 250/-2 mrdangas (the body should be made oftin according to TrivikramaMaharaja's description) Rs 197510 pairs of good Navadvipa Karatalas Rs 100/-Rs 2075Total Rs 2450/-Rs 2075Balance Rs 375/-There is no need to purchase any warm clothes for Vinoda Kumara. Here I have about four to five overcoats and warm chadars etc. There is no need to bring any bedding while traveling by ship. First of all, it is summer. Secondly they will provide blankets, bedding and everything on the ship. The brahmacaris and I use very simple clothes here. I am sending you a photograph to show how I live here. I am making the Americans wear brahmacari robes, and shave up. If a brahmacari from India dresses like an American he will not be appreciated. So tell Vinoda Kumara to come as a brahmacari. There are enough overcoats and warm clothes here. If it is necessary, buy him one good blanket and one pair of shoes (not made of leather). That means do not spend more than Rs 100/- on him, including the journey to Calcutta. So out of Rs 375/-, if Rs 100/-is spent for Vinoda Kumara, Rs 275/- remains. Pack everything in Delhi and send it by goods train to Howrah station to my United Shipping Corporation agent (freight paid R/R). Register in the address of registered letter M/S United Shipping Corporation 14/2, Old China Bazaar St, Room No. 18, Calcutta. Spend as you need for your transport to Delhi and for your two to four day stay there. Pack all of the books after making a list, and get 11 steel trunks packed. It means closing the box, locking it, stitching sacks around it and it locking it with iron straps. On the top of each package write A.C. Bhaktivedanta, New York (via Howrah). Send a copy of all goods to the shipping agent R/R. Send one copy to me along with R/R. If Rs 275/- is not enough to send the goods then do not buy the karatalas. Then Rs 100/- more remains. In this way if everything is done under your supervision I shall be very glad. I hope you will ever oblige me by helping in this way. Kindly send me my mrdanga and karatalas that are in Vrndavana. The key that is left in Vrndavana is the key to the kitchen. After you open the door of the room you will find a big key on the right side of the wall shelf. Open the door of my sitting room with that key. My mrdanga and karatalas are in that room. There are karatalas in the kitchen also. Please get the room cleaned by Sarojini and give her one rupee. The bank is supposed to pay Rs 5/- to the Gosvami per month, but the Gosvami never wrote me a letter. Try to find out if he receives the money and make me happy by writing to me as soon as you receive this letter. Krpa prarthi(one who prays for mercy)Srila Bhaktivedanta SwamiPS. If it is possible send me tilaka and agarbathi. ### Letter to Sripad Narayana Maharaja **Date:** May 17th 1967 26 Second Avenue # B1New York, NY 10003 USAMay 17, 1967Sri Sri Vaisnava Carana Dandavat nati PurvikeyamI am offering my dandavat pranaamas to the Vaisnavas' lotus feet and then I am writing. Sripad Narayana Maharaja, I received your letter dated 11 May, 1967, and have become so much upset. In your letter you say, "You have given me some advice about good behavior for living in the Matha." Also in this letter you write, "There is no need for you to give me this advice." I could not remember where I have written this thing. So you must tell me in which letter I have written this and send me a quotation of what I said. Otherwise I am feeling very upset. Because in all the Gaudiya Mathas, I think that you are the real guru-sevaka, so I always correspond with you and I always give my full love and affection to you. If I was not thinking like this and putting so much trust in you, I would never have sent you my key and my money. I have so much faith and love for you. How can you think that I am criticizing you? If you think this, it is like a thunderbolt striking my head. Please, I am requesting you to send a copy or quotation of that letter. Otherwise the pain in my mind will not go away. I never wrote to criticize you. This is contrary to the result I wanted. I am making an inquiry at the bank. When you get the money, you must send me news of it immediately. If you send me your bank account number, I can send that account number money in the future. Then there will be no difficulty. Regarding Vinoda Kumara, I sent you a copy of his first letter. Perhaps in his first letter Vinoda Kumara didn't say anything about his clothes or maintenance, or that he wanted Rs 800/- or Rs 1000/-. But now that he is asking, I and my trustees have become upset. You know that it is very expensive here. If anyone wants to stay here independently, it is impossible. To take a visitor's visa and then earn money by working is illegal. So as I informed you before, it must be handled carefully. If he comes on a visitor's visa, by Appointment on Probation, then perhaps in the future we can help him. If this is clear, then on this condition only he can come on the visitors visa. Otherwise he can come on an Alien Expert application, as a music master. He can apply at the Embassy for this. He can say, I want to earn money as a music teacher. If the American Embassy gives permission, then as an alien music master I have no objection. But not if he comes here with a visitor's visa and tries to earn money to send to his country. I have written about this matter before, and now I am writing again. So you must take care of this. There is such a difference between our country and America in regard to the rules and regulations of mathas and mandiras. Without permission, collecting one farthing here is not possible. If, as a music master, he wants to stay here independently, his room rent, food and lodging will cost two hundred dollars per month. This is Rs 1500/-. Who will supply this money? That is my worry. Again I write that with a visitor's visa it is not possible to earn money in this country. If he gets the alien expert visa he can come and I have no objection. He can stay in our matha and earn money and have employment. He can do this. Write me whatever you decide. I hope all is well with you. Yours, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sripada Nripen Babu **Date:** April 27th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Sripada Nripen Babu, Please accept my humble dandabats. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 22nd instant and have carefully noted the contents. The substance of the letter is that Gauracandra has sufficiently exploited his temporary position with power of Attorney and this process is going on since very long time even prior to the arrival of Gauracandra at the cost of the temple property. Amalgamation of all the deities namely the deity of Krsna dasa Kaviraja Goswami, Deity of Bhugarbha Goswami, the Deity of Jayadeva Goswami and the Deity of Jiva Goswami Prabhupada at one place by your maternal uncle is the beginning of this mismanagement culminating at last by selling the properties of the respective deities by Gauracandra for his personal sense gratification—is clear case of misappropriation and it is clear case of criminal breach of trust. But I think criminal case of breach of trust or misappropriation or similar criminal charges cannot be brought against Gauracandra because he will present himself as a co-sebait or a partner in the trust. So far I know a partner cannot be prosecuted criminally but I think as Gauracandra has broken the terms of your Power of Attorney which you have already cancelled is a case against him and he can be prosecuted immediately. I am not a lawyer but if he can be criminally prosecuted on this ground of breaking the terms of Power of Attorney you must immediately prosecute him on this ground and make him responsible for all loss of the property. Side by side you have immediately to apply for being appointed the Receiver of the state by the court for taking charge of the property. If so required you can become the joint Receiver of the State by court permission and that will solve the whole problem. This you can apply immediately and showing the emergency of the matter the court will immediately grant this Receivership either jointly and severally. If the court can be convinced that Gauracandra has already mismanaged the property, his claim to come into the management of the affairs will not be accepted and then you become the Receiver of the Property and as such you can offer security of your personal property which also happen in U.P. So there will be no difficulty. I think you should adopt this policy and you will be successful. Other cases will be simply dragging and will have no immediate effect. Besides that as I have already informed you in my previous letter that your presence or your son's presence as the co-sebait in the temple is very essential. Otherwise you shall not be able to protect the state and I think for the sake of Radhadamodarji and Srila Jiva Goswami you must adopt this principle and stay in the temple as co-sebait and if Gauracandra does not allow you to stay either you can stay at my rooms or you can ask the court to claim your room which Gauracandra has forcibly occupied. Any way if you or your representative does not live you cannot give any protection. I can understand that you are short of fund because you have retired from your service. Although you have not asked me still my conscience says that I may send you some money on account of the land you may give me on either lease terms or on sale. I am therefore advising my society to send you $100.00 one hundred dollars or Rs 750/- as earnest money. Please therefore send a receipt to my society as co-sebait of the property otherwise you cannot take charge or manage the property. Gauracandra has done everything illegally and as Receiver of the state appointed by the court you can recover all the misappropriated money from him. If you know that he has money in the bank on personal account you can suspend the payment as Receiver. Therefore you must take this step immediately as advised herein before. My society will not be agreeable to negotiate with any one who is not permitted by the court either to sell or give out on lease. The money sent by the society as earnest money may remain with you till such completion of negotiation and in the meantime you can send a receipt on the society's account. So far the land is concerned my society desires to construct a nice American house on the land for study and promulgation of the Goswami literatures all over the world. We shall start a fine press for publication both in Sanskrit and English language and we can appoint your son as the Press manager if he can manage. I wish I would have gone immediately to India but if I go just now the work here will suffer. So please be with me in this project as you have promised for the service of Srila Jiva Goswami. I think simply the land in Lotankunja will not be sufficient. I want other lands also on the northern side of my room as well as on the western side of the Temple. But rest assured if you can give us some land certainly a new chapter . . . ### Letter to Students **Date:** August 2nd 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Students, Please accept my blessings. I am always thinking of you, and I am feeling separation. I wish to return at the earliest opportunity. I cannot stop my western world activities and I have taken leave from you for only six months; and it may be that on or before I will come to you again. So continue your activities with great vigor. I shall always pray to Krishna for your steady advance, but try to follow the principles which are necessary to strengthen oneself in the matter of spiritual advance. Never think that I am absent from you. Physical presence is not essential; presence by message (or hearing) is real touch. Lord Krishna is present by His message which was delivered 5,000 years ago. We feel always the presence of our past Acaryas simply by their immutable instructions. I hope you will understand me right and do the needful. Kīrtanānanda says from my bodily feature that I am improving; I am also feeling like that. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta ### Letter to Subala **Date:** August 27th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Subala das, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 8/15, and pleased to read the contents. By Krishna's Grace you have gotten a nice old castle, and converted into a K.C. temple. I am also pleased to learn that people are taking an interest in the temple, and that you are getting some publicity started. K.C. is so that it will bring more and more, If you but go on chanting with heart and soul. It is Lord Caitanya's desire that you have opened this branch in such a distant place, and surely it will be a successful attempt. I have nothing to instruct you newly, but the same: simply chant in the beginning for 30-45 minutes then read something from the Gita or S. Bhagavatam, and then chant again in the usual way. Please offer my blessings to Krishna devi dasi, Harsarani, Aniruddha das, Rasikananda das, and Jananivasa, and any others who may be with you. I am so pleased you have started this branch, as Kīrtanānanda did in Montreal. Please always keep the temple nicely cleansed, and put as many flowers as possible, burn candles and incense, offer fruits and nice food stuffs, chant and dance! If you would like some paintings, you can ask Jadurani in N.Y., and she will send you some. I have already sent 3 mrdangas, and very soon will send more; and when they reach N.Y. you will get a mrdanga and a few pairs of kartel. Please keep in touch with you by your weekly reports. So far my health is concerned, I am improving slowly, and I expect to return to you by the end of October next, as I too am missing you very much. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Subala **Date:** September 29th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Subala, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 13rd instant as also the press report dated 17th instant and I am so pleased to have them. You have nicely done some service to the Lord by opening this grand branch and certainly Krishna will bestow upon you His blessings. Krishna Consciousness is a transcendental science which can be revealed to a sincere devotee who is prepared to render service to the Lord. Krishna Consciousness is not achieved by dry arguments or by academic qualifications. Our senses are all blunt in the matter of receiving transcendental subject matter, but they are purified in due course of time by constant engagement in the service of the Lord. So yours and Krishna Devi's sincere effort to open a branch in Santa Fe is crowned with success by the Grace of the Lord. The article in the paper New Mexican is very nicely written and I offer my sincere thanks to Mr. Peter Nabokov, who begins the article with chanting of the Mahamantra. Please offer my thanks to all who joined you in this endeavor. I'm glad to know that Haridasa is there also. Each and every picture published in the paper looks very nice and the devotional postures of you all has very much pleased me. The secret of success in the matter of Krishna Consciousness is devotion to the Lord and the Spiritual Master. In the Vedas, the secret of success is described as follows: Yasya deve para bhakti yatha deve tatha gurauYasya ete kathotha hi artha prakasyanta mahatmanah"Anyone who has developed unflinching faith in the Lord and the Spiritual Master can understand the revealed scripture unfold before him." So continue your present aptitude and you will be successful in your spiritual progress. I am sure that even if I am not physically present before you. Still you will be able to execute all spiritual duties in the matter of Krishna Consciousness; if you follow the above principles. I thank you once more for your service. So far as my health is concerned, I feel that I am now fit to return to your country. You can send me now an official invitation letter with guarantee for my maintenance and expenditure on printed stationery, and not only you, but also all the centers would send me such invitation so that they may be used for getting my permanent visa. Kīrtanānanda and Acyutananda went to the American Embassy and it was learnt that such letter are required for getting a permanent visa. The lecture as it appears in the picture seems to be very nice and I shall be very glad to know it's capacity to hold attendants. I am also glad to hear that you are carving Jagannatha Subhadra for the temple. If your temple accommodation is suitable then I shall install Sri Sri Radha Krishna Vigraha when I return back to the states. There are some Mrdangas in New York and you can get them for playing in your temple. The last line of your letter is very pleasing to me and I am happy to learn this temple is going to be the most important than all others. Please work for it and I shall join you very soon by the end of October 1967. ### Letter to Subala **Date:** October 8th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Subala das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Oct. 2. It is noted that you are trying to appoint some public engagements as soon as I arrive. My program is that I am going to Calcutta tomorrow. The address is on the letter. From Calcutta I will let you know when I shall arrive there. Probably by the time indicated in your letter. I am very anxious to see you again. I am very much pleased with you & your wife's service to Krishna Consciousness. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Subala **Date:** October 8th 1967 — **Location:** Delhi My Dear Subala, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to understand that your service attitude for propagation of Krishna Consciousness is progressively increasing. Krishna Consciousness is such a nice thing that the more you work for the cause, the more you become enthusiastic to execute the purpose. Your wife is always assisting you so why make her unhappy by uttering something which is unnecessary and unpleasant? Even if you accept vanaprastha there is no restriction for keeping one's wife in company. Only a Sannyasi can not have any connection with woman. Just as a brahmacari. In my opinion, your wife and yourself are nicely executing my mission and please try to follow my instructions and you shall never be unhappy. If you think I can be on television by the first week in December, then you can arrange for it because I must be in your country by the middle of November. Hope you are well. ### Letter to Subala **Date:** November 12th 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Subala, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Nov. 4. I am very soon coming to San Francisco. I will let you know the exact date sometime next week. In Krishna Consciousness there is variety but there is no discord. We may fight with one another on the point of serving but that is not a discord. We must stick to the service of the Lord very seriously & that will help us make progress. In this connection I have written one letter, to Brahmananda the portion in which you may be interested is sub-joined herein."I do not want a crowd of Kirtananandas, but I want a single soul like Brahmananda, Mukunda, Rayarama & Satsvarupa . . . I have seen your statement regarding opening centers. I am not in agreement with Mr. Altman that we are expanding very thinly. In my opinion a single sincere soul can maintain a center. You know, I started the center at 26 2nd Ave. alone. I took the risk of $200. rent. At that time there were no assistants. Mukunda was a friend, but there was no responsibility for him for maintaining center. Gradually Kīrtanānanda, Hayagriva joined but they did not take any responsibility. Still, I was maintaining the establishment simply depending on Krishna and then Krishna sent me everything; men & money. Similarly, if a sincere soul goes out and opens a center in any part of the world, Krishna will help him in all respects. Without being empowered by Krishna nobody can preach Krishna Consciousness. It is not academic qualification or financial strength which helps in the matter, but it is sincerity of purpose which helps us always. Therefore I wish that you will remain in charge of Boston. Let Mukunda be in charge of San Francisco. Let Janardana be in charge of Montreal, Nandarani and Dayananda be in charge of Los Angeles. And let Subala das be in charge of Santa Fe. In this way, you will follow my example as I did in the beginning at 26 2nd Ave. That is preaching, cooking, writing, talking, chanting, everything one man's show. I never thought about the audience. I was prepared to chant even if there were no men present to hear me. The principle of chanting is to glorify the Lord & not to attract a crowd. If Krishna hears nicely then he will ask some sincere devotee to gather in such place. Therefore be advised that thousands of centers may be started if we find out a sincere soul for each & every center." More when we meet. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Subala **Date:** December 16th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Subal das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of 12/14/67 and have noted the contents carefully. I hope in the meantime you have received my letter posted yesterday. I have already advised you that once a center opens it cannot be closed. Therefore my advise is that Srimati Krishna devi may look after the center for a few days during your absence for N.Y. when the things are mature and come back within 2 or 3 days. And for 2 or 3 days Srimati Krishna devi will manage and Krishna will give her all protection, don't worry. I have already given you a business suggestion namely manufacturing incense locally. Once you are successful in this attempt you will get money more than your expectation and spend it for Krishna's service. I hope you will understand me right and do the needful. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Subala **Date:** December 16th 1967 — **Location:** San Francisco My Dear Subala, Please accept my blessings. On my arrival from India I am very much pleased to receive your letter of 12/13/67 and much encouraged to know that you have again found out a nice place in the city of Santa Fe to continue your transcendental activities. I think it was Krishna's desire that you should be induced to find out a better place in Santa Fe. My Guru Maharaja never liked to open a Branch preaching center in a place where there is less population. We are not meant for living peacefully in a secluded place. We are meant for recuiting Krishna's eternal servants and therefore a better populated place. Of course we don't neglect the villagement but our first preference is to the cities. Please therefore organize the place nicely. Both you and Srimati Krishna devi are sincere workers for Krishna Consciousness and as such Krishna will never put you in difficulty, rest assured. Don't be discouraged. Sit down tightly husband and wife. If nobody comes to hear, please chant and hear yourself. Success or failure does not matter. On the Absolute world there is no such relativities as a success and failure. The one thing in the Absolute world is to serve Krishna. Don't care for the result. Krishna must know that we are working very seriously and that is our success of life. I have explained tonight in the temple meeting that Krishna does not live in Vaikuntha nor does He live in the hearts of the yogi. But He lives there where His pure devotees chant His glories. You need not go to India spending money. When time will be mature I shall ask you to go to Vrndavana and Krishna will give you some money on December 29 for Krishna's service. It is a great opportunity. Organize the temple to your best capacity assisted by your sincere devotee wife. Krishna will bless you and make you happy in all respects. As soon as you call me I shall go to your place. Hope you are well and thank you very much again for your sincere services to Krishna. Krishna's blessings are always with you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- [PAGE MISSING] ### Letter to Subala, Krsna Devi **Date:** April 22nd 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Subala das and Krishna Devi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter and ___ so very nicely made. I am enjoying your preparations daily and it is so ___ I am glad that you are prosecuting the ___ regularly and that will make you happy in the world both in this life and in the next. Make Kirtana your life and soul and He will give you all benediction. ### Letter to Sumati Morarjee **Date:** April 18th 1967 — **Location:** New York Madam Sumati Morarji Baisaheba, Please accept my greetings. Hope everything is well with you. Kindly refer to your letter of 22nd November 1966 in which you ask me two copies of my Srimad-Bhagavatam. I had some books in Bombay c/o the Universal Book House, Dadar and I advised them to deliver you the books. It is understood that they have delivered all the books to your office. I would therefore request you to take as many books as you may require and the balance out of 126 books may be booked to New York by any one of your ships. You will be pleased to know that people in this country specially the younger section are accepting the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam as it is and I am hopeful of my mission in this country. I am enclosing herewith some press cuttings which will convince about my success in preaching in this country. Kindly pray to your Bala-Krsna to help me more in this connection. I have now opened three centres namely one in New York, one in San Francisco and one in Montreal (Canada). This branch is opened by one of my American disciples. Kindly let me know if you have got any office in Montreal and in San Francisco. I shall be much pleased to hear from you at your earliest convenience. Kindly convey my blessings to Sriman Choksi and your other Secretaries. Hope you are well, Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosures:3 ### Letter to Sumati Morarjee **Date:** June 27th 1967 — **Location:** New York Madame Sumati Morarji Baisaheva: I thank you very much for your letter dated June 20, 1967. As stated by you, my missionary work is really a great challenge to the western way of life. But Krishna is so attractive that He is accepted even by the Westerners when the consciousness is presented in the right disciplic succession. The challenge is to the maya, or in other words it is a fight with the maya, and I may inform you that the maya has given me a great stroke very recently. Due to my incessant hard work for the last two years, my health has been shattered. On the 25th May I had a heavy stroke between the heart and stomach. The boys here took all cares possible, and I am getting well day by day. At present I am on the seashore in New Jersey for recouping my health, but I am thinking of going back to India as soon as I get sufficient strength. I am now considerably old; I will be 72 years next September. But the work which I have begun in the western world is not yet finished, and I require to train some of the American boys to preach this cult all over the western world. So if I return to India I will have to take with me some of the boys for training. They are all nice boys to take up the training. So your cooperation in this connection is greatly needed. You have already allowed my men from India free passage; similarly, if you allow free passage for some of my American disciples they can come to India and take training from me at Vrindaban. The idea is that in this old age I do not know when death will overcome me, and I wish to die in the last days of my life at Vrindaban. If you kindly, therefore, cooperate with my mission of spreading Krishna Consciousness in the western world, then I wish to return to Vrindaban. I hope you will kindly grant this request. Back To Godhead is becoming gradually very popular in this country, and we are improving the quality of the printing etc. by the next issue, which you will shortly receive. The present circulation is ea. 1,500 and I expect it to increase to 5,000 by the next 2-5 months. People in this country are thinking seriously about this Krishna Consciousness idea and I hope very soon Back to Godhead will be a very popular magazine. If you give me some advertisement it will be a great asset to the publication, and we will be glad to print it free of charge. Hope you are well. ### Letter to Sumati Morarjee **Date:** July 20th 1967 — **Location:** New York Madam Sumati Morarji Baishaheba, Please accept my greetings and all blessings of Lord Krishna. I am in due receipt of your letter of July 12, 1967. I have advised my disciples to Publish your advertisement in the Back to Godhead free of charges. I am feeling too much to return to Vrindaban at the lotus feet Vrindaban Behari Lord Krishna; and therefore I have decided to return to India immediately. I would have liked to return via sea, as you have so kindly offered me passage in your letter, but in my precarious state of health that is not possible. So by the mercy of Krishna and through one friend here, somehow or other, I have received air passage, and I am expecting to leave here for New Delhi on Saturday next, reaching Palam Airport on the 24th instant at 7:30 a.m. From there I shall proceed to Vrindaban after a few days rest in Delhi. I can understand that at present you cannot allow free passage to my disciples. But if you don't do so, at least in the near future, then my mission will be half finished or failure. I am just enclosing one letter of appreciation for one of my principal students (Bruce Scharf) from Professor Davis Herron, and another letter from Professor Roberts of New York University. I think these letters will convince you how much my movement of Krishna Consciousness is taking ground in the western world. The Holy Name of Hare Krishna is now being chanted not only in this country but also in England, Holland and Mexico, that I know of. It may be even more widespread. I have sent you one gramophone record which I hope you may have received by this time. You will enjoy to learn how Krishna's Holy Name is being appreciated by the Western World. Therefore it is a need that this movement must be spread all over this country. It is glorious for India and glorious for Hindu Religion. Please therefore fully cooperate with me. For the present, at least two of my disciples must come to India to assist me there both for the sake of my health and for the editorial work of Srimad-Bhagavatam. I request you therefore instead of free passage to me, please allow one of my chief disciples, Sriman Hayagriva Brahmacari, (Mr. Howard Wheeler M.A.), free passage to India and another disciple, who takes my personal care, half-fare. For future you may consider later on. The whole idea is that due to my indifferent health in this old age, it may be that I may not come back again. But I must train up at Vrindaban some of my disciples. I can very well spread up this missionary work without any personal transfer. Please therefore cooperate with me as far as possible for Krishna's sake. You will be glad to learn that centers at the following places are going in full swing: (1) New York; (2) Montreal, Canada; (3) San Francisco; and the following centers are going to be opened at the following places within the next several months: (1) Boston; (2) Washington, D.C. (3) Vancouver, Canada; (4) Los Angeles; and (5) New Mexico (Santa Fe).Some of my friends in India are sending Sri Murtis (Radha-Krishna), and we are getting locally sculpted Jagannatha, Balavadra, and Subhadra Murtis to install in the temples. The societies are being worshiped with flowers and fruits, and Kirtana is being performed both morning and evening, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is being recited. Don't you think that this movement is glorious both for India and the world? Kindly, therefore cooperate with me in full heart. I shall anxiously await your reply, which please address to: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- c/o His Holiness B.V. Narayana MaharajaKesavaji Gaudiya MathP.O. MathuraU.P.Copy may also be sent to New York. Thanking you once again. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** May 4th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of April 28, 1967, and thank you for returning the check. For the balance eight books you can send me your check conveniently, there is no hurry. It is so pleasing to me that you are giving service to Krishna by your intelligence, by your body, by your mind. Everything is very nice and this will make you more and more progressive in understanding Krishna Consciousness. I think you are feeling and understanding how you are making progress and I am very glad to see it. I am also very much satisfied to see you have got a good companion, your wife Malati. She is very nice. I have received her letter, please convey my blessings unto her. I know that you are not much for writing letters but you are much for work. This is very good proposal. Make the Rathayatra Festival very great success. This will be a great introduction in your city and people will appreciate it and if we can introduce successfully this Rathayatra Festival not only in San Francisco but also in New York and also in Montreal, then it will be a great success of my mission in this country. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** May 21st 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear SyamasundaraPlease accept my blessings and offer the same to your good companion Srimati Malatidevi. Please inform her that I have received her letter with great appreciation and I shall meet her very soon in San Francisco. Regarding your inquiry about the valuable woodred you have secured, I would advise you to attempt carving Lord Caitanya and His associates Murtis as I am sending herewith the specimen. If possible you can carve also the Forms of Radha and Krishna separately. If not you can go on carving the same three Forms of Jagannatha brother and sister because we have to open many centers one after another. I wish to open two centers immediately one in Los Angeles as suggested by Haridasa and other in Vancouver. I have a friend in Vancouver who is devotee of Srimad-Bhagavatam Puranam and with his help we can open a centre at Vancouver. I am very glad to see your enthusiasm in the service of Lord Krishna and I am sure that this spiritual intoxicant of Krishna consciousness will encourage many many students who are actually in search after the Absolute Truth. I am very glad to learn that my students and children in San Francisco are doing well in Krishna consciousness. ### Letter to To Whom It May Concern **Date:** August 28th 1967 Shri Radha DamodarTemple, Sebakunja, VrindabanShri Radha Krishna Temple,2439, Chhipi Wada Kalan, Post Box No. 1846,DELHI-6.Be it Hereby known that Kirtanananda Brahmachari (Keith Gordon Ham) was initiated by me into the Sannyas Order, Goudiya Sampradaya, as TRIDANDI SWAMI KIRTANANANDA, on this 28th day of August, 1967, at Vrindaban, India.(signed)His Holiness A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Witnessed and assisted by: His Holiness B.S. Yachak[ATTN: illegible hand writing here] ### Letter to Umapati **Date:** September 5th 1967 — **Location:** Vrindaban My Dear Umapati, I am so glad to receive your letter dated 28 August, through Acyutananda. You will be glad to know that he has safely arrived here via Delhi. He is a very intelligent boy, and has safely come without any difficulty. Your letter is very much encouraging to me, that you are appreciating my humble service in spreading Krishna Consciousness in your great country. It was my ambition to begin my movement from New York; and by Krishna's Grace, I got good cooperation from some boys like you; and I felt too much aggrieved when some of you left me, but I was confident that all of your would come again, because Krishna Consciousness is not a material thing, and cannot be broken: it cannot be burned or wet or dried or stopped at any stage. When I received your letter, it appeared to me that I had received a letter from a lost child; so please continue your present attitude. I have not heard anything from Harvey. Hope he is doing well. So far my health is concerned, I have improved considerably, and I hope to return by October next. Kīrtanānanda is now a completely Krishna Conscious person as he has accepted sannyasa on the birthday of Lord Krishna with great success. He is the first sannyasa in my spiritual family, and I hope he will return back soon to begin preaching work with greater vigor and success. Please try to cooperate with the temple managers, because in my absence they might feel some difficulty. You are one of the old founders of N.Y. temple, and I hope you shall take some active part in improving the original center. I shall be glad to hear from you at your convenience. Hope you are well. With all my blessings, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Umapati **Date:** October 22nd 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Umapati, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated Oct. 15. It is so nice & enjoyable. Your appreciation of Krishna Consciousness is much improved by the grace of Krishna—because you are chanting Krishna's Holy names constantly. There are some truths which you have expressed as really sublime, especially the portion where you write to say "even though He Himself is unchanging, His glory will always increase." Krishna's name is Acyuta, unchanging, but He is Bliss although always full, still increases, to increase the blissful existence of the devotee. Please continue to think of Krishna & you will feel more & more the Blissful pleasure transcendental to all material contamination. I am very thankful to you for appreciating my humble service. You will be glad to know that I have already secured a visitor's visa to your country & have asked my travel agent to book my seat on the earliest possible date. I think I shall be in your midst by the middle of Nov. I went to your country with a mission & you all good souls were sent by Krishna to me. So let us cooperatively work together to vigorously spread Krishna Consciousness, to the suffering humanity at large. Your country is great & you are all good sons of America. Spread this knowledge so that America will be still greater in the eyes of the world. Keep this point of view in front of you & all your God-brothers combine together may execute this mission. I am very glad to learn from Rayarama's letter that both you & Satyavrata (Moskowitz) are regularly attending class. So I thank you again. Hope you are well. You over well-wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** May 4th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Upendra, I am in due receipt of your affectionate letter dated April 26, 1967. Thank you very much. Please accept my blessings and I also thank you very much for your sandalwood book marker. It is wonderful. Everyone appreciated this present and I am keeping it very carefully. I am glad that you are changing your office time and you shall have more time to perform kirtana. I am glad that you have mentioned the first stanza of Prayer to Spiritual Master. I think you know the meaning of this stanza. The meaning of this stanza is that, this world is just like forest fire and spiritual master is just like the cloud on the sky, therefore as the forest fire can be extinguished only by water from the sky, similarly, one can be peaceful and elevated in spiritual consciousness or Krishna Consciousness only by the mercy of a bona fide Spiritual Master. The process which you are following is very nice. Your humbleness and sincerity will make you more and more advanced in Krishna Consciousness. I shall pray to Krishna for your welfare always. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** May 6th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of May 4, 1967 and I am concerned about your __ for army mobilization. I am enclosing herewith a letter you may present to the authority and as a Divinity Student you must not be sent to the field. Chant Hare Krishna. Krishna will save you. Present our prospectus and all newspaper cuttings. Some new cuttings I am enclosing herewith. Also I would request you to pay the rent on room in which I was staying. The Society is short of __ and therefore you can assure Haridasa, Mukunda and Syamasundara, that hence forward you should take responsibility for the rent of my apartment. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Enclosure: 4 ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** May 24th 1967 — **Location:** New York My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your air mail special delivery letter. Thank you very much for the same. I heard that you are not working there in the U.S. Mail dept. And here we want some assistants for the Press Department. But later on it is understood that you are going to work from the 1st June 1967. If you are working there, you need not come here. I am going to San Francisco by the 15th of June 1967. And when I go there I shall talk in details. Please inform Hayagriva that Gargamuni has sent him the whole set of English Caitanya Caritamrta which he may read carefully and then return it back. Please convey my blessings to all devotees boys and girls. I am always thinking about you all. Your ever well wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Woomapati **Date:** November 23rd 1967 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Umapati, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 15th Nov. 1967. You're very anxious to see me back in New York and I may inform you that I had settled to be in San Francisco on the 24 of Nov. but due to a petty revolution in Calcutta I am not able to leave. Future arrangements are pending. I wish to go from San Francisco to the other two new branches and then return to New York. I am so glad to learn that you are now getting the fruit of chanting Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna is so nice that it clears the dirty things from the mind of the devotee and the more one is used to chant the Holy Name offenselessly, the more one develops love of God, forgetting the whole material nonsense. (It is my duty to deliver you the right thing in right earnestness and it is the duty of the receiver to act in the standard spiritual regulation. When you left us I simply prayed to Krishna for your return to Krishna Consciousness because that was my duty. Any good soul who approaches me once for spiritual enlightenment is supposed to be depending on my responsibility to get him back to Krishna, back to home. The disciple may misunderstand a bona fide spiritual master being obliged to do so under pressure of Maya's influence. But a bona fide spiritual master never lets go a devotee once accepted. When a disciple misunderstands a bona fide spiritual master, the master regrets for his inability to protect the disciple and sometimes he cries with tears in the eyes. We had an experience while my Guru Maharaja was alive. One of His disciples who accepted sannyasa was one day forcibly dragged by his wife. My Guru Maharaja lamented with tears in His eyes saying that He could not save the soul.) We should always, therefore, be careful in the matter of being attacked by Maya's influence and the only means of guarantee is to chant Hare Krishna offenselessly. The greatest offense is to defy the spiritual master and to act sinfully, thinking in the strength of chanting. If a man thinks that chanting will save him from all kinds of sinful reaction deliberately committed by him, then he becomes the greatest offender. By chanting Hare Krishna certainly we become free from all sinful reactions, but that does not mean that we shall deliberately commit sins and counteract it by chanting. Your reference to Kīrtanānanda and Hayagriva is very nicely appreciated. We shall silently pray for them to Krishna and shed tears for them for our inability to save them. Let us honestly pray and go ahead with Krishna Consciousness. More when we meet. Hope you are well Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami