# Letters — 1970 ### Letter to Abhirama **Date:** July 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Abhirama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter sent through Bhagavan das dated 30th June, 1970, and the contents are very encouraging. I am so glad to know that you are an intelligent boy, happily married and now engaged in advancement of Krsna consciousness under the careful guidance of Sriman Bhagavan das. Please continue to study very thoroughly our Krsna consciousness way of spiritual life and with the help of Bhagavan das become more and more fixed up in the service of Lord Krsna. I am very happy to accept you as my disciple as you have requested and your spiritual name is Abhirama Das Adhikari. Abhirama means one who is inclined to worship Lord Rama. I have chanted your beads duly and they are returned to you enclosed herewith. Please follow the rules and regulations for progressive spiritual advancement and be sure to chant regularly sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna mantra daily. I am enclosing one sheet listing standard practices for devotees and ten offenses to avoid in the matter of chanting the Holy Names. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Acyutananda **Date:** January 27th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Calcutta My Dear Acyutananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 January, 1970, and it is very encouraging that you have very good ambition for developing our Mayapur center. Your present program that you are constantly engaged in Kirtana at about 40 places, that is very very good appointments. Our first and foremost business is to preach and by Krishna's Grace you have taken this task very seriously. It will have good effects, so continue this program. So far the Calcutta land is concerned, your ambition to have a place like Mullicks Thakurabati, the pilgrimage of my childhood, is also my ambition. When I think of Radha-Krishna, I think of first the Radha-Govinda Vigraha of Mullicks Thakurabati because from my very childhood I am devoted to the same Deity; but at the same time it is not an easy task to have such a big plot of land in Calcutta city at the present moment. Under the circumstances, if the small plot of land which is being offered can be had without any condition, then you can accept it. But if they make a condition that the land is offered for Deity worship, I do not think it will be feasible for you at the present moment because you are alone. For proper Deity worship at least two men will be required for full time engagement. So I do not know how to solve this problem because you are alone. At the present moment you are living in the Temple of Madhava Maharaja and preaching outside, so you have no inconvenience. But if you are engaged in Deity worship alone, I do not know how you will preach; and if you want men, what is your suggestion for getting such men? We can accept the small plot of land for future development only, but if they make this condition that we will have to immediately take up the work as well as the Deity worship, I do not think it will be practical. Regarding the Mayapur land: Paramahamsa Maharaja has written that the side land, about five bighas, is available at the rate of Rs. 600 per bigha. So we do not mind to take each side lands if they are available at that rate, but one thing we must be assured that there is no inundation. So whatever you do, you consult with Paramahamsa Maharaja and request him to stay in Bengal until the land is purchased. You alone cannot manage things. When the land is purchased, send me a layout and I shall give you the plan for construction. I shall expect a report in your next letter. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Acyutananda **Date:** March 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Acyutananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10 March, 1970. In the meantime I have received the package of badailaich very timely. Devananda told me that there was only one pod balance, so it arrived very timely. Thank you very much. Regarding the Bhowanipur plot, I have already advised you in this connection. It may be transferred as unconditional gift to the Founder Acarya, ISKCON: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- I am also very glad to understand that Mr. Ashok Mitra, along with his children, are singing along with your Kirtana. And thus I think many others will also join. Sriman Ashoke Mitra has donated one khol and one portable typewriter to you, and this is a sign of his service to Krishna, and thus surely he will make progress. You will be glad to learn that here in the States also many influential people and organizations are becoming very interested in our Krishna Consciousness movement, and one invitation for speaking before such a group is enclosed herewith. I understand that there was some press interview, and in future also whenever there is press interview, you can remember the following points which will help you to make a clear understanding of our Krishna Consciousness movement. Try to convince in the meeting that the difference between animal society and human society is that the human society has in some form the ideals of Krishna Consciousness or God Consciousness. That is religion. Religion without God Consciousness has no meaning. And God Consciousness means that we are eternally related with Him. He is the Father, and everyone of us is the part and parcel or son. He is the Supreme Leader, and we are subordinates. He is the Supreme Maintainer, and we are completely dependent on Him. Whatever we possess, including our body and our self, everything, belongs to Him. When one is completely in sense of this fact—he is God Conscious. And unless a living entity becomes God Conscious, he cannot be happy. So this is our propaganda. There is no question of sectarianism. Every religion should have this aim in view. But that system of religion which teaches development of God Consciousness is first class. We have to estimate by the result, and not by the formalities. So this movement, Krishna Consciousness, very quickly develops this God Consciousness, and it is very easy to adopt it. But, at the same time, we must remember that a sinful man cannot develop God Consciousness. The four pillars of sinful life are: 1) illicit sex, 2) animal killing or animal eating, 3) indulgence in intoxication in any form, and 4) take to the life of gambling. We therefore request all religious institutions to check their followers from the reactions of these four principles of sinful life. That will pave the way of developing God Consciousness, and thus all the people will be happy. It is not a question of following this religion or that religion. It is a question of philosophy of life. Our Krishna Consciousness philosophy is practical, easier, and based on sound reasoning and philosophy. We place it before impartial, thoughtful men of the world, and we are certain that they will find it sublime. As you have desired that some Brahmacaris would go immediately to help you for developing the Calcutta and Mayapur centers, I have decided to send immediately at least two nice Brahmacaris to help you there. I have seen the rough diagram of the proposed Bhowanipur Temple, but I suggest that in some corner of the house there must be a garage, because in future I wish that you American boys should live elegantly to the tradition of your great country. But at the same time you shall preach the Sankirtana movement, becoming humbler than the grass and more tolerant than the tree as instructed by Lord Caitanya. The plan suggested by you that the ground floor be the hall, etc. is quite nice, and I think you may see the plan of the Caitanya Research Institute which may help you. Regarding Mayapur land, I understand that ____ Ali is in problem for keeping the money. I understand that he wants to invest the sale money to purchase another suitable land, but he has no such land in his view at present. Therefore he does not wish to sell the land. This plea is not very sound argument. But in this connection, he may be informed that why he should keep the sale money at home? He can make a fixed deposit of the money in a bank at Navadvipa, and he will get interest also. Then when he may find some land, he can withdraw the money. Anyway, if he is not willing to part with his land, you can arrange to purchase the land of Yayabar Maharaja or any other available land. We do not mind if it is not on the roadside. If the land is interior, but cheaper and of bigger area, we shall prefer that. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Acyutananda **Date:** April 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Calcutta My Dear Acyutananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 6th April, 1970. Just before receiving this letter, I have sent another letter to you dated 9th April, 1970.Who told you that I am a citizen of America? I cannot even apply for citizenship unless I have stayed here legally for at least five years. I am admitted here as permanent resident so that I can go to India and come back again without any visa or passport for this country. There are many Indian business people also who come and go from India and U.S.A. and vice versa. So at my present status I can come and go to and from India without any passport or visa—that is my position. My India citizenship is valid. If I adopt U.S. citizenship, then I renounce my Indian nationality. So at the present moment I am full Indian national. In technical language I am known in the Immigration Department as "alien," not as citizen. So you can inform this to Mr. Ghosh. You wanted to take citizenship of India. So why don't you take it? What is the difficulty in this matter? Cannot Mr. Ghosh help you in this connection? You have written nothing about the Bhavanipur land. I shall be glad to hear from you what happened to this transaction. I think you will have to take a formal sanction from the Reserve Bank of India on my behalf, and Mr. Ghosh knows it well. If it is necessary to take sanction, I have enclosed herewith the application which you may use if necessary. I have already advised Brahmananda to send you books and magazines by surface freight, and that will be easier to distribute our books and literatures locally. You have written to say that they must also write to Madhava Maharaja. I cannot understand what do you mean by this. They are not known to Madhava Maharaja, so how they can write directly to Madhava Maharaja? Neither I wish to overburden Madhava Maharaja with further addition of my disciples in his temple. This is a very delicate point. Better you can ask Madhava Maharaja whether he is willing to receive further members of our camp in his temple. Therefore, I wanted that when we get our own place, the Brahmacaris may go. Regarding long visa, as you say that you can arrange or advise how they shall apply for it. Sriman Nanda Kumar Brahmacari and Jayapataka Brahmacari are ready to start. So I do not know what to do in this connection. I do not think that writing to Madhava Maharaja for their accommodation from here will be right thing. Better verbally you can ask him whether he will allow two other Brahmacaris to stay there. The procedure is quite admitted that you do not accept invitation in the fashionable meetings and you lecture exclusively. That is very nice. You do not allow anyone to touch your feet—this is very good attitude—but if they want to insist on touching your feet and there is no other way to avoid it, you can simply remember your predecessor Acaryas and Spiritual Masters and accept them and return namaskara with folded hands. That is the Vaisnava etiquette. I hope all points inquired by you are cleared, and now you can do the needful. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Acyutananda **Date:** June 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Acyutananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated, in which you have acknowledged to have received my letter of the 2nd June, 1970. Previous to this, also I received one letter from you probably from Krishnanagar. I am glad to learn that the land negotiation is complete and the registration might have already taken place by this time. I am so much thankful to Colonel R. K. Dutta that he has taken care for drafting the deed of conveyance. I am also glad to learn that your preaching work under the guidance of Mr. Ghosh also is going nicely. By these activities you are rendering the best service to my Spiritual Master and certainly He will be very much pleased to bestow upon you all blessings. Perhaps you know the vedic verse:yasya deve para bhakti yatha deve tatha gurautasta ete kathita hi artha prakasante mahatmanah"Anyone who has got full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and similar faith in the Spiritual Master, to him the secret of Vedic knowledge becomes revealed." The Supreme Spiritual Master is Krsna Himself, and the chain of disciplic succession is the dearmost confidential servant of Krsna. So whatever you are doing under my direction, it is going to my Spiritual Master and thus up to the Gosvamis and then to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Caitanya or Krsna. I have marked very minutely that you have a tendency to push rightly the words of Lord Caitanya and that will make your life successful. The songs which you are singing in the meetings are all approved. I am also recording these songs on tapes. If you want such tapes, then I will send you. Perhaps you have seen the article in the "Kalyana" about my activities in the Western countries, and this will greatly help you in your propaganda work. Just on receipt of this letter under reply I have advised Gargamuni to send a telegram to Jayapataka which reads as follows: "Immediately start for India, Acyutananda's letter favorable. Please reply telegram—Gargamuni" So far Nanda Kumar is concerned, he has now decided to get himself married, so I think you are not in favor of Grhasthas because you are a rigid Brahmacari. So let Jayapataka immediately go to India. In the meantime I am arranging for another ten Brahmacaris for going to India which may take a little time for the formalities of taking visa, etc. But rest assured as many Brahmacaris you want will go to India provided you make nice arrangement for their staying. By this time you have experience of our Indian standard of life and your standard of life in America, so you will have to take little trouble to adjust their habits. And as you will be the head Brahmacari you should learn to tolerate. Lord Caitanya has advised us therefore trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. So whatever condition we may be we must push on the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You will be glad to know that your Godbrothers here in America and Europe are doing very nicely. Recently we have opened a branch in Copenhagen, Denmark, and just after Rathayatra festival there will be another two or three branches in England like Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. In America also recently we have opened a branch on the West coast in San Diego. The boy in charge of the center, Sriman Tulsidas Brahmacari, is very, very nice boy, and he has been given three assistants, and by the grace of Krsna within a month he is already stabilized. I am just sending you a copy of his letter received yesterday. How this boy has very shortly understood the whole philosophy and has taken the risk of opening a branch. Similarly I am initiating just now one student from Armenia. Most probably I shall send him either to the Soviet countries or to Egypt. Our preaching in Japan is going on nicely. Similarly in Sydney it is going on nicely. So by the Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura we are expanding all over the world and we are getting good response. Now for India I am counting upon you. So far you have done it is very satisfactory to me, but we should always be careful about our responsibilities. It is said in the scriptures that spiritual life is just like handling a sharpened razor. If we handle it nicely we become cleanly shaved, but a little inattention causes bloodstain. So you will always remember these maxims and depend on Krsna and the Acaryas, and make your life progressive. Regarding your inquiry about returning the stipend to Dalmia, I do not think there is necessity. The Brahmacaris and Sannyasis can take help from the society at large, and the Grhasthas are meant for treating the Brahmacaris and Sannyasis as their children. Regarding the other side land, I think you can negotiate and as soon as the negotiation is complete you can advance some money. Then examine the deeds as usual, and then you can purchase—I have no objection. I think because the article in "Kalyana" has given us some publicity you can collect the purchasing money locally with the help of Jayapataka. If not, we will arrange for the money from here. Your idea for making our Mayapur adventure as Vaisnava University[PAGE MISSING] ### Letter to Acyutananda **Date:** July 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Calcutta My Dear Acyutananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 21st June, 1970, as well as the telegram conveying the news of Jayapataka's arrival. I am also enclosing a letter for him in reply to his letter from Brussels. I hope by this time you have occupied the apartment and now conjointly you can work nicer. Jayapataka is a very sincere devotee and intelligent also. Both of you combined together can do some real service to the cause of Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya. Regarding the land, many hindrances are coming one after another but still I say that you purchase the land of Jabed Ali. We shall take the risk because the proprietorship of Jabed Ali is clear, so there is not risk of purchasing the land. The next risk is that they will not allow us to construct building. The land in that part of the country is agricultural certainly and Sridhara Maharaja or Yayabar Maharaja have got land in that vicinity however. Sridhara Maharaja's land is not very big plot. So I will be glad to know what is the measurement of the land and what is the price. If Sridhara Maharaja and others' lands are on the agricultural plot and they are permitted to construct building why we shall be refused for doing so? I think you shall purchase the land of Jabed Ali Sekh and at the same time apply for permission. That will be nice. Please immediately let me know if you have removed to the Ballygunge apartment as informed to me previously—this is essential. You are preaching in Calcutta in educated circles, that is alright, but there is no use of your going to the interior villages. My principle is that where my other Godbrothers cannot preach I shall go there. On my behalf you should follow this principle, also. Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja did not very much like preaching amongst women, so you should also avoid such meetings. Now Jayapataka and yourself combined together shall preach in English this Krsna consciousness philosophy amongst the educated circle and perform Kirtana. So first of all let me know if you have changed your address, then I shall let you know the program of work and if required I shall send some more American and English boys. As soon as we get our own place many Indian boys from other camps will join us. So immediately let me know if you have removed to your new address. Awaiting your early reply. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. What about my place at Radha Damodara Temple. My money is already advanced to them. Please let me know where is the key? Sometimes you may go there and live for a few days. On hearing from you, I shall send you the copy of the advanced money receipt both by the ___.Reply this letter to L.A. address 3764 Watseka Avenue L.A ### Letter to Acyutananda **Date:** November 14th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Acyutananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 29th, 1970, and noted the contents. Regarding taking introduction from some persons to their friends for making life members, don't depend on others' introduction—do your own work. Regarding your feeling of disruption to your preaching program since others have come in, when I was in Los Angeles you repeatedly asked me to send at least ten men. Now the men have come and you say something else—you want to have kirtana alone. So which point shall I accept? Regarding the validity of the brahminical status as we accept it, because in the present age there is no observance of the Garbhadhana ceremony, even a person born in brahmana family is not considered a brahmana, he is called dvijabandhu or unqualified son of a brahmana. Under the circumstances, the conclusion is that the whole population is now sudra, as it is stated kalau sudra sambhava. So for sudras there is no initiation according to the Vedic system, but according to the Pancaratrika system initiation is offered to a person who is inclined to take Krsna consciousness. During my Guru Maharaja's time, even a person was coming from a brahmana family, he was initiated according to the pancaratrika system taking him to be a sudra. So the birthright brahmanism is not applicable at the present moment. The sacred thread inaugurated by my Guru Maharaja according to pancaratrika system and Hari-bhakti-vilasa by Srila Sanatana Goswami must continue. It does not matter whether the priestly class accepts it or not. When my Guru Maharaja Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada introduced this system, it was protested even by His inner circle of Godbrothers or friends. Of course He had actually no Godbrothers, but there were many disciples of Bhaktivinode Thakura who were considered as Godbrothers who protested against this action of my Guru Maharaja, but He didn't care for it. Actually one who takes to chanting Hare Krsna Mantra offenselessly immediately becomes situated transcendentally and therefore he has no need of being initiated with sacred thread, but Guru Maharaja introduced this sacred thread because a Vaisnava was being mistaken as belonging to the material caste. To accept a Vaisnava in material caste system is hellish consideration (naraki buddhi). Therefore, to save the general populace from being offender to a Vaisnava, He persistently introduced this sacred thread ceremony and we must follow His footsteps. Regarding Dr. Sen's grandson's theory of species, if they are species—the species horse is a kind of species; it draws a cart. The ass is another kind of species; he carries load. So ass is never engaged for drawing a cart. If brahmanas are a species and vaisya and sudra are other species, why do we see that sometimes a "brahmana" does a sudra's work? We have got many negro disciples and they are worshiping the Deity; so why they should not worship the Deity? Krsna says He accepts the service even from the papayoni, those who have taken impious births. Actually Krsna does not say that caste is determined according to species, but according to the quality of work the divisions of society are made. Narada says one must be judged according to his qualification, even if he is in a different class or species, still he should be accepted according to the qualities which he exhibits i.e., brahmana, etc. Sridhara Swami says birth is not so much important as quality. (You have very wrongly remembered something about Sridhara Swami's view.) In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that if one is Vaisnava, immediately he becomes qualified for executing Vedic rites. About this verse, Srila Jiva Goswami remarks that the brahmana awaits the sacred thread ceremony, but a Vaisnava is qualified to execute the Vedic rites without waiting for the sacred ceremony. The real fact is that because of non-observance of the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra in this age, there are no real brahmanas by birth at all and even they cannot be called as dvijabandhus properly because there has been no such observance for long time. Kalau sudra sambhava. The claim of brahmanism by birthright is a false display of material situation only. It is our duty therefore to train all kinds of men up to the standard of qualified brahmanas, initiating them as such by qualification in accordance with the above authorities, so that they may go on progressively unhindered in their march back to home, back to Godhead. This system introduced by my Guru Maharaja is a chance for all the members of the society, scientifically based and applied, apart from the exploitative sentiment of birthright "caste" system, to become actually situated on the transcendental platform. The literal meaning of the term "brahmana" is one who is "brahmabhuta" or on the theoretical stage of brahmajnana. Since it is that one progresses from the stage of brahmajnana to the stage of knowledge of Paramatma and then to knowledge of Bhagavan, one who has come to the first stage, brahmajnana, is automatically a brahmana fully qualified as such. So for a Vaisnava, who has come to the highest stage of knowing Bhagavan, naturally he has already established his qualification as a brahmana. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Acyutananda, Jayapataka **Date:** August 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Calcutta My Dear Acyutananda and Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your telegram reading as follows:"Krishnas provided six months free house nine rooms occupy August fourth"I hope by the time this letter reaches you, you might have already occupied the house, so reply me this letter to London address 7 Bury Place, London, W.C.1. I am going there for a month to rest completely. So on receipt of your further reply that you have occupied the place I shall send you at least 10 brahmacaris immediately as you desired formerly. I have not heard, however, from you anything about the Mayapur land—this is also essential. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Acyutananda, Kirtanananda **Date:** October 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Amritsar My Dear Acyutananda and Kirtanananda Maharajas, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard from either of you since my coming this side to Bombay, so I am very anxious to know how you are each making life members. I wrote one letter to P. M. Thakura to be delivered by one of our men personally. Whether it has been delivered? Where is the big key for Vrindaban? Devananda Maharaja has taken the smaller key from your box, but he did not find the large key. I have written one letter to Mr. Jaju, and he has just replied briefly. Please see him and whether he is really serious? Please keep me informed how things are going on in Calcutta. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Aditi **Date:** September 29th 1970 — **Location:** India My Dear Daughter Aditi Devi Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated from London. You are a very fortunate girl to have come in contact with our Krsna Consciousness Society and I am so happy that you are tasting a drop of the nectar of devotional service to Lord Krsna. If you simply continue seriously following this program of rendering loving service to the Lord your life is sure to become soon filled with happiness and joy in Krsna's service. I have duly chanted the beads sent by you and I am glad to accept you as my initiated disciple on the recommendation of Sriman Gurudasa. Your initiated name is Aditi devi Dasi. Aditi is the name of the mother of the demigods. Please try to learn this Krsna science perfectly well and that will give ultimate meaning and perfection in your life. Please follow very carefully the four restrictions of no eating of meat, fish or eggs; no gambling; no illicit sex; and no taking of any kinds of intoxicants. Chant at least sixteen rounds on your beads daily without fail and avoid the ten offenses in the matter of chanting the Holy Names of the Lord. They are: 1) Blaspheming the Lord's devotee; 2) Considering the Lord, Krsna, on the same level with the demi-gods or assuming that there are many Gods; 3) Neglecting the order of the Spiritual Master; 4) Minimizing the authority of the Scriptures; 5) Interpreting the Holy Name of God; 6) Committing sin on the strength of chanting; 7) Instructing the glories of the Lord's Name to the unfaithful; 8) Comparing the Holy Name with mundane piety; 9) Inattention while chanting the Holy Name; and 10) Attachment to material things while engaged in the practice of chanting. Study our literatures with the help of your senior God-brothers and sisters, go on Sankirtana when possible, take special care to remain always engaged in some Krsna conscious activity, chant Hare Krsna Mantra always and be happy. I am very pleased that you are so sincerely and humbly trying to surrender to the instructions of Krsna and your Spiritual Master. This is the prime qualification of a devotee, so maintain fine attitude and advance in Krsna's loving service. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- P.S. Your beads are returned by separate air post along with those of Srimati Lilasakti ### Letter to Advaita **Date:** May 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Advaita, Please accept my blessings. Regarding the printing of the Nectar of Devotion, when Brahmananda was here, he informed me that the printing and bookbinding, everything, would be finished within two weeks, but in the meantime I received one paper bill through Gargamuni for $2,042.40 and another bill for $423.32. Formerly you submitted the statement for 20,000 copies of Topmost Yoga, and again you decided to print another 10,000 copies for which another bill was submitted; so the total amount, $2465.72, has just now been telegraphically transferred to your ISKCON Press account No. 516-5642, in the First National Bank of Boston, so you can do the needful. For future guidance you will please submit your quotation statement as you have done for the first 20,000 copies of Topmost Yoga, and that will be nice. You submit your statement including all expenditure. There is no need of sending me the parties' bills. I will transfer the money to ISKCON Press account immediately. That will be easier for me. When you send so many bills, it puzzles my brain. Please send the statements of NOD and the second printing of 10,000 copies of KC:TY.Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Advaita **Date:** June 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Advaita, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16th June, 1970, along with two copies of Nectar of Devotion. Yes, it is made very excellent. At least I can safely say that there is 80% perfection. This means we can hope very soon books printed from your press will be cent per cent successful as we are expecting to get from Dai Nippon. In some of the pages, the ink impression is not sufficient, otherwise it appears everything very nice. The paper is first class, the sewing is also nice, and I hope the cover binding will be nice when it is done professionally. The pictures have also come out very excellent. So everything is very hopeful. You are trying your best, and Krsna will give you proper intelligence to execute these press responsibilities. All of you in the press are doing so hard work. I can simply pray to Krsna for your perfect advancement in Krsna consciousness. One thing I must inform you in this connection that so far our activities in Krsna Consciousness are concerned, everyone of us should read this book very attentively because all conclusive statements in the Kingdom of Bhakti are contained in this transcendental valuable book. It is the essence of all Vedic scriptures enlightening about Krsna Consciousness. If anyone will read this Nectar of Devotion very carefully, he will have all guidance in Bhakti cult. So in the temple class some portions of this book must be regularly discussed. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Advaita **Date:** July 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Advaita, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated 23rd July, 1970, and the two copies of the Krsna Consciousness Handbook. It is very nice, although the color pictures are not very clear. But one blunder has been done on page 98 about the London Temple being printed backside so Lord Jagannatha, Lord Krsna, Srimati Radharani, everyone, has changed His position. I do not think there is any possibility of rectifying now, but in future please take special care for this. There are some discrepancies on the front cover of BTG #34 which I have pointed out to Brahmananda Maharaja. You have not mentioned anything about your other activities in the press. By the by, please dispatch one copy of this Handbook to the following address by air parcel. Sri P. C. Gandhic-120, Moti NagarNew Delhi-15IndiaHope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dm ### Letter to Advaita **Date:** October 7th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Boston My Dear Advaita, Please accept my blessings. I understand you have left and it is a thunderbolt for me. How is that? What are your demands? Or have you also been contaminated? Please tell me frankly. Where is your wife and child? If there is any disagreement with your Godbrothers, you may live separately. That doesn't matter. If there is any severe misunderstanding, I request you to come to India and live with me and start a press here. I shall await your reply with great anxiety. Please let me know everything in detail by return mail. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Advaita **Date:** December 19th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Boston My Dear Advaita, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good wife, Balai Dasi, and your daughter, Nandini devi. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 4th, 1970, although I did not receive any letter from you addressed to Calcutta. I am travelling extensively now throughout the country of India, so sometimes my mail does not reach me promptly or there is some chance of its being missed. Anyway, I am so much relieved to hear from you, and I was sure that you could not actually be entrapped by Maya. I have always been confident of your steadiness in Krsna Consciousness because of your great determination in serving the mission of the Lord in such great measure these last few years by your working long hours and more with our ISKCON Press. So I think that the recent disturbances are easily to be set aright and you should go on again fully engaged in our printing work there. We have got a great lot of work to do and you should immediately pick up the press work again so that time may not be wasted with the press idle. I know that Satsvarupa has got too much other engagement to be able to devote the requisite time for managing the press department. I had never considered either closing down our ISKCON Press or removing your responsibility for managing the press affairs. You may immediately resume your former activities and work the press according to your best ability because I am very eager to see our own press printing the majority of our publications. The first thing now should be the printing of the new, enlarged edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. That will be a great boon to our Movement. I have already decided that the necessary funds for printing the book should come from the England sales of our KRSNA book. London has got $20,000 worth of KRSNA Books so they should sell them and send immediately $17,000 to ISKCON Press for printing according to your estimate. The plan to print 10,000 copies, 5,000 for India and 5,000 for U.S.A., etc. is approved by me. Please do it. I have been very much encouraged and pleased to receive the two latest chapters of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto. So this printing must go on. ISKCON Press remains our big mrdanga and the backbone of our Movement. So far your need for constant engagement in press work is concerned, I do not see that there should be any difficulty if you attend the classes daily when our literatures are read and discussed. It is alright if you do not attend the Arati, but you must remain fixed up by attending the classes. Two hours daily in the classes will not be too much time away from press work. I give you my permission to work in this way. Now adjust things as you find it convenient and please begin work again immediately. I know that you are in need of constantly working the press and the press is constantly in need of being worked. If you are individually the manager of ISKCON Press, I have no objection, but you must work nicely and the GBC will be satisfied. Please thank Balai for her nice note to me. She is a very good and faithful devotee wife. You are both most fortunate couple in Krsna's service. So please remain all together with your family in Krsna consciousness and be happy. I am writing to Satsvarupa to help you as I have suggested. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Anil Grover **Date:** February 5th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > St. Louis My Dear Sriman Anil Grover, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2 February, 1970, sent through Sriman Vamanadeva. I am so glad to learn that you are an educated boy and coming to our Temple and trying to understand our Krishna Consciousness philosophy very seriously. It is very good sign. Try to continue this attitude; and whenever there is some question, you are welcome to put it before me, and I shall try my best to help you. My life is dedicated for this purpose, and you have no cause for hesitation; but the process of putting questions is service and submission—that is the injunction in Bhagavad-gita. Questions should be put before a person to whom you can submit yourself and to whom you can render some service also—that is the way of self-realization. The Krishna Consciousness Movement has a basic philosophy in view, which is propagation of the ideal of One God, one religion, one scripture, one hymn, and one human society. So far we Indians are concerned; we are ordered to preach the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness throughout the whole world, after personally realizing what it is. This means that as we have different types of limbs for different functions, but at the ultimate end all the different limbs of the body cooperate for the maintenance of the whole body. Similarly, if we accept the human society as one, then different sections of the human society may act differently for the one purpose of growth of human civilization. You have said that you have come to this country for getting higher scientific education. That is very nice; but I think that if Indians would have come to this country to give the people of this country higher education in spiritual knowledge, that would be the proper function of their section of the human society. If the people of this country have got higher technological and scientific education, they might go to India to teach them that part of knowledge; and Indians may come to teach them spiritual knowledge. To maintain proper balance of the society, both sides of education are needed. If Western people are expert in technological knowledge, and if their natural tendency is to develop it, let them do it. But as far as we Indians are concerned, our people are naturally inclined for spiritual elevation. Therefore, even in these days also when there is Kumbha Mela at Prayag or any other place, or there is a particular function in some pilgrimage like Jagannatha Puri, Vrindaban, Haridwar, etc., millions of people gather without any advertising. So these natural tendencies should not be disturbed, but the people of a particular section of the world should develop their indigenous talent and then exchange with others. So the Western people may give us their product, and we may give them our product; and by such exchanging policy, both of us may flourish in our civilized way of life. Unfortunately, in India, at the present moment, our blind leaders are completely neglecting development of our indigenous talent. Therefore, India is in a position of misadjustment. I have got practical experience that some of the Indian students in this country directly criticize this Krishna Consciousness Movement; so I am very glad that you are giving some serious attention to this Movement, and I wish may Krishna bless you for your further advancement. Now coming to the point of questions—your first question is: "What am I? Is the body itself matter, or spiritual soul, or a combination of both?" Answer: You are eternal servant of Krishna. The body is matter. The spirit soul is different from the body—it is not exactly combination, but it is encagement. Just like if you put oil in the water, the oil does not mix up with the water. Similarly, soul does not mix with the material body; but due to our material consciousness, we are thinking that the movement of this body is movement of the soul. Therefore, when the body is destroyed, we think the soul is destroyed. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, that the soul does not die with the destruction of the body. With the destruction of one body, the soul transmigrates to another body, thus the bondage of material existence. Therefore, to train the soul properly to revive his original consciousness, or Krishna Consciousness, is the real purpose of human life. Then, your second question, "If this body is pure soul, then why it gets engaged with worldly matter?" As explained above, the body is not the soul, it gets engaged with worldly matter due to its vitiated consciousness. Just like some of us are thinking that "I am American," or "I am Indian"—it is due to vitiated consciousness. The real consciousness is that I am eternal servant of Krishna. Or, it is just like a madman who thinks to himself that he is king, he is free to do whatever he likes, and talks nonsense; but a sane man laughs at him. Our encagement in the matter is just like a madman's activities. When one is treated by the treatment of Krishna Consciousness, he becomes relieved from all these designative engagements. When I feel as American or when I feel as Indian, and act accordingly, that is the cause of all sorts of anxieties and frustrations. Krishna Consciousness means to come to the pure understanding that one is neither American nor Indian, but he is eternal servant of Krishna, and thus engages himself in rendering loving service to the Lord. This is his pure spiritual life. As long as he does not come to that standard, he is supposed to be materially contaminated. Krishna Consciousness Movement means to engage our sense in the service of the Lord, just opposed to the materialistic way of life wherein the senses are engaged for sense gratification. Your third question is, "As You have explained in "Two Essays", that as body is covered by shirt and coat, similarly, soul is covered by mind, intelligence, and false ego—if it is so, then who are mind, intelligence and false ego? Who controls them?" The soul controls the mind and intelligence. When he is designated, he controls the mind and intelligence in one way; but when he is free from designation, he controls the mind and intelligence in another way. In other words, when the soul is designated, for example, as American or Indian, he controls the mind and intelligence in that direction and acts for that particular nation. Similarly, when he is free from the designations and feels himself as the servant of Krishna, he controls his mind and intelligence for that purpose. That is to say, a soul is destined to use his mind and intelligence for rendering service to others because his original position is servant. A servant has to render service to some master, so when he is in designated condition of life, he accepts somebody as master which is Maya. Maya is illusion. When a soul renders, therefore, service as American or Indian or any other designation, he accepts Maya as his master, because thinking oneself as Indian or American is illusion. Therefore, one's perfect position of life is to render service to Krishna, and for that purpose control the mind and intelligence. So, the conclusion is, in either of his statuses of life, the soul itself is the controller of the mind and intelligence. Fourth question: "Where does the spiritual life lead us? How should people recognize whether we do take birth in our next life or not?" Answer: Spiritual life leads us to our original constitutional position free from all designations. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita as brahma-bhutah status. This brahma-bhutah status means free from all anxieties, without any hankering or lamentation. At that stage only, one can think of universal brotherhood. And the next stage is to be engaged in pure Krishna Consciousness, and thus gradually be transferred to the spiritual world where there is eternal life full of bliss and knowledge. In other words, the spirit soul, when he is fully liberated from material contamination or designation, he no longer transmigrates to another material body after death. He is transferred to the spiritual world for eternal residence in one of the spiritual planets known as Vaikunthas. The abode of Lord Krishna is the highest Vaikuntha planet, known as Goloka Vrindaban. People must understand intelligently that they are transmigrating from one body to another at every moment. The body is dying at every moment, and the soul is transmigrating to another body at every moment—this is medical fact. The blood corpuscles are changing at every moment and new corpuscles are taking their place. The old order changes, yielding place to the new. This is going on continually. In this way, the soul is transmigrating from baby body to child body, from child body to boy body, from boy body to youth body. So, at the end, when the material of the body does not act very nicely, the soul has to take another material condition of body, giving up the present one. The body is changing, but the soul is there. Everyone of us can remember our childhood body or past body. That past body is no longer existing; but I am existing now and I existed in the past, and therefore, I must exist in the future in spite of change of body. These things are nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gita, and we should take advantage of this knowledge. Fifth question: "To achieve the goal of Krishna, should we pass our life through matter to spiritual life or direct to spiritual life?" The goal of Krishna can be achieved in a second if we simply accept the truth that we are eternal servant of Krishna. Although I am within this material body, I can immediately stop its material function simply by developing my Krishna Consciousness, which means to accept that I am eternal servant of Krishna. Unfortunately, all the Karmis, Jnanis, and Yogis are thinking of themselves in different degrees that they are not servants of Krishna. Therefore, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that after many, many births of different activities under different concepts of life, when actually one becomes wise, he surrenders unto Krishna, understanding Vasudeva Lord Krishna is the Cause of all causes. But such great soul, accepting Krishna as the Supreme Master is very, very rarely to be found. Fortunately, by the grace of Lord Caitanya, this Krishna Consciousness revival is made very easy, simply by chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra. Therefore, I advise you to chant this sublime Mantra—Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, and be happy in this life without any frustrations, anxieties, worries, etc. as you have mentioned in the first part of your letter. This is practical and very easy to perform. Try it sincerely, and your life will be sublime. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Aranya Maharaja **Date:** February 27th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles Sri Gaudiya MathNew Delhi, IndiaRevered Sripada Aranya Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter dated 17 February, 1970, and I am so much encouraged by your kind appreciation of my humble activities in the Western countries. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's foretelling that in every city and village on the surface of the globe His Holy Name will be known, is now coming to be true by His Will; and there is nothing wonderful because it was the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am just trying to follow the instructions to my best capacity under the guidance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada, and things are coming nicely. At the present moment the preaching work is going on from Hamburg to Tokyo, crossing over the two big oceans, Atlantic and Pacific, covering 14,000 miles on the Northern side and again from Tokyo to Sydney, Australia, covering another 5,000 miles. I am enclosing herewith a newspaper clipping published in Sydney, and you will appreciate very much how Sriman Bali Mardan Brahmacari, who is a graduate of the New York University, is nicely working there since the last fortnight. In the meantime, I have sent another assistant, Sriman Upendra das Adhikari, to assist him. In the beginning of my preaching work in the Western countries, I thought that some of our men from India should come here because I came here alone, single handed, without any men or money. By the Grace of Lord Caitanya the young boys and girls enthusiastically joined me while I was chanting Hare Krsna Mantra in the public parks. In this way, the whole Society has been organized and incorporated under Religious and Societies Act in different countries like U.S.A., England, Canada, etc., and things are improving slowly but surely. Outside our Society, people are appreciating our movement gradually, and you will be pleased to know that they are also contributing for various activities of the Society. Perhaps you have heard the name of George Harrison, the celebrated musician of England. He has contributed nearly about two lakhs of rupees, the entire cost of publishing the first part of my book, KRSNA. Similarly, just the day before yesterday, one boy has contributed 15,000 rupees for my book fund. We have got in many places our own buildings, just like in Boston where we have got our own press, ISKCON Press, in Buffalo, in Detroit, and just yesterday, on the Advent Day of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, we have completed the negotiation for purchasing a big church property worth 20 lakhs of rupees. I am very glad to learn that although you are 60 years old, you are enthusiastic to help me in this great preaching work. Of course, in spiritual activities there is no barring even in old age because I am also 74 years old but still working by the Grace of Lord Krsna. If you want to help me, there is great need of your valued service. To get you here in the States would immediately require about 12,000 rupees minimum because if we sponsor you to come here, we have to send you a return ticket by Air, and there are other expenditures also. You have stated in your letter that I will have to arrange for your coming here, so immediately the Society will not be willing to spend so much money outright without knowing how you shall be utilized for our Society's work. But even in India, as proposed by you, you can enroll some subscribers for our publications as you say in your letter that there is great possibility for this work. Another work is that we require many first class mrdangas and karatalas and Radha Krsna Murtis either from Vrindaban (brass) or Jaipur (marble), and I shall be glad to know if you can help us in this respect. In the meantime, I am advised to dispatch two copies of "Back to Godhead" by Air Mail Post to your present address in New Delhi. Please try for it New Delhi because it is the place where only educated and enlightened Indians are staying in hundreds and thousands, and I think if you work steadily, it will be possible to enroll many thousands of subscribers. So in your next letter if you kindly let me know how you can help me in the above mentioned suggested program, we shall think of our future activities. Sriman Jaya Govinda Das is now in Hamburg, Germany, in charge of our German publication department (Magazines and Books), and Sriman Acyutananda Brahmacari is still in India and is trying to develop a center at Sridhama Mayapur. At the end, I may inform you that the American boys and girls are wonderful, and they are cooperating with me with great sincerity and thus Krsna is blessing them with advanced Krsna Consciousness. Hope this will meet you in good health, and awaiting your early reply. Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Arundhati **Date:** April 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Arundhati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated "nil."If you have got extra time, I encourage you to learn Sanskrit along with your husband. So far your movement is concerned, in pregnancy, you should strictly not ride on cars or any conveyance until your delivery, neither should you dance also. So you stick to the composition work, and according to Brahmananda's program I understand you will have enough work to do now. Actually, the composition work was taken from August 1969, but still they are not yet completed. If you have no other composing work to do, then you may begin to compose Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto, immediately. Regarding the Sushruta Samhita, I have no information about this. Sushruta Samhita is a big book of medical science, it is not able to be understood by ordinary laymen. I do not know why you bother about this, but if somebody helps you from this book, I have no objection. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Atreya Rsi **Date:** April 25th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Brooklyn My dear Atreya Rsi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 17, 1972. I am returning back to Los Angeles by the 20th May. At that time it will be a great pleasure to have your association there. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda ### Letter to Bahulasva **Date:** April 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Berkeley My Dear Bahulasva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th instant, and the information therein is very encouraging. I understand from your letter that people have been well impressed, so this is a good opportunity for advancing our missionary activities. Actually we are creating the most peaceful persons in the world. Krsna is so nice that anyone who takes to Him becomes the first-class peaceful man. You can know from the example of Arjuna how much peaceful he was. He did not mind to forego his claim, and he remained nonviolent and peaceful. Personally he was not in favor of fighting, and whatever he did was only to satisfy Krsna. Yes, that is a very nice proposal that you may combinedly San Francisco, Berkeley, and San Jose hold festivals throughout the summer, so do it. Whatever you do by combined consultation is approved by me. Regarding Paramatma Das, I think he should simply push on with his school work as much as it may be necessary and the remainder of the time he may spend with the devotees in our Krsna Conscious activities. Certainly he is feeling some inconvenience due to the poor association at the karmi school but this is not a permanent situation. In the past many of our devotees like Lilasukha, Kancanbala, Indira, etc. in New York, Saradia in Boston, some others in Buffalo, and in other places also have finished up their required education in the public schools in spite of continuous feeling of disturbance by the nondevotee students and faculty. So if he finishes up his education in this way remaining under your care at the temple, then the unwanted association will not be harmful, just see that he is strictly executing his prescribed duties and that will keep him strong in spiritual life. Please increase the sales of literature. That is our great Sankirtana—Brhat Mrdanga. The correspondence with Dr. Staal published in the Daily Californian was very much interesting, so we shall publish it in our BTG.I am very glad to learn how you are improving the temple with new altar, proper Vyasasana, etc. I have already ordered Radha Krsna Deities for you, and when they arrive they will be installed. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. By the by, I understand from Hansadutta's letter that he has advised from Germany to dispatch $1,500 from Berkeley for credit of my account here. If it is not yet done, please do it ### Letter to Balai **Date:** August 17th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Balai Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your very nice letter along with some pictures of your daughter Nandini Dasi. I am so glad to see that you are raising your daughter in Krsna consciousness and that is your duty as conscientious mother to give the child proper education in spiritual living. It is very encouraging to me to know that both yourself and your good husband are combined so nicely for setting the example of Krishna conscious family life. And now you have such a good daughter who is naturally devotee of Krsna, so if you kindly continue to advance on these lines as I have already chalked out for you your perfection of life in Krsna's service is guaranteed. Please offer my blessings also to your good husband, Sriman Advaita and your daughter, Nandini Dasi.* I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- *Why not ask your daughter to contribute to my book fund whatever she collects. ACBS ### Letter to Bali Mardan, 1975 So. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 **Date:** March 13th 1970 > LT_700313_D My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 7 March, 1970. I am so much obliged to you for the fine sentiment you have expressed in connection with my humble service; but this is not very extraordinary—every human being, for his own interest, should accept a Spiritual Master and abide by His order. This is the Vedic system, and whatever we are trying to do, it is in pursuance of the old order. Anyway, somehow or other, we are now combined to execute the great will of Lord Caitanya that we should propagate this Krsna consciousness movement through out the whole world. By Krsna’s grace you have gone to Australia with this mission, and I am pleased to learn about the arrangement which you have already made. Here also, in the States, Kirtanananda Maharaj is getting good response from the student circle. In two important colleges our TLC has been taken as study course, and two other colleges have purchased lots of books for their students. Actually this is a fact, that the books and literatures which we are presenting, are unparalleled at least in the Western countries. So if you can convince the parties concerned, you can also introduce our books and literatures for study in the university circle. So I am awaiting your report of the University meeting. Your sincerity of purpose will itself help you more and more because the Lord is sitting within your heart and as soon as he sees that you require to do something for His service, He will immediately give you all facilities. For being legally organized, I think if you open a branch of the ISKCON Ltd., incorporated in England, it will be easier for you. Australia is a Commonwealth property, therefore an organization already registered in England can open its branch in its dominion without any difficulty. You can simply take the registered number and date from Mukunda and get it noted by the Registrar in Sydney, and it will be alright. I talked with Gargamuni about dispatching Upendra’s wife as early as possible. For the present, he is collecting all money for payment of the church property, $50,000 to be paid on or before 1st April 1970. He says that to send Upendra’s wife means another $1000 at least. It is understood that Upendra was to send back $1500. He has taken $2000; out of that $500 would go for his travelling expenses. It was so arranged that as soon as he reached Sydney, he would send back $1500 out of $2000. Now I understand that he has sent you a wire for returning back the money because it is required in connection of purchasing the church. I therefore ask you to send the money without delay, and after the transaction with the church property is closed, Upendra’s wife to go there. The thing is that he has already given $2000, and again he has to pay another $1000; then the business here will suffer. But it was so arranged that Upendra was to return back $1500. Why he is delaying the matter? I am glad to know that the boy, Noel, is helping us in so many ways. This is also Krsna’s grace. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: dbSriman Bali Mardan Das BrahmacharyISKCON Temple26 Horderns PlacePotts Point NSW 2011 ### Letter to Bali Mardan **Date:** January 8th 1970 > 1975 So. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 > > LT_700108_C1 My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I was in due receipt of your letter and two price quotations while I was in London, but, because I was busy in so many engagements, I could not reply you earlier. The price quotation from Dia Nippon is accepted, but as soon as I make arrangement for the money I shall confirm it and send the manuscript. In the meantime, I learn that you are going to Australia and you have already got the visa to Sydney. You want to take with you Upendra, and I have advised him to follow you. Both you and Sudama went to Japan, now Sudama has taken charge of Tokyo center, and if you take charge of Sydney center, it will give me the greatest pleasure. My ambition is to open centers as many as possible. At least, I want to see that centers are opened in very important places. Now you have seen how practically our students are opening centers here and there. All the new centers recently opened in California and central states are improving very much. I have received one letter from Bamanadev from St. Louis. It is very much encouraging. I now you are very sincere Krishna conscious preacher and Krishna will surely help you in your great adventure. So by this work not only you will be blessed by Krishna, which is a spiritual gift, but also your name will be recorded in the history of the Krishna Consciousness Movement, which I am sure is to grow to the largest volume of expansion. I shall always pray for your long life for preaching work in the service of the Lord. Thank you very much. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- Sriman Bali Mardan 6-16, 2-chome, ohhashi Meguro-Ku, Tokyo Japan ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** August 21st 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > New Vrindaban My Dear Bali-mardana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very encouraging letter dated August 15th from L.A.You are now elected as one of the Commissioners of the GBC, so you have got great responsibility. So far we are concerned in the disciplic succession of Lord Caitanya, if we simply abide by the order of the Acarya in disciplic succession, then things are made very easy. As Krsna is saying in Bhagavad-gita that He is sitting in everyone's heart and especially to His devotees who are constantly engaged in His Transcendental Loving Service He gives special instruction so that the devotee may make easy progress of the path of back to home, back to Godhead. By nature you are a willing volunteer in this Krsna Consciousness Movement, then certainly you will be able to render more and more important service to the cause. I received the pictures previously along with your letter and I have replied the same to your Sydney address. Now in New Vrindaban you will be meeting all your God-brothers, especially the GBC members and try to make a strong program for pushing this movement on. Our immediate program is to send a strong party of sankirtana to India. By Krsna's Grace our place to stay is already arranged both in Calcutta and Mathura. If the GBC members can arrange to send at least twenty initiated devotees to India. I think by your exemplary character the Indian public will be surprised and they will take to your way of life. This is the second phase of my missionary activities. I want to take some of my exemplary character devotees for performing sankirtana in India so that they may see what is their defect. Your spiritual strength will depend only on the basis of unflinching faith in Krsna and the Spiritual Master, chanting sixteen rounds on beads and following the restrictive items. I understand that you have been in Fiji Islands and there is good prospect for opening a center. Try to open a center in Fiji without delay and consult your colleagues in New Vrindaban, but on the whole if a center is opened there immediately that will give me great pleasure. In our movements all over the world certainly we require huge amounts of money. When I came to your country first my primary strength was chanting the Maha-mantra and maintaining myself on public contributions and distribution of my Srimad-Bhagavatam. The same principles can be followed still namely collecting some funds by distributing our books and literatures. I thank you very much for appreciating my two recent books, Nectar of Devotion and KRSNA. If we distribute these two wonderful books by meeting respectable gentlemen everywhere, I think we can collect $100 at least by presenting these two books. So it is my suggestion immediately you should try and collect some money and I am sure Krsna will supply it and keep it for opening different centers. Please consult with the GBC regarding this program and make a practical schedule. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** August 25th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > New Vrndavana My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated nil and your reference to Srila Vyasadeva on this Vyasa Puja Day is very significant. Srila Vyasadeva is the original Spiritual Master for anyone who is following the Vedic way of spiritual realization. Spiritual Master is the representative of Vyasadeva because he carries the message of Vyasadeva throughout the world. As you know it very well that Vyasadeva compiled all Vedic literatures wonderfully. Sometimes so-called "realist" philosophers do not believe that there was any person of the name Vyasadeva. Their opinion is that any person distributing the Vedic knowledge is called a Vyasadeva. This class of philosophers generally being impersonalists cannot appreciate how one man could write so many books. Actually it is astonishing. Before Vyasadeva, all the Vedic Scriptures were taught and received verbally by the disciplic succession. Both the students and the Spiritual Master of those ages were so sharp in their memory that once they heard the transcendental message from the Spiritual Master the message was immediately imprinted in their brain as vivid as a written language. For example, Sukadeva Gosvami was narrating Srimad-Bhagavatam extemporaneously. The whole Srimad-Bhagavatam, eighteen thousand verses, very difficult to pronounce even and what to speak of memorizing, were narrated very easily just like reading some printed book. He narrated the whole subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam continuously for seven days and Maharaja Pariksit also understood the subject matter very clearly. Both of them were so meritorious that they attained the highest goal of life, namely the Lotus Feet of Lord Sri Krsna simply by reciting and hearing respectively. Of course that time was just the moment when Kali, the predominating Deity of the present age, was peeping to infiltrate in the worldly affairs and later on it was complete through the exigency of an upstart brahmana boy. So Vyasadeva was a real person accepted by all authorities and any one can judge how wonderful he was to compile the Vedic literatures. He is therefore known as Mahamuni. Muni means thoughtful or great thinker or great poet and Maha means still greater. So there is no comparison with Vyasadeva with any writer or thinker or philosopher. Nobody can estimate the scholarly importance of Srila Vyasadeva. He composed many millions of Sanskrit verses and we are just trying to receive a fragmental knowledge out of them by our tiny efforts only. Srila Vyasadeva therefore summarized the whole Vedic knowledge in the shape of Srimad-Bhagavatam which is known as the ripened fruit of the desire tree known as Vedic knowledge. The ripened fruit is received hand to hand through disciplic succession and anyone who does this work in disciplic succession from Srila Vyasadeva is considered as representative of Vyasadeva and as such the bona fide Spiritual Master's Appearance Day is worshiped as Vyasa Puja. Not only that, the exalted seat on which the Spiritual Master sits is also called Vyasasana. In the Mayavadi Sampradaya they observe the Guru Purnima day to offer respect to the Spiritual Master. This system of offering respect to the Spiritual Master is current in all sections of Vedic followers, but so far we are the Gaudiya Sampradaya is concerned, we offer on the Appearance Day of the Spiritual Master our humble homage annually and this particular auspicious moment is called Vyasa Puja. I have received the painting of my Guru Maharaja. It is very nicely done. Please convey my thanks to the girl. I have immediately placed this painting on my Deity altar. Yes, this attitude of surrendering to the Spiritual Master is the best qualification of spreading this movement of Lord Caitanya. That is the Vedic way. One should have unflinching faith in Krsna and similarly in the Spiritual Master. That is the way of understanding the secret of Krsna Consciousness. Unfortunately, attempt has been made lately in our Society to shake this formula. This mischievous attempt has done a great harm, but if you the members of the Governing Body Commission can rectify this mischievous attempt, then still there is hope of making our progress uninterruptedly. I hope Krsna will help us. There are two verses in the Canakya Sloka how a family or an institution can be glorified or burned into ashes by one person. The Canakya Pandit says that if there is one tree in the forest producing nice aromatic flower, that one tree can glorify the whole forest by the flavor of its flower. Similarly if there is one tree in whose cavity there is a little fire, that one tree can burn into ashes the whole forest. So this simile is applicable anywhere. In a family if there is one good boy, he can glorify the whole family and similarly if there is bad boy he can turn the whole family into ashes. Similarly in this institution if there is a bad disciple he can burn the whole institution into ashes. The Governing Body Commission's duty is therefore to see that every member is following the rules and regulations and chanting sixteen round regularly on the beads. I hope the GBC in cooperation with the Sannyasis in their touring program will be able to keep vigilance systematically in order to keep the Society as pure as possible. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** September 17th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Los Angeles My Dear Bali-mardana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated August 31st, 1970, and I have duly noted the contents. Regarding your opening a branch in Hong Kong, I have got all my blessings upon you. Do it immediately. So far your remaining on the Governing Body Commission, I do not think that is a great burden. Do your best to serve in the Commission by correspondence, but I prefer to see you a great preacher and if possible you may be relieved from the responsibility of remaining a member of the Governing Body Commission. You have already opened up several branches like Tokyo and Sydney, so please continue this opening of centers as many as possible in Fiji, Melbourne, etc. While we were coming through the Philippines on the way to Calcutta from Tokyo we learned that in Manila they are also interested in our Movement for Krsna Consciousness, so that is another open field. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** September 24th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Bali-mardana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Sept. 17th, 1970. In the meantime I have also replied your last letter in which I have informed you that if you take more interest in preaching work absolutely, you may be relieved from the Governing Body Commission. Regarding a branch in the Fiji Islands, if you can open immediately a center in the very near future I will be able to send some Hindi knowing Indians to assist the preaching work there. I know in Fiji Islands there are many Hindus and one of them asked me to open a center there. His address is as follows: Babu Ram SharmaP.O. Box 267BaFiji IslandsI have just received one letter from Nayanabhirama and he has met one Indian gentleman who lives in Taiwan and would like us to open a center there. His address is as follows: Navin Gajjar, Mgr. Du Pont Far East Inc.703, Chia Hsin Bldg, Taipei, TaiwanYou should immediately contact Nayanabhirama about this prospect. Anyone who goes to Fiji must contact Mr. Sharma and amongst others he will be a nice friend. Yes, in Calcutta we are getting good coverage practically every day and in every meeting the slide show makes the whole thing very impressive. So anyone coming from L.A. cannot only bring my UHER recorder from Karandhara but also slides and specially nice pictures as well as some large posters of your Spiritual Master and Lord Caitanya. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** October 26th 1970 — **Location:** Amritsar > Tokyo My Dear Bali-mardana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Tokyo, October 11th, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad to know where you are and how you are proceeding on your program for opening new centers in the area of the South Pacific. I do not know if you are going first to Hong Kong as you wrote before or if you are going to Taiwan as you have just now mentioned. There is no question of new or strange places as you have written to say. This Hare Krsna Mantra is understood in any part of the world, therefore the beginning should be chanting in any place and then people will gather and a center will develop by the grace of Lord Krsna. Yes, I have received a letter from Upendra, but I have no information whether his wife has gone there to Fiji. I am very pleased with your sincere service attitude in pushing on our preaching work in these parts of the world and yes, Krsna will give you strength because He is sitting in your heart and the more you try to serve Him, He will give you more intelligence. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** November 4th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your air letter from Japan dated 18 October, 1970, and I have noted the contents with great encouragement. It is for your daring and active nature that I have chosen you to represent me as GBC man for the southeast Asia zone, and I can see from your latest words that my choice has not been wrong. I think that Singapore and Hong Kong are English-speaking places so that you will not find much difficulty there. So just open two nice centers immediately and that will link-up our chain of centers around the world. The basic principle of our actions should be that they are all meant for pleasing Krsna. If we act always in this consciousness automatically everyone will be attracted to devotional service, and this is the secret of our preaching work. If you simply practice the regulative principles which I have introduced you will remain pure. Factually this is our only strength. I have seen better orators, better scholars and better organizers but no one is becoming pure by following regulative principles. Simply because we rise early, take bath, chant sixteen rounds and strive with every activity to please Krsna—this is what impresses others. Please report to me fortnightly, and correspond with your other GBC men as well. I request that you always display and distribute my books wherever possible. Hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sda ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** November 24th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated November 9th and 11th, 1970.You had mentioned going next to Singapore from Hong Kong. Singapore is also a nice place for organizing a center. There are many Indians and they will support the Movement there. Yes. The several cities you mention are all important cities in the Far East portion. Originally they all had Indian culture. But I do not think you should spend your time at this stage of life in trying to learn so many different local languages. That is not practical for us. Our most successful program is to begin preaching with the help of an interpreter from the local people and later train up some intelligent men who speak English. When they are conversant with our philosophy, they can preach to the general public. The Hare Krsna Mantra is international mantra. Simply try to induce people to chant and they will understand everything. Externally, English language is understood everywhere. Your enthusiasm for starting centers for educating the people of the world in this sublime Krsna Consciousness process is very good. You are actually authorized agent of my Guru Maharaja and through Him, Lord Caitanya. He predicted that in every town and village of the world His Name will be well known and you are trying for fulfilling His mission, certainly He will give you all strength and blessings. We simply have to work sincerely and automatically all other things will come. Recently one very responsible Indian gentleman was in our Temple in Sydney and he has given very good certificate for our activities there. Regarding staying in the various Temples of demigods that is quite alright, but you should not take prasadam from the demigods if you are offered. Our method is to follow the system as it is done in Jagannatha Puri. There, the bhoga is first offered to Lord Jagannatha and then His Prasadam is distributed and offered to various demigods who reside in some nearby Temples. Then the remnants of such Prasadam may be taken by us. So far a Temple place is concerned, even there is no place, we can sit down underneath a tree and chant as I did in New York. Krsna will give a nice place. You have been anxious to stick to fulfilling the desires of Krsna and Spiritual Master without deviation. Our technique is that we work sincerely and the dictation will come from within; Krsna is seated there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** November 29th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 23, 1970, and I am very glad that you have gone on to Singapore for expanding our number of Far Eastern and Pacific branches of ISKCON. It is my ultimate desire that all the cities of the world have such centers for Krsna Consciousness and I am sure this will come about because it is the desire of Lord Caitanya. I have also received encouraging reports from Sydney and Fiji. So long our students remain fixed up to the regulative principles without deviation they will be enthusiastic for spreading this sublime movement. Please keep close contact with the centers in your zone and see that everything is going on nicely. If you can travel from center to center conveniently, that is very good. Regarding the two students in Sydney, I shall arrange to initiate them as soon as possible. I am very glad that Janne will soon be joining Bhurijana and they will open our branch in Hong Kong. This is the greatest service that you are all rendering in the matter of spreading Krsna Consciousness and Krsna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu will certainly bless you all my sincere students more and more in Krsna Consciousness. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** January 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. When I was in London I received your kind letter dated 28 November, 1969, but as there were many engagements regularly as well as there was installation ceremony on the 14th of December, I could not reply your letter sooner. Now the MS of Krishna book as well as the pictures, it is not yet settled up where it is to be printed either in Japan or in our own press, but I have acknowledged the letter of Dai Nippon and the copy is enclosed. I understand that you are now preparing for going to Australia, and I am so much glad that you are so enthusiastic in preaching the transcendental cult of Krishna Consciousness. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be very much pleased upon you. Lord Caitanya desired that this cult of love for Krishna, which is the highest benefit for the living entity, shall be preached all over the world. As an intelligent boy you can understand how much this Krishna Consciousness Movement is necessary for the upliftment of the human society. Due to their extraordinary materialistic way of life, the so called "civilized" human society has degraded to the position of the animals. They are now dancing naked on the public stage and so called "respectable" persons are going to enjoy such performances. The animals wander here and there naked, the monkeys walk naked; even the aborigines in the jungles they also cover their private parts by some skin or tree or leaf. I do not know how the so called "civilized" men are gliding to the stage of animal life and still they are proud of their advancement of education and civilization. So the disease of the human society is becoming more and more acute and Lord Caitanya desired that the Indians should preach this cult for the benefit of the human society. Unfortunately, the present generation of Indians is more attracted to technological knowledge than this cult of Krishna Consciousness. Their position is very precarious. Somehow or other, under the order of my Spiritual Master I have brought this cult of Krishna Consciousness and handed it over to the American boys and girls. So I am appealing to everyone, especially intelligent boys like you, to take up the propaganda work of Krishna Consciousness Movement very seriously, and it will be a great service to the human beings. We have got now sufficient books and literatures and our philosophy is super-excellent. We are authorized, and we shall go ahead more and more. I hope this will find you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** February 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very encouraging letter dated 18 February, 1970, and I have noted the contents carefully. It is also very much pleasing that you have liked the company of Upendra, and both of you combined together will surely carry successfully our Australian Yatra. I am very much pleased with your behavior in the matter of progressing our Krsna Consciousness movement. You took up very seriously my desire for opening a center in Australia, and you volunteered to take up the responsibility. So all these things are very much encouraging. In our Krsna Consciousness movement the first qualification required by the devotees is enthusiasm. Then work it out patiently and with conviction that it will surely be done. But at the same time we must be very, very strict in following the regulative principles and completing the sixteen rounds chanting. Our dealings should be very clear with others and we must always keep company with devotees. Please do not hesitate to write me at least once fortnightly so that I may be kept informed of the activities. Upendra said that the Australian public does a great deal of reading and there is good chance for selling our magazines and books. Immediately after publication, in L.A. they are selling Isopanisad up to 40 copies per day. Perhaps because it is only paperback. Henceforth we shall issue many such books with pictures on the covers. Upendra has seen it, and if you like, send orders to Brahmananda immediately for dispatch from Boston. You are doing so much for fulfilling the desire of my Spiritual Master so you are indirectly the representative of my Guru Maharaja. He has been helping me in this matter by sending so many young boys and girls, otherwise who would help me in this mission while I came here empty handed and without any friend. I can only pray to Krsna to take care of you, otherwise I cannot repay your sincere service in my mission. Please offer my blessings to Upendra, and I am awaiting to hear from you again. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** March 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Australia My Dear Bali-mardana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st March, 1970, and I am so pleased to learn that your University meeting was very successful. It is very engladdening to learn that hundreds were singing and dancing. A similar experience I had when we met in the Ohio State University along with Ginsberg. I think you have already read the news in our BTG. And similar experiences are being gathered by Kirtanananda Maharaja and Rupanuga Dasa Adhikari because they are now moving in different colleges and universities, and getting good response. I take it for granted that you are one of the selected devotees of Lord Caitanya, and therefore from within your heart He has inspired you to go to such a distant place, leaving your parents and home, just to satisfy Krsna. This is a great transcendental adventure. Try your best, and I am sure you will be successful. Formerly your forefathers, many European and American gentlemen, were courageous to go outside their country for colonization, and Australia is vivid example of such adventures. Now, by the grace of Krsna, yourself and Upendra, the descendants of your adventurous forefathers, have gone there with a great mission, and try to execute it to your best capacity. Krsna will certainly help you. The only thing we require for this purpose is to remain in our spiritual strength by chanting regularly and following the rules and regulations. I am sure you are already strict on this point, and still it is my duty to remind it for your steady strength. Just try to convince the younger section about the importance of this movement and how this one single venture can solve all the problems of the world. Krsna Consciousness is not dry. It includes all the varieties of human cultivation of knowledge. We can give direction in politics, in sociology, in religion, in philosophy, in arts, in music, in aesthetics, and in what not? It is complete. Simply we have to administer this novel idea to the people in general very magnificently. The program is already there, and it is very simple. I wish that you establish at least ten centers in Australia or in the adjoining islands. That is my desire. I shall always pray, as I am duty bound, for your long life and prosperity in Krsna Consciousness. Gargamuni has informed me yesterday that he has not yet received the $1,100 sent by Upendra. You will be pleased to know that somehow or other today we have paid the $50,000 down payment for purchasing the church properties at $225,000. The pictures of the church are enclosed herewith. So gradually Krsna is giving us all kinds of possible facilities, and if we work sincerely, Krsna will supply all our needs—there is no doubt about it. This is a good chance for sending some devotees from England. I have already written Mukunda, and I shall remind him at the next opportunity. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** April 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sydney My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to Sriman Upendra. Your informative letter dated "nil" is encouraging. For the service of Krsna you are already in the jail for a few hours, so if possible try to put this movement as cultural instead of religion. Actually we are presenting the culture of Bhagavad-gita. The Bhagavad-gita is well known all over the world and it is widely read by scholars and philosophers especially. The religionists never read Bhagavad-gita. I have never seen a priest of other religion reading this book, but there are many scholars and philosophers all over the world who read Bhagavad-gita regularly. Even politicians and professional men read Bhagavad-gita, just like one Dr. Rele in Bombay. He also presented commentary on Bhagavad-gita on the basis of medical science. I heard that Professor Einstein, the greatest scientist, was regularly reading Bhagavad-gita, and later on he became practically God-conscious. By scientific research he appreciated the wonderful cosmic manifestation and as a scientist he admitted that behind this there is a very great brain and that is God. So practically it is not a religious study and we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. Anyway, you are getting chance to preach amongst the students and that will be very nice program. Kirtanananda Maharaja is now moving amongst the students in various schools, colleges, and universities, and getting good response. Many students are already attracted to New Vrindaban and at the weekend there are about 20 to 30 outsiders regularly. So even though the local law is prohibitive, for chanting on the street, you can take advantage of the educational institutions. We are not concerned with any particular place or situation, but we take the opportunity of chanting and speaking wherever it is possible. I understand that one of our students, Tirthapada Brahmacari, is going to your place. Regarding book sales, you should always keep several copies of each of our literatures in stock, so if you do not have them you can make arrangements with Gargamuni. Especially you should have a good stock of Isopanisad and Easy Journey, they are selling as easily on the level of BTG.Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** May 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Australia My Dear Bali-mardana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14th May, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad to learn that you have decided to live in Sydney. Sydney is your jurisdiction, so you cannot leave this place unless there is very urgent engagement in other place. You have got to organize this center very nicely and Krsna has sent you already some help in the shape of a nice actress who is willing to help us in any way. Please try to convince this girl about our Krsna philosophy. You are already experienced and sincere worker, if you try to convince her, Krsna will help you from within. Our Isopanisad book will be easy for anyone to understand about God-consciousness, then there are other small books like Three Essays, Krsna Consciousness: the Topmost Yoga System, Easy Journey to Other Planets, etc., so let her read all these things. So as you have no resort than myself, so I have no other disciple than yourself who can take care of organizing Sydney center. Please do therefore everything with enthusiasm. That will satisfy me, and Krsna also, and as a result of which you will be satisfied transcendentally—this is our position. While posting this letter I have received your letter dated 22nd May, 1970, and I am so very much pleased to know that everything has been resolved so nicely, and Sydney center has moved to a larger and better location. All these are very good news, and I beg to thank you very much. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** July 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 8th July, and I was expecting to receive it every moment. So Tirthapada has gone there and that is a good news, so all of you are experienced devotees. I have already written two letters separately, one to Upendra and one to Tirthapada. Now combinedly go on with your preaching work. I am very glad to know that you are keeping your accounts up to date with BTG and the book fund. This is good and proper management. So you continue to keep these accounts weekly. I am also very glad to know that you think Melbourne a good place for establishing a temple and you are eager to accept this establishment of temples in the Australia area as your life and soul. Yes, as I have taken this work as my life and soul on the order of my Spiritual Master, similarly if you take my desires as life and soul, then the whole thing is immediately connected with Krsna. That is the meaning of Parampara system. None of the activities are personal affairs. It comes only through the proper channel, otherwise each and every activity is directly connected with Krsna. It is received through the Spiritual Master, but the business is for Krsna as much as an office superintendent is the via media for pleasing the ultimate master. Kindly execute the Deity worship very properly. Upendra has got good experience. Tirthapada has also got good experience. Follow the program as we are doing in Los Angeles and London. I think all of you are twice initiated, so there will be no difficulty in executing the Deity worship. Our Nectar of Devotion and KRSNA are already published and these two books alone can keep any one in Krsna consciousness perpetually. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** August 16th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Australia My Dear Bali-mardana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5th August, 1970, forwarded from L.A. At present I am living in our Tokyo center. I left L.A. on the 7th August and I have come here via Honolulu. Most probably I shall be going to India (Calcutta).Perhaps you know that you have been nominated as one of the Governing Body Commissioners. I very much appreciate your forward service spirit and gradually Krsna is helping you in the matter of your Australian Yatra, and I am so glad to learn that you are going to open another branch in Melbourne. I am getting older day by day, so if I can see in my lifetime that all of you have opened at least 108 branches of ISKCON institution that will be a great pleasure for me. So now the factual administration will depend on the Governing Body Commission and the sannyasis are entrusted for making propaganda work. I wish to remain on the background to give you some directions. So kindly execute the missionary activities very carefully with enthusiasm, patience, conviction, follow the regulative principles, chanting regularly sixteen rounds, dealing without any duplicity, and above all keeping oneself in the society of pure devotees. Our different centers are meant for organizing a group of pure devotees so that neophyte visitors may take examples from them and thus become attached to Krsna consciousness. This formula is active everywhere and I see practically here in Japan where they do not understand the language but still they are taking part like other centers. I have seen some pictures from your side. It appears that the altar is very nicely made. I am glad to learn that you have got a truck for transport. So try to improve the Australian activities in this way and Krsna will give you all facilities. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bali-mardana, Upendra **Date:** May 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sydney My Dear Bali Mardan and Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated by Post 5th May, 1970.So it is very encouraging that people are coming to the extent of 40 heads, and they are trying to understand the importance of this great movement, and any sane man will be able to understand that. But I do not know why our students who are supposed to be the leaders of this movement will fight amongst themselves for supremacy. Our whole process is of surrendering. We are taught to address others as Prabhu. Prabhu means master; and the leader of the masters is called Prabhupada. So if the Prabhus have surrendered to the Prabhupada, why there shall be such mentality of occupying the superior position? This is contradictory. Kindly stop this unnecessary misunderstanding. Both Upendra and yourself are competent and experienced, so please adjust your disagreement amongst your selves. It is my request. As a matter of fact, as you are the pioneer in taking all risks to go to Australia, naturally you shall be considered as the leader, but a leader's position is also very grave and responsible. A leader has to lead others very tactfully and intelligently. Kindly therefore do not quarrel, but go on with your duties progressively. I can understand very well that Upendra is feeling very much disturbed on account of Citralekha's absence, it is quite natural, but what can I do? I have arranged for $500 also, but the Australian Immigration detained her for a technical reason. This is already informed in detail to Upendra by Madhudvisa, as I understand. So this is the position. In the meantime, things should run on as it is, and if there is any need of change, we shall consider about it when Citralekha goes there. Please try to organize the new center as nicely as possible even at personal inconvenience—that is real service. Krsna is sitting in everyone's heart, He knows everything what to do, so depend on Him and do your duties patiently. Maya is very strong, and we are liable to fall down at any moment. We have to gather our strength by chanting the beads sixteen rounds regularly and praying to the lotus feet of Krsna for guidance. I hope both of you will kindly follow my instruction and forget if there is any accidental disagreement. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Balmukundji **Date:** April 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Balmukundji, Please accept my greetings. I thank you very much for your letter dated 11th April, 1970.The Secretary of Sri R. D. Birla has replied my first letter, and I have also replied that asking him to supply immediately four pairs of Sri Murtis, but so far I have not received confirmation. But I received no reply from Jaipuraji, so I shall wait a few days more for his reply and then I may remind him. I am very glad that the Kenya Indian friends are sympathetic with our Krishna Consciousness movement, so in future we may be able to take up the charge of the African Temples provided the Hindus or Indians fully cooperate with us. Actually this Krishna Consciousness movement, as you know it very well, is not specifically for any sect. Krishna is not for the Hindus only, He is for everyone, even for the animals. Hindus generally are not so liberal, but Lord Caitanya is very liberal and he embraces anyone from any corner of the world provided he takes to the service of Krishna. This is a great missionary activities, so I am trying to execute this mission to the best of my capacity and if my Indian brothers, at least those who are outside India, will join with me and act according to my direction which is strictly on the Vedic way, then there will be tremendous success of this movement. Your good self are an influential gentleman both in London and Kenya, similarly Sriman Becharbhai G. Patel, and Birlaji etc. are willing to contribute substantially, so why not join together in this Krishna Consciousness movement and construct an unique and imposing KRSNA temple in London, the most important city of the world. If you agree to this proposal, then I am prepared to work personally along with you for this temple construction work. I am very glad to learn that you have begun to teach Sanskrit pronunciation to our students. Please see that they can pronounce very nicely the Sanskrit verses in Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Isopanisad, and Brahma Samhita, and teach them to chant conjointly as they chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra. In your class, the chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra must be done in the beginning and at the end. That will keep the spirit of the temple. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Balmukundji **Date:** May 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Balmukundji, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated the 6th instant, and noted the contents. In my last letter I advised you that your Devanagari Lipi class should begin by chanting Hare Krsna Mantra, but if you find the time is short, then instead of reciting the Guru mantra quoted by you which is of impersonal mature, you can chant the following verse which we do along with others.saksadharitvena samasta sastrairuktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhihkintu prabhor yah priya eva tasyavande guroh sri caranaravindamThe verse quoted by you is not approved by us. Regarding your inquiry about Aurobindo, I may inform you that Aurobindo does not belong to the Bhakti school. He is more or less a dry philosopher, mental speculator, with some mystic ideas. We are simply concerned with pure devotees, so we have nothing to learn from Aurobindo. One practical estimation of Aurobindo, I know that one of the important disciples of Aurobindo, Dilip Roy, tried his best to induce one English devotee, Professor Nixon, later on Krsnaprem, to become a disciple of Aurobindo, but Krsnaprem never agreed to this. On the contrary, Dilip Roy later on became influenced by Krsnaprem and he left Aurobindo asram and is now chanting Hare Krsna Mantra at Poona. So you can judge yourself what is my estimation of Aurobindo. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Balmukundji Parikh **Date:** February 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Balmukundji Parikh, Please accept my greetings and I thank you very much for your kind letter dated 5 February, 1970. I have understood the spirit of your letter and your suggestions are quite welcome. According to our Sastras, the brahmacaris, the vanaprasthas, and the sannyasis are allowed to collect alms and are considered as the children of the society, which is composed of householders. In other words, our Vedic civilization is the most perfect community project. Only the grhasthas are supposed to earn money, especially the ksatriyas and the vaisyas, and the money is distributed community-wide. The community is divided into four parts, the brahmacari, the grhastha, the vanaprastha, and the sannyasi. Out of these four divisions, only the grhasthas are supposed to maintain the brahmacaris, the vanaprasthas, and the sannyasis. That is the whole program, which means if there are 100 members in the community, three-fourths of the whole number, namely 75%, are maintained by the one-fourth members, namely 25%. Our movement is for preaching the sankirtana vibration, so while the brahmacaris and vanaprasthas or the sannyasis take to this preaching work, the grhasthas or householders can maintain the temple and institution. In India, you have said, the temples are richest because the grhasthas support them. In this country also the householders support the churches. So for the inmates of the temple, namely brahmacaris or the priests (even though they are grhasthas, householders), they do not work outside. They are maintained by the outside grhasthas. But so far as our London Temple is concerned, it is not yet self-supported, although the expenditure is very high. I think you are also one of the important members of our London Temple, so you can suggest to the directors how the expenditures can be minimized. In the meantime, the householders, either Indian or European community, support the temple expenditures. The inmates of the temple may not take any collections from the street, so that will be great relief for them. We have no idea to go against the law of England, where begging is prohibited, neither are we beggars. You know very well that the six married couples whom I sent from America are all respectable, educated, cultured American boys and girls, and how with great difficulty they maintained themselves in London and at the same time preached the sankirtana movement which was certainly very effective. At the present moment the London Temple has got some status and if you kindly induce especially the Indian community to give them some monthly subscriptions for the bare necessities of the temple management, the inmates of the temple will completely stop taking collections from the street sankirtana. So far in India the sankirtana party has still got the right to collect. In America also we are collecting but I do not know why English law should prohibit them. Anyway I shall request you to help Gurudasa, Mukunda, Syamasundara, etc. to adjust the problem so that they may not be hampered in their advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Regarding the last paragraph of your letter, I am very glad to learn that you are willing to join this movement full time. When I was in London there was talk of your accepting the sannyasa order, and so far I remember Caitanyas Dadi, your wife, gave you permission for this purpose. Now so far you are trying to qualify yourself, I think you are already qualified, by age, by experience, and by temperament. I think therefore you should join us wholeheartedly without delay. I am looking forward for that day, and I am pleased to learn that you are coming here in the month of April. By that time we may have a very new residence and church in Los Angeles which we are negotiating to purchase. The residential quarters consists of thirty rooms, so you will be very comfortable to live here with us, and I hope at that time you shall decide finally about joining us wholeheartedly. What happened to the Birla negotiation for helping us in purchasing the big house of Bachubhai Patel? I shall be glad to hear from you at your convenience. Thanking you again for your letter. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nb ### Letter to Bank Manager **Date:** January 19th 1970 > 1975 So. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal. 90034Manager Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Sherbrooke and Aylmer Montreal, Quebec Canada LT_700119_A1 Dear Sir: Re: My Account No. 51-05463 with youI thank you very much for sending me the pass book. But I am surprised to see one item: withdrawal of $10.08 (ten dollars and eight cents) on the 16th December, 1969. I have not withdrawn anything, so how it so happens? Please therefore correct the pass book sent herewith, and send it back. Yours Sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiACBS:dbIncl. – Pass Book ### Letter to Bank of Baroda **Date:** January 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Bank of Baroda > Mohan Mansion > Chandi Chowk > P.O. Box 1409 > Delhi 6, India > Agent Dear Sir: Re: My savings bank account No. 1452 with you. Kindly refer to your letter No. FEX 21/2295 dated 20 July, 1969. Please transfer Rs. 6,000 by mail order to your Calcutta branch, P.O. Box No. 313, Indian Exchange, for credit of my account No. 29/12802, and send me the debit note. Also please let me know what is the balance at present. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bank of Baroda **Date:** January 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Bank of Baroda P.O. Box No. 313India Exchange Calcutta 1, India Manager Dear Sir: Re: My savings bank account No. 29/12802 with you. Kindly refer to your letter No. FEX 33/6400 dated 29 July, 1969.I am negotiating with one Mr. Javarali for purchasing a piece of land priced near about 13,000 Rs. Now, if I send you the equivalent in American dollars, whether it will be possible for you to pay him the above approximate price on delivery of the registered conveyance deed? Further, I beg to inform you that under your receipt No. 31/132 dated Calcutta 25-11-67 there are, in your safe custody, National savings certificates worth 24,000 Rs. These savings certificates can be cashed now having two years passed. Please let me know if you will collect this money and if you do so let me know what I shall have to do in this connection. In the meantime, I have advised to your Delhi, Chandi Chowk branch to transfer 6,000 Rs. for credit of my above savings bank account with you. The copy of the letter addressed to your Delhi, Chandi Chowk branch is herein enclosed, please find. So by return mail if you kindly reply in detail all the above points it will be very much appreciated. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bank of Baroda **Date:** February 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Agent Bank of Baroda86 Chandni Chowk Branch Mohan Mansion Delhi-6, India Dear Sir: Re: My savings bank account No. 1452With reference to your letter No. FEX.22/-277, I beg to inform you that your Calcutta office denies to have received any amount from your transfer of Rs. 6,000 as per your debit note dated 22.1.70. Their letter Number is SB/34/1109, dated 18 February, 1970.Kindly enlighten me immediately why they have denied to have received the money from you. Please treat this as urgent, and oblige. Thanking you in anticipation of an early reply. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bank of Baroda **Date:** February 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Bank of Baroda India Exchange Branch Box 313Calcutta-1, India Dear Sir: Re: My savings bank account No. 29/12802I beg to thank you for your letter number SB/34/1109, dated 18 February, 1970. Please let me know how the certificates should be duly discharged by me. If there is any discharge form, please send it to me, which I shall fill up and return. Regarding transfer of Rs. 6,000 from your Delhi Branch, I have got already a debit note from your Chandni Chowk Branch, Delhi, dated 22 January, 1970, and I am surprised that you write to say, even after a month, that the amount has not been received by you. I do not know how things are being managed in this way. Kindly let me know, therefore, immediately what is the fate of this Rs. 6,000 transferred from your Delhi Chandni Chowk Branch. Awaiting your early reply, and thanking you in anticipation. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bansidhari **Date:** November 16th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Bansidhari, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your nice report from Santa Barbara dated October 22nd, 1970. I am always so glad to know that you are keeping to the standard practices as I have instructed you to do and all the devotees are feeling the sublime result of their work in Krsna's loving service. Your program for extending Sankirtana Party activities to the nearby towns and cities and universities is very welcome. I have received similar good report of such extended Sankirtana Party tours or trips from many other centers in Europe as well as America. Lord Caitanya's desire was that this chanting of the Holy Names be spread to every town and village on the face of the globe, and now His desire is being fulfilled. That is to your credit as sincere servants of the Lord. It is always the difficulty with the karmis that they "have no time" for attending spiritual functions or gatherings. Sukadeva Goswami analyzes the situation for the karmis in the narration of Bhagavatam as sleeping and indulging in sex-life in the night and in the daytime working hard "Where is money? Where is money?" and when they have got money, how to accumulate household paraphernalia, etc. Anyway, by the mercy of Lord Caitanya even such materially absorbed persons can be extricated from their entanglement in the maya by contact with offenseless chanting of the Lord's Holy Names Hare Krsna Mantra. If you vibrate these transcendental sounds everywhere continually, it will pierce their ears and enter their hearts, and then their natural attraction for Krsna will be revived. So do not care for the temporary excuses of the unwilling and unfortunate persons, you simply carry our program forward distributing Sankirtana, Prasadam and literatures and the effect will take place. I am very glad that your distribution to the libraries is well received. Please get our books at least one full set in every city and college library in you neighboring areas. And if you read these literatures carefully you will realize the topmost science of Krsna Consciousness and be more inspired to spread the same to all persons as their real welfare benefit. Please keep me informed about your activities. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Bapi **Date:** February 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > West Bengal My Dear Bapi, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to receive your letter dated 1 February, 1970.Some years ago, when I was visiting your house, your father requested me to teach you Bhagavad-gita. I immediately agreed to this proposal, but later on your father changed his mind and he wanted to wait until your education would be finished. I am very glad to learn that in the month of May you will be finishing your Indian educational career and you propose to come in the States for your postgraduate education in engineering. So I welcome you and when you come here you will be at liberty to stay in any one of my preaching centers. I have got now twenty-six different centers in Europe, U.S.A., Canada, Japan, and Australia beginning from Hamburg, Germany down to Tokyo, covering about 14,000 miles. Generally I stay in Los Angeles because the climate of this city is almost like our Bengal. Regarding my help for your coming here, there are three ways. You may apply for acceptance at a university here. If you are accepted by a university, they can arrange a job for you. Then you may come here by the university's arrangement as a foreign exchange student. Second: Another way is that if I can show a bank balance in your favor to the extent of $12,000 to $15,000 and because I am an immigrant and thus I sponsor you, you can come here as immigrant immediately as my relative. Now, for this bank balance, how you will arrange? Another way is if you can spend about Rs. 25,000, you can come here at any time as a visitor at least for six months. When you come here, you can try for a suitable job in any respectable firm or whatever you like you may be free to move and search out within that period. but if you come as a visitor you will not be allowed to work here by law, but by arrangement everything may be done. So these are the three ways of getting you here, and whichever way you find suitable can be arranged. You will be glad to learn that our Sankirtana Movement in the Western world is going on very successfully. Your fathers Spiritual Teacher, Mother Anandamayee, is very much fond of Sankirtana. So I wish that your father may send us mrdanga (Khol) and karatalas for this great Sankirtana Yajna. Mother Anandamayee has got many rich followers, if some of them send us this khol and karatalas for our different centers all over the world—Europe, American, Canada, Japan, Australia then it will be a great cooperation. I hope you will ask you father to do this service for Lord Krsna or Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Who foretold that in every city, town, and village of the world His Holy Name would be celebrated, and we are trying in our humble way to spread this message. I hope this will find you in good health, and thanking you once more for your attention. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: db ### Letter to Barindra Babu **Date:** January 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Advocate, Supreme Court of India57/2 Ekdalia Road Calcutta-19India My Dear Barindra Babu, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your kind letter dated January 9, 1970. It is very encouraging to me that you are taking so much active interest in the matter of spreading Krishna Consciousness and willing our Society to gather strength throughout the world. I thank you for your good will. Actually this Krishna Consciousness Movement inaugurated by Lord Caitanya is the only panacea for all the diseases of the material world; the missing point is forgetfulness of God. This is not a new thing because the reason for our material existence is forgetfulness of our relationship with God. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu very mercifully reclaimed the fallen souls especially in this age by this short-cut method of chanting Hare Krishna Mantra. By repeated chanting of this transcendental sound vibration, dirty things in the materialistic mind become cleansed. The dirty things in the materialistic mind are the modes of passion and ignorance. When the modes of passion and ignorance come in, although the process of cleansing is not yet completed the modes of goodness become prominent. This means that the propensity of being lusty and greedy diminishes and one can be fixed up in the devotional service of the Lord. When one is fixed up in the modes of goodness and devotional service of the Lord, he can factually understand his constitutional position, and that is his liberation. According to authorized Vedic Scriptures liberation means to be fixed up in one's original position. The original position is that each and every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and as such it is the duty of every living entity to cooperate with the Supreme. This cooperation is devotional service. So you have taken some interest in this matter. Please try to propagate this philosophy amongst the educated circle in Calcutta, and that is the best humanitarian service. Mr. N. C. Chatterjee knows me very well because when I was in Delhi in connection with my publishing work Mr. Chatterjee used to invite me to speak at his house, and he has very highly spoken of my Srimad-Bhagavatam English commentaries. Acyutananda is a very sincere young American boy, and your cooperation with him is very much appreciated. Now, the difficulty is that he is a foreigner. I understand that the land in Mayapur cannot be purchased in his name alone. Under the circumstances if our Society is immediately registered under Societies' Registration Act the problem will be solved. We have registered our Society in America, Canada and england also; why not India? You are yourself a learned lawyer, you know better than me, and if possible kindly help in this connection. Your appreciation of my adventure at this part of my life has encouraged me, and I think that by the prayers of good souls like you I may be able to work for sometime more in the interest of this great movement. You have said, "Kindly treat me as one of your humble disciples." It will be my prime duty to help you to my best capacity for your spiritual advancement of life. I am sending herewith a copy of the letter which I have addressed to the Home Department, Government of West Bengal regarding the purchase of land. So if necessary you can do the needful with this letter. I am also enclosing some newspaper pictures of our Western devotees' recent activities. After seeing them, you can give them over to Acyutananda; they will help him his preaching work. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Ben **Date:** November 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Sriman Ben, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your humble letter dated September 20th, 1970. I am presently staying in Bombay. Since arriving in India I have been extensively travelling and preaching our Sankirtana Movement to all parts of the country. There is good reception also for our Society here. From other countries all over the world I am receiving daily reports and thanks how everything is going on in Krsna Consciousness nicely. Our Movement has now become truly international Society. I am very glad that you are so much appreciative of our program and philosophy. Actually it is the only factual presentation of our true relationship with God, Krsna. And it is our earnest endeavor to preach this philosophy very vigorously to clear out the diseased condition of impersonal and voidist philosophy which are so much misleading the innocent persons. So you are very fortunate. Krsna has saved you from the impersonal calamity. I am very much pleased to know that you are trying to set a fine example to your young son, Joseph, and your good wife. It is the duty of our students who are married men to train both their wife and children in devotional service to the Supreme Lord. The easiest program is that you add to your daily schedule a Kirtana chanting of Hare Krsna Maha-mantra both in the evening and the morning with your family and after chanting you can read something from our Bhagavad Gita As It Is or Krsna Book or our other literatures. You are already offering service to Lord Jagannatha and offering Him some nicely prepared fruits, milk, sweet smelling flowers and incense. That is the way for householders. For householders it is prescribed that one should hear the Bhagavad-gita or other transcendental texts of which we now have ample supply from the lips of the devotee of the Lord, one should accept a Bona fide Spiritual Master and follow his instructions and one should install the Deity in his home and carry on worship there. These three items will make your life perfect. So you simply try to observe these things and if you need some advice how to do it you can ask the elder devotees of our New York Temple. Be very strict in your observance of the four principles of regulation, namely no illicit sex life, no intoxicants, no eating of any meat, fish or eggs, and no gambling. Always chant Hare Krsna at least sixteen rounds daily and be happy. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bertl **Date:** April 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Bertl, Please accept my blessings. I am very much glad to receive your letter because sometimes I was thinking of you. You are a very intelligent boy, so I was impressed by your talking when you were walking with me on the street of Hamburg. You have got a strong tendency to accept the Buddha philosophy, but you should know it also that if you want to accept Buddha philosophy you should act practically for this purpose. Lord Buddha was the embodiment of renunciation. He was in the princely order, grown up very luxuriantly, and he accepted the order of a mendicant, devoting his whole time to meditation. I meet many people who talk of Buddha philosophy, but their practical life is different. Our philosophy is that we must apply in practical life what we believe. In this age no other philosophy or process of self-realization will be practical and effective as Krishna Consciousness is. So I would request you to come and live with our devotees in Hamburg and join the Sankirtana Party, try to understand the philosophy, eat with them, sleep with them, talk with them, and chant Hare Krishna. I am sure you will be happy and will be relieved from the present disturbances of your mind. I would have been glad to ask you to come here, but I do not know whether it is possible for you to come here. But if you live in our temple in Hamburg, I am sure you will be happy. If you have got any drug habit you must give it up. The drug habit is killing the soul of the younger generation in the Western world. So if you live with the devotees, you will get strength to give up this bad habit, and if you live separately you will never be cured of your present diseased mental condition. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** May 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your contribution of $200, sent through Gargamuni. Thank you very much. I hope everything is going well with you in Detroit Temple. Perhaps by now you have received my invitation to you to visit our L.A. Temple at your convenience. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Krsna Bhamani Dasi, and your son, Vaisnava das. I hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** May 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st May, 1970, along with the letters and beads from Roger and Bob. I have accepted them as my initiated disciples as you have recommended, and their beads and reply letters have been dispatched on Sunday May 24th, I hope you have received them by this time. Please continue to see that these two nice boys and all the other devotees there are following rigidly the scheduled program of regulated activities in devotional service, chanting the rounds, attending classes and studying our philosophy as well as going on Sankirtana, etc. I beg to thank you very much for the check of $200 which you have sent to Gargamuni. I am very much pleased to learn that $50 of this check was collected by the two new students as guru daksina, that is the proper execution of the initiation function so everything is complete to the Vedic standard. I have also received the newspaper clipping enclosed by you, it is a nice picture. The newspapers are beginning to appreciate our Movement more and more and that is an index of popular feeling. I am very happy to hear that you are expecting to visit our Los Angeles Temple sometime soon, so it will be a great pleasure to speak with you then. I am looking forward to your arrival. Please offer my blessings to your god wife, and all the other devotees of Detroit Temple. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** June 5th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 2nd June, 1970. Gargamuni has said that he has received a check for $100. If you think that the marriage ceremony of Rudra Das should take place, I have nothing to say on this decision. So far opening of a branch in Chicago, this is a very encouraging proposal, but I think before opening a center we must be confident that things will go on nicely. Chicago is a very important place, and we need a strong man to manage affairs there. So I think if you personally can stay there for some time to arrange things it will be very nice. Best thing will be to consult Rupanuga, and whatever you do by mutual agreement that is accepted by me. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** June 27th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I hope you are doing well. I was expecting your arrival here every moment. Anyway, if you come during the Rathayatra festival in San Francisco it will be a great pleasure for me. Brahmananda is also coming. So we shall have to chalk out the future program of our activities. So your presence will be very much appreciated. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** August 14th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Bhagavan Das, Please accept my blessings. Now that I have formed this Governing Board Commission, the twelve members should each act as my zonal secretaries. So kindly keep me informed of your zone's activities at least once a week or once fortnightly. In this way I will be encouraged and can give you direction and inspiration. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** August 20th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 14th, 1970, and noted the contents carefully. The reports of your meeting are very encouraging, so try to purge out the contamination, which has entered our Society, uprootedly. It has been arranged that we are going to Calcutta on 29th August and our Calcutta address is as follows: ISKCON; 37/1 Hindustan Road; Ballyganj; Calcutta-29.I hope you have received the circular letter which was sent to each member of the GBC for reporting me the work going on in his jurisdiction. I do not know in whose direction is our New York Temple. I have received no report from New York since a long time. So if it is in your jurisdiction you may kindly inform me what is going on there. Other reports are very encouraging. Keep your schedule nicely, then there will be very little chance of Maya to creep inside. Maya is on the back side of Krsna and if we keep ourselves always in front side of Krsna, engaged in His service, then the external energy on the back side of Krsna will not be able to attack us. These things are very nicely explained in First Volume, 27th Chapter, Srimad-Bhagavatam. As far as the marriages are concerned, I have got all blessings, but the girls must be younger than the boys. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** September 19th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated 8/30/70, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, you are correct that that anything outside of Krishna Consciousness is insanity, and I am glad that you are realizing it more and more. Similarly I have been getting letters from Karandhara, Rupanuga, and Hayagriva telling how they are feeling new assurance in Krishna Consciousness. So if our GBC members remain strong, strictly following the regulative principles, everything will be all right. Please continue to travel among the centers and preach as much as possible. I am pleased to know that you have fully distributed your money to my Book Fund and BTG, and as you are experiencing, Krishna will send you more. We should know it well that Krishna is no poor man, and He can give us any amount at any time. Simply He is waiting to see that we will use it according to His desire. So the more we spend in His service, the more He will provide, rest assured. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ks ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** September 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 8/11/70, and I have noted its contents with great hope and enthusiasm. Under the expert leadership of such sincere students as yourself and Rupanuga and Karandhara in the U.S. the GBC is taking on the responsibility that I desired. Similarly in Europe Syamasundara is working hard. So by Krishna's Grace everything is taking shape. Here in India also the work is pushing forward, and daily we are getting reports of support among the influential members of the community. Half of our devotees have just opened up another center on the other side of Calcutta, and last night there were more than 200 persons singing and dancing at our place. So I can see that there is very good potency at the present moment for spreading this movement as was desired by my Guru Maharaja, and I am simply trying my best to carry out His desire. And if some of my students adopt this attitude, without any other motivation, surely Krishna will fulfill our desire. So push on with book publication and distribution, and I am very glad that you are now distributing to schools and libraries. Yes, Sri Brahma Samhita may also be printed. It is very encouraging that Krishna has given you a nice new building. That is the way—the more we do for Krishna the more facility He gives us. Please send me some slide pictures of this and any other activities you have got as everywhere we go we show a nice slide show, and it is always greatly appreciated, together with kirtana. Hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ks ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** November 24th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan Das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 16th November, 1970 and I thank you very much for your encouraging report. Yes, we are fighting impersonalism and voidism with pure devotional service. Impersonalism and voidism kills the natural aptitude of devotion which is lying dormant in everyone's heart. Therefore we are printing books like our KRSNA book so that people may know it that the supreme absolute truth is a person. The perfection of every living creature is to render transcendental loving service to that Supreme Person and thereby go back home, back to Godhead. Krishna has said in Bhagavad-gita that "whoever explains my transcendental glories to others is most dear to me in this world and never will there be one more dear to me than he". So go on with your organization for distribution of my books through press and other modern media and Krishna will certainly be pleased upon you. We can use everything—television, radio, movies, or whatever there may be—to tell about Krishna and outside of devotional service all these modern paraphernalia are just so much rubbish. It is very nice that you are opening another center in Cleveland, Ohio. Please do it very thoughtfully. Yes, any intelligent man can immediately appreciate the qualities of a Vaisnava devotee. The devotee is always truthful and therefore everyone feels confident about what he may say or do under any condition. So the judge has appreciated the transcendental qualities of our devotee Narottamadasa Das. I've seen your notice to the other centers regarding your new Sankirtana practices and it is very nice. Please continue to work cooperatively in this way and I will be very much grateful to you for your sincere efforts. Thanking you once again for your kind letter. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adbP.S. --- I am in receipt of your last letter also. ACBS ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** November 30th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 18th November, 1970 and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, I have received a copy of the GBC meeting held in Pittsburgh and I hope that all of you GBC members will continue your present course of action. Always be acting for Krishna. Krishna Consciousness means to be alive, not that if we get some time, we lay down and sleep. So your activities and reports are all encouraging to me, so please continue in this way. Also continue placing my books in libraries, colleges, bookstores, etc. and gradually the public will learn to appreciate this stock of transcendental literature. People are accustomed to read all kinds of rubbish literatures. The principle is there—reading. We simply have to direct their attention to Krishna. Regarding Pradyumna, he can train some local man for assistance, but I don't think it is possible to send anyone from here at this time. Narottamananda and Susan may be married accordingly and I will be pleased to give my blessings. I hope this will find you in good health and cheerful mood. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** December 18th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters November 30th and December 3d, and have noted the contents. I have not received the two sets of slides mentioned in your letter. Yes, I have heard of your plan to open a branch in Trinidad. That will be very nice and the selected members are approved by me. The more we open branches, the more I feel encouraged. These branches are like the oasis in a vast desert. In the desert there is no water, but occasionally if one is fortunate he may come in contact with an oasis and he is saved. Similarly in this material world we are drying up due to lack of spiritual knowledge. Our ISKCON centers are meant to give relief to the dried up conditioned souls who are searching after the nectar of joyful life. So I request you and all other members of ISKCON to flood the world with Krishna Conscious centers and realize the prediction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu "as many towns and villages there are, my name will be known."Yes, there is possibility of help from influential men to open a big branch in London. Our literatures are unique in the world and we want to introduce our philosophy in learned circles, so your report of library distribution is good news for me. Keep trying to place my books in auspicious places such as libraries, universities, clubs, etc. and someday the world will realize and appreciate these transcendental literatures. Everyone is asking me to stay at their temple when I return. So I think I shall have to expand. What do you think? Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** January 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to all the devotees of Detroit. While I was in Boston, you presented me a set of original Sanskrit Srimad-Bhagavatam with your affectionate letter signed by all the devotees. It was a great opportunity in the Boston Temple and I enjoyed the days very much with your company. Please try to develop your center likewise. In Boston always 50 to 100s of devotees chanting, dancing and engaged in Krishna conscious business. That is the aim of our Krishna Consciousness Movement. We do not want stopping the natural instincts of the living entities. We simply want them to be dovetailed in Krishna's service. Your country is fortunate enough by the grace of Goddess of Fortune. Goddess of Fortune or Laksmi Devi is eternally engaged in service of the Lord. Therefore, the favor of Goddess of Fortune which is bestowed upon the American people may be fully engaged in Krishna's service. That will be a finishing touch to this material advancement. If people do not take to Krishna and simply want to utilize the Goddess of Fortune for sense gratification as it was the policy of the demons like Ravana and Hiranyakasipu, then the finishing touch will certainly culminate in releasing the nuclear weapon exactly like Ravana was vanquished by such policy. I have every hope on you as well as your wife and associates. Please organize your center in such way that the local people may take advantage of the great boon that we want to give them. In your previous letter, you proposed to get some tapes from me for transcription. It is a good proposal. In this connection I may inquire if you have got a nice dictaphone and if among yourselves you can edit nicely. So, on hearing from you on this point, I shall do the needful. Hope you are all doing well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** January 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 6, 1970 and I have noted the contents. I also thank you very much for your appreciation of my books and letters and for my speaking in the meetings. They are not my words, as I have repeatedly informed you that I am simply the bearer of the message from Lord Caitanya through the disciplic succession and I do not make any addition or subtraction. Similarly, if you all carry these words successively, then the transcendental parampara system will be exactly maintained and people in general will be benefited. I am very much obliged to my disciples because they are realizing the importance of Krishna Consciousness Movement and it is very much encouraging to me. Please, therefore, continue the standard of understanding. Read regularly our books and try to expand and preach the philosophy as far as possible. I am glad that you have a nice dictaphone. I am sending, herewith, one tape, number 6. Please try to work on it, edit it nicely and make two carbon copies and one original. The original may be sent to me and the carbon copies may be kept with you for the present and we shall call for them when needed. Regarding your question—What is meant by an object regaining spiritual quality?—the answer is that Krishna is pure knowledge and, therefore, He is the Supreme Person. In other words, He is the Supreme Power, and His Power is manifested throughout by different energies as much as the power of fireplace is expanded by light and heat. When we perceive heat and light, it means that we perceive the original fireplace. The perception of Krishna in everything is actually Krishna consciousness. In our conditioned state, we take it for granted something as separated from Krishna. But actually it is not so. Nothing can be separate from Krishna, everything is resting on Krishna, therefore, things which we consider now matter, when dovetailed for the cause of the Absolute Truth or Krishna, regains its spiritual quality. Another example may be cited in this connection. When we cook foodstuffs in the kitchen for eating ourselves, it is a different thing from the foodstuff which is prepared and offered to Krishna. The same dahl, rice is material for one purpose but the same thing becomes spiritual when it is dovetailed with Krishna. So on the higher platform, there is nothing material when everything is accepted in relationship with Krishna or the Supreme Spirit. I think this will clarify your question. Yes, you have talked with Gargamuni and actually I am staying in a very nice house, although the rent is very high, 600 dollars per month. So let us see as Krishna desires, but I have told him to find out a house which is not so highly charged. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Laksmimoni, and Jagadisa Candra who has written nice poetry which I am sending to the editors of Back to Godhead. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** January 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 24 January, 1970 with enclosure of the edited copy of transcription from tape #6.Your editing is very good, I liked it very much. So shall I send you tapes or you may like to have copies transcribed first? Whatever is suitable for you I shall do, but today I am sending another tape herewith. The edited copies should be four, out of which one may be sent to Boston, one to me and two may be kept by you for future reference. The original transcription copy also may be sent to Satsvarupa. I am so glad that you are giving attention to selling our books, and you have got a good assistant also. You will be pleased to know that George Harrison has paid the entire expenditure ($19,000) for printing our Krishna picture book, and very soon I am going to send the MS to Japan. Our own press is now busy with other books. Regarding your question: Santa Rasa devotee has got unflinching faith in Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but he has not developed the tendency to serve Him. The service stage is in relation with Bhagavan, the Person. When service attitude is lacking, it is to be understood as worship of Paramatma or Brahman. In Paramatma or Brahman relationship the emotion is of oneness, which is considered to be on the lower stage. In the Santa Rasa stage there is a chance of meeting a devotee by the Grace of Lord Krishna, and therefore, generally, the next birth is human being. Unless there is a great fall-down on account of various reasons, any transcendentalist, either personalist or impersonalist, if he makes regular progress in the regulative principles, even though he does not finish, the whole program, is sure to get his next birth in a good family—generally a rich man's or a pure Brahmin's—that is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** February 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5 February, 1970, and as advised by you I am sending herewith the tape #14. Please transcribe it nicely, edit it, and send one copy to me and the others to Satsvarupa. The tapes after being transcribed must be sent to me directly otherwise I will be short of the stock of tapes. Sriman George Harrison has certainly done an unique service by contributing $19,000 for publishing my Krsna book. When I was in London, he saw me four times and he was very submissive and devout and he was not at all proud of his very well-to-do material position. He has a reputation as a first class musician and he is considered to be rich or as they say one of the richest men in the world. Still he was not at all puffed up, but was humble, meek, polite, and devout. So all these qualities and his service to Krishna will certainly help him in his advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Thus I see that although he is not an initiated disciple, still he has been trying to help us in so many ways. This change of his heart has been possible by the endeavor of Syamasundara. Syamasundara tried to win his friendship by all means and the result obtained thereof was offered to Krishna. In the London Temple the first class Italian marble throne worth about $3,000 was also contributed by George through the service of Syamasundara. So actually George's leaning towards Krishna Consciousness has been greatly influenced by Syamasundara's endeavor. Srimad-Bhagavatam recommends that we shall employ our life, money, intelligence, and words for the service of the Lord. So Syamasundara employed his intelligence to bring George Harrison into the service of Krishna Consciousness and thus George's money has been employed in Krishna's service. This is the whole process of Krishna Consciousness—First of all one should dedicate his life for Krishna's service; that is very nice. If he cannot dedicate his whole life, then let him devote his money; if he cannot devote his money, then let him devote his intelligence; and if he cannot devote his intelligence also, then let him devote his voice in Krishna Consciousness by uttering Hare Krishna Mantra. Therefore Hare Krishna Mantra is the greatest common factor for self-realization. Please preach this philosophy whole-heartedly and Krishna will be very much pleased upon you. The court case is very humorous, happy, and authoritative. The charge was "Chanting God's Name" for the welfare "of mankind." So what can be the charges? If a man is chanting God's Name for the welfare of mankind, how the learned judge can convict him with any charges? So he has done real justice by dismissing the case. This will be great evidence of our sincere activities and you can send copies to all the centers as well as to the editors of BTG for immediate printing. The copy which you have sent me I have redirected to India to the editor of "Kalyana" a very influential religious paper. Perhaps you know the Gita Press. So you can send me also a few copies more. This charge against Hare Krishna chanting is not very new. Even during Lord Caitanya's days a similar charge was brought against Him by Chand Kazi who later on converted to become His devotee. So chant Hare Krishna Mantra sincerely and seriously and Krishna will give you all protection. The house in contemplation appears to be very nice and within our means, so please try to get it as early as possible. I am very glad that you have sent Jagadisa and his good wife to Toronto to help start a Temple there. By the prayers of all my beloved devotees like you I am keeping good health and I hope this will also meet you in cheerful health in Krishna Consciousness. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** February 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 22 February, 1970, with recommendation for initiating Jeanne Clausen. I have immediately chanted the beads and sent them enclosed herewith by Air Mail. Devananda will inform you of this matter by phone tonight after 9:00 p.m. So there will be no difficulty. I have all my blessings for the girl for being married to Naranarayana, for whom I was very much anxious to get him a good wife. So I have full sanction for his marriage, and you can perform the ceremony on my behalf. I am sure under your care they will be trained as good husband and wife, following your example, and be happy in life in Krsna Consciousness. I am enclosing the beads with flowers of my blessings for Naranarayana and Dinadayadri Dasi on the occasion of their marriage. The spiritual name of the girl is Dinadayadri Dasi. Dinadayadra is Krsna, and Dinadayadri is Radharani. So Dinadayadri Dasi means the servant of Srimati Radharani and Lord Krsna. Hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** March 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 February, 1970, together with the edited copies of KRSNA. I like your editing very much, you have done it very nicely. I have also received the tapes which you sent to Satsvarupa for re-recording, that is a good program. But we have experienced some difficulties in sending tapes to several centers, and therefore we have now agreed to make the process central by forwarding all tapes to Boston for complete processing there according to a regular schedule. The personal form of Maya is Durga and her different extensions like Bhadra Kali, Chandica, etc. In the Brahma Samhita it is described that she is all powerful in this material world, but she acts as shadow of Govinda. In Bhagavad-gita also she is described as assistant in the material affairs. The direction is from the Lord, and she executes His will. As such, when a devotee is fully surrendered to Krsna, Maya does not disturb him anymore, under the direction of the Lord. So Krsna is always Supreme. The pradhana is the ingredient part of material energy. Yes, the Maya is covering all the material energies. Therefore one who is materially advanced, covered with riches, covered with learning, covered with fame or covered with any material opulences, is understood to be covered with Maya. Srila Bhaktivinode says, jada vidya saba mayar baibhava "the material opulences are expansions of Maya's influence." As such, according to Vedic process, one voluntarily renounces the material opulences. The Goswamis left their government service, and there are many other instances. Bharata Maharaja left his kingdom and Lord Buddha left his kingdom—these are all different attempts to get out of Maya's influence. But our philosophy is that things employed in Krsna's service have no more influence of Maya. Therefore it is called cinmaya or spiritual; spiritual means complete knowledge. One who can follow the instructions of Isopanisad can understand that nothing belongs to Maya, but everything belongs to Krsna. This knowledge is Krsna Consciousness. Regarding the end of devotees of Lord Jesus Christ, they can go to heaven, that is all. That is a planet in the material world. A devotee of Lord Jesus Christ is one who is strictly following the ten commandments. Now just like in the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" this is a moral instruction for the sinful man. Similarly Lord Buddha also emphasized ahimsa paramadharma "the highest religion is nonviolence." So these instructions are for the sinful men. When one is pious, instead of being sinful, he is promoted to the higher planetary systems like Janaloka, Mahaloka, or Tapaloka and they are above the planet Svargaloka. So persons who are cleansed of sinful life become eligible for spiritual life. From the instructions of Lord Jesus Christ we find that the stress is given to make men free from sinful life—such as "Thou shalt not kill" "Thou shalt not covet"—like that. Therefore the conclusion is that the devotees of Lord Jesus Christ are promoted to the heavenly planets which are within this material world. Thank you for the copies of the newspaper clipping of the court trial, and I think these several copies are sufficient. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhagavan **Date:** May 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3rd May, 1970. Regarding the check which you have sent, Gargamuni says that he has not yet received it. I am so pleased to see how you are carrying our Sankirtana program amidst the demonstrations of the people. This newspaper clipping which you have sent is just portraying the point of our business, and I have made xeroxes and am distributing them to various parties as example of our work. This Sankirtana Movement of Lord Caitanya is most practical and authorized, so such incidents are to be expected, but this is a great credit for our propaganda efforts. I have already dispatched to you by separate mail an invitation to visit our L.A. center and meet personally with me at that time. So I am expecting to meet with you when you can come at your convenience, and then we can discuss such questions as you have asked as well as any others you may have. Please offer my blessings to your good wife Krsna Bhamini and your son Vaisnava das and all the other Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bhaktajana **Date:** November 17th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Bhaktajan, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to hear from you after a very long time. It is my pleasure that you have come to stay with us in our New York Temple. I do not think you are any more able to leave Krsna because He does not let anyone go away who has once come forward in His service. Regarding the ointment which you are finding so useful, the formula is as follows: Hard Paraffin (candle wax) 1/2 ounceSoft Paraffin (Vaseline) 3 ouncesResin (or rosin) 1 ounceOil of Eucalyptus 1/2 ounceChlorophyllMelt the two paraffins and the crushed resin in a small pot, stir constantly. Then all melted and mixed up, add the oil of eucalyptus and stir it in. Let the mixture cool somewhat, but keep stirring or the resin will separate and harden on the bottom. Just before the mixture begins to solidify, add enough dry chlorophyll to make the ointment slightly dark green—not very much required. Stir the mixture thoroughly until it is completely cooled into an ointment—this keeps the ingredients together properly—the mixture should not be reheated after adding the chlorophyll. Regarding the internal sulphur preparation, I do not think that is necessary for you. It is very difficult to prepare and if made incorrectly can become harmful rather than beneficial. I hope you are chanting your rounds regularly and always engaging in devotional service in our regular Temple program. Please ready all our literatures very carefully and chant Hare Krsna always and be happy. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Bhavananda **Date:** September 9th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Bhavananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very encouraging letter dated August 27th 1970, redirected from Japan. I was anxiously awaiting for this letter because since you have opened the new Temple I received one telegram at Los Angeles inviting me there at New York for which I was very much obliged, but I decided to come to India. I am receiving also many other letters which are not very encouraging in the matter of the activities of the four Sannyasis, so in Calcutta we have come and last Saturday, the 29th August, there was very nice reception at the airport. So at the present moment I am in mixed up condition both encouraging and discouraging. New York is very much attractive for me because New York is the starting place of my activities in your country and when I had no place of preaching, one Armenian gentleman offered me a two storied building in Brooklyn with a nice hall downstairs for only $125 per month, but at the time I was paying only $70 for my apartment and I could not bear at that time to pay 125 dollars. That situation continued for at least one year and then I was bold enough to accept an apartment for $200. In this way the Society extended with so many branches and now you are paying $1,450 per month, so it is very encouraging. I thank you very much that you have already allotted a nice apartment for me, an entire first floor, so if I had the wings of a dove I could fly immediately to Brooklyn and enter my apartment. Anyway, in future I wish to go there. For the time being keep it nicely. By the grace of Krsna, wherever I go you all my disciples give me a very nice place for residing and in Calcutta also Sriman Acyutananda and Sriman Jayapataka, who are going to be Sannyasis tomorrow, they have given me a very nice apartment. So I am now 75 years old. I never thought how far I shall be able to travel such a long distance. But as people say I am still younger, then maybe sooner or later I shall come back to New York again. I have seen your many pictures sent by you and they are all very encouraging. Kindly send me more pictures whenever possible. In Calcutta we are trying to open a permanent center. Regarding the proposed wife for Jitendriya, if she is living in the Temple and if she is younger than the boy and if you think that the marriage will be very nice, the girl may be married with Jitendriya. She may follow the footsteps of her husband in all respects and later on conveniently she may be initiated. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bhavananda **Date:** October 28th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Bhavananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 6th, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad to note your feelings of dependence on the mercy of Krsna and Spiritual Master. Yes, that is the way of surpassing the influence of Maya. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that Maya is very strong, unsurmountable, but one who surrenders to Krsna—Maya does not touch him. So, all our books are as good as Krsna because we deal in the books about Krsna only. Therefore, taking shelter of these books means taking shelter of Krsna—there is no doubt about it and if you stick to this principle there will be no attack from Maya. Please conduct the Sankirtana program regularly and that will give me great pleasure. Regarding our new Temple in Brooklyn, Krsna has given you very good chance to serve Him. From the very beginning I was insisting Brahmananda to have a nice place in New York. Now we have got it and Krsna is giving us all other opportunities. Please try to utilize all of these opportunities in His service. It is very encouraging that you have got license from the Board of Education to continue our children's school. Kindly organize it nicely and it shall be a great achievement. We have to concentrate to give them some idea about God—that should be our first business. In art class they should be encouraged to draw pictures of Krsna, Kuruksetra, etc. There are so many subjects for drawing as it is stated in our book Krsna. If they are trained, they will come out nice devotees. It will depend on the process of training. Regarding some misbehavior, that we have to check by training peacefully. Your attitude of tolerance and kindness is very nice, so train them in this way. It is Lord Caitanya's order that we have got to discharge welfare activities on behalf of Lord Caitanya. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls and children. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bhavananda, Aravinda, Pradyumna, Patita Uddharana **Date:** January 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Bhavananda, Aravinda, Pradyumna and Patita Uddharana, Please accept my blessings. I am so much thankful to you all for sending me the first blue print copy of "Isopanisad". It is so nicely done that I am fully satisfied although there are certain discrepancies which I hope will be revised in our next issue. On the whole it is very nice considering the attempt being all first adventure of our boys. I am specifically drawing the attention of Patita Uddharana that you may write articles whenever you find time and hand them over to Satsvarupa for publishing in our BTG.Hope this meets all of you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Bibhavati **Date:** September 23rd 1970 > CAMP: 37/1 Hindusthan Road; Calcutta-29; India My Dear Bibhavati, Please accept my blessings. Your letter addressed to His Holiness the President of Gaudiya Math, Bagh Bazar, is in my hand. Previous to this letter I received two or three letters from you, but for want of time I could not reply them. Don’t be agitated by the false propaganda of some rascals. I know you are very simple, ignorant girl and your mind has been unnecessarily troubled. Be fixed up in your devotional service. Chant Hare Krsna mantra at least sixteen rounds on the beads. If you like to come to Calcutta, you are welcome, but there is no necessity. Where is your husband? Who is the rascal who said that you are no longer my official devotee? You are my devotee eternally. Don’t be agitated in this way. Await my detailed letter following. In the meantime Hayagriva has written one nice article, “the Spiritual Master: Emissary of the Supreme Persona”. That will clear out the whole situation. You try to read it. I think you and your husband along with your daughter should go back to New Vrndavana and live there peacefully. The Spiritual Master never claims that he is God—that is Mayavadi philosophy. But he is offered the same respect because he is very confidential servant of God. This thing has been very nicely explained in the above article and have patience to read it. Our preaching work in India is going on nicely. We have got already two places preaching centers in Calcutta and daily Samkirtan Party is going in important market places. So do not be agitated. You have got all my blessings. Be peaceful and chant Hare Krishna. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dsp.t.o. ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** January 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Since I have come here, I have not heard anything from you. Hope you are doing well along with all other devotees. I heard from Gargamuni that you have received some letter from the draft board accepting our society as religious. I am anxious to see the letter. In the meantime, I have received one letter from Syamasundara that the amount that George Harrison wants to donate for printing of my Krishna (19,000 dollars) had some difficulty for paying directly cash. Therefore, his lawyer, Mr. Allen Klein, has advised him some device. I have already written him a letter in this connection, the copy of which is enclosed, please find. With this copy of this letter, in which you are authorized to represent me, you can see Mr. Allen Klein and do the needful. I have also not heard anything about my bank balance in the F.N. City Bank. Please make my pass book up to date and let me know what is the balance. Also write to me all other interesting news which you may have by this time. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ddb ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** January 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your three letters dated January 12, 13 and 17, 1970 respectively as well as the check for $149.36. Thank you very much. Regarding the confidential letter, I may inform you that a Sannyasi has no connection with his family. That is legal. So at the present status, I have no legal obligation to my family. Before taking to Sannyas, what ever little money I had I have given to them. So I shall think over this matter once again and let you know. Regarding Seattle letter, I have replied the same and the copy, as desired by you, is enclosed herewith. I have seen the Selective Service letter which is very encouraging. Now if our students strictly follow the chalked out plan; namely chanting 16 rounds daily, following the restrictive regulations and reading at least one chapter from our books, then automatically they become ordained ministers. One might be examined by anyone, outsider, and he will never fail the test. So you try to see that things are exacted according to the above plan. Then they are saved materially and spiritually both. There was another letter from India, the World Fellowship of Religions; that I have replied duly. I am so glad that henceforward BTG will be published 50,000 per month and very soon, 100,000 per month. It is engladdening. I am so glad to know that ISKCON Press is going to make some profit, about $4,000, by doing some outside work. But one thing is still the boys require to improve. The printing must be professional, and BTG copy #31 is not to the Japanese standard. Of course, this is the first attempt by the boys. As far as technical work is concerned, that can be excused; but the quality of the paper is also not to the Japanese standard. So side by side we must keep ourself alive not to come down below the standard printers. Regarding opening account in Boston: is there any branch of First National City Bank of New York? If not, then the present account in N.Y. should be continued. Another, separate account in same Boston bank where ISKCON has got its account may be opened. In that case you may send me the requisite papers. I want to continue the account in N.Y. because this account is coming down since I have stepped in your country, and sometimes the bank reference gives good facilities. Last time this bank's good reference resulted in my immigration visa without difficulty; otherwise we were struggling for it for three years. Regarding George's giving us money: I have also received one telegram from Syamasundara, but actually there is no money until now. I shall be glad to know if there is any news from Mr. Klein actually. Regarding the Indian complimentary copies; the following may be cancelled: Nos. 2, 4, 7, 17, 29, 33 and 37, and the following may be added: His Holiness Srimat B.A. Paramahamsa MaharajaP.O. UdalaDist. MayurbhanjOrissaAdvocate, Supreme Court of IndiaSri Barindra Kumar Ghosh M.A. LL. B.57/2 Ekdalia RoadCalcutta-19I am inquiring whether Nos. 22, 24, and 29 are regular subscribers, if not there is no need of sending them complimentary copies. Enclosed please find one picture of Acyutananda which I would like for immediate publication in BTG with the following caption:"Sriman Acyutananda das Brahmacari, who is now visiting Calcutta. We have got a very good friend enthusiastic in preaching Krishna Consciousness, Mr. B. K. Ghosh M.A. LL. B. He is himself a great admirer of Caitanya philosophy and he is holding Sankirtana meetings every Sunday in different places of Calcutta and suburbs. The above picture was taken in a meeting where Acyutananda Brahmacari spoke nicely on Krishna Consciousness philosophy under the presidency of Honorable Mr. Justice P. B. Mukherjee of the Calcutta high-court, he is sitting just on the left of Acyutananda das Brahmachari. So gradually a nice center of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is growing with the prospect of headquarters at Mayapur, the birthsite of Lord Caitanya."Also I may inform you that we have found out a very nice church in residential quarter; and we are negotiation with them, but they are asking price which is very exorbitant. We are trying to bargain, but I do not think it will come down near about $200,000, and the down payment is estimated near about $65,000. Gargamuni has said that he can secure utmost $25,000 and I shall be glad how much you can help them. Gargamuni of course does not like to take from my book fund, but if need be I will have to pay the balance. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** January 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for a letter Dated 21 January, 1970 with enclosure of BTG and "Isopanisad."Regarding BTG, I have already sent you my remarks in my last letter to you and it appears that it is not to the standard of Japanese printing. The cutting of the magazine is not uniform and the paper is lighter. Anyway, this is the first attempt, so there is nothing to be disturbed. Let us improve more and more, but we must always remember the standard of printing and also we should keep this motto in view that to have our own press means to do nicer work than the outside printers. So far the first plates of "Isopanisad" are concerned, I am glad to say that the printing is very brilliant and the paper is very nice. Now if the cutting and binding becomes as good, then it will come out a first class specimen of our work. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** March 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17 March, 1970, and noted the contents. In the meantime, I have also received your note dated 18 March, 1970, along with the new set of beads for Nityananda Das. I do not know how they have been lost from the packet in the mail. But I have duly chanted this new set, and they will be sent securely wrapped. Regarding printing of KRSNA on the cover and Title, it should not be "KRSNA Book," but it should be "KRSNA" in large type on the first line, that is the Title, and on the second line, by way of adjective, "The Supreme Personality of Godhead" should be printed in smaller type. Regarding the salesman's statement that the printing would take 8 months, so we cannot wait for 8 months. They have given reference in their letter No. ODCUMIS-L/70-115, dated 5 February, 1970, as follows; "we would like to show you our rough schedule of typesetting, Printing and binding. Typesetting—45 daysPrinting—20 daysBinding—20 days"So that is a total of 85 days or in other words about 3 months. Now why are they asking so much time? Therefore do not accept a new schedule, which may be 8 months, because we have already received the schedule from Mr. Haru Kugimoto, who is head of their Overseas Division, and his word should not be overruled by that of a salesman. Regarding picture pages, sections of 8 pages together is not nice. The pictures should be just at the appropriate place of description in the text. There are many modern glues which will not loosen for a very long time, so glueing is not a problem. I think that this method of insetting the picture pages is best, and even better if they can be each protected by a leaf of waxed paper also. That will be best. So do what ever you think is best for getting the book ready (printed) as soon as possible. Regarding the almanac, all your subjects included are approved by me. So there is nothing to add, just see that it is finished printing before Lord Caitanya's Appearance day. I have received the new issues of Easy Journey, and I have very much appreciated the color picture on the cover. It is very much improved. Please offer my thanks to Advaita and his assistants. I think all our books can be printed in such small booklets, part by part, and they will be easily saleable. Take for example TLC. If we issue part by part like that, it will be about 5 books. So people will easily buy, and our purpose will be served. Discuss the idea with your colleagues. Somehow or other, we shall overflood the market with Krishna Conscious literature. That will create our prestige, and being cheap distribution, many people will learn our philosophy. Another point is that while BTG is delayed, you can sell these. I am very glad to learn about New York's situation. New York must have a nice Temple as Los Angeles as soon as possible. That will be prestige for New York City. Next weekend, you can transfer my bank money, as addressed by you personally. Regarding color pictures in Nectar of Devotion, this will be nice because Advaita has improved. Even the quality of Easy Journey will do, but I hope he will improve more. Please offer my thanks to Advaita and all the others for taking so much trouble for Krishna Consciousness literature. The address which you have received from Readers Digest is not the same address as I gave you, but whatever it may be, they are a large agent, and you can open correspondence as our distributer in India and settle terms. Send them some selected copies of BTG.Thank you for the enclosure of the picture printed in "Horizon" Magazine, it is very nice. Was there any description printed along with the picture? Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** April 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27th March, 1970, and have noted the contents. In the meantime, I have received your letter dated 30th March, 1970, along with the two checks for $1,592.02 and $256.00. Thank you very much for them. So now when you require money for printing our books, inform me and I shall send you the check. And you may send all checks of money not expended on printing and money from book sales to me. Regarding printing of the books, now you are managing these things in Boston. I want just that the books may be printed somehow, somewhere; that is all. So do it as you see fit, there is no need of checking with me. I give you full responsibility in the matter, but only if there is some critical point it may be referred to me. So far the preface, dedication, acknowledgement for Nectar of Devotion, I shall supply you with these in due course of time. I do not think they are immediately required since you can print the other parts of the book first as you have decided. Regarding a cover picture for Krishna Consciousness-the Topmost Yoga, I think you can make a picture of a devotee sitting cross-legged chanting japa before Radha Krsna Deities. I have read the letter from Raman Publications Magazine. So when you receive the copies of their publications, send them to me, and then I shall decide what to do. I am very glad to know that both Boston and New York centers are blissfully engaged. Now just see things go on nicely. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** April 5th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. When I was going to Europe via New York, I asked you to pick up some file "Vrindaban" ("Radha Damodara Temple") and you picked it. I told you that this file is very important and keep it carefully. I am not finding this file with the consignment of books. Please try to find out where is that file, it is very important. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbP.S. --- Please send immediately 1 or 2 sample copies of BTG to the following address. She is a prospective customer. Srimati Hemanta Kumari Chowdhuranic/o Sri Priyanath ChowdhuriCollegeparaP.O. Balurghat, West DinajpurWest BengalIndia ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** April 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 4th and 7th April, 1970, respectively. So as desired by you, I am enclosing herewith check No. 108/11 for $2409.00 in favor of ISKCON Press, so please do the needful. Yesterday I received one newspaper, the Daily Californian, in which the whole correspondence between Dr. Staal and me is published, and they are very interesting. So if we get one small booklet printed under the caption "Krishna Consciousness Movement is Genuine Vedic Way: a cogent discussion between A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- , Acarya: International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and Dr. J. F. Staal, Professor of Philosophy and South Asian Languages, University of California, Berkeley." This pamphlet will help us in our propaganda to convince people that we have not manufactured something new in the name of Krishna Consciousness. Anyone who will read this exchange of correspondences will be convinced that we hold authority. Still in your country people are under the impression that this movement is another edition of the Hippie movement. I think publication of this pamphlet and distributing them very liberally especially amongst educated circles, business men, and foundation authorities will do a great deal of help. You can consider and let me know your decision. I am enclosing one copy of the newspaper printing for your reference herewith. Regarding the preface to NOD, it will be about 10 to 12 pages double spaced typewriting. On Sunday I have dispatched one reel, tape #31 KRSNA, in which up to point 20 there is KRSNA matter and after that, I think up to point 35, there is the first portion of NOD preface. so you can get it immediately transcribed. The second part of the preface I am sending herewith already transcribed. So you join together these two portions and compose as Preface. You can leave one page for dedication. In my next mail I shall send the matter of dedication. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** April 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14th April, 1970, and I am very much encouraged to learn that things are going on there very nicely specifically in the printing department which is now the most important department in our Society. Regarding George's introduction, it is now definitely decided not to be published. We have already mentioned his contribution in the preface and that is sufficient for the present. Regarding Devahuti, sometime before I had some discussion with her that she will go to India and help in constructing our temple there. So now we are getting our land there and if she is able to help in this connection, then her going to India will be a great service to Krsna. I understand that she has many American lady friends, and if she approaches them, then we can build at Mayapur a place for retired American ladies to live there peacefully in Krishna Consciousness. Yes, if the BTG can be published in the States it will be a great facility because we can print every month. So try to get things done very smoothly by mutual arrangement, and that will give me great satisfaction. In KRSNA chapter #87, on page 4, the last line, it is said, "known as budbuvasa, which is manifested by Govinda." I do not know what is this editing. The correct word is Bhurbhuvasvah as it is in the Gayatri mantra and everybody knows it. This "budbuvasa" is an extraordinary word, neither it is Sanskrit nor English, so how it has avoided the vigilance of so many editors? So if none of the editors knew this word, why was it pushed? There should be no such negligences like this, nothing uncertain should be pushed. Now what other discrepancies there may be like this? Or what is the use of such editing? Everything must be done very carefully and attentively. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. Tape will follow ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** April 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 18th, April, 1970, with copies of printing. KRSNA, the Reservoir of Pleasure and Other Essays is so much attractive I think this book will be sold like hotcakes. I am very much satisfied with this printing work. Although some of the pictures are not on the perfectional stage, on the whole it is done very nicely. I understand that you are going to print further 50,000 copies of this book from another printer. I think this book will be sold by hundreds of thousands. Anyway all the samples that you have sent are all satisfactory. I have no objection if KRSNA book is made to the 6 1/2 x 9 1/2 size, but a picture book as suggested by the Japanese people looks nice in a little larger size. So I have no objection to any size, which ever size you think will be nice for the market you can do in your choice. The blown up page of NOD looks very nice, so you continue this process in the matter of NOD.Now as there is some demand for our books, you overflood the market with big and small books as many as possible. Here in this temple last night they sold six copies of TLC. Now the elderly people are coming to purchase our books. I understand also that you are getting good many orders. The sample BTG issue is also very attractive. So manage things to the best of your capacity and Krsna will bless you all and give the proper intelligence also. The cover picture of the book KRSNA, the Reservoir of Pleasure and Other Essays is so attractive that it bears the meaning of Attractive, Krsna. Thank you very much. I hope you have received by this time my check for $2409, and I understand from Gargamuni that you are going to send me a counter check for $5000.This ISKCON Press insignia is very appropriately drawn. It bears the real meaning of mrdanga or press and mrdanga are two parallel lines. The one Japanese printer has quoted for 10,000 copies of books, at a cost of less than $9,000, so why not print our First Canto Bhagavatam from there? I have asked them if they would give free delivery to our ports at that price, so if they agree, I think the First Canto Bhagavatam may be printed there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. There are some editorial mistakes in the blueprint of The Topmost yoga. I am giving herewith a note Pradyumna. Please send my Bengali small prayer book ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** April 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Regarding the Topmost Yoga, in the blueprint there are many mistakes. I am pointing out some of them as follows: Page 2 ". . . decided to kill his sister." not sisters, because only Devaki was there."The Lord's compromise was that He had Vasudeva propose to the brother-in-law . . ." This sentence is obscure. The actual fact is Vasudeva made a compromise and said to his brother-in-law, "such and such".Then everywhere there is yogins, gosvamins, sannyasins, etc. in many places. The "n" is not required—that I have already informed Pradyumna. On page 17 there is a word "enfuriated"; this is a spelling mistake, it should be "infuriated".Then on page 48: "on the bank of the Ganges near Didbee". This is not "Didbee", it is "Delhi".On page 49 there are so many "gosvamins," but there should be no "n."In this way I have read the book sporadically, not very minutely. I think it should be gone through once more very carefully and all the mistakes that are still existing there should be corrected. If the books are printed with spelling mistakes and other mistakes, that will be a discredit for our publication. So please see that editorial work is done very nicely. Have you got any information of the Prahlada pictures?* Purusottam got them here last year when I was living at Hayworth Avenue. I thought that the pictures were left here, but Dayananda has no information and nobody can tell where they are. So if you can say if it was returned to New York again, where is it now? Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- *I want to publish our book on Prahlada Maharaja with these pictures. ACB ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** April 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of the text proof for BTG #32. I am looking through it now, and will return it to you soon. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** April 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th April, 1970.Regarding printing KRSNA book in Japan because the printing details are difficult here in this country, that was my former decision. In the beginning I decided like that. Regarding NOD, I am sending herewith the dedication as desired by you. The program of hardbound books to be printed in Japan, and softbound printed on our own press is a nice suggestion. So far printing is concerned, I have just received the French BTG, and it is very nicely done, so convey my thanks to Uddhava and Advaita especially. In this way if we can print on our own press, it will be very nice. Regarding travelling, a Sannyasi's name is Parivrajakacarya, that is the beginning of Sannyasa. In the beginning one is ordered not to stay more than three days at a place, but at the Paramahamsa stage, one can stop moving, but that is not compulsory. So I have made my headquarters at L.A., that is a fact, still I may go in an emergency outside (not ordinarily) for a few days, and then come back to my headquarters. There is a gap of some transcriptions—tapes numbers 12 through 16, KRSNA, so please get them done. I shall be slow in making further tapes till I get them back. Please give this instruction to the editors. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** May 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 9th May, 1970.Regarding the dummy BTG, I compared with the Japanese BTG, and it appears that the present one is quite inferior. The price is higher and the subscription card is not to be included, and the size is smaller also. So considering all these points it is inferior to the Japanese BTG. Now because there is no alternative we must get them printed here, but as you are going to Japan, I think you will be able to find out some printer who will be regularly supplying. You have asked me to send you a check for $4,500, but this is for the first time you have asked me to pay on account of BTG, and this point I have already explained to Gargamuni. So far I understand from Gargamuni that you misunderstood me that I want to take the management of BTG I never meant like that, neither I have got any time to tax my brain in that way. So you shall continue the management of BTG, and ISKCON Press is meant for that purpose. Formerly when it was in the hand of Rayarama he was managing separately, then it came to your hand and the management is going on, but you never asked me for any payment in the matter of BTG. So I have asked Gargamuni to send you back the check which I understand you sent to him on this account for $5000. So I am simply interested in the book distribution, and whatever collection is made in this department may be paid to me either by you or by Gargamuni; and when there is question of printing books certainly I shall pay as I have been doing—that will simplify the matter. When you come here I will talk with you further on this matter, but what I want is that I may not tax my brain in the management of many departments. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** June 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I was so much anxious to hear from you in letter. Sometimes when there are many letters I think how I shall reply, but if I do not get letters from you I become still more discomfortable. So you please send me a letter at least once in a week, that will give me a great pleasure. Naturally I am anxious to know how different centers are working, and when I get good reports from them it gives me great solace. I thank you very much that the work with Dai Nippon is going nicely. Gargamuni said that they want to increase price for printing the pictures one side. There is no need of such arrangements, there is no harm to do it as you have got it in TLC. I have received the blueprint from Uddhava and I have already corrected 180 pages and sent it to Boston, and the balance will be sent tomorrow. So there is no anxiety for this. Here presidents from other centers, like Hayagriva, Rupanuga, and Kirtanananda Maharaja, etc. are staying in this Temple. Kirtanananda Maharaja yesterday played the church organ very nicely. We are going to have another meeting this evening with organ playing. So everything is going nice in this center, and perhaps you remember the park which they have constructed, it is very, very nice. So you have gone to Japan, make perfect arrangement for our printing work—BTG, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc., and let me peacefully write books. I wanted the help of an editor. In the present Krsna book everything is done nice, but there are many mistakes, but on the whole the work is nice. So if our books are regularly printed and the magazines are regularly distributed, and occasionally you visit the centers, that will be very nice program. So far possibility of opening centers, it is now definitely ascertained that there will be no difficulty to maintain a center anywhere on the basis of present procedure. The only thing required is that we have to create some nice devotees and expand opening of centers. Gargamuni is very much enthusiastic on this point, and he has recently opened another center in San Diego. Rupanuga also informs that there is possibility of opening many other centers. He was recommending Chicago as a very nice place for opening our center. So kindly you all together help me in these missionary activities and open at least 108 centers—that will satisfy me—and complete the publication of Srimad-Bhagavatam. May Krsna bless you for long life, and engage yourself in this Krsna Consciousness movement. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** June 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14th June, 1970, as well as the blueprints by Dai Nippon and pictures. The pictures are very nicely printed. However, can the color printing be improved on the two pictures titled 1) "Returning home, Krsna and Balarama were received by Their affectionate mothers" and 2) "The joyous vibration at Krsna's birth ceremony could be heard in all the pasturing grounds and houses." If not, that is alright. There is an error in the second caption, i.e. "pastruing" should be "pasturing." There is also a correction in the Dedication, line 3, "In my boyhood ages He instructed me": this "he" should be small "h". And at the end you may add these words: (my spiritual master), the eternal father. Regarding Bhagavatam printing, I have received the blueprint copy of 1st chapter, 2nd Canto, and it is very nicely done. The style is to the standard of my previous books. So when our own press has now begun to print Srimad-Bhagavatam consecutively chapter after chapter then why should we go to Dai Nippon for their printing? Besides that, if some copies of hardbound books are required, that can be slowly done here. I think that simply for hardbound books we may not get them printed in Japan. The first and foremost thing is regular printing of our magazines. If KRSNA book, 2nd volume, is composed and the pictures are ready, then our next printing will be KRSNA, second volume, minimum 5,000 copies, but if we get good response on the first volume, then it may be increased to 10,000 copies. Regarding pagination of each new volume, you can begin each volume of our books with page #1, as you have decided. The first volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam can be printed if it is composed. From second Canto they are printing chapter-wise. That is alright. So otherwise whatever is already composed KRSNA, volume 2; Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS, revised and enlarged edition; Srimad-Bhagavatam, first Canto; etc., any one of them may be printed. In the picture of Krsna and Balarama at Their spiritual master, Sandipani Muni, it is alright that They appear with sikhas. Why Krsna should deviate from the brahmacari principles? I have received the printed copy of Nectar of Devotion. It is very nicely done. The style and the printing are 80% successful. So gradually our policy should be to make our press perfect so that we may not go outside at least for printing our books. Now my desire is that I completely devote my time in the matter of writing and translating books, and arrangement should now be done that our Society be managed automatically. I think we should have a central governing body for dealing with important matters. I have already talked with Gargamuni about this. So if you come back by the Rathayatra festival, we can have a preliminary meeting at San Francisco in this connection. Also, I have still not received those news clippings from Brazil. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** June 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 18th June, 1970, and noted the contents. Regarding the printing of Srimad-Bhagavatam, I have already advised you in my last letter dated 19th June, 1970, not to make contract. We shall continue to print Srimad-Bhagavatam chapterwise on ISKCON Press and when all the chapters are there we shall bind them together. The next book we shall print in Japan will be KRSNA volume II and maybe Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS—Revised and Enlarged Edition if composition is finished. KRSNA volume II is almost ready now. I am so glad to know everything is going well in our Tokyo center, and Krsna will give you all intelligence how to surpass all difficulties of language, etc.; simply continue to work for Him sincerely. Regarding the letter which you wish to send to inquiring persons, yes, if you have the return address to Boston and if Svarupa das can write replies nicely that will be better. But if there is some intricate question he must consult with Satsvarupa. Svarupa can reply in consultation with Satsvarupa, and some of the copies may be sent here so I will see how he is replying. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** June 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. With reference to your sales contract with Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd., dated 6th June, 1970, Reference No. ODC-OMIS-Q/70-308, I have today opened a letter of credit for $17,000 and their expenditure of $33.75 under receipt No. 228760, of date, Pico-La Cienega Branch (308), Bank of America, Los Angeles, California. The arrangement is payment will be made in Tokyo by their branch. You can ask Messrs. Dai Nippon Printing Company to take note of this and do the needful. We have lost $105 by opening this letter of credit. We are loser of $72 for one month's interest on $17,000 plus their $33, altogether $105 and odds. So next time make the arrangement that I pay on delivery of the documents. Another point is that if they don't ship by the 20th of July there will be another loss of $35 to reopen the letter of credit. So they must ship the books on or before 20th July and take payment from Bank of America, Tokyo. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbP.S. --- Can you send some negatives of some very nice color and black and white photographs of our Tokyo center—Sankirtana on the plaza, etc. for propaganda purposes? ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** January 7th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Bhaktivedanta Manor My dear Brahmananda Svami, Please accept my blessings. I have received you telegram dated Jan. 3rd, 1975 which read as follows: TELEPHONED ALFRED FORD PROPERTY TRANSACTION REGULAR GOING LA MONDAY THEN LONDON GERMANY PER DEC 23 LETTER JAYATIRTHA SAYS RUMOR YOU COMING HERE PLEASE CONFIRM BRAHMANANDA SVAMI. See what is the actual situation there in London. Study it very carefully and let me know how things are going. Hansadutta was giving stress to selling records using all tricks, by any means. The incident in Germany has caused havoc all over the world. It is hampering our reputation everywhere. I do not want this record distribution to continue. It must be stopped immediately. I have already informed Hansadutta. Distributing books is our real business, not these records. Has anyone ever become convinced in Krishna Consciousness by listening to this record? No. He will simply think it is nice magical sounds, that's all. But, if he reads one book, he will be convinced about spiritual life. That is our success. So, stop this record distribution immediately everywhere. And stress book distribution more and more. Enclosed is one letter from Ajita das who is the Stockholm temple president. He is expressing the typical type of anxiety and confusion which arises from this record selling business. The Bombay business is not yet finished. I am thinking to go to Honolulu as soon as it is finished and then on to Mexico and South America. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ps ### Letter to Brahmananda, Gargamuni **Date:** July 31st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Brahmananda Maharaja and Gargamuni Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your two nice letters along with xerox copy of press meeting. Satsvarupa has sent me the original signed copy and I have replied him separately. In order to set example to my other Sannyasi students I am personally going to Japan with a party of three other Sannyasi students. Although it is beyond my physical condition, still I am going out so that you may learn the responsibility of Sannyasa. Yesterday Karandhara presented me a check signed by you for $4,000 in my favor, but I have countersigned in favor of ISKCON L.A. as they have already purchased our worldwide tickets. I am starting next week sometimes. I have asked Tamala to come here and Hayagriva to come here. Rupanuga, Bhagavan das and Kirtanananda Maharaja are already here, so I am fervently appealing to you all not to create fracture in the solid body of the Society. Please work conjointly, without any personal ambition. That will help the cause. It is the injunction of the Vedas that the Spiritual Master should not be treated as ordinary man even if sometimes the Spiritual Master behaves like ordinary man. It is the duty of the disciple to accept Him as Superhuman Man. In the beginning of your letter your comparison of the soldier and commander is very appropriate. We are on the battlefield of Kuruksetra—one side Maya, the other side Krsna. So the regulative principles of a battlefield, namely to abide by the order of the commander, must be followed. Otherwise it is impossible to direct the fighting capacity of the soldiers and thus defeat the opposing elements. Kindly therefore take courage. You are capable in so many ways. Let things be rightly done so that our mission may be correctly pushed forward to come out victorious. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Candanacarya **Date:** March 12th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Candanacarya, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your nice letter of appreciation. The kindly words that you have used in this connection are very much pleasing, but all the credit goes to my Guru Maharaja. He asked me to take up this job as soon as I met Him in 1922; unfortunately I was so worthless that I delayed the matter until 1965, but He is so kind that by force He engaged me in His service; and because I am very much worthless, therefore He has sent me so many of His nice representatives—the beautiful American boys and girls like you. I am so much obliged to you that you are all helping me in the discharge of my duties towards my Spiritual Master, although I was so much reluctant to execute it. After all, we are the eternal servants of Krsna, and by the Divine Will of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura we are now combined together, although originally we are born in different parts of the world, unknown to one another. This is the way of Krsna transaction; so let us, with great enthusiasm, preach this cult all over the world and make the people happy. They are missing the central point, Krsna, and our duty is to remind them—then everything will be alright. So follow the path chalked out by our predecessors, and success is sure. I am very much pleased to learn that the Columbus center has been nicely organized since you have gone there and things are going on nicely. In the meantime, I have received news from Boston that Aravinda alone cannot make the layout business very quickly. I think, therefore, if you sometimes go there, help him in this connection, and again come back, that will be very nice. If you so desire, you can remain in Boston and take up the charge of layout business. And sometimes you may go with Kirtanananda Maharaja. That will be nice. Now we are growing, and if we work cooperatively, our strength will also grow, and then the mission will not be checked in its progress. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Candanacarya **Date:** July 12th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Candanacarya, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good wife, Srimati Kasturika Dasi. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 2nd July, and I am very glad to learn that you are now happily married. I beg to thank you also for the check of your contribution for my book fund, it is very welcome at this time and for the nice photographs of your wedding ceremony. So I think you tried to get yourself married sometimes before and now Krsna has given you one very good wife. You are intelligent boy, hard worker and devotee of Krsna and your wife is very fine girl and sincere devotee also, so you both, husband and wife, combined together work for your mutual advancement in Krsna consciousness. That is my desire. I am very pleased also to note how you are appreciating the grace of the Spiritual Master and Krsna for guiding one in the progressive path of spiritual realization. Now both you and your wife simply carry out our instructions for keeping always engaged in Krsna activities according to strict following of the rules and regulations and chant Hare Krsna and be happy. It is so much encouraging to learn that Masturika Dasi is already helping you in your Krsna conscious work. May Krsna bless you both with advanced Krsna consciousness. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Candanacarya, Bharadraja **Date:** May 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Candanacarya and Bharadraja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4th May, 1970, along with a nice tape of Sankirtana and solo song. So it is very nice. Lord Caitanya has introduced a very nice system of self-realization through arts and songs. Both of you are expert in singing and musical science as well as painting work. Now by the grace of Krsna your talents are being utilized in His service. That is what we require in Krsna Consciousness. We do not require to qualify very extraordinarily to serve Krsna. Krsna is Self-sufficient, He does not require anyone's service, but still the more we render service unto Him the more we become happy. The example is given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that the decoration on the face of a certain person is not seen by him, but when he sees his face on the mirror he enjoys. In other words, whatever we offer to the Lord, it is actually enjoyed by us. Just like we prepare so many delicious foodstuffs for Krsna, but we eat the Prasadam remnant of foodstuff offered to Krsna. The whole idea is that everything should be offered to Krsna, and afterward we shall enjoy the effects. You have painted so many pictures of Krsna, and when you see to the pictures you enjoy and at the same time Krsna is pleased. Similarly the foodstuff prepared for Krsna actually we partake for it, but at the same time Krsna is pleased. Those who are cooking for themselves and eating them without offering to Krsna cannot enjoy such blissful life like the devotees. By serving Krsna we are not the least loser, but we are simply gainer more and more transcendentally. Keep this point always in front, and work for Krsna and be happy. I have received some laddus from Boston without any note, but I think it is sent by Rukmini devi, so please offer her my thanks and blessings. Be happy and chant Hare Krsna. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Candravali **Date:** January 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Berkeley My Dear Candrabali, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 5, 1970. I am so glad to learn that you are going to be married with Citsukhananda on Sunday, 11th January, at the Radha-Krishna Temple. I like this marriage ceremony because it has given practical proof of my ideas that boys and girls of this country better be married and engaged in preaching work. By the grace of Krishna, our centers managed by the married couples, like Boston, Hawaii, Detroit, New Vrindaban, St. Louis and Buffalo, etc., are doing very well. Similarly, when you are married, as it was discussed in Los Angeles, you also go somewhere, probably in Mexico as you desire, and organize a center there and start an edition of BTG in Spanish language. Our BTG in French language and German language are improving sales and people are appreciating. So why not in Spanish language, which you know well and I think Citsukhananda also knows well. So this is very good news. I was, since a long time, thinking of your marriage. Now Krishna has given you this opportunity. Utilize it properly and be happy. I am glad to learn that Hansadutta is going to officiate the ministerial function in the marriage, and I think he has got the tape of all the mantras in this connection. So be married, chant Hare Krishna and be happy. This is what I want. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/db ### Letter to Central Bank of India **Date:** September 29th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta The Central Bank of IndiaCalcuttaRESOLVEDA meeting of the President, Secretary, Treasurer and Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Calcutta Branch, at 37/1 Hindusthan Road was held, and it is passed by resolution that a local account be opened with the Central Bank of India, Ballygunje Branch. In the meeting the following gentlemen were present: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:tkda --- Prabhupada Founder-AcaryaTamala Krishna Das Adhikari-PresidentAcyutananda Swami-SecretaryJayapataka Swami-TreasurerOut of the four, checks will be signed by any two. A.C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiFounder-Acarya ### Letter to Central Bank of India **Date:** November 11th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Central Bank of India Amritsar Dear Sir;On October 28th, 1970 I had to advise you to transfer by mail Rs. 1,728 to your Gwalia Tank Branch in Bombay and the copy of the advice is sent herewith. The money was immediately deposited with your cashier and I possess the receipt slip, but here in Bombay your Gwalia Tank Branch says that they have not received the money. Kindly immediately inform me what is the fate of the money. An early reply will much oblige me. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- c.c. forwarded to ManagerGwalia Tank BranchCentral Bank of IndiaBombay-26 ### Letter to Cidananda **Date:** January 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Cidananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28 January, 1970.Herewith, I am returning back the new beads duly chanted. The former beads may be kept with you and if some new boy comes and wants to chant, you may lend him the beads—not to be taken away by him, but to be used for chanting while he is in the Temple. Otherwise, you can keep them carefully and they may be used in some emergency. I am so glad to learn that everything is progressing nicely in Vancouver, and you are proposing to sell 2500 BTGs per month. That is very much encouraging. You will be glad to know that we have now published our book, "Isopanisad," and I have mentioned your good name therein, acknowledging your contribution towards my book fund. In my book fund, not only my disciples are contributing, but also others who are outsiders like Mr. George Harrison who has contributed the entire cost of publishing my book Krishna—the cost will be $19,000. Now we have got our press and we propose to publish many books. Also, attempt is being made in Hamburg for translating all our literatures into French and German languages and to publish them regularly. So with increase of our activities by Sankirtana Movement if possible, try to save some money for my book fund. Please offer my blessings to Ananda, Rudra das, Ravindra das and our new friend, Mr. John. All glories to the Assembled devoteesBe happy and chant Hare Krishna Mantra. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Cidananda **Date:** April 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Vancouver My Dear Cidananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27th April, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. I have referred the matters concerning Ananda, temple management, etc. to Gargamuni, and He will advise you further in this matter. In the meantime, I invite you to come visit me here in L.A. for a week or so, then you can speak with me directly. So please try to come here at your earliest convenience, and that will be very nice. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Citsukhananda **Date:** March 12th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > San Jose My Dear Citsukhananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10 March, 1970, along with the check for $50, and thank you very much for the same. I am pleased to see the newspaper clipping from San Jose State College newspaper, and learn that the students are already attending your Bhagavad-gita class at the Experimental College. I am also very much pleased to have your report of progressing the public interest in Krsna Consciousness. The secret of success will depend on yourself keeping on the spiritual strength by regularly chanting and following the regulative principles, and side by side you have to act on preaching the gospel, and it will go on without any impediment. I was so pleased to learn that the police officer was afraid of being converted and therefore he asked you to go, but with full support for your Sankirtana activities. It is very nice. I am sorry to learn that Candrabali is not there, and she is living with her uncle. Do not be worried, she will come back; and if you give me her address, I shall write to her. Krishna will give you timely a suitable place, don't worry about it. Our leader, Sanatana Goswami, was living underneath a tree, and He was keeping His Deity, Krishna, hanging on the branch of the tree, wrapped up in a cloth—and still He was always engaged in the service of the Lord. So place or no place, we must go on with our preaching work. Please keep me informed about your progress, and offer my blessings to all the boys. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Citsukhananda **Date:** April 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > San Jose My Dear Citsukhananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23rd April, 1970, and I am so much encouraged to learn of your activities in the San Jose area. I have noted the newspaper clippings, and they are very favorable comments. I am especially happy with the article placed by you in the Red Eye, it is very nice presentation of Krsna Consciousness in nutshell. I have also received the check for $50, and I beg to thank you very much for this. Regarding your first question, who is the speaker of Isopanisad? The speaker is the Vedas personified. In the Vedic age a disciple heard from the Spiritual Master messages which were coming down in disciplic succession, so a disciple, whatever he heard from his bona fide Spiritual Master, would recite. The Vedic mantras are known as Sruti, to hear from authoritative source and then repeat it, chanting. So there is no question of who wrote it, it is said that no human being has compiled them. Later on, before the beginning of Kali Yuga, all Vedic mantras were written in books, most of them were done by Srila Vyasadeva Mahamuni and his different disciples. Regarding your second question, in reference to Isopanisad mantra 15, should a devotee ask the Lord to reveal Himself the answer is yes. Unless the Lord reveals Himself, the devotee cannot see Him, He reserves the right of being exposed or not being exposed. The yoga maya curtain is always covering the Lord, and in the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, "I am not visible to everyone." Even in the material world, a man in the position of Presidentship is not visible to everyone. So one has to qualify himself by devotional service, then God will reveal Himself. So this Isopanisad mantra is an appeal by the devotee to move the veil of yoga maya or the glaring effulgence of Brahma so that the devotee can see Him face to face. The idea is one has to transcend the material conditions as well as the Brahma effulgence, then one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here the word "face" means the Absolute Truth is a Person. That is the most important point, that God is ultimately a Person. Regarding the disturbing groups of "Christians" so-called, that is alright. Let them follow Lord Jesus Christ. Regarding their dogmatic insistence, everyone thinks like that, so if one is not prepared to advance more, it is better to avoid them. If one is limited by some formulas only, he is described as an animal which is bound up by the chain of the master and cannot move beyond the length of the chain. So we are concerned with persons who are not chained by anything. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Citsukhananda **Date:** May 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > San Jose My Dear Citsukhananda, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple—chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Sankirtana Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books. Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard. Hope this will meet you in good health, and more when we meet. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Citsukhananda **Date:** July 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Citsukhananda, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distributions of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep a daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Connie **Date:** June 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Columbus, Ohio My Dear Srimati Connie, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your nice letter dated nil. Your observation of the karmis is very accurate. The karmis are stated in the Bhagavad-gita as mudha or fools. They are always full of anxieties on account of accepting temporary things which are not auspicious for their advancement. These karmis can smile very nicely when they take to Krsna consciousness—so our mission is to see everyone bright-faced. Lord Caitanya wanted to distribute this Holy Name in every city and town of the world; and in pursuance of His lotus feet we are trying to advance this Krsna consciousness chanting movement. Try to help us by your life, money, words, and intelligence. These four things are possessed by everyone, the degrees may be various, but Krsna is not concerned with the degrees, He wants to see the quality. If you love Krsna and offer something in devotion, never mind it is a little water, a small fruit, a small flower, Krsna accepts that. If anything is accepted by Krsna that goes to our credit making our path of liberation open. So please try to help our movement to your best capacity, and it will be very good for you and the persons who hear you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Daivisakti, Nayanabhirama **Date:** October 4th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Philadelphia My Dear Daivisaktidevi and Nayana Bhirama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you both so very much for your card dated September 15, 1970, and I am so happy that you are finding your combination for working forward in the transcendental loving service of the Lord to be very fortunate by the grace of the Lord. I beg to thank you for your gift to me of a handsewn bead bag which is very skillfully done. I shall be utilizing it very soon for my beads. I hope everything is going on well with you at your center in Philadelphia. Please set the example of our ideal householder life in Krsna Consciousness. This will be very highly appreciated by all persons who will come in your contact and you will also be benefited. So please see that you all stick to the regulative lines of our devotional practices and keep up the standard of purity as it has thus far been established in our progressive functions in Krsna Consciousness. Hope this will meet you both in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** July 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 25th June, 1970, and noted the contents. What has happened to Dinesh's letter to the Embassy? Please see that this permission is granted. It is very important business. I do not know what Kirtanananda Maharaja has told you, but where there is want of pujaris only Panca Tattva picture should be worshiped by performance of Kirtana and as soon as Jagannatha or Radha Krsna Deities are installed you will require some qualified pujaris immediately. If there is scarcity of such qualifies pujaris, each center should be satisfied only by worshiping Panca Tattva of Lord Caitanya by performance of Sankirtana. I learn that your marriage is already arranged, so I have no objection. I am glad to learn that you are continuing your mahasankirtana, that is very nice. This is our main business. Temple worship is not so important as Sankirtana on the public roads and selling our literatures. Your class schedule is also very nice. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** July 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings for yourself and your good wife, Mrganetridevi Dasi. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 13rd July, 197-0, and I am so glad to know that you are now happily married by Subala at a nice ceremony in Philadelphia. You were for some time feeling agitation and now Krsna has blessed you with a very nice, qualified wife who is an enthusiastic devotee as well. Please both of you husband and wife work now conjointly in full Krsna consciousness for spreading Lord Caitanya's message. You are very intelligent boy, good devotee and good preacher with good experience also. Your wife and you are good match, so take up this work of spreading Krsna consciousness very seriously and make your both lives sublime and Krsna will certainly give you all intelligence how to advance in His service. Please take advantage of this opportunity and utilize your lives for the transcendental loving service of the Lord and be happy chanting Hare Krsna mantra, dancing, distributing Prasadam and literatures, and preaching Krsna consciousness as your life and soul. Hope this will meet you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** September 28th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > India My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your encouraging letter dated Sept. 19th, 1970. I am so glad to know that things are progressing nicely with your center. That should be our constant care—to maintain what we have already established and continue to improve the standard as far as possible in the loving service of Lord Krsna. Your program seems very nice. Your are now six strong devotees, so work together very diligently for the spreading of Krsna Consciousness Movement. Your report of present improvements in the temple and Sankirtana Party and preaching trips to the university campuses is very nice. You are a very intelligent devotee of Lord Krsna and if you turn over your intelligence to Him, He will bestow upon you more and more intelligence how to serve the Spiritual Master and Krsna in full Krsna Consciousness. That is the perfection of your life. So please use your good intelligence for serving Krsna only and do not be misled to divert your attention elsewhere. Yes, here in Calcutta things have been very much favorable for spreading our Movement ever since arriving here. We have got now two centers in Calcutta and things are very promising. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Mrganetra, and all the other devotees, boys and girls, in our Washington temple. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** November 12th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > India My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4th October, 1970 and I've noted the contents with much pleasure. I am glad to see that you are working in the universities. They are a good field for spreading our Krishna Consciousness activities. Try and get all our books accepted in the college libraries and classroom courses. That will be our real success. Dr. Cenkner is correct in saying that Sankaracarya's belief is personal. Actually he is a covered personalist. He became impersonalist just to drive away Buddhism. All of India was Buddhist voidism. So, although a personalist, he had to keep pace with voidism by expounding impersonalism. There is very little difference between impersonalism and voidism, but because he had to bring Buddhists back to the Vedic cultural form, he adopted impersonalism. From the Padma Purāṇa, it is learned that Sankaracarya is Lord Siva, and who can be a greater devotee than Lord Siva? Lord Siva is considered to be the foremost Vaisnava. Please continue to try and convince the world leaders who are in Washington D.C. about our Krishna Consciousness program. Why don't you approach the Congressmen and Representatives and inform them of the work that our men are doing within their states and cities. If they are favorably impressed with our work, they may be able to give us government land and property and so many other facilities which we can utilize to aid all of the population. I think so many men will be glad to receive our books, so please utilize this opportunity. Simply it requires determination and imagination. Maybe you can get the Indian Ambassador and his wife to hold a meeting at which many important men can be invited. If he and his wife are favorably impressed, certainly they can hold a nice meeting one evening. At that meeting you can speak and explain what our movement is and show slides and movies. Make a book table and display all of our books. Never mind if they also like to read from Ramakrishna. If you give them our KRSNA book to read, very soon all other tastes will go away. Please offer my blessings to all the other Prabhus in Washington. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** November 29th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > India My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 9th, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad to note your careful understanding of Krsna Science. It is a fact that there is no one who can claim to be happy who is not in Krsna's service favorably rendered. All others are simply entangled in the tight circle of sense gratification. However, the Lord is very kind to us and He has appeared for renovating the devotional service dormant in the hearts of all living entities in the matter of hearing, remembering, worshiping, etc. So that the conditioned souls suffering from material pangs may take advantage of them and thereby become liberated. It is very good news that your Washington Temple is now expanded with devotees and you are increasing your program regularly. I am especially eager that all our books may be distributed to all the libraries and school-colleges of the world and so far the program of distribution has met with good success everywhere. So you also do it thoroughly with the help of your assistants. The university community is also a prime target for our propaganda work and I am most pleased to know that classes are being regularly taught at the universities and other classes are using our books as texts. You are one of our intelligent devotees, so please try your best to convince the students of the necessity for chanting Hare Krsna Mahamantra. I am very much happy that you have added worship of Srimati Tulasi devi to your Temple activities. That is most auspicious. However, you should not try to speculate on the "level of consciousness" of the pure devotee of the Lord. In the material condition of life the consciousness of the living entity is covered over in varying degrees by the material energy in the form of sensuous body and subtle mind. But the consciousness of the pure devotee is not limited by the influence of maya and so it is never to be speculated in that way. Please offer my blessings to your good wife and to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** January 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26 January, 1970 along with your check for $15.I am so glad to learn that Mr. David Loomis has sponsored a center in the University of Maryland, and fifteen students are attending our Bhagavad-gita lectures. Please organize this center nicely and try to attract the student community. You will be glad to know that Mr. George Harrison has contributed the entire cost of publishing Krishna, and we are going to publish it very soon in Japan with various pictures. It is now in progress and in due course we will receive the books. In the meantime, try to sell the books already printed as well as newly published "Isopanisad", and save some money for my book fund. In every center they have got a car or truck, and they are going out in the street away from the temple to chant Hare Krishna—so you have got this opportunity now. Try to utilize it fully. I hope this will meet you in good health, Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** February 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Washington, D.C My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15 February, 1970, along with a check $15.00 for my maintenance account. Thank you very much for it. I am very pleased to learn how things are going on very well in Washington center and that you are nicely celebrating the various Advent days of our great Acaryas. But I am especially glad to know of your very successful work amongst the students. This is very encouraging to me. I know that the young people of your country are all eager to take up this Krsna Consciousness movement, simply we must sincerely present our program to them in such a nice way by chanting Hare Krsna, dancing, speaking something about our philosophy, advertising and selling our literatures, and distributing Prasadam. In this connection, I may inform you that in order to maintain our status of spiritual strength, everyone of us must very rigidly chant daily sixteen rounds without fail and follow the regulative principles strictly. This is essential for understanding our philosophy clearly and for being able to impress Krsna Consciousness in the hearts of others; so our sincerity in this respect is most important, and all such duties should be observed regularly by everyone. I hope that you will see that all the boys and girls there are following this process, and studying our literatures carefully. Hope this will meet you in good health, and please convey my blessings to all the devotees of Washington center. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** March 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15th March 1970, and thank you very much for the check of $30 contribution to my maintenance and book funds. I am so glad to learn that your efforts to raise contributions towards a nicer temple are now meeting with some good response. Now the Washington devotees have appeared on the television several times, so the public will be inquiring more and more what is this Krsna Consciousness movement. And you say that several hundred people joined in chanting and dancing during the eclipse. All these things are very much encouraging to me. The key to your success is firm conviction combined with sincerity of purpose, then push our Krsna Consciousness movement with unflinching determination. Do not feel inferior complexity. When Krsna will give you chance, you will do more than others are doing. But whatever you do, do it nicely in Krsna's service, and Krsna will bless you. Washington is the capitol of the U.S.A., so your center should be just befitting the position of Washington. If sometimes you come here and see the L.A. Temple and their activities, I think you may improve in your activities. Please offer my blessings to Madhusudana, Kancanbala, Dinesh, Visnu Arati, Denise, and all the boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** March 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th March, 1970. I have initiated Denise Clapper as you have advised, and her spiritual name is Dvijapatni. I am sending her beads enclosed herewith. So now train her up nicely in Krsna Consciousness and when you find a nice brahmacari she may be married. That will be very nice. Then after some time she may go with her husband for starting a new center when they are ready. My idea is to train up many devotees and as soon as they are ready send them for starting new branches. In the meantime, I am very glad to learn of your ten hours daily Sankirtana schedule, and that you have found a very good house for a new Temple. The building and location are very well suited to our needs, so why not acquire it as soon as possible? If you can purchase this house immediately, because Krsna is offering such a nice opportunity, that will be very encouraging. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** May 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Bahulasva Berkeley Rshi Kumara New York Satsvarupa Boston Umapati Paris Harer Nama Boulder Subaladas Philadelphia Rupanuga Buffalo Sridama Providence Jaya Gopala Columbus Vamanadeva St. Louis Bhagavan dasa Detroit Madhudvisa San Francisco Hansadutta Hamburg Citsukhananda San Jose Gaurasundara Hawaii Revatinandana Santa Barbara Durlabh Laguna Beach Gajendra Seattle Gurudasa London Bali Mardan Sydney Sripati Montreal Sudama Tokyo Hayagriva New Vrndavana Jagadisa Toronto Cidananda Vancouver Damodara Washington My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple—chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Sankirtana Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books. Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Arati, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on, and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers that activities will be of the same standard. Hope this will meet you in good health, and more when we meet. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Damodara **Date:** July 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distributions of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep a daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Damodara Maharaja **Date:** May 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Sripada Damodara Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 8th April, 1970, which was addressed to my New York office. I am so sorry to learn that there is a sort of conspiracy by some of our God-brothers as not to give me a place at Mayapur. I do not wish to argue on this point, but according to your advice I have already sent a telegram to Acyutananda Brahmacari and an urgent letter also requesting him to purchase the land of Jabed Ali almost a fortnight ago, but I have received no reply til now. So I do not know what to do in this connection. The money is there, the sanction is there, the land is there, and still if it does not take place, I shall understand it that this is not the desire of Srila Prabhupada. In the meantime, I have also advised my previous son, Sri M.M. De, to see you in this connection, and if possible to purchase the land in his name for the time being. So if he sees you, then please help him in purchasing the land. I am sorry that you wrote me several letters before in English, but they did not reach me due to postal strike. Now I have made my World Headquarters at the above address in our own building which we have purchased very recently at a cost of 20 lakhs of rupees. So in future you can address me at the above destination. Hope this will meet you in good health. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Dennis Kehr **Date:** July 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles [To Dennis Kehr]I think you are very sincere boy, so please follow the regulative principles strictly and chant your rounds of Hare Krsna faithfully. Attend the arati ceremony and take prasada and work hard in the service of Krsna and you will surely experience the bliss of the perfection of life in Krsna consciousness. ### Letter to Dinadayadri **Date:** February 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Dinadayadri, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 22 February, 1970, together with your beads and recommendation from Sriman Bhagavan dasa for your initiation. I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple, and I have already returned your beads duly chanted upon by me. Your spiritual name is Dinadayadri Dasi. Please be very careful to follow the four basic restrictive principles of no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no taking of any kind of intoxicants, no illicit sex-life, and no gambling or mental speculations. Always chant at least sixteen rounds of beads daily without fail, and be happy in Krsna Consciousness life. I am very happy to know that you are to be married with Sriman Nara Narayana and this is very nice. Both of you please accept my full blessings and sanction for your marriage. Work together for your mutual advancement in Krsna's service and be increasingly joyful in your Krsna Consciousness life. This is my desire. Please take continued guidance from Bhagavan das and from your good husband and from other senior devotees and learn our philosophy very nicely. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Dinadayadri, Nara-narayana **Date:** March 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Dinadayadri and Nara Narayana, Please both of you accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your note dated 30 February, 1970, along with one check for $100 to my book fund account, and thank you very much. I am very happy to learn that you are living and working together happily as Grhasthas. Now use this opportunity of household life, not for sense gratification, but for mutually working to perfect your Krishna Consciousness. I am also glad to note that you are eager to bring up many souls in Krishna Consciousness, and that is a very encouraging and responsible program. Just one good soul fully developed and firmly convinced in preaching Krishna Consciousness can reclaim so many fallen souls for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the best way to prepare such Krishna Conscious souls is to train them to up from their birth to follow the principles of Krishna Consciousness. This is possible by good association of devotee parents, so you must keep always fit in spiritual strength by following the regulative principles faithfully and chanting the sixteen rounds of beads daily without fail, then Krishna will give you more intelligence how to engage yourselves more and more in His service, and your lives will be sublime. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Dindayal **Date:** February 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Montreal My Dear Dindayal, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to accept you as my disciple, and I am returning herewith your beads duly chanted upon by me. Your initiated name is Dindayal das Brahmacari. Din means poor and dayal means merciful. Krishna is so very merciful to those who are very humble in their attitude engaged in the service of the Lord. Lord Caitanya advised, therefore, one should be humbler than the straw and more tolerant than the tree and thus be seriously engaged in glorifying the Lord. This world is very awful. Anyone is ready to create some disturbance, especially they are very much apt to disturb Krishna Consciousness persons because that is the way of demoniac life. So, in order to protect us from all dangerous elements, we have to chant the Hare Krishna Mantra regularly being humbler than the straw and more tolerant than the tree. Then Krishna, Who is Dindayal, will bestow His Mercy upon us. Please, therefore, chant regularly sixteen rounds of beads daily, always be engaged in Krishna work in a humble state of mind, follow the regulative principles of no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no intoxicants, no illicit sex life and no gambling or mental speculation and study our literatures and be strictly trained up in Krishna Consciousness with the help and guidance of Jaya Pataka Prabhu. I am very glad that you are finding in chanting of Hare Krishna the highest pleasure. If we follow the regulative principles and program as above that pleasure will go on increasing more and more. So chant Hare Krishna Mantra, and be happy. That is my request. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Dinesh **Date:** January 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Dinesh, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated "nil" and I have also received the package of tapes by separate post. Thank you very much for them. I am very pleased to learn that both you and your wife have been lecturing on Krishna Consciousness at the George Washington University and there was good response to your program. You simply read our books and if you simply reproduce the purport of Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita, people will take it very seriously. So, of course, you must understand the purport and reproduce it in your own language. That will be very good, but someway or other if in some way you present the purport of Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita that will be also very good. The idea is that we should not make any addition or subtraction of mental speculation, but we should endeavor, even if we do not fully understand from our present platform, to present simply the philosophy as we have received it directly and realized it by practical experience. Regarding the Uher tape recorder, it will be very welcome. Our "Dicto-trans" dictaphone is not working and is always giving some difficulty; if the Uher is in good condition, it will be most useful. Also I would like to record permanent tapes at the same time that I am making dictaphone tapes. Can you arrange some device so that one control microphone will stop and start recording on both machines simultaneously? Salt should be added to the vegetables after they are in masala, it should not be cooked directly in the ghee. Regarding recipes for a cookbook, I think Yamuna devi has made one collection of Prasadam recipies so you may contact her in this connection. Please offer my blessings to your good wife Krishna devi and child. It is very encouraging to me that Visnu Arati is being raised from her very birth in Krishna Consciousness and is spontaneously chanting Hare Krishna. No other yoga system can be so practiced even by a little child. If Krishna devi is continuing to feel weakness she may reduce any strenuous activity and increase the number of rounds chanting. I hope her health has improved by now. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Dinesh **Date:** May 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Dinesh, Please accept my blessings. I understand from Devananda that you are in immediate need of the Sony machine, therefore I am sending it through Satsvarupa. You can take it from him, and when you have finished your business or you have got a similar or better machine, you can return it to me. I wanted to keep this machine only for the reason that the mechanical arrangement is easier. The other machine which you have supplied is undoubtedly of superior quality as I see that a few tapes recorded on this machine have come out very nice, but there are several practical defects also. Sometimes the tapes become twisted. Anyway, it is working and Devananda is handling it. If it goes on like this I may not require the Sony machine. So Satsvarupa is returning to Boston today (Tuesday), and you can get the machine from him as soon as you go there. I understand that you are also expected there within a few days. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Dinesh **Date:** June 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Dinesh, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th June, 1970, and noted the contents. I have also received the copy of the letter which you have submitted to the Embassy of India. Regarding this permission from the Indian Consulate, it must be taken somehow or other. It is very important. I am very glad to know that you are maintaining a nice program of Sankirtana in the Washington area. Yes, this Sankirtana is our prime means for attracting sincere souls back to Krsna consciousness, so continue to improve your Sankirtana as far as possible. It is very encouraging that you have received written permission from the police to chant and take collections. This permission is very important. Please send a copy of the letter to me for reference. So it is very good that your sales of literature are very good and improving more. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold, then regularly on Sunday the sales may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to the book fund and to BTG account. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly. Regarding your schedule of temple activities, it is approved by me. So please continue this program of classes, Sankirtana, Deity worship, offering and distribution of Prasadam, and working in Krsna's service. This simple full twenty-four hour schedule will make your life perfect. So your plan to visit the heads of each of the embassies in Washington to give them some Prasadam and explain our philosophy of Krsna Consciousness Movement is very nice. So do it with great seriousness and Krsna will give you all further intelligence. Regarding the proposal of a new center in Trinidad, that is a nice idea. I know that there is a large Indian community there. For the time being just try to train up this nice older woman who is staying with you. Give her all facilities and instruction for understanding our Krsna consciousness way of life.[PAGE MISSING] ### Letter to Dinesh **Date:** August 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > New York My Dear Dinesh, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27th July, 1970, and noted the contents. Yes, I have received the Tandberg Speakers and they are very nice sounding. We are playing the tapes which I have recorded on this machine in stereo and they are very nice. Nowadays, I am not making tapes because of a little blood-pressure trouble. As soon as I am a little peaceful I shall make tapes and send to you as desired by you. The prospect of your opening a new branch is very good. If you can, do it. This opening of centers is required. However, Krsna Consciousness does not depend on the place, on the contrary, it depends on the person who is free from duality. So why another part of the world for opening a new branch. There are many places in this country where it is important to have our branches. I am very glad to note your eagerness for expanding your service. This attitude is very nice and it is required of the devotee at every stage. So do it very enthusiastically with great faith and patience strictly following the regulative principles. Your good wife and yourself should set the example as model Krsna consciousness householders by your careful observance of all our Krsna conscious principles and thus make your lives successful. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Dinesh **Date:** September 25th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Dinesh, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 17th, 1970. Regarding the letter from Mr. Gangulee, it is very nice that he has agreed to write it and the copies should be attached to each and every visa of the devotees as you have mentioned—that is very good proposal. But regarding taking the visas, they are already coming, Hansadutta and Himavati are already here and I have received telegram that the others are leaving London and expect to be here on the 3rd of October. Anyway, you are managing the affair nicely so far, so please see whatever remains to be done is finished up properly. This is an important matter and up to now it is going on well. So whatever you do in this connection, I am sure of its being alright. I am very glad to learn that both you and your good wife, Krsna devi, and your daughter, Visnu Arati, are together in Boston. Your all engagements sound to be very suitable, so please execute your duties in Krsna Consciousness and be happy. I am especially pleased that you are taking charge in the Boston area of placing my books and literatures in the local school-college libraries and you have already had success with placing all our literatures in the two most important libraries of Harvard University and the Divinity School. When I spoke there sometimes back our Krsna Consciousness philosophy was very much appreciated, so I think this is an important place for our literatures to be available to the students and faculty. Please go on with this engagement enthusiastically and Krsna will give you all success in the venture. You are intelligent and hard working devotee of Krsna and Krsna will bless you for this very fine service which you are rendering unto Him. Devananda Maharaja has sent you a separate letter which will be self explanatory. We are having some troubles with the electrical machinery here. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Dr. Chakravarti **Date:** November 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Reader of Philosophy Bolepur, India Dear Dr. Chakravarti: Please accept my greetings. I left Calcutta on Sept. 29 and came to Bombay to attend the Bharata Sadhu Samaj conference and then again from Bombay to Amritsar I went to attend the Vedanta Samelan conference. Now I have come back to Bombay again and the return address should be c/o Kailash Seksaria; 74 Marine Drive; Bombay-20. I've received your kind contribution of some valuable books and I've gone through them with great interest. Although I've had no chance to study these books thoroughly, still I can understand the spirit of the writings. Your tendency to give Srila Jiva Goswami the proper position a philosopher is very much appreciated. Some years back I attended a meeting in Calcutta wherein Pramathanath Tarkabhusan, the learned Sanskrit scholar, was present. He said about Jiva Goswami very highly that there was no comparison with Jiva Goswami and any other philosophers of the world. Gaudiya Vaisnavism is very much proud of having such a great acarya as Jiva Goswami. Your tendency to present Bengal Gaudiya Vaisnavism in its proper perspective is very much welcome. We are trying to present Krishna Consciousness all over the world in a very scientific and philosophical way, and as such your help in this connection will be of great value. I do not know whether it will be possible for you to join us whole-heartedly, but if you can so do, it will be of great value and we can immediately start a Bengali edition of BACK TO GODHEAD magazine under your good editorship. Hoping this finds you in good health. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:adb ### Letter to Dr. R. N. Vyasa **Date:** June 7th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Dr. R. N. Vyasa Indore Dear Sriman Vyasaji, Please accept my greetings and blessings of Lord Krishna, I beg to thank you for your kind letter dated 26th May, 1970.In the Srimad-Bhagavatam there is a question asked by Pariksit Maharaja to Sukdeva Goswami on the sinful activities of the human society. As a learned professor you will understand it very easily why a man is addicted to sinful activities. A person knows in two ways the after effects of sinful activities. Just like a criminal has heard from lawyers that a thief is punished for his criminal activities and he has seen also that a thief is arrested by the police and put into jail. Generally our experience is gathered by hearing and by seeing personally. The question was why a sinful man commits sinful activities although he has full knowledge of the after result by knowing it from authority and by seeing it personally. A thief commits theft repeatedly and is imprisoned repeatedly, and he has full knowledge of it—then what is the cause of his putting himself into miserable condition of prison life? The cause is diagnosed by Vedic Acaryas as the papa bija or the seed of sinful activities. This papa bija remains dormant within our heart in three stages—dormant, seedling and fructified. This chain of different stages of our papa bija is the cause of repeated birth and death transmigration in different species of life. Actually this is the cause of suffering of the living entities. There are many processes for delivering the living entity from this life of entanglement. Generally it is summarized in the process of meditation, performances of great sacrifices and worshiping the Lord in the temple. But in this Age of Kali Yuga nobody can meditate perfectly, neither they have sufficient resources for performing great sacrifices, neither they have tendency to attend spiritual services in the temple, churches, or mosques or any such sanctuaries. Therefore, in the Brhad Naradiya Puranam it is stated that none of these three principles of spiritual upliftment is possible to perform in this Age of Kali. Therefore, the only possible means of spiritual realization is chanting the Holy Name of God or Krishna or Rama. Lord Caitanya propagated this formula of spiritual realization 500 years ago; and by His grace now it is introduced in the Western world, and practically we are experiencing that it is effective. The Krishna Consciousness movement is being popularized here by three principles: by temple worship, by sending Sankirtana Party for chanting in the streets and by distribution of small booklets. Although we have got many voluminous books like Srimad-Bhagavatam, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Nectar of Devotion, Krsna, etc., they are selling less from our different centers, So immediately we cannot think of publishing your Srimad-Bhagavatam for two reasons: 1) that we are dealing with the general mass of people, and 2) we talk with high level scholars only occasionally. Recently we had a correspondence with Dr. J. F. Staal, Professor of Philosophy and of South Asian Languages, University of California, Berkeley, and the small pamphlet is sent to you per separate Air Mail in this connection. So if you send me some of the specimens of important portions of your writings for publication in our magazine "Back to Godhead," that is possible for the present. Thanking you once more for your kind letter. Yours very sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Ekayani **Date:** February 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > c/o Mendoza Bronx, N.Y My Dear Ekayani, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your very intelligent letter dated 28 January, 1970. I am so glad to learn that you are taking very much interest in the Deity worship, and such activities must be accompanied with chanting of the Holy Name regularly. Actually chanting of the Holy Name regularly is our life and soul, and on the basis of such activities all other devotional services will sustain. I am still more glad to learn that your mother is also taking interest. Lord Jagannatha can be dressed in yellow, Balarama in bluish color, and Subhadra in red color. That is usual, but any other color is not prohibited. If your mother knows Spanish language she can be engaged in translating our literatures, and very soon we are going to publish our BTG in that language. So she can be a great help in that activity. I have heard about Vamanadeva in his last news bulletin, and both of them are doing nicely there on account of being sincere to the Spiritual Master and Krishna. From the beginning I encouraged young boys and girls to be married and united together to preach Krishna Consciousness, and this process has proved practical. So when you are also married with a good devotee, you can do the same work and open a center in some place convenient to you. That will spread our Krishna Consciousness movement. I always advise married couples that the male should be engaged in some work; but if somebody is busily engaged in our activities and therefore he cannot work outside, that is also nice. We do not press people to contribute, and even though we do so, it is for the good of the contributor because everything is employed for advancing this Krishna Consciousness movement. The initiated householders are supposed to be Brahmins, and according to scriptural injunction a Brahmin can accept charity for employing the income in the service of the Lord. The boys and girls who chant in the street are also giving in charity the highest benefit to the people in general. So far such Brahmins or Brahmacaris or Sannyasis asking contributions is not against the law, actually that is the way of livelihood for persons who are not karmis. Sometimes such persons in India go door to door for collecting alms. The whole idea is that one should not be a professional beggar for livelihood, but for Krishna's service this asking[PAGE MISSING]Avataras. Lord Caitanya's Abode is described in the Brahma-samhita and it is called Svetadvipa. It is an extension of Goloka Vrindaban. Gokula means "flocks of cows." Go means cow and kula means flocks. Vraja is not different from Vrndavana. Vraja means the pasturing grounds and Vrndavana is the woods where there are many Tulsi leaves. We do not find who is the mother of Subhadra, but she was one of Vasudeva's wives. So far putting kohl on the eyes of the Deities, that is not required. The Madhu demon was killed a very long time ago, in the beginning of the creation. The story may be found in one of the Puranas. I am glad to learn that you are painting and have just finished one picture of Yasoda Krishna. This is a great talent of yours. Regarding taking a job after leaving school this summer, there is no need—rather you should stay at the Temple. You can take Prasadam etc. at the Temple and in that way Krishna will support you; you should not work outside, but you may live at home just as after working one returns home at night. There are many qualified devotees, so you may choose a husband from among them. I am very happy to learn how you are eager to start a new center and have nice Deity worship, so you may follow the fine example of your sister in this way. That is very nice. Just develop your sincere attitude of serving Krishna and He will kindly provide all the necessities for further advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Thanking you once more for your nice letter. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Ekayani **Date:** March 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > c/o Mendoza Bronx, N.Y My Dear Ekayani, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much also for your nice letter dated 24 February, 1970, and thank you very much for your kind appreciation of Guru, that is very nice. I am very much pleased to know that you are chanting at least the prescribed number of rounds daily and studying our literatures so carefully. Especially for girls this is absolutely necessary, and that will uplift you position in Krishna Consciousness. So stick to rigidly following the regulative principles and Krishna will keep you more and more engaged in His service, then your life will be always happy. All this is good news that you are very studious and always busy. I am so much encouraged to hear how you are preaching in the school. That is very nice, and that is your first-class engagement. Prahlada Maharaja, in his childhood, was doing this. As soon as he got some opportunity, he would preach among his class fellows. His class fellows would be astonished to hear him, and they would ask Prahlada, "My dear Prahlada, where have you learned these things. We have got the same teachers, so where have you been taught this?" They were inquisitive, so Prahlada informed them that his Spiritual Master was Narada Muni and he was taught while he was in the womb of his mother. So just imagine how much powerful is spiritual instruction that it was effective even while the child was in the womb. Similarly, if you chant and read, you will also be powerful to preach, and whoever will hear will be converted. That is the way of spiritual life. You are not poor. Of course one should be humble, but a devotee is not poor. Your attitude, however, is that you are poor and humble is nice. But one who is in Krishna Consciousness is the richest person. What value have these material riches got? But when it is engaged in Krishna's service, it is spiritualized. Regarding your question where is the Gayatri mantra in the first verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam, I have explained in my purport to the first verse that the Gayatri mantra "Dhimahi" is purposely invoked by Srila Vyasadeva. This explanation is given on page 53, and in the verse, the mantra concludes the sloka param satyam dhimahi. Regarding the statement in Bhagavad-gita (17.6) that those who are demons parch the Supersoul within the body, Krishna cannot be parched, but one who observes fasting irregularly gives unnecessary trouble to the soul; and the soul and the Supersoul sitting together or the soul being part and parcel of the Supersoul, indirectly it is parching the Supersoul. The idea is that one should not unnecessarily give trouble to the soul or Supersoul. That is the business of the demon. Regarding Ballaba Sampradaya, that is a different Ballaba than the younger brother of Srila Rupa Goswami. I am very glad to know that you are so eager to start a center when you get married. That is very nice. We want to open hundreds and thousands of centers in every town, village, neighborhood, and everywhere. And we want to show ideal householder life also. If one pair of nice Krishna Conscious householders are there, so many people derive benefit out of their behavior. So when you decide to marry we shall find out a suitable devotee husband for you. Yes, you can make nice children's books, and in this connection, you can correspond with Satyabhama who is already working on a condensed version of KRSNA book. And you should continue your painting, then with love and devotional practice your pictures will become all attractive because of the bona fide transcendental subject matter. However, in the meantime, you write to say that you have painted Mother Yasoda light blue color. Please let me know where you have received this information. Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja should be colored as Indians are generally of a light brown, tan like wheat. Regarding Svetadvipa, the information is given in the Brahma Samhita, Svetadvipa, the Abode of Lord Caitanya, is a special portion of the same spiritual planet, Goloka Vrindaban. I am so pleased to know that you are carefully caring for your Deities and that you chant before Them always when at home. So the Lord is very kind upon His sincere devotees, and He will provide more and more opportunities for such a sincere devotee as you to advance in serving and remembering Him at all times. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Ekayani **Date:** May 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Bronx My Dear Ekayani, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your encouraging letter, dated 8th April, 1970, and I am so happy to note your steady enthusiasm to work harder in Krsna's service. So this enthusiasm is very good sign, and if you continue to become more and more enthusiastic to be always strictly engaged in devotional service while observing carefully the rules and regulations, Krsna will surely bestow upon you full success in Krsna Consciousness and thus your life will be happy and successful. Regarding the color of Balaramaji, He is colored like milk white with little bluish tint and rosy luster. Our idea of whiteness is of the milk foam. Regarding whether ivory is offerable to Krsna, yes, ivory is pure. Although it is a bone of an animal, still it is as pure as the conchshell which is also the bone of an animal. The six armed form which Lord Caitanya disclosed to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya had two hands of Lord Ramacandra, two hands of Krsna and two hands of Lord Caitanya. Perhaps you have seen the picture in our New York temple which was brought from India by Kirtanananda Swami. Your question why Lord Siva was ordered to appear as Sankaracarya and teach the Mayavada philosophy to turn the people to atheism and thus increase the population, that nobody can understand. If Krsna desired Lord Siva to do like that, so he had some plan which we need not understand. He is the Supreme Lord, and He is maintaining the huge universal affairs, so how does He do things and for what purpose He does them, it is very difficult to understand. Just like He planned the battle of Kuruksetra and He induced His friend, a great devotee, Arjuna, to kill. So why does He plan to make others atheist, it is known to him. Our business is to glorify Him always, either He plans to dance with the Gopis, or He makes a plan to kill others on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, or He plans to do something which is not very good from materialistic point of view. Our only business is to remain steadfast devotee to Krsna in all conditions. That is the instruction given in Siksastaka, wherein it is said, "My Lord, whatever You like You can do, but unconditionally You are my only object of worship." That is pure devotion. I am so glad to learn that there are two very nice women devotees now coming to the Temple regularly, and please offer them by blessings for advancing in Krsna Consciousness. Take care of them nicely so that they may learn our program of Krsna Conscious life very nicely. Let them chant regularly and follow the four basic principles and they will become firm in their faith in Krsna. If you recommend, I shall initiate them, so you can send sets of new beads with their letters and some donation for the book fund. The standard form is that the initiate collects some alms by begging and offers it to the Spiritual Master as daksina or presentation. That is nice if you get that land in Miami and open a center there. You are intelligent and eager devotee, ready to spread Lord Krsna's teachings, so do it. That will be very good, it is an excellent proposal. So as you say the deep Southern part of this country is virtually untouched, but I think Kirtanananda Maharaja has gone to several places there, and he has been very successful. So try to attract the students, they are our great future hope, and they will take up this matter very quickly because the students are not very contaminated. The first two lines of the song "Haraye Namah Krsna" were sung by Lord Caitanya and His followers, but the other lines of song were composed later on by Srila Narottama Das Thakura. Yes, fix up your mind on Krsna and everything will come out nice—be sure of this fact. Study scripture, always chant, love Krsna—and that is the success of life. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Ekayani **Date:** July 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Ekayani Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your encouraging letter dated 19th July, 1970, and noted the contents. I am so glad that you are now happily combined with Sriman Gopala Krsna, and I think this match is just suitable for you both. You were wanting a very nice responsible devotee husband and now Krsna has so blessed you, please utilize this opportunity nicely and advance mutually in Krsna's transcendental loving service and be happy. Yes, it is very good work that you are doing by making children's books on Krsna conscious subject matter. We have got so many children now in New Vrndavana and it is also learned that in England and Holland the young grammar school boys and girls are eagerly taking to this process of chanting Hare Krsna. So what is learned in the early years of life will not depart for the whole life, therefore do this work very carefully to explain simply and directly Who is Krsna, who we are, what is the material world, what is the relationship of Krsna with the living entities, how we should act in that relationship, etc. And if you can illustrate these books with pictures they will certainly become very, very popular in the schools. Sriman Yogesvara is also doing this work in London. So in consultation with your husband make some nice Krsna conscious children's books and we shall then see to printing them. You are also a skilled painter so I think this venture will be successful. Yes, I am so glad to know that the St. Louis temple is doing so well. I know that Sriman Vamanadeva and your sister, Indira are a very exemplary couple in Krsna consciousness householder life, so you kindly follow their example. Regarding your questions, the first answer is that it is correct that the body transcendental of Krsna and Krsna Himself are nondifferent. So what is the difficulty to understand that the soul of Aghasura merged into the body of Krsna? In other words Krsna benedicts the demons Whom He kills personally with the impersonal liberation of merging with Him. There is a difference between the activities of Krsna which are exhibited to the perception of the conditioned souls in this world and His activities in Goloka Vrndavana. Because Krsna was playing as an ordinary human being, His activities here appear just like ordinary human activities, but in the Spiritual Sky there is no such requirement. There in the spiritual sky Krsna has His activities also but they cannot be understood by the conditioned living entities how they are going on without any resemblance of the mechanical workings of things in this material world. In the Spiritual sky and in the material sky also there is no question of separation from Krsna. Krsna is all pervading, so where can one be out of His presence? Whatever has to do with Krsna is on the spiritual platform and on that spiritual platform there is no difference between being together and being apart from Krsna. So even in the feeling of being separated from Krsna, Krsna is there. So far the Avataras are concerned there are two types. One is called nitya and the other is called naimittic. Nitya means eternal and namittic Avataras appear for some specific function in the material worlds. Nitya Avataras have their eternal abodes in the spiritual sky from which they may sometimes descend to the material worlds, but naimittic Avataras are expansions of Nitya Avataras for some timely purpose. So the non-human forms of Avataras do not have their planets in the spiritual sky. Yes, Mahesa Dama is in the spiritual sky. That is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Brahma Samhita. At the time of dissolution of the material worlds, Lord Siva remains in His spiritual abode while the cosmic manifestation merges into the body of Mahavisnu. Regarding the activities of such great sages and devotees like Parvat Muni and Parasara Muni begetting children, such activities of these elevated souls are not to be questioned by us. They have a higher purpose which we cannot determine; therefore it is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that one should not try to imitate the actions of the Isvaras or those who are very powerful, but one should follow their instructions. I am very glad to know that you are reading our literatures and you are very thoughtful about them. I am always happy to answer your questions, but you should practice to get the answers from your husband and try to find them out by reading further in our books. All questions will be clarified if you simply read our books very thoroughly and follow the simple process of devotional service as we have given it to chant regularly and rigidly observe the rules and regulations. This is our principle that the spiritual science becomes revealed to the devotee from within the heart according to the degree of his surrender to Krsna. You are a very hopeful student and intelligent devotee, so you continue to pursue your devotional activities patiently and Krsna will open your path of Krsna consciousness so you will progress more and more. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dm ### Letter to Ekendra **Date:** January 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Ekendra das Brahmacari, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your good handwriting letter, and I am so pleased to learn that you are joining the Sankirtana Party along with Birbhadra and Girish. I shall always pray to Krishna for your spiritual progress and good health hundreds of times, and you be happy under the protection of New Vrndavana. I am so pleased to learn that you are studying arithmetic so quickly. Five plus five is equal to ten. Two plus two is equal to four. So Krishna plus everything is Vrndavana. Do not forget Krishna, and you shall always be in Vrndavana. Thank you very much. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Executive Senior Editor of Los Angeles Times **Date:** January 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Executive Senior Editor Los Angeles Times Times Mirror Sq.Los Angeles, Cal Dear Sir, With reference to your article in the Los Angeles Times dated Sunday 11th January, 1970 under the heading "Krishna Chant," I beg to point out that Hindu religion is perfectly based on Personal conception of God or Visnu. Impersonal conception of God is a side issue or one of the three features of God. The Absolute Truth is ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Paramatma conception is localized aspect of His omnipresence and the impersonal conception is the aspect of His greatness and eternity. But all combined together makes the Complete Whole. Dr. J.F. Staal's statement that Krishna cult is a combination of Christian and Hindu religion—as if something manufactured by concoction—is not correct. If Christian, Mohammedan or Buddhist religions are personal that is quite welcome. But Krishna religion is personal from a time long, long ago when Christian, Mohammedan and Buddhist religions had not yet come into existence. According to the Vedic conception, religion is basically made by the Personal God as His laws. Religion cannot be manufactured by man or anyone superior to man. Religion is the law of God only. Unfortunately all the Swamis who came before me in this country stressed the impersonal aspect of God without sufficient knowledge of Personal aspect of God. In the Bhagavad-gita, therefore it is said that only less intelligent persons consider that God is originally impersonal but when He incarnates He assumes a Form. But Krishna philosophy based on the authority of the Vedas is that originally the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His plenary expansion is present in everyone's heart in His localized aspect and the impersonal Brahman effulgence is the transcendental light and heat distributed everywhere. In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said that the aim of Vedic way of searching out the Absolute Truth is to find out the Personal God. If one is satisfied only with the other aspects of the Absolute Truth namely the Paramatma feature or the Brahma feature—such person is to be considered as one possessed of poor fund of knowledge. Recently we have published our "Isopanisad" a Vedic literature and in this small booklet we have thoroughly discussed this point. So far Hindu religion is concerned, there are millions of Krishna Temples in India and there is not a single Hindu who does not worship Krishna. Therefore, this Krishna Consciousness movement is not a concocted idea. We invite all scholars, philosophers, religionists or members of the general public to understand this movement by critical study. And if one does so seriously, one will understand the sublime position of this great movement. The chanting process is also authorized. Professor Stahl's feeling of disgust in the matter of constant chanting of the holy Name of Krishna is a definite proof of his lack of knowledge in this authorized movement of Krishna Consciousness. Instead of turning down the request to give Kary's course credit, he along with all other learned professors of the U.C. Berkeley should patiently hear about the truth of this authorized movement so much needed at present in Godless society. This is the only movement which can save the confused frustrated younger generation. I invite all responsible guardians of this country to understand this transcendental movement and then give us all honest facilities to spread it for everyone's benefit. Sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbcc: --- to J.F. StaalProfessor of philosophy and Near Eastern LanguagesUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeley ### Letter to Gajendra **Date:** January 27th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Seattle My Dear Gajendra das, Please accept my blessings, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 24, 1970 and I am so glad to learn that at the present moment you are president of the center; it is a great satisfaction to me. When a Krishna Conscious person is elevated to a responsible position, he never becomes puffed up. Just like a tree when overladen with fruits becomes humble and lower down; similarly, a great soul in Krishna Consciousness becomes humbler than the grass and bowed down like the fruitful trees because a Krishna Conscious person acts as the agent of Krishna, therefore he discharges his duty with great responsibility. You are very much welcome to write once in a month, and I shall be very glad to reply them point by point. I am glad to learn that everyone is busily engaged in Krishna's business and chanting 16 rounds and reading Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly. This is our life. Here also I have introduced in the L.A. Temple 24 hour engagement. When Krsnakanti (Carl) returns, you will learn from him everything how this Temple is doing nicely. Extend your activities to the University campus because the younger generation is our future hope. Bamboo while it is green can be bent and carved, but while it is yellow and ripe if there is any attempt to bend it, it cracks. Krishna is evergreen youthful Original Person and He gathers around Him all young boys and girls as cowherd boys and gopis in His eternal Vrndavana Lila. So try seriously to impress upon the young hearts and you will be successful. Try to get that fraternity house as soon as possible. Your first question: are disciplic successions from Brahma and from Arjuna different? No. Brahma's disciplic succession accepts Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Arjuna also accepted Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So that is not a new disciplic succession. Krishna says in the fourth chapter that I am again reintroducing unto you—so anyone who accepts Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is to be understood as belonging to the same disciplic succession. Balarama is holding a plow, that is His weapon. Jagannatha is holding the Cakra, that is His weapon. Krishna's name is Cakradhara (dhara = carries) or One Who Carries the Disc. Balarama's name is Haladhara, the Carrier of the Plow (hala).Your third question: why does Srila Narada Muni condemn Srila Vyasadeva for compiling the Vedic Scriptures? Sri Narada Muni was the Spiritual Master of Srila Vyasadeva. A Spiritual Master has the right to chastise his disciple any way He likes. A sisya or a disciple means one who accepts the disciplinary action given by the Spiritual Master. Even although sometimes a Spiritual Master chastises his disciple as a fool or rascal in fatherly affection, it does not mean necessarily that the disciple is a fool or a rascal. You will find even in the statement of Lord Caitanya—He presents Himself as a fool designated by His Spiritual Master, but that does not mean that He was a fool. A sincere disciple feels it pleasurable when his Spiritual Master chastises him with calling him such names as fool and rascal. My Spiritual Master sometimes called me in that way and I remember that day always and feel transcendental pleasure. By following His footsteps, you can approach Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu approached Jagai and Madhai at the risk of being personally injured and still He definitely delivered them. The world is full of Jagais and Madhais; namely drunkards, women-hunters, meat eaters and gamblers, and we will have to approach them at the risk of insult, injury and similar other rewards. To face such reverse conditions of life and to suffer thereby the results of actions is considered as the greatest penance and austerity in the matter of spiritual advancement of life. To sit down in a corner without preaching risk and to make a show of chanting Hare Krishna Mantra is condemned by my Spiritual Master and He has written a very nice song in this connection, which I am recording. The substance is that to become very dear to Krishna or Balarama or in other words to Lord Caitanya and Nityananda is to take the task of preaching work very seriously at all risk. Please always remember this and you will be successful. So I see in your letter that you are also being bold in Krishna's service in the matter of the preaching work. You asked me to pray for the devotees, and that is the only business of my life. Upendra is preparing for going to Australia. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** August 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > New Vrindaban My Dear Gargamuni Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. When I was in L.A. sometimes one month back I received two letters from you and Brahmananda Maharaja. Since then I have not heard from you. Although I was expecting your letters every moment. I was personally asking everyone about your touring and I have already inquired from Rupanuga Prabhu about your address. Fortunately Sriman Madhudvisa Maharaja has given me to read your letter dated 16th August, 1970 addressed to him. I have gone through the letter carefully and it gives me a great pleasure. I am so glad to learn that both of you are now chanting 16 rounds or more regularly and murmuring the Gayatri Mantras regularly. Please continue this habit without fail. I am very glad to note that you are now realizing that without executing the regular routine work of spiritual life nobody can grow spiritual strength and without spiritual strength nobody can preach the Krsna Consciousness Movement. Both of you are my great hopes. You have done great service to the cause of the Society and I always consider you as two strongest pillars of the Society. Sriman Brahmananda Swami Maharaja joined me in my apartment in New York sometimes in 1966 and since then he is working so hard for upliftment of our activities and later on you also joined to help the Movement so strenuously. So your service to Krsna in this connection will never go in vain even though accidentally something contrary has been done. So far I am concerned, I am the same Spiritual Father and Guide of both of you and I have prayed all along to Krsna for bringing you back to your good conscience. I hope Krsna is already helping you sitting in your heart and thus you are executing the regulative principles. We have a great task before us to preach this Krsna Consciousness all over the world. I have given you all the Sannyasa order with a great hope that in future you will all work for me. I came to your country to execute the mission of my Spiritual Master at a very old age and by the Grace of my Spiritual Master within four or five years with your cooperation we have expanded beyond expectation. Now if all you Sannyasis work with the same zeal and enthusiasm and if each of you establish another set of 30 to 40 branches with necessary influx of devotees, then I am sure our Krsna Consciousness Movement will prove a solid fact throughout the whole world and for this purpose you have to gather sufficiently spiritual strength. There is a statement in the Caitanya-caritamrta that without being empowered by Krsna nobody can preach the glories of His Holy Name and the only means for acquiring this spiritual strength is to abide by the orders of the Spiritual Master. That is the verdict of all Scriptures. I hope in the New Vrindaban meeting you will all formulate a solid program for advancing this Krsna Consciousness Movement all over the world. Please offer my blessings to Sriman Brahmananda Swami Maharaja as well as all devotees present at New Vrindaban. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** September 25th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Buffalo My Dear Gargamuni Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 12, 1970 and noted the content very carefully. I think you will remember that I called you not Gargamuni but Gargamoney. So whenever I required some money I approached you and you were kind to pay me immediately. So please continue your capacity in this way to supply money to the Society. That will please Krsna. I am immediately in need of $250,000 somehow or other. Collect this money and both of you come here. We shall open a very gorgeous branch in Calcutta. Calcutta is my birth-place, so all of you as my disciples do something unique in Calcutta. That will be fitting service to your Spiritual Master. I hope this will meet you in good health, and come here with the money as soon as possible. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** October 27th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Buffalo My Dear Gargamuni Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 1st, 1970 and have noted the contents carefully. In regards to why you have been branded as Mayavadi sannyasi by society members, that is because you are identifying the Spiritual Master as God. We always represent ourselves as servant of God and you are preaching contrary. The Spiritual Master should be given respect of God but that doesn't mean he is God. That is Mayavadi. You should always remember that the Spiritual Master is the representative of God and should be given the respect of God but that doesn't mean that he is God Himself! You can speak of the Spiritual Master as "servant God" whereas Krishna is "master God". I think this is sufficient to clear the idea. Regarding Swami Tirtha, this is just a rumor because in the past there where such symptoms. Now you should forget about the past, and go forward straight for preaching this Krishna Consciousness Movement. Before preaching of your Spiritual Master as God, you never consulted me whether it was right. This means you were inspired by some external influence. Subala said that it was a mystic influence. Why that was wasn't cleared up until now. That mystic influence was widely spread which I clearly saw in Honolulu, Tokyo or in other words, wherever Brahmananda went. Now we have to forget the past incidences and shall have to go forward with clear consciousness. Regarding punishment, there is no punishment upon you. Rather, there is reward. You have been awarded Sannyas so you have the best opportunity to serve Krishna by preaching His glories. Why punishment? Before taking Sannyas, I told you that you may remain a brahmacari because management in L.A. was with you. Now you have voluntarily taken sannyasa. You may take advantage of this opportunity and preach this Krishna cult and expand missionary activities. Do it sincerely. For my disciples there is no punishment. There is no need for that. One who preaches Krishna Consciousness is supposed to be glorious. Directly write me and I will give you instructions how you can go on preaching. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** November 4th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Coconut Grove, Florida My Dear Gargamuni Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Oct. 15th, 1970 from Coconut Grove, Florida. You have rightly appreciated my real mission, that whatever I have learned from Guru Maharaja I want to present to the English speaking public. Therefore I've tried to present these Vedic literatures in such a way that the common man will be able to appreciate and understand them. Both you and your brother have always helped me in this mission. Now continue to help me in that way. Why are you asking for more men to help you in Florida? As I created, so you must create others; that is Parampara. You are already three; why do you need any more? And you are big three. You just try sincerely in your work and Krishna will bless you. You have written to say that a Krishna Consciousness temple can be established in any place without any material qualification and that is a fact! Wherever Hare Krishna Mantra is chanted, some words are spoken from one of our books, and prasadam is distributed, that is considered a temple. We have no need of any large buildings or palaces. We are simple. Our great acaryas in the past like the six Goswamis of Vrndavana accepted dwellings under the trees. So we do not require any large buildings to do our preaching work. But if Krishna supplies them, we may also accept any nice facility which He provides, but we will strive to go on preaching under all circumstances. If it is not possible for you to collect large money for me, then don't strain your brain; just go on preaching as you are doing. Yes, you are right, the supply of money will come by your preaching efforts. You can approach rich men and preach to them about our movement and its aims. You have got much money in your country so there should be no difficulty in doing this. I think you and Visnujana Swami should remain and open as many temples as you can, especially in Florida. I have asked Brahmananda Swami to join me because I think he is feeling in too much despair, so as soon as he is able, He can join me. In writing this letter to you, I think I have answered Visnujana Swami's points that he has written in his letter. I hope you all three are feeling very well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:adb ### Letter to Gargamuni **Date:** November 28th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Gargamuni Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9th November, 1970 along with very nice newspaper clippings. Wherever we may be, if we are engaged in Krishna's service, that is our success. Bhaktivinode Thakura sung, praying to the Lord, that he would prefer to take His birth as an ant in the house of a devotee than to take birth as powerful as Brahma without any devotional service. The conclusion is that in any condition of life we can become happy if we are engaged in devotional service. Srila Rupa Goswami has said that a person whose desire is to always serve the Lord is always liberated, in any circumstance of life. So I am very glad that you are trying to organize a center in Florida which was our long-standing ambition and I understand also that you are gradually getting good response because they are gathering to an extent of 100 persons every weekend. So the future appears to be very hopeful. Maya is very strong and she can victimize anyone of us at any moment. We shall therefore always keep ourselves vigilant and this is only possible by rigid engagement in Krishna's service. Certainly maya attacked you a few months ago and now again you are determined to serve Krishna; that will keep you secure. I shall always pray to Krishna for your protection. Side by side you also remain always engaged in Krishna's service and thus there will be no chance of falldown. I think your program is going on nicely. You also follow the regulative principles, chant 16 rounds, and keep yourself engaged in the service of the Lord. Also keep me informed occasionally about your activities. Here in Bombay we are getting good response. Our expenditure is very heavy because Bombay is like a European or American city. But Krishna is providing us with all facilities. It requires a little intelligence how to keep pace with Krishna and the world simultaneously. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Gaura Hari **Date:** November 20th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Gaura Hari, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your nice letter dated 26 Damodara 484 Caitanya Era. It is my great pleasure that so many fine young boys have joined this Krsna Consciousness Movement and they are finding that their lives have been saved by this simple process. I have many times expressed my sympathy with the frustrated and unhappy younger generation of your country and it is our duty to teach them this formula for peace and happiness by chanting the Mahamantra. This is the business of a devotee, he himself finds the secret that by simply loving Krsna one automatically acquires love for all other beings and he takes it as the prime duty of life to spread this sublime knowledge to everyone he meets. I am very glad that you have decided to become a Grhastha member of our Society. That is the way of civilized and upright human life. After practicing brahmacarya and training under the guidance of a Spiritual Master the Vedic system is prescribing the asrama of Grhastha for those who are still desiring to enter into married family life. The so-called institution of free love marriage is ruining the human society and it is our duty therefore to reestablish the correct procedure of human life in the matter of encouraging our disciples who wish to marry to enter into a contract of spiritual wedlock. Such contract is made on the basis of compatible service of the Lord because such mutual cooperation in serving the advancement of Krsna Consciousness minimizes the illusion of material compatibility and incompatibility. We are seeing practically that our householder couples are setting an example for all persons that the perfection of happy family life is not based on sense-gratification, but on sincere service to the Lord. I have already replied to Sriman Locana das the circumstance concerning the girl, Lisa, whom you mentioned. Anyway, if you make either this arrangement or some other, I shall be pleased to offer my blessings upon you both in your marriage. Simply be anxious to keep your life, married or otherwise, always on the platform of pure devotional service to Krsna and be happy chanting Hare Krsna. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Gaurasundara **Date:** January 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Gaurasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 22 January, 1970 along with check for $30 on my maintenance account. I am so glad to learn that you have purchased the house with the help of Sriman Balabhadra Brahmacari. I remember the day when I forcibly pushed you towards Hawaii with a charge for organizing our Krishna Consciousness Movement of that island and in the neighborhood. Now by the Grace of Krishna you have purchased one house and preaching our cult and collecting $50 daily. All these are very much engladdening to me. May Krishna bless you more and more, and turn Hawaii Island (dvipa) into Navadvipa. So your center shall be called New Navadvipa, and you shall celebrate Lord Caitanya's appearance day most pompously. I think in the month of March you can hold this ceremony gorgeously and install the Deity at that time. Now I am in Los Angeles, and it will be not difficult for me to go to Hawaii any time you call me. For the time being there is no question of retirement because things are just growing. It requires more pouring of water, so I do not think there is immediate prospect for my retiring. Therefore, as long as Krishna desires, I must go on working, but I am trying to give more time to my writing works. I have received the overcoat-cloak sent by Govinda dasi who is so much kind and affectionate to me. I am using it daily while going on my morning walk, but the temperature here is not so acute, suitable for putting on the coat. Still, it appears very comfortable in the morning and I am enjoying it. I have also received the dried banana, 8 packages altogether and they are being fully utilized. For the time being she may not send any more of them, but I think if she prepares more of them in the sunshine of Hawaii and keeps them in stock, they will not go bad. As you are always thinking of me, I am also thinking of you; and the best thing will be I shall go there by the next mango season because last time when I was there I could not get any mango. I think in the compound on the new house you have purchased, you can grow some fast growing vegetables. One of them should be the squash creeper which I found in the compound of our last Temple. Sudama and Govinda dasi were collecting those creepers daily and both the leaves and flowers are so nice.[PAGE MISSING] ### Letter to Gaurasundara **Date:** February 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Honolulu My Dear Gaurasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10 February, 1970, and I am very glad to learn that you are planning to celebrate the appearance day of Lord Caitanya with a nice ceremony and installation of the Deities at the grand opening of the New Navadvipa Temple. I will be very happy to come to Hawaii New Navadvipa for this occasion if you will make all the necessary arrangements for my passage, etc. Regarding the tax exemption from the Internal Revenue Service, I understand from Gargamuni that it is already filed and you may apply as a foreign incorporation in the state of Hawaii. I have asked him to send you all the necessary papers in this connection as well as an explanation of procedure for filing for state tax exemption. I hope this information has by now reached you and you will immediately do the needful. Hope this will meet you in good health, and please convey my blessings to Govinda dasi and all the boys and girls there. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gaurasundara **Date:** February 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Honolulu My Dear Gaurasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 24 February, 1970, together with your air flight ticket. So far Devananda is concerned, he must accompany me. Two Brahmacaris, Devananda and Nanda Kumar, are attending me 24 hours in so many ways, so if I go to Hawaii at least one of them must go with me. Another thing has developed in the meantime, that we have made contract to purchase a nice church here, costing $225,000; and the down payment has to be made $50,000 within the month of March. So there is a great strain to collect this $50,000 from many sources including from my book fund. Therefore, even if I go to Hawaii, I will have to come back within a week because in my absence the transaction for purchasing the house may suffer. Under the circumstances, why don't you postpone for a future date when the mango season will be current. I do not think it is advisable in this stage to spend about $300 for a short period for our going and coming back. So I hope you will consider the present situation and let me know what is your decision. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gaurasundara **Date:** March 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Honolulu My Dear Gaurasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 March, 1970, and have noted the contents. Since you have requested me so often to go to Hawaii, I must go, there is no doubt. It only remains for you to let me know when is the best time for my coming there. Of course the mango season is best, so please inform me so I can make out my schedule, and you can make all arrangements. Do you have the pictures of Prahlada which you painted some years ago? I think they may be published in BTG, but they have been missing. Please offer my blessings to Govinda Dasi and to all the boys and girls there in New Navadvipa. Hope this will find you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gaurasundara **Date:** May 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Gaurasundara, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to Govinda dasi. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 19th May, 1970.Formerly I thought I shall go along with Brahmananda, but later on I am sorry I was obliged to disappoint you on account of feeling not very enthusiastic to travel. Another point is that I am engaged in finishing the KRSNA book, and if I go even for 15 days, the progress will be halted. Another point is that in this new Temple Presidents from other centers are coming almost daily, and up to the end of May there are already engagements. So all these combined together hold me for the time being not to leave station; but don't be disappointed, as soon as I get opportunity I will come to you. In the meantime, if yourself and Govinda dasi both come here, it will very much engladden me. Brahmananda is going to Japan via Honolulu, and you will talk with him about improvement of our New Navadvipa scheme, and we will cooperate with you in all respects. If you want more hands, that will also be given. And if both of you think that my presence also is very necessary, I don't think it is now very necessary, I shall not hesitate to go immediately. On the whole, all you experienced and advanced students have to manage things very nicely, and if you occasionally come to me here for consultation and necessary instruction that will be easier for me and I can devote my time in finishing the books. You sent three tickets out of which two are returned herewith, and one will be utilized by Ananda. Ananda is a very nice boy, silent worker, I think he will be of great help to you. For further talks you will have good opportunity meeting Brahmananda. I shall be also very glad to know how Srimati Tulasi Devi is growing, and please send some Tulasi seeds to me here. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to George Harrison **Date:** February 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sriman George Harrisonc/o Apple Record Co.London England My Dear George, Please accept my blessings. I am so much obliged to you for your valued cooperation in spreading my movement of Krsna Consciousness throughout the whole world. I beg to acknowledge receipt herewith of your contribution of $19,000 (nineteen thousand dollars) for publication of my book, Krsna, now going to the press within the week. Please note that every farthing of this money will be employed in the service of the Lord, and the Lord is so kind and grateful that He will bestow upon you benediction at least ten times more than that you have done for Him. It does not, however, mean that Lord Krsna is like a business man, and He bestows benediction when He is profited by our service. The Lord is full in Himself; He does not require our service, but if we render service unto Him in love and devotion, such action enriches our very existence. The example in this connection is given that when a man decorates his face, he does not feel much enjoyment because he cannot see his own face. But he enjoys his beautiful face when it is reflected on the mirror. In other words, when a living entity, by rendering service to the Lord, feels happy, the Lord enjoys the situation. Under the pressure of illusory energy, especially in the age of "Kali," all the people of the world are unhappy; but I am sure if they take to this simple chanting of the Holy Name of the LordHare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hareunder the guidance of Lord Caitanya, certainly they will be happy. I know that both you and John are very good souls. Both of you are pledged to do something for the peace of the world. By the grace of Krsna, you have already realized to some extent about the necessity and importance of Hare Krsna movement in the world. Similarly, if John also does so, it will be a great event. John and his wife were very kind upon me when I was staying at Tittenhurst Park as their guests. I always prayed for them to Krsna for understanding this great movement. Please inform him this message on my behalf. I have dreamt something very nice about John which I shall disclose in proper time. In the meantime, please ask him to cooperate with this movement as you are doing, and he will be very happy. Please try to understand the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness in a nutshell: Every living entity has a dormant propensity to love somebody other who is very excellent in his opinion. Everyone of us therefore wants to love somebody else, attracted by his different varieties of opulences. Somebody loves some other either on account of riches, power, popularity, beauty, knowledge, or renunciation. But this loving propensity for somebody else is fundamentally meant for the supremely rich, powerful, popular, beautiful, wise, and unattached Lord Krsna. Everyone is hankering after loving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but none of them has the right information. By Krsna Consciousness movement we want to broadcast this information that if anyone reposes his loving propensity upon Krsna, he will immediately feel full satisfaction, as much as he feels full satisfaction by supplying food in the stomach. Otherwise, everyone will be frustrated. Please try to understand this simple philosophy by critical analysis, and I hope by the grace of Krsna you will be a great servant of His in fulfilling His desire that He may be known by His Holy Name in every village and every city all over the world, and thus the people will become happy. Hope this will meet you in good health and shall be very much pleased to hear from you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Giriraja **Date:** April 7th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Giriraja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 25th March, 1970, recommending Michael to be initiated. I have duly initiated him and his beads chanted by me are returned herewith. His initiated name is Madhavananda Das. I am very pleased to note that you are feeling everything is going on nicely in Boston due to the nice devotees. You are also a very nice devotee, so together work to make Boston center even nicer for the satisfaction of the Lord. I have received your beads also, and I am returning them to you duly chanted. Now please increase your enthusiasm for pushing on this Krsna Consciousness movement and Krsna will inspire you with all intelligence for serving Him as much as you engage yourself with sincerity and devotion. Therefore to keep advancing in your spiritual power always be sure to chant at least the prescribed sixteen rounds of beads daily. This is the fundamental program for advancing more and more in Krsna Consciousness. I do not know just what has happened to your old beads, but you should keep your beads always very, very carefully, they are your direct link with Krsna. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gopala Krsna **Date:** February 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Montreal My Dear Gopala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28 January, 1970 along with a bank deposit slip. Please convey my thanks to Labangalatika dasi for her contribution. Henceforward you send the checks direct to me, because most probably I am going to close the account in Montreal. The reason is that they have deducted $10.08 as income tax because I am not residing there (non-resident). So I would like to keep that account for a little convenience, but if they charge such tax then what is the use of it? I am very much thankful to you for your sending me the sweater, two pairs of shoes and a cap also. Thank you very much. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gopala Krsna **Date:** March 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Montreal My Dear Gopala Krsna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 March, 1970, and have noted the contents. Regarding publication of French "Back to Godhead," for the present you are doing very excellently. My point is that BTG in French language must come out even irregularly. So you are fulfilling my desire in that way. So far our Paris center is concerned, it is not yet started. At last Syamasundara and George Harrison have gone there to find out a place. It may be by the grace of the Lord the center will be started now. There are many big schemes about our European preaching work, specifically advancing the Sankirtana movement and publishing our literatures, but nothing has yet taken a practical shape. Under the circumstances, whatever you are doing is for the good. So until something practical is taking place in Paris, you continue to do this work—that is a great service to the Lord. I am very much pleased with your endeavor. Now, regarding sending me money, I thank you very much that you are always eager to spend for Krsna, and Krsna will give you more and more opportunities to utilize your hard earned money for Krsna's service. Now the office which you are holding appears to be very nice, so I do not think you can get a better job in India. But somehow or other, if you get a chance to return to India on official business of your present employer, that will be very nice. Regarding our Indian centers, we are experiencing some bright glimpse because in Calcutta, as informed to you by Acyutananda, we may get a nice plot of land. So you can save money as much as possible for constructing buildings or Temples in India. The money saved in this connection either may be kept by you under separate fixed deposit in the bank, or may be sent to me for future utilization. I have sent money already to Acyutananda for purchasing a piece of land in Mayapur—that is not yet completed. Under the circumstances, no more money should be sent to India directly by you. I am very glad to learn that you have prepared one long article for sending to the "Illustrated Weekly of India." That is very nice, and if possible write some further articles, either in Hindi or English, for being published in India. Perhaps you have already noted that I have closed my account with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. So whatever money you want to pay me may be sent by direct check in my favor. You do not require to spend any more money for Deity, because Deity is already coming—everything is arranged in India. You simply see that Temple worship and other things are going on regularly and nicely. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gopala Krsna **Date:** March 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Montreal My Dear Gopala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your check of $100 for my book fund account and thank you very much for it. I have received information from the Scindia Steam Navigation Co., Ltd. that the pair of Deities, 24 inches high, weighing about 50 kilograms the pair, will be arriving in Montreal sometimes by the end of May 1970. They will be delivered by the Montreal Agents of the company. The Deities will be carried by the vessel "Jaladhan." So you may note this, and you have to prepare a bigger throne for accommodating the larger Deities. When the large Deities are installed, the small Deities should be worshiped as Vijaya Vigraha which means this pair of Deities may go outside the Temple in a small car as they have made in L.A. This car was made by Nara Narayana, so he can give you the idea. This Vijaya Vigraha may be taken out with Sankirtana Party, not always, but conveniently. In due course of time, I shall let you know the details. Your Temple will save about $400, including the price and freight of the Deities from Vrindaban, India. This money may be contributed to my book fund. I have just heard from Gargamuni that you would like to print future issues of French language BTG in a small size about the size of our "Two Essays." So if you think that this will help increase the sales, then do it with my approval. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gopala Krsna **Date:** April 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Montreal My Dear Gopala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. Thank you very much for your letter dated 16th April, 1970, with an enclosed check for $15 on the temple account in India, Mayapur. Thank you very much for your first contribution. I am very glad to learn that you are doing spiritual activities very nicely and you are always alert to see whether you are committing some offense. This is a very nice attitude. In rendering service to Lord Krsna and His representative the Spiritual Master, we should always maintain this fearful attitude which means careful attention. This attitude will advance you progressively in Krishna Consciousness. Regarding the French edition BTG, your attempt is coming to be successful and the present copy looks very nice. Regarding Sanskrit, you can learn it in your leisure time. For Indians it is not difficult to learn Sanskrit. So, whether you have decided to marry in this country or in India? I think you can marry some girl in the Western country who is in Krishna Consciousness, but if you want to marry in the presence of your parents in India, that is a different thing. In our Society there are many nice girls, so if you decide to marry here, then I can ask somebody to correspond with you. What is you age at present? Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gopala Krsna **Date:** July 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Montreal My Dear Gopala Krsna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 5th July, 1970, along with the new blueprint of French BTG. It is very, very nicely done. The back cover pictures "1510-1970" has impressed me very much. I do now know who is making these layouts, but the things are being done nicely. Except for the face of the type everything else is done perfectly. So until a nicer edition from Paris is published your practical service to Krsna Consciousness Movement is very much appreciated by me. I have met your wife in San Francisco. She looks very bright after marriage. Actually she is the choicest girl for you, as you desired. Be happy with your wife and enhance your knowledge in Krsna Consciousness. I am sure she will be a great help in all respects. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Goverdhan **Date:** March 6th 1970 > 1975 So. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal. 90034LT_700306_D1 My dear Goverdhan Das (G. Aram Hamamjian), Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4 March, 1970, together with your beads for chanting Hare Krsna and your request to become my initiated disciple. I am very glad to welcome you as my initiated student. I have duly chanted your beads and they are returned herewith. Please carefully observe the four restrictive principles; namely no taking of intoxicants, no eating of meat, fish, or eggs, no illicit sex-life, and no gambling. Chant regularly sixteen rounds of beads daily without fail avoiding the ten offences to the Holy Name of Krsna. This will make you intelligent to understand our philosophy, and you will automatically acquire all auspicious qualifications by always being engaged in devotional service of the Lord. So now chant Hare Krsna mantra and be happy. That is my desire. I am enclosing herewith one sheet of standard practices for initiated devotees, for your reference, please find. I hope you will read our books attentively and you should ask guidance in understanding Krsna Consciousness from your elder God-brothers. If you stick to the principle of regularly chanting Hare Krsna and executing devotional service, Krsna will give you all protection in all circumstances of life. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbEncl. --- 1Sriman Goverdhan Das Brahmacary(G. Aram Hamamjian)ISKCON Temple61 Second AvenueNew York, NY10003 ### Letter to Govinda **Date:** April 7th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Honolulu My Dear Daughter Govinda Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2nd April, 1970, and I am very much pleased for the nice sentiments you have expressed therein. But you should always remember that whatever we are doing, it is in the parampara system beginning from Lord Krsna, down to us. Therefore, our loving spirit should be more upon the message than the physical representation. When we love the message and serve Him, automatically our devotional love for the physique is done. I am so very glad to learn that Srimati Tulasi Devi has favored you so much. If you can actually grow this Tulasi plant, and I am sure you will do it, then you must know it for certain that your devotion for Krsna is testified. I was very much anxious to introduce this worship of Tulasi plant amongst our Society members, but it has not become successful til now, therefore, when I hear that you have got this opportunity, my pleasure does not have any bounds. Please take care of the Tulasi plants in the following way. This is the best season for growing Tulasi plants. From 15th April to 15th June is the best season for growing this plant. Now I understand that the seedlings are coming out, so the whole spot if possible may be covered by some net because the seedling stage creepers being very delicate are sometimes eaten up by the sparrows, so we have to give a little protection from attack of the sparrows. All the devotees should pour water at least once in the morning before taking prasadam. The watering should not be very much large in quantity, but it should be poured just to keep the ground soft and moist. Sunlight also should be allowed. When the creepers are grown at least 7 inches high, then you can take them out from the planting soil and transplant them in a row in a different place. Then go on watering and they will grow like anything. I think this plant cannot grow in cold countries, but if the plants are dispatched from your place and if the devotees take care of the plant with a little care in a flower pot, then it may grow. Tulasi leaf is very, very dear to Visnu. All Visnu-tattva Deities require profusely Tulasi leaves. Lord Visnu likes garland of Tulasi leaves. Tulsi leaves mixed with sandalwood pulp and placed on the lotus feet of the Lord is the topmost worship. But we must be very careful that Tulasi leaves cannot be placed on the feet of anyone else except Lord Visnu and His different forms. Tulasi leaves cannot be placed even on the lotus feet of Radharani or on the lotus feet of the Spiritual Master. It is entirely reserved for being placed on the lotus feet of Krsna. We can place, however, Tulasi leaves in the hands of Radharani for being placed on the lotus feet of Krsna, as you have seen on the Govinda Album. I am giving you herewith three mantras for Tulasi Devi as follows:vrindaai tulasi devyai priyaai kesavasya cavisnubhaktiprade devi satyavatyai namo namahThis is offering obeisances, bowing down (pancanga pranam). And when collecting leaves from the plant, the following mantra should be chanted:tulasya mrta janmasi sada tvam kesavapriyakesavarthi cinomi tvam barada bhava sobhineThen the mantra for circumambulating the Tulasi tree.yani kani ca papani brahmahatya dikani catani tani pranasyanti pradaksinah pade padeSo there are three mantras, one for bowing down, one for circumambulating,* and one for collecting the leaves. The collecting of leaves should be done once in the morning for worshiping and for putting on the plates of foodstuff to be offered. On each bowl or plate there should be at lest one leaf. So you follow and practice these Tulasi affairs and you try to distribute your experience to all the other centers, that will be a new chapter in the history of Krsna Consciousness Movement. Regarding your tape recorder which was lying with me, you will get it very soon back. It is now being carried by Citralekha, wife of Upendra, who is going to Australia via Hawaii, and she will deliver the machine to you. I am very glad you have repaired your dictaphone and you are anxious to work on it. For the time being I can send you tapes of my lectures which you can transcribe either directly or through the dictaphone, as it is convenient. Both yourself and Gaurasundara or any other educated boy or girl can edit the transcriptions for being printed. For the present I hope you will be glad to do this work because you are always anxious to see me speaking something. I am sending the tape by separate mail, so immediately begin work. If you find this work of transcribing from recorded tapes interesting, you will have ample opportunity to work on this. There are many tapes like this in New York, Boston, and maybe in other places also. Regarding installation of the Deities for which you are preparing, I wish to go there as soon as there are many Tulasi leaves grown. You are trying to grow mango very soon, but it will be better if you can grow soon the Tulasi leaves. This is more important than growing mangos. So you give your best attention for this purpose and as soon as you inform me that there is a regular bush of Tulasi plants, then I shall immediately start for Hawaii and install your Deities. I think this will satisfy you. In the meantime, I am also inviting you, both husband and wife, to see how this Temple has become very nice—better looking, better facilities—than all other centers. I am sending you herewith one copy of the picture. Please offer my blessings to Gaurasundara and all boys and girls there, and I hope this will find you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- *3 times round the plant both morning and evening ### Letter to Govinda **Date:** June 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Honolulu My Dear Govinda dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3rd june, 1970.I have received the Tulasi seeds and the instructions. Immediately I have handed it over to Karandhara, and he is taking care of it nicely, but the seeds are not yet sprouted—today is the sixth day. So the factual result will be informed to you in due course. Brahmananda took with him the tape recorder for you. I hope you have received it. Devananda several weeks ago sent you one tape for transcribing, so what happened to this proposal? You wanted some tapes for transcribing work, but I have not heard anything from you. Regarding my going to Hawaii, you are repeatedly requesting me, and formerly also I promised, but at the present moment I am terribly very busy. Brahmananda is in Japan for printing several books, therefore I am regularly making tapes for sending to Boston. Of course you can say that I can make the tapes from Hawaii, but there is difficulty that my whole library of reference books is here and it is not possible to carry them all. Therefore I have curtailed my moving. I shall go to the Rathayatra festival for one to two days only. From other centers also they want me to go there. I have received letter from Australia to go there. So by the grace of Krsna now we have got 32 branches. From London also Syamasundara desired that I shall go there during Rathayatra festival. So I have curtailed all these programs, and I am concentrating here. So even if I go there to Hawaii, I do not think that I shall be able to stay there more than a week, and for which you have to spend two men's double fare. I therefore request you and Gaurasundara to come to San Francisco during Rathayatra festival with sufficient mangos, and you will see the Rathayatra, and I have got some serious talks with Gaurasundara and yourself for organizing New Navadvipa. So you come to San Francisco, both husband and wife, and meet me there because I want to see you both since a long time. And after coming there, if you still insist, then I may go to Hawaii for a week only. I think this is not advisable. The best thing would be that you come to San Francisco and I give you instruction for developing New Navadvipa, so that next march when there will be Lord Caitanya's Birthday I must go there. It is my desire that three places at the present moment namely San Francisco (New Puri), New Vrndavana and New Navadvipa should be especially organized for three great festivals; namely Janmastami, Rathayatra and Phalguni Purnima or Lord Caitanya's Birthday. On these occasions not only myself but all the devotees should assemble in these places and we shall meet together for the mutual advancement of our centers. So by all means you, husband and wife, come to San Francisco during Rathayatra festival. Please convey my blessings to all the boys and girls, and hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Govinda **Date:** November 5th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Govinda dasi, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to Gaurasundara. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 5th, 1970. Now I am in India, extensively touring all over the land. From Calcutta I have come to Bombay, then from Bombay to Amritsar, then again down from Amritsar to Bombay, for the last two months. I am trying to establish a center in Bombay along with some influential friends. Your description of past incidents may be forgotten. We are not concerned with past misunderstandings; we are concerned only with progressive service to Krsna. I know that both you and Gaurasundara are sincere devotees and you have done your best in Hawaii in accordance with my desire and the luxurious growing Tulasi devi is giving evidence of your sincere devotion. Kindly take care of Guru-Gauranga, Radha Krsna and Tulasi devi and be happy. Try to make others also happy by spreading this Krsna Consciousness. I like the place Honolulu very much. Last time where I stayed in the skyscraper hotel was extremely pleasing to me, therefore I was induced to stay there for some time. I think that was my sense gratification, therefore Krsna liked me to come here and do some work. We shall always be satisfied with the routine work entrusted to us by Krsna. I hope things are going on well there. In the meantime I am enclosing one circular letter to whom it may concern and I authorize you to print them profusely and distribute to the public so that the misunderstanding created by Sai may be dissipated. Please keep me informed of your activities and I shall be glad to receive my maintenance charges regularly. I am always thinking of returning to Hawaii again and staying there conveniently. It is a very nice place. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Govinda **Date:** January 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Govinda dasi, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated January 3, 1970. I am so much engladdened that you are so anxious to get me in house and make my headquarters there. The proposal is very nice because I have got experience from the help of your husband and yourself how both of you are serviceable in my activities. You are very good secretary and your husband is good editor, so to keep myself under your care will certainly be a great boon. The only thing I am considering about staying in the mainland because the devotees in different centers here can see me if required more quickly then they can do so in Hawaii. So the things are not yet settled up. I am staying here in a house for which they are paying $600 rent. I think so much expenditure will be a kind of luxury for me because I am a Sannyasi, but at the same time a house like this is necessary for me because it is suitable for my working. Anyway, in the next summer, I have been invited to go to Japan and when it is fixed up, I shall start a little earlier and break my journey in Honolulu to stay with you for some days and see things practically. Your description of different fruits and flowers, especially mangos, are very attractive for me. Last year, when I went to your place, I was attracted more from the same description, but it was rainy season and there was not much of the local fruits and flowers available. Still, it was very nice to stay there and especially I was eating very nicely the squash vegetables daily collected from your compound. So, ultimately, Krishna's desire has to be fulfilled. Don't be in a hurry. You are engaged in more important business to organize the Hawaii center and I wish it may be converted into New Navadvipa Dhama. In Navadvipa Dhama there is a railroad station called Samudragarh, and it is said that sometimes the ocean was there. So, on the Pacific Ocean, if you can establish New Navadvipa, that will be a great achievement. I am sure your husband, with your cooperation, will be able to do it very quickly. When I was in London, I was wearing on your cloak daily because there it was severe cold. But this side is very nice. It is not cold at all. So when I get back the coat which you have sent to Boston, surely I shall utilize it properly. I am in correspondence with United Shipping and will let you know in due course about the loss you have suffered. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Govinda Maharaja **Date:** May 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sri Caitanya Research Institute Calcutta My Dear Sripada Govinda Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances. I beg to thank you for your kind letter dated 14th May, 1970, and noted the contents. I last met you sometimes by the 11th or 12th of December 1967 at Mullick's Radha-Govinda Temple, and then I started for U.S.A. via Japan sometimes on the 13rd December, 1967. When I was staying in a hotel of Tokyo I immediately sent my arrival news to Sripada Tirtha Maharaja offering my respects therein to you, but on my return to San Francisco from Tokyo I did not receive any letter from you although my return address was given in the letter which I wrote from Tokyo. Anyway that is a long distant topic. I am very pleased to receive your letter as I was expecting at every moment. I hope by the grace of Srila Prabhupada you are doing well. I am so glad to note that you remember the auspicious day sometimes in 1944 when I started my "Back to Godhead" magazine. I think in the first issue you wrote some article also, and you took the trouble of going several times to the Sarasvati Press for supervising the printing work. It is a great pleasure to remember those days of cooperation. You rightly remember that His Holiness Bhakti Saranga Goswami presided over the meeting in which our revered Kesav Maharaja also participated. But at that time on account of my selecting Goswami Maharaja to preside over the meeting, Sripada Tirtha Maharaja (then Kunjada) and Bon Maharaja also refused to accept my invitation. Anyway, by your blessings "Back to Godhead" although passed through many difficulties is doing well. First of all it was published in Calcutta, than in Allahabad, then at Delhi. In this way at last it has come to U.S.A. and my American disciples are taking care of this transcendental magazine. You will be glad to know that we are printing now 125,000 copies English edition, and 15,000 copies each of French and German editions. These are coming out every month, and very soon, maybe from the next month, we will issue a similar quantity in Japanese language. We have got now 30 centers, and in each center the devotees are going to the streets of London, Hamburg, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tokyo, etc, and they are selling "Back to Godhead" and other books very nicely. The magazines are sold in each center at the rate of 100 to 400 copies daily, and the price is $.50 per copy which is in Indian exchange Rs. 3.50.Since I have come here we have published many books like Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Sri Isopanisad, Krsna Consciousness: the Topmost Yoga System, Nectar of Devotion, Krsna, and several essays; and I have already sent one copy of Bhagavad-gita As It Is to Sripada Tirtha Maharaja, I hope you have seen it, it is published by MacMillan Company. So things are going on by the grace of Srila Prabhupada, but I am getting older, naturally the energy is not so strong, but still I hope to prolong as you all Vaisnavas are praying to Srila Prabhupada that by His grace my life may be prolonged and energy safely guarded. So far I see on the list of complimentary copies of "Back to Godhead" your good name is there as well as Sripada __ Maharaja and Sripada Tirtha Maharaja, so I think you must all be receiving regularly the copies as they are published. Sometimes they are delayed by accidents like postal strikes, otherwise your copies are regularly dispatched. Yours very affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Govinda Maharaja **Date:** September 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Govinda Maharaja, Please accept my prostrated obeisances. Your letter dated 22nd August, 1970, addressed to me at Los Angeles is now redirected here in Calcutta. Perhaps you have heard that I have come back to Calcutta for distributing some of our books and literature and I am staying at the above address temporarily. Regarding propagating the Name of Sri Mayapur as Birthplace of Lord Caitanya, it is going on regularly in our different literatures and books. If you kindly take the trouble of coming here conveniently, I can show you how we are giving publicity to the Birthsite of Lord Caitanya. Perhaps you know that I begged from His Holiness Sripada Tirtha Maharaja a little piece of land at Mayapur for constructing a home for my Western disciples, but he refused the proposal. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura wanted that the American and European devotees would come to Mayapur and the prophecy is now fulfilled. Unfortunately they are loitering in the streets of Calcutta without having a suitable place at Mayapur. Do you think it is alright? I am very sorry to learn that your health is deteriorating due to passing of sugar. The best medicine is to starve. I had one very influential doctor friend, the Chief Medical Officer of Vienna. When I was taking lunch with him sometimes in the year of 1955 he was suffering from diabetes and he told me that it is a disease for voracious eating and T.B. is a disease for undereating. If you kindly find some time and see me at your convenience that will be a great pleasure. You have reminded me of the Janmastami Day and it was pompously observed at our New Vrndavana. We were expecting some guests from India; unfortunately nobody came. Hope this will meet you in good health. Thanking you once more for your kind letter. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** January 27th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 19 January, 1970.Yes. By the grace of Krishna, Gargamuni and others here are taking particular care of me and I am very much indebted to you all; not only here, where ever I go the same care is taken of me. Gargamuni is paying very exorbitant rent for the house where I am living now. It is $600 although the house is very comfortable and silent. But still so much rent I consider a luxury for me. I am so much pleased to learn that your London Yatra activities are expanding and that Ksirodakasayi is very sincerely cooperating. Please offer my thanks and blessings for such cooperation. Next year he has a proposal that he will take 40 of our select devotees from London to India in February, 1971. I am very much anxious for that trip. In that trip we shall travel all over India with Sankirtana Party and thereby we will recruit many Indian sympathizers for this movement. I think at that time we will make our program in such a way that in the month of March we shall lay down the foundation stone of our center at the birthsite of Lord Caitanya. So along with your other activities, you should prepare yourself for that purpose. In the meantime, I am trying to purchase a plot of land there at the cost of somewhere near $3000. We have got about 22 branches and on the average everyone should contribute $150 for this purpose immediately. Big branches should contribute at least $200.It is so satisfactory to understand that you are preaching from house to house recruiting members for our London center. This was the procedure of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda when they began preaching. I think the charity box system will be very nice success especially from the Indian store owners. The manager of the airplane company offered us some place in Bombay, but you have not written anything about it. Is he serious about this? You prepare now all kinds of nice films as far as possible and ask L.A. also to do this and other centers if possible, so when we go to India they will be very much appreciated. I am so glad to learn that Cintamani song is going to be recorded in cooperation with George. Regarding George's money for my Krishna Book, I have not received any news from Brahmananda.*Please send me Mr. Benarse's address in India. The Krishna Consciousness Society will never experience any poverty stricken life because the members are so rich being constantly in association with Krishna; that while others may feel the pinching scarcity enforced by Maya, Krishna Conscious persons will feel the whole world full of enjoyment. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- *Yes thanks we have received the check Brahmananda phoned ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** February 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4 February, 1970. Regarding Visnujana's call to London, he has already replied in Tamala & Mukunda's letter with statement of Visnujana himself. For the time being Visnujana cannot be spared from Los Angeles. There are four experienced workers here, out of whom Visnujana is one, and three have already gone outside. Under the circumstances, he can't go to London immediately, but I have advised Hansadutta to go there and if his service can be utilized in London, because in sankirtana he is as good as Visnujana, then it is alright. Otherwise he will go to Germany. I can follow that Visnujana's service is very much needed in London but he is as much needed in Los Angeles also. So how he can be spared for London at the cost of Los Angeles business? So far brahmacaris are concerned, majorities of advanced students are in London, so why they should be lacking in training to enthuse these new brahmacaris? In the meantime I received one letter from Balmukund Parikh. The copy of the letter and the copy of the reply also is enclosed herewith for your careful consideration. From the spirit of the letter it appears that the Indian community in London will hesitate to cooperate with our movement because they are under the impression that our members are not working outside for earning their bread, but they have taken to this sankirtana movement as means of livelihood. That will be a bad impression and will go against our movement. The court case is pending, and if somebody says against us, that here is a party begging in the street for livelihood, that will be great blot. So as suggested by Mr. Parikh, why some of the new members may not take this work? Anyway, I do not know what is the actual situation. You consider this letter of Mr. Parikh very seriously and try to convince Mr. Parikh and other Indian members that we are not begging for livelihood, but it is for expansion of the Krishna Consciousness Movement, and members who are free are working outside and giving the result of their work for Krishna Consciousness Movement. So you kindly reply this letter what you are doing in this connection. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nb --- P.S. Please secure the address in Jaipur (India) of the Sri murti manufacturers. You will get it from Mr. Goyil who donated the Radha Krishna deity in London Temple. Tamala and Mukunda knows the address of Mr. Goyil or you may have it in your office file. I want such murtis for other centers. Please therefore send the address immediately ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** March 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge reciept of your two letters dated 20 and 26 February, 1970, respectively, and I am so glad to learn that you have been elected president for this year. In India, when there was congress election among the executive members, each year a person was elected president. I think this system may be followed in our institutions also. Of course it will depend on the local situation, but in a round if each person is given the chance of managing the whole affairs, that means everyone becomes responsible officer. Another thing is that so long I have been receiving different questions from the students, now I think all these questions should be answered by the presidents locally. So you study all our books very nicely, and all the doubts and questions may be answered by you locally. In case of difficult questions, it may be referred to me. That will give all the presidents the chance of being skillful in solving the doubts and problems of the local students. I hope you will like this idea. Regarding the three boys whose letters accompany yours, and whom you have recommended for initiation, I am sending their beads duly chanted by separate post. The initiation requires some Guru daksina, so during the time of initiation, the disciple must collect some alms and present it to the Spiritual Master. That is the system. I have received the slides formerly when you wrote that there were four slides, but I received only two. This time there are seven slides. They are very beautiful, and I thank you very much. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** March 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 8 March, 1970.At first, I must thank you very much for your slides and the viewer, which I enjoy whenever I find some time. The pictures of London Temple immediately get me there, and I enjoy your company. So I can understand that everything is going on well in London Temple. The service of the Lord should be so nicely executed that Radharani will bestow upon you blessings, raising Her right hand palm. You have got a very nice wife, a devotee and intelligent. So both husband and wife combined together please see that the Temple service is being executed regularly and nicely, and thus make your lives happy and successful. Side by side, both of you should train your junior brothers and sisters in the service of the Lord, so that in case both of you go for preaching work, the scheduled program of the Temple may not be hampered. We should follow two important lines, namely the Pancaratriki Bidhi as well as Bhagavata Bidhi. The Bhagavata Bidhi is preaching work, and Sankirtana, and Pancaratriki Bidhi is Temple worship of the Deities. The Temple worship will keep us sanctified, and when we shall preach in sanctified, pure heart, the preaching will be immediately effective. So we have to follow the two parallel lines simultaneously for successful execution of Devotional service. Regarding George Harrison, I am sure he will improve now in Krishna Consciousness. Krishna Consciousness is developed only by service. So he has very willingly and gladly served Krishna in many ways. The recent "Govinda" record, which your good wife has sung along with you, is certainly super-excellent, and it has become so nice because of George's attention upon it. So whenever this nice boy comes to our Temple, please receive him very nicely. Give him Prasadam and if possible talk with him about Krishna, and thus he will advance more and more in Krishna Consciousness. When I remember all of you in London, as well as George Harrison, I become very happy because the combination is very much hopeful. I am so glad to learn that George has said, "I don't want to make nonsense records any more." This version of George I consider very valuable. His popularity and his great talent can be very nicely utilized by producing such nice records as "Govinda," instead of producing something nonsense. In our Vaisnava literature there are hundreds and thousands of nice purportful songs, and if those songs, under George's supervision, are recorded, I think it will bring a great revolution in the record making business. So when he says that he does not wish to produce nonsense this does not mean that he has to close his business. On the other hand, he will get greater opportunity for producing finest transcendental records which are still unknown to the world. When you meet him again, you can talk with him what I am speaking to you in this letter. My special thanks are due to your good wife, Srimati Yamuna devi. Her singing songs of Krishna Consciousness, and Krishna will certainly bless her and you all. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls, and be happy. You will be pleased to know that Acyutananda is also doing very nicely in Calcutta. He is moving in very enlightened circles of Calcutta, and somebody is giving us a plot of land worth Rs. 80,000 for constructing a Temple there. When the Temple is constructed, I shall ask you to go there with your wife and preach Krishna Consciousness amongst the Indian community. Sometimes you desired to go to India, and Krishna will fulfill your desire to a greater extent. Krishna's service is so nice. Keep this faith always in mind and serve regularly—your life will be sublime. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. Please send more beautiful slides in plain cardboard frames ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** April 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 24th March, 1970. I understand that the Lord Caitanya's Birthday procession was very, very nice and similarly in San Francisco also they took out a procession in the street, and it is understood that 4000 to 5000 people participated. So this is another introduction to our Krsna Consciousness Movement. Regarding the court case, such kinds of case will come and go. We have to go on with our transcendental business. It is very encouraging that Sankirtana Party is going twice daily, that should be continued. Other things will be adjusted by the grace of Krsna. I talked with Gargamuni, you can immediately begin the incense business. It is not very difficult and you can do very nice business in London. From Holland you can get very good scents. Holland is a great center of manufacturing essential oils. One thing, all other centers print the Acarya's name on the letterhead of their stationary—you should also do that. And every center contributes $15 monthly towards my maintenance fund, so you also try to contribute this monthly. Besides that, in your book list I don't find the name of Srimad-Bhagavatam. You should have all the books in stock always. If you have not got any Srimad-Bhagavatams in stock, just order them from Brahmananda. Also, I have not heard anything from Ksirodakasayi in some time. So let me know how he is doing. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** April 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge reciept of your letter dated 6th April, 1970, and the information therein are all very encouraging. It appears that under your management everything is going on systematically. So by the grace of Krsna both your wife and yourself are endowed with great responsibility. Kindly manage things very intelligently and always feel yourself completely dependent on Krsna's protection. BTG is my life and soul. Please therefore try to distribute BTG as many as it is possible. I started this magazine in 1947 in my householder life. I was spending Rs. 300 to 400 at the time ($300 to 400 in your exchange), and I was distributing this magazine without any consideration how much I was getting in return. Practically the whole money was spent without any return. But ten years after, from 1954 to 1959, the struggle was very hard because at that time I had no money and alone I was editing, publishing, and securing money for publication. So it was a great struggle. My ambition was that I would publish BTG in huge quantity so that people may understand transcendental blessings of Lord Caitanya. Now, since I have come to your country, I have entrusted the matter to my beloved American boys and girls, and I wish to see that this magazine is published and distributed in the American way like "Readers Digest", "Life" etc., published in millions and distributed all over the world. Actually the position of BTG should be more important than any mundane magazine because it contains the quintessence of human necessities. You can immediately transfer my maintenance fund to Pico-La Cienega Branch (308), Bank of America, 8501 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90035; account No. 3081-61625 (Checking).So far incense business is concerned, you can do very nicely as they are doing it here. Gargamuni will cooperate fully in this connection, and both Jivananda and Mukunda are very intelligent boys. So do it nicely. Regarding Sanskrit class, it is very encouraging that Mr. Parikh is helping you in this connection, but the chief aim for learning Sanskrit would be how to pronounce the Sanskrit verses especially in our published books just like you have already chanted the Govinda verses in the record. Similarly all the verses you have to chant combinedly and melodiously along with musical instruments, and it will be a great charm to the people of the world. When we shall lead our World Sankirtana Party at that time if we can demonstrate the chanting of the mantras as they are stated in Isopanisad, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Brahma Samhita, that will be our unique position. Therefore the main aim of this Sanskrit class should be how you can learn this chanting in the proper accent. It is not our aim to become a Sanskrit scholar. Regarding the three couples staying with George, I think if there is no contemplation of starting a new Radha Krsna temple there, simply to take advantage of staying there is no good. Temporarily we may take advantage of it, but as soon as possible the devotees must live together and execute our Krishna Conscious business in right earnest. So I hope you shall altogether consult and do the needful. Not a single moment should be wasted—that is very important thing. We shall not act anything which has no connection directly with Krishna Consciousness business. Regarding Digvijaya and Pritha, if you have decided to get them married as fit match, then I have all my blessings and sanction. When Trivikrama comes to this side, my books which I have left in my room may be sent along with him. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** April 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I have just made arrangements for marble Deities to be made for our centers. They will be manufactured just to the standard of our London Deities. I have opened negotiations with one Jaipur Murti maker, and in this connection he has requested a photograph accurate for his manufacturing purpose. So please send a full size photograph without any dress up to: Sri Surajnarain NathaMool Chand Ram Chand NathaMarble Quarries, Factory Owners and ContractorsKhazanewalon Ka RastaJaipur-1, (Rajasthan)IndiaPlease take this photograph of the Deities without Their clothes on and send it immediately by airmail to the manufacturers. Please treat this matter as urgent. Thank you very much. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbP.S. --- You can send the negatives and one print here to me also ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** May 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple—chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Sankirtana Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books. Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard. Hope this will meet you in good health, and more when we meet. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** May 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 30th April, 1970, and I have noted the contents carefully. I have also received the list of all the cities and towns in England, and thank you very much. It is my desire that you open a center in each and every one of these places, and that will help to fulfill the prophecy of Lord Caitanya that His Holy Name will be sung in every city and town all over the globe. I am so glad to learn that things are going on nicely in our London Temple. The most important point in this letter is second time initiation of some of the devotees, specifically Jaya Hari Das Brahmacari, Jyotirmayidevi Dasi, and Mandakinidevi Dasi. So I am sending herewith the sanctified Gayatri Mantra Tape and papers for holding the ceremony, as well as a sacred thread and special instructions for the devotees with the Gayatri Mantra. Now what we have to do is to hold the Gayatri Mantra ceremony according to the instruction paper, then at the end teach Jaya Hari personally how to count on the finger divisions. Then play the Gayatri Mantra tape for him, and let him repeat the Mantras along with my vibration, word-to-word, and then hang the Sacred Thread on his neck as usual. The girls don't require Sacred Thread, as you know, but they simply can responsively chant the Gayatri Mantras. In each individual case the instruction should be given and the mantra replayed. This Gayatri Mantra function should be held amongst the devotees only. While Trivikrama is coming here, the books which I have left in London—one large Bhagavatam, one small Bhakti-Rasamrta Sindhu, and maybe other books—he may bring here. So I am awaiting his arrival along with the books very soon. Please offer my blessings to Srimati Yamuna Dasi, and to all the other devotees there in London. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** May 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I hope by this time you have received my letter dated 6th May, 1970, along with papers, tapes, etc. I have received one letter from Balmukund Parikh, the copy of which is enclosed herewith. It is understood that he is introducing something new in the name of teaching Devanagari script. The prayer of the Spiritual Master as he has quoted has no use for us, it is completely impersonal. This prayer immediately must be stopped. Another thing is he asked me about Aurobindo's estimation. This means that he gradually wants to introduce Aurobindo philosophy. All these things do not sound very nice. Please let me know what is the necessity of learning Devanagari script. We are transliterating all our books—Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Brahma Samhita, etc.—in Roman type, So why you should waste your time in learning Devanagari script? So I am very much anxious to know what is the actual situation because I can scent that Mr. Parikh wants to introduce something in my absence which is completely against Krsna Consciousness. I hope you will understand me right and reply this letter by return mail what is the actual situation. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** May 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated May 8th and 14th, 1970, respectively. Previous to this I received one letter from Yamuna dated 8th May, 1970.Regarding the letter dated 8th May, you write therein "the enclosed are humble offerings from all of your disciples here," but I have not received any enclosures. I am very glad that Trivikrama is helping you there, and he may stay as long as he likes. Rather I would like him to stay there to assist you. So regarding my books, you may keep them packed, and when he comes back he can bring them, or if I require them urgently I will write you, for the present there is no haste. It is very good news that you have now received permission for the Rathayatra festival and Murari and Syamasundara are constructing the Ratha. But I do not know if you are preparing three Rathas. In San Francisco they are preparing three Rathas this year. If Mr. Dindayal is impressed, and he wants to start a nice Temple of Radha-Krsna in the British Guinea, certainly we will be very much pleased, but the Temple should be on the principle of our London Temple which is not for any particular sect of persons but for all human beings. Anyone who takes to Krsna Consciousness is welcome—that is our mission. Regarding the proposed trip to Kenya, the next step I have already advised to Tamala in this connection. I understand he is coming to London very soon, and you can discuss with him. But one thing is that Mr. Parikh was talking of this Sankirtana Party to Africa since a very long time. There is no direct correspondence with us. It is difficult to say how it will be a fact in future. Regarding requirements and recommendations in the Vedic system of selecting partners for marriage, there is a Vedic system, but that cannot be done here. It should be made under the guidance of the guardians and the selection should be made on the basis of astrological equilibrium. So it is not possible to introduce such system in the present age. The only selection is that both the boy and the girl should be Krsna conscious, and the boy may be older than the girl at least by 2 to 5 years. Your first question about the jiva's form with particular reference to Bhagavad-gita 8/18 purport "during the nighttime they have no form." "During the nightime they have no form" means there is no material form. The simple understanding is as we are transmigrating from one material form to another, so actually in this material world we have no fixed form. Similarly when we are spiritually perfect we develop the spiritual form to live eternally in the spiritual world. In the spiritual world there are exactly the same things as we see here; namely the land, water, trees, birds, beasts, human beings, etc., and all of them are spiritual as all the varieties here are material. So these things can be understood when one is advanced in self-realization. The real form of the living entity is eternal servant of Krsna. Now this spiritual form is developed when he enters into the spiritual world. Regarding your second question, "Where in our scriptures is there mention of Lord Jesus Christ as recognized and what is the purport?"—We do not find in the scriptures Lord Jesus Christ's name. There is mention of Lord Buddha's name which is described in our Srimad-Bhagavatam. So far we are concerned, we have all our obeisances for Lord Jesus Christ because His whole life was devoted to the service of the Lord. With reference to your letter dated 14th May, I am surprised how you allowed Mr. Parikh to sit on the Vyasasana. You know that Vyasasana is meant for the representative of Vyasadeva, the Spiritual Master, but Mr. Parikh does not come in the Parampara to become the representative of Vyasa, neither he has any sound knowledge of Vaisnava principles. I understand from your letter that sometimes discussions on Aurobindo philosophy are done by Mr. Parikh from the Vyasasana, so I am a little surprised how did you allow like this. I think you should rectify immediately all these mistakes as stated by you in the last two lines of your letter, "I think the best thing to do is stop his class. Nonsense ought not to be tolerated."Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** June 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters both dated 26th May, 1970.So I was sure that you could not allow anyone to sit on the Vyasasana, and therefore when I read your statement I was little surprised. Anyway, that is alright. I hope your arrangements for Rathayatra festival are going on and Yamuna devi is taking nice care of the Deities. I can understand from the record album that your devotional feelings have improved. So keep this standard intact. In India the "Kalyana" magazine has published a nice description of our movement, and they have very much appreciated about my regulative principles. So keep this standard rigidly intact so the Indians may not be able to criticize in the matter of managing our temples. I am sure if you simply follow the instructions I have already given there will be no difficulty. Sometimes back I wrote you if the government can give us land in the Regent Park for constructing a big temple on the Indian style. I have not received any information about it. If possible try and get the information. I have not heard from Mukunda for a long time. Please keep me informed at least once in a fortnight about the good progress of your temple. KRSNA book will be ready by Rathayatra festival. When you take the procession on the street, always keep our books and magazines ready for distribution. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** June 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th June, 1970. The boy to be initiated (Thomas Hegerty) has not yet sent the beads, so I am expecting his beads as well as diksa (Some donation).Yes, if the Regent Park land is available, then we can try to raise funds to construct a nice temple. I am so glad to hear that many new boys are coming to London temple and they are of good calibre intelligence and seriousness. Yes, this is a nice sign. If some intelligent persons join us, then our movement may advance swiftly. This is encouraging. But intelligence or no intelligence, if some way or other somebody comes and sticks to the principles automatically he becomes intelligent. I have received one letter from Tamala that there is invitation from Africa. I will be glad to know about this. I shall send 25 copies of KRSNA on or before the Rathayatra. I wish that the selling of this important book be begun on this auspicious day. I have not heard for a long time either from Syamasundara or Mukunda, neither from their wives. But I am pleased that everything is going on nicely. That is alright. I have informed Hansadutta that the five students in Hamburg who are now ready to receive Gayatri may do so when they visit your London temple during Rathayatra celebration. So I think you know all the procedures by now and you may give them the Gayatri as I have already prescribed by using the tape record of the mantras and performing the fire sacrifice. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** June 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distribution of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** October 5th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Bombay My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings you all. You are welcome in India. Now my going to Bombay is postponed and my enclosed letter to Sri Bajoriaji will speak for itself. Now if your preaching work in Bombay is going nicely, then you can stay there for some time and do preaching work as they are doing here in Calcutta. Otherwise, you can immediately come here and work jointly. We are expecting to have our own place by the end of this month. When you come, you should send a telegram with the details of your arrival. If you interested to open a branch in Bombay, you can see the following gentleman and he will help you. Dr. Ram Candra Pal62, Keluskar RoadSivaji Park DadarBombay-28 Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** November 1st 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Delhi My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I have safely reached Bombay and there was a nice reception. I am now staying at Chembur at the above address. I hope everything is progressing well with you in Delhi. Please let me know how things are going on there. I am enclosing herewith one letter from Atma Ram and Sons, Booksellers; please take it with you to see them and show them our books and literatures and make some arrangement for their taking some of them for distribution. When you inform me what is your estimation of Delhi and how people are reacting to our Movement, I shall instruct you how to proceed. Hope this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to Srimati Yamuna Devi and all the other devotees. Enclosed also please find one letter for Sriman Bruce. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** November 7th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Delhi My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 2nd, 1970. Perhaps you have received my letter sent to you earlier. Please see Atma Ram & Sons book distributers on Kashmere Gate, New Delhi (Isha Kumar-proprietor). Isha Kumar as always been very respectful towards me. You can show him all our books and if he is interested, he may become the sole selling agent in India for my books and he will get a 40% discount, but he must order at least 200 copies of each book. Instead of engaging in Sankirtana if you, husband and wife try to see so many government members and ministers and other important men, that will be nice. You may try and see Indira Gandhi. And perhaps you can meet with this president Giri shown in the enclosed news clipping. I think because your pictures are shown together with his, he will meet you. There is an old friend of mine named D. R. Gupta on 4 University Rd. You should make arrangements to see him by telephoning him. If he is favorably impressed, he will certainly become a life member. That is what I want you to do while you are there—to try to make as many life members as you can. You should certainly see J. Dalmia for Scindia House, New Delhi. He will become a life member and he can suggest others who may also become life members. He is a relative and very close to Ram Das Dandaria. Also you can see his big brother Ram Krishna Dalmia and make him a life member. His daughter came to London, Ascot to see me. If there is any difficulty in staying where you are, you can ask J. Dalmia to provide accommodation in Birla's dharmasala. That dharmasala is a very good place with lecture hall. You can speak in the lecture hall in English and you can advertise for members and they will appreciate it very much. I've received a letter from Bali Mardan and he is very eager to carry on with his GBC activities. So he will not be resigning from his post and will continue in his position. Also I've received some other letters and things in London are not as they should be. It seems that Murari has now become president of London temple. This is all right for a while but you will have to go back to the London temple. London temple is one of the most important centers in our society and it should not suffer for lack of good management. Under you and your wife's good care, things have gone very nicely there. So I want you and Yamuna to both be prepared to go back to London in the near future. You have come all the way to India, so for the time being you should remain here and see what can be done in Delhi. I just received one letter from Radha Madhava Sharan and he has informed me that a big temple and compound belonging to the Maharaja of Bharatapur on the bank of the Yamuna at Kesighat is for sale. Therefore I would like you to go immediately to see Radha Madhava Sharan in Vrindaban (Address: 2/157, Radha Raman; Vrindaban; U.P.). You can go and see the sight and find out exactly from him the terms of negotiation of purchasing the temple and property. When you have understood the terms, you can go to Bharatapur along with Radha Madhava Sharan, taking him at our expense, and find out the exact person with whom the negotiations should be finalized. If everything is in order and the property can be purchased, then remain in Bharatapur. If the transaction is to be done there, you stay in Bharatapur and telegram me immediately. I will come myself and complete the purchase. We would like to get this temple and land at all costs, as it is very nicely situated on the Yamuna River. I know of this temple. I used to live next to it before living in the Radha-Damodara temple. It is a very palatial building. The remainder of your party, including your wife, may remain in Delhi under the leadership of Giriraja Das Brahmacari and see the men whom I've mentioned above. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:adbP.S. --- My dear Yamuna, please accept my blessings. Practically you are the leader of the party. Please let me know how things are going. Hope you are all well. ACB ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** November 18th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated from Vrndavana as well as two previous letters dated November 10th, 1970 and two letters carried here by Mr. H. S. Gupta. I have met Mr. Gupta last evening and his idea was to advertise so that people may know that if they go travelling in foreign countries they may stay in Temples there. But we cannot advertise like that. When someone becomes a life member, we can inform him that he may stay at our foreign Temples as privilege of a life member, but we are not inviting anyone and everyone to stay as if we are in the hotel business. I am glad that you are enthusiastic about prospects in Delhi, and if you like to work there, do it. We have initiated a system for making life members, that daily three members must be made in Bombay, daily two in Calcutta, and daily one in Delhi. In this way of six Life members daily, we shall very quickly expand our Society in India. This Life Membership is the support of our Movement here, so you must stress this program especially. That will be our success. Your report from Vrndavana is good. I think you should negotiate for the first palace near Kesighat, called Laksmikunj, from the Maharaja of Bharatapur. That place is just suitable for us. It should be easier to come to terms for this place also because it is vacant. If you can establish one nice palatial Temple for our Society in Vrndavana, that will be a great credit for you. I am awaiting your telegram or telephone call in this connection. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- P.S. Regarding Atma Ram and Sons, you can inform them that we are expecting our shipment to arrive soon. In the meantime, the old dust jackets may be distributed for our advertising purposes to Calcutta, Delhi and Bombay. At least half the quantity should be sent immediately to me here in Bombay ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** November 25th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard from you in a long time. Please let me know how many life members you are making, if any and what is the situation concerning the negotiation for the Vrindaban house. If it is favorable, then you can remain in Delhi for some time and send back to Bombay the three Brahmacari boys who are staying with you. If there is no possibility of getting that house, then all of you can immediately return to Bombay. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** November 26th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Nov. 24th with enclosures and checks and have gone over them carefully. In the meantime, if there is no very important business in Delhi, you may accept the invitation from Indore and go there. Most probably I shall also go there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. It appears that the collection is about Rs 6000.00. But you have not sent all the money. ACB ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** December 5th 1970 — **Location:** Indore > Delhi My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings, I have come to Indore on the 3rd December and we are five here altogether. I am expecting your wife and others to arrive this evening. I have received your telegram from Vrndavana and am awaiting your letter with details to be forwarded. I am planning to reach Surat on the 12th instant and my address at that time will be as follows:c/o Bhagubhai JariwalaJekisondas Nathaubhai JariwalaMotorcycle BuildingBegumpura, SuratWe shall remain in Surat up until about the 20th December. In the meantime one gentleman has come to me here in Indore and he has offered us one small Krsna Temple in Vrndavana with room for about 20-25 men. He has written to the man there to receive you when you go. So you may go immediately as soon as possible go there for the purpose of seeing the Temple whether it is suitable for us. The name is as follows: Chhatrabihariji's Temple; Gopinatha Bazar; Vrndavana. It is in care of our friend Sri N. C. Zamindar, of Indore. So please go there and see it and do the needful. Let me know how things are going on. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- P.S. You might have received by this time a letter from Tamala. So you must go immediately to see the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports and make the necessary arrangements for getting the clearance permission for our shipment of books. ACB ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** January 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Berkeley My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22 January, 1970 along with the Daily Californian newspaper in which my letter regarding Krishna chanting has appeared. I am very glad to learn that the editor of the Daily Californian was very impressed with it and kindly printed it in its entirety. You kindly try to understand the purport of my letter and preach it vigorously. In the meantime, I have received one letter from Krishna das in Germany, and he reports that in Germany there is very good scope for preaching our Krishna Consciousness Movement. In this connection he writes as follows:"If it is Your desire Prabhupada, with the organization of Germany's Sankirtana Party we would like to make a tour of Germany during the summer and if it is with Your blessings, to open a second temple at least by the end of 1970, either in Berlin or Munich. Germany (West) has a population of over 50 million, and that is not including East Germany. In England there are over 60 million, but the difference lies in the concentration. In England there are a few large cities (London, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc.) whereas in Germany the folk are spread in hundreds of towns all over Germany, and these towns are situated only short distances apart. Another hint of Germany's importance is that the German Mark (currency) is one of the stablest monetary systems in the whole world. As you have said many times previously, the Germans are a very intelligent people. Now the only problem is to reach the people in large numbers, and this will be through SKP and new temples. Especially in main cities (Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich, Stutgart, etc.) all of which have a population of half a million to a million (except Berlin which had three million), but they are centers of industry, trade, art, travel and all have Universities."So he suggests that your assistance in Germany would be very much favorable. Do you think that for some time you can go to our German center and organize it very nicely in cooperation with other members. If so, then you decide for yourself and when you come here we shall talk further on this matter. Regarding the small press which you have purchased, I do not think you can divert your attention for printing separately our message because that will require a separate energy and will not help in the matter of selling our BTG. If they receive such pamphlets, they will not be inclined to purchase BTG. Whatever you want to publish, you can send it in an article form to Boston for being printed in BTG, and with your Sankirtana Party you may concentrate the selling of BTG as far as possible. The xerox machine which you have purchased may be used for some other purposes because when you have invested some money, it must be utilized. In the BTG we are sufficiently printing pictures of our Sankirtana Movement. Do you think any special advantage will be there by printing separately something which may minimize the sale of BTG?Regarding your question: you are right when you write to say that everything about us, tables, chairs, bricks etc. is originally emanating from sound vibration. This is also admitted in the Christian Bible wherein it is said that God said, Let there be creation. And there was creation. So, "said" means it was sound vibration; but this sound vibration is not material sound vibration because before creation of material sky and sound, transcendental sound was there. So actually the transcendental sound is the cause of creation, but material sound is not transcendental sound. We have to receive transcendental sound through the transcendental channel, therefore, Vedas are called Sruti. That means transcendental sound can be received through the ear. And by hearing this transcendental sound through the ear our heart becomes spiritually purified, and we can realize at that stage the transcendental Name, transcendental Qualities, transcendental Form, transcendental Pastimes etc. That is the way of descending process. Because everything manifested is creation of the original transcendental Sound, therefore, factually everything is spiritual. But being covered by material cloud, we do not appreciate properly the spiritual nature of everything. The Krishna Consciousness Movement means gradually advancing towards that stage of spiritual realization. As such, the philosophy of acintya bhedabheda tattva is perfect. Everything is simultaneously one and different from the Supreme. One in quality because the original source is the Spiritual Whole, and different in quantity. This quantitative difference becomes more and more separate by increase of material consciousness. The next question: the body of a pure devotee is all spiritual and He is not different from His body. That is also a fact. The bodies of all living entities, even though they are not pure devotees, are not actually the bodies of the spirit soul. It is always separate from the spiritual body. The Vedic mantra confirm it by the sound vibration that this spirit soul is always nonattached with the material body. Therefore, we do not see the actual spiritual body of a pure devotee; but what we see, that is matter. Just like the example is given of the shining moon covered by the cloud. When the cloud moves along with the peeping moonshine, it appears that the moon is moving. Anyone who has seen such movement of cloud in the sky must have this experience. So, the moving of the cloud may appear to the layman's eyes as moving of the moon, but that is not a fact. Similarly, the moving of the body of a pure devotee is not the moving of the pure devotee. After all these are facts for the process of realization, but we can try to understand them as far as possible from the statement of authorized Scriptures through the version of the Spiritual Master or saintly persons. Regarding dictaphone: I can send you presently the tapes for Krishna and if Howard Resnick can work it nicely it will be a great help. But before purchasing the dictaphone you can hire it for a month to see how Mr. Resnick will work on it. Besides that, if you purchase a dictaphone, you should do it through authorized dealers of Grundig. So if you are eager, on hearing from you, I shall send one tape and let me see how does it work. I am eagerly waiting to see Srimati Himavati and yourself as early as possible. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. your letter addressed to Boston address is certainly missing ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** February 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Berkeley My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I hope you have safely reached your place. I have received letters from London that they are organizing World Sankirtana Party very seriously; therefore, it would be better if you go first to London and see how things are going on, then you may go to Germany if it is needed. They have asked me to send Visnujan, but I think if Visnujan goes from L.A. there is no second man to organize the street Sankirtana here. Practically, in his absence, his place cannot be immediately replaced. But if you go to London and join the Sankirtana Party, I think the vacancy there will be filled up. So I shall be glad to hear from you what you decide to do. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** March 12th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to Srimati Himavati. I am so glad to learn that both of you have safely reached your destination. Now work with great enthusiasm and ask Himavati to take care of the Deities very, very nicely. Both of you have seen in L.A. how much they are careful about Deity worship. We have to make our steady progress, keeping both sides in balance; namely the Pancaratriki Biddhi and Bhagavat Biddhi. The Pancaratriki Biddhi is Arcana or Temple worship, and the Bhagavat Biddhi is to preach by chanting and distributing literature. Although chanting is quite sufficient to cover all the Biddhis, still to keep ourselves pure and sanctified, we must observe the rules and regulations of Pancaratriki Biddhi. Our London Deities are certainly very, very nice; and everyone is captivated by seeing the smiling face of the Lord. It is very enchanting. Now everything is there and you are also experienced, therefore go on opening branches as many as possible and preach Sankirtana movement to your best capacity. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura entrusted the responsibility to my Guru Maharaja, and He also in His turn empowered us to do the work. Similarly, I am requesting you, all my European and American students, to spread this movement city to city and village to village and make all people of the world happy. Actually they are missing the central point—Krsna, therefore they are unhappy. Let us inform them about this missing point, and certainly they will be happy. Regarding the $1800, please immediately transfer the money to my checking account No. 3081-61625, Bank of America, Pico-La Cienega Branch (308), 8501 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal. 90035. I will have to issue a check for $20,000 by the end of this month, so I want as much money as you can send. There is no question of straining yourself, but try to help us because purchasing that nice church property is a great responsibility—but the property is worth purchasing, as you have all seen it. Regarding World Sankirtana Party: now the best of my students interested in Sankirtana; namely Mukunda, Tamala, and yourself, are now in Europe, so I hope in the near future you shall organize a very grand World Sankirtana Party and make a tour all the world over. And if you like, I can also go with you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** April 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27th March, 1970. I have duly received your $300 transferred from Germany and I understand that you are transferring another $1,500 to my account. The mail strike is already over. I am enclosing herewith a letter for Himavati, giving her instruction. So far Sankirtana is concerned, I am so much pleased to learn that you are taking Sankirtana as your life and soul. There is no doubt about Krsna's being pleased very much upon those who are engaged in such Sankirtana Movement, that is admitted by Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita and Caitanya Caritamrta. Some of the best students like you, Tamala, Mukunda, Syamasundara, and Jaya Govinda, are all now in Europe. Now you form a strong party for opening centers as well as organizing the World Sankirtana Party. This Sankirtana Party, backed by literatures and books, will certainly bring in a great change in the modern civilization. Godless civilization can never be happy. Therefore as soon as they become Krsna conscious, they will feel practical happiness without any doubt. I am so glad that Sivananda is going to be married with a German girl; and similarly, Krsna das may be also married. My Guru Maharaja created some Brahmacaris and Sannyasis for preaching work, and I am creating all Grhasthas. This means that we have to adjust things in favor of circumstances in the matter of pushing Krsna Consciousness Movement forward. By correspondence, I am trying to secure a great quantity of Deities and mrdangas from India, so we must utilize them by opening various center, which means we must have sufficient manpower, and this will depend on your Sankirtana Party. Then everything will go on nicely. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** April 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th April, 1970, and the information is very encouraging. The more you worship the Deity very nicely, all of you will feel very nice and peaceful spiritually. Therefore this point should be very much carefully attended. Similarly in London Yamuna is also doing nicely, and all the wives of our students should be especially trained up for Deity worship and cooking, and when possible they should go outside on Sankirtana Party with their husbands and others. I am glad that you have advised Berkeley to send me $1,500 which I hope I will receive very soon. It will be a great help. Recently I have paid out of my book fund $11,500 for purchasing the church and $2,500 for printing Krishna Consciousness: the Topmost Yoga book, so $14,000 has been drained out and it must be filled up as soon as possible. The next big payment for KRSNA will be about $20,000. Now we have to make brihat mrdanga propaganda along with Sankirtana Party. Please organize to translate all our literatures into German language through our expert students. As you have got some rudimentary knowledge in German, try to make it more perfect so that you can see how things are going on. Regarding Krishna das's marriage with Heidi, it cannot take place. From hygienic point of view, the boy should be at least five years older than the girl. If the boy is weaker, then the progeny will be weaker sex or females and the man will get still weaker. So Krishna das may not be married immediately because he is too young and he can wait even up to five years and become a strong brahmacari. But if a suitable girl is there, not more than 15 to 16 years old or utmost 17 years, he can be married to her. I think he should wait for his marriage. In the meantime, find out some other boy for Heidi, she should be married immediately. I am glad that she is a good translator, and let her be blessed by translating our literatures. I have received the letters of Neal, Heidi, and Stephanie, and their beads have arrived today. I have duly chanted their beads and will return them by separate post. At the time of initiation, it is incumbent that the disciple should collect some alms and offer it to the Spiritual Master. Please offer my blessings to Himavati for her nice engagement, and be happy in advancing Krishna Consciousness. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** April 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22nd April, 1970. Til now I have received none of the amounts mentioned by you. So far Berkeley amount is concerned, I understand that they are going to purchase a house, so it will be utilized for that purpose. So far the other amount, I have not yet received any intimation from the bank. I thank you very much for your kind appreciation of my humble activities, and you always pray to Krsna that the remaining days of my life may be thus engaged in executing the orders of my Spiritual Master. So far you are concerned, I request all my spiritual sons and daughters to help me in this great adventure, and if you all help me, I am sure I shall be successfulNow our next program will be to lead a Sankirtana Party round over the world. It is already advertised in India from mouth to mouth that I am coming there next year with forty disciples. So I think we must keep this program in the beginning of our next year. There is already invitation in Africa. One party may go from London via other countries to Bombay, and another party may go from here via Japan to Calcutta, and then they will meet together. We have been offered a very nice place in central India. I am negotiating with the proprietor of this place, and if by Krsna's grace we get this central place in India, then from this center you can go to any extremity of Indian boundary and it is the same distance of about 1000 miles. All my best students are now in Europe, in pairs. Yourself, Mukunda, Jaya Govinda, Syamasundara, Gurudasa, Tamala, etc., you are all advanced and selected, now your program will be to recruit many sincere souls from European countries, and open branches. Your desire for opening a center in Copenhagen may be suspended for the time being unless we recruit some members from Europe because all the best students have already gone there, so it will be difficult to send men from America at the present moment. In America also we have to open so many branches, so I think you should not expect any more members from America for organizing European centers. Now you should recruit men for our purpose from Europe as many as possible, in France, Germany, England, etc. All of you do everything conjointly, and at the same time try to organize the World Sankirtana Party. Always be in touch with Tamala, Mukunda, Umapati, Syamasundara, etc., and perform Rathayatra ceremony in London very gorgeously this year because all of you are there. Umapati has already selected the French girl, Ilavati, as his wife, so I am sanctioning this marriage because it will be help for the French language work. So for Haripriya Dasi Krsna will give very soon a nice husband. Best thing will be for her a German husband who can help us in our German language work. It is very encouraging that you are selling an average of 180 BTGs per day, and just try to increase as much as possible. Regarding what to do about local authorities checking your Sankirtana activities in the streets, just show to the police officer how peaceful we are. They should give us help to encourage such peaceful activities. We should not take any action in angry mood. Lord Caitanya has advised to become more humble than the grass and more tolerant than the tree, and be ready to offer all respects to others while not caring to accept any respects for oneself. As far as possible we will try to follow this principle, and Krsna will help us in all respects. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** June 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 14th and 17th June, 1970, respectively. Regarding instruments, if the instruments are available in Hamburg it is good that you can purchase locally. If not, let me know what kind of instruments you want, and I shall advise you where to purchase in India. Yes, Kulasekhara is a first class press operator. It is nice. We also started in Boston because Advaita is a first class press operator. But the point is if we do not have a nice press, what is the question of press operator? We have invested in Boston about $20,000, but still it is not well equipped and the major portion of our printing work is being done in Japan. Until we can open a very nice press and print our literature up to date it will not be a good investment. If you want at all the BTG in French and German languages published locally, better you try to get it from a local first class press. I understand that in Germany and Holland there are many well equipped presses. Regarding the daily work on translation done by Umapati, Ilavati, Mandali Bhadra, and Hari Priya, Yes, that is our main business to translate all our literatures into German and French languages. When the matter is prepared, then we can get it printed anywhere to our satisfaction. Therefore, the most important thing is to get the composing and layout done. I am so glad to know that Himavati is taking such nice care of the Deities. I have seen the pictures. It is far improved than before. The more you keep the Deity room and paraphernalia clean, the more you heart becomes cleansed from dirty things. Pictures for our books are being done now in Boston, so Vasudeva may make as many pictures as possible of Pancatattva and Acaryas, especially your Spiritual Master and my Spiritual Master. Upendra in Australia is already asking for these pictures, so increase the number of these pictures as many as possible. Regarding the devotees who are ready for receiving sacred thread, they may do so you have asked permission for Kulasekhara, Vrndadevi, Ilavati, Sucandra, and Vasudeva. You are going to London, so I shall send the sacred threads duly sanctified and the mantras may be heard in London. The arrangement is there and Gurudasa has already done it, so you can get them initiated as brahmanas get them initiated as brahmanas during Rathayatra days from 5th to 13rd of July. Your proposal to open several new centers is very good news for me. However, for opening new centers Tamala and yourself must be present. There is no need of installing Deities immediately. New temples may be opened by placing Pancatattva and Acarya pictures. Unless we have got sufficient experienced devotees we shall not install Radha Krsna or Jagannatha Deities. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very kind and lenient. Simply chanting of Hare Krsna will please Him. But when we have Deities like Radha Krsna or Jagannatha we must strictly follow the regulative principles of Arcana. These things are elaborately described in the Nectar of Devotion which is already published. Order some from Boston and later on translate it into French and German. It is very important book for our guidance. Regarding your consideration of management, No, we should take all risks for Krsna. This mentality to chant in a solitary place without any responsibility of preaching work is not approved by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja. One of our Godbrothers was doing like that and my Spiritual Master was not very satisfied with him. We are not separated actually. There are two—vani or vapu. So vapu is physical presence and vani is presence by the vibration, but they are all the same. So Krsna when He was physically present before Arjuna is the same when He is present before us by His vani of Bhagavad-gita. So far I am concerned, I do not factually feel any separation from my Spiritual Master because I am trying to serve Him according to His desire. That should be the motto. If you kindly try to fulfill my mission for which you have been sent there, that will be our constant association. Your sentiments are very nice, so do not be worried, we will meet very soon. If World Sankirtana Party is organized our meeting will be in a very short time. In this connection I shall ask you to contact Ksirodakasayi. He is very eager in this respect. He will surely attend Ratha Yatra, so you can see him at that time. The news article which you sent along with a translation was not very sympathetic. Anyway, it is published. We are now printing a Krsna Consciousness Handbook, so in future any reporter coming may be given a copy to read, otherwise they will simply push their own view. Regarding composing our literatures, diacritic marks will carry weight amongst the scholars, so for the present moment you can do this: wherever a word is required with diacritic mark, or when a verse is needed, since you are translating from our literatures already printed in English language, simply cut the word or verse from the English edition and past it on the layout in the correct place in the text. They are already using this system in Boston for printing the Devanagari script, and the result is very good. Regarding purchasing the composing machine immediately in order to avoid a little rental money is no use. There is a proverb in Bengali—It is no use to purchase a golden earring,[PAGE MISSING] ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** June 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear HansaduttaPlease accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distribution of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** July 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1st July, 1970, and noted the contents carefully. Regarding printing of French and German editions of BTG, Brahmananda has already made arrangement with Japan so for the time being you get the French and German editions printed in Japan. Yes, I have received one letter from Srimati Himavati and I have replied also. So accident is accident; do not be worried, be careful in future. There is a common proverb in Sanskrit that when travelling one should avoid accompaniment of women—pathe nari vivarjayet. So far her stay in the hospital is concerned, she has already written to me about this. It is good that you are carrying Prasadam to the hospital. If you and Tamala both are present at the opening of a new center that will be nice. Or you you may follow your other plan, but however you do it, do it jointly by combined consultation. If you do it jointly in this way you will get strength to decide the right thing. Another thing is that before opening a branch we must have able men also to conduct, otherwise how we can open branches? I have not heard from Tamala since a long time; Where he is now?*Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- *Neither I have heard anything how you have performed Rathayatra in London ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** August 14th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. Now that I have formed this Governing Board Commission, the twelve members should each act as my zonal secretaries. So kindly keep me informed of your zone's activities at least once a week or once fortnightly. In this way I will be encouraged and can give you direction and inspiration. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** August 16th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 5th August, 1970. Now I am staying in our Japan center looking after the publication of books, dealing with Dai Nippon Printing Co., and I have already placed order with them for different books and magazines to the extent of $52,000. Most of these books will be carried to India for making propaganda there on or before the World Sankirtana Party reaches there. Your first letter was duly received, but during the last few months I was very much mentally depressed. I do not wish to discuss those points, but simply request all the members of the Governing Body Commission to organize this institution very uprightly. I am glad that you are going to New Vrndavana and with the help of your other Godbrothers make a nice program for our future activities. It is my ideology that this Krsna consciousness movement can solve all the problems of conditioned life. We can make all the people of the world united in this simple method of chanting Mahamantra. That is already proved because everywhere we introduce this Movement it is accepted gladly. Regarding my Godbrother, Sadananda Swami, I have heard many things about him as you have also informed me, but I think as he is old man we should not give him the trouble of teaching you Bengali or Sanskrit. So far my Western disciples are concerned, they have not got much necessity of learning these languages. Therefore I think it is not necessary. Please offer my obeisances to Sadananda Swami. He is my old friend and Godbrother, and so you should offer him all due respects whenever he comes, but do not try to engage him in some work in his old age. When I was in L.A. I duly received your $100 contribution. I have replied Vasudeva's letter separately encouraging him in painting and you supervise that he is doing nicely. Immediately a set of paintings may be sent to Australia. I am very glad that Himavati is always engaged in the service of the Lord. Regarding Sivananda's going to Munich for starting a new center with his wife, the plan is very nice. If you open branches as many as possible that is very encouraging to me. Sivananda has got experience and he has now a new wife who is very nice so let them go to Munich for spreading this Movement. That is very good program. Most probably the Sannyasis will go to India via Europe. Everything will be discussed in your next meeting in New Vrndavana when you meet there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** September 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Hamburg My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 23rd August as well as the German "Zuruck zur Gottheit." This masthead was submitted to me by Jaya Govinda and I approved of it, but I advised him to put the words "Back to Godhead", as it is. The idea is that the original name, "Back to Godhead", even it goes to foreign country it should continue to be the same. As you can see from other important magazines like "Life" and "Time" they are distributed in foreign countries is the same name without being translated into the local language. If you think that such change will be more convenient, I have no objection—such change means, instead of "Back to Godhead", "Zuruck zur Gottheit."Regarding the poisonous effect in our Society, it is a fact and I know where from this poison tree has sprung up and how it affected practically the whole Society in a very dangerous form. But it does not matter. Prahlada Maharaja was administered poison, but it did not act. Similarly Lord Krsna and the Pandavas were administered poison and it did not act. I think in the same parampara system that the poison administered to our Society will not act if some of our students are as good as Prahlada Maharaja. I have therefore given the administrative power to the Governing Body Commission. I have tried to give you all Krsna Consciousness, now it is your duty to develop it. If you remain strong on the spiritual platform then your progress will not be checked or blocked. I do not know what was resolved in New Vrindavan although Sriman Rupanuga Prabhu has informed others that he has sent a tape in this connection. I am still in darkness about the proceedings in New Vrndavana, but I have heard that Brahmananda is preaching about me that I am Krsna, that I am Supersoul, that I have withdrawn my mercy from the disciples, that I have left the Society and so on. I do not know how far they are correct, but I have written him a letter that he may not do something which may harm the interest of the Society. You are also one of the members of the GBC, so you can think over very deeply how to save the situation. It is a fact however that the great sinister movement is within our Society. I have not heard anything from Krsna das or Syamasundara, so all of you may try to save the Society from this dangerous position. So far my coming here, it appears that it was Krsna's desire. There was very good reception in the Airport and the public opinion is that it was the unique reception so far given to any VIP man. Here in India, especially in Bengal, the political conditions are not very good. Everyone is feeling some sort of anxiety due to the political condition, so I have given them a sort of hope that if they take to Krsna Consciousness their problems will be solved. It is not my mental concoction, but I believe in the words of Narottama Dasa Thakura that the shelter of the Lotus Feet of Lord Nityananda is as cooling effectively as the combined moonshine of millions of moons. So I am sure anyone taking shelter of Krsna Consciousness Movement will be happy. Please try to push this Movement on this process. Offer my blessings to Himavati. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** November 5th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Calcutta My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I have not received any letter from you since I left Calcutta—neither from Kirtanananda Swami nor Acyutananda Swami. I do not know how things are going on there. I shall be glad to hear of your activities and enrollment of life members. In the meantime, I've received one invitation from Madan-mohan Mintri (enclosed) which speaks for itself. The copy of the reply is also enclosed herein. If you receive any letter from him, you can consider the case for going there with him with full party. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:adb ### Letter to Hansadutta **Date:** November 10th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Calcutta My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 30th & 31st October, and 7th November, 1970. Yesterday evening Sagar Maharaja arrived well. From your letters, you seem to be a little unhappy so I would like you and Himavati to come here and live with me in Bombay as soon as possible. All the things which are being left behind should be taken and put under Jayapataka Maharaja's care, including my books, table, etc. The three sets of Deities should be taken to and kept safely by Jayapataka Maharaja at his new residence. In the mean time I am seeing to their clearance through customs by a clearing and forwarding house in Bombay that has a branch office in Calcutta, and I shall inform Jayapataka Maharaja when this has been arranged. Then they will be sent to the U.S.A. as we originally planned. So let Jayapataka Maharaja take good care of them in the meantime. Please see that the unpacked Deities are packed and boxed very securely, as are the others. Please give Jayapataka Maharaja the shipping documents for the Boston and L.A. shipments and tell him to momentarily not try to clear the books on his own as we are arranging for this clearing and forwarding agent to also handle the book shipments. So for the time being he should just keep the Bill of Lading documents safely in hand and eventually he will hand over the documents to the clearing and forwarding agent in Calcutta, whose address I shall inform him of later. Please immediately send me Jayapataka's new address and telephone number if there is one. Sagar Maharaja has told me that you and Himavati are not feeling well, so I hope your health has improved and you can come here as soon as possible. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Hansadutta, Himavati **Date:** October 21st 1970 — **Location:** Amritsar > Calcutta My Dear Hansadutta and Himavati, Please accept my blessings. I stayed in Bombay more than ten days, but I did not receive any letter from you. Hope you are all doing well. In Bombay the preaching work was very nice and now we are come to Amritsar, invited by the Vedant Niketan. This morning I have reached here and the reception was very nice. I am very much anxious to hear what you are doing there and if you have made any life members by this time. I have instructed Mr. Siddheswar Sen for registration of our Society in India and he was to do that after the Puja ceremonies. But in the meantime I have left Calcutta, so you have to see him immediately and do the needful. He will make the necessary papers and you have to pay only Rs. 50 for the fee of registration. The London Memorandum of Association is already in his possession and he will make the necessary corrections to fit the Indian situation. The copy is with him. Simply see that the new registration under Society Acts Number-1860 is made and let me know the result. Regarding our Indian centers, it is already decided that in Bombay we must have a center first and negotiation is going on seriously. If we cannot open many centers in India, at least one center must be opened in Bombay before we go back to the States. Now I have received one telegram by Jayapataka, intimating Ramananda's arrival as well as asking my advice regarding the construction of our Calcutta centre at Jaju's place. I have already written one letter to Jaju, the copy of which is sent herewith. Both you and Kirtanananda Maharaja or Acyutananda Maharaja must see him immediately to inquire if he agrees to my proposal mentioned in the letter. The plan is already made complete and if he agrees, then immediately the construction may be begun. How many life members have been made since my departure? How many you have made and how many Acyutananda Maharaja has made? Until the Society is registered, you should go on depositing the money in my book fund account with the Central Bank of India, Ballyganj Branch. My passbook is with Jayapataka. He was advised to send it to Bombay. Please let me now if he has done it, if not keep this passbook with my next letter. So kindly send me immediately a general report of Calcutta situation. I am sending herewith a note for Ramananda; please hand it over to him. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hansadutta, Kirtanananda, Acyutananda **Date:** October 28th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Calcutta My Dear Hansadutta, Kirtanananda and Acyutananda Maharajas, Please accept my blessings. I am very much sorry that since I have come to Bombay leaving Calcutta I did not receive any letter from you. I hope everything is going nicely there. I do not know also how many life members have been created since my departure for Bombay. I was informed by Tamala from Bombay that the Hamilton House at Dalhousie Square is available for purchase. If it is so, immediately all of you see the house how far it is suitable for our purposes. So far the terms of purchase is concerned, we shall accept any reasonable price provide the place is better suitable than Mr. Jaju's place. Enclosed herewith please find the copy of the letter addressed to Mr. Jaju and immediately see him and do the needful. I am very much anxious to have a center in Calcutta, so both those places are very suitable for our purpose. Now you have to decide which one we shall take and work for it immediately. I am returning to Bombay from Amritsar on the 30th October 1970, and the reply may be sent to the same address c/o Kailash Seksaria. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar **Date:** February 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Gita Press P.O. Gita Vatika Dist. Gorakhpur U.P., India My Dear Bhaiji Hanuman Prasad Poddar, Please accept my humble obeisances. I beg to acknowledge receipt herewith of your letter dated January 26, 1970, addressed to London Temple, now redirected to me with enclosure of the copy of your former letter. I see that your former letter was addressed to me at the old address of Los Angeles Temple which we left two years ago; therefore, your former letter is missing. Anyway, I am very much pleased to get your inquiries about my activities, and within a week I shall prepare everything nicely and send to you. I was in London from August through December, 1969, and there was our opening ceremony of Deity installation on the 14th December. Then I have come back to the States by the end of December. In the meantime, I beg to thank you very much for your kind interest in my humble service. Hope this will meet you in good health. Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar **Date:** February 5th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Gita Press Gorakhpur My Dear Bhaiji Hanuman Prasad Poddar, Please accept my obeisances. I hope by this time you have received my acknowledgement dated yesterday for your letter dated 26 January, 1970. As you want to publish a comprehensive article about my activities in the "Kalyana," I think it is proper to give you a short history of my coming to the western world. Sometime in the year 1922, when I was acting as manager of Dr. Bose's Laboratory Ltd., I was fortunate enough to meet my Spiritual Master, His Divine Grace Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya 108 Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada. On the very first meeting with His Divine Grace, He asked me to preach the message of Lord Caitanya in the Western world. At that time, I was a young man and a nationalist, admirer of Mahatma Gandhi and C.R. Dass. So I replied Him at that time, who would care for the message of Lord Caitanya while we are a subject nation? In this way, I had some argument with my Spiritual Master, and at the end I was defeated. But at that time, because I was already married, I could not take His words very seriously. In this way, I passed on as a householder, but, by the causeless mercy of my Divine Master, that order of preaching was impressed on my heart. I was initiated regularly in 1933 at Allahabad, when Sir Malcolm Haley, the then Governor of U.P., opened our Gaudiya Math branch there. Then, in 1936, my Spiritual Master left this world leaving a message for me that it would be better for me to preach in English language. So I was thinking very seriously, and then, as late as 1944 I started my paper, "Back to Godhead." Gradually, in 1954, I retired from my family life and began to live alone in Mathura Vrindaban. In 1959, I was awarded Sannyas by one of my Godbrothers, His Holiness B.P. Kesava Maharaja. Then I began translating Srimad-Bhagavatam in 1960; and, perhaps in 1961, I was your guest in the Gita Bagicha. You were very kind to help me partially for publishing my first volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam through the Dalmia Charitable Trust. With great difficulty, I then published the second and third volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam until 1965, when I prepared myself to come to this country with some books. With great difficulty, I was able to get the "P" Form passed by the Controller of Foreign Exchange, and, someway or other, I reached Boston on 17th September, 1965. I was thinking, while on board the ship "Jaladuta," why Krishna had brought me to this country. I knew that Western people are too much addicted to so many forbidden things according to our Vedic conception of life. So out of sentiment I wrote a long poetry addressing Lord Krishna as to what was His purpose in bringing me to this country. At that time, I was sponsored by a friend's son, Gopala Agarwal, who is settled up in this country by marrying an American girl, Sally. I was their guest, and I feel very much obliged to Gopala and his wife Sally for their nice treatment and reception. I was with them for three weeks in Butler, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and then I came to New York. I was getting some money by selling my Srimad-Bhagavatam, thus I was maintaining myself in New York. After some time, I rented one apartment at number 100 71st Street West, but after a few months, all my things—typewriter, tape recorder, books—were stolen. Then for some time one of my students gave me shelter at Bowery Street. I then rented one store-front and an apartment at 26 Second Avenue for $200 per month, but without any source of income. I started my classes and sometimes, on Sundays, I used to chant Hare Krishna Mantra in Tomkins Square Park from three to 5 P.M. During this time, all the young boys and girls used to gather around me, sometimes poet Ginsberg would come to see me, and sometimes a reporter from the New York Times came to see me. In this way, the Hare Krishna Mantra chanting became very popular on the Lower East Side. In this way, the younger generation became attracted, and gradually many branches were opened one after another. After New York, the next branch was opened in San Francisco, then in Montreal, then in Boston, and in Los Angeles. We have now the following centers in the States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Australia: (see insert sheet A following page 2).My activities in London were begun as early as September, 1968. I sent six of my disciples there, all of them young couples, husband and wife, and none of them more than 26 years old. These boys and girls first started Sankirtana Movement in London and there were very nice reports about them. Even the "Times of London" printed one article with the caption "Hare Krishna Chant Startles London."In London there are many Indians, especially Gujaratis and Punjabis. All of them were astonished to see how American boys and girls were preaching Hare Krishna Mantra. They were invited to many centers both by the Indians and Europeans, but it was very difficult to find out a suitable house there in the midst of the city. My Guru Maharaja liked to start centers in the busiest part of a city. So, forty years ago, my Guru Maharaja attempted to start a Temple there, but someway or other it was not possible. Still, I cherished a strong desire to start a Temple in the heart of the city, and by Lord Krishna's grace these boys and girls rented a five storied house in the busiest quarter of central London, at 7 Bury Place, which is near to the British Museum, London University, Great Russell Street, and Bloomsbury Square. The British Museum is just a few stones on the left side of our Temple. Our activities are going on regularly in London. There are about 35 English and American boys and girls. Regarding the number of asramas, our Temples are already listed above. The Deity worshiped in the Temples are Jagannatha Swami with Balarama and Subhadra, and Radha Krishna. When we first start a Temple, we start with Jagannatha Swami. My Guru Maharaja recommended Temples of Jagannatha in these countries, so I was inspired to establish first of all Jagannatha Swami because He is kind even to the mlecchas. Then, when there is opportunity, I establish Radha Krishna Murti. So generally in all our Temples, Jagannatha Swami and Lord Caitanya Sankirtana pictures are invariably there, and gradually we are installing Radha Krishna Murtis in each and every center. The program of the Temple worship is as follows: Early in the morning, before sunrise, there is Mangala Aratrik. At 8:00 a.m. there is dressing and decorating of the altar daily. Then, between 11:30 and 12:00 N., Bhoga Aratrik. At 5:00 p.m., opening of the door and Dhoop Aratrik as well as Boikalik Bhoga offering. In the morning we offer fruits and milk to the Deities, and at noon we offer rice, dal, capatis, vegetable, milk, sweet rice, and many other varieties. In the Boikalik Bhoga Aratrik we offer fruits again. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after dusk; and at 9:00 p.m. we offer Bhoga of Puri, vegetable, milk, sweetmeats, etc. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after which the Deity rests. This is the general program of worship. We decorate the thrones with profuse flowers, changing the dress and ornaments daily, and as far as possible the Deity platform and the Temple room are kept neat and clean always. The devotees take bath twice daily. The Government of U.K. has passed a bill to hand over the redundant churches to other religious sects, but the Christian authorities want good amount of money for selling these properties. So none of the churches have we been able to acquire, on account of the exorbitant price, for which I have not got money to pay. But they are available. In London we saw a redundant church and also in Oxford. They are very nice for our purpose, but the negotiation is very slow. Some other churches are also available in other districts, but they can be purchased. The government has no such scheme to place these unused churches at our disposal. How can we expect the government to give us any financial help, while our Indian government does not allow any money to be brought from India for this purpose? How can we expect financial help from another government? Our financial budget is managed by Krishna's Grace only. Undoubtedly we have huge expenditures—for example in our Los Angeles Temple we spend near about Rs 20,000 in our Indian exchange per month. But the devotees, boys and girls, somehow or other collect this huge amount, and by the Grace of Krishna, we have no difficulty. In most of the centers our activities are in rented houses, only in Boston and Buffalo we have our own houses. In Boston we have got our own press, ISKCON Press, where our books and magazines are published partially. The major portion is printed outside our press especially in Japan. The government is neither encouraging or discouraging. sometimes the police department prohibits our Sankirtana Party when they go out in the street. In the United States this hindrance by the police is not very much, but in London they have practically stopped us. In Hamburg and Tokyo they are also not very strict. In the beginning we have difficulty everywhere. By now, as people in general are appreciating our movement—that we are devotees of the Lord, boys and girls of nice behavior and character—they give us as far as possible all concessions. The government draft board has accepted our Society as religious, so they are kind upon us. But, we do not get any direct financial help either from the government or big foundations. Neither have we been able to contact the richer section of the people. Our initiation system is as follows: In our general thrice weekly classes we chant Hare Krishna Mantra in the beginning and at the end, and in the middle we speak on Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly. In this class we do not prohibit anyone to come within the Temple, everyone is welcome. The only thing we ask visitors to leave their shoes at a specified place and sit down in the Temple crosslegged. If somebody finds difficulty to sit down crosslegged, we offer him a chair. So out of the members of the audience who come regularly, when one becomes more interested he is invited to participate in the program of Krishna Consciousness daily life and study. After some time of appreciating our program and trying to understand our philosophy, when someone is very interested and recommended by the Temple Commander, for becoming initiated, I accept him and give him first initiation in the form of Harinama in a regular ceremony with fire sacrifice. I chant Hare Krishna Mantra on the 108 beads and then the beads are offered to the disciple with a change of name as Krishna das. He is advised to strictly follow the regulative principles of 1. no eating of meat, fish, or eggs; 2. no taking of intoxicants including coffee, tea, and tobacco; 3. no illicit sex-life; and 4. no gambling or mental speculation. In this way, after six months at least, when he is found habituated to the Vaisnava principles, then he is initiated for the second time with the sacred thread. This sacred thread ceremony is recommended in the Hari Bhakti Vilas, or the Vaisnava Smriti, by Sanatana Goswami. Sanatana Goswami recommends that by the initiation process one is elevated to the position of a twice-born (Dvija). This is recommended under Pancaratrika Viddhi. Under Vedic Viddhi, a student is required to be a bona fide son of a Brahmin or twice-born, but according to Srimad-Bhagavatam, if there are no regular samskaras beginning from Garbhadhana one is considered as Sudra, but a Sudra can be elevated to a Brahmin's position by Pancaratrika Viddhi. This is instructed by Sage Narada to Yudhisthira in Seventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam as follows; On this verse, Sridhara Swami has given His commentation that birth is not always the criterion of becoming a Brahmin, but the quality is most essential. In the Bhagavad-gita also the caste system is made by the Lord Himself according to qualities and engagements. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam also it is stated as follows:kirata hunandhra pulinda pulkasaabhira sumbha yavanah khasadayahye'nye c papa yadupasrayasrayahsudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah[SB 2.4.18]So our initiation process is executed according to authorized regulative principles. This is the sum and substance of our initiation process. In the beginning, they are given Hare Nama and during sacred thread ceremony they are given Gayatris and eighteen letter Krishna Mantra. The disciple chants daily the Gayatri Mantras thrice—morning, noon, and evening. The beads are chanted a minimum of sixteen rounds daily, or in other words, 27,648 Names daily. I am enclosing herewith some printed copies of the rules and regulations, ten kinds of offenses, etc. which are regularly observed by the students. Hope this will meet you in good health. Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. So far the means of the books published are as follows:3 volumes Srimad-Bhagavatam League of Devotees $16.00 (set)1 paperback Bhagavad-gita As It Is Collier (MacMillan) $2.951 hardback Bhagavad-gita As It Is MacMillan $6.951 Teachings of Lord Caitanya ISKCON Press $5.951 Sri Isopanisad ISKCON Press $1.001 Nectar of Devotion ISKCON Press $5.951 Krishna ISKCON Press $10.001 Easy Journey to Other Planets League of Devotees $0.501 Two Essays ISKCON PRESS $ .50Monthly magazine "Back to Godhead" ISKCON Press $0.50French ed. "Back to Godhead" ISKCON PressGerman ed. "Zuruck zur Gottheit" ISKCON PressSome of these are being enclosed herewith, and the balance will be dispatched from New York along with books. The management of our different centers is made by three officers; namely a President, Treasurer, and a Secretary. They have got separate banking accounts in each center. The checks are signed by two officers out of three. Although in each banking account my name is there as Acarya, and when I am in a center sometimes I sign the checks, still, usually I do not. I try to keep myself aloof from business transactions; but as far publications is concerned, I manage the book fund personally. So our centers are managed financially by selling the books and magazines and by accepting some voluntary contributions from the public. Sometimes we manufacture incense and the visitors gladly purchase it. In this way we manage the financial affairs of our society. In London, however, we get some income by sales of "Hare Krishna Mantra" record and similarly in the U.S.A. we get some income by selling "Govinda" records and other similar records. From London the "Hare Krishna Mantra" record has worldwide sales. This is managed by Mr. George Harrison, the famous English musician, who is my uninitiated devotee. This boy has paid me recently $19,000 for publishing my Krishna book. The whole amount will be required for publishing the book in Japan. The names of places where our centers are already established is given above. The photographs of our various daily activities—Kirtans, etc.—are also enclosed herewith. I am very glad to learn that you want to publicize our activities for the young men in India, but I find that here the young men are very much inquisitive. I do not know why in India the young men are not so much inquisitive—maybe they are very much embarrassed to solve economic problems. Recently one Indian boy, he is a PhD at St. Louis University, has joined our St. Louis center, and the copies of his inquiries and answers by me are sent herewith for your perusal. So far European and American young boys and girls are concerned, they also send me many inquiries by letter and I answer them in the same way, generally giving reference from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. These students are very nicely combating elements opposing Bhakti school. There are hundreds of letters from them; and if you are serious to make some agitation among Indian young men, then on hearing from you, I can some of the letters for publication. On the whole, the Godless world situation is not very satisfactory. People in this part of the world are feeling for this vacancy, but they do not know how to solve this problem. They think that by making people Godless they will solve the question—this is a utopian hope which will never be fulfilled. The Godless leaders of the society are blind themselves and their followers are also blind. So blind men leading blind men has no meaning. But practically I have experienced that this Krishna Consciousness Movement or to present the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita as it is can solve all problems of the world. It is specifically the responsibility of the Indians after realizing the philosophy themselves, and I think if such realized souls go to various parts of the world and preach this Krishna Consciousness Movement in every nook and corner of the world, there will be a great renaissance. I would therefore request you to give your serious attention to this Krishna Consciousness Movement and help me as far as possible. I want to start a center in India at the birth-site of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu specially for accommodating non-Indian students for taking lessons in this great transcendental art. When Indian young men will see that foreign students from England, America, Canada, Australia, etc. are taking interest in the spiritual science left by the Acaryas headed by Lord Krishna, then naturally they will also take part. It will be a great expensive job, but still if one half the expense is borne by the Indians I shall manage to send the other half from America and Europe. As your good self has voluntarily offered some service on account of this Krishna Consciousness Movement, I shall be very much pleased if you kindly consider this proposal. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. B. S ### Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar **Date:** March 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Gita Press Gorakhpur, India My Dear Bhaiji Hanuman Prasad Poddar, Please accept my obeisances. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26 February, 1970, and I am glad to know that you have liked my detailed letter of 5 February, 1970, with enclosures. The books are already on the way. Regarding my permission for issuing a detailed account of my work in a book form by some kind friend, it is very much welcome. I have asked my London office to send you more pictures and newspaper-cuttings in this connection. This book will enthuse me as well as the whole Vaisnava society. I can see that this Krsna Consciousness movement has such a vast potency that by its philosophy the whole human race can be united politically, socially, religiously, and culturally. If important personalities like you will kindly join with my activities, I am sure it will come out successful and India will be culturally united with the whole world. For the present, I have got ambition to start at least 108 centers. My disciples are already scattered from Hamburg to Tokyo, and from Tokyo to Sydney. And more youngsters are joining us daily in this movement. By the grace of Krsna this Society is purchasing a very big church estate on the Venice Boulevard, one of the important highways of Los Angeles, and we shall remove there next April. When we go there, we shall be able to invite many important men of the city and try to convince them about our high philosophy. The atheist class of men foolishly inquire "Where is God?" And we present them Krsna—here is God, and if you have got sense and intelligence just try to understand Krsna, whether He is not God. So in India also we have to do many things because very recently, by the propaganda of the politicians, the younger generation has become victimized to become Godless. So the hankering after peace and prosperity in the world in a Godless concept of life is simply an utopian dream. People must take to God-consciousness and surely they will be happy in all respects. By the grace of Lord Caitanya, the method of self-realization is made very easy and universal by chanting Hare Krsna mantra. It is being effective practically. So let us join together to expand this great mission of Lord Caitanya Who predicted that everywhere as many cities and towns and villages are there on the surface of the globe, His Holy Name would be glorified on account of His transcendental gift to the fallen souls of this Kali Yuga. The Dalmia Jayan Trust and Birla Trust have given us 5 pairs of Radha Krsna Murtis for installing in our different centers. Sriman Hit Sharan Sharma is dispatching these Murtis, and the Director of Scindia Steam Navigation Co., Srimati Sumati Morarji, has kindly consented to carry them on their ships. If you will also recommend some of your Vaisnava friends to contribute such Murtis, it will be very much encouraging. Or if you give me a prospective list of gentlemen, then I can directly request them for this cooperation. Hope this will meet you in good health, and thanking you once more for your kind interest in my activities. Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar **Date:** May 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Gita Press Gorakhpur, India My Dear Bhaiji Hanumanprasada Poddar, I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 15th May, 1970. I am very glad to learn that some article has been published in your esteemed paper "Kalyana" regarding my activities, and I thank you very much for this. I have not seen the article as yet because if you have sent the specimen copy by ordinary post, then it will take about four months to reach here. If therefore you send me one copy by air mail, it will be a great pleasure for me. Regarding the translation of Krsna Consciousness, I think the following lines either in Bengali or in Hindi will be alright. Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbP.S. --- As you have asked for my suggestion, I would request you to formulate a scheme so that our Indian brothers interested in Krsna Consciousness may join this Movement and send many preachers all over the world. There is a great necessity of qualified preachers. So far Krsna Consciousness philosophy is concerned, it is now tested by my last three years' experiment that this philosophy will be accepted in any part of the world irrespective of caste, creed, color, and language. Besides that, many of my students are eager to go to India, but I have no place of my own in India to accommodate them. If suitable place can be obtained, at least 40 American and European students may immediately go to India and preach this cult in colleges, schools and universities, and other public meeting places. I will be glad to know if you can help me in this matter. By separate air mail I am sending several news articles, out of which my talks with Dr. J.F. Staal, Professor of Philosophy and of South Asian Languages, University of California, Berkeley, will be very much interesting to you. So we are gradually being appreciated by all classes of men. The above picture is our newly purchased building as I informed you before. A.C. B.S ### Letter to Harer Nama **Date:** February 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boulder, Colorado My Dear Harer Nama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2 February, 1970, and thank you very much. Actually, Sankirtana is our life and soul, and if we execute this transcendental business in all earnestness, then there will be no difficulty in any way. We should not pray to Krishna anything except to ask to engage in His service. If we are engaged in His service then automatically everything will be revealed. Any foodstuff suspected to contain untouchable ingredients should never be used in the temple. Yogurt can be prepared in the temple, it is not very difficult. Boil the milk at night, put a little yogurt in it, and next morning you will find it full of yogurt. You can ask New Vrindaban, they are practically preparing all these things. Please let me know how many members are there, what is your source of income, and what is your program of expenditure. I shall be glad to know these things. I would also like to know if the initiated devotees are chanting regularly sixteen rounds and following the regulative principles rigidly. This is very essential. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Harer Nama **Date:** February 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boulder, Colorado My Dear Harer Nama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17 February, 1970, and I have noted the contents. I inquired about your temple's financial condition just to know if you are doing well without any difficulty, there was no other cause for this inquiry. I am very glad to learn that three new boys have joined with you and are living at the temple. These new boys should be taken care of very nicely. We should always remember that we are in the kingdom of Maya and her influence is very strong. So, unless we are very, very careful in our dealings, there is always chance of falling down. Please therefore chant regularly the sixteen rounds beads and follow the regulative principles; and teach the new boys by practical example, and try to preach Sankirtana as far as possible. We have our new book, "Isopanisad," published. It is very attractive and instructive also. Try to get them from Boston center. I am very glad that your good wife is now for some time taking example of devotional service from Silavati and others in our Los Angeles temple. The program here in the L.A. temple is very nice and I am sure she will benefit from such good association in Krsna Consciousness. Please offer my blessings to Dinabandhu, Neal, and all the others there in Boulder center. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Harer Nama **Date:** March 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Harer Nama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 March, 1970, and I am very glad to know that you six boys are pushing our Krishna Consciousness Sankirtana movement in the Boulder-Denver area. Please work cooperatively and do it nicely. Regarding your several questions; yes, it is best to get all such points cleared up so that our understanding may be firmly fixed up in our philosophy. The best process is to rigidly execute one's prescribed devotional duties regularly, and to study the books and literatures very carefully in the company and guidance of experienced devotees. The essence of our program is to chant daily Hare Krishna mantra at least sixteen rounds without fail, and thus one remains strong in spiritual life. So far chaunce is concerned, I think you have been wrongly advised to burn the cumin seeds and chilis until they are very black. The chili should be added to the hot ghee just after the cumin seed begins to darken in color, and both of them should become brown, but not black or burnt. I think this adjustment with a little trial will improve the dahl for offering to the Deities. But I see that you have many such questions about our philosophy. Under the circumstances it would be very good if you come to Los Angeles for some time to learn these questions and answers in the daily classes here. This is a good opportunity to clear up any doubts or misunderstandings, and the best program is if you come here for study. I am personally lecturing here weekly especially for our devotees. Regarding Neil's study of Sanskrit, I am very glad to learn of his seriousness to study, and we need many such Sanskrit scholar devotees. When it is convenient, he may study with Pradyumna in Boston, and there are Sanskrit courses at the university there also. In the meantime, for his studies, Manva Dharma Sastra is not bona fide. The Hitopadesa is alright for study. Yes, I will visit Boulder temple, so please inform me what is the best time. And when you come to Los Angles, you can advise me in particular how I should come there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to all the boys there with you in Boulder. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Harer Nama **Date:** June 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Harer Nama, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distribution of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and books sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Harer Nama **Date:** January 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boulder My Dear Harer Nama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 31 December, 1969 and have duly noted the contents. I have just arrived here in Los Angeles from London via Boston and your letter was forwarded to me here. I am glad to learn that there is one boy, Neal Delmonico, now staying with the devotees at the Temple. Now I am in Los Angeles, and many students will be initiated next Sunday, January 25th. So if you recommend, he may be initiated at that time. If he sticks to the principles of our devotional service, it will not be difficult to save him from the draft. We have been recognized by the draft board as a religious society and if our student seriously understands the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita or Science of God, follows the regulative principles strictly with clear heart without any doubt, then naturally he is promoted to the ministerial status. So our Society is authorized to award the ministerial status but the students must be equally serious in understanding the philosophy. We require hundreds of bona fide students in Krishna Consciousness. The world is in need of this function. People are going to hell for want of proper guidance. No other religious institution are so much serious about God consciousness as we are. So you must train your contemporaries in such spirit of alertness, then we shall be able to open hundreds of centers, and the people in general shall be saved from being misguided. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- N.B.—Regarding Professor Srivastava, please encourage him to participate in understanding our movement, and show him our literatures.—ACBS ### Letter to Harivilas **Date:** September 21st 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > 37/1 Hindusthan Road; Calcutta-29; India LT_700921_B1 My Dear Harivilas, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 15th, 1970, the contents of which have given me great satisfaction. Sriman Hanuman has already arrived here in Calcutta and from the pictures he has shown me of your temple and devotees I can understand that everything is going on very nicely there. I think Krishna is giving you good intelligence to manage everything in Paris. Everyone should be kept fully engaged one hundred percent of the time in Krishna’s service without a vacant moment so that Maya will never have a chance to act. It does not matter what one’s engagement in Krishna’s service may be; Krishna accepts equally the service given to Him by a little calf and that given by Srimati Radharani. So we should all be very much appreciative of our God-brothers’ and Godsisters’ service. I am glad that Aradhana and Santanu are engaged in painting pictures. As we open more temples there is a greater and greater need for paintings. So they can paint as many as possible pictures of Panca Tattva and Acharyas and distribute them to all the new temples—this will be a great service to our society. I am glad to learn your Sankirtan Party is going to all the areas of the city each time out. Here also the Samkirtan Party lead by Madhudvisa Maharaj is having great success and sometimes as many as four hundred business and working men join them in chanting Hare Krishna on the streets. It is all Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Mercy that this is happening all around the world and we should pray to Him that he may benedict us with even greater opportunity to spread His Samkirtan Movement. Please continue your search for a suitable temple building and Krishna will help you in this also. I have instructed Tamal Krishna to write you also. He has received your letter. Please offer my blessings to all the Paris Prabhus. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- p.t.o ### Letter to Harivilasa **Date:** June 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Harivilasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3rd June, 1970, along with recommendation of Sriman Suridas Adhikari. So immediately I have accepted you as my disciple. Your spiritual name is Harivilasa Das Brahmacari. Your beads are sent back to you by separate air post. Here is enclosed the list of regulative principles and offenses. Further assistance you should take from Tamala Krsna Das Adhikari, Suridas Das Adhikari and Umapati Das Adhikari. Follow their example, and whenever there is difficulty, try to understand from your Godbrothers. From the description of your letter it appears that you are a very fortunate boy. Because Krsna has given you the intelligence to take advantage of this Krsna Conscious life. Now because you have come to me it will be my prime duty to guide you and utilize your talents for Krsna's service. I am very glad to learn that you have got an opportunity to stay as a scholarship student in the Soviet Republic of Armenia. I think you should take this advantage and try to introduce the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness in the communist countries. When I was in India, I knew that the Russian people have translated many Vaisnava literatures into the Russian language. There is a book known as Ram Caritmanas written by one great devotee poet Tulsidas. So the communists are generally known as non-believers in God, but I don't think they are against any cultural literature like our Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Krsna, etc. In future if you can introduce these literatures in Russian language either by publishing them in book shape or in influential magazine, that will be a great help to our missionary activities. So for the time being you just remain in Paris with the devotees there and grasp the ideas more explicitly and then try to open a center in one of the Middle Eastern countries. Sometime before I met one gentleman in New York from Iran. His name and address is given below: Mr. Majid Movagarh / Mehr Monthly Review224, Shareza Avenue / Tehran, IranHe informed me that people in Tehran are interested in such yoga societies like ours. They are also hankering after something like this for spiritual advancement. So I have no definite idea, but I give you this hint that in the Middle Eastern countries like Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Armenia, there is need of spreading this Krsna Consciousness Movement. I hope you will understand the philosophy fully and try to spread it in these countries as far as possible; and Krsna will give you all strength and resources to fulfill your mission. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** January 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated January 5 and 8 1970 respectively, and I am so much moved from your kind sentiments that you have expressed for my humble activities. Actually I am not worthy of any one of the words spoken by you but all of them are due to my Spiritual Master Who was so kind to me. In fact I am a worthless person because my Spiritual Master ordered me to take up this work in 1922 but I did not carry his order until 1958, when I was obliged to carry out His order by His arrangement only. This means although I was not very enthusiastic to carry out His order He forced me circumstantially to accept it. So this is His special mercy upon me and I always think about this with gratitude to this exalted personality coming directly from Vaikuntha World and we had the great fortune to meet Him. I think that is the only credit on our part that we happened to meet Him by some "ajnata sukriti" or unknown auspicious activities. He is so kind upon me that when I came to your country, where I was completely unknown, He sent to me some good souls like you unsolicited. So I accept you all as assistants or representatives of my Guru Maharaja Who is still helping me because I am so feeble and unworthy. Anyway, the business which we have taken to work together is neither your business nor my business as far we are personally concerned, but it is the business of Lord Caitanya and His bona fide servants like my Guru Maharaja. Therefore it is the duty of all of us to execute it as nicely as far as possible within our capacity. In other words, we shall just try to discharge our responsible duties faithfully and seriously, then all facilities will come for our help. The Vrndavana scheme as suggested by you appears to be very nice. You purchase the adjoining two farms in the name of ISKCON and leave it to His Holiness Kirtanananda Maharaja and the devotees for further development. Regarding Krishna book, as soon as it is ready we will begin to print it either on our own press or in Japan as it is suitable and we shall not wait for George's $19,000. His lawyer has put some difficulty in the matter and it is not yet settled up. Regarding our enlarged, revised Bhagavad-gita As It Is, if possible you can conveniently give an enlarged introduction also. Here in Los Angeles they are selling our literature very nicely and yesterday I received the blue print of "Isopanisad" and this also appears very nice. If Kirtanananda Maharaja moves amongst the school, college and university authorities and induces them to recommend this "Isopanisad" for additional reading by the students either privately or in the library it will be a great achievement. As you have read it, we have tried to discuss the nature of God's greatness and our relationship to Him as preliminary chapter of Krishna Consciousness. So this book is the cheapest of all our other books and they can easily be introduced for mass reading and they will be benefited undoubtedly. Regarding publication by Mr. Ferlingetti, I have got all approval and we must take this opportunity for making our publication still more popular. Please try for it. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** February 13th 1970 > Sriman Hayagriva das Adhikary ISKCON Temple318 E. 20th Avenue Columbus, Ohio 432011975 So. La Cienega Blvd.Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. Regarding the Krsna manuscript, it has to be delivered to the Dia Nippon Company because the arrangement was with George Harrison that I shall get the book printed within the winter. So it does not matter that the whole manuscript is typed or untyped. It has to be delivered as it is. So you may send the manuscript immediately to Brahmananda or take it yourself to New York for delivering to Dia Nippon. This most important. I have asked that the manuscript be delivered by the 15th February, so please treat this as very urgent and do the needful. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: db ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** February 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14 February, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to know that you have sent the final manuscript of KRSNA book to Brahmananda and that it now reads very well. Thank you very much. Regarding the chapter end tags, that information has already been sent to you with my last letter. It is correct that Nanda, Krsna, the gopas, gopis, etc. left Gokula to move to Vrindaban. There is no discrepancy because the whole area of Mathura is known as Vrindaban. Every place there is known as Vrindaban, but there are different quarters. Some of the Gopis were detained, not allowed to go to Krsna, we accept that the Gopis danced with Krsna anyway, and they went in their spiritual body. Whatever was detained was material body. Regarding the speeches of Brahma and Nagapatni to Krsna, that is not their quoting, that is my quoting—therefore it is called the Bhaktivedanta purport. But it is not incompatible, as you have suggested, because the Bhagavad-gita existed long before. Regarding your change of the title to "Kamsa Begins His Persecutions," it is alright. I am enclosing herewith a preface which I have written for the Krsna book. Please edit it nicely and send one copy of the edited version back to me, and another to Brahmananda for printing. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** March 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Columbus, Ohio My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4 March, 1970, along with the edited copy of the Foreword to KRSNA. Thank you very much. The few alterations of dates is approved by me, so it is alright. Regarding your question do the Vedic histories refer to this planet only. No. Vedic history means of this universe. Our history begins from the beginning of the creation because the creation takes place with the birth of Brahma from the abdomen lotus flower of Lord Visnu. Then Brahma gradually creates. He begets so many sons known as Prajapatis who are supposed to be the generators of living entities, and therefore the history begins from Brahma. In the Bhagavad-gita this is confirmed in the 15th chapter. It is said there that the root of this big universal banyan tree is on the top; therefore history begins from the top. Yes. This planet comes later on. We can take the idea from the tree—the tree grows gradually, and the different fruits, branches, and twigs gradually appear. Therefore it is to be understood that this planet has grown later on. Besides this we understand that although the planet was later on grown up, it was covered with water—pralaya payodhi jale, merged into the water after devastation. Then gradually it emerges from water. That we can experience, that gradually land is coming out of the oceans. Because of its being merged into water, it is natural to conclude that the beginning of life was aquatic. This is confirmed in Padma Purāṇa that the species of life evolved from aquatics to plants, vegetables, trees; thereafter insects, reptiles, flies, birds, then beasts, and then human kind. This is the gradual process of evolution of species of life. But we do not accept Darwin's theory. According to Darwin's theory, homo sapiens came later on, but we see that the most intelligent personality, Brahma, is born first. So according to Vedic knowledge, Darwin or similar mental speculators are rejected so far the fact is concerned. I am so glad to learn that the Gita is going on nicely. Perhaps you know that Mandali Bhadra wants to translate into German, so as you finish one chapter you may send one copy to him immediately for being translated into German. Mayapur is the birth-site of Lord Caitanya. It is a small village You cannot find it on the map, but near Calcutta you may find the place "Navadvipa," and Mayapur is part of this Navadvipa district. So far your planning to go to India, not only you, but I think several others, including Kirtanananda Maharaja and other advanced students, will go to India for preaching Krsna Consciousness. That will be a lesson to our so-called "secular" government. I came here with this purpose, so you have to fulfill my desire. I think it is coming to be true by the will of Lord Caitanya. Acyutananda is getting good opportunities to move amongst enlightened circle in Calcutta, so if some of our advanced students go to India for this purpose, that will be a great achievement. I am thinking of that plan always. In the meantime, let us publish as many books as possible within this year. I wish to go to India for this purpose in the beginning of next year. So far life-size Deities are concerned, even if you do not go, that can be imported. We have got addresses of supplier, and if you give me the size of the Deity you want, that can be imported. In the meantime you try to construct some temples in New Vrindaban. I want to publish one catalog of our ISKCON movement, giving pictures of all important centers and especially of New Vrindaban. This idea I gave you long ago when I was in New Vrindaban. I have advised Brahmananda also in this connection. So get this catalog printed as early as possible. Another important thing is our theistic school in New Vrindaban. If you can establish a nice educational center, I know many parents of your country will be glad to send their children in New Vrindaban. But we have to create a nice atmosphere and educational system there. Satyabhama is very much enthusiastic in this connection. So you organize this institution systematically. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** March 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Columbus, Ohio My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12 March, 1970, along with a poem "All glories to Sri Gurudeva . . ." etc. This poem and your many other writings give me the impression that you are naturally thoughtful and philosophical, and thus I am very much hopeful that in future you can give to the world many nice things presented to the understanding of the thoughtful men in this age. In that way, I wanted you to live with me and be engaged in writing such things, getting ideas from me. But we will have to wait for a few days more, and then I shall ask you to leave completely from your present occupation in the university. At present, you patiently work there and get as much money as possible for developing New Vrindaban. As I recommend to every householder, if you spend 50% of you income for Krishna's business in developing New Vrindaban, and a similar amount is collected by Kirtanananda Maharaja, I think there will be no need of financial help from other centers. I have inquired yesterday of Gargamuni whether he has any response to his appeal for money to other centers, and he said there was none. So I don't think other centers will be able to help another center for developing. Each center has to manage its own affair independently. But I think if Kirtanananda Maharaja as well as you try to introduce our books for study in the university classes, especially in the religions department, that will be very nice and you can get good income out of that. Kirtanananda Maharaja has already introduced to one college, similarly Brahmananda has also introduced in some college, and in each place they have sold more than 40 copies of TLC. So the potency is there because these books are not ordinary literature, being based on Vedic philosophy they are in a way a new line of thoughts to the Western world. And those who are really interested in spiritual understanding surely will appreciate. But for this introduction I don't find anyone just competent except yourself and Kirtanananda Maharaja. So you can think over this matter and Krishna will show some way out. Another thing is that there is a 90% chance of my going to India early next year. When I go, if you accompany me I will very much like it, provided you are free. Now for New Vrindaban, if there is no immediate necessity for purchasing the side properties, you just wait for another year, and keep in a separate bank deposit for this purpose, and similar amount collected by Kirtanananda Maharaja. In this way, in one year I think you can accumulate this 5000 to 7000 dollars or even it is a little less, at that time, I shall try to complete it someway or other. Our next attempt would be to present the brochure with all different pictures of our centers to the foundations and attract their attention. Our program is sublime. Our philosophy is practical and authorized; our character, the purest; our program, the simplest; but our ultimate goal is the highest. Similarly, we have to convince people of your country. They are intelligent, well to do, and receptive. Why not try this program combinedly, yourself, Kirtanananda Maharaja, and Brahmananda. I think in New York there are so many foundation offices. If you all three or four together, you can add also Subala, it will be nice combination. If the foundations understand that actually you are doing something nice, then the financial difficulties for developing our various centers will be over. Please offer my blessings to Syama dasi, and I hope this will find you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** April 6th 1970 > Sriman Hayagriva Das Adhikary ISKCON Temple318 East 20th Avenue Columbus, OH 432013764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard from you since a few weeks. I heard that you were traveling with Kirtanananda Maharaj. So now whether you have come back to your headquarters? I have also not heard from Kirtanananda Maharaj. So I wish to know how far along things are progressing on Bhagavad Gita As It Is - revised and enlarged. Please inform me on this matter. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** April 18th 1970 > Sriman Hayagriva Das Adhikary ISKCON Temple318 East 20th Avenue Columbus, OH 432013764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, and the contents are very much encouraging. So what you are now doing on the Bhagavad Gita manuscript is alright, do it nicely. I have got the second part of Krsna also. I want to send it to you, so when you are free let me know and I will send it. Regarding the editing process, I am glad to know that they are improving and doing nicely, but finally you should see each manuscript before printing. That should be the arrangement. Regarding large Deities, I am arranging for them to be sent from India already. They will be just to the standard of our London Deities, and if you can arrange for a contribution to my book fund of not less than $400, I will have one pair sent to be delivered to New Vrindaban. They will be carefully packed in first-class crates and insured, so do not worry about that. I am carrying on the complete negotiations from here. So Kirtanananda Maharaj is planning to come here for some days and you may also come with him, and then we can go together to New Vrindaban. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** May 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > New Vrndavana My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16th May, 1970. I am very glad you are coming here by the 6th of June next, and it will be a great opportunity to discuss at that time about New Vrndavana, and other affairs. Your remark on the student demonstration is quite appropriate. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura said that materialistic knowledge is another expansion of the influence of Maya. The result of material education is that the living entity forgets his own identification and takes to the business of a particular type of body which is given to him by the grace of Maya. The Vedic education means one has to understand his real identity as brahman or the spirit soul. Unfortunately the modern educational system is so defective that everyone is educated to accept this body as self. At the present moment they have no clear idea of identification, so much so that even a person who is partially advanced about the importance of the soul does also improperly identify himself with the Supreme Brahma. So Krsna Consciousness Movement is meant for defying both classes of men; namely the karmis and the jnanis or yogis. That is our mission. Now among our students those who are advanced should take up this matter more seriously, and the Movement which you have started may not be stopped for want of adequate preachers—that is my request to you all. I am very glad to know that Kirtanananda Maharaja has now taken up this matter seriously and is preaching. Similarly I expect our advanced students like you, Rupanuga, Bhagavan das, Brahmananda, etc., may be seriously engaged now for preaching this cult. Yes, I have received the tape as well as your "Chant" booklet. I am sorry they were not acknowledged earlier. I have asked Boston to send you the KRSNA tapes for part II. They are already edited, and it is nice, still you can have a final glance over it. After your final editing is the work retyped by Syama dasi. If I go to Vrndavana, I will go during Janmastami festival there to see how Kirtanananda Maharaja has arranged. We have to make program that the Janmastami ceremony is held in New Vrndavana with great pomp—as much as the Rathayatra festival is to be performed in San Francisco. Similarly I propose to have great festival in Honolulu which is now New Navadvipa. This festival is to be observed during the Advent of Lord Caitanya's birthday. In this way the students should meet in these different important places at least 3 to 4 times in a year so that the work in different centers may go on uniformly. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** June 27th 1970 > Sriman Hayagriva Das Adhikary New Vrndavan RD 3, Moundsville, WV. 260413764 Watseka Ave.Los Angeles, Calif. 90034 My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23rd June, 1970, and noted the contents. I have received the matter for publication in English and Hindi in Indian newspapers, and necessary actions are being taken. I am very glad to learn that the editorial work of Jai Advaita and Satsvarupa in Boston is now becoming dependable. I understand there is some trouble with the girl who has gone from here, and I do not know how I can advise you in this matter. I think in the near future both of us should be freed from these internal management activities. I can understand that you are little afraid of these legal implications because the land in New Vrndavan is in your name. The best thing will be therefore to transfer the l and in the Society's name as soon as possible and you also be completely free from internal management. Dedicate y our life for reading and writing in this Movement of Krsna Consciousness, and when I go to India you must have to go with me. In the meantime, please settle up things in an organized manner so that in the future we may not be in trouble. Anyway, I am glad that are coming during Rathayatra festival and at that time we will all together discuss on these important businesses and I think that will be very nice. If Kirtanananda Maharaj is not very busy he may also come to Rathayatra festival. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: db ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** July 19th 1970 > Sriman Hayagriva Das Adhikary New Vrndavana RD 3, Moundsville, WV 260413764 Watseka Ave.Los Angeles, Calif. 90034 My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. Since you have gone I have not heard from you, neither do I know whether the property is purchased. I have not heard anything from Kirtanananda also. So I am anxious to know whether the festival in New Vrndavana will take place. It is already announced in the circular letter regarding the Constitution that the meeting will take place in New Vrndavana. I have also promised that I shall go to New Vrndavana. So if everything is fixed up, then you can send me the travelling tickets. Further, if I go to New Vrndavana I wish to go via Boston so that I may be able to see the temple and the press while going on the East side. So kindly treat this as urgent and let me know your decision. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: db ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** August 14th 1970 > 6-16, 2-chome, Ohhashi Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan My Dear Hayagriva, Board Commission, the twelve members should each act as my zonal secretaries. So kindly keep me informed of your zone's activities at least once a week or once fortnightly. In this way I will be encouraged and can give you direction and inspiration. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: ds ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** August 20th 1970 > 6-16, 2-chome, Ohhashi Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5th August, 1970.Regarding Janmastami arrangement, it is going on nicely-that is very encouraging. We have started New Vrndavana in America and it must be finished in the American way. In Vrndavana there are so many temples, they say 5,000, or in Vrndavana every home, every cottage, is a temple. As far as possible try to develop New Vrndavana on this standard. In the coming meeting of Janmastami amongst other business you must have a resolution how to finish the development of New Vrndavana in the right sense of the term. At the same time, please make a very nice scheme to purge out the non-Vrndavana spirit that entered in our Society. I have received telegram from Jayapataka. They have secured a nice place for accommodating at least 30 men. But we are going there only six on the 29th of this month. So settle up in the next meeting of GBC to send at least another 20 men, some of them may be women, also to India without delay. I have got a very nice idea this time to capture the communistic people for spreading Krsna Consciousness Movement. I do not know how far it will be successful, but I wish that all other major movements in the world may be cut down and only the Krsna Consciousness Movement be taken up in all seriousness. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-Gita to give up all other engagements and take to Krsna only. So Krsna Consciousness Movement being non-different from Krsna we have to try our best to make this Movement predominant all over the world curbing down all others. You are thinking of money, how to go to India, but I think it is not a problem. Where there is a will there is a way. If Krsna wants your service in India there will be no scarcity of money -He will supply you. Let me first of all go there and I shall write you again what to do next. In the meantime make the New Vrndavana meetings very successful and send me a report at the following address: ISKCON; 37/1 Hindustan Road; Ballyganj; Calcutta-29.Offer my blessings to Srimati Shama Dasi, all-blissful Samba, and all other devotees in New Vrndavana. I thank you very much for your anxiety when I shall come back and I wish I shall come back as soon as possible. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** September 14th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 31st, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad to know that the GBC is actively working to rectify the subversive situation which has been weakening the very foundation of our Society. All you members of the GBC please always remain very vigilant in this connection so that our society's growth may go on unimpeded by such poisonous elements. Your preaching in New Vrndavana as well as intensified study of our literatures with seriousness is very much encouraging. Please continue this program with vigor and reestablish the solidity of our movement. From the very beginning I was strongly against the impersonalists and all my books are stressed on this point. So my oral instruction as well as my books are all at your service. Now you GBC consult them and get clear and strong idea, then there will be no disturbance. Disturbance is caused by ignorance; where there is no ignorance, there is no disturbance. The four Sannyasis may bark, but still the caravan will pass. There is every evidence that they are influenced by some of my fourth-class Godbrothers. Regarding India, first of all I am trying to fix up a center in Calcutta and then I shall call you as your presence is needed. In the meantime go on constructing New Vrndavana. If there is opportunity, try to convince these rascal Sannyasis who are misled by fourth-class men that if they at all want to have a change of leadership why do they not select a better leader than at present moment. What is the use of finding out a fourth-class leader who has no asset as their background. I am simply sorry that such intelligent boys are misusing their brain-substance in this way. Try to rectify them as far as possible. Isana Das has inquired from Tamala regarding Tirtha Maharaja. I do not know what is the sequence of this inquiry, but it is clear that there is a great clique and the so-called Sannyasis are the via media of spreading contamination in our Society. It is a very sorry plight. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** September 19th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated Sept. 5, 1970, and the essay "THE SPIRITUAL MASTER: EMISSARY OF THE SUPREME PERSON" enclosed therein. I have read it, and am glad that you have understood the matter so thoroughly, and have now substantiated your conclusions with so much scriptural proof. Actually, that is our method of preaching, simply to repeat the message as it is coming down from higher authority. Here in Calcutta everything is going nicely. Hundreds of people join in our Sankirtana Party daily in downtown Calcutta, and I am confident that this mission of Lord Caitanya's will be successful if only we continue to push on this great movement, without any personal motivation. Hope this finds you and your good wife and child in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** September 26th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of Sept. 11, 1970, and have noted the contents. It is nice that you are personally managing New Vrindaban now, and I am sure that everything is progressing nicely just to the standard. So for the present just continue in this way. Krishna will give you all intelligence how to do it. Regarding Mr. Ginsberg's article, yes, it may appear if it is followed by an adequate refutation. But kindly make the refutation very strong; then that will be nice. I am adding some points that you may elaborate on.1) As you state, Krishna is identical with His name. That means that His name has the same qualities as Himself, i.e. sat, chit, ananda. No mundane vibration is eternal, otherwise why does it grow tiresome and have to be changed every other week. Nor do mundane songs produce real knowledge or bliss unending. Also, this transcendental vibration purifies one. Anyone can see practically how our students are becoming purified, but the chanters of material songs are not.2) Ginsberg says these words are physical in a frankly physical universe. But this is not true, for actually everything is spiritual. It is only under certain conditions, viz. forgetfulness of Krishna that this internal or spiritual energy of Krishna becomes material. Therefore when we hear the name Krishna, which is identical with Krishna, we must remember, and in that way everything is purified.3) Tennyson may have felt something when he chanted Tennyson, but does anyone else? Does Mr. Ginsberg want to chant Tennyson, Tennyson? But everyone enjoys chanting Krishna. That means there is something different about His name. He is the center of everyone and everything.4) Krishna explains in the 7th Chapter of B.G. that there are four classes of men who approach Him. There are millions of men in distress, or searching for money, or curious, or searching for knowledge, but only a few come to Krishna, and all of them are mahatma—simply because they have come to the right place, Krishna. That is not by chance, but due to their past pious deeds. No one can approach Krishna without being purified, so this is the process. But no matter what the original motive, if one actually comes to Krishna he is mahatma. S.B. confirms it that if someone follows all the rules and regulations very nicely but doesn't come to Krishna it is useless, and similarly if someone comes to Krishna, even if he doesn't follow very nicely, he is perfect. Also, B.G. 7/19 says that the wise man after many births comes to know that Krishna is everything. So Krishna is central. So we may begin our chanting with some motive, but that is not the final stage. Love of Krishna is final, and how can we develop that unless we are chanting and thinking of Krishna?5) Some analyst or priest or lover may widen the consciousness from this to that, but only Krishna is without limit and therefore can widen the consciousness infinitely. That is the difference. The material world has varieties of this and that, this thing more than that thing, but only Krishna is without limit, and if we desire ananda, bliss unending, we must go to Krishna.6) Hare Krishna cannot be compared to any sexual cry because the sexual cry is a call for some partner to come satisfy the caller's desire. That means it is sense gratification. When we chant H.K. we are calling to Krishna to please let us serve You. So on the spiritual platform it is the service that is desired, but on the material it is sense gratification that is sought. The rest of the points I think you can cover nicely. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** November 8th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > New Vrindaban My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27, Sept. I'm very pleased that you're opening a nice center in the important city of Pittsburgh. Please develop the Pittsburgh and New Vrindaban plan conjointly. If Pittsburgh center can help contribute financially to our New Vrindaban, that will help relieve many financial problems. I am often thinking of New Vrindaban and I'm so much glad that you have taken the initiative to establish that program. Before I came to your country, I was thinking to establish an ideal Vedic community. So please work very hard to make New Vrindaban grow. I will agree with you that we must not strain by having more devotees there than we can fit comfortably. Things must be done in such a way that no one feels inconvenienced. That is one of the problems of our modern metropolis. Everyone is packed together so tightly that the condition is always unbearable. Develop things in New Vrindaban in the natural way, so that gradually, as you have more facilities, more men can come. So far as purchasing the property and schoolhouse owned by Mr. Caufield—that is very nice proposal. So I propose that if you can collect $15,000. Then I will loan you the remaining $5,000. from my bookfund. Your essay "The Spiritual Master: Emissary of the Supreme Person" is so nice, so why not have ISKCON PRESS publish it and then all our students can study it. Here I am working in Bombay to establish one Krishna Consciousness Headquarters for India. There are many big influential industrialists in Bombay and the climate is very nice. So it Krishna desires, we will have a temple here. If I get such a nice temple, I may call all the men who are in India to come here, and at that time you may come also. Presently Hansadutta, Acyutananda Swami, Jayapataka Swami, Madhudvisa Swami, and some others are in Calcutta. Kirtanananda Swami is with Ramananda in Gorakhpur and Gurudasa and Yamuna with some other devotees are in Delhi. So everyone here is trying to establish a temple and we will see where Krishna wants us to have it. Please offer my blessings to your good wife Syama Dasi and your growing boy Samba, and I can hardly wait until he grows big enough to defeat all the mayavadis. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Hayagriva **Date:** November 24th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > New Vrindaban My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16th November, 1970 and I've noted the contents carefully. I have instructed the GBC members with me here in India that they should write you once a week and report on activities here. It is very encouraging to hear that Pittsburgh temple is doing so nicely and that New Vrindaban is also being developed gradually. As far as the roadside property is concerned it is in long standing for purchase. So try to purchase as soon a possible, as you are hoping to get finances from spiritual sky incense which you are manufacturing under Ranadhir's expert guidance in Pittsburgh. Regarding KRSNA book, Vol II, 4,000 copies may be sent to the U.S.A. and 1,000 may be sent to London; the remaining 5,000 can be sent to Bombay, India. Regarding Printing of Bhagavad-gita complete and unabridged edition, it may be printed with our ISKCON PRESS and 5,000 copies may be sent, printed and folded to Bombay because I notice in your ISKCON PRESS newsletter that Advaita has expressed his opinion that if sent by ship without folding first, it would not be possible for the books to be properly folded and printed here in India. Regarding the missing verses, I will see if it is required and will send you at a later date. Kirtanananda Maharaja is feeling double separation. If he likes, he can go back to New Vrindaban. Let him feel only one separation. As far as myself, most probably I shall go back to U.S.A. by next spring, so I also am feeling separation. In your letter you refer to Gurudasa as GBC member, but I think there is some misunderstanding because he has not yet been appointed by me as GBC member, because there is no vacancy. Please offer my blessings to your good wife Syama Dasi and son Samba. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb --- P.S. I have advised K. Maharaja to return to New Vrindaban. ACB ### Letter to Himavati **Date:** April 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Himavati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 25th March, 1970. Yes, the same things are going on. I am trying to change diets and sometimes fasting. But after all, it is old body, so dizziness is not unnatural. Regarding herb teas for colds and sore throat, up to now I have no such complaint, so they are not necessary. I am very, very glad that you are taking care of the Deities with great attention and enthusiasm. Regarding your questions: the Deities should be polished before Their morning bath. Make a thin paste of fuller's earth and lime juice and rub this mixture on Their bodies and then bathe them and then dry and buff Them with a small towel for the purpose. You can make one very nice bed and place it to the backside of the throne, and you can make night clothes. So after the last Aratrik at night, you can change to Their night clothes for taking rest. Because They are small Deities, They may be lain on the bed with some pillows (because the base may raise Their feet up); if this can be arranged it will be nice. Yes, Their crowns and jewelry should be removed both at night and while resting at noon, but wigs may stay on and Krsna should always hold His flute. It is nice if you can provide some heating arrangement for cold weather. Also different weight clothes for warmer or colder weather is good. Your idea for a thin curtain around the throne is very good. Regarding Radharani's smiling, that is not imagination—so she must smile. Let this be an impetus to your increased service. Radha Krsna topics are for both liberated and conditioned souls, but conditioned souls should not much discuss about the loving affairs between Radha and Krsna because sometimes they misunderstand Radha and Krsna as ordinary boy and girl. So this should be discussed with advanced students, not with ordinary men. Yes, you make the throne very plush and comfortable and gorgeous like a bedroom. You are welcome for these questions, since you are engaged in Their service, you must know everything thoroughly. I am very glad to learn of you eagerness to help open new centers in Munich, Amsterdam, and Berlin. But unless some responsible devotee takes charge of the Deities, you should remain in Hamburg. Hansadutta may alone go for preaching work with the others. I think there are enough brahmanas there, so if one cannot be engaged full time, they should divide the duties amongst themselves—one takes the morning, another one at noon, and another in the evening, or like that. So unless they are trained up, you should not go. Deity worship is for old and experienced students; it is not good for new students to be given sacred thread. This Deity worship is exclusively for advanced students. Regarding taking Lord Jagannatha to your next center, that will not be very good because you already do not have enough devotees to engage in Arcana. Unless there is a Deity worshipper available, we may worship Panca-tattva and Guru. That can be done by all initiated students whether they are once or twice initiated. Before an altar with pictures of Lord Caitanya, Pancatattva and Acaryas, everyone can offer Aratrik and Bhoga. Yes, it is nice that you are worshiping Lord Caitanya along with Radha Krsna. That is alright. Lord Caitanya should be placed to the right side of Krsna. There is nothing special for His worship, but you may continue as you are doing now. The order of worshiping is first Spiritual Master, and then Lord Caitanya, then Radha Krsna (as in the mantras or Bunde aham prayer).Your confidence to do whatever you are instructed by the Spiritual Master is very encouraging. Yes, this is the method of the Vedic injunction, staunch faith in Spiritual Master and Krsna makes one perfect in spiritual understanding. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Himavati **Date:** April 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Himavati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated sometime April, and I am so glad to learn that you are making advance in Krishna Consciousness as it is scheduled. It appears that you are on the attachment platform, this is very good. The next platform is ecstasy, and then pure love of God. So stick to your duties at the present moment, and when it is convenient you can go with the Sankirtana Party, but never neglect the Arcana regulation at any cost. If you have no time, you are not required to go with the Sankirtana Party. Your first business is to take care of the Deities. Practically you see that everyone is appreciating your Deity worship and Srimati Radharani is smiling, so it is a great credit for you, so continue this engagement. Regarding going together with Hansadutta on Sankirtana Party, no, there is no need of specifically helping Hansadutta because you are now engaged in direct service to the Lord, and it must be understood that this service is your specific duty. I do not think you require a child for the purpose of example. You had one child, and by the desire of Krsna the child did not stay. Now you can forget of any child. Just do the present service with great care and affection, that will be your best service to Krsna. Better to accept Krsna as your child, and He will never leave you like material child. He will stay with you forever. For raising children in Krsna Consciousness, you will get many opportunities to do so. When I was householder, I was just taking care of one or two children, but after retiring from my household life Krsna has given me chance to raise so many nice children for raising them to Krsna Consciousness. So instead of desiring to raise a bodily child to Krsna Consciousness, if you stick to this service, Krsna will give you many children for that purpose. I am so glad to hear of Hansadutta's determination to become Krsna Conscious. The determination is difficult, Krsna Consciousness is not difficult—Krsna Consciousness is natural. One knows how to love another, so instead of loving so many others, one can very easily take to the business of loving Krsna—this is determination. That much is required, otherwise Krsna Consciousness is not difficult. Regarding your question, a sinful person, never mind what kind of sinful man is he, is taken in subtle body to the place of Yamaraja, and there he is trained up in a particular type of suffering. As soon as he is trained up, he is given a particular body by which he can endure such sufferings. You write to say that you look forward to that day when sense gratification will become simply insignificant, and yes that is the stage of pure Krsna Consciousness when our only desire is to be serving Krsna with no personal considerations whatsoever. You want to do whatever is necessary for spreading this Krsna Consciousness Movement, so that desire will help you, and you will be able to serve my cause surely. You ask how is it possible to actually become Krsna's servant; yes, it will be possible. Go on with your engagement, and it will be possible. Patiently go on. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Himavati **Date:** July 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > San Francisco My Dear Himavati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil and I am very sorry to learn that you are injured in a motor accident. I have come to San Francisco on account of Rathayatra festival and shall be returning by next Tuesday. Do not be worried by lying down. Chant Hare Krsna mantra and Krsna will help you to be free from this confinement very soon. In my previous letter I informed you that you better stick to the arcana bidhi of the temple, and I confirm the same again that in future you will always remain in the temple. So we should always consider that this material world is a dangerous place and therefore we shall chant Lord Nrsimha's Holy Name in order to be protected by Him in all dangers.namaste narasinghaya prahladahla-dadayinehiranyakasipor baksah silatamka-nakhalayeito nrsinghah parato nrsinghobahir nrsingho hrdaye nrsinghonrsingham adim saranam prapadyetaba kara kamalabare nakham adbhutasringamdalita hiranya kasipu tanu bhrngamkesava dhrta narahari rupam jaya jagadisa hare Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Himavati **Date:** July 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Himavati, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard from you recently how you are and I have been anxious to know that you are recovering well from your car accident injury. I beg to acknowledge receipt of a package yesterday which contained one set of Deity clothes. I have immediately got them on my Deities and They are wearing them and looking so beautiful. You have made the colors and clothes so nicely. I am very much pleased. You are lying for some time in the hospital bed and still you are not wasting a moment of your time. This attitude is very good. This is Krsna Consciousness—not to waste even a single moment without serving the Lord in some way or other. So you have made these very, very nice dresses for Krsna and Radharani although you are so much inconvenienced by your injury. I am very, very glad that you have got this feeling to not waste even a single moment in the service of the body and mind but to utilize very carefully every moment of life in the loving service of the Lord. I beg to thank you once more for the beautiful clothes for Radha Krishna. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Himavati **Date:** August 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Hamburg My Dear Himavati, Please accept my blessings. I have already acknowledged your letter dated August 13rd, 1970, along with my last reply. I am very glad to learn that you will be walking very soon, but walking or no walking you are always engaged in Krsna's service. That is my confidence. I am very glad that Hansadutta has gone to New Vrndavana and I have requested everyone of the Governing Board Commission members to formulate a solid program for advancing Krsna Consciousness Movement all over the world. I am feeling well here, better than Los Angeles and on the 29th August we are starting for Calcutta. The address is as follows:37/1 Hindustan RoadBallylganjCalcutta-29Certainly I shall call you for the World Sankirtana Party as soon as you are quite fit to walk. I hope that Tamala Krsna will correspond with you and your husband in this connection. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- P.S. I have heard the tape ____ _____ This is full of transcendental feelings. Thanks. ACBS ### Letter to Himavati, Hansadutta **Date:** June 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Himavati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9th June, 1970. I have already inquired from Krsna das why I did not receive any letter from you. In one letter Hansadutta wrote me that you both, husband and wife, were going to Berlin. So after that I did not receive any letter from you. I thought both of you were gone to Berlin and thus I was expecting your letter. Now I see that you sent me one letter which is missing, otherwise it is my habit to reply all letters that I receive. Anyway, letter or no letter, you are one of the advanced students, so you should know it perfectly well that wherever we may stay or whatever condition we may be put into, Krsna is our life and soul. We cannot stop your activities in Krsna consciousness. This motto should be followed very rigidly by chanting sixteen rounds and observing the regulative principles. I have received your pictures and the Deity's pictures look very nice, but I think you should decorate the Deities with more flowers. Krsna belongs to the village atmosphere of Vrndavana and He is very fond of flowers. I think in Germany the flowers are very expensive, so as far as possible try to increase the quantity of flowers. Regarding Lord Jagannatha, it is alright to install Him as you propose with fire ceremony. Bath Him with water and milk mixed and scented, accompanied by chanting Hare Krsna Mantra. Regarding the picture of Radha Krsna in Vrndavana, if it is a nice picture, then it can be hung elsewhere on the wall, and the backdrop to the Deities' Throne may be painted simply Vrndavana woods—that will be nice. I hope Vasudeva is painting very nicely. So he should be encouraged to paint the Pancatattva pictures and Acarya pictures; they will be required in our different centers. In Australia they have requested such pictures, so ask Vasudeva to paint and send them there—this is his first assignment. It does not matter if they are a little crude, but he will improve with practice. No, it is not proper that the morning Aratik is performed with the Deities lying down. The Deities should be awakened with belling, then stand Them, then perform Aratik. After Aratik you bathe and change Their clothes. You should wake Them privately and also bathe Them privately. And if you want to go to Rathayatra in London, why not go. You have already instructed Sivananda, so it is alright. So far your present program of Deity worship, for the time being whatever is going on that is nice. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- My Dear Hansadutta, Please accept my blessings. Regarding the Rathayatra procession in London, the procession should be made like this: The arrangement is for seven kirtana parties, or if you do not have enough men, four parties. Each party must consist of seven men as follows: two mrdanga, four karatala, and one dancer. One of the karatala players is lead singer, and the dancer dances freely up and down between the two lines of players three on each side as in the drawing. If there are only four parties, the arrangement should be that one party is on each side, and in back and front of the Ratha: So the dancer should dance very freely, you may distribute Prasadam and especially distribute our literatures from a table on wheels for the purpose. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hit Sharanji **Date:** February 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Scindia House New Delhi My Dear Hit Sharanji, Please accept my blessings. I beg to remind herewith of my letter dated February 2, 1970, in which everything was clearly described. In your letter dated January 24, you informed me that two pairs of Murtis were to be received by the 5th of February, but I have not heard anything whether any one of the pairs has already been dispatched. Along with my reply I forwarded a copy of the letter to Srimati Sumati Morarji, and I do not know what is the result. Anyway, if you have not received any reply from Scindia Navigation, there is no need of waiting. So kindly enlighten me what is the situation. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hit Sharanji **Date:** February 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Hit Sharanji, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter No. DJT/, dated 21 February, 1970. In the meantime, I have sent you one reminder dated 24 February, 1970, in this connection. So as advised previously, I may again repeat the same that if Scindia Steam Navigation Co. has not as yet replied my letter or your letter, then the Murtis should be dispatched without delay by other freighters through the shipping agents Messrs. Cox and Kings. I shall arrange for clearing the goods at the destination. I may once more give the following list for dispatch of the Murtis, and please note the corrected Boston address.1 pair of Murtis toISKCON Temple38 North Beacon StreetBoston, Massachusetts 02134 U.S.A.1 Pair of MurtisISKCON Temple3720 Park AvenueMontreal 18, Quebec Canada3 Pairs of Murtis toISKCON Temple1975 South La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90034 U.S.A.I hope by this time Syt. J. Dalmia has come back from South India. I am sending by separate air mail one copy of my new publication, Sri Isopanisad, as my complimentary present to Sethji. Please acknowledge receipt. By the by, I may inform you that we require many pairs of Deities, but the Vrindaban manufacturer, Ramnath murtikar, is very slow. Under the circumstances, I would prefer ready made marble Murtis from Jaipur. One gentleman, Mr. Goyl, donated our London Deities—42 inches high Krsna and Radharani proportionately shorter. The photograph of London Murti is sent herewith. Will you kindly take the trouble to find out someone in Jaipur who can supply us such Murtis regularly. So I shall be glad to hear from you in this connection. Thanking you in anticipation. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- P.S. We have sent our representative to Australia, one Brahmacari and one householder, for preaching work, and the first installment of newspaper cutting is sent herewith. Please present it to Sethji. A.C. B ### Letter to Hit Sharanji **Date:** March 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Scindia House New Delhi, India My Dear Hit Sharanji, Please accept my blessings. I hope you have received my letter dated 28 February, 1970.In the meantime, I have received a reply from Srimati Sumati Morarji in which I understand that she has already replied to your letter regarding the dispatch of the Murtis. Now, through the forwarding agents, Messrs. Cox and Kings, you can arrange to ship all the Murtis through Scindia Steam Navigation Co. to different places as already directed. I shall be glad to hear from you at your earliest convenience. Thanking you in anticipation. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hit Sharanji **Date:** March 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Scindia House New Delhi My Dear Hit Sharanji, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your copy of the letter to Sri Trivedi, dated 9th March, 1970.In the meantime, I have received a letter from Sri Trivedi that he has arranged to dispatch the three pairs of Murtis to different places, but I do not know if Sri M. L. Chand of Dalmia Cement Ltd. has already handed over the Murtis to the care of Sri N. M. Trivedi. Then, what about the other two pairs of Murtis? Are they already delivered to you? If so, you can dispatch them similarly for Los Angeles, Besides that, Srimati Sumati Morarji of Bombay has agreed to donate some Murtis herself, as well as through some friends. She wants to know the price of the Murtis and the place from where they can be had. It is understood that you have already written to Jaipur about the cost of marble Murtis. I hope by this time you have received the cost. If so, kindly inform me as well as Srimati Sumati Morarji because we require immediately at least one dozen Murtis for different places. We require at least one pair of Murtis exactly like that of London, for which you have got the picture, for our Paris center. Kindly therefore enlighten me on the above subject by return post, and oblige. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. I have received one letter from Sethji acknowledging my book, Sri Isopanisad. Please convey my regards for him ### Letter to Hit Sharanji **Date:** May 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Scindia House New Delhi My Dear Hit Sharanji, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard from you in some time. I hope you are doing well. I am anxious to know what happened to the other two pairs of Deities. These two pairs of Deities are immediately required for Paris and Berlin. So I will be very much pleased if you dispatch them immediately to Scindia Steam Navigation Co. as you did last time. Kindly treat this as urgent, and let me know what is the situation. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Hitsaranji **Date:** February 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > New Delhi My Dear Hitsaranji, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated 24 January, 1970. I have written one letter to Srimati Sumati Morarji of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company, and the copy of the letter addressed to her is enclosed herewith for reference. If some of your men or the shipping agents' men will see her in Bombay (because I think the packages will be shipped via Bombay) then I am sure she will sanction free carriage of the packages. But I may instruct you, if somehow or other this Scindia Steam Navigation Company delays the matter, you may advise your shipping agents to dispatch without delay. We will pay the shipping charges here if your Trust is legally unable to bear the cost of sending the Murtis to America. Formerly, you informed me in your letter that the Birla Trust will bear the cost of carriage also for the four pairs of Murtis which they have donated. So if they can bear the cost of shipping, why your Trust will be legally unable to do so? Anyway, my open advice is to you that if Scindia Steam Navigation Company does not agree, then you can ship the Murtis for being carried to the following destinations at my cost. You will simply send me the shipping documents to the following addresses and we will arrange to clear them. Shipping instructions:1) 1 pair of MurtisISKCON Temple38 Beacon StreetBoston, Massachusetts 02134 U.S.A.2) 1 pair of Murtis toISKCON Temple3720 Park AvenueMontreal 18, QuebecCanada3) 3 pairs of Murtis toISKCON Temple1975 South La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, 90034 California U.S.A.I hope this dispatch process will clear the whole thing and you will kindly do the needful as early as possible. At least may I request you to add with each pair of Murtis, japa malas (big beads for chanting) 100 pairs with each pair of Murtis. Please offer my regards to Seth Jaya Dayalaji Dalmia. I know that you are always very busy, but still I shall request you as my beloved child to reply my letter at your earliest convenience. Thanking you in anticipation. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- N.B. You will be pleased to know that our next attempt will be to open our center in Sydney, Australia. We have already opened in Tokyo, Japan. The address is as follows: ISKCON Temple6-16, 1-chome, ohhashiMeguru-kuTokyo, JapanSo we require many pairs of Deities. Already 24 centers are there, and the next attempt will be in Berlin, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, etc ### Letter to Hladini **Date:** December 29th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Chicago My Dear Hladini devi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your very nice letter dated 28th November. I am glad to learn that the Deities are being cared for there in Chicago so nicely by your good self. I personally gave instruction to Silavati how to care for the Deities properly when I was in Los Angeles and you were trained up by her. So I am confident that everything is going on nicely. Proper Deity worship, with all attention to cleanliness, is of the utmost importance. If you can please the Deity by your sincere service, then your temple will flourish. To be able to personally serve the Deity is a great privilege and such a person is very fortunate indeed. So you continue in this way and Krishna will surely bless you. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Hladini (Linda) **Date:** March 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Daughter Hladini Dasi (Linda), Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 26th March, 1970, asking to become my initiated disciple in Krsna Consciousness and also your beads for chanting. I am very glad to know that your are strictly observing the rules and regulations of Krsna Consciousness faithfully and now I am very glad to accept you as my initiated student. I am returning your beads herewith duly chanted by me. Your initiated name is Hladini devi Dasi. Lord Krsna's Pleasure Potency is called Hladini, so this spiritual energy of Krsna's pleasure potency, Hladini, is Srimati Radharani Who is always increasing the transcendental pleasure of Krsna by Her super-excellent loving devotional service. Radharani is the most confidential servant of the Lord and Hladini Dasi means the servant of Radharani. So please always be engaged in chanting Hare Krsna mantra at least sixteen rounds daily and work sincerely and eagerly in the service of the Lord observing the regulative principles and thus be happy. I am also pleased to know that you will be married with Sriman Mahananda in Krsna Consciousness and that you offer your children to Krsna is very, very nice. May Krsna bless you both to work combinedly for mutually advancing in Krsna Consciousness more and more. I have written to Mahananda that my suggestion is that after some time training in Detroit with Bhagavan das you can try to expand our activities by opening a branch in some suitable place. That will be very nice. So please chant Hare Krsna and be happy, that is my desire. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Ilavati **Date:** February 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Daughter Ilavati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter dated 28 January, 1970, along with your beads. I am very happy to accept you as one of my disciples, and I am returning your beads herewith duly chanted on by me. As you are liking the London Temple atmosphere, please remain there to learn more about Krishna Consciousness from your Godbrothers and Godsisters there. Follow the rules and regulations and avoid the ten offenses in chanting the Holy Name, study the Scriptures like Bhagavad-gita As It Is and always stay engaged in Krishna's service. I am enclosing a list of rules for devotees and the ten offenses. Chant regularly sixteen rounds daily on your beads and be happy. Ilavati is the name of the Goddess of the Earth. Do not forget Krishna, He will give you all protection, and your life will be sublime. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Indrani **Date:** July 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Daughter Indrani, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated Berlin, 13rd July, 1970, and I am so glad also to learn that you have nicely appreciated our Sankirtana movement and now you are married to one of our devotees, Krsna das. You are very fortunate to have found contact with Krsna through Krsna consciousness movement and, yes, peace is only to be found where there is Krsna consciousness. I have been very happy to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Indrani devi Dasi. Indrani is the wife of Indra the king of the heavenly planet. I have received your beads and have duly chanted upon them. Now they are returned to you by separate air post. Please follow all the rules and regulations of Krsna consciousness and chant at least sixteen rounds of beads daily, chant Hare Krsna mantra always, go on Sankirtana as often as possible and be happy. I know that you are a very suitable match for Krsna das. You are both young, intelligent and sincere devotees. So please work combinedly with great enthusiasm to establish our branch of ISKCON in Berlin. That is my desire. Regarding your question why does the moon appear in pictures of Krsna yet the abode of Krsna is described as having no need of sunlight or moonlight, the answer is that these pictures show Krsna as He appeared in Vrndavana 5,000 years ago. It may be understood therefore that it is the moon of this world which is seen along with Krsna in these pictures. Please try to read our literatures very carefully and try to understand the philosophy with the help of your good husband. I am enclosing one sheet listing standard practices and qualifications of a devotee and ten offenses to avoid in chanting, for your reference. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Isana, Vibhavati **Date:** September 21st 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Lachine, Quebec My Dear Isana and Vibhavati, Please accept my blessings. Lately there has been some misunderstanding amongst our devotees about our Krishna Consciousness philosophy. Particularly there has been some confusion about the relationship between the Spiritual Master and Krishna. The Vedas say that there is a Master Krishna. This Servant Krishna is the Spiritual Master and this is the conclusion. The Spiritual Master is the Mercy Representative of the Supreme Lord and as such He is given honor as good as Krishna, but He is never identical with Krishna. Perhaps you know the picture of Madhvacarya, one of the great Acaryas in our line, who is holding two fingers up to indicate Krishna and jiva. The impersonalists hold up one finger because their idea is that everything is one. So if we make the Spiritual Master identical with Krishna, then we will also become impersonalists. If we say that our Spiritual Master is Krishna, then the conclusion is that if we become Spiritual Master some day, then we will also become Krishna. Please try to understand how dangerous this kind of reasoning is. In my books I have tried to explain clearly this simultaneously one and different philosophy acinta beda beda tattva propounded by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But sometimes it happens that this philosophy is given a self-interested interpretation. As soon as personal motivation comes in it is not possible for one to understand our Krishna Consciousness philosophy. You have both been very nice devotees and I would like you both to continue to make nice advancement. So please patch up any crack that may have come between yourself and ISKCON. As husband and wife you must always remain together and raise your daughter in Krishna Consciousness. I would like you to go back to New Vrndavana and fix up a nice living place for yourselves and help to develop the New Vrndavana scheme. Our ISKCON should be taken as being a family based upon love and trust, so as the father becomes unhappy when one of his children wishes to break family connections I also become unhappy when there is difficulties within our ISKCON family. So please do not consider leaving as you are spiritual children of mine. While writing this letter dated September 12th, 1970, I do not think at this time you should come to India. Your both service is required in New Vrndavana. Please chant your rounds sincerely and read carefully all the books and dedicate your life equally to Krishna and your Spiritual Master. This will make you happy. Hope you are both well and your daughter Vrajadevi also. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Ishan **Date:** June 10th 1970 > 3764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My Dear Ishandas, Please accept my blessings, and offer the same to your wife, Bibhavati, and your daughter, Brajadevi. I think Brajadevi is nicely grown up and she must be sitting up by this time. So your description of Copenhagen is very encouraging, and I am also glad that you are realizing that actual help does come from Krishna. Our duty is to render service unto Him sincerely, and immediately Krishna arranges for all facilities. From the description of your letter it appears that you are not at all inconvenienced, so try to organize this center to your best capacity helped by your wife who is very intelligent girl. I have received one letter from Tamal Krishna and he is anxious to know about your progress, so I hope you have already informed him. I think you should stick to the principles of ISKCON programs namely holding classes in our center and distributing literatures as far as possible. You have already got a nice place to hold class, and one boy has already joined you. These are good signs. One of our students, perhaps you know him, Vamandevdas, he also went to St. Louis along with his wife, and he has organized the center very nicely within a very short time. Not only that, he has purchased a house also there. Similarly another student, Goursundar, went to Hawaii along with his wife, and he is also doing very nice there. I am sure you will also very soon improve the Copenhagen center because both of you are sincere devotees. So occasionally please keep me informed about your advancement. Depend on Krishna, and everything will be alright. For further direction consult with Tamal Krishna. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbp.t.o. ### Letter to ISKCON Temple Presidents **Date:** May 4th 1970 3764 WATSEKA AVENUE - LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA 90034Bahulasva, BerkeleySatsvarupa, BostonHarer Nama, BoulderRupanuga, BuffaloJaya Gopal, ColumbusBhagavandas, DetroitHansadutta, HamburgGoursunder, HawaiiDurlabh, Laguna BeachGurudas, LondonSripati, MontrealHayagriva, New VrndavanChidananda, VancouverRshi Kumara, New YorkWoomapati, ParisSubaldas, PhiladelphiaSridama, ProvidenceVamandev, St. louisMadhudvisa, San FranciscoChitsukananda, San JoseRebatinandan, Santa BarbaraGajendra, SeattleBali Mardan, SydneySudama, TokyoJagadisha, TorontoDamodara, WashingtonMy Dear Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple-chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Samkirtan Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books. Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Arotrik, Kirtan, and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard. Hope this will meet you in good health, and more when we meet. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: db ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** January 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 10, 1970. I asked you to work four hours just to give you not very much strain because I found you weaker than I saw you before. On the whole you can work conscientiously so that you may not feel tired due to your weakness. So sometimes if you go with Sankirtana Party that will be a nice relaxation. So for each and every time you do not write to me but use your best discretion and do everything easily and without strain. That is my advice. Being in the disciplic succession of Prahlada Maharaja certainly we are not interested for our personal liberation as much as we want to work for the liberation of the conditioned souls because Krishna desires it. So you are an intelligent girl, I need not talk much, and be happy in Krishna Consciousness business. I am very glad to learn that Muralidhara, Devahuti and Bharadraja are working together. You simply supervise them. I know Bharadraja is a very fast working painter and if he sticks to his work, certainly he will do wonderfully. So far Devahuti is concerned, she is elder woman but very nice and sober as well as qualified. Because she is of the age of all of your mothers, she should be treated very respectfully. Nothing should be ordered to her but simply suggested so that she may work in her own way. You should personally see to the comforts and conveniences so that she may feel very happy to stay with you all young boys and girls. So far I have studied and it is quite natural that she requires a little respectful dealing from the young boys and girls. I do not follow what you mean by that they are starting to sell samosas. We should not sell any Prasadam, we shall distribute Prasadam and we can ask for contributions. That should be the method. But our magazines should be sold as many as possible and I am glad to learn that sometimes you are selling more than 200 copies. Now Brahmananda will be going to Boston for the further development of the center and one of the items I suggested before should be to distribute free copies of BTG to a group of respectable persons every month with special reference to presidents of the foundations who are inclined to give contributions to religious institutions. You may convey this message to Satsvarupa and Brahmananda. Hope this will find you alright. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** May 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated "nil" regarding paintings for the KRSNA book. We have now received the full set of paintings for the first volume of KRSNA book, and they are all very, very excellent. So your art department is doing very nicely, and surely the production will improve even more by the grace of Krsna. You are all being inspired just how to portray the Lord and His associates for the devotees' eyes, so everyone who sees to these transcendental pictures will turn to become devotees—that is our aim. Yes, when Krsna and Balarama were students of Sandipuni Muni they may be shown with shaved heads and sikhas, kunthi, etc., just like our brahmacaris. The personified Vedas are just like great sages in appearance. Some of them may be looking like Vyasadeva, Valmiki, Narada, etc. Some of them are older and some of them are younger, some of them have full hair like Vyasa because they are householders and others are brahmacari—but they are all great souls, highly elevated in transcendental science, or Paramahamsas. So as you suggest these pictures will be needed for illustrating the long portion of text describing their prayers to Garbhodakasayi Visnu. This is a very important chapter, and if possible it should also be very appropriately illustrated. So you are very able to choose out suitable subject matter for the pictures, then execute them carefully for Krsna's satisfaction. If you are requiring any other informations like this, please write your inquiries to me and I shall be glad to give you the proper direction. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** June 5th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2nd June, 1970.You go with increasing the Bhagavat pictures according to the descriptions, and you need not divert your attention for the pictures demanded by our different centers. You can redirect such inquiries here, and as there are three artists now living with us it will be not difficult to paint the temple pictures Pancatattva, etc. So you simply concentrate in drawing pictures from Bhagavatam etc. and keep them together because they will be needed in future for many other purposes. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** June 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17th June, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad that you are progressively working on paintings for our all literatures. Thank you very much. Regarding the cover for "The Lord in the Heart," yes, Lord Visnu should be distinguished by Srivatsa on His chest. The Kaustava jewel should be painted to look just like a very precious jewel. Lord Visnu should be surrounded by effulgence from His person. The first concentration should be on the lotus feet of the Lord. That should be very distinct and very nicely decorated with jewels, sandal pulp and Tulasi. I am very glad also to know that Satsvarupa is becoming more and more responsible for the Boston temple. That is nice. That I want. I have received his letter of 19th June 1970.Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** July 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 3rd July, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very satisfied to see how nicely you are rendering the transcendental subject matters of Srimad-Bhagavatam in the matter of painting pictures for our literatures. So I am very much pleased with your picture for the cover of The First Step in God Realization and if you continue to improve from this standard that will be very nice. Yes, I would like each and every one of our books to have pictures as many as possible. That is my desire. Our KRSNA book with pictures has been very much attractive. Brahmananda took delivery of only 25 copies from Japan and immediately within two days all copies were sold. It is simply to the pictures. People become attracted with these unusual transcendental pictures at first, also even without reading the book they become inclined to purchase it. This is one point. Another point is that picture gives the explanation of the passage very quickly. So try to insert as many pictures as possible in all our books and other publications. Regarding the picture for the cover of Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS, revised and enlarged edition, yes, if the painting for the cover is similar to the picture which you sent from the Bhagavad-gita in Pictures that will be alright. Regarding further pictures for the Bhagavad-gita, if you want suggestions from me then I can give you hints with reference to important verses in the Gita; but whether you will be able to draw pictures simply by taking hints from me? For example you may take some hints like this: Dhrtarastra sitting in the palace room and his secretary, Sanjaya, relaying the activities in the battlefield with a television-like picture within his heart. The idea is that he is looking within the reflection of the battlefield and explaining to Dhrtarastra. So if somebody tries for it, then I shall send similar hints with reference to some important verses. You have inquired whether to illustrate Balaramaji's Rasa Dancing with expansions of Balaramaji just like Krsna expanded Himself for Rasa Dancing. No, we do not find such description in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. But He had His dancing pastime with the Gopis in a different place known as Ramaghata on the bank of the Yamuna. Yes, you all must read Nectar of Devotion in your spare time. I am very glad to learn that your Boston Sankirtana Movement is very successful. If you are getting enough money now, you can send some extra money to me. I have given a loan to the BTG Department for $3000, so inform this matter to Satsvarupa and if he has got extra money he may return it. All books in soft cover which we have printed should be bound each one copy and sent to me for my library. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** July 31st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28th July, 1970.Krsna can expand Himself in various ways with His different wives. You are not only advanced student in painting, but also in Krsna consciousness, so always pray to Krsna how you shall draw the painting and I think it will come out nice. My another request to you is that because I am going to the Eastern hemisphere countries I wish to establish as many branches as possible on that side. As you know me very well from the very beginning, I shall require many pictures of Pancatattva either Sankirtana or standing Five together, also the pictures of Acaryas. Wherever a Sankirtana temple will be established, I shall require at least three pictures, namely your Spiritual Master, my Spiritual Master and the Pancatattva as they are being worshiped in the first apartment of the Temple here in L.A. These pictures may be painted on a canvas oil painting and when it is dried up they may be rolled all together and dispatched by Post Air Mail. The frame work may be done locally. Paraffin paper may be placed between paintings so they will not stick. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** September 19th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your recent (undated) letter. Regarding the painting of the Universal Form, yes you may do it as in the Brijabasi print. You will be pleased to know that everything is going very nicely here, and we are having many meetings, almost every night, in various places with good notice. Daily our Sankirtana party goes down town where they are followed by hundreds of Indians. If we are only sincere, Krishna will give us all facility. Hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ks ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** November 4th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Boston My dear Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am pleased to hear that the paintings for Vol. I Canto II have been finished and that more paintings for Vol. II have begun. At least from 50 to 100 paintings should appear in each volume, and that will be the perfection of your service for Lord Krsna. In reply to your specific question, there is no ocean of milk, rather they are standing on a normal ocean. I am always showing your paintings in Krsna Book to respectable Indian gentlemen and ladies and they are very much impressed that my American disciples have taken to this process with so much love and determination. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sda ### Letter to Jadurani **Date:** November 16th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Daughter Jadurani, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your two letters dated October 31st and November 11th, 1970.I am very glad that you and all the others are finding that your Krishna Consciousness is increased by following our new schedule of regular activities in the Temple. I am getting such happy reports from all our centers and actually that is the way of advancing in spiritual life. Without being jolly, one cannot make any tangible progress in Krsna Consciousness and without strictly following the regulative principles and chanting the prescribed number of rounds on the beads, nobody can become free from the unhappiness of this material world. So it is imperative that all our students be exemplary in their execution of devotional service and naturally Krsna will bless you all more and more. I was thinking that the paintings should be produced at the rate of one per day. That was my thought. But if it is not practical, there is no cause for lamenting. Simply go on with your painting as far as possible. Please do not neglect to engage yourself in the prescribed duties for maintaining your spiritual strength. Without keeping spiritual strength there is no question of any accomplishment like painting or anything else. So Krsna Consciousness is first in all circumstances. Everything should be regulated in devotional service. Just like eating. Eating is necessary to remain fit, but too much eating means disease and too little eating means starving. One must adjust things properly, that is the program of Krsna Consciousness. I think that is you feel too much inconvenience just now by remaining in Boston with Satsvarupa, then you may go to some other center for some time with the art department and carry on your work there. Sometimes such separation for a time is beneficial for husband and wife both, but there is never any question of divorce. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jadurani, Bharadraja, Muralidhara **Date:** June 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Jadurani, Bharadraja, and Muralidhara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated nil, and I see that it is approved by the President. So anyone of my students can inquire from me in the matter of serving Krsna directly, and especially you are advanced and approved students. Sometimes somebody sends some irrelevant inquiries which students should not have asked from the Spiritual Master, and for them the restrictive circular was issued. So you are at liberty to send your letters directly, and I will reply them duly. So far painting the pictures, you are already doing it nicely as I have seen so many pictures in KRSNA, and I am also answering specific inquiries, so there is no difficulty. The best thing is you use your discrimination. I was advised that Narada Muni was to be painted on Easy Journey, but the picture which is given on it was suggested by me. The best thing will be that you paint pictures to your best discretion, and in controversial points you can write to me and I will send instructions. All of you are expert painters, so your mutual decision for painting a picture is more valuable than my suggestion. The descriptions are already there given in the book, so there is no difficulty to take out the points and prepare a sketch. Yes, I am very glad that temple arrangement in Boston is nicely being carried out and new devotees are joining—this is the success of preaching work. Preaching work means increasing the number of our family members. Krsna is our head man in the family; Kartamarshi means head man. According to Vedic system, Kartmarshi is asked in the morning by his wife what kind of foodstuffs he will like to take on that day. And the kartamarshi or the head man of the family will dictate some preparation, and that will be the accepted as the foodstuff for everyone on that day. Similarly, our principle should be to act in the way as Krsna will feel satisfaction. Krsna wants everyone of the living entities to go back to home, back to Godhead, so if we can induce even one person to understand that this material world is not meant for our living, our real home is in the spiritual world, and if we can convince this philosophy to even a single person, that is the success of our missionary activities. Jambavan the name does not suggest a bear, because his daughter was one of the queens of Dvaraka married by Krsna. Just like sometimes our name is Krsna, that does not mean that I am real Krsna, but I am Krsna Das or servant of Krsna. From the description of Srimad-Bhagavatam we understand that this Jambavan was very sturdy and strong fighter. Sometimes we get such picture of bodily construction of a black man in your country. So in this way you can guess what should be the features of his body. But certainly he was not a bear. Hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** September 17th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Toronto My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 6th, 1970, and have noted the contents. I am so glad to learn that your center is doing very nicely—distribution of "Back to Godhead" and other literatures is very encouraging and you are now 17 devotees strong there. If you a have got sufficient devotees to take care of the Deities as you have seen how in the Los Angeles Temple, take instruction from Yamuna and Silavati how they are worshiping and the installation procedure is given on a separate sheet. Regarding your invitation to take instruction from the University scholars, we are not concerned with a scholar who knows theoretically Caitanya Vaisnava Movement but we are interested with persons who are actually devotees who actually chant Hare Krsna Mahamantra and follows the regulative principles; Theoretical knowledge will not help us. Yes, regarding Mr. Murthy, it is better for me if he comes to India and lives with me for some time. Please offer my blessings to all the devotees and your good wife, Laksmimoni Dasi. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** September 29th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I am so very much encouraged to see your fine letter dated Sept. 21st, 1970, and your movement is being recognized by the sensible persons. Naturally there will be increase of new members everywhere. Since we have come to Calcutta many boys are coming to us even they were very much subversive to the social orders. People are very much appreciating our Movement. Wherever we go for preaching work hundreds of men gather and they contribute liberally according to their capacity. We have already two centers in Calcutta and trying to have our own center in the most important neighborhood of this city. So the idea is—you work sincerely on behalf of Krsna according to instructions of Lord Krsna in His great magnanimous form as Lord Caitanya. I know you are very intelligent and sincere servant of Krsna, so try to serve His Lordship to your best capacity and He shall give you proper intelligence. You know that Krsna is Spiritual Master from within and Spiritual Master is manifestation of Krsna without. That is the position; both ways a sincere student is instructed, which is called Guru-Krsna kripa. Simply you have to receive it properly and execute it orderly. Take care of the new devotees so that they may read our literatures carefully and come to the real standard of understanding. Our strength is not material strength, but spiritual strength. So if spiritual strength is not strong now, try to make Sripati and the others stronger by spiritual means by following the regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds. Formerly Jayapataka was president of Montreal center; now he is working here in India very intelligently although it is a foreign city. Regarding your cooperative program with Karandhara for realizing the great potential for Krsna Consciousness in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, that is very good news—do it carefully. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** November 4th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 11 October, 1970, with enclosed news clippings, and I have noted them with great satisfaction. Though I am now in India with a few of my men, and we are having some success here, still, my Guru Maharaja has instructed me to spread this Krsna Consciousness Movement in the western world, so this is our first business. Therefore I am much pleased to hear that there is progress in this respect in your zone of Canada. The news clippings which you enclose are encouraging to me. This publicity is very important in the advancement of our preaching work. Only the standard should be that our philosophy be presented factually. I can see that you have developed first-class relations with the press and this is a sign of your sincerity. Please continue and expand this propaganda work to all parts of Canada. Even religious leaders of Christian faith like Rev. J. G. McDonald, Toronto, are appreciating our sincere presentation, and I think that you may invite him to our Toronto temple for kirtana and prasadam. I wish to know how many of my books are being distributed in Canada. Especially we should inject this philosophy into the universities and high schools with our books, so please try for this and send me the report. It is my plan that in my old age I am handing over all matters of temple management to you and you may simply carry on and expand the programs which I have introduced, and in this way I will be free to translate. Hope this will meet you in good health. Offer my blessings to your good wife, Laksmimoni, and to all the other boys and girls at Toronto temple. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sda --- N.B. I have not received the monthly $15 maintenance from any Canadian centers. Please see that this is sent in readily negotiable American Express checks, as personal checks take one to two months to clear ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** November 17th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated October 25th, 1970, and noted the contents. Yes, you are right to say that self-realization is a serious work. The devotees know this and there one of their qualities is that they are grave and not inclined to frivolity. A Krsna Conscious person is only interested in serving the Lord faithfully and he has got no other extraneous thought. His intelligence is always engaged in finding out the best way to execute loving transcendental service to Krsna and therefore he has no time for idleness. An idle mind is the devil's workshop—is a true remark. We should always remember that Maya and Krsna are side by side, just like light and darkness stand side by side. If one is not in the sunshine or light, then he is ipso facto in darkness. Therefore we must not be careless, but we should push on with great seriousness and sincerity, then we shall be certain of achieving the desired result. I am always glad to learn that our Sankirtana is going on so much joyfully now in our every branch. We shall not misrepresent ourselves by making simply a show of devotional service and simply fill our bellies. It is our only intention to spread this sublime philosophy to all the persons of the world for the complete welfare benefit, both spiritual and material of everyone of them. The new program of preaching on Sankirtana using one basic verse from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is is an excellent idea. We should always be eager to find out such nice ways to spread this Movement. This will automatically bring joy to the devotees as well as to the nondevotees. Please see that the highest standards are maintained in all the Temples in your jurisdiction as well as your own. We are now attracting the attention of the public in general and very influential persons as well. So our program if it is kept pure according to my many instructions, will give you the deserved reputation of being the topmost members of the society. That is very much wanted so that we may hope to change the society as a whole. Keep the Montreal and Vancouver Centers carefully in cooperation and in general see that things are going well with the help of your Godbrothers and other Governing Body Commissioners. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** November 26th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay TorontoMy Dear JagadisaPlease accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th November, 1970 and I've noted the contents carefully. I've received a GBC report of the Pittsburgh meeting and it is very nice. Please go on working cooperatively in this way and always keep in touch with the other GBC members. Such communication will give you spiritual strength to make the right decisions for pushing this Sankirtana movement. So far as Canadian expansion is concerned, your suggestion to open centers in Ottawa, Hamilton, Quebec and Winipeg is very nice, so do it practically and Krishna will be pleased by your sincere efforts. Performing Kirtana and conducting classes at universities along with distribution in the libraries and the colleges of our literature is a very important program, so do it enthusiastically. There are innumerable departments of knowledge being presented in the universities, but there is no department of knowledge for understanding the science of God, Krishna and therefore we want to introduce such a department of knowledge. Yes, Krishna Consciousness is simple. Chant, dance, take prasadam and always try to think of Krishna. In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated by Krishna that whatever you do, eat, give away in charity or sacrifice should be done as an offering to Him, and by this principle of work, surely you will come to Him. So everyone has to eat and work. Simply we should do so on Krishna's account and that will make our life perfect. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** November 28th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Toronto My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17th November, 1970 and I am so much enthused to understand how nicely you are distributing our books. Actually these two books, KRSNA book and Nectar of Devotion, are revolutionary to your country. Not only your country, but all over the world. Nobody has any clear idea of God. In hopelessness they declare that God is dead. So these books will supply clear idea of God, not only that but anyone who will read this KRSNA book in two parts, Nectar of Devotion, and if possible Teachings of Lord Caitanya, I'm sure he cannot go away from becoming a devotee of Krishna. So try to push our books, especially Bhagavad-gita As It Is, TLC, KRSNA, NOD, backed by a regular supply of our magazines and regular performance of sankirtana. Then I'm sure Krishna Consciousness Movement will go forward without any hindrance. You have a strong governing body, all determined to push forward this movement and I'm sure of success in the future. As you are a member of the governing body, I wish to draw your attention to the fact that 10,000 KRSNA books and 5,000 NODs were recently published. So the price of these books alone come to the point of about $100,000. If 50% even were collected, then it would have been $50,000. The present arrangement is that all book collection goes to Dai Nippon firm in Japan but so far money transferred there is only $21,000. That is 1/4 of the gross value. I think $50,000. at least should have been deposited there by this time. If I'm not wrong in my calculation, you can talk this matter amongst yourselves, especially Karandhara, and do the needful. I'm sure KRSNA will be accepted all over the world. In India also we are getting good response. Practically men are becoming life members just by seeing this book. We have no other asset at the present moment. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** December 29th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Toronto My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 26th, 1970. In the meantime I have received one other letter from you and I have replied the same just the other day. I am very glad to learn that you have begun worship of Tulasi in your Toronto Temple. The presence of Tulasi is proof of true devotional atmosphere there. Please offer Her all respects and carefully tend and Srimati Tulasi will be pleased upon you in gaining the auspicious favor of the Lord. I am so pleased to know that your efforts at placing our books in the local libraries is successful and it is especially heartening to learn that they already have got our books on their shelves. That is factual proof that these purely transcendental literatures are very attractive to the reading class of the public. It is also good news that your recent marriage celebration in Krsna Consciousness was filmed for display by a large television station. People will very soon come to appreciate the Krsna Conscious way of life as distinct from the dull repetition of materialistic activities. I have noted the news article sent by you and it appears very nice. I beg to thank your good wife for the gorgeous handkerchief which she has so thoughtfully offered to my Radha Krsna Deities. I am also glad that you are regularly sending the maintenance checks for your Temple to Karandhara. Thank you very much for this. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** February 27th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Toronto My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 February, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. I am glad to learn that after deliberation between Jayapataka and Raktaka, you have been asked to become the president of Toronto temple. The idea is that whoever is competent to manage affairs will accept the post of president by mutual consent. Our main business is to be fixed up in Krsna Consciousness by keeping steady in the prescribed duties of devotional service. So I have got all approval for your being elected president; that is nice. I am also glad to learn that already you have got a temple and enthusiastic and eager devotees there. This is very encouraging. Please push our Sankirtana movement and improve the program of Deity worship as the centers of your activities, and see that all the devotees remain steady in their execution of daily chanting of sixteen rounds of beads and strict adherence to the four principles of spiritual life and all other regulative principles, this will keep them strong in Spiritual power. And you may note that when these regulative duties are performed, and the devotee becomes fully absorbed in Krsna activities, Krsna as Supersoul will dictate from within the answers to all questions and will give the needed intelligence to progress more and more in Krsna Consciousness. Please see that the program for studying our literatures is also undertaken very seriously by all the devotees there. Everyone of us must become thoroughly acquainted with our philosophy, so that our preaching work may be carried out nicely. There is no harm if the devotees chant in the temple during the time when the Deities are resting. You may have heard that here at L.A. Temple, they are holding Kirtana and chanting 24 hours in the temple, and the program is very encouraging to all the devotees. Of course, that is only possible in a very large center such as L.A.Regarding what to do with the eyes while on Sankirtana, your suggestion to look into the faces of people and try to convince them of the sincerity of our movement is best. There is no need of artificial things like seeing the spirit soul. We talk, and we talk on Krsna topics—that is all. When we chant, we must concentrate our mind on the sound vibration and in that way everything will be revealed one after another; the form, qualities, pastimes, etc. of the Lord. And this is the way of cultivating spiritual realization. Regarding your questions concerning the spirit souls falling into Maya's influence, it is not that those who have developed a passive relationship with Krsna are more likely to fall into nescient activities. Usually anyone who has developed his relationship with Krsna does not fall down in any circumstance, but because the independence is always there, the soul may fall down from any position or any relationship by misusing his independence. But his relationship with Krsna is never lost, simply it is forgotten by the influence of Maya, so it may be regained or revived by the process of hearing the Holy Name of Krsna and then the devotee engages himself in the service of the Lord which is his original or constitutional position. The relationship of the living entity with Krsna is eternal as both Krsna and the living entity are eternal; the process is one of revival only, nothing new. Astanga Yoga is better than Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga is on the level of Astanga Yoga. But the Bhakti Yoga is the ultimate goal of all Yogas. In other words, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Astanga Yoga by proper execution culminate in Bhakti Yoga. So far yogis who meditate on the Paramatma form of the Lord within their hearts, if they see Him in that way actually they become pure devotees, but if they do not perfect the process they may remain on the lower level of incomplete realization or Paramatma realization. I am happy to learn that your Sankirtana party is very successful. If you have some extra money, you can contribute to the book fund because I am contributing to purchase a large church here to the extent of 20,000 dollars; and try to send the maintenance charges to me regularly. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Laksmimoni, and to all the other boys and girls there in Toronto center. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** April 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 20th April, 1970, along with a Canadian money order for $278, and thank you very much for this. I am very glad to know that your Maha-sankirtana. with coordination of Buffalo are so successful. Please continue this program as you have suggested and surely Krishna will see that your more vigorous efforts to spread His movement are successful more and more. Regarding Brijbasi posters, just take out pictures portraying Krishna with cows, with Gopis—just Krishna pictures, no pictures of demigods. Those pictures are alright. Regarding your questions about how and from where did the conditioned souls fall, your first question if someone has a relationship with Lord Krsna on Krsnaloka, does he ever fall down? The souls are endowed with minute independence as part of their nature and this minute independence may be utilized rightly or wrongly at any time, so there is always the chance of falling down by misuse of one's independence. But those who are firmly fixed up in devotional service to Krsna are making proper use of their independence and so they do not fall down. Regarding your second question, have the conditioned souls ever seen Krsna? Were they with the Lord before being conditioned by the desire to lord it over material nature? Yes, the conditioned souls are parts and parcels of the Lord and thus they were with Krsna before being conditioned. Just as the child must have seen his father because the father places the child in the womb of the mother, similarly each soul has seen Krsna or the Supreme Father. But at that time the conditioned souls are resting in the condition called susupti which is exactly deep sleep without dream, or anesthetized state, therefore they do not remember being with Krsna when they wake up in the material world and become engaged in material affairs. I hope this will satisfy your questions. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Laksmimoni, and to all the other girls and boys there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** July 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distributions of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep a daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** July 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Toronto My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 29th June, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad that you are all devotees working hard to improve the temple in both appearance and program. I understand that you are doing very nicely on Sankirtana Party and now you have been able to purchase a Sankirtana van for travelling. So you do this work of pushing on Krsna consciousness movement very enthusiastically and Krsna will help you to overcome all impediments in the matter of discharging your sincere devotional service to the Lord. I am especially happy whenever I learn that my books and literature are being widely distributed, so it is very good news to learn that you are also selling so many of our literatures. In this connection, however, you should see that the daily sales are recorded duly and at the end of the week the amount owed for these sold literatures should be sent by check to L.A. I have already advised these things to you in my letter sent last week. Anyway, the idea is that now we are increasing in size of our organization and also our expenditures for literatures are increasing so we must do everything very carefully so that there will not be any difficulty. You have written that your temple is like an oasis in a desert. Yes, it is a fact that our temples are providing shelter from the burning forest fires of material existence. It does not matter poor quarter or richer quarter, our temples are nothing to do with any material situation. They are situated in the Spiritual sky and as such they are the only alternative offering relief from the miseries of all kinds of material conditions of life. So encourage people to come and spend time with us in the temple and become purified from all contaminations and anxieties. Everyone is suffering from thirst for spiritual life or Krsna consciousness and it is the temple which can offer them Krsna Consciousness to satisfy their thirsting. Regarding your temple schedule of study, it is alright so continue your classes regularly and try to understand the philosophy as it is—that is required. I have been informed by Devananda that your wife has borne you one nice son. So this is very good news. You may give him the name Nirmala Candra. Nirmala means without any flaws or without contamination and Candra means moon. So the name Nirmala Candra refers specifically to Lord Caitanya who is known as the Spotless Moon of Gauda. Now you husband and wife must work together combinedly with great responsibility for raising your new child in ideal Krsna consciousness. Children learn by imitation of their parents, so if you both set Krsna conscious example the child will very naturally and easily become advanced in Krsna consciousness by following. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Laksmimoni, and your son. Regarding your several questions: Where are the spirit souls coming from that are taking microbe bodies? It is not a matter of any particular body. These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha, but in these material worlds they are taking various grades of bodies according to their material activities. There is no "new" soul. "New" and "old" are due to this material body, but the soul is never born and never dies, so if there is no birth how there can be new soul? Your second question: Is there any particular reason why some spirit souls become directed toward Krsna Consciousness in the first place? How does one get on the progressive path of elevation to Krsna Consciousness? The answer is that it is by the mercy of the Lord that one comes in contact with a Spiritual Master Who can revive the dormant Krsna consciousness of the conditioned soul. Krsna is always merciful and He comes Himself, He leaves behind Him instruction like the Bhagavad-gita, etc. and He sends His representative, the Spiritual Master. In this way the merciful propaganda is going on. Every individual soul has got the discriminating power, so those who are pious they take advantage of this opportunity of the mercy of the Lord. But both pious and impious souls are being convinced by this Krsna consciousness movement. The human being is supposed to be intelligent more than the animals, so the intelligent persons or pious persons are coming in contact with Krsna consciousness. Regarding your questions with reference to B.G. III,5, and the Vedic hymn quoted in the purport to B.g. 14.15 and the statement ". . . when the living entity is bewildered in his desires, the Lord allows him to fulfill those desires . . ." You have quoted, "The Lord engages the living entity in pious activities so he may be elevated. The Lord engages him in impious activities so he may go to hell . . ." So that is also originally the individual soul's desire and as Supersoul the Lord is giving everyone the opportunity to go to heaven or to hell or to Vaikuntha if he so desires. For those who are hankering after material opportunities the Lord as Supersoul is giving them the opportunities to enjoy the material nature and the facility is being supplied by the material nature. Similarly, a living entity who is desiring for spiritual upliftment, the Lord is giving him the opportunity of the Vedic literatures and the Spiritual Master. But His advice to all living entities is to give up all nonsense and everything else and surrender unto Him. The living entity by accepting one kind of opportunity is going to hell and by accepting the other kinds of opportunities he is going back to home, back to Godhead. So both opportunities are offered by the Lord. Therefore indirectly you can say that one is being sent to hell and one is being sent to the spiritual world by the Lord—but He is simply supplying the opportunities to everyone as he desires. The intelligent person therefore does not desire anything—he simply surrenders unto the Lord or he desires to serve the Lord and that is his greatest opportunity."Man proposes and God disposes." That is the sum and substance. But as a pure devotee of the Lord you should not propose—simply accept His proposal and surrender unto Him. So far the conditioned soul is concerned the same opportunities are there, but if he does not take advantage of the opportunity to elevate himself to Krsna Consciousness and chooses to misuse his independence for taking the opportunity to enjoy some material happiness, then he will remain conditioned as the Lord will allow him to fulfill those desires. The opportunity is always there, just as we are offering so many ways to become Krsna Conscious, but if you don't take the opportunity what can I do. That is purposeful negligence of duty. The example may be given of a man who is sleeping. If he is actually sleeping, he may be wakened by various means, but there is no doubt that he must wake up. However, if a man is pretending to be asleep there is no way at all to rouse him up. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** July 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Toronto My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter dated 8th July, 1970, in which you have recommended the initiation of Srimati Stephanie O'Henly. I have received her letter and beads also and I have initiated her duly. I have returned the beads in another packet and her initiated name is Srilekhadevi Dasi. I beg to thank you also for the check for $50 donation to my book fund. Thank you very much. Regarding your request for Gayatri mantra to be given to Dharmaraj, since both you and Rupanuga recommend him for second initiation it is alright. I am sending you therefore one copy of Gayatri mantra on a small tape along with specific directions for performing the ceremony. Also enclosed you will find one sacred thread duly sanctified by me and it is for Dharmaraj. The sacred thread will be given by you at the end of the fire sacrifice as it is given in the instructions. Please return this tape directly to me as soon as the initiation is done. I learn that you have got now fifteen members at your center and this is very encouraging news for me. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- N.B. Instead of returning the taped mantra directly to me, send it on to Bhagavan das as soon as the ceremony for Sriman Dharmaraj is performed. I have advised Bhagavan das of this, so please do it as soon as possible ### Letter to Jagannatham Prabhu **Date:** February 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Poona, India My Dear Jagannatham Prabhu, Please accept my humble obeisances. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 10 February, 1970, redirected from my New York center. Perhaps you are the eldest amongst us now living as disciples of Srila Prabhupada. You are now eighty-one years old, and I am only seventy-four. Therefore I am your younger brother and I shall always expect blessings from you. So far your son is concerned, last year when I was in Los Angeles I invited your son to come and see me; and if he comes to me, surely I shall try my best to bring him into our line of devotional service. I am sure if he sees me it will not be difficult to convince him about this Krsna Consciousness philosophy because after all he is your son. I do not know his present address, otherwise I would have called him here directly. But if you ask him immediately to see me, it will be very nice. He can live with me in my personal apartment or in the Temple for as many days as he likes. There will be no difficulty. Surely he will be very much influenced by seeing our Temple activities and street Sankirtana movement in the city. So please ask him to see me immediately. So far our publication is concerned, I give you below the names of the books and magazines with their prices and weights for calculating postal charges. Srimad-Bhagavatam (First Canto—3 volumes) $16.00 (set of 3)—(Vol. 2 weights 22lb. 6 oz.)Bhagavad-gita As It Is (Paperback) $2.95—Bhagavad-gita As It Is (Hardback) $6.95—11lb. 3oz. Sri Isopanisad $1.00—7 1/2 oz. Easy Journey to Other Planets $.50—3 1/2 oz. Teachings of Lord Caitanya $5.99—2 lb. 1/2 oz. Krsna $10.00—2 lb. 15oz. Nectar of Devotion $5.95—2 lb. 1/2oz."Back to Godhead" (magazine) $ .50 ($5.00/year)—5 1/2oz. Postal rates as follows: Air Other Articles (AO)—First 2 oz. $ .60, Each additional 2 oz. or fraction $ .30Air Parcel Post—First 4 oz. $1.70, Each additional 4 oz or fraction $ .80Surface—First 2 lbs. $1.10, Each additional pound or fraction $.35Within the U.S.A., our price includes postal charges, but outside U.S.A. the charges are extra. We are issuing "Back to Godhead" by numbers and not by month. You are so kind upon me, and as your younger brother I shall always be ready for your service. So please treat me as your humble servant. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jagannatham Prabhu **Date:** July 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Y. Jagannatham Bombay ALL GLORY TO SRI GURU AND GAURANGA!! My Dear Jagannatham Prabhu, Please accept my humble obeisances. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter dated 24th June, 1970, and I am very glad to learn that your last responsibilities in family affairs are now discharged, your two daughters are now married. Now in this ripe old age you can devote yourself for spreading Krsna Consciousness Movement all over the world. Your son is here, so I think with your daughter-in-law you can also come in this country. So far I understand there is some difficulty in getting visa for your daughter-in-law, but as far as I know the immigration laws, if your son is an immigrant he can bring in his wife immediately and without any difficulty. Anyway, whenever your son will meet me I will be so much pleased to take care of him. Hope this will meet you in good health. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jananivasa **Date:** January 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Columbus My dear Jananivasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated January 21, 1970, and I am so glad to read your thesis on "Krsna Consciousness is the Absolute Necessity for Mankind in this Age." I am very much obliged to you for so nicely presenting our philosophy, and I am also glad to learn that your professor is so pleased upon it that he has kindly given it the grade "A" and also allowed you to work for another paper. So Krsna is giving you good chance for presenting Krsna Consciousness Movement in the circle of educated people. Do it to your best and Krsna will give you more and more strength. Scarcity of language which you are now feeling in this connection will be fulfilled by Krsna by the process of your eagerness to serve Him. Perhaps you remember the verse in the tenth chapter of Bhagavad-gita that the Lord Himself supplies the light and intelligence from within the heart of a devotee who is constantly engaged in His transcendental loving service. So, the secret of success is that one should be eager to serve the Spiritual Master and Krsna simultaneously with the same regard and things will become automatically revealed in the heart of the devotee. I see that these symptoms are there very nicely in you and if you continue this attitude, I hope you will be a great preacher and teacher of Krsna Consciousness Movement in the world. So for the time being you will hand over a copy of this thesis to Hayagriva Prabhu for publication in the BTG in two or three installments. The last point you have inquired the meaning of the name Jananivasa. Jananivasa is the name of Lord Visnu. Jana means the living entities. Lord Visnu in His incarnation of Mahavisnu lying in the Causal Ocean gives shelter to all living entities who are not liberated at the time of dissolution. Again, when there is creation, these living entities are given chance to liberate themselves in the manifest creation by devotional activities. This process is going on eternally, and fortunate living entities take advantage of this manifest creation and return back to the spiritual world by devotional activities. So the rest of the living entities during dissolution is Mahavisnu. Thus His name is Jananivasa. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jananivasa **Date:** June 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Jananivasa, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distribution of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jananivasa **Date:** July 7th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Columbus My Dear Jananivasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th June, 1970, and noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to learn that you are appreciating the importance of very nice Sankirtana activities for the purpose of attracting people to our movement. This was the simple program of Lord Caitanya and it is our business to follow His Sankirtana Movement for the welfare of everyone. So please see that your Sankirtana program is made as attractive as possible. You write to say that your preaching work has not been very successful at the Ohio State University, but your visits to several other nearby have been well received. This is good news that in several university campuses Krsna Consciousness movement is well liked and you are giving a credit course next winter. So do not be discouraged that some of the young students are too much involved with some other business to listen, but go on with the work undaunted. Actually the younger generation, especially the hippies are our best clients, so they are feeling very keenly the frustration of material life and it is our duty as Vaisnavas to be very sympathetic with them and give this Krsna consciousness to them some way or other. I am very glad also to know that you are managing the schedule of your center very capably. Of course Sankirtana is our most important engagement, but all the temple activities must go on regularly without any pause. This following of the daily duties will carry us to the spiritual platform very rapidly. I have looked over the sample of test paper from Srimati Joanne and it is very nice. This question and answer practice should be encouraged amongst the devotees. Then they will become trained to reply questions from outsiders. Yes, you are right to say that as our devotees become more devotional, the nondevotees also come to hear. To become advanced in spiritual life of devotional service to Krsna means to acquire spiritual strength, and this spiritual strength is for impressing devotional service into the hearts of the fallen souls. Also you must all become expert preachers and show the exemplary life of a devotee you must keep yourself spiritually fit by observing the regulative principles strictly. Regarding the initiations of the two girls, I have chanted their beads duly and returned the same to them by mail parcel. I hope they have been received by this time. I beg to thank you very much for your contribution of $40 on behalf of these new initiates which as been duly entered in the book fund account. Please convey my blessings to all the devotee boys and girls there in Columbus center. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jananivasa **Date:** September 29th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Jananivasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated Sept. 18, 1970. I am very glad that you have taken to heart the instructions of your Spiritual Master. A bona fide disciple takes the instructions of his Spiritual Master as his life and soul and thus he is advanced on the path of devotional service. You are a very intelligent and sincere devotee of Lord Krsna and you have a natural inclination for preaching His message. This is the proper spirit for our Movement, so go on with increased enthusiasm preaching in the different schools and colleges in the vicinity and Krsna will give you more intelligence for serving Him properly. I am pleased to learn that you have got a course at the Ohio State University; the students received me very nicely when I spoke there last year, so please continue their instruction in this most important subject of Krsna Consciousness bhakti cult. Regarding your proposed marriage, if you think it is nice then you have all my blessings upon you both. If you do not think you can remain brahmacari, then it is better to remain in Krsna Consciousness as householder and not pretend to brahmacarya artificially. From your description the girl seems very qualified and sincere, so you continue to train her in our Krsna Conscious way of life and she will work together with you as your helpmate in Krsna's service. I am very glad to know that you are going on with your work undaunted in spite of police harassment. Now you are seven devotees there, so please see that everything is done regularly and strictly to the standard devotional practice. All our literatures are for guiding you in your successful prosecution of Krsna Consciousness, so follow these instructions of mine implicitly and your perfection of life in Krsna's service is guaranteed and you will have the spiritual strength for attracting and training others in this bhakti cult. Please offer my blessings to all the devotees and keep me informed about your progress regularly. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Janardana **Date:** January 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Janardana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters post dated 2 and 4 January, 1970 respectively, the former redirected here from Boston. I am pleased to note that although you have not yet secured a Temple building you are moving our program forward on other fronts. The arrangement for the composing and printing of BTG in French and German languages is already settled, and if you all continue to translate my books and articles and write articles yourselves; that will make the work successful. The people in general can be reached very well by the distribution of our literatures and by the propagation of Sankirtana in the streets. These are our two mrdangas for reawakening the sleeping conditioned souls. I am especially enthusiastic for our Krishna Consciousness philosophy or the teachings of Lord Caitanya to be advanced for the benefit of the learned circle and in this connection your well received expose at the university is encouraging. Please continue your efforts to convince them of the great universal necessity of this scientific philosophy to solve all the knotty difficulties of life by practical application of the Vedic knowledge according to the Parampara prescription of the bona fide Acaryas. The verse which you have requested is as follows:kirata hunandhra pulinda pulkasaabhira sumbha yavanah khasadayahye'nye c papa yadupasrayasrayahsudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah.[SB 2.4.18]These are different names of non-Aryans or candalas, less than the sudras. They are called pancamas or fifth grade men. Brahmanas are first grade men; Ksatriyas, second grade, Vaisyas, third grade; Sudras, fourth grade. There are many of these different fifth grade men and it is difficult to find who are these fifth grade persons in present society. But the point is that they are all less than Sudra. So these persons are all less than Sudras but Srimad-Bhagavatam says even they, under the guidance of a pure devotee, can also be raised up the the highest standard more than the Brahmanas. If somebody questions how it is possible, how the most degraded of the human society be more than a Brahmana that is also confirmed in Vedic language that it does not matter if one is born of low grade family or candalas, if he is a devotee of the Lord, he is first class man. There are other statements that a man after becoming a devotee becomes immediately qualified to execute sacrificial ceremonies. In this connection, Jiva Goswami has given his commentation that a person born even in a Brahmana family is dependent on the purificatory processes as accepting initiation and sacred thread, but a devotee without waiting for such recognition becomes fit to act as a Brahmana, and this is the statement of Narada Muni in this verse. This means as stated in the Bhagavad-gita there are different symptoms of different classes of men—just like a Brahmana is truthful, clean, self-controlled, equipoised, tolerant, simple, full of knowledge, theist, and so on. Similarly a Ksatriya has symptoms—a tendency for ruling over others, martial spirited, charitable, does not flee away from the battlefield and so on. Similarly, the symptoms of a Vaisya is his tendency to agriculture, trade, cow protection and banking. And the Sudra's tendency is to some way or other work anywhere and get some wages. So Narada Muni says that these symptoms are not stereotyped or stagnant; they are flexible. A man may be born in the family of a Brahmana but he might have the tendency of a Ksatriya or Vaisya or Sudra. Similarly a man may be born in the family of a Sudra or Candala but he may have the tendencies for a Brahmana. Just like Ekalavya was born in a Candala family but he had the tendency of a Ksatriya. Similarly Visvamitra Muni was born in a family of Ksatriyas but his tendency was of becoming a Brahmana. So Narada Muni says that men should be judged by his tendencies, not by his birth, and this is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita by Lord Krishna that the four divisions of human society should be judged by the qualities in actual work. Therefore with reference to all Vedic Scriptures our members are all Brahmanas and therefore we offer them the sacred thread although they are born, according to Vedic culture, in the families of other than Brahmanas or even than the Sudras. But that does not mean they cannot be purified. Actually they are being trained in such a way, their hearts are being purified by chanting the Mahamantra. And after some days when the Spiritual Master sees that one has followed the regulative principles faithfully and has abstained himself from the restricted items like illicit sex life, etc. and has chanted regularly 16 rounds then say after a year or six months when he appears to be purified in the judgment of the Spiritual Master he is offered the sacred thread, and he is given the chance of Deity worship in the Temple. These Smarta Brahmanas contest that unless one is born in a Brahmana family one cannot be given these facilities. But Narada Muni says no; a man should be judged by the symptoms of his character. And Srimad-Bhagavatam says that the Kiratas, etc. can be purified by a pure devotee because the influence of Lord Visnu is so strong. Prabha Vishnave means the powerful Lord Visnu; prabha means that the light or heat of Visnu is so strong that it is possible to melt them. Only the devotees of Lord Visnu or Krishna can be purified, not the devotees of any demigod. They will have to wait for their next birth according to their own karma. So under this formula the whole European and American people who are so intelligent and materially advanced can be converted into pure Vedic Brahmanas, and thus their mission of human life becomes successful, and the whole world becomes a garden of blooming flowers. Take all these words very seriously and try to propagate Krishna Consciousness with all serenity. It will be a great gift to the human society. You are a learned and intelligent and young man; think over the formula and try to execute to the best of your capacity. That is my request. Hope this will find you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Janmanjaya, Taradevi **Date:** July 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Atlanta My Dear Janmanjaya and Taradevi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your encouraging letter dated nil. You opening a new center of ISKCON in Atlanta, Georgia, has given me great transcendental pleasure because it is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's desire that in every city and town and village of the earth there shall be the chanting of the Holy Names of Krsna. It is very good news that you have so quickly found a suitable house for our purpose that is very well situated. Now that you have earned the respect of the city authorities you must push this Sankirtana movement very vigorously and to the best of your capacity and Krsna will give you more and more intelligence how to do it nicely. Yes, everyone will be impressed with the sincerity of our students because they are actually advancing in spiritual life. Our program is not a bogus thing, it is the eternal reality of transcendental life of full bliss and knowledge in the service of the Lord. So it is not very wonderful that your sincerity is noted by the authorities, any sane man will have to admit that our program is the sublime. So as you are given full facilities for the execution of Sankirtana activities you must do it wholeheartedly and especially try to encourage the hippies to accept this Krsna consciousness movement. They are our best clients. They are feeling very keenly the frustration of material life and it is our duty as good Vaisnavas to be very sympathetic with them and bring them to take up this Krsna consciousness, then their lives will become perfect and our mission successful. I have read the article sent by you cut from the newspaper and it is very nice. They have presented some of our philosophy very nicely and favorably. I beg to thank you also for the check which you have sent as contribution to my book fund, I think it was for $50.Regarding your questions: Hindu means the culture of the Indians. India happens to be situated on the other side of the Indus River which is now in Pakistan which is spelled Indus—in Sanskrit it is called Sindhu. The sindhu was misspelled by the Europeans as Indus, and from Indus the word "Indian" has come. Similarly the Arabians used to pronounce sindus as Hindus. This Hindus is spoken as Hindus. It is neither a Sanskrit word nor is it found in the Vedic literatures. But the culture of the Indians or the Hindus is Vedic and beginning with the four varnas and four asramas. So these four varnas and four asramas are meant for really civilized human race. Therefore the conclusion is actually when a human being is civilized in the true sense of the term he follows the system of varna and asrama and then he can be called a "Hindu." Our Krsna Consciousness Movement is preaching these four varnas and four asramas, so naturally it has got some relationship with the Hindus. So Hindus can be understood from the cultural point of view, not religious point of view. Culture is never religion. Religion is a faith, and culture is educational or advancement of knowledge. Regarding your second question how to convince the young persons who are thinking that Meher Baba is an avatara. It is very difficult to deal with these misguided people. If you meet sincere people you may inform them that we are concerned with Krsna Who is historically 5,000 years old. So any other party who comes from India or any part of the world cannot claim such long history as far back as 5,000 years. There are sometimes manufactured avatara. in the history of the Vedic literature, but we don't accept them. We take the oldest one which is genuine—that is Krsna consciousness. We are not interested in anything newly manufactured. If Meher Baba or for the sake of that, any other Baba claims to be Krsna, so why any intelligent man will go to the substitute leaving aside the original? Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Japanese brothers and sisters **Date:** March 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Japanese brothers and sisters, Please accept my greetings. It is a great opportunity that Sriman Sudama Das Adhikari, one of my American students, has gone to your country to spread the gospel of Krishna Consciousness under superior order. The original order is from Lord Caitanya Who appeared 484 years ago at Navadvipa, a district in Bengal, India, as Lord Buddha appeared at Gaya, a district in Behar, India. We, the followers of Vedic culture, accept both Lord Buddha and Lord Caitanya as incarnations of God, as both of them are stated to be so in the authorized Vedic scriptures. The original Personality of Godhead is Krishna. Perhaps most of you who are present in this meeting have heard the name of the famous book "Bhagavad-gita." The teachings of the Bhagavad-gita were given to Arjuna by his friend and philosopher Lord Krishna 5000 years ago, and since then the cult of Krishna Consciousness is historically current in India. Most of you know that the people of India worship Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in many millions of Vedic temples, some of them more than two thousand years old. But factually this Krishna Consciousness is coming down through a chain of disciplic succession from a time some millions of years ago because the first student of this cult was Vivasvan, the present predominating deity in the Sun-globe planet. Later on Vivasvan taught this philosophy to his son Manu, who again taught this philosophy to his son, King Iksvaku, who ruled over this earthly planet. The original ksatriya kings were all descendants from King Iksvaku, the father of the dynasty in which Lord Ramacandra appeared. That is a long history comprising a period covering not less than 40 million years according to Vedic scriptures. Lord Krishna also appeared in the same family a little more than 5000 years ago; and because the cult of Krishna Consciousness became broken in course of time, Lord Krishna again re-established the same formula by teaching His dear friend Arjuna for benefit of the entire human society. Four hundred and eighty-four years ago Lord Caitanya preached this cult of Krishna Consciousness in a simple and practical way so that everyone can take it without any trouble and thusly become happy in this life as well as in the next. The purpose of Krishna Consciousness is to love Krishna or God. We have a general propensity to love someone else, which is the basic principle of living condition. Nobody can live without loving somebody else besides himself. This loving propensity for someone else is present in every living being. Even an animal like tiger has this loving propensity in dormant state, and what to mention of the human kind. But the missing point is where to repose our love so that everyone can become happy. At the present moment, the human society has been educated to love his country or family or one's personal self, but they have no information where to repose the loving propensity so that everyone can become happy. Because the basic principle of love is that both the lover and the beloved or object of love and the lover must be happy by loving activities of the living being. In the primary stage a child loves his parents, then his brothers and sisters, and thus, as he grows up daily, he begins to love his family, society, community, country, nation, or up to the point of loving the whole human society. But the loving propensity is so expansive that even by loving the whole human society the loving propensity is not fulfilled on account of its imperfectness. This loving propensity can be fully satisfied when it is reposed in Krishna, and that is the sum and substance of this Krishna Consciousness movement. My dear brothers and sisters, do not therefore consider this movement as sectarian or meant for any particular nation or community. In the Bhagavad-gita, which is the basic principle of this Krishna Consciousness movement, Lord Krishna says that He is the seed-giving father of all living creatures. There are many millions of species of life as aquatics, trees, plants, reptiles, insects, birds, beasts, and human races. All of them are living entities as the spirit soul, but they are present before us in many varieties of forms and dresses. A learned man is he who sees all living entities on equal category, never mind whether a living entity is highly cultured intelligent man, or a cow, or a dog, or an elephant, or even a dog-eater, who is considered to be low in the human society. These things we learn from authoritative Vedic scriptures. The idea is that our loving propensity expands as vibration of air and light expands, but we do not know where it ends. The Krishna Consciousness movement teaches us this science how one can love everyone of the living entities perfectly by an easy method. We have failed to bring in peace and harmony in the human society even by such big attempts like the organization of United Nations because we do not know the method. The method is very simple, but one has to understand it in cool head. The method is simple and natural, and this movement teaches you how to do it. We teach all men to love Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If you learn how to love Krishna, which is very easy, then immediately you love every living being simultaneously. It is like pouring water on the root of the tree, or supplying foodstuff in the stomach. This method of pouring water on the root of the tree, or supplying food stuff in the stomach, scientific, practical and universal, experienced by everyone of us. Everyone of us knows it very well by practical experience that when we eat something, or in other words when we put foodstuffs in the stomach, the energy created by such action is immediately distributed throughout the whole body. Similarly, when you pour water on the root of the tree, the energy created by such watering is immediately distributed in the whole tree, never mind how great it is. But it is not possible to water the tree part by part, neither it is possible to feed the different parts of the body separately. One who does not know this method is missing the point. At the present moment the human civilization has advanced very much to live comfortably so far our material necessities are concerned, but still we are not happy because we are missing the point. Simple material comforts of life are not sufficient to make us happy. The vivid example is America, and not to mention of other countries. The richest nation of the world having all facilities for material comforts, is producing a class of men completely confused and frustrated in life. I have dealt with them very intimately, and I have found out that the cause of their unhappiness is not material want, but it is insufficiency of spiritual comforts. What is true for the Americans is also true for all other nations. Other poorer countries are trying to be happy by imitation of American ways of economic development. But such imitators are missing the point that in America, side by side, a dissatisfied class of men are growing with great rapid speed. This is also true in other countries; and the root cause of this dissatisfaction is that our dormant loving propensity has not been fulfilled, although we have much advanced in materialistic way of life. When I first visited Tokyo in 1967 on my way back from India to the U.S.A., my impression of the city of Tokyo was that it is a replica of New York. My dear Japanese brothers and sisters, I think I am right if I say that you are trying to be happy by imitating the material opulences of America. But I must say that you cannot be happy in that way. This does not, however, mean that I am condemning the way of material advancement of life. We do not condemn any way of materialistic life, but we simply request everyone to learn how to love Krishna. This is the missing point. You live in any way as it may be suitable for your comfortable life, but side by side you learn the art of loving Krishna. At present we are utilizing our propensity of love by inventing so many ways, but factually we are missing the real point—Krishna. Or in other words, we are watering all parts of the tree, but we are missing the root of the tree; or we are trying to keep our body fit by all means, but missing the point of supplying foodstuff in the stomach. Please therefore try to understand this Krishna Consciousness movement. I have sent there three of my young students to preach this sublime cult in Japan. Please cooperate with them and you will be happy. We do not want any remuneration for this service because we have engaged ourselves in the service of the Lord and we love each and every living being as part and parcel of the Lord. Neither we are sentimentalists without any background of philosophy and knowledge. We have got immense treasure-house of knowledge and philosophy. We have got our books BG, TLC, Bhagavatam, Isopanisad, etc. being published also with monthly magazines. But at the same time, we educate the mass of people by a simple process namely chanting the holy Name of Krishna. It is not at all difficult; even a child can take part in this holy chanting and derive the sublime benefit. Please therefore chant the mantraHare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hareand thus be happy. Thank you very much. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jaya Gopala **Date:** January 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Columbus, Ohio My Dear Jaya Gopala, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated January 9, 1970 along with your check, dollars 15, for my maintenance. For a servant of Krishna, there is no distinction of hell and heaven. Our only ambition should be to serve the Lord. It does not matter where the service is demanded. It is exactly like the soldiers are asked to come forward to fight and there is no question of selecting the place. There are many sincere souls like you in the western world and my Guru Maharaja wanted me to come here and to pick up as many of you as is possible. And I am trying my best. By Grace of Krishna, you have joined me to help in this Krishna Consciousness propaganda and Krishna will surely be pleased upon you very much. Please try to continue this activity of cooperation and we are sure to come out successful. Regarding Volcer marrying, for the time being they can be married by the civil court without delay. Both the husband and wife may be allowed to associate with you and after a few days, if you recommend for initiation, then you can send their beads and they will be initiated by post. At that time you can perform our regular wedding ceremony as usual. That will be nice. Uninitiated couples cannot be married by us. We shall not take the responsibility of an ordinary marriage maker. Our practice is to help devotees for advancing in Krishna Consciousness. In such activities, when there is necessity, we get them married also. Regarding your question of an initiated person falling prey to the maya, the answer is that so long we are in this material world, there is always chance of being spoiled by Maya, so we must stick with vow to the Lotus Feet of Krishna. An initiated devotee is given the chance for becoming free from the entanglement of karma wheel. Initiated means beginning, not perfection. The Spiritual Master's business is to guide him to the perfectional point. But if one does not strictly follow the guidance of a bona fide Spiritual Master his initiation does not bear any meaning. The initiation performance is an agreement by the disciples to abide by the order of the Spiritual Master. Therefore, if the Spiritual Master is bona fide and the disciple is serious to abide by His order, then the success is sure. But if a disciple follows strictly the devotional way of life, he is no longer a karmi and all his activities which may appear to be like ordinary work, or it may be activity according to Scriptural injunction, are counted as devotional service. And devotional service in all circumstances is free from the actions and reactions of karma. I hope this will clear the matter. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jaya Gopala **Date:** March 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Jaya Gopala, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard from you since a long time. I hope you are doing well. You are a very sincere worker, and Krishna will bless you. I will be glad to hear from you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jaya Gopala **Date:** August 25th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Los Angeles My Dear Jaya Gopala, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 18th, 1970, and I thank you very much for the nice sentiments expressed therein. Regarding your marriage, I have no objection, but if you accept a girl for marriage she should be younger than you. At least she should not exceed your age. I know you are a very sincere devotee and I wish everyone of my devotees may purify himself from all material contamination and thus be eligible for entering into the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Material life means indulging in sense gratification which diverts our attention from spiritual importance and thus we remain captive under the bewilderment of Maya. This is the most dangerous of our condition of life. Intelligent persons therefore try to avoid it under the protection of Krsna and the Spiritual Master. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jaya Pataka **Date:** June 21st 1970 > 3764 Watseka Avenue, Los Angeles, Cal. 90034LT_700621_C1 My Dear Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. I sent you one letter dated 14th June, 1970, the copy of which is enclosed herewith. So I do not know if you have received this letter. I am very anxious to hear from you how you are proceeding towards India. Whether you have obtained a visa, etc. Please inform me by return mail of your present position and plans. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jayadvaita **Date:** January 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Jayadvaita, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge reciept of your letter dated 28 January, 1970.I am very glad to learn that Nectar of Devotion is now completed. You have inquired about the quality number 63 of Krishna that He is surrounded by loving devotees can be explained as follows: When we speak of Krishna, Krishna is not alone. Krishna means His name, His qualities, His fame, His friends, His paraphernalia, His entourage—everything included. Just like when we speak of a king, it is to be understood that he is surrounded by ministers, secretaries, military commanders and many other people. Krishna is not impersonal, so in His Vrindaban Lila especially, He is always surrounded by the Gopis, cowherd boys, His father, His mother and all the inhabitants of Vrindaban. Regarding your second question, Byabhaichary, you have got 31 only out of 33. I think some of the brackets are not counted. So if the parentheses are removed from "intoxication" and "impotency" and they are also counted, the total of symptoms will come to 33. Simply add commas after the preceeding symptoms namely "prestige" and "impudence" respectively. Regarding the third point: all kinds of mellow includes servitude. Therefore a mixture of servitude and parenthood is not incompatible. So Ugrasena's mellow is correctly written as mixed with servitude and parental affection and the statement in part IV should be corrected to state that a mixture of parenthood and servitude is a compatible one. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jayadvaita **Date:** February 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Jayadvaita, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 5 February, 1970. It is very much encouraging to see you are a good and scrutinizing editor. May Krishna bless you. So far the vyabhicary symptoms are concerned, just now it is not possible to give you the two points missing because the reference books are left in London. So without waiting further for these minor discrepancies, you can finish the subject adding "etc." or do it at your best discretion as Krsna will dictate from within you. I can rely on you. Another point is I want to prepare a small pamphlet for Krsna book, giving the description in nutshell with some important pictures. Can you prepare it in consultation with Satsvarupa, immediately? This is required very urgently. Add on the cover page the following words: Krsna The Supreme rich, powerful, famous, and beautiful Personality of Godhead without any material attachment is now available in book form (400 pages reading matter and 52 colorful illustrations) in first-class hardbound and woodfree paper printed. Those who have heard the "Hare Krishna Mantra" record as well as "Govindam" will do well by procuring this deluxe book and keep at home as a great treasure. Try to understand the basic principles of the great movement "Krishna Consciousness"I have already advised Gargamuni to talk with Brahmananda and again I am giving you in writing that the Krsna book, manuscript and pictures, may be submitted to Dai Nippon positively on 15 February. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Handwritten note: Yaduvaraparisat. Thank you for your devoted work. Continue your prescribed duty and train others ### Letter to Jayadvaita **Date:** July 12th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Jayadvaita, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 6th July, 1970, and noted the contents. Regarding the missing translation, it is as follows: First Canto, Chapter 3, verse 6, Translation"So in the beginning of the creation, first of all there were the four unmarried sons of Brahma (Kumaras) and they underwent severe austerities being situated in avowed celibacy for realization of the Absolute Truth."Regarding your second point, all incarnations should be proper nouns and therefore capitalized. It does not matter whether they are Visnutattva or jivatattva, saktyavesa-avatara. or plenary expansion. The incarnations listed however may be classified as follows: Visnutattva: Kapila, Nara Narayana, Rama, Balarama, Krsna, the Purusas, the Boar, Yajna, Rsabha, Matsya, Kurma, Dhanvantari, Mohini and Kalki. Jivatattva (empowered): Narada, Vyasa, Buddha, Kumaras, Dattatreya, Prthu and Bhrgupati. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jayagovinda **Date:** February 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Jaya Govinda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27 January, 1970. I have received a separate letter from Mandali Bhadra and the reply is also enclosed within this envelope. Krishna has sent one nice German scholar, ____. Please give her satisfactory care, especially in the beginning because she is new and not accustomed to our Temple habits. I am also glad to learn that Suridas is also going to join you. Most probably Hansadutta with his wife also will go there. Krishna das in his previous letter wrote me that there are good possibilities for opening various centers in Germany, and Hansadutta is experienced in organizing Sankirtana Party. Please be in correspondence about German BTG publishing with Brahmananda. He is now staying in Boston and coming to New York every weekend. Yes. We must have close cooperation between America and Germany for the successful publication of our BTG regularly in French, German and English languages. So now you are collecting a staff of translators in Hamburg and they are all very qualified to do the work. Please organize everything nicely so that the French and German editions may be prepared for printing at the same time as the English edition. But you must see that all work is thoroughly correct by mutual checking so that errors of spelling and grammar will not appear in the printing. I do not know the technical details, but I think your idea on standardized columns is very nice. You said that your job is maya, but you must know that maya is illusion. As soon as there is absence of Krishna Consciousness—that is maya. But you are working just to help and push Krishna's interest; therefore, it is not maya. In the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, Rupa Goswami Prabhupada has recommended anything dovetailed in Krishna Consciousness is real renouncement. The Mayavadis' renouncement with an ambition of becoming one with the Supreme is called false renunciation. They renounce the world for a greater sense gratification. To maintain an ambition of becoming one with the Supreme is the top rank sense gratification; whereas a person in all kinds of apparently material works, but ultimately the beneficiary is Krishna, is in a greater position of renunciation than the Mayavadis. So do not forget Krishna in any circumstance of life and Krishna will save you from all pitfalls of material existence. At least one hour daily you must fix separately for exclusive chanting. In our previous correspondence we discussed about your marriage, so I told you that there is no objection. If you are feeling too much disturbance, why not marry some German girl who may be greatly helpful to your Krishna Conscious activities. I recommend this for you. Last Saturday we had three marriages performed here in L.A.The Nitai-Gaura emblem is nice. Our first obeisances are to Guru and Gauranga; then we approach Radha Krishna. Perhaps while you were in India you have heard that we glorify in the following way: Guru Gauranga Chandarbika Giridhari. Four "G"s. So Guru-Gauranga you understand, and Chandarbika-Giridhari means Radha and Krishna. So you can make your emblem suitably according to space and convenience. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jayagovinda **Date:** April 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Jaya Govinda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14th instant, and I am very happy to learn how both you and your good wife are determined to be more and more dependent on Krsna. That should be your mode of life, and that will advance you to success. Always think of Krsna, always hear of Krsna and always speak of Krsna and nothing else, no idle talkings. Both your wife and yourself are Krsna Conscious so you will have good opportunity to be always engaged in Krsna Consciousness. For the time being there is no question of going to India, but if we get a good place there and a nice branch there, then I may ask you to go there for some time, but your headquarters will always be in Germany. Both husband and wife learn how to work on the composer machine because we have to print so many things in German language as we are doing here in English language. Yes, when you are out of your station you can carry these Deities, but so long you are in Hamburg you will have very little time to arrange separately for worship. When a householder is not in touch with the temple, then he can have separate worship at home. Regarding printing our literatures in Germany, in your last letter you wrote to say that you could do it there, but if there is no question of your doing it, forget it. Regarding the composing machine, yes, I have heard that Brahmananda is helping you out in this connection. Regarding jobs for householders, there is no confusion. If your whole time is needed for Sankirtana Party there is no need of working in a Karmi firm. Actually all our devotees are supposed to be brahmanas. A brahmana's business is to preach the glories of the Lord, to learn the essence of Vedic knowledge—Krsna Consciousness—and to teach others of the same knowledge. And for living condition, whatever they get in the form of contribution from others, they can they can live barely to keep the body and soul together, and the balance spend for Krsna. My Dear Sadanandini, I wanted you to have a very good husband, and I hope you are completely satisfied with Jaya Govinda. Krsna has given you a very good husband, so be happy in Krsna Consciousness. Hope this will meet you both in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** January 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Montreal My Dear Jaya Pataka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17 January, 1970 along with your maintenance fund check and the copy of the incorporation documents. You have done a great service by incorporating our Society in Canada. Please immediately send a copy to Cidananda in Vancouver branch so that he can do the needful also. I am glad to learn that you are realizing about Krishna's providing us with more and more facilities and that you are appreciating for my following purely the instructions of my Spiritual Master. Yes, that is the secret of success. In the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said that one is successful in Krishna consciousness by the combined Mercy of the Spiritual Master and Krishna. By the Mercy of Krishna we come in contact with a bona fide Spiritual Master and by the Mercy of a bona fide Spiritual Master we can approach Krishna. So, both of Them are cause and effect of either of Them. Krishna is the original Spiritual Master known as Caitya Guru and He manifests Himself as the Instructor Spiritual Master. So this principle of following Krishna and Guru simultaneously is the secret of success, and if you follow this policy in the chain of disciplic succession than there is no doubt about your final achievement. The Sankara's Bhaja Govinda verse is as follows:bhaja govindam bhaja govindambhaja govindam mudha mateprapte sannihite khalu maranenahi nahi raksati dukrin karane. This is Sankara's last instruction to his followers, and the purport is that the mayavadi philosophers are very much accustomed to draw favorable meanings from unwanted interpretations by grammatical jugglery. In Sanskrit the grammatical jugglery is a great puzzle, there are many words which can be changed into different meanings by grammatical root derivations and affixing and prefixing pratyayas. So Sankara advised that do not try to exact favorable conclusions by beating the Sastras, but be submissive to Lord Govinda and worship Him. Otherwise, this grammatical jugglery of words will not help you at the time of death. At that time only if you can someway or other remember the Lotus Feet of Govinda, Krishna, that will save you, O' the fool number-one. Don't waste your time in misinterpreting the sastras. I hope this will find you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** February 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Montreal My Dear Jaya Pataka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23 January, 1970, along with the beads of Daniel Leboef. I have duly chanted the beads sent by him and his initiated name is Dindayal. I am glad to learn that another branch in Toronto you are contemplating to open. This news I have received from Cidananda also. Certainly it is a good news, but we must always remember that once a center is opened, it cannot be closed at any time. I am returning back one letter from Hem Chandar Bhargava and Co. I think you sent it by mistake to me. It appears the invoice of pictures which you have imported from India. You should not be unnecessarily embarrassed on the point of Raktaka's marriage with somebody who is not initiated. Yes, I have received the deposit slip of $50, and I am enclosing herewith a separate letter to Gopala Krishna. Regarding competition with Ramakrishna Mission and Yoga camps in Toronto, why should you be afraid of them? They are very insignificant organizations in the face of Krishna Consciousness Movement. Everyone says that what Ramakrishna Mission could not do in 80 years time, we have done many more times in three years time. So nobody can check this genuine movement of Krishna Consciousness by artificial means of bluff. Any sincere soul, serious in the matter of self-realization, will certainly be attracted by our Movement. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** February 13th 1970 > 1975 So. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal. 90034LT_700213_A My dear Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 7, 1970.I am glad to learn that Toronto center has got such good prospect for success. If we are simply a little sincere in the matter of spreading this movement, Lord Krishna has already guaranteed our success. It is good that there is a large population of young people in Toronto as it is the younger generation which is most appreciative of our Krsna Consciousness movement. So do your best to preach our philosophy to them that they can be inclined to join with us in spreading Lord Chaitanya’s Samkirtan. I am also glad to learn that everything in Montreal is now running smoothly under the direction of Sripati, and similarly that Raktak is very capable to manage the new center in Toronto as you are now feeling uncertainty what to do now yourself. From your letter it appears that Toronto has more potential for Krsna Conscious engagements, so why not remain there and assist Raktak. Our main business is service. Management of the temple must be there, but being president is not our business. Our business is to preach Krsna Consciousness. So if your presence there is helpful you may remain for some time. Now we want some men who understand all the purports of the Shastras so that they will be able to face any questionnaires put to them especially ………. This is a very important business, and I want all of my disciples to be thoroughly versed in this way. Our first business to every initiated devotee is to chant daily sixteen round of beads without fail, and to follow the regulative principles rigidly, and our literatures must be studied with great attention. We have presented the complete philosophy of Krsna Consciousness in our books Bhagavad Gita as it is, Srimad Bhagawatam, Teachings of Lord, Chaitanya, Krsna,__ __and others being printed, so the classes and personal study should be undertaken penetratingly. Please see that all the devotees are following these principles; this program is the essential basis of our spiritual advancement. If chanting and following of the regulation is done sincerely, without offense, all questions and doubtful points of philosophy will be cleared up by realization of Krsna from within the heart of the devotee.(page missing?) ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** April 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Toronto My Dear Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th April, 1970, and I am glad to learn that you have been provided sufficient funds for your travelling. You should take a long visa and Acyutananda will arrange for that, so you write to him and arrange for it and then go. Don't take the short period visa, it is simply botheration. Everything should be done in dollars. Indian rupees the government will not allow to come out of the country. Besides that, you make arrangements that you can remain not for some months, but for some years. We have got a great deal of work there. So first make everything clear by correspondence with Acyutananda, and then start. Looking on women is not an impediment to spiritual progress, but looking on women with a view of sense gratification is detrimental. The actual fact is that attachment for sense gratification is not at all congenial for spiritual progress. In this country intermingling with women is very easy, and sometimes our mind becomes agitated. Therefore we have to take little precaution and the best precaution is to raise oneself in Krsna Consciousness. Lord Caitanya said that His mind becomes agitated even by seeing a wooden model. By seeing women, if one's mind is agitated, that is quite natural. If you take the words of Lord Caitanya that His mind is agitated by seeing a wooden model, then what to speak of us by seeing actual women. The real fact is therefore that we have to check ourself by advancement of Krishna Consciousness. But if it becomes too difficult for us, then one should get himself married and thus check his sex disturbance, and peacefully prosecute Krishna Consciousness. But if one can avoid sex life and the attachment is overturned for Krishna Consciousness, his position is very laudable. So there is no need of becoming hypocritical; better one can get himself married and be peaceful. To make noise in front of the Deity means talking nonsense or indulging in useless topics of conversation. Chanting of Hare Krsna mantra is never prohibited. In the Nectar of Devotion you will find all these prohibitions and try to follow them. Yes, if you live in India it will be better facility that you have some preliminary knowledge of the local language. This was recommended even for big British officers who used to go to India either for business or for political purposes. I was a student in the Scottish Churches College and 90% of our professors were Europeans. All of them learned Bengali just to understand the local language. Although all of them were speaking with us in English, still they could understand Bengali nicely. Acyutananda has already learned Bengali, so I think for preliminary knowledge in Bengali there will be no difficulty for you. Whatever the Spiritual Master gives in His own hand, it should be accepted immediately as His grace. In the beginning in New York I was cooking myself and was distributing at least one or two capatis to all my disciples, at that time not less than a dozen. Gradually, Kirtanananda Maharaja took charge of the cooking and learned the art very nicely from me, and he educated all others how to make our present Prasadam. So in the beginning I was cooking, so there is no objection to take from the Spiritual Master. It is a question of love that sometimes I cook, you eat and sometimes you cook, I eat. Our Krishna Consciousness movement is based on complete fellow feeling and love, but there is a word maryada which means respect which should always be offered to the Spiritual Master and elderly members. Yes, Srivas Acarya is incarnation of Narada Muni and Haridasa Thakura is incarnation of Lord Brahma, therefore sometimes Haridasa Thakura is called Brahma Haridasa. Regarding the Hindu centers in the foreign countries, none of them are bona fide. There is a similar hodge podge center in London. Actually Hindus and non-Hindus everyone is at the present moment out of touch of the real science of spiritual knowledge. Everyone is going under some religious badge only, so it is very difficult to deal with them unless they are very much serious to understand the science of God. Everyone of the Hindu community in the Western world has got some very good feeling for me because superficially they are seeing that I am spreading Hindu religion, but factually this Krishna Consciousness movement is neither Hindu religion nor any other religion. It is the function of the soul. So even though the Indian Hindus are very much inclined in my favor, so far I have experience it is very difficult to turn them into pure devotees. The difficulty has become more acute on account of Ramakrishna Mission's preaching that any opinion about religion is alright. But our philosophy is different, we do not accept any opinion which is not advised by Krishna. So unless one is very fortunate, never mind whether he is Hindu or non-Hindu, one cannot take to the Krishna Consciousness movement and accept its bona fide principles. Regarding the proper dress, Acyutananda has advised Nanda Kumar to embark the plane wearing western clothes but to be sure to disembark wearing a dhoti. Regarding our books, yes, they are being printed in our press and they will come out very shortly. The books are being written specifically for my students and I am so glad to learn that you read them so carefully. The words are ambrosial because they are not my personal words, they are instructions of my predecessors and I am just trying to administer them to my best knowledge. That is the way of Parampara system. We have nothing to manufacture, but simply carry the message as a faithful peon. That will be effective. One should be very sincere to his Spiritual Master and Krsna simultaneously. Then everything comes out successful. That is the verdict of the Vedas and Lord Caitanya. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** April 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Jaya Pataka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st April, 1970.Acyutananda has written me that he will arrange for your visa for two years at least, but I learn that you have not heard anything from him til now. So unless you are assured that your visa has been made for at least two years, and he has got his own apartment, don't start. It is not required to take permission from Madhava Maharaja to stay at his place. It is not our business to become anymore burden to him. I have already sent Acyutananda money for our own land, so first we must have our own land or apartment, then our devotees can go there. On the whole, he must first of all arrange for staying somewhere in our own place, otherwise it will be very difficult because India is very overpopulated, especially Calcutta. Regarding your questions how to offer respects to Sannyasis. Every Sannyasi, even if you see a Mayavadi Sannyasi, offer him your respects—there will be no harm. As you have observed we shall follow Lord Caitanya's instruction that we give all due respects to others regarding their position, but there is no need of always associating with each of them. Even if one is Vaisnava, but not of good character, we can give him the Vaisnava respect, but we cannot associate with him. Regarding how to act when there is a choice of either attending Aratrik ceremony without bathing first or bathing and thus missing attendance at the Aratrik ceremony, the answer is that the rules should be followed as far as possible. If it becomes necessary, simply wash your feet, and when possible also wash the face, head, hands, and rinse mouth with water. When you will go to India, most probably you will have to go to Bombay, and how you will have to go to Bombay that I shall let you know later. I beg to thank you for your nice appreciation of our disciplic succession of Vaisnava Acaryas. This is the right understanding of the Spiritual Masters that they are glorious by simply delivering the transcendental message of Krsna as it is. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** June 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Chicago My Dear Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. I was expecting Acyutananda's favorable letter at any moment, therefore I was detaining you here. Now the letter is received. You can start immediately for India, and I hope by this time you have received the telegram reading as follows: "Immediately start for India, Acyutananda's letter favorable. Please reply telegram. Gargamuni"So after going there, work cooperatively with toleration and forbearance. Our philosophy is submissiveness, so I hope in India both you and Acyutananda will work very diligently. There is very good chance for our success in India. We should follow the same principle as I have prescribed here; namely chanting the beads regularly, following the regulative principles, leading the Sankirtana Party on the street, try to sell our literature and books, and work very seriously and sincerely. If you work on this principle the people of India will be charmed by your behavior and they will gratefully acknowledge your transcendental activities. Are you taking with you a tape recorder? If so let me know and I will send you some tapes. or you may already have got it. Acyutananda has already taken a nice apartment, so you will have no difficulty. And as soon a I receive good report from you after your arrival, I shall send other ten Brahmacaris. I am also enclosing herewith a xerox copy of a nice letter received from San Diego. This will help you how to manage affairs in India. You are already experienced and advanced devotee, similarly is Acyutananda, so I count upon you both for great success in India. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** July 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Calcutta My Dear Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 29th June and 2nd July, 1970, and noted the contents with great pleasure. In the meantime I have written two letters addressed to both you and Acyutananda in which I wanted to know if you have changed your place. In you letter dated 29th June you wrote to say, "We shall move into our apartment the next day after or tomorrow, Acyutananda Says," but in you letter dated 2nd July it appears that you have not gone there, so I am surprised why the delay. It is not possible to stay at the Gaudiya Math because we want to organize our preaching work in our own way which we are following here. So in the Gaudiya Math we will not get any facility except for staying, neither they will be able to accommodate more men who are intending to go to India. About the land in Mayapur, I have already advised Acyutananda to purchase the land at all risks. He will kindly send me report of your activities at least twice weekly. I am very glad to learn from your letter dated 2nd July that both yourself and Acyutananda went to Babu Ghat for chanting Hare Krsna. I am very glad to learn it. The same process I adopted in your country when I started my Sankirtana in Tompkins Square, New York. Krsna was so kind to send to me all these boys and girls who are helping me now. Babu Ghat is a very nice place. Similarly, in front of Babu Ghat there is the Eden Garden that is also a very nice place. After all it is not the question of the place, but it is the person who chants which is important. A sincere soul like you, so much devoted to Spiritual Master and Krsna is sure to be successful anywhere. So you adopt the same principle as we are doing here. So far collection is concerned, if somebody offers money there is no reason to refuse it. Certainly there are many pseudo-Vaisnavas collecting money for sense gratification, but that does not mean that a pure Vaisnava will not collect. Yes, get nama Sankirtana organized, it is very nice program. It is all encouraging. Nityananda Prabhu was doing this although He was attacked by Jagai and Madhai. In spite of His being injured by them, Lord Nityananda delivered these two brothers. That is the way of preaching. Certainly there will be thousands to follow a large Sankirtana Party, so you do like that. Regarding the Math, naturally because they are getting great name and fame by your service they will not like you to leave, but if more men go where they will live. I do not know why there is hesitation still. We must have our own place. I hope you have replied this point in my previous letter. As soon as you settle up in your own place, we shall send many magazines and books for distribution. So your first example of service has very much satisfied me. I have all my blessings upon you. Kindly continue this program and please keep me informed at least two times in a week. Regarding your feelings of burning impatience, these things are very explicitly explained in the Nectar of Devotion in the chapter on ecstasy. These are symptoms of ecstasy, that is not bad. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** July 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Calcutta My Dear Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 20th July, 1970, and noted the contents., But it is the old story. Anyway, I am hoping against hope that very soon we shall have a place either at Calcutta or at Mayapur. Kindly keep me informed of your activities at least twice in a week, otherwise I become very much anxious and due to my blood pressure sometimes do not eat, do not sleep. I am just trying to organize a worldwide movement not for any personal ambition but to execute superior orders, and by the grace of Krsna we are getting good encouragement. So I request my students to cooperate fully. As soon as I hear from you that we have got some place, immediately I shall go to India for a change, with two Sannyasis. Recently I have given Sannyas order of life to six Brahmacaris. They have been sent in different parts of the country for preaching work and two of them might to with me to join you. So immediately we require a place of our own,.I am very glad that Acyutananda's doing nice preaching work. Offer my blessings to him and I wish to hear from him also along with your next letter. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dm ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** August 17th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Calcutta My Dear Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated 10th August, 1970, addressed to our L.A. Temple redirected here has been duly received by me. I have sent several letters and a telegram from this place to your new address, but I have received no reply of them till now. On the 15th August, 1970, Tamala has sent you the following telegram: "Srila Prabhupada desires to come Calcutta/ Immediately telegram 6-16, 2-chome Ohhash, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan or telephone Tokyo 466-2935 to Tamala, Sudama, Kirtanananda or Madhudvisa and confirm reception accommodations—Tamala."We were all expecting either your telegram or phone call at every moment, but I have received none. In the meantime I have received your letter under reply. I have again sent you another telegram reading as follows: "I have sent telegram/why no reply? I am ready to come/confirm immediately by telegram to ISKCON 6-16, 2-chome, Ohhashi, Meguro-ku, Tokyo— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- "In Japan we are now staying at the Temple, five Sannyasis including myself and one householder, Tamala, ready to start for India. I have ordered 70,000 different kinds of books and literature costing nearly $32,000 and most probably I shall order further for 20,00 more. So they are all meant for distribution in India for propaganda work. Besides that, I am getting Hindi Back to Godhead also printed here for distribution in India. So everything is ready, simply I am awaiting telegram from your side. Regarding Deities, we have three pairs of Deities lying with Scindia Steam Navigation. I am sending herewith the copy of the letter addressed to Mr. Trivedi today. With this copy of the letter both you and Acyutananda can see Mr. Trivedi and on the strength of this letter you take delivery of the three pairs of Murtis. We shall install one in Mayapur, one in Calcutta and one in Gorakhpur. I have got many inquiries and friendly invitations from many different parts of India, simply we want our place at Mayapur immediately, then everything will be in order. We will require a huge amount of money for constructing a Temple in Mayapur especially. I am glad that you are getting good collections also and there is good prospect of getting more. So if we work sincerely keeping faith in Krsna and Spiritual Master there will be no difficulty at all in our preaching work. So either on receipt of this letter or prior, as soon as I get your telegram for receiving us, then we shall start for Calcutta. We have ordered one consignment of Khole, pakwaz, and karatala. They are lying with Dwarkin and Son due to the Calcutta dock strike. If they have not yet been dispatched, please take delivery of them for our use in India. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** August 26th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your Vyasa Pujah Homage Telegram reading as follows received yesterday morning!"(Vyasa puja Poetry) to save the worldAnd serve the Lord He left His homeAnd His children tooTwo children lost some thousands gained, Krishna's mercy received inParty splint a stumbling blockWith world God-ConsciousnessThe aim His Divine Grace bridgesThe gap to bless the world with Gauraprema, Jayapataka's life is not his ownIt's Prabhupada's to do with as His own"I feel very much obliged to you for your nice understanding about my mission. Your offer of service to the cause of our Lord is also welcomed. I hope in future you shall be of great help in my mission and I can count upon. More when we meet. We are seven starting on Saturday including one Japanese nice boy. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- P.S. I have received no letter from you to Tokyo-address ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** November 10th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Calcutta My Dear Jayapataka Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 6the November along with enclosed plans for the Hamilton House. Regarding the Hamilton House, it is a first class building for our preaching work with its central location. My Guru Maharaja wanted us to open our centers in the most congested parts of major cities. We do not want a place in a quiet and solitary place, so offer them 6 to 7 lacs Rs. immediately. Start with 6 lacs and eventually you can offer them 7 lacs, but that is the highest you can go, and we shall arrange Rs. one lac in advance. If they agree, we will come immediately and finish the business. You should get the society immediately registered through Mr. Sen under the Societies act, not under the Companies Act. Please do this as quickly as possible, as men are expecting us to be a bona fide institution. I have asked Hansadutta and Himavati to come and live with me here in Bombay. Now, I think the remaining members in Calcutta, except for yourself, can go to Gorakhpur, as Ramananda has asked for six more men. Since you are the president in Calcutta and there are so many businesses still pending, you should remain in Calcutta. I have instructed Hansadutta to hand over to you for your sole care all the things that are remaining in 37/1 Hindustan Rd. flat, including my books, table, etc. In addition three sets of Deities there should be taken by you and kept carefully. See that the unwrapped set is securely wrapped and boxed as the others are. Also you can take from Hansadutta the document Bill of Lading for the shipment of books from L.A. and Boston. I am arranging through a forwarding and clearing house in Bombay, which has a branch in Calcutta, to clear these books, so once I know the address of the Calcutta branch office, I will inform you and you may bring them the documents. I hope you have already sent by registered post my bank account passbook as asked you by telegram. So far as the 11,000 Rs. to be given by Sita-Ram Poddar, he can give the check in the society's name. We have also established an account in Bombay under the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Immediately we have no South Indian program. Our first business is to go to Gorakhpur. So far, all of our success is due to our following the regulative rules of devotional service. So our good standing will be diminished if we join with groups who permit the use of intoxicants, etc. We should not compromise on this point, if we wish to remain pure and strong. Please write to Tamala Krsna at least once a week what are your activities. Please send me immediately your new address and telephone number if you have one. Hope this will find you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ds ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** November 15th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Calcutta My Dear Jayapataka Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 29, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. I beg to thank you for your complete report of the situation in Calcutta and I am replying the points one by one. Here in Bombay we are getting good response to our membership program and I am sure in Calcutta you can also get good response. Now the holiday is done, so you can begin work on this immediately. This membership program cannot be neglected. Do not rely on anyone else for such matters, but go out and do your own work. I can judge from your letter that Mr. Jaju is not very much interested and the others have brought in many different points of contention, so stop all controversial points. Try first of all for the Hamilton house. Jhajharia is going to help in this connection. Hamilton house can be transacted with the help of Jhajharia and when there is solid proposal, we shall immediately finish the transaction. Regarding Jhajharia, whenever he talks such nonsense as you have noted, don't accept it. When he speaks such foolish words, just ask him to refer to Prabhupada and you set it aside. Work cooperatively with him on transacting the Hamilton house, that's all. Regarding Dhandharia's fear of his or someone else's incurring great expense from the devotees stay at their place, because he is afraid there is no question of joining his Sankirtana Party because they are unable to maintain our men. So in this connection of our large expense, I have asked them to live independently without depending on any -rias. So far the place in Mathura is concerned, yes, without its being permanent we are not going to accept. I am very much obliged to your feeling as my humble servant and that will help your advancement in Krsna Consciousness. If Dhandharia is speaking as you describe, better to be silent and stop these dealings rather than create some further enmity. I have already applied to the Magh mela Committee and have received a letter of acceptance from them and have written to Dr. N. R. Sen Gupta to help us. Dhandharia has invited you to Gorakhpur and I have already asked you to go to Gorakhpur because we want to organize a center there. If you go with Dhandharia and he meets the expense, that is nice, and meet Kirtanananda Maharaja and Ramananda there and then I shall also go there. Regarding your collecting is concerned, persons who donate should not receive membership for such donation, membership is different. Fifty per cent should go each to the Temple Fund and to my Book Fund. For the 50% put into my Book Fund, yes, they may receive credit for our book program; why not? So far typist is concerned, he is a family man, he should not be asked to relinquish family life immediately. Let him come and go and learn our philosophy. I have already replied the matter of brahmanical initiation thoroughly to Acyutananda Maharaja, so you may refer to his letter on the subject. I have sent that letter to him at the Vraja Dulal Street address, so I do not know if it has reached him. Anyway, I am enclosing a duplicate copy herewith, which please give to Acyutananda Maharaja. About the matter of being accepted into the Vaikunthanatha Temple or other Temples, if you follow the restrictive regulations and always remain neat and clean, very soon everything obscure will become clear. It is no use to learn Hindi or other languages, just try to learn to speak our Krsna Consciousness language very nicely. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** November 27th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Calcutta My Dear Jayapataka Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter dated November 22nd, 1970. I am so glad to learn that you are collecting funds for building. I quite approve your proposal that if the money is used for establishing Bombay center, the donors will not be encouraged. In that case you can open an account with the Central Bank of India in the name of ISKCON. The Society is going to be registered here and the arrangement is done. We have already an account here with the Central Bank H.Q. and the number is 3/953. The way we open our account is that we have passed resolution and submitted it to the bank. The enclosed copy can be adjusted by you for Calcutta. Our account here in Bombay is with the Head Office and the Calcutta branch can inquire from them. So the account should be opened and checks should be drawn out by two signatures. One of the signatures must be mine and the other names should also be registered: Jayapataka Swami, Acyutananda Swami and Madhudvisa Swami (Founder and Acarya, President, Secretary and Treasurer respectively.) These four names should be registered. Please send a list of the Members you have already made and how the collection is dispersed. Are the funds divided into 50% for the Temple Construction and 50% for the Book Fund? And a separate contribution for the Hamilton House. If you want to take four men to raise the funds for purchasing the Hamilton House, I have no objection. We agree with Mr. Poddar that four men raising Rs. 25,000 each will be very nice. Side by side, you can try for the Alipore house just in front of the Judge's Court. Either the Alipore or the Hamilton house may be taken for our Calcutta branch. If you are unable to open an account in Calcutta, then the collection money may be transferred to our bank here and I will keep separate account for it. Regarding Jhajaria's proposal for uniting the Bhu Lok diksa Mandir with our ISKCON, there is no question of such amalgamation. So we do not go on with such ideas. But don't make him enemy; just try to avoid any intimate connection. So far the Magh Mela is concerned, I have received word that our application has been received, but I do not know about any land being set aside for us. If you have got such information, please send me the copy. Your title is actually Tridandi Swami or Tridandi Bhiksu, which is the first stage of sannyasa life. Tridandi Goswami is for one in the fourth stage of sannyasa life which is paramahamsa stage. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** December 13th 1970 — **Location:** Indore > Calcutta My Dear Jayapataka Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9th December, 1970.You write to say, "We notice that even the communist protestors can't help smiling and answering back 'Hari Bol!' " So there is sufficient hope to reform them by Caitanya Mahaprabhu's grace of chanting the Hare Krsna Mantra. Kali Yuga is the fallen age undoubtedly, and there are different varieties of fallen souls. In Calcutta the so-called disturbance-makers are also some of them. I went to America and some of the souls were accepted by Lord Caitanya and today the Bengal being Lord Caitanya's place they are in such pitiable condition, so I wish that some of you among my American disciples may try to reclaim these fallen souls to the order of Lord Caitanya's Vaisnavite platform. When I was in Calcutta, many Naxalite and Communist youths used to see me. They were arguing with me, but I defeated them smilingly. They left after offering me their respects. I think they can also be reformed provided we diagnose and administer the proper medicine for them. I am not very much hopeless about Calcutta situation or even if there is some risk we should try to reform them and if we are successful, the people of India will hail us to great estimation and adoration and that will give us good impetus for pushing on our Movement, Krsna Consciousness. Although there are many places in Calcutta we can have at cheap price, my advice is that you try to raise this one lakh of rupees for advancing to the Hamilton people and keep it ready. I have already sent you a telegram reading like the following: "If they accept 6.2 lakhs, I will immediately go there to complete transaction." So, if the Hamilton people accept the offer of Rs 620,000/, I shall immediately go and finish the transaction. I hope you have received the telegram and I am expecting your reply at any moment. The location of the Hamilton House is very nice and absolutely suitable for our purposes. In the meantime, I am also addressing one letter to the Hamilton Co. and the copy of which is enclosed herewith. Please do the needful. Keep yourself brave and fit to face the situation with faith in Krsna and Spiritual Master. Let us do something tangible in Calcutta. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** December 17th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Calcutta My Dear Jayapataka Maharaja, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to Madhudvisa Maharaja, Sagar Maharaja and Acyutananda Maharaja as well as all the other Prabhus there. I am in due receipt of your several letters and telegram dated November 28th, December 4th, 5th, and 9th, & 13rd, 1970, and have gone over the contents. I have just arrived in Surat from Indore and I have received all of your letters here brought from Bombay. We arrived on the morning of the 16th instant, and our reception here is most promising and cordial. You have written that there is some critical remarks about us from some parties, do not care for it. We do not mind for the dogs barking. Let us go on with our business. If the Hamilton Co. agrees to our terms, send us a telegram and we shall arrange for going there. Any suitable place will do for our staying in Calcutta while completing the transaction. You can not only offer them one lakh but we can give them two lakhs immediately put down on the Hamilton House if they give us immediate possession of the place. They may continue to realize the rental from the present tenants and we shall occupy the first floor. So we shall offer them one third of the total six lakhs to take possession and the balance two thirds or four lakhs we shall hand over when the tenants vacate the other two stories. It is good that we secure the place now. Arrangement should be made like that. You go ahead and arrange the meeting with Birlas and Bangurs and there will certainly be no difficulty for raising the required funds for our Calcutta project. If we have got our place and the support of these big men, I am sure that I can cut down this Naxalite movement. I know how to do it. We have diagnosed the disease and the medicine is Hari Sankirtana and the diet is Krsna Prasadam. With our own place we can dispense these to the young boys and they will be easily cured. They have already shown their willingness to cooperate when I was in Calcutta last and I am sure of this plan to curb their misguided and frustrated activities. Regarding the account with American Express, you should keep the present deposit with them and if you like them better than the Central Bank there is no need at present for opening a new account with the latter. If required in the future I shall return the papers to you with my signature as per. If there is no difficulty in withdrawing from the American Bank that should be the criteria for keeping the accounts with them. Wherever the money is kept, it must be ready for being withdrawn without any difficulty, in either the Central Bank or the American Express Bank. Regarding the business of getting outside business contacts for some industrialists, etc. it appears to be a nice proposal, but you cannot deal with them now. When I come there, I shall see the situation and determine what is to be done in this connection. You have asked some questions of unnecessary sort. Don't bother about these things. It is not our business to give them advice about sterilization and contraception. We are planning to remain here for about ten days and our further program is to go to Gorakhpur via Ratlam. I will keep you informed of my movements so that you can reply me to the right address. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** December 20th 1970 — **Location:** Surat My Dear Jayapataka Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated the 16th instant addressed to me and Tamala Krsna as along with a Bengali letter from Sagar Maharaja. This morning I have received also your telegram and I have replied as follows; "Reduce the period as they like. Payment in full on vacant possession. Letter follows. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- " The idea is that we can arrange to pay them immediately 6.2 lakhs if we get full vacant possession. But I think it is not possible because the tenant cannot vacate within less than six months. We are not interested in realizing the rent from the house; we need the place for our own accommodation. Therefore vacant possession is essential. The best thing will be that let them give us possession of the ground floor and we are prepared to pay them proportionately immediately up to two lakhs of rupees or more. The balance will be paid as early as possible when we get the other two stories vacant—it is up to them. Some arrangements should be made like that. You have suggested in your letter dated December 16th that a gentle lawyer has prepared to give us free service in the above transaction—it is welcome. As you have suggested you can immediately form a committee with five or six men comprising Mr. Mohta, Mrs. Birla, Mr. Poddar and Mr. Buwalka and any two of you, preferably yourself and Madhudvisa Maharaja. You can immediately form this fund raising committee and do the needful. So far Sagar Maharaja is concerned, I have already written him a letter care of Mr. Pradhan as he gave the address. So if his presence is necessary, he can remain, otherwise, he may come back with the typewriter and my books. Just now I have received telephonic message form Tamala the book affair is settled up and he is returning on Tuesday. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** December 28th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Calcutta My Dear Jayapataka Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on with good prospect in Calcutta. I have decided to come there for the meeting with Mrs. Birla at the Birla Academy on the 6th January, 1971.Our program here in Surat is very successful and we are terminating it for the time being when we depart for Bombay on the 2nd January. From Bombay we are catching the 1 down (via Nagpur) Howrah Mail Train leaving on the 3rd at 6.45 PM and reaching Calcutta on the 5th at 8.25 AM. So I will be glad to see you there if you can arrange a nice reception. We shall be coming either two men or four. In the meantime the rest of our party is going to Allahabad for establishing our Magh Mela Camp. Hope this will meet you in good health Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Jayapataka, Acyutananda **Date:** August 20th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Calcutta My Dear Jayapataka and Acyutananda, Please accept my blessings. On receipt of your telegram dated 18th August, 1970, I have decided to start from here for Calcutta on the 29th August, reaching there in the evening of the same day. I hope you have received my telegram reading as follows by this time."We six arriving Calcutta Saturday 29 August 7:40 evening KLM flight number 864 Letter follows"The purpose of my going to India at the present moment is to give some idea to the communistic tendency of the people so that everyone may take Krsna Consciousness for a solution of all problems of life. When I came to your country, U.S.A., I began my preaching work by chanting Hare Krsna Mantra and by talking some philosophy from Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam and thus the younger generation of your country gathered around me and now they are gratefully acknowledging that they have got something substantial, when they were feeling confused and frustrated. Many young boys and girls are now happy by getting this Krsna Consciousness and similarly I hope the communist young boys and girls in India will also feel similarly if they accept this Krsna Consciousness Movement. Krsna Consciousness Movement is not a sectarian religion, but it is a solution for all the problems of life. In other words, Krsna is good for everyone. The idea is Krsna is substance and Maya is illusion. Illusion is accepted as void and impersonal, but Krsna is the Summum Bonum Person. Krsna is one and Maya is zero. Zero by the side of One is ten, but thousands of zeros clogged together do not make one. So there are many ideas within this world put forth by many philosophers, politicians, religionists, philanthropists, etc., but all of them are considered as illusion or zeros if there is no Krsna Consciousness. We have to push forward this philosophy throughout the whole world. We have sufficient support for acknowledging this philosophy. I understand that nowadays many strikes are being observed in Calcutta. These are not new things because from our childhood we know Bengal is the origin of all political agitation. Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal and He said that simply by chanting Hare Krsna Mantra everyone will have perfection by one's idealistic way of life. Now it is the time for the Bengalis or for the Indians to understand that this Hare Krsna Mantra will also bring in the perfection of communistic ideas. If you can therefore arrange a small meeting with the Bengali Communist leaders, I can try to convince them how Krsna Consciousness Movement is very much congenial for their purpose. I hope the Mayapur land purchase is by this time completed. In your previous letter you wrote that if I am present there it will be done. Immediately also for this purpose I am going to Calcutta. So keeping in view of the above two points, please arrange for our accommodation and I shall try my best to give some service to all persons concerned. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Joanne, Connie **Date:** June 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Columbus, Ohio My Dear Srimati Joanne and Connie, Please accept my blessings. In continuation of my last letter, upon opening further the box sent by you along with your letters to me I have found the necklaces and handkerchief made by you for Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, and they are so wonderful. I have immediately got them on the Deities, and They are looking very gorgeous with Their new ornaments. So I beg to thank you very much for these nice gifts of your artistic talents. In the meantime, I have received one letter from Sriman Jananivasa requesting your initiations from me. So on his good recommendation you may send me your beads for chanting and I will be very happy to initiate you both. Please always chant Hare Krsna mantra and be happy. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Jyotirmayi **Date:** February 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Daughter Jyotirmayi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your kind letter dated 28 January, 1970 along with your beads. I am very happy to accept you as my disciple as you are eager to love Krishna. I am returning your beads herewith duly chanted on by me and your initiated name is Jyotirmayi. Jyotirmayi is the effulgent energy of Krishna. As my initiated disciple you must strictly observe the four restrictions; namely no taking of intoxicants; no eating of meat, fish, or eggs; no illicit sex life; and no gambling. Follow the prescribed regulations for devotional service and chant daily sixteen rounds without fail. avoiding the ten offenses against the Holy Name. Please take instruction in Krishna Consciousness from Janai, Malati, and Yamuna and the other advanced devotees there. I am glad to learn that you are eager to become a sincere devotee of Lord Krishna. The process is very simple—chant Hare Krishna mantra always. become fully engaged in Krishna activities and be happy. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Kancanbala **Date:** April 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Washington, D.C My Dear Kancanbala, It is so much pleasing to me that you are so carefully reading Srimad-Bhagavatam. We have discussed many things in that book—social, political, religious, cultural—and if you young boys and girls understand them properly, I am sure your preaching work will bring in a great change in the entire human society. I am very glad also to know that you are engaged as Pujari there. Try to learn this art of Arcana very nicely. You can consult in this connection Himavati, Yamuna and also Silavati. I wish that all our girl devotees be expert in the matter of Arcana and cooking. The temple and altar should always be very clean and decorated with flowers and incense. We shall touch the Deity altar and Deity in very clean condition, after taking bath and washing mouth nicely. Practice washing hands after eating and wash with soap and water after toilet. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, so this point should be very carefully observed, then you will advance very quickly to the perfectional stage of Krishna Consciousness. Regarding you preaching work in the schools, colleges, and universities, try to attract the students, they are our great future hope and they will take up this matter very quickly because the students are not very much contaminated. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** August 14th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. Now that I have formed this Governing Board Commission, the twelve members should each act as my zonal secretaries. So kindly keep me informed of your zone's activities at least once a week or once fortnightly. In this way I will be encouraged and can give you direction and inspiration. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** November 30th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Los Angeles My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated 28th October, 19th, 13rd, and 10th of November respectively and have noted the contents carefully. Your sentiments for me are very nice and I thank you very much for your sincere attitude which is so encouraging for me. If we have to repair our house and Mr. Raj Anand is willing to give us the loan and you think there will be no problem in repaying him, then it is all right and you may do it. I am glad to hear new devotees are coming and do not be worried about some of our members leaving; they will come back. Krishna never forgets the service rendered to him by the devotee and once tasting the nectar of devotional service to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is not possible to forget Him. I have received the report of Pittsburgh GBC meeting. I am happy to see you all so active and serious about carrying on the work which I have started. Now I want that all administration may be done by all of you 12 GBC members all over the world. Always keep in touch and consult matters all together for practical execution. Yes, continue to send money to my book fund so that we shall be able to go on producing literatures of Krishna Consciousness. Thank you for the check of $227.00 for my maintenance fund. You may collect all the payments and send once monthly from L.A. the total amount. That will be better. I have also received the receipts of temple payment for Sept. and Oct. Also the pictures of the sanctuary appear very nice. My Guru Maharaja used to say "don't worry about money, Do something nice for Krishna and money will come." So we should always be thinking how to distribute the message of Krishna and surely He will give us facility. Even an ordinary man if he wants publicity then he gives so much money for the propaganda work. Similarly Krishna is not poor. He can supply any amount for the devotees who are engaged in broadcasting His glories. I see that you are moving in the schools and universities for preaching. That is very good. Krishna says that this knowledge is the king of education. So it will be appreciated. Your program to visit nearby cities and towns with a travelling party is nice. Krishna Das has also started this program in Germany and the success has been good. Regarding worship of Tulasi, it is not very much important. Simply all the devotees may offer a little water every morning and in the evening offer obeisances and ghee lamp (one wick) and circumambulating three times repeating the mantras that I have given you. The plant may remain in the garden. Hope this letter will find you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** December 10th 1970 — **Location:** Indore Los AngelesKARANDHARA DAS ADHIKARIWE REQUIRE 70.000 DOLLARS FOR PURCHASING VERY NICE CALCUTTA HOUSE KEEP SAIS CONTRIBUTION 28,000 INTACT LETTER FOLLOWSA C BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** December 18th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Los Angeles My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your two telegrams and letter dated December 6th, 7th and 6th, 1970, respectively. I have just come to Surat from Indore as we are travelling often now and I have just received your letters addressed to Bombay from where my mail is regularly forwarded. I have already telegrammed you in return regarding the money contributed by Sai and his followers. The money is to be kept for the purpose of purchasing one very nice house in Calcutta for which we have already begun serious negotiations. You have utilized $500 for the Berkeley Center's immediate need, but this must be repaid by them so the entire contributed sum must remain intact as I have instructed by telegram. It is a very good news that the disciples of Sai and Sai himself are now coming to join with our ISKCON. Because they were chanting Hare Krsna, they developed some love for Krsna and therefore they have decided upon this right course of action. So they are all very welcome and you can give these good souls all encouragement so that they may not feel any inconveniences. They must live with us according to our standard practices and they shall surely advance in Krsna's service. So far the current estimate for printing the revised and complete edition of Bhagavad-gita, you may immediately go ahead with this project and it is very much encouraging to me that you are eager to do so. However the proposal for using the money contributed by Sai for this purpose is not feasible. That money is already reserved. The London Temple has taken Krsna books worth $20,000, so they should send the requisite $17,000 for the publishing of our Bhagavad-gita As It Is in new enlarged edition immediately. I understand that the KRSNA book is selling there very well, so they can easily do it. I hope your international attempts for placing our books in libraries and selling our KRSNA books in particular is going on. I am always anxious to know that our programs are going on nicely. I am very much happy that you are now attempting for opening up some centers in South America. It has long time been my desire to have some of our branches there. So you train up some qualified men and send them and if they can do something there it will be a great achievement. Simply they must chant Hare Krsna, observe the regulative principles and read our literatures sincerely and their success is guaranteed. So far the overseeing of the temples in your Zone, I am very glad that you are travelling there and preaching and thus feeling enlivened. Just see that the standard of purity is strictly maintained and the standard of enthusiasm for spreading Lord Caitanya's Movement is increased. Please offer my blessing to all the nice devotees of Los Angeles Temple. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- P.S. I think with Sai's money in 10,000/$ denominations four bills you have to come to India. Syamasundara will write to you ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** August 15th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Los Angeles My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. You will be glad to know that with Messrs. Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. I have opened an account "Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit" with immediate effect by depositing $5,000. At the same time I have ordered from them books worth $32,000 and as soon as the second volume KRSNA manuscript is received the amount will increase to $52,000.Under the circumstances I shall request you to send as much as possible every week to this Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit so that I may not feel any difficulty to meet my obligation. Now you have in stock about 10,000 copies of KRSNA, face value of which is about $75,000, so kindly try to collect as much as possible and send your weekly collections to this deposit fund. Immediately you can send Durlabha's $500 and whatever book fund collection you have made and let me know by your next letter. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** August 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Los Angeles My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 15th, 1970. Regarding shipping of the books, I hope you have already received message from Tamala Krsna. Teachings of Lord Caitanya and KRSNA books should immediately be shipped by S.S. Viswa Kirti and the shipping documents may be sent to me directly at my Calcutta address as follows:37/1 Hindustan Road Ballyganj Calcutta-29Perhaps you know that we are starting for Calcutta on the 29th August reaching there on the same evening. One Japanese student also is going with me and he is helping our cause by translating from English to Japanese. He will continue his work as translator and it will be easier for him to understand intricate subjects in my presence. Regarding Isopanisad, I have already ordered Dai Nippon to reprint 10,000 with sewn binding (perfect binding). I thank you very much that you have sent $1,900 to Dai Nippon and they have acknowledged receipt. I heard from Tamala that you have sent further $1,500, but they have not received as yet. I hope by this time you have already sent this check. I have invited some of the directors of Dai Nippon to take lunch with me today and I may inquire if they have received further money. The bill is already for $32,000 for the books which I have ordered to be printed and over and above this if the amount for KRSNA II and Hindi BTG is added the amount will come to somewhere about $53,000. So kindly go on sending weekly whatever collection you make for the Book Fund. I am so glad to learn that the management of the Temple is going nicely and the devotees are feeling transcendental pleasure. I understand from Tamala that the number of weekly guests has almost doubled. This is very good news. Who is taking care of my apartments? It should be cleansed at least twice a week and on the Altar of the Deity at least one incense may be offered daily. I thank you very much and all the devotees for offering me a garland daily as you were doing when I was physically present. If a disciple is constantly engaged in carrying out the instructions of the Spiritual Master he is supposed to be constantly in company with hs Spiritual Master. This is called Vaniseva. So there are two kinds of service to the Spiritual Master One is called vaniseva and the other is called vapuseva. Vaniseva means as above mentioned, executing the instructions, and vapuseva means physically or personally rendering service. So in the absence of physical presentation of the Spiritual Master the vaniseva is more important. My Spiritual Master, Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura, may appear to be physically not present, but still because I try to serve His instruction I never feel separated from Him. I expect that all of you should follow these instructions. Hope this will meet you in good health. Please keep me informed of your good activities always and offer my blessings to all the boys and girls and the little children. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- P.S. As this letter was being written, I have received your next letter dated August 19th, 1970, and thank you very much for sending the check for $2600 to Dai Nippon to be placed in the "Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Trust."ACB ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** September 13th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Los Angeles My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 31st, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad to know that you are travelling to Portland, Oregon, with some other devotees for the purpose of establishing a new center there with the help of Syamasundara. That is very encouraging news. I am so glad to learn that you are having nice success in placing my books in the libraries and in schools and colleges. That is very much to my satisfaction, so please continue your program for placing these Krsna Consciousness literatures in all the libraries and schools and colleges. I am sure that this will revolutionize the thinking of the thoughtful men of your country as well as the students and professors and the ultimate end will be to save the world from the clutches of material illusory activities which is now causing havoc everywhere. It is a great encouragement to me also that the GBC is carefully revising the program of our temples in view of the recent attacks upon our Society. I am very much counting upon you all to keep the standard of Krsna Consciousness as I have already instructed you both orally and in my literatures. I have received one letter of statement from Dai Nippon Printing Company that the "Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit" has been credited with $10,000 up to the 29th of August, leaving a balance due of $22,100. I have advised them of your last check No. 225 dated August 29th for $1,500. So please continue to send them checks as you are doing so that they may receive another full $10,000 before shipment is made. This will leave still another $12,100 balance due from the original total of $32,100 which may be payed up after the shipment is made. Regarding the packages sent to me in Los Angeles, if there is any sweets etc. they may be distributed among the devotees and so far clothes are concerned they may be kept in my wardrobe there for me. If there are any clothes for my Deities, however, they can be sent here by Air Post. Regarding the four Sannyasis, I have already written to them in care of the Detroit temple requesting them to not preach anything which may hamper the growth of our Society. But I have not received any reply from them. Please try to help these boys and advise them on my behalf not to waste time in such fruitless endeavor. I hope in the meantime I shall receive their reply by the grace of Krsna. Yes, I am so glad that your center is doing so well and all the devotees are now appreciating the presence of their Spiritual Master by following His instructions although He is no longer physically present—this is the right spirit. Please keep me informed of your activities regularly. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** September 19th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated Sept. 13, 1970, and I congratulate you on the good news of opening the Portland center so successfully, and I am very pleased that things are going on nicely. I received your telegram, and also receipts for three deposits to the BBT at Dai Nippon; and I received your other letters, but on account of Devananda's disposition, I have not been able to reply them. Today I am taking the help of Kirtanananda. Please go on sending the reports. On the whole I am very pleased with your management. The Ekadasi program is very nice. Krishna is giving you good sense and intelligence. Take care of your godbrothers and godsisters very carefully. Regarding Deity worship, Silavati and Yamuna Devi may be considered expert, so if some new hands come and take their help, that is a good proposition. Once established, however, Deities should not be removed. We should treat the Deities as the Personality of Godhead, and to invite Him to come to your home you must worship regularly. You cannot remove. If there is scarcity of pujaris, then Deities should not be installed, only pictures of Guru and Gauranga should be worshiped. Irregularity in worshiping Guru and Gauranga can be tolerated, as they are always kind and forgiving, but irregularity in worshiping Lord Jagannatha and Sri Sri Radha Krishna is not good. It is very good news that library distribution is going on nicely, and I am very much pleased that Dayananda is helping you. I know he is a very sincere devotee. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ks ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** October 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Amritsar > Los Angeles My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. Since a very long time I have not received any word from you. I hope everything is going on well with you in our Los Angeles World Headquarters. Please send me a report of your general activities in Los Angeles Temple and also your Governing Body Commission activities. Please offer my blessings to all the members of our Temples. How is the Deity worship being carried on? Awaiting your reply. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- P.S. Also let me know if you are sending book collection fund to Dai Nippon regularly ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** November 4th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I have received your special delivery letter of 15 October, 1970, and have noted the contents with great pleasure. You are one of my most determined students and for this reason I think that Krsna is giving you all facilities for serving Him. It is most encouraging to me to see that you are spreading this movement so nicely and I thank you for this. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has forecast that this Hare Krsna Mantra will be heard in every nook and cranny of the globe. He is God, so it will happen, that is a fact. So if we take advantage then we may take the credit, but if we do not someone else will. You are right to just depend on Krsna. When He sees that you are sincere He will reveal everything to you. And this preaching work is your key to success in Krsna Consciousness; just see Bhagavad-gita As It Is, XVIII, 68-69.I think that you may distribute copies to all centers of the letter from the Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah, endorsing our S.K.P. program and giving us official permission. I am interested to know how much you have recently deposited in the Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit Account. Please continue to earn thousands of dollars for printing of my books and this will be a great honor for you. No one has sent my $15 monthly maintenance checks. So I am asking you to please expedite this matter among your centers. They should send readily negotiable American Express checks rather than personal checks which take up to two months to clear. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sda ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** November 13th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Los Angeles My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 20th ansd 29th September, 1970. I have also just received the three sets of color photos of our L.A. Temple and they are very beautiful. Thank you very much for them. The Deity worship should be done just in the way it was carried out in my presence. You should see that such a high standard is maintained and that there are no irregularities. Irregularity means breaking the schedule. As you have mentioned those thrones that are coming, I was just thinking of them. When they are fixed up, please send me photos of them. Please continue to send as much as possible to my bookfund deposit. I have received a copy of the monthly payments from the temple sent by you, but as of yet I have not received a copy showing payment for the months of Sept. and Oct. Please send me such a copy each month. The new procedures you are instituting on Sankirtana Party are very encouraging to me. The opportunities for expanding the Sankirtana Movement are unlimited. We should tax our brains as to what is the best way to present Krishna Consciousness to particular people at a particular time and place. I have always thought that in L.A. there should be at least ten Sankirtana Parties going out simultaneously and as you have indicated, such places as Long Beach and other areas can each have their own Krishna Consciousness center. I am so much grateful to you for being such a strong soldier in pushing on this movement. Please continue in this way and give example to your Godbrothers and sisters. Please offer my blessings to all the L.A. Prabhus. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Karandhara **Date:** November 13th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Los Angeles My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I have received today your letter dated October 25th, 1970, and in the meantime I have just replied your two previous letters from September so I hope you have also received that letter. I have seen the article from Salt Lake City and also one letter has come from Mohanananda in Dallas. So things are very favorable in both these places, just you see that they go on very nicely to our set standard. I am glad that you are taking your duties of overseeing the centers in your jurisdiction very seriously, that is very much needed. Regarding Seattle center, I know that Krsnakanti is a very nice devotee and highly intelligent and enthusiastic, so he is certainly a good man for the presidency there. I am so pleased that Srimati Jambavati devi is caring for the Deities there so well. When the Deities will be radiant, it means that the service is going on nicely. So regarding the Los Angeles Deity worship, you were carrying it out very well in my presence, so you continue in that way. Two baths daily for Their Lordships is not required, but twice dressing is nice. Your program for training everyone in the proper form of Deity worship and other temple activities is very, very good. We want that all our men shall be able to do everything in Krsna Consciousness—a devotee is expert in all things. Please continue to send all available funds to the "Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit" as you are doing. Why have the centers not sent my maintenance checks regularly as before? So far the distribution of funds, temple management, etc. which you have mentioned, if one is sincere, the dictation how to do it rightly will come from within. It is stated that those who are engaged in the service of the Lord in pure love and devotion, to them dictation is given from within their hearts. But still you should check with me. If one is very cautious, then Krsna will give him protection. One should not become callous; he should be cautious. Regarding initiation as mentioned in your letter addressed to Devananda Maharaja, we shall be very careful now in the selection of candidates for initiation and everything must be followed by them very strictly as we have instructed, then we shall see about initiation. Regarding affairs of Temple management, financial distribution, etc., it is not necessary that you keep me informed of all the details. Regarding marriages, the correct way is that you should first get the marriage sanctioned by me and then perform the ceremony with my blessings. I shall be expecting the posters and pictures soon; they will be very useful to our propaganda work. How is it that you owe $20,000 to Dai Nippon? Are the Temples remitting the $0.15 cost per copy of BTG to ISKCON Press for each copy they receive? Please keep me regularly informed. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Kasturika **Date:** April 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los AngelesMy Dear Daughter Kasturikadevi Dasi (Janet Armano),Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13th April, 1970, and now I have just received your new set of beads. Thank you very much for your nice letter. I am very happy to accept you as my disciple, and your initiated name is Kasturika Dasi. I am very glad to know that you have been recommended for initiation by Sriman Rishi Kumar, and now please continue to follow strictly the four regulative principles of no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no taking of intoxicants including coffee, tea and tobacco, no illicit sex-life, and no gambling. Be sure to always chant daily your sixteen rounds on your beads, and be happy in Krishna Consciousness. I am very pleased also to note your nice attitude of humbleness in the service of the Lord, this is a very important qualification of a devotee. Now try to learn our philosophy very nicely with the help of your elder God brothers and sisters, go on Samkirtan, and always be engaged in some kind of Krishna work, then Krishna will bless you to advance more and more in Krishna Consciousness. Hope this will meet you in good health. Kasturika is the name of one of the Gopis, associates of Krishna. And you are Kasturika Dasi or the maid servant of Kasturika by name. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbSrimati --- Kasturikadevi Dasi (Janet Armano)ISKCON Temple61 Second AvenueN.Y.C., N.Y. 10003 ### Letter to Kenneth **Date:** May 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Sriman Kenneth, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated April 1970, and I am so pleased to learn that you are chanting Mahamantra Hare Krishna. It is very much pleasing that you acknowledge the gifts of Krishna. Krishna is the Supreme Father, and all living entities in all different forms are His sons. He is maintaining everyone. He is supplying food, clothing, shelter to each one of His sons, but those who are Krishna Conscious, they admit the gifts of the Father, and thus try to please the Supreme Father by service. Unfortunately, the demons do not even acknowledge the gifts from Krishna, and they talk nonsense that there is no God, God is dead, I am God, and similar things. So as you are acknowledging your obligation to Krishna, as well as chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra, so I hope Krishna will give you more facilities so that you can become perfect in this very life. It is very easy to achieve such success simply by chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra, and let us not miss this great opportunity. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Kenneth **Date:** November 17th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > New Vrndavana My Dear Sriman Kenneth, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter Dated 23rd August, 1970, expressing your humble realizations concerning Krsna Consciousness process. Yes, it is the only way that one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to Lord Krsna's instructions to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita, this science is passed down perfectly only via the bona fide line of disciplic succession. So one has got to find out some representative of the Lord who is in the bona fide disciplic succession and then follow the Lord's instructions that after finding out such a Spiritual Master one should try to learn the truth from him by inquiring submissively and rendering service unto him. This method of approaching Krsna must be accepted because it is offered by the Lord Himself. So the first step is that one should consider carefully whether here is a bona fide Spiritual Master to whom I can surrender myself without any hesitation. I am very glad that you have decided to rejoin our spiritual community of Krsna Consciousness at New Vrndavana. We have established New Vrndavana to be developed as a model of Krsna Consciousness or pure, unadulterated spiritual community practical for all persons. Actually the atmosphere there is very transcendental and I am very pleased that you have got the good sense to take advantage of this shelter from the distress and frustration of the material world. Please try your best to learn our Krsna philosophy very nicely, when you have some difficult point you can ask advice from Sriman Hayagriva or your elder Godbrothers. Chant Hare Krsna always, do your regular tasks in Krsna Consciousness, cooperate with the other devotees, follow strictly the four regulative principles and be happy in the service of the Lord. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Kirtanananda **Date:** February 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > New Vrindaban My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 12 February, 1970, along with your check for $50, and thank you very much for this. Your touring in different places and preaching Krsna Consciousness is fulfilling my dream. May Krsna bless you on and on for being engaged in such exalted work. In the Bhagavad-gita, last portion of eighteenth chapter, it is said that nobody is dearer to Krsna than anybody on the earth except the person who is engaged in preaching the most confidential philosophy of life, namely surrendering unto Krsna, leaving aside everything material or spiritual. In the Vedic literature there are many recommended processes for spiritual realization, and Lord Krsna says that all of them can be avoided and if one is simply engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord that is the highest perfectional platform. There is a great future for this Krsna Consciousness movement in every part of the world, and I am getting such indications from every where. So please continue these activities by travelling on your good truck, assisted by some sincere devotees like Yadunandana and others, and I am sure you will be successful in your mission. Now I am hopeful that our New Vrindaban will be an exact replica of Vrindaban in India. I think it was ordained by Krsna that you went there, took your Sannyas order of life in the presence of Rupa Goswami and Jiva Goswami, and now you have got the opportunity to execute their will. Perhaps you may remember that after you accepted the Sannyas order many hundreds of people congratulated you, and you were looking so beautiful at that time that some of them were murmuring that this Sannyasi is looking exactly like Sri Caitanya. So all those utterances are the blessings of Sri Sri Radha Damodara. So carry on this work more enthusiastically and you will feel more and more jubilant in transcendental bliss. So far I am concerned, because our relationship is father and son, so nobody will be more satisfied than me by seeing your successful preaching work. Nobody in this world likes to be defeated by somebody else, but the father when he is defeated by the son feels more pleasure. Therefore, I may once more request you to try your best to construct New Vrindaban an exact duplicate of Vrindaban, and that will give me the highest pleasure. Side by side, please try to introduce our books in the different university curricula, and that will be another success. I have information from Gargamuni that major portions of my TLC are not yet sold. Of course such literatures are not meant for ordinary public, but I am sure if you try to introduce in the university circle; and I have got many testimonials of my books and thus they can be introduced without any difficulty. By the by, I may inform you that you desire me to go to New Vrindaban during Janmastami days, and I suggested to organize a fair within our campus. Do you think it is possible to do so within such short period? But if you can do so, either this year or next, I am sure many people will come to see such fair, and that will be a great impetus for developing the land. The most important thing is easy transport. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever will-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. Our Isopanisad is now published. This excellent book of God-Consciousness should be introduced as study book for school and college students because it is so nicely explained about God-Consciousness. Any sincere gentleman serious about knowing God-Consciousness must read this book. A little education will make every one aware what is meant by God. It is a challenge to the atheists, agnostic, skeptics and gross materialists. Please get this book in quantities from Boston and try to introduce it. ACB ### Letter to Kirtanananda **Date:** May 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3rd May, 1970, and beg to thank you very much for your kind sentiments. Yes, if it is any credit for me, that is what you have written that I tried to give aural reception to the words of my Spiritual Master, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, and thus I tried to engage my tongue in repeating the same words without any change. Actually I am the most unworthy servant of His Divine Grace because I delayed to execute His order by so many years. But it was better I began late than never, and therefore He has kindly sent to me so many young hearts to cooperate with me in this great Movement. Please therefore continue your good cooperation, and I am sure great things will happen without delay. Regarding New Vrndavana activities, I think whatever you are doing is approved by me. As you are acting very sincerely in Krsna Consciousness, Krsna is dictating from within your heart, so there is nothing to be disapproved. Regarding purchasing the property next to the schoolhouse, I have taken information from Devananda that this land is not directly attached to our present property, but the only advantage is that it is on the roadside, and we can engage it in so many ways. So if Krsna is giving us the chance to purchase it, let us take advantage of the opportunity. But from strategic point of view, as we are expecting to purchase Mr. Snyder's property next year, he may be still tighter. But the advantage of being on the roadside in future will be of great use, there is no doubt of it. Here in L.A. we are decorating the Temple room very nicely. As I am inviting everyone to come here and see, I think you should also once come here and see the Temple room so that you can erect in New Vrndavana in the same style. It is not very difficult, but it looks very gorgeous. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Kirtanananda **Date:** November 12th 1970 > His Holiness Kirtanananda Swami c/o Dr. R.P. Rao Reader Chemistry Department Gorakhpur University Gorakhpur, U.P.c/o Kailsh Seksaria; 74 Marine Drive; Bombay-20November 12th, 1970 My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter from Gorakhpur dated October 31st, 1970. I have come back to Bombay and the letter was redirected from Amritsar. I am so glad to note your realization about the Krishna Consciousness Movement. Actually it is unique and there is no comparison with it of any other Movement. It was Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prediction that by accepting this Movement, everywhere people will be very happy. Now it is in the hands of the American boys who are intelligent and resourceful. Therefore, this most beneficial Movement can be broadcast everywhere and everyone will be happy. Sriman Ramananda Das Adhikary is also a great asset to our Movement and I am wiring to him one letter separately. Both of your combinedly do the needful. I have received letter from Jayapataka and he is also negotiating with the Hamilton House. If there is no important business in Calcutta, I have advised them to go to Gorakhpur to join you. I have sent one telegram to Ramananda accepting his invitation for my going to Gorakhpur. Please keep me informed of the activities there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Kirtanananda **Date:** November 24th 1970 > His Grace Kirtanananda Swami c/o Dr. R.P. Rao, Reader in Chemistry University of Gorakhpur Gorakhpur, (U.P.)c/o Kailsh Seksaria; 74 Marine Drive; Bombay-20 My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11th November, 1970* and I have noted the contents carefully. You may be pleased to know our activities are being very much appreciated here in the Bombay area. Already we have over thirty life members. It appears that there is a very good field for our preaching work in Bombay. Also we have got some nice Indian devotees who are fully engaging their energy in Lord Chaitanya's San Kirtan Movement. So although the atmosphere is surcharged with opposing elements in this age of Kali, if we simply have faith in the words of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, "As many towns and villages as there are all over the world, My name will be known," certainly we will come out successful because Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself and whatever He desires will certainly be done. So, as parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we can become instrumental in carrying out the plan of the Lord and be benefited and be beneficial to all others by the progressive march Back to Godhead. So do not feel discouraged but carry on with perseverance and Krishna will help you. Hayagriva has written one letter expressing his desire for you to return to New Vrindaban as he is feeling your separation. So if you like, you may return there. Please ask Ramananda to write me about the activities in Gorakhpur. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:adbHand --- written: * As also your letter dated 21 Nov, 1970. You may return to New Vrindaban and engage your full energy to develop our scheme there. May Krishna protect you always. ACB ### Letter to Krsna dasa **Date:** January 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Krishna das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 18 January, 1970, and thank you very much for your contribution of $15 on my maintenance account. When you presented your scheme for preaching work in the whole of Germany giving an estimate of population of important cities, it gave me so much pleasure. Just on receiving your letter I am already thinking of how to organize it, and have written letters to Hansadutta and Uttama Sloka etc., but Upendra is destined to go to Australia. I am glad to learn that Trivikrama has joined you. So for the time being go on with your work as usual and consult with Tamala Krishna whom I am also writing in this connection. And try your best to spread the Sankirtana Movement through Germany. Regarding Deity worship: I am very much anxious to know how thing are going on, who is taking care of the Deities, whether regular performances are being executed etc. I hesitated to install the Deities when I was in Germany on this account. Anyway, when the Deities are now installed there cannot be any scope of neglecting Them; that will be a great offense. Please, therefore, consult with Tamala how to manage things and if possible get some more assistance from London. I have not heard from Vasudeva, Sucandra or Visvanatha and his wife Kunti Devi. Please let me know how they are getting along in Krishna Consciousness, and offer them my blessings and to all other devotees there. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Krsna dasa **Date:** February 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Krsna das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14 February, 1970, along with $15 maintenance costs, and I thank you very much for this. I think Hansadutta and Himavati are already on their way to Germany. Most probably they will reach Germany directly; if not, they may go via London. Anyway, Hansadutta's presence in your center along with Himavati will certainly enhance your spiritual activities. Both of them are sincere devotees and senior members. If he agrees, I think he can be made the president because he is the seniormost amongst you. In outside Sankirtana Party he will be a first class asset, and for Deity worship Himavati will be second to none. So try to utilize their service properly and increase the movement more and more in Germany. Germany is a good field for expanding this movement because practically I know the largest number of "Hare Krishna Mantra" records have been sold in Germany; and from your report it also appears that their response is very encouraging as you have sold so many BTGs in one day. Regarding your jewelry engagement, you must finish the examination very satisfactorily first. Things which have taken for so long time must be terminated in good result and the same may be offered to Krsna. Krsna is ready to accept service from all directions, and our Krsna Consciousness movement is particularly meant for this purpose. So when you pass your examination, then we shall consider what to do next. I have received the photograph of the Deities and it is very nice. Decorate the throne with as many flowers as possible, and the columns of the throne may be wrapped with flowers and leaves if possible. Lord Caitanya's Appearance day falls on March 22, that is on a Sunday. The devotees should fast until evening, when there is a ceremony and offering of a small amount of Ekadasi preparations. The next day, the devotees should celebrate amongst themselves with a small scale feast. You may hold the celebration open to the public on the following Sunday. The preparation to be offered specially on this occasion is bhuni kichri: Fry equal parts dal and rice in ghee and massala. Add two times water as dal and rice, and add vegetables (if you use more ghee, use less water). Cook it until it is dried and the rice is soft. I am very glad to learn that Michael and Henning are both very sincere boys, and Henning is an expert carpenter. If they go to London to help Syamasundara with building the Rathayatra car, that will be a great service. Please offer them my blessings; and the more they become enthusiastic in Krsna's service, the more they will feel transcendental bliss and become advanced in Krsna Consciousness. It will be very nice if you can make some jewelries for my Deities—two sets of crowns, necklaces, bangles, and earrings, and a flute for Krsna. The flute should be this size and on the end it should have a head like this, I think you may have seen some picture. Devananda will make some drawings of the other jewelry and send to you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls in our Hamburg center. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Krsna dasa **Date:** March 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Krsna das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 19 March, 1970, and have noted the contents. Yes, I am very glad to learn that Hansadutta and Himavati have arrived with Tamala Krishna, and they have in such short order set up a good program of activities. So now your Deities are being cared for under Himavati's direction, and Sankirtana Party is more successful led by Hansadutta and Tamala. Now with this good organization please continue to work combinedly for spreading our Krishna Consciousness movement throughout Germany. You have said that there is such great scope for preaching there, so I am very hopeful that you will be very eager to carry out this preaching work, starting many new centers. Our first business is this preaching work, especially to organize centers, and you write to say that now this spreading potency will be utilized, so you should join wholeheartedly in this program. If you think that the time spent for studying 2 1/2 years more can be better used immediately to push our Krishna Consciousness movement, then you can turn your efforts in this direction. That will be very nice. Thank you very much for sending the article, which appears to be very nice. Unfortunately, none of us is able to read it. And thank you also for the enclosure of $15 as contribution to my maintenance fund. Please offer my blessings to Jaya Govinda and Sadanandini for their being united in Krishna Conscious service. When I first saw this girl in Buffalo, I wanted her to get married with a nice boy, and I am happy that Jaya Govinda is chosen for this purpose by Krishna. So I think they are very nice combination, and let them work jointly with great enthusiasm. I think both you and Sivananda should marry some German girls if they are Krishna conscious. Please offer my blessings to all the other boys and girls there in Hamburg center. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Krsna dasa **Date:** June 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Krsna das, Please accept my blessings. Since a long time I have not heard from you, so I will be glad to hear from you about your temple and Sankirtana activities. I was informed that Hansadutta was going to Berlin. Whether he has gone there? So please drop me a line or two about your center activities, Hope this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to Hansadutta, Himavati, Jaya Govinda, Sadanandini, Sivananda, Vasudeva, Natabara, Haripriya, Vrndadevi, Sucandra, Heidrun, Mandali Bhadra, and all the other boys and girls there. What is being done about French and German magazines? Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Krsna dasa **Date:** June 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Krsna das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17th June, 1970, and noted the contents which are very encouraging. I am very pleased to receive it because I was very much anxious to hear from you. I am so glad to know that since Himavati and Hansadutta have gone to Hamburg the center has grown and improved in so many ways. This is very encouraging news that Hamburg center is becoming more and more important. Hansadutta is very anxious to open many branches in Europe and Germany. Please help and cooperate with him. You have written to say that your Sankirtana Party is truly an ocean of transcendental knowledge and bliss. So everywhere they say Sankirtana is nice. I have received letter from London, and we are experiencing here also. So this is our life and soul. It is nice that you are visiting two university towns regularly for Sankirtana and lectures. Such news engladdens me. Regarding your proposed marriage, Yes, I think the girl whom you have spoken about is suitable match for you. So with permission of her parents you can marry her. I have received one newspaper cutting also which is favorable report. I am very glad to know that His Grace Sadananda Swami has written that he plans to visit the temple this Fall. When he visits kindly give him good reception and obeisances. He is my old friend and Godbrother. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very much respectful to the Godbrother of His Spiritual Master. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Krsna dasa **Date:** July 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Berlin My Dear Krsna das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 17, 1970, along with one letter from your new wife. I am very much encouraged that you have seriously taken up the matter opening our center in Berlin city and it is a great opportunity for us, I have also received the beads and I have chanted them duly. I am sending them back by separate air post. and the letter addressed to your wife is enclosed herewith. I am so glad that you are at last happily married. Now utilize this nice opportunity of working combinedly in the service of the Lord. You both have all my blessings for working on in spreading Krsna consciousness movement to the German people and elsewhere in European countries. I think your wife will be of great assistance because she is a fluent linguist. I have given her the spiritual name of Indrani devi Dasi. It is good news that you are so quickly successful in your Sankirtana and distribution of literatures in Berlin. I am sure that this so large city will prove a very important center for European ISKCON activities. Thank you for your keeping to our regulated program of chanting, study and Sankirtana, etc. If you simply stick to this program which I have given you in so many ways, you will come out successful in your mission, of this there is no doubt. So do it very seriously and enthusiastically and receive the blessings of Lord Krsna for your sincere efforts to spread His Holy Name. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dm ### Letter to Krsna dasa **Date:** August 14th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Krsna dasa, Please accept my blessings. Now that I have formed this Governing Board Commission, the twelve members should each act as my zonal secretaries. So kindly keep me informed of your zone's activities at least once a week or once fortnightly. In this way I will be encouraged and can give you direction and inspiration. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Krsna dasa **Date:** October 6th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Hamburg My Dear Krsna das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated August 31st, 1970, and September 28th, 1970. I am very encouraged to hear of your Sankirtana Party activities and your program of visiting different cities weekly is very nice. Krsna is giving you very good intelligence. In the future you may maintain a permanent Sankirtana Party that will regularly visit in the cities all over Germany and in this way you will be able to distribute our literatures without any difficulty. Here in Calcutta we are daily travelling to different engagements and the response is very favorable. The pictures painted by Vasudeva are very nice and will be installed at our new place under construction on October 31st, 1970.You write to say that "the communist goal is to achieve a paradise on earth," but in the Bhagavad-gita Krsna has definitely stated that "from the topmost planet down to the lowest, all are places of misery where repeated birth and death take place"—so what kind of paradise can they achieve? Any society without religion is animal society. The difference between animal and human being is that an animal has no intelligence and therefore is not expected to follow any regulative principles, but human life is a life of responsibility and the human beings are meant for satisfying the material necessities of life under regulative principles or laws. In other words, religion is laws of God. Human life is especially meant for reviving our lost relationship with God by following the instructions of God contained in religious books like the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc. Without God-centered society, the whole thing is dog-centered society. A dog also eats, a dog also sleeps, a dog also defends and they have ample opportunity for sex-life. So the goal of life is Krsna—to become free from the cat and dog propensities of eating, sleeping, defending and mating and achieve the spiritual platform of Eternity, Knowledge and Blissful Life in pure devotional service to the Lord—Bhakti yoga, that is religion. Simply loving Krsna. Society without religion, it is all animal society. The next point is that religion without philosophy is sentimentalism or fanaticism. Simply performing empty ritual without understanding is condemned by Srila Rupa Goswami in his Bhaktirasamrta sindhuh—pure devotional service which ignores the injunctions of the scriptures is simply a disturbance to the society. In Bhagavad-gita it is stated "One should approach a spiritual master and inquire from him submissively, render him all kinds of service. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the Truth." One has to hear the message of Godhead from the lips of the pure devotee of the Lord or Acarya. The religion is originally spoken by Krsna Himself and that message or science is coming down directly through the chain of disciplic succession and one who is in that chain is called acarya or one who teaches by his life. Religion is practically presented by the bona fide spiritual master or acarya. The next point is philosophy without religion is mental speculation. No one can manufacture a system of religion. Religion is the Law of God and no one but God or empowered representatives of God can put forward religious formulas. Therefore, because every living entity is the eternal fragmental part and parcel of God, it is practical that by simply accepting the authorized statements of bona fide scripture without mental speculation or fashionable interpretation one fulfills the mission of human life very easily and goes back to home, back to Godhead. "There is another eternal nature which is transcendental to this manifest and nonmanifest matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is." (B.G. 8.20) "It is the highest destination, going, no one ever returns from that, My Supreme Abode." (B.G. 8.21) So although the Russians may be very much advanced by throwing sputniks into the outer space, they are missing the real point—Krsna Consciousness, the science of God. Although there are so many departments of knowledge, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, etc., the science of God is still to be introduced. When the scientist philosopher medical man will get the opportunity to study systematically what is God, what are His energies, what is my relationship, how to approach Him, then only there will be paradise. But paradise in the present condition of life in ignorance of God is parasite in temporary paradise. I have already spoken to Hansadutta about your enthusiasm to open some branches for ISKCON propaganda in Russia and in that connection you can immediately send him the address of the Indology Department along with the prominent professors. Always follow very strictly the regulative principles, chanting sixteen rounds, Deity worship and everything will come automatically. Please offer my blessings to all the nice devotees there. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Krsna dasa **Date:** November 15th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Krsna das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated October 27th, 1970, and noted the contents with interest. I am very glad that by Krsna's grace you have secured a very nice place in Berlin for our Temple there and with Sivananda in charge I am sure things will go on well there. I am so glad to hear that in Hamburg your program is going on smoothly. Always work cooperatively, in Krsna Consciousness, without any self-motivation, and your progress towards the perfectional stage of Krsna Conscious life is ascertained. I have already sent one Gayatri Tape to London and it is being kept safely there along with a full set of instructions for performing the ceremony. The mantra is to be heard only by the new initiate (through earphones) and once only. So if you find Natabara, Yogesvara, Indrani and Haripriya properly qualified you may perform the ceremony duly. So far Mandali Bhadra's marriage with Srimati Haripriya, I think it is alright, so they may be married with my full blessings upon them in their work together in Krsna's service. Regarding Russia, I am very anxious to establish a center there in Moscow and if I am invited, I can go there. In the meantime, I think you should be the only one to hold correspondence with the Indology Professors, no one else. This correspondence should be conducted very cautiously with Russia. You can ask them some questions, like: What is the ultimate goal of life? What is your ideal ultimate goal of life? What is the difference between animal and human life? Why is religion accepted by all kinds of civilized societies? What is your conception of the original creation? In this way questions may be put to find out what is their standing. We do not grudge an atheist provided he has got some philosophical standing. In this way try to elicit some answers from the Professors. If you can finally establish one Moscow center, it will be a great credit to you. So far studying Russian language, it is not necessary, but if you do so it is alright. I want very much a center in Russia, so for the time being I shall desire that Moscow Center. Please offer my blessings to your good wife and all the other devotees there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Krsna dasa **Date:** December 18th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Hamburg My Dear Krsna das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1st December, 1970 and I thank you very much for your kind sentiments for me. Actually I cannot claim any credit for myself, but I say if any credit is due, it is due to the fact that I have not deviated from the original instructions. Whatever I have learned from my spiritual master I have presented before you and similarly whatever success you are having only it is due to the purity of the message which you are carrying. So continue to see to the management of ISKCON and keep up the standards of devotional service and this Krishna Consciousness movement will be accepted all over the world. I am very encouraged to see your enthusiasm for preaching this message to the Russian people, and your idea to send letters with the help of Dr. Bernhart is very good. He is a big scholar and he also appreciates our movement. So if you arrange a tour of Russia for me, I am prepared to accept. Let us see what Krishna desires. Why not Dr. Bernhart join this great movement. Amsterdam sounds like a good place for our movement. The hippies are not bad souls, because soul is part and parcel of Krishna. So in fact everyone is good, because everyone is spirit soul. But by demoniac association they have been mislead. Try to save these boys and girls. That is our duty. If you can arrange for a Dutch BTG it will be very nice. Yes, as GBC member your task is very responsible. You must always keep yourself pure and in this way your preaching work will take effect. Others are also speaking Bhagavad-gita but their speech has no effect because they are not following the regulative principles of devotional service. Also, always maintain Sankirtana Party, prasadam, chant 16 rounds and read all our literature. These things keep you always in touch with Krishna, and Krishna will give you intelligence more and more how to spread this movement. "I dwelling in their hearts destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance." [Bg. 10.11].I am glad to hear Mandali Bhadra and Haripriya are working so hard to translate my books. They are both sincere souls and combinedly I am confident that they will do their duty. Husband and wife engaged in the service of the Lord is real marriage, and man and woman combined without service to Krishna is animal life. So their example is very encouraging and instructive. Himavati is also eager to go to Russia and she also speaks the language. If we can go to Russia with our World Sankirtana Party, I am certain that it will be very much appreciated and people will see the real peace movement is chanting process—chanting the Holy Names Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So try for it. I hope you and your good wife Indrani are well. Please convey my blessings to all the other devotees and tell Vasudeva to write me about how he is progressing with his painting work. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Krsna Devi **Date:** February 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Washington, D.C My Dear Krsnadevi, Please accept my blessings. I am very much pleased to read your letter dated 13 February, 1970, and thank you very much for your appreciation. Now I see that in our society the girls are more intelligent than the boys. The way of discussion with Dr. Staal requires a little bit of knowledge in the sastras which is called siddhanta. In the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said that nobody should be neglectful of the siddhanta because by siddhantic conclusion one becomes firm in Krsna Consciousness. So these siddhantic conclusions are being mentioned in all my books, and the boys and girls in our Krsna Society should now give more attention for studying the books very attentively. And to get the strength, one should chant the beads sixteen rounds without fail. In this way, when the devotee is constantly engaged in Krsna Consciousness, at that time, Krsna will give all intelligence from within how to make steady progress in Krsna Consciousness. I hope in Washington center you will ask all the boys and girls to follow this method, because henceforward we will have to face many scholars and philosophers to stabilize our Krsna Consciousness movement. I have received the Uher tape recorder, and Devananda will try to use the machine according to Dinesh's instructions. Please convey my blessings to all the boys and girls in Washington Temple. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Krsnakanti **Date:** August 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Seattle My Dear Krsnakanti, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th July, 1970, and was very glad to note the contents. I beg also to thank you for the check which you enclosed for $100 to my book fund and I receive it very gladly as we have expended recently so much for printing our literatures and we have many more manuscripts ready for publication. I am so happy to learn that both yourself and Sriman Gajendra are now married to two of my beloved daughters. I am proposing that our Temples now be managed by the householder couples so this is very nice for you now. Please take this opportunity offered you all by Krsna very seriously and do not misuse your life for sense gratification. You are a very intelligent boy I know and a very sincere devotee of Lord Krsna. Now you have got a good wife who is also intelligent girl and devotee, so live peacefully working together for pushing on this Krsna consciousness movement for the ultimate benefit of all concerned. So you both husband and wife please take my blessings and blessings of Lord Krsna and be happy in Krsna's transcendental loving service. Please offer my blessings to Gajendra and his good wife, Herapancami. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Krsnakanti **Date:** November 29th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Krsnakanti, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your informative letter dated November 15th, 1970, and noted the contents. I know you are a very qualified and sincere devotee and now Krsna is offering you a nice opportunity to perform responsible devotional service as the president of our Seattle Temple. Please conduct the affairs there very nicely and with great care and Krsna will provide you all facilities for making the center even more attractive and successful. Please see that the standard of devotional practice is kept very high by strictly observing the regulative principles and executing devotional activities with determination and enthusiasm. If the standard practices are followed then the atmosphere will naturally be joyful and enthusiastic for working cooperatively for the satisfaction of Krsna. I have seen the pictures of your new altar and temple renovation and everything is looking gorgeous. Always be sure that the Lord is pleased and your success as His genuine servant is assured. I am glad that you have decided to give your time now fully to serving Krsna directly, but do not misunderstand the position of "outside" jobs. Any work which is performed by a devotee in Krsna Consciousness is never work on the material platform although it may appear to be so. Such a Krsna Conscious person is never associating with the materials of mundane work or with the mundane workers, he is always associating with Krsna by devotional service whatever his position may be. Krsna is maintaining everything at all times, but those who are less intelligent do not see that everything is working by direction of the Lord and they think things are running on automatically somehow or other. That is the view of atheists and fools. Persons in Krsna Consciousness always are fixed in knowledge that the Lord is the Supreme Controller of all that be. I am happy to hear that your campus engagements are very well received especially on the Catholic campus. That is a good sign that the students are still intelligent to find what is the best information about God and how to approach him. It is unfortunate that they are without proper guidance, but that is the condition of all persons in the world without exception. Krsna Consciousness is[TEXT MISSING]I hope you are trying to place our books in the libraries and school/colleges. The program is everywhere very successful, so you please do this very thoroughly in your area and it will be a great service. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus and your good wife. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Ksirodakasayi **Date:** January 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > c/o Friendly Store > 85 Dudden Hill Lane > London N.W. 10 > England My Dear Ksirodakasayiji, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter, dated 25 December, 1969, addressed to Boston and now redirected here. I have come to Los Angeles on the 29th ultimo. I am living in a very nice house for which they are paying $600 per month. The house is very calm and quiet and quite suitable for my work, and two devotees are always engaged to assist me. I go, every morning, for a walk in the nice neighborhood called Beverly Hills. So everything is alright here, temperature, atmosphere, facilities, by Krishna's Grace. The Temple here is also well managed. Every day they are going to perform Sankirtana on the streets, twice, and, on the average, they are collecting not less than $200 daily. So, our only means of subsistence is Krishna's grace and all our needs are fulfilled by the Lord. I am getting reports from all other centers that all of them are selling Back to Godhead everyday from 50 to 400 copies per day, according to the importance of the local situation. Now, so far London is concerned, I have received news from Mukunda that they are also collecting, on the average, 50 pounds daily. So, by the Grace of Krishna, London center has now got a nice building in a nice quarter, a nice Temple and a nice Indian friend like you. I am so glad for your assurance that you shall all combinedly do your utmost to spread Krishna Consciousness Movement from one corner to the other in England. Please do it. Perhaps you know that we endeavored in the locality, and they want 80,000 pounds. That house I have seen and most probably you might have seen also. It is quite suitable for our purpose, but at the present moment we have no money. That Mr. Banarsi, who is an Indian industrialist in London and lives near that Ajibai's house, promised some help. Now, he is out of his station in India and he is expected to come back by the month of March. He assured me that, when he came back, he would collect at least 200,000 pounds to help me in this connection. I do not know his India address, but somehow or other, if you can send me, I can keep myself in contact with him so that, when he comes back, all of you together take his help in raising this fund and purchase that house. I am also writing Mukunda separately in this connection. So far approaching the Indian community, you may do so with an appeal that Krishna Consciousness Movement is so nice that, by its propagation, there would be no more any other sect and that will be perfect position of the human society. Being influenced by this movement, nobody shall now remain a Hindu, a Christian, a Mohammedan, a Buddhist, like that, but everyone should become servant of Krishna by the simple method of chanting His Holy Name. Krishna is the Supreme Father, and He claims all living entities, in all forms and species of life, as His sons. So why not take this philosophy and practically see how the followers are feeling happy on the basis of Krishna Consciousness. You have got to convince all sections of human society and induce them to come to Krishna Consciousness. London is a great city, perhaps the most important metropolis in the world, many people visit every year. So, combined together, Englishman and Indian should erect such a nice institution there that people from all parts of the world may take advantage of this. Now this is the program before you, and you can further develop it with sincere service and great devotion. Regarding your Tuesday class at your place, you can continue it as a sub-branch of ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple. The procedure should be exclusively for chanting Hare Krishna mantra or singing other songs just like Govinda jaya jaya, Gopala jaya jaya . . ., and nothing more. Demigod worship in your house or thinking a demigod as equal with Narayana or Krishna should be stopped altogether, actually that is not the fact. Special stress should be given on chanting Hare Krishna mantra, reading from Bhagavad-gita As It Is or Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the Bhagavad-gita editions, you will find a peculiarity that, in place of Krishna, they have mentioned Paramatma or Paramisvara, or like that. These expressions are more or less indications of impersonalism. Therefore, when Bhagavad-gita should be recited, always read "Krishna." This transcendental word should be mentioned. So, in that way, you may continue your Tuesday class. Both you and your wife should decorate your foreheads with urdhapundra tilaka. I have seen the letter of Srinath das Khanna. In future, do not enter into much correspondence with him. Now you have got a very great responsibility to push on this Krishna Consciousness Movement above everything. You are a sincere soul, you were in search after proper guidance. I can assure you to do this service for your advanced realization of Krishna Consciousness, which is the highest achievement and perfectional stage in human life. I hope your wife and children are enjoying good health and offer them my blessings. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Ksirodakasayi **Date:** January 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Ksirodakasayi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23 January, 1970, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am so glad to understand that you have decided to dedicate your life for Krishna Consciousness Movement, this is the right way of perfecting our mission of human life. Many men have dedicated their lives for many engagements in the name of philanthrophy, altruism, nationalism, humanitarianism and so on, but all of them will be finished along with the end of life of this body. Our dedication of life or Krishna-ism, on the other hand, will continue eternally and give us eternal life, bliss and knowledge. Try to follow these principles and preach the message to the suffering humanity. This is my request. I am so glad to learn that you are in charge of kitchen and food supply which saves 25 to 30% on food. That is a great service. To be extravagant is not recommended by Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. He says, "Yukta ahara bihara." We should indulge in regulated habits; that is nice. I am so glad that you are also looking after the accounts department. The five point plan: do it by consulting amongst yourselves, and I have already written to Gurudasa about this. Someway or other, if you can secure that building worth L80,000, that will be a crowned success. In my next letter to Tamala I will write to him about the building fund. Preaching in Hindi may be accepted by mutual consultation, but the point is that our Radha Krishna Temple in London is specifically meant for English knowing persons and I think the Indians know sufficient English. If you speak in Hindi and sing in Hindi, the English speaking Europeans and Americans may not derive the benefit out of it because none of them understand Hindi; but if you speak in English, every one will derive benefit from it. Therefore, I think English speaking should be encouraged. Everyone comes to the Temple for some spiritual enlightenment, so why should a section of the audience be denied the benediction? The same thing applies for Hindi songs also. Hare Krishna Mantra is understood both by Hindi knowing and English knowing persons; other Hindi songs may not be understood by the Europeans. I have no objection for Mirabai's songs, but I think Hare Krishna is the greatest common factor understandable by all people all over the world. The chanting is transcendental and quickly effective. I am so glad to learn that you are feeling in the Temple that Radha Krishna is dancing and you are being inspired by His Lordship to preach this Krishna Consciousness Movement to everyone. Now you have got a very good chance, Sri Sri Radha Krishna is very pleased upon you. You have been for the last fifteen years in London, and you were sincerely working for advancement of your spiritual life. Now Krishna has given you a good chance, a good opportunity for preaching Krishna Consciousness to all classes of men without any discrimination. In our Temple all Europeans, Indians, Mohammedans, Christians, everyone is welcome. And our presentation is so nice that everyone will be attracted to accept it because we are preaching love of God. Love of God is the prime function of all living entities, without any sectarian understanding. Regarding the Hindi letter, I could not follow the Hindi script handwriting. If you send me either a typewritten copy or the English translation of it, that will be nice. As far as I could read the letter here and there, I understand that it is written by some Radheshyam Banka. Sometime in the year 1961 I was guest in the Gita Bagicha. At that time one boy was taking care of me. I think he is Radheshyam Banka. Anyway, my relation with the Gita Press and Hanuman Prasad Poddar is very much friendly. So letters to them should not be written about myself which may influence our friendship. I could not gather why the letter was sent to me, therefore, I request you to send me if possible a typed copy of English translation of it so that I can give you my proper reply to this. Keep good relations with Gita Press because they are good friends of ours. The preaching method of ourself is a little different only because we want to gather one's attention only to Krishna—that is recommended in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. In the Bhagavad-gita it is always stressed to Krishna by the words aham and mam. Similarly in the Srimad-Bhagavatam the same stress is give from the very beginning—Param satyam, the Supreme Truth. If we divert our attention to worship other demigods, then our faith in Krishna will be flickering. We Gaudiya Vaisnavas, under the guidance of Lord Caitanya, want steady attention for Krishna, not flickering. Therefore, in our line of thoughts and action there is no scope for worshiping any other demigods. At last, but not least, I would remind you as to how you are organizing the prospective tour in India with forty of our devotees next year in February, 1971. Please organize this party from now so that it can be completed in due time by the end of this year. Thank you very much for your service. I am praying for your long life and prosperity in Krishna Consciousness. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Ksirodakasayi **Date:** April 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Ksirodakasayi, Please accept my blessings. Since a long time I have not heard from you. I hope you are well in Krishna Consciousness. Please let me know what you are doing. I am anxiously awaiting your reply. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Ksirodakasayi **Date:** June 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Ksirodakasayi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17th May, 1970. I hope everything is going well with your family and the temple, and perhaps you are already in touch with the Rathayatra festival arrangement. Regarding disposing of your business in order to join our business fully, I am simply thinking of your wife and children. Do you think that without conducting your business there will be sufficient provision for upkeep of your family? We require personalities like you to join this movement wholeheartedly, but because you have got wife and children I am hesitating to ask you to close your business. As a responsible head of a family you should consider this point seriously. I have already asked Gurudasa and Mukunda to inquire if some land is available in the vicinity of Regent Park. I have heard that the Government allots free gift land for religious temples. If such land is available, then we can immediately take up the project of constructing a very gorgeous style Indian temple. Regarding our prospective Indian tour in February of 1971, we must now settle up the things during the Rathayatra festival because all important European devotees will collect together in London. The program is to go to India with forty heads, male and female. One local Indian chemist, Dr. Ravidra Pratap Rao, is here and most probably he is going to be our disciple. He is ready to receive our party at Gorakhpur and arrange for our visiting different important places. So the best thing will be to purchase our ticket up to Lucknow if it is possible and then from Lucknow they will receive us by train to Gorakhpur. This is the idea here. Now you should consider what is to be done. So on hearing from you definitely I shall ask Dr. Rao for our proper reception in India. The itinerary is not yet fixed up, but on hearing from you definitely I shall send you. Since "Kalyana" magazine has published one article about us which perhaps you have seen also we have received many sympathetic letters, and there is possibility of opening at least one dozen centers in India at different places. I am forwarding a copy of this letter to Gurudasa, so during Rathayatra festival you must meet together and make a decision of this World Sankirtana Party. So far we have received sympathetic letters from the following places: Calcutta Bombay, Madras, Lucknow, Gorakhpur Nainital, Almora, Ambala, Ajmere, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Vrndavana, etc. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbL.A. --- July 17, 1970P.S. This letter was written to you but by mistake it was not posted. A copy of this letter was sent to Gurudasa and probably you had some discussion with him for our Indian tour next year. I shall be glad to hear from you. Hope you are well. I am enclosing herewith two pictures of Rathayatra at S.F. this year. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Ksirodakasayi **Date:** September 21st 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > London My Dear Ksirodakasayi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 30th August. Regarding arranging your tour, you should make your plans as you think best. This I will leave up to you. There are now ten devotees with me here and I expect 20 more men and women from the U.S. and Europe to come within a month. So I cannot say now definitely what will be our program. You make a nice program and when you arrive we can then make further arrangements as necessary. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Kulasekhara **Date:** January 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Kulasekhara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 3, 1969, and I am pleased to learn that your wife, Visakha, has gone to London to learn more about Deity worship from Yamuna devi. And also I am pleased to know that you have taken charge of the Deities at present. This is very nice. In our devotional service, there are nine different processes for executing devotional service, they are as follows: 1. Hearing, 2. Chanting, 3. Meditating, 4. Offering prayers, 5. Rendering service, 6. Making friendship, 7. Temple worship, 8. Serving the Lotus Feet, 9. Surrendering everything to the Lord. So, out of these nine, sravanam or hearing is very important. This hearing is important in ordinary life also. In the civil action of human society this hearing is a very important factor. Early in the morning, just rising from bed, they want to hear the newspaper, especially in the western countries. But the most unfortunate situation is that the karmis will agree to hear a bunch of newspaper which is ten times more in volume than Bhagavad-gita, but if they are requested to read Bhagavad-gita, they will not agree. So our propaganda is to transfer the taste of the general people from reading rubbish nonsense to reading of Bhagavad-gita, which solves the problems of life. As you are sincere devotee, you should always keep in mind these differences of hearing and try to understand how much important it is to hear about Krishna Consciousness. You are thinking that there are many problems in your life; I assure you that if you follow the regulative principles of chanting 16 rounds, observing strictly the prohibitive injunctions, keep association with pure devotees, plus taking care of the Deities in the Temple, surely all your problems will be solved without any difficulty. Please try it for at least one month and see the result. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACB:db ### Letter to Kulasekhara **Date:** November 16th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > London My Dear Kulasekhara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated from Amsterdam on October 26th, 1970. I am very glad that you have found travelling with Subala Swami inspiration to your Krsna Consciousness. That is very nice appreciation. It is also good news that you have found the improved atmosphere in our Temples after visiting and things are going on nicely everywhere. That is wanted. I am requesting you to go to Boston, U.S.A., to work on our ISKCON Press because I know you are an experienced and expert press operator. Your services for carrying on the program of our ISKCON Press smoothly are very necessary. So you should plan for going there as soon as possible. Regarding the recent upheavals in our Society, that business is finished, now we must all concentrate very carefully on the simple execution of our duty following the principles of regulation very strictly in our daily life. If you remain pure by following the instructions of your Spiritual Master there is no chance for maya to enter into the program. So I do not think you will find any more these politics at our Boston center or elsewhere. So please go there and help print our Society's literature, this is a great opportunity for rendering service to Krsna and the humanity at large. You have asked what is a brahmacari's work? A brahmacari's work is brahme carati or remaining always Krsna Conscious. You have mentioned singing and dancing, nothing else. Does it mean he will not eat? No.Please keep me informed of your movements. Hope this will meet you in good health. If there are no other qualified brahmacaris to assist Subala Maharaja, then he must create some qualified men. That is the business of a Sannyasi. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Labangalatika **Date:** March 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Montreal My Dear Labangalatika, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5 March, 1970, and please let me know in which bank you have deposited the money and on what date. I advised in my previous letter that I have closed my account for the time being in Montreal, so all money should be sent to me here. Anyway, if you let me know the name of the bank and the date, I will recover it. Henceforth, all money sent to me should be sent directly to me. I have received word from Satyabhama that your son is doing nicely in New Vrindaban and is gaining strength in devotional service. So you are very fortunate. Krishna has blessed you with a very good devotee son. Take care of your son, and take care of Krishna and you will be happy. You are a nice devotee in the service of the Lord and that will make you always happy. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Lalita Kumar **Date:** February 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Philadelphia My Dear Lalita Kumar, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter along with Subala's. I am very glad to know that you are going to be married with Srimati Jambavatidevi dasi, and I bless you—be happy with your good wife and jointly be advanced in Krishna Consciousness. Yes, opening a center in Florida is our long contemplation, and I remember the letter when you and Sridhama wrote me about this. Where is Sridhama now? I am very much anxious to know about his health. If he is there, please ask him to write me. Now, if it is possible to open a center in Florida, then you can think of it because now you will have the support of your good wife. But I think for a few days more you should take training in Philadelphia before you think of opening another center. That will be nice. My open advice is that if any one can remain a Brahmacari, it is very nice, but there is no need of artificial Brahmacaris. In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that one who exhibits outwardly as self restrained, but inwardly he thinks of sense gratification he is condemned as mithyacara which means false pretender. We do not want any false pretenders in numbers, but we want a single sincere soul. There is no harm in accepting a wife and living without any disturbance of the mind and thus sincerely advancing in Krishna Consciousness. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Lilavati **Date:** April 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Lilavati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23rd March, 1970. So I am glad to learn that your daughter and Syamasundara's daughter are learning Krsna Consciousness very nicely. The program was that you would go to New Vrindaban for training children—never mind, you can do it there also. So far George's house is concerned, it was formerly learned through Syamasundara that he also wants to have a Krsna Consciousness center there. If he gives us a place there, just like Lennon gave a place in his garden, then you can start a similar temple there under your supervision. But unless there is some tangible program there, I think you should not divert attention in starting a new center there. We have to organize this London center very solidly, so at least on Sundays all of you should come there and manage things. Anyway, conjointly you shall manage the London center and Sankirtana—that should not be neglected. Regarding George's center, if he opens it very nicely according to his position, then on hearing from Syamasundara. I shall give direction how to do it. I have already written Syamasundara about this, and I am awaiting his reply. The conclusion is that you are so many advanced disciples now in Europe, including Hamburg, London and Paris. Now you should organize the Sankirtana Movement in Europe by opening as many centers as possible from town to town at least. So do it conjointly and that will give me very much satisfaction. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Lilavati **Date:** May 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Lilavati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28th April, 1970, and the report of our Sankirtana Movement in London is very much encouraging. I think each couple of our students may try to open a branch in England. Our first branch of London Yatra was opened by Mukunda, Gurudasa, and Syamasundara and their wives. They tried very hard, and now our London Temple is nicely situated. Similarly many other Temples can be opened in places like Amsterdam, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, etc. I have received report from Tamala that preaching in Paris is going nicely. In one day they recruited about 14 devotees simply by requesting who will join this Krsna Consciousness movement. So you all also recruit members, English boys and girls, in that way. Our Movement is a declaration of war against Maya, that you can understand very well, so we have to recruit many fighting soldiers—so do it vigorously. I am glad to learn that the children are feeling very well in open atmosphere, so let them enjoy life for some time. George has rendered some valuable service, so Syamasundara is trying to do some good to him. This is our duty, anyone who has rendered a little service to Krsna should be given all facilities to take it up seriously. Regarding your question, Yes, Krsna is always increasing in so many ways, so there is no question of decrease. The verse in question stating that Krsna is devoid of increase and decrease is from Srimad-Bhagavatam and it is given with specific reference to the devotee. The purport is that if Krsna gives himself to any one of His devotees, although He is Purna or the Complete Whole, still there is no decrease in Him. Similarly we may give to Krsna everything, but still He is not increased. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Linda **Date:** February 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Linda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 10 February, 1970, and I am very glad to note how you are eager to understand this science of devotional service to Krsna or Krsna Consciousness. Regarding your questions about the difference between the picture of Krsna and the Deity, Krsna is equally there in both these forms. Krsna is so kind that he agrees to appear, for the benefit of the conditioned soul, in eight different kinds of forms. Such form is called arca or the form of the Lord manifested through material agency as metal, earth, wood, painting, stone, jewel, drawing, and mind. The arca is accepted as incarnation of God, and is worshiped by regulations. Generally the installed Deities are so worshiped and the regulative principles should be strictly followed in regard to Them. I am very happy to learn that you are finding the Detroit atmosphere so blissful, and actually the more you engage yourself in the sincere service of Krsna, the more you will find yourself always blissful. So far your dreams are concerned, it is very nice that you are thinking about Krsna Consciousness even while sleeping. Krsna is so nice that we want to remember Him even more than twenty-four hours daily. Regarding instructions from the Spiritual Master, there is no need of taking instructions spoken in dream while the Spiritual Master is still present. Lord Jagannatha is very kind, and He can also appear in mind in His own form, so why not in your dream. I hope that you are trying to follow the regulative principles and that both you and your husband are chanting your beads regularly daily. These two duties are essential for advancement in Krsna Consciousness, and if they are made the center of our activities, then Krsna will begin to answer all questions from within how to become further advanced in His loving devotional service. Please offer my blessings to your husband, Michael. Hope this will meet you both in good health and Krsna Consciousness. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to M. L. Chand **Date:** August 17th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo Sri M. L. ChandDalmia Cement (B) Ltd.4-D, Dalhousie Sq. EastCalcuttaDear Sri Chand; Please accept my greetings. Kindly refer to my letter dated 24th June, 1970.I did not receive any reply from you, but on the contrary I have received a copy of letter addressed to the Chief Controller of Import and Export by the Sri Caitanya Research Institute in which it is said that this letter has got reference to my letter addressed to you. I do not know how the matter has gone to Sri Caitanya Research Institute who has falsely declared that the Murtis were donated by them. Actually it is not the fact. Five pairs of Murtis were collected by Hit Sharanji, one pair donated by Dalmia Trust and four pairs donated by Birla Trust. So I cannot understand why the Sri Caitanya Research Institute writes such letter declaring that the Murtis were donated by them. Will you kindly explain why it is so. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dsc.c. --- To J. Dalmia, 4, Scindia House, New Delhi-1 for necessary action. ACBS:ds ### Letter to MacMillan Company **Date:** July 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles The MacMillan CompanyNew YorkGentlemen: Regarding my book, THE BHAGAVAD GITA AS IT IS, I beg to inform you that when I had originally submitted the manuscript to Mr. James Wade he informed me that it had to be considerably shortened due to production requirements. Since the publication of the book in 1968, which I understand is now in its third printing, I desire to publish the GITA according to the original manuscript. In this expanded version, each verse is authoritatively presented with the Devanagari script, roman transliteration, English synonyms, translation and elaborate purport, and would be a 800-900 page book. Many verses in the present shortened volume, especially in the final chapters, lack any purport, and so I am not quite satisfied with the book. I have received many requests from interested readers asking for an expanded and more complete version, and so I am confident that the original manuscript will make a more successful book. Please inform me whether MacMillan wants to publish this expanded version of the GITA. I look forward to receiving your early reply. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to MacMillan Company **Date:** August 5th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles The MacMillan CompanyNew YorkGentlemen: Regarding my book, THE BHAGAVAD GITA AS IT IS, I have written you on the 18th July, 1970, regarding whether Macmillan wants to publish an expanded version of the GITA. However, I have not yet received any reply. I should very much appreciate knowing what your intentions are regarding this matter. If MacMillan does not desire to publish this expanded version, then I will have it published elsewhere immediately. I hope to hear from you at the earliest date possible. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:tkd ### Letter to Madhava Maharaja **Date:** January 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math35 Satish Mukherjee Road Calcutta-26India My Dear Sripada Madhava Maharaja, Please accept my humble dandabat. I thank you very much for your encouraging letter dated 11 January, 1970 from Gauhati. It is so very much pleasing that you are preaching the message of Lord Caitanya throughout Northern India beginning from Lahore to Gauhati. Similarly, I am also trying my best to execute this service in my humble capacity as far as possible. You will be pleased to know that very recently we are going to send some preachers to Australia. We have got already our center in Tokyo; and I am sending two devotees, one from Tokyo; and another from here, Los Angeles, to Sydney (Australia). I hope you will kindly bestow your blessings for successful execution of this new adventure. Srila Prabhupada sent His disciples for preaching work mostly as Brahmacaris and Sannyasis; but I have adopted the method of sending young married couples for such preaching work, and you will be pleased to know that this system in these countries has proved more effective. I am very much pleased to know that sometimes you enjoy the writing in my magazine, "Back to Godhead," and I am sure you are getting these regularly every month. Both your Calcutta and Vrndavana addresses are on the complimentary list. I understand also that Mr. and Mrs. B. K. Dirle, who came to your Calcutta Math to meet you, took interest in our magazines, and if you send me their address we shall be pleased to send them complimentary copies. I am so much obliged to you that all of our Godbrothers are happy to learn about my activities in the West. Actually, whatever is happening it is due to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada because personally I am completely incapable. You have inquired about my books and I am pleased to report that three volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam and one small booklet entitled "Easy Journey to Other Planets" were published from India. And since I have come to the Western countries, Messrs. MacMillan and Company have published my book Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and my Society has published Teachings of Lord Caitanya and Sri Isopanisad. Now by the Grace of Srila Prabhupada we have got our own press in Boston. On this press our Srimad-Bhagavatam shall be printed up to the Sixth Canto starting from the month of February. But everything is possible by the Grace of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu because he specifically appeared to reclaim the most fallen souls, and I find it practically, daily that although these boys and girls are fallen in the material estimate they have taken to this Krishna Consciousness Movement very seriously and the result is very quick. The newspaper reporters advertise about these boys and girls as the "bright faced," and actually it is so. By nature these American boys and girls are fair complexioned or white. They are beautiful also, and when they take to Krishna Consciousness with symbols of mala and tilaka they appear to be coming directly from Vaikuntha Planets. Regarding Mayapur land, practically my jurisdiction of preaching work is covered mostly in these Western countries; and because Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura wanted it that the American and European devotees should come to Mayapur, therefore I am trying for it. If you kindly help in this connection it will be a great assistance. I have already written to Acyutananda in this connection and whichever plot of land you altogether select, I will accept it. I have already written one letter to Sripada Yayabar Maharaja, but until now I have received no reply from him. Sripada Paramahamsa Maharaja has promised to help me in this connection. So I am awaiting their decision. I thank you very much for your kind letter once more, and hope this will meet you in good health. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Madhavananda **Date:** June 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Madhavananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice and encouraging letter dated 18th May, along with your gift a check for $150 in appreciation for your initiation, and thank you you so very much for this. I am very glad to learn that things are going on very well in Boston. Boston is one of our major centers for the large missionary work of Krsna consciousness movement, so there is always an abundance of Krsna conscious activities going on. It is very good that you are finding this atmosphere of avid service to the Lord to be so congenial. It is the sign of advancement in Krsna consciousness that the devotee does not care for any nice varieties of material engagements based on sense gratification but he finds increasing pleasure in those places where the service of the Lord is being carried out with enthusiasm. So you take the good opportunity to study well our literatures and how to apply the philosophy of Krsna consciousness practically in daily working and help us to spread this transcendental message to all the people of the world. That is our desire. So your humble and sincere effort is needed to be applied for executing this program to the best of your capacity. My Guru Maharaja used to say that everything is already supplied by Krsna; all the ingredients of different varieties already are there; there is no lack of anything in this world. The only thing that is lacking is Krsna consciousness. So Krsna is supplying us with all facilities, so there is no question of scarcity of anything. Simply we must become Krsna conscious and conscientiously apply our energy to utilizing all facilities in the matter of pleasing Krsna or devotional service. We should always be very careful to avoid utilizing any of the facilities available for our own sense gratification, but we should use everything for the satisfaction of Krsna only. Thanking you once again. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** March 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 18th March, 1970. I have already chanted the beads of Srimati Maithili Dasi, and I hope you have received them back. I was very busy since a few days on account of purchasing the new church, and other documentary activities. This morning we have paid $50,000 down payment. Gargamuni was to take from me, from my book fund, $20,000. So the boys here have taken a great risk by purchasing this church property. When Krsna has given us this chance, I hope He will give us chance also to liquidate the balance amount as soon as possible. You are trying for the new Temple, but our main business is Sankirtana and distribution of literature. If Krsna gives us a better place, that is all-right. Otherwise, we can remain at any place never mind hell or heaven; but we shall be only very cautious about propagating our Sankirtana movement. I am very glad to learn that you have already been promised for $15,000, and I think these are indication of your getting a nice house very soon. Ratha Yatra Festival is your most important function of the year. I introduced this Ratha Yatra in San Francisco, accepting the place as New Jagannatha Puri. So this festival must be observed very gorgeously every year. Similarly, if two other processions like on the Birthday of Lord Caitanya as well as on the Birthday of Lord Krsna, are observed, it will be still nicer. Last time when you came here, I was very much encouraged to see you. Similarly whenever you find some time, if you come for a day or two, you will be able to suggest improvement here as well as you will take improvements from here and introduce them in your Temple and others. It will be very pleasing to learn that in the morning you are now studying from one and one half to two hours and in the evening you have class from forty five minutes to an hour, and you are stressing the importance of lecturing and preaching with authoritative and substantial arguments. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls in San Francisco Temple. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** April 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > San Francisco My Dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your descriptive letter dated 6th April, 1970, introducing a new chapter in the history of your country—Lord Caitanya's Birthday ceremony publicly demonstrated. Please try to serve the foretelling of Lord Caitanya in this way, and as you write to say that 5,000 people danced without being requested, this is the genuine proof about the authenticity of Krishna Consciousness movement. My students who are so kindly cooperating with me, if they rigidly stick to the routine work chalked out by me, namely chanting the prescribed rounds, observing the regulative principles, attending temple lectures and going out with Sankirtana Party, then without any fail our movement will go ahead. I understand from the letter of Bahulasva as well as from your letter that police and public both have appreciated this transcendental procession. The general public of Berkeley had a bitter experience that whenever there was a large gathering like this, inevitably there was political upheaval, protest, and window-breaking, and a general havoc. But this unique procession has convinced them that our men are very nice and they can organize a great crowd without any violence. That is a fact: if people actually want peace and tranquillity, they must support this movement wholeheartedly, and we shall execute our prescribed duties very seriously and sincerely. In this way if we are given chance, I am sure we will enact a new chapter in the history of the Western world. Please therefore always pray to Krsna to give you strength and protection, and go on with your duty straight forward. I am so pleased to learn how the crowd gave their attention to your street play. This is transcendental entertainment. And to distribute Prasadam sumptuously to the crowd is strictly in our Vedic tradition. Now the police have given you permission for continuing the program of festivals throughout the summer, so you get this permission positively. That will serve our purpose in many ways. If the people do not put any hindrance to our routine work, surely we will be able to render a great service to the state. Another thing, whether Locana das can make a nice statue for placing in the sanctuary of this place? If he can, please send him immediately to do it immediately. It is very encouraging to learn that you are so enthusiastic to sell BTG. I consider sale of BTG so valuable because in the beginning I worked for BTG day and night alone in India. I still remember the hardship for pushing on this BTG. In the beginning, when I was householder, I did not care if somebody paid or not paid; I used to distribute liberally. But when I left my household life and I was living alone sometimes in Vrndavana and sometimes in Delhi or sometimes travelling for pushing on BTG, they were very hard days. Therefore, when BTG will be published not in hundreds of thousands, but in millions, that will give me great solace. Please offer my blessings to Uttama Sloka and his new wife. He is a very good devotee. May Krsna bless them to work together happily for their mutual advancement in Krishna Consciousness. I am so glad to know that your three centers have so nicely cooperated jointly to celebrate this festival. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** April 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated nil and have noted the contents. Regarding our proposals for an Indian program of Krsna Consciousness, I think it will be best if you come here sometime soon at your convenience and we can discuss it in more detail. You also wanted to come here to take further inspiration from the L.A. temple activities. So you may ask Muljibhai to come with you also, and we can discuss together our future plans for India. I will be very glad to see you both at that time. Regarding Citralekha, her husband is anxious to have her there, and she is also anxious to go to him, so why the matter is being delayed? Even she has applied for immigration visa, that does not mean that she can be detained from going on a visitors visa while the immigration visa is being approved. She has got some urgent business there in Australia, so does it mean that because her immigration visa will take some long time she cannot carry out her important business immediately by means of visitor's visa. So while she is waiting for the immigration visa, send her there with a visitor's visa, and get it done as soon as possible. The matter is being too much delayed. I do not think the immigration department will make such a law that she cannot go immediately to her husband just because her immigration visa has not yet been cleared. Anyway that is my experience. So please do the needful. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** May 31st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated nil and noted the contents. Jariwala's letter is not very encouraging. He is prepared to some silver Murtis; Murtis we have already got. Therefore we should not take him for the present very seriously. Later on we shall thank over the matter. I am very glad to know that work has begun on construction of the Rathas, so see that it is done all very gorgeously. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** October 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Amritsar My Dear Madhudvisa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 15, 1970. I am so much pleases that you are carrying on the Street Sankirtana Party as we have instituted in the Western countries even though you have sometimes only one companion. This spirit is most satisfactory and this work is proven as the basis of our successful movement in the United States, so please go on more enthusiastically than ever with my blessings and you may rest assured that Krsna will always help you in any difficulty. Please keep the standard in our Calcutta center and certainly things will be further increased by Krsna's grace. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** November 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Madhudvisa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated and I have noted the contents carefully. Our first business now is to establish at least three temples in India: One in Calcutta, one in Bombay, one in Vrindaban, and if possible a fourth one in Delhi. People should say that these Americans have come here and they have built this wonderful temple. We must do something tangible. Actually here in India the street Sankirtana Party has not got so much importance as in the U.S and other Western countries where Krishna Consciousness is being newly introduced. Here in this country if we are out on the streets too much, it will be misunderstood as begging. Here in Bombay I have instructed devotees only to go out on Sankirtana party if they have no other engagement. Simply to dance in the street and to eat and sleep, that will not be considered real preaching work here. If you establish a temple, that will be real pracara. I have given you the hint how to purchase the property- by making life members. Yourself, Acyutananda Swami, Jayapataka Swami and Hanuman can divide up and go and see important men. There are so many big men in Calcutta who can become our life members if you convince them. This requires unwavering strength and enthusiasm to fulfill the desires of the Spiritual Master. When my Guru Maharaja ordered me to spread this movement to the English speaking countries, I did not know how I could do it, but I never lost faith nor did I ever forget this order. Now I am wanting that we will have some temples here since our organization is international. And for this purpose money is required. One has to create money but you must know how to do it. So you have got the means to make life members. Distribute all of these books which we are getting and purchase that Hamilton Building. That will be your credit. While you are in Calcutta try and purchase the Hamilton property. If you find you are not able, then you can go to Gorakhpur as I have written in a letter to Jayapataka Maharaja but the best thing you can do is to work combinedly to establish a Calcutta center. Please offer my blessing to Acyutananda Maharaja and Hanuman Das. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** November 24th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Madhudvisa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter that you say "I am now prepared to give up all self-created designations and work only as your servant." That is the real position; transcendental loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. That is our real identification. All other identifications are false or temporary. Lord Caitanya said that "I am the servant of the servant of the servant 100 times removed" and similarly we should think ourselves as the servant of the servant of the servant and this attitude will lead to success in Krishna Consciousness [Cc. Madhya 13.80].If we can acquire that Hamilton building, it will be a great credit to you and to our Krishna Consciousness Movement in India. People are expecting something from the American Vaisnavas and so we should make every effort to serve them with a nice place so that they may come and sit down with us and chant Hare Krishna and become Krishna Conscious, as Lord Caitanya desire. Here in Bombay we have already made over thirty life members. Every day we are receiving checks from influential men and the preaching work is going on with great success. So try for that house and we will see what Krishna desires. Hope you are all well and jolly in Krishna's service. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- P.S. If there is inconvenience, you may all come to Bombay. Your friend Jariwala has invited us to go to Surat in full strength. You may all go there directly or come to Bombay and we shall go together. We are seriously trying to purchase a nice house here, so if possible send all collections (including the promised 25,000/-)in favor of International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Before coming here please ship the deities to U.S.A as it was arranged and see Mr. Trivedi of Scindia Steam Navigation in this connection ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** December 1st 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Madhudvisa Maharaja, Please accept my blessing. I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil and have noted the contents carefully. So far as shipment of the three sets of Murtis is concerned, you may ship as soon as possible one set to Boston and the other two sets may go to L.A. From L.A. one set can be sent to Montreal. So far as the marble Deities are concerned, one set may be sent to San Francisco and the other to Baltimore. I have also written to Jayapataka Maharaja about the building fund. Please consult him about this. Our Calcutta branch should be managed as follows: Jayapataka Maharaja - president; Acyutananda Maharaja - secretary and yourself as treasurer. So if the building fund is being nicely raised, that is all right and you may stay in Calcutta. If not, then when I go to Gorakhpur I shall call for you from there, but if fund raisingbusiness is going on nicely, you can stay. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** January 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 25 January, 1970, along with two enclosures; namely the agenda for West coast presidential meeting and list of preparations offered to the Deities on the Disappearance Day of my Guru Maharaja. I have read over the presidential agenda and have noted the pertinence of all the items. Now let us see the results of the conference and the practical outcomes of the subjects under discussion. The list of 108 feast preparations is also approved by me. Thank you very much. Regarding our new temple, continue your efforts to secure a suitable place and when Krishna desires we shall find out a nice place. Already you have got one prospect in this large mansion. Yes, it is our only prayer that we are always asking the Lord for further opportunities of service. We do not care to ask for anything else, so this is our only prayer. Our life is service to Krishna and how we may serve Him more and more that is our only desire. So far the Christian preachers are concerned you may ask them to leave the Temple and address them like this - If you have to preach your Christian philosophy, why don't you ask people to come to your place? Why do you come here and disturb? Our Temple is especially meant for preaching Krishna Consciousness. In the world there are different philosophies and they have got their own temples also, long before our Temple was opened. There are places of worship of the Jews, of the Christians and of many other sects. They have got their different camps. Why do you come here and create disturbance? New devotees should be told that the Christian preaching is already there; so if they are attracted by Christianity, the Christian Temples are there. When one comes to the Krishna Temple, he should try to understand krishna Consciousness. Actually, one who is advanced will not find any contradiction. The Christians teach love of Godhead, and we practically do it. So one has to understand from the practical point of view. A man is judged by his activities. We see that they are engaged in smoking habits, eating meat and indulging in free mixing of boys and girls; these are not the activities of religious persons. Lord Jesus said and the Bible also says, "Thou shalt not Kill." But they are eating meat. So we must see practically if someone is leading a pure life and not be blinded by some sentiment. Our students are strictly observing the four rules or restraints from impure habits and they are factually living according to the highest standard of religious life. So we are actually following the principles of pure living in Krishna Consciousness, but it appears that these followers of the Christian philosophy have fallen down from the transcendental platform. So one must be pure hearted. And if they are still inclined to remain Christian, they can go. There is no need of raising controversial points and thus wasting each other's time. There are even different political groups and one group does not go to the other group to preach their tenants, but they have got their own camp. Besides that, when we perform our Kirtana in our home or Temple, nobody can legally disturb it. I hope this will clarify the situation. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls and devotees there. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** February 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 10 and 12 February, 1970 respectively. I am glad to learn that you are early planning for the upcoming Ratha-yatra festival. In this connection, I have requested the exact date of the festival from India but it has not yet been replied, so you may plan for any suitable date between 20 and 31 July—even if it does not correspond, we have to arrange conveniently, that is allowed. So far additions for this years Rathayatra, you may make three Rathas, one for each of the Deities. The rest of the details are already there, simply you may may supply more money for festoons, decorations, flowers, bells, flags, etc. The Spiritual Sky is far away, but you just try to do it following Jagannatha Puri Rathayatra. Jagannatha Puri or wherever Rathayatra is performed is not different from the spiritual sky. In the spring you may lead a very big procession on Lord Caitanya's birthday. This is a good plan to celebrate this great spring festival out of doors. So make this a very opulent procession with large Sankirtana Party and you may also celebrate in this way again with a procession on Janmastami day. These two important subjects may be observed in this way by all the three areas and similarly in other centers also. Regarding your first question, a pure devotee is never under the modes of nature. In other words, no material laws apply on a devotee because he is fully under the direction of Krsna. So a devotee can continue his present occupation or he may change it if he likes. Krsna does not force a devotee because the devotee acts spontaneously according to the desire of the Lord; in this kind of loving service there is no question of force. Force is applied only when there is denial of Krsna. Just as the citizens of a state have freedom to follow the laws of the state, that is subordinate freedom, and the freedom of the living entities is also subordinate to Krsna. The clue is given there in the Bhagavad-gita that the living entities are fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, this means that all the qualities of Krsna are therefore present in minute quantity in each of His parts and parcels. That is simultaneously one and different philosophy—the living entities thus have free will because they are parts of Krsna and Krsna has free will, but the free will of Krsna is Supreme while the freedom of the parts and parcels is minute. So if the living entity out of love subordinates his free will to Krsna that is his liberation. He is no longer forced to act helplessly, but he acts freely rendering loving devotional service to Krsna in every way. Then we have the practical conclusion from Krsna confirmed by Him in Bhagavad-gita (18:66), "Just surrender unto Me; and in return I shall protect you from all sinful reactions. Therefore you have nothing to fear." In this way astral influences are also material and therefore they do not affect the devotee who has taken protection of Krsna's internal energy, by surrendering his life and soul in the service of the Lord. Your second question about spacemen from other planets; it is stated in the Vedic literature that there are many planets where the inhabitants are more advanced than the inhabitants of this earth planet. So it is not unlikely that such people may have developed space travelling methods. They occupy higher posts in the creation of the Lord and so they may be considered as demigods in the same way as the president is specially empowered by the nation, but this does not mean that such spacemen are necessarily carrying the messages of the Lord, just as the business of the state employee is not to act as the state representative but he acts in his particular job. Because Krsna know everyone's future does not remove our free will. Someone may commit a theft, and if I know that then I know that he will be captured and punished. That is knowing his future, but know that future does not mean that he had no choice not to commit the criminal act. There are two destinies for every one. One destiny is in Krsna Consciousness and the other destiny is in material consciousness, so if someone is in Krsna Consciousness then Krsna knows his future and if he is in material consciousness and acting in that way then Krsna also knows his future. In this way the free will is not affected by knowing the future of the living being, that is an erroneous conclusion. In regard to praying to Lord Nityananda Prabhu I have written to you in my last letter that such prayer is quite appropriate. Our only prayer should be in the matter of desiring further development of devotional service and such sincere prayer should be submitted not directly to the lord but through the via-media of His bona fide servitor or representative. I am very glad to learn that S.F. Temple is doing very nicely in the street Sankirtana with transcendental plays. And your BTG sales are very encouraging to me. I have heard from Gargamuni that you are ordering 20,000 issues of BTG and this is very good news. Selling BTG means that our movement is increasing and our philosophy is being appreciated. Uttama Sloka is a very good devotee and I am also glad to learn that he is of great assistance to you in guiding the new devotees. He may remain there with my permission for as long as he may like, I know that he is very valuable as an expert Temple manager. I have already sent Hansadutta to oversee the Germany center and help them be organized. I am very happy to learn that you are arranging for opening another center in San Jose. From your letter I can understand that it will be a good start in spreading our Krsna Consciousness movement to the Spanish speaking people. I do not care whether the center is opened this place or that place, simply I want to see that eventually a center is opened in every place. So far now you may start the center in San Jose, and as you say that there are many advantages to this procedure, you must develop it nicely. This will be a good opportunity for Citsukhananda and his wife to engage some Spanish speaking devotees to help them when the South American center is first opened. So by the near location you should keep in close touch and give them all assistance as much as possible. Your plan is fully approved by me, and you may immediately begin your preparations without delay. I am so very happy to learn of your increasing desire to spread this Sankirtana movement. My Guru Maharaja used to say that one who has actually got life cannot do but preach this Krsna Consciousness—real spiritual life means he must preach, and he is really a preacher. Now we must prepare all our disciples for serious preaching work, so I am requesting everyone of my initiated students to very seriously chant daily sixteen rounds without fail and to strictly follow the regulative practices. If these two things are done regularly there will be no chance of falling down because these principles are the essential basis of spiritual strength. In addition to this the classes and individual study of our scriptures must be done very scrutinizingly by you all so that you can be preachers fully convinced yourselves of this transcendental science and its necessity for the mankind in general. If one simply regularly chants and follows the rules and regulative principles all questions of philosophy will be answered by Krsna from within and all doubt will be cleared also in this way. And the same answers are there again in our books like Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc. So please see that all the initiated devotees stick rigidly to their daily chanting and regulative living in devotional service. This is most important. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Madhukantha **Date:** November 16th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > San Jose My Dear Madhukantha, Please accept my blessings. I am very much thankful to you for your kindly report from San Jose far away from me now. I am always anxious to know about the activities of my Temples so far established. I always pray to Krsna that you, all my students, may go ahead in this Krsna Consciousness Movement. The routine work, as it is going on in your center, appears to be very satisfactory. Please keep this standard continually and Krsna will give you all facilities. I am very glad to learn that the different libraries are accepting our books and surely they will find them absolutely beneficial. This line of thought, namely Krsna Consciousness or God-consciousness, is completely new in the Western world or throughout the whole world. People in general have got somewhat a vague idea of God consciousness. When I first went to your country in New York, I found everyone imbibed with the idea that God is dead. Now gradually people are understanding that God is not only not dead, but He is factually present with us at every moment. If we have the necessary qualification, to see God eye-to-eye is quite possible. So it is a nice Movement. We have now sufficient literatures. Now go on preaching this cult for the complete welfare activities in the human societies. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Madhusudana **Date:** January 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Washington, D.C My Dear Madhusudana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 13, 1970 and your question is very peculiar. You have admitted that it is something like the tricks of the mind. May I ask you if you are regularly chanting 16 rounds of beads? The tricks of the mind or influence of Maya will infiltrate if we do not follow the regulative principles and regularly chant the prescribed Names without any offense. Perhaps you know that there are 10 (ten) kinds of offenses in chanting the Holy Name. The first offense is not to obey the order of the Spiritual Master, and the second is to minimize the authoritative value of the Scriptures. These things are infiltrating within you as I see from your writings that Vedas or Bhagavatam or Gita seem not so universal. What is the reason of your thinking like that? What do you mean by universal? Do you think that there is any other Scripture in the world which is more universal than the Vedas and Bhagavata etc.? Is there any literature in the world which is more sublime in knowledge than the Bhagavad-gita? The word "Krishna" means "All Attractive," so where you get the foreign element in Krishna? Does it mean that He is attractive for all except yourself? And if He is not attractive to you, why it is so? So you kindly answer all these questions from me. You say that you will do as I say and you also prayed to Madhusudana to slay the demon of your doubt but unless you act according to the direction of Madhusudana how can Madhusudana or Madhusudana's father help you. You are with us practically for the last four years and still if you think you cannot surrender to Krishna without any doubt, then what kind of progress you have made by this time? So this Krishna science can be understood through the process of sincere service, and so far any doubt which may sometimes arise in our mind there are the devotees, the Scriptures and the Spiritual Master. Did you discuss all your doubts with your contemporary Godbrothers and devotees? So there are many questions like this about you. You say that within your heart you know that Krishna is the Original Personality of Godhead but when you think of Krishna or try to feel Him you think Krishna as foreign on account of Sanskrit language. Please, therefore, be careful that Maya is peeping at you and if you do not take care timely it may prove fatal. Please, therefore, chant regularly without the offenses and be steady in your situation without any tottering of the mind. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead without any question. He is accepted as such beginning from Arjuna through all the great Acaryas—Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Sankaracarya, Lord Caitanya, Lord Brahma, the Vedic authorities Vyasadeva and Narada—like that, down to ourselves. So this knowledge descends through bona fide disciplic succession. You have accepted this chain of authorities, now you are feeling doubts means certainly you are being attacked by Maya. So please take care and chant Hare Krishna regularly without any offense. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Madhusudana **Date:** January 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Madhusudana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 21, 1970, and I am so glad to learn that you have regained control of your mind and the tricks of Maya have finished. So by Krishna's Grace you have been saved from Maya's attack. This appears to have been a very close call for you and the lesson should be taken well that if we deviate from the strict following of the regulative principles Maya is always ready to inject doubts to shake our faith in Krishna. So I am glad that you have recovered and I was praying for Krishna to save you. So you can see the great necessity of following the prescribed duties of chanting regularly and following strictly the instructions of the Spiritual Master and the regulative principles. In addition to this everyone should go on the streets with Sankirtana Party as much as possible and preach this Krishna Consciousness Movement to his best ability for the benefit of all people. Please continue your efforts in Krishna Consciousness with great determination. Yes, Patience is is a qualification in the successful execution of devotional service. So study our literatures, discuss philosophical points and problems with your God-brothers, and especially chant regularly sixteen rounds daily without offense and go on Sankirtana. We must always remember that chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra is our life and soul. So you have got good facility, you are a sincere boy, you have got a good Krishna Consciousness wife, good association of devotees and good scope for spreading this movement in Washington. Always be engaged in Krishna activities and be happy. That is my desire. Please try to understand the questions I have asked in my last letter to you, scrutinizingly, so that you may know to avoid being agitated by any trickings of Maya in the future. Please offer my blessings also to your good wife, Kancanbala. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- P.S. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your check for $15.00 sent by ___ ### Letter to Madhusudana **Date:** April 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Washington, D.C My Dear Madhusudana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 14th April, 1970, and the check for $15 which I have received with great pleasure. I am very glad that you are appreciating the transcendental benefit out of Krishna Consciousness Movement. Actually this is the prime benediction for human society. My Guru Maharaja used to say that there is no scarcity of anything within this world, the only scarcity is people are not aware of Krishna Consciousness. The whole world is suffering for want of this great benediction. Therefore by the grace of Lord Caitanya if we have understood the value of this movement it will mean a great lot as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that even a little performance of Krishna Consciousness activity will save the human society from the greatest danger of life. I am very glad to know that you are trying to understand this philosophy, now combinedly, husband and wife, preach it all over the world, at least in your great country. ### Letter to Madhusudana **Date:** June 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Madhusudana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 24th June, 1970, with your check for $200, for which I think you and your good wife, Kancanbala. This kind of letter is very encouraging to me because there is enclosure of a nice check. So we have to pay immediately some bills of ISKCON Press as well as Dai Nippon, so it will be very much helpful. I am very much glad to learn that you have appreciated the subject matter of Nectar of Devotion and Krsna while working on it in the press, and actually these two books will keep us constantly in Krsna consciousness. The secret of Krsna consciousness is open in these two books. Our method is very simple. All different methods of self-realization are little or more troublesome. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita 12th chapter that persons who have no fixed idea what is God will have unnecessarily more trouble to reach to the goal. Krsna is the ultimate objective. Unless one therefore reaches to this point he remains imperfect never mind what he is either a karmi, or a jnani, or a yogi. For a devotee the objective is directly approached. So persons will be interested simply in reading our books wherein there is only Krsna consciousness described in transcendental varieties. Thus by reading of these books, especially Nectar of Devotion, by the devotees everyone will go back to home, back to Godhead, Krsna. So I wish that all of you, especially those that are married couples, may combinedly advance in Krsna consciousness being constantly engaged in His loving service and that will make me very happy. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls. There is some discrepancy in the layout of the Krsna Consciousness Handbook and this will be pointed out by Devananda. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Mahananda **Date:** April 27th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Washington D.C My Dear Mahananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 20th April, 1970, along with a check contribution for my book fund of $150, and thank you very much for this. I have also received the picture of an "Angel" printed in the detroit newspaper, and it is a great credit how our men are appreciated by the people. Your appreciation of our Krishna Consciousness Movement is very nice, and if you will carry this practical philosophy to the people of your great nation you will know the result for sure that this movement is the solution to all the problems of life. So I am glad that you are now going to our Washington center with your good wife. Please work there combinedly with great enthusiasm in advancing in Krishna Consciousness. I am very glad also that you and Hladini Dasi are now married in tilak by Sriman Bhagavan das. Please take my blessings for your spiritual marriage, and be happy in Krishna Conscious life. Regarding your questions are the Spiritual Master and the Grand Spiritual Master consciously aware of the prayers of a sincere devotee who prays in love to Them?—the answer is that no conscious prayers go in vain. They are transmitted positively. But one thing you must know that any prayer you offer to your Spiritual Master and Superior Spiritual Master, all of them are conveyed to Krishna, so no sincere prayers go in vain. We shall always offer such prayers to Spiritual Master, Superior Spiritual Master, Vaisnava Acaryas, Lord Caitanya, and at the end Radha Krishna, that is the system. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Mahananda (Michael) **Date:** March 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Mahananda (Michael), Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter requesting initiation, dated 26th March, 1970, along with your beads for chanting, and I am very happy to accept you as my initiated disciple. Your initiated name is Mahananda Das. I have chanted your beads duly, and they are herewith returned to you. I am very pleased to know that you have been strictly living according to our Krsna conscious way of life in the matters of daily chanting sixteen rounds, following the four basic restrictive principles, and working hard in Krsna's service. Please continue to live in this way and the success of your life in Krsna consciousness is assured. Always chanting the Holy Name, Krsna, observing the regulative principles, and working in the service of the Lord are the essential program for advancement in spiritual strength. You have written one interesting line, that Maya seems to have a special interest in you. So it appears that you are intelligent enough to detect the tricks of Maya; that is very nice. We should always remember that Maya or darkness and Krsna or the Light are existing side by side. So if we keep ourself always in Krsna Consciousness or in the Light of Krsna Sun, hardly there is any chance of being covered by darkness or Maya. But a little inattention may cause our falling down into the clutches of Maya. The path of Krsna Consciousness is compared in the Vedas with a sharpened razor blade. If you carefully manipulate it, the blade helps by clean shaving; but a little inattention causes a bloody cheek. So this example we should always remember and carefully manipulate the blade of Krsna Consciousness. I am pleased that you are so enthusiastic in spreading Krsna Consciousness, so as soon as you find opportunity you try to expand our activities by opening a branch. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Makhanlal **Date:** June 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > San Francisco My Dear Makhanlal, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st May, 1970, and noted the contents. Regarding your special worshipment of Lord Nityananda: Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura has sung, "Gauranga balite habe . . . etc." when that time will come when torrents of tears shall pour from my eyes simply by uttering the Name of Gauranga. It is not that one should worship one and neglect the others. So the symptoms of Lord Nityananda's mercy are exhibited according to the description of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura by the detachment from material sense enjoyment, because without being freed from the attachment for material sense enjoyment, nobody can enter into the transcendental pastime of Radha and Krsna. Radha and Krsna lila or pastime is perfectly understood by following the instructions of the six Goswamis. So all these favors and mercy of the Acaryas and Incarnations go together. It is not that if I receive favor of one section I shall be reluctant to receive favor of other sections. It is very good symptom to have received Lord Nityananda's favor, but if we are actually favored by Lord Nityananda our business will be to please Lord Caitanya. And if Lord Caitanya is pleased, then we easily understand the truth of Radha Krsna through the mercy of the Goswamis. So the above verse means that as soon as one will chant the name of Lord Caitanya he will feel a transcendental ecstasy. All of us should wait for this stage of life. The transcendental ecstatic symptoms certainly become manifested in a devotee's body, but they should not be exhibited amongst common men. When Lord Caitanya met Ramananda Roy, both of them felt this ecstasy by embracing one another. But as soon as Lord Caitanya saw that Ramananda Roy was in the company of some outsider brahmanas, He checked Himself. This is already described in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya. The transcendental symptoms of ecstasy certainly are auspicious, but they are not for advertising to others. One should not advertise directly or indirectly that one is feeling like this. They should be checked. Otherwise one will gradually become sahajiya or one who takes spiritual advancement as something materially manifest. Actual spiritual advancement means detachment for everything material. So our activities are nothing material. Detachment from material activities, means attachment for spiritual activities, devotional service. After all, our energy has to be utilized, so when it is materially detached it means with greater enthusiasm our spiritual activities increase. So Lord Caitanya is combined form of Radha Krsna. If Caitanya is pleased, Radha and Krsna automatically become pleased. Now our mission, Krsna consciousness mission, is to execute the will of Lord Caitanya. In this old age whatever I am trying to do it is just to give a little service according to my capacity to Lord Caitanya's mission. I have not come here for some personal credit in this old age. I have also come here under the order of my Spiritual Master who is non-different from Lord Nityananda. You are all helping me in the execution of my mission so please do not try to do anything beyond the jurisdiction of my instructions. My will I have already disclosed to you all that each and every one of you should chant the Mahamantra regularly in sixteen rounds, follow the four regulative principles, chant Hare Krsna mantra on the streets, try to distribute our books and literature, and specifically in San Francisco you should observe the annual Ratha Yatra festival very gorgeously. I can assure you that if you follow my instruction as above mentioned there is no doubt about it that through me my spiritual Master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura will be pleased, and through His mercy Lord Nityananda will be pleased. In this way Lord Caitanya and ultimately Radha Krsna will be pleased, and thus your life will be successful. You are all intelligent boys. Please try to understand me and do the needful. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Malati **Date:** March 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Malati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 17 February, 1970, and have read the contents carefully. I am so glad to hear from you after so long time. It is not surprising that you feel the competition of maya very keen because we are in the midst of an ocean of Maya. Just as if, when you are in the ocean, you say "Oh, there is water all round"—that is ocean. So you must have a boat very strong, and Krsna is the nicest boat to carry you over the ocean of Maya. The ocean will reduce to become a pit left by the hoof of a cow by the grace of Krsna, and it may be crossed over without any care. And after crossing the ocean, the devotee shall go to the abode of Krsna where there is no more danger. That is the mission of our life, and that is Krsna Consciousness. I am very happy to know that your daughter Sarasvati is growing up nicely under your care. To see that the child is raised in full Krsna Consciousness is the proper management of householder life. And when your good daughter is no longer to be so cared for by you, then you will get enough time to chant Hare Krsna. Both mother and daughter can sit together and chant hare Krsna. Regarding your thoughts of grand Rathayatra festival, this year there must be a very grand procession of Rathayatra, and ask Syamasundara to induce George to lead in the procession. Syamasundara has asked me to go there, so if I am not very seriously engaged, I must go. But if George and John join in the procession, it will be a great success. I have heard how the new devotees are all executing their devotional services very enthusiastically and with sincerity and humility. Yes, I have asked them to take instruction from you, one of their elder Godsisters. Whatever you have learned—you are one of the old students—whatever you have gathered by experience, you must hand them over to the new students. This is called parampara. Please offer my blessings to Sarasvati Dasi. Will you send her to our school in New Vrindaban when she is little older. The school is developing nicely there under the headmastership of Hayagriva Prabhu. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBSP:db ### Letter to Manager of Bank of Baroda **Date:** March 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Bank of Baroda (Calcutta Branch)P.O. Box No. 313India Exchange Calcutta-1, India Dear Sir: Re: My S/B account No. 29/12802 with youIn continuation of my letter dated 28 February, 1970. I beg to enclose herewith the true copy of letter No. FEX.22/-277 of your Chandni Chowk, Delhi Branch. I am sure you have received Rs. 6000 (Rs. Six thousand only) transfer as stated by your Delhi Branch. Please transfer immediately Rs. 5000 (Rs. Five thousand only) to savings account No. 8/16578 United Bank of India Ltd., 157/B Dharmatalla Street, Calcutta-13 in favor of M. M. De (Mathura Mohan De) and send me the debit note here. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Bank of Baroda **Date:** March 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Bank of Baroda India Exchange Branch P.O. Box No. 313India Exchange Place Calcutta-1, India(URGENT) Dear Sir: Re: My Savings Bank A/c No. 29/12802Replying your letter No. SB/34/, dated 14th March, 1970, I beg to reply as follows with reference to the last paragraph of your letter under reply:1) Duration of my stay in U.S.A. is as present from 29th December, 1969. Before that, I was touring in Europe. (The duration of my stay outside India in my Passport is up to 9th June, 1971.)2) My last departure from India was on 13rd December, 1967.3) The "P" Form No. and Reserve Bank of India Permit No. is as follows: EC. CA Pass 4599/2-67, dated 18th November, 1967, approved.4) My Passport No. I-2768965) Purpose of visit is missionary preaching of Bhakti cult. You have received my letter dated 3rd March, 1970, but you have not mentioned anything about my letter dated 28th February, 1970.In the meantime, I have also sent another letter dated 18th March, 1970.Kindly reply these letters at your earliest convenience and oblige. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Bank of Baroda **Date:** April 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Bank of Baroda India Exchange Branch P.O. No. 313India Exchange Place Calcutta-1, India Dear Sir: Re: My savings account No. 29/12802Kindly refer to your letter No. SB/34/1759, dated 14th March, 1970, which I have replied duly dated on the 25th March, 1970.I hope by this time you have received sanction for transferring Rs. 5,000 from my above account to the United Bank of India Ltd., 157/B Dharmatalla Street, Calcutta 13, for credit of savings account of Sri M. M. De.Please therefore transfer the account on receipt of this letter. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Bank of Baroda **Date:** May 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Bank of Baroda India Exchange Branch Post Box No. 313Calcutta-1, India Dear Sir: Re: My Savings Bank Account No. 29/12802With reference to your letter No. Sb/34/2978, dated 5th May, 1970, I beg to inform you that Mr. M. M. De is my second son. When I left home, as a dutiful father I left some money for my family as future provision, So practically the money belongs to my sons and daughters, and I never thought that in future it would be difficult to transfer the money, otherwise I would have distributed the money while leaving home. So the purpose of the remittance you have asked to send is to transfer their money to them. I hope this particular will be sufficient. I advised you to transfer Rs. 5,000 to the savings bank account of Mr. M. M. De with the United Bank of India, Dharmatalla Street Branch. I understand that you have already transferred Rs. 1,000, and the balance of Rs. 4,000 may now be transferred on the strength of the above statement. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbc.c. --- Mr. M.M. De ### Letter to Manager of Bank of Baroda, M. M. De **Date:** March 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Bank of Baroda (Calcutta Branch)P.O. Box No. 313India Exchange Calcutta-1, India Dear Sir: Re: My S/B Account No. 29/12802 with you Through M. M. DeKindly refer to my letter dated 3 March, 1970.It is understood that the transfer of Rs. 5000 to the savings account No. 8/16578 with the United Bank of India Ltd., 157/B Dharmatalla Street, Calcutta-13, in favor of M. M. De, is under process of being sanctioned by the Reserve Bank. Please transfer at least Rs. 1000 to the above account without delay, pending the Reserve Bank's sanction. And after being sanctioned, you can transfer the balance of Rs. 4000.Thanking you in anticipation, and oblige. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- Sriman M.M. DeCalcutta, IndiaMy Dear Buro, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 14 March, 1970, and noted the contents. I have not received any of your letter dated 13 March, 1970. When I receive that letter also, then I shall reply in detail. In the meantime, you can take this letter to the banks, and do the needful. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Manager of Equitable Savings Bank **Date:** April 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Equitable Savings Bank Fairfax and Beverly Boulevard Los Angeles, California Dear Sir: RE: My savings account No. 12410 with you. Please note that my new address is now at3764 Watseka AvenueLos Angeles, California90034Thanking you. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of First National City Bank **Date:** March 7th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager First National City Bank686 Broadway near Great Jones Street New York, N.Y. 10012 Dear Sir: Re: My account No. 0400688633 with youKindly transfer my all balance in the above account to the Bank of America, Pico-La Cienega Branch (308) at 8501 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90035, for credit of my checking account No. 3081-61625.The pass-book is sent herewith. Please expedite the matter and oblige. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Punjab National Bank **Date:** February 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Punjab National Bank, Ltd.P.O. Vrindaban District Mathura, U.P.India Dear Sir: Re: My savings fund account No. 2913 with youReplying your letter No. 464 dated 2 February, 1970, addressed to my London Temple and now redirected to me here, I beg to inform you that when you received Rs. 33, 705.86 I submitted a note of purpose in which it was stated that the money was meant for purchasing books and securing a small piece of land. You may find out this note in our file. So out of this money immediately a consignment of books worth Rs. 13,000 and odds was sent to U.S.A., and then again these eight cases under reference were sent. So there is no more balance of books to be received against this amount of Rs. 33,705.86. There is no more pending order. Now I beg to draw your attention to my letter dated 13 January, 1970, in which I requested you to transfer Rs. 5,500 to your Calcutta Branch at Brabourne Road for credit of my savings fund account No. 2595. I have not heard anything either from you or your Calcutta office. Please let me know what is the fate of my instruction in this connection. Also kindly let me know what is the balance in my account at present. Thanking you in anticipation of an early reply. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Manager of Punjab National Bank **Date:** February 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Punjab National Bank Brabourne Road Branch Calcutta-1, India Dear Sir: Re: My savings fund account No. 2595I beg to inform you that on 13 January, 1970, I advised your Vrindaban Branch to transfer Rs. 5,500 from my account there to my account with you as above mentioned. Kindly let me know if you have received the money and credited it to my above account. Also please let me know what is the present balance. Thanking you in anticipation of an early reply. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Punjab National Bank **Date:** July 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Punjab National Bank Calcutta Dear Sir: Re: My Savings Fund Account No. 2595 with youI beg to inform you that this day, 29th July, 1970, I have remitted 16039.18 U.S. Dollars through Security Pacific National Bank, Culver City Branch, under receipt No. 729949 for credit of my account SS/F No. 2595 with you. This amount is for the purpose of constructing a Radha Krsna Temple at Mayapur, as it is contributed by my American disciples. Please acknowledge receipt, and on hearing from you I shall begin construction work. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dm ### Letter to Manager of Security Pacific Bank **Date:** May 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Security Pacific Bank Culver City Branch No. 94Los Angeles, Cal Dear Sir: Re: My account No. 836-237 with youPlease transfer $3,600 (Three thousand, and six hundred dollars) to the First National Bank of Boston, Brighton Avenue Branch, in favor of account No. 516-5642, ISKCON Press, and charge the same to my account as above mentioned. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Security Pacific Bank **Date:** May 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Security Pacific Bank Culver City Branch No. 94Los Angeles, California Dear Sir: Re: My account No. 836-237 with youPlease transfer $2465.72 (Two thousand, four hundred, and sixty-five dollars, and seventy-two cents) to the First National Bank of Boston, Brighton Avenue Branch, in favor of account No. 516-5642, ISKCON Press, and charge the same to my account as above mentioned. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Security Pacific Bank **Date:** June 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Security Pacific Bank Culver City Branch Los Angeles Dear Sir: Re: My account No 836-237 with youPlease transfer $2517.00 (Two thousand five hundred and seventeen dollars and no cents) to the First National Bank of Boston, Brighton Avenue Branch, in favor of account No. 516-5642, ISKCON Press, and charge the same to my account as above mentioned. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Security Pacific Bank **Date:** July 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Security Pacific Bank Culver City Branch No. 94Los Angeles Dear Sir: Re: My account No. 836-237 with youPlease transfer $546.00 (Five hundred and forty-six dollars and no cents) to the First National Bank of Boston, Brighton Avenue Branch, in favor of account No. 516-5642, ISKCON Press, and charge the same to my account as above mentioned. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Security Pacific Bank **Date:** July 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Security Pacific Bank Culver City Branch No. 94Los Angeles Dear Sir: Re: My account No. 836-237 with youPlease issue a cashier's check for $1,400.00 (One thousand and four hundred dollars and no cents) in favor of Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited, and charge the same to my account as above mentioned. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Security Pacific Bank **Date:** July 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Security Pacific Bank Culver City Branch No. 94Los Angeles Dear Sir: Re: My account No. 836-237 with youPlease transfer $1,500.00 (One thousand and five hundred dollars and no cents) to the First National Bank of Boston, Brighton Avenue Branch, in favor of account No. 516-5642. ISKCON Press, and charge the same to my account as above mentioned. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manager of Security Pacific Bank **Date:** July 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Manager Security Pacific Bank Culver City Branch No. 94Los Angeles Dear Sir: Re: My account No. 836-237 with youPlease transfer $636.80 (six hundred and thirty-six dollars and eighty cents) to the First National Bank of Boston, Brighton Avenue Branch, in favor of account No. 516-5642, ISKCON Press, and charge the same to my account as above mentioned. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Mandakini **Date:** February 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Daughter Mandakini, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28 January, 1970, along with your beads. Thank you very much. I am very glad to accept you as my disciple because you want to learn how to serve Krishna, and I am returning your beads duly chanted upon by me. Please chant sixteen rounds of beads daily following the rules and four restrictions and avoiding the ten offenses in chanting the Holy Name of Krishna. Please learn our Krishna Consciousness way of life from the good guidance of the older devotees there. I am so glad to learn that you are nicely appreciating the bliss of Krishna Consciousness and are endeavoring to become pure in this association. If you continue in this attitude you will progress more and more in your service. So chant Hare Krishna Mantra and be happy. That is my desire. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- N.B. Mandakini is the name of the river flowing through the heavenly planets. On this planet this river is known as Ganges. This water was kindly let down into this universe by the lotus foot of Krishna in His incarnation as Vamana ### Letter to Mandali Bhadra **Date:** February 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Mandali Bhadra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27 January, 1970. When you write to say that things are going well, it gives me immense pleasure. I am opening so many branches depending on you all my sincere students. I am also glad to learn that you are moving to the Temple, dedicating all your time to Temple activities and translation work. I understand that your wife is not very much interested in our movement and I understand the cause you have written to say. Anyway, we will pray to Krishna to save her; that is our duty. Yes. The boy, Mayurdhvaj, is a very nice Krishna Conscious child. Why his mother is checking him? Although in the beginning she was so enthusiastic? This is called in Vedic language sva karma bhuk, one is destined to undergo reaction of one's past life. This reaction can only be checked by Krishna Consciousness. So our duty is heavy, to induce persons to come to this platform of consciousness; and if we can save even a single soul from the clutches of Maya, the value of such act is millions of times better than fruitive actions or any kind of altruistic and philanthropic activities. Trivikrama is a very nice boy, sincere to Krishna Consciousness activities. In a previous letter, Krishna das asked me if Hansadutta and Himavati can go there. So I think this pair will be very much helpful in our German centers. Hansadutta is born in Germany but he came here in childhood, and Himavati is born in Germany although she is Russian originally. She knows how to speak in Russian language. So I have asked them to go there to help you in Sankirtana Movement and other Temple activities. Both of them are experienced in the Sankirtana Movement especially. Our responsibility is to Krishna. If we think ourselves always in that position, then in any status of life we will be guided by the Supreme Lord. I am very satisfied that another German scholar has joined our activities. She will be a great help to you. Yes. I sometimes think of your mother. She is a nice lady and has good potency for improving in Krishna Consciousness. From the child's mentality the mother's mentality is judged and vice-versa. Please keep in touch with your mother and it is your duty also to try to bring her into Krishna Consciousness when she is already inclined. I am glad that she is chanting sixteen rounds and observing the rules and regulations. That will surely help her. If possible, we can open a center in Berlin at the care of your mother. I do not understand what was Mr. Lennon's article that was refused. Lennon and Ginsberg are helpful friends, but actually they do not understand our philosophy. So far Ginsberg is concerned, he promised before me that everywhere he would chant Hare Krishna Mantra, and actually he is doing it everywhere. So Ginsberg may sometimes be able to understand our philosophy in the future. We are trying to give them all facilities to understand this philosophy and it will take some time on account of their not following rigidly the rules. BTG articles are generally seen by the editors, and it is better that we stress on our own philosophy than to indulge in some hodge-podge philosophy which is basically unauthorized. In our present BTG publication we are trying to follow this policy. Upendra is already advanced for going to Australia, and in his place Hansadutta and Himavati, in my opinion, will be a nice replacement. I have asked Devananda to give you a Deity worship chart because he is actually doing the job. I am so pleased to learn that you are trying to make Hamburg center as important as L.A. This center three years before, when I first visited, was in very poor condition but for the last year, since we are regularly sending Sankirtana Parties, the situation has improved with great speed. Now we are negotiating for a property which has got a big church as well as a residential house attached, and let us see if Krishna will help us. Our simple process of chanting and distributing Prasadam and selling BTG will surely make our Movement successfully advance. In India, especially in Bengal and Orissa, there are millions of followers of Lord Caitanya. In Maharastra a saint of the name Saint Tukaram was also follower of Lord Caitanya and he has overflooded the whole Western India with Sankirtana Movement. So Sankirtana Movement in India in all the provinces is very much popular and anyone who is taking part in Sankirtana Movement is specifically devotee of Lord Krishna or Lord Rama. There is not a single Hindu in India who is not more or less Krishna Conscious. So far descendants are concerned, material nature is so strong that she does not allow anything to go on steadily. But sometimes we find that the descendant of Hiranyakasipu is Prahlada Maharaja and the second generation descendant of Prahlada Maharaja is Banasura. So actually Krishna Consciousness is personal. Anyone who understands the philosophy is benefited. It does not mean that a Krishna Conscious person has to leave a legacy as far as possible, but at the end it depends on a particular person's fortune to accept it or reject it. The point is very delicate. The example is given in the Upanisad just like manipulating a sharpened razor; if one is careful in plying the razor on the cheek there is clean shaving, but a little inattention makes the same cheek a bloody affair. So we have to remain very much careful in Krishna Consciousness and the method is also very simple—to chant regularly the beads and follow the rules and regulations. I am asking Hayagriva to send you the MS for Bhagavad-gita, and you can also write him directly to send a copy. Krishna's causeless Mercy is always there. If we take up that causeless Mercy a little seriously than further causeless Mercies are bestowed one after another unceasingly. Krishna is more anxious to bestow His benediction upon us than we are ready to take it. If we therefore sincerely engage our selves in Krishna Consciousness activities, certainly we will advance more and more by the causeless Mercy of the Lord. So by the Grace of the Lord you have got a very nice engagement. Try to execute this with all attention and then certainly you will feel transcendental bliss and your life will be successful without waiting for the next. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Manmohini **Date:** February 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Daughter Manmohini, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 18 February, 1970, along with your beads for chanting and a pair of lovely flower garlands. Thank you very much. I have immediately offered the flower garlands to Radha and Krsna and they are so nice looking. I am very happy to accept you as my disciple and I am glad to know that you are praying to Lord Krsna only that you may always remember that your position eternally is to serve and take shelter of His transcendental lotus feet. So I am returning your beads duly chanted by me, and your spiritual name is Manmohini Dasi. Manmohini is another name of Radharani and Manmohini dasi is the maidservant of Radharani. Now please chant Hare Krsna mantra and be sublimely happy. You know that as my initiated disciple you must chant regularly sixteen rounds of beads daily and follow the four restrictions; namely no eating of meats, fish or eggs; no illicit sex life; no taking of any kinds of intoxicants; and no gambling or mental speculation. If you stick to these principles and chant the Holy Name avoiding the ten offenses in the matter of chanting you will become steady and rapidly advanced in Krsna Consciousness. I am very pleased to note that you are nicely engaged in preparing Bhoga at the Boston temple and you are also going on Sankirtana. Please study very carefully all our books and learn our philosophy with the help of our many experienced students there in Boston, and remain happy in Krsna Consciousness under the care and guidance of Sriman Satsvarupa and Sriman Brahmananda as you are their younger sister. I am enclosing herewith one sheet listing the 26 qualifications of a devotee, the ten offenses to be avoided in chanting the MahaMantra, and standard practices for initiated devotees. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Minoru, Kenji **Date:** April 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Sriman Minoru and Kenji, Please accept my blessings. This is the first time I am addressing to some of my Japanese friends and admirers and I am so glad to receive your nice letters. Sriman Sudama Das Adhikari has gone to your country carrying the message of Bhagavad-gita and I am so glad to learn that you two boys are cooperating with him in this great mission. I am very glad to learn also that you are feeling joy while chanting the mantra Hare Krishna. Yes, it is exactly like this. If anyone chants this mantra in good faith and in simple understanding, then surely this transcendental vibration will act immediately in spiritual bliss. Please therefore continue to chant this mantra as many times as possible throughout the day and night. I do not think there is any inconvenience or loss on your part if you do so all the time. Even when you are walking, you can softly chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, or even when you are on the bus going to somewhere you can also chant. When you are working with your hands you can also chant and when you are resting or going to take rest you can also chant. Even in your toilet room while taking bath you can also chant. In this way there is no limitation or restriction for chanting this Holy Name of God, Krishna, and His Energy, Hara. In doing this business there is no loss, but there is very great gain which is transcendental realization. At the present moment everyone of us is in gross misunderstanding of bodily consciousness and this situation is also present in the animal kingdom. The four necessities of bodily concept of life; namely eating, sleeping, mating and defending, are common in the human form of body or animal form of body. In the human form of body we get a chance for our self-realization and we should utilize this opportunity very seriously. There are many things to be described in this connection and most of them you will find in our many books already published, but this Krishna Consciousness movement is a great benediction for the human society without any discrimination between man to man. At the present moment, the human society is split up by different material interests, but if they try to understand this Krishna Consciousness movement with a little seriousness, many of our artificial problems will be solved. The Hare Krishna movement is so potential that it can do more than what is attempted by the United Nations organization. So I shall request you to cooperate with Sudama and try to push on this movement in your country and everyone will appreciate if we present things a little carefully, although it is very simple. The program is already being executed under the supervision of Sudama and your valued cooperation will encourage him very much. Whenever you feel any difficulty to understand our philosophy you may inquire from Sudama, and if there is still difficulty you are welcome to send your inquiries to me and I shall be very much pleased to satisfy you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Mr. Allen Klein **Date:** January 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Mr. Allen Klein > Legal Advisor of Mr. George Harrison > 1700 Broadway > N.Y., N.Y. 10019 Dear Mr. Klein: I am informed by Sriman Syamasundara das Adhikari that in connection with the contribution of Sriman George Harrison for publishing my book, Krishna, you were advised to contact me in my Boston Temple. But I have left Boston Temple on the 29th of December and now my present address is ISKCON Temple, 1975 La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90034. So you can contact me here in this connection. In the meantime, I am advising my representative Sriman Brahmananda Brahmacari, president of my New York Temple, and he is authorized to deal on my behalf in this connection. I am advising him (Brahmananda) also to see you in this connection. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ddb ### Letter to Mr. DDD **Date:** March 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Mr. DDD, Please accept my blessings. I have just received your nice letter together with pictures drawn by you. Thank you very much. I am so happy to see how you are drawing the activities of Krsna and His devotees the Pandavas and Jagannatha das Babaji. And I am glad to see that your letters are drawn nicely also. It is very encouraging to me that you are regularly chanting your twenty rounds of beads daily. Be careful never to decrease but increase the number and you will become more strong in Krsna Consciousness. So continue to tend your Deities first-class and be happy in Krsna's service. I am very glad to know that you are learning your arithmetic in school, but I do not know if you are staying at New Vrindaban for study because your letter is sent from Montreal, Canada. You have written that you are sending seventy dollars for my book fund, but I have not received the seventy dollars enclosed with your letter. Has it been sent by separate mail? Please let me know what has happened to it as soon as possible. Always remember Krsna Who is your dearmost friend and always serve Him just to please Him, and He will give you all intelligence how to be a first-class devotee. Just try to learn all about Krsna, chant Hare Krsna, and you will be a great preacher of our Krsna Consciousness movement. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Mr. DDD **Date:** December 19th 1970 — **Location:** Surat My Dear Mr. D.D.D.Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated as well as the enclosed booklet, and I thank you very much for these. I have read your version of the Bhagavad-gita, first chapter and it is very interesting to read how the armies were present on the battlefield of Kuruksetra and how Lord Krishna became the charioteer of His friend and devotee, Arjuna. Also I have read your excerpt from Teachings of Lord Caitanya and it was very relishable to read. So take instruction from Bhagavad-gita in this way. Your handwriting is so nice, so by printing such booklets and learning Bhagavad-gita you can then instruct others and Krishna will bless you. Please take nice care of the cows there for me and make sure that everyone is chanting their 16 rounds. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mr. Kugimoto **Date:** January 17th 1970 > 1975 La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal. 90034Mr. Maru Kugimoto Overseas Division Messrs. Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.c/o Ushigome Post Office Tokyo, Japan LT_700117_A1 Dear Mr. Kugimoto: Please refer to your letter No. ODB-K5-Q/69-1037, dated 19 November, 1969 Re: Estimate / Krishna Picture Book. I duly received it through my disciple Mr. William Berke. You have said that the price is just at your rockbottom. I have accepted the estimate, and very soon I shall send you the manuscript. The manuscript is also ready but I am simply waiting for finishing the 52 pictures. So within a month, utmost, everything will be ready. Suppose we submit everything by 15 February, will that be alright as you have said that winter season is quite convenient for you. And if it is so, then how much time will you take for finishing the whole printing work? In the meantime, I have received two complimentary dummies. So I understand that the book will be printed in two parts, namely 226 pages in each part including the pictures. It is alright, but the covering appears to be thinner than #32 Strawboard. Awaiting your early reply. Yours Sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiACBS:dbcc—Mr. William Berke ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** January 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10 Jan., 1970, and it understood that the St. Giles in the Field School is available on rent. Now you have asked my instructions in this connection. The first thing is that suppose we occupy that big house, what will happen to the present house which you have taken on lease agreement for three years? The present house being situated in a very important place, we have to think that by vacating this house we shall be losing a grand situation. Under the circumstances even though we occupy the big school house, whether we can utilize the present house or we shall keep this house as it is going on and we shall make another big attempt in that big house. So you have to consult amongst yourselves what to do in this connection. Now before occupying the house it must be thoroughly repaired by the owner, and I see that you have made a condition to grant L8,000/ (eight thousand) for repairs. If it is thoroughly repaired then it will be a grand house for our purposes. The next thing is if you are in a position to pay L1,000/- (one thousand) per month. So far I know your collection at present moment is at the rate of L40-50/- (forty to fifty) per day. Now if you occupy this house, whether it will be possible for you to collect more money by some device of Prasadam distribution or otherwise. The idea is to make the big establishment in the big house, you will have to collect at least L100/- (one hundred) per day by some means or other. The next point is whether it is possible to take the house on lease with option to purchase. The price is presently fixed up at L80,000/- (eighty thousand). Now if there is some arrangement with option to purchase and we can secure the money to pay them L80,000 the money already paid to them in lieu of rent should be deducted. In this connection, a time limit may be set up within which we may be able to secure this L80,000 and pay them less the amount already paid in lieu of rent. I think on basis of this negotiation will be alright. So far reference for bank, I have got some money for printing my books and if required I can arrange such reference from my banker. That can be arranged. What happened to the parcels from Bombay for the manjiras in the Lloyd's Bank? If you have received the consignment you can send me one pair here. I want to see how they are. Please inform Yamuna devi that I have her nice letter, and I shall reply it in due course. Also offer my blessings to all devotees, Janaki, Malati and all others. Ask Gurudasa to send me some pictures of the Installation Ceremony and some of them may be directly sent to Boston for publication in BTG.Our book, "Isopanisad," is already out and you can send orders to ISKCON Books for this item. It is very nice. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. I have not as yet received payment from George for my Krishna book. Please let me know what happens ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** February 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2 February, 1970, and I have noted the contents. Regarding the big house, try to acquire this house according to my former instructions on hire/purchase system. Regarding Temple management, I may inform you that Tamala Krishna may help you how to organize, but if you make him stay in one place and he cannot move to other places then the idea on which he was left in London—that he should see the development of the centers in France and Germany—will be jeopardized. As our branches are increasing it is necessary that somebody shall move from one place to another for improving the particular center's activities. Besides that, you have also requested to send Visnujana to London, but you know that whatever improvement has been made in Los Angeles is due to the Sankirtana Party going outside the Temple. Madhudvisa and Jayananda have gone to San Francisco, and Tamala has gone to London. So out of the four leading boys of the Sankirtana Party, three are already out. So the remaining one's, Visnujana's, presence is needed here. Gargamuni and Stoka Krishna are engaged otherwise, so Visnujana is taking care of the new devotees as well as Kirtana Party. If, therefore, he also goes away, I think that the management here will suffer. Tamala has certainly got valuable talent in dealing with outsiders, particularly with regards to arranging engagements, but I think that some of you also pick up his talents and then he will be free to move to other places so that they also may utilize his service. There are pending many important businesses in France and Germany, but if Tamala cannot go there on account of London's business, then their business will suffer. I think, therefore, that Tamala's services and talents should be learned by you and he may be allowed to go at least for a month to Germany and Paris and then come back to London. The whole idea is that he may stay one month in London and then go out for one month to Paris and Germany and then come back again to London. In this way, when things are going on smoothly everywhere, then he can devote more time in London for other important things. I have advised Hansadutta to go to London and then to go to Germany for organizing Sankirtana. I could not follow the meaning of the last line of your letter, "We look forward to the day when You grace us with Your Holy Instructions for Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana." If you mean by this line about the World Sankirtana Party, then I may inform you that for this purpose you will have to wait for some time more. The purpose of World Sankirtana Party will be to establish a center in each and every city and village of the world. This idea is taking practical shape in various centers. Just like you started for London Yatra and now after one year it has taken a shape, similarly in Germany also it has taken a shape, but in Paris it has not taken as yet. Therefore World Sankirtana Party means to establish a center everywhere we go. I do not mean a concert party or musical party that may go to a city, have some performances and collect some money without any permanent effect. For this purpose the World Sankirtana Party should consist of members who can impress spiritual ecstasy in the hearts of the people so that some of them may come forward and agree to establish a center where the Sankirtana party may go on continually. From Krishna das' letter it appears that in Germany there is good prospect for opening many centers. When you last went to Germany it was very effective. Why not first of all start a center in Paris and a few other centers in Germany and then think of the World Sankirtana Party on the basis of starting a center wherever you go. Both Tamala and yourself, Gurudasa and Syamasundara think over this idea, and in the meantime, as you are yourself a musical instructor, you can teach the newcomers in the Kirtana performances for future program. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. How is Janaki? Ask her to write me letter. I hope she is doing well. Offer my blessings to her and Malati. ACB ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** March 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17 March, 1970, with enclosure, and it is very satisfying that you have introduced Sankirtana Party procession in the public streets and parks on the occasion of Lord Caitanya's Birthday. It is a good addition to my missionary activities, and I thank you very much. In the London streets, introduction of Rathayatra procession, as well as Lord Caitanya's Birthday ceremony procession, and in the most important part of the city, a Radha Krsna Temple—all these things are great achievement of your London Yatra party, and personally I feel a great credit for me because by such activities my Guru Maharaja is certainly very pleased upon us. So whatever progress we are making by the grace of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, we must stick to them and make further progress. I am enclosing herewith two pictures of our new church buildings, which we are going to purchase at the cost of $225,000; down payment, $50,000. The whole debt has to be cleared off by twelve years. So the management here has taken a great burden upon themselves, and similarly I am awaiting the days when London Yatra party, headed by you, will have a similar achievement in London. What happened to that application you submitted for the old Oxford church? I think these Christian people do not like our advancement in the preaching work. Never mind, we shall depend upon Krsna and march on progressively. I have received word that English citizens can fly to Australia as immigrants, and the cost is only $20 per person. So under the circumstances, you can send some Brahmacaris to help out our new center in Sydney. This will be best because the British government will bear the expense of their transportation. Also you can help them out by sending them the papers of ISKCON, Ltd. from London, so they can immediately incorporate as a Commonwealth branch. The Sydney address is as follows: ISKCON Temple, 26 Horderns Place, Potts Point, N.S.W. 2011.Regarding the manjiras, I am surprised that the custom duty is cent percent. I do not know what does it mean. The whole consignment is worth L50, and they want to impose the similar amount as custom duty. In India, although our country is advertised to be very poor, the custom duty is not more than 30% on such articles. I think there is some misinformation about this consignment. Please inquire scrutinizingly. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** April 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 21st March, 1970. The karatalas have not yet reached here. Yes, I am going to the newly purchased church Temple and when I go there by Sunday next, I shall try to teach the local boys in the way of performing Sankirtana in a circle. I shall send to you the sound production with photographs if possible, and instructions also. I am awaiting the arrival of the karatalas. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** April 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I have received the karatalas, but it is completely hopeless. The man has cheated us cent per cent, but there is no way to rectify it and we shall wait for future to get the right thing. I hope everything is going on nicely in your temple, and please keep me informed regularly of the activities. I have not heard from Syamasundara for a long time. I sent him one letter of which I have not received any reply as yet. Please remind him. Please offer my blessings to all the devotees. You ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** November 25th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > London My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. After a long time I have receive your letter dated November 19th, 1970, as well as your telegram dated the 24th November, 1970. I thank you very much that you have sent the memorandums etc. Hansadutta, Syamasundara and Tamala Krsna are detained here because we are trying to establish a center in Bombay. In the meantime, if you and your wife, Janaki, may take the place of Yamuna and Gurudasa and see that things are going on nicely there. London Temple is very important and things may not be neglected there. Please see that KRSNA books are sold and the sales proceeds directly sent to Dai Nippon for credit of "Bhaktivedanta Book Fund". I have to pay still $10,000 to Dai Nippon for the order I have placed with them. The total amount was $35,000, out of which by collection from U.S.A. and something from my bank, we have paid $26,000, so another $10,000 is required. Please see that the book funds are immediately sent to Dai Nippon. Please go on sending reports regularly and offer my blessings to your wife. I shall be glad to hear from her. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** December 7th 1970 — **Location:** Indore > London My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your detailed letters (2) dated November 28th, 1970, with regard to the Regent Park land. We sent you a telegram to send the certified copy of our constitution and you also confirmed by telegram, but it is not received yet. So far the Regent Park land scheme is concerned, I have read over all your points and further talks on these may be discussed on receipt of the above mentioned documents. It is not practical proposal to request Sri Rirlaji to write to the High Commissioner. Another thing, you do not rely on Proful Patel—you find out your own place. When I was in London, this Proful Patel promised to see me many times, but he did not come. Regarding telephone at Seksaria House or anywhere else, don't try to use telephone unnecessarily. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Srimati Janaki devi. I hope you are both in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- P. S. Please arrange to send all my book-sales proceeds directly to Dai Nippon Printing Co. Tokyo and let me know ### Letter to Mukunda **Date:** December 31st 1970 — **Location:** Surat > London My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of the photos of Regents Park area as well as your telegram dated 19th December, 1970. The idea of having our temple in Regents Park was with the understanding that the government would give us a suitable plot to build on. We cannot purchase land in Regents Park, that is not possible. So unless the government agrees to give us the needed land, it is better to pass the idea for the time being. I have already written to Murari that you will take charge of our London Branch as President and that he may take the office of vice-president and assist you. I want that you and your good wife Janaki will develop the London temple, as it is practically one of our most important centers. London is the most important city in the world and as you originally opened this branch, it is my desire to see it come to full blossom under your expert management. So with the assistance of your good wife Janaki, if the two of you take charge I will be satisfied that things are all right there. Please also let me know how many books have been received from Dai Nippon and ISKCON Press; how many are sold and where the respective funds from sales are being kept; and what are the outstanding debts, especially KRSNA book. These books and money from sales are very important matters. So let me know all the above details. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Murari **Date:** November 17th 1970 > 74, Marine Drive, Bombay 20LT_701117_E My dear Murari, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of 27th October, 1970, along with that of Sriman Alan Haiste, and have noted the contents carefully. I consider that London Temple is one of our most important centers for the propagation of this Krishna Consciousness movement, therefore I am always concerned that it is running smoothly. So far I have received reports you have taken on such great responsibility nicely and this is very encouraging to me. I had considered to send Gurudas and Jamuna back to London to assist you but now I think that this will not be necessary as they are nicely engaged in preaching work in Delhi. Rather I have suggested to Rupanuga and Bhagawan Das that one of them must go to Europe to see what is the situation and report to me, and then we shall see what is to be done. Now that you are in London please try to eliminate this L4000 debt, the balance of which is unpaid Back to Godhead bills. The magazines and books are in great shortage of funds simply because the temples spend their income from literatures for temple maintenance and neglect the primary work of this Society, which is to print and distribute an increasing number of books. So please try to assist me in this way, by eliminating this debt. I have given you the hint that if you send me $10,000 you may keep the balance of profits from Krsna book to help pay this bill. Now this is my request, that you simply distribute these books immediately and deposit $10,000 in the Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit with Dai Nippon in Japan. Why you have not sent report of Krsna Book sales? Why has no money been sent? This must be done weekly. I understand that Mukund will be assisting in distribution of Krsna Book and I think that he is very qualified to do this. In fact all of my disciples in London center are very intelligent and they should unite around this single task of selling Krsna Book widely throughout Britain and sending the money immediately to Japan. So far your machinery to print cards, leaflets, and other color pictures. This is very nice if it is not too costly. Better to repay our debts than spend for costly machinery at this point. Also, we shall have only one magazine in our Society so I think that there is no need to print your monthly magazine in London. One wealthy Indian industrialist has promised a large sum to construct a magnificent temple in or adjacent to Regents Park in London. So I am asking you to help me try for this by finding out some land in Regents Park. I have heard that one mosque has been built there on land given by the government. Please find out and report to me. As soon as you have secured something very nice send me details of the property and I shall come to London to finalize negotiations for it. I think if such a nice place is there, London may become the world headquarters of our Krishna Consciousness movement. Here in India we are very encouraged by the favorable response of the Indian public, especially in Bombay. We shall begin on December 2nd a tour to Indore, Surat, and other places. Still, Guru Maharaja has instructed me to take this movement to the western countries, and especially he was favorably disposed toward London, so the West must be our first order of business, and I am most pleased that my disciples are opening many new centers there. Why don’t you open some more centers in the British Isles? If you can do this, in cooperation with your zonal secretary Shyamsunder, it will be to your great credit. New centers must be managed by strong men, trained in philosophy, samkirtan, deity worship, cooking and temple business. With these qualifications there is every chance for a successful program in any city of the world. So kindly train up men in your London center to open many centers in England. I am replying Mandakini’s letter under separate cover. Please convey my blessings to your good wife, Lilavati, and to your daughter, Subhadra. Hope this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sda. ### Letter to Murari **Date:** December 31st 1970 — **Location:** Surat > London My Dear Murari, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your three letters undated and received by me on the 9th, 11th, and 29th of December, 1970, respectively, as well as the two bank transfer copies enclosed in the latest letter. I am very glad to hear that you are working cooperatively with Mukunda in managing London temple affairs. Mukunda is a very intelligent boy and I am pleased to learn that he has again taken an active part in such affairs. It is my desire that Mukunda now act as president of London center and that your good self act as vice president. In this way go on working together and make our London center a grand success. It is a very important center and I am concerned to see that it develops nicely. You can send me reports periodically on the progress being made there. Also I have received one letter from Janaki, and she should be engaged fully in assisting her husband. In this way husband and wife can work together cooperatively and make rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness, just as in the case of Gurudasa and Yamuna who have rendered such nice service together. So far as your plan for opening centers is concerned, that program sounds very encouraging. But one thing you should know is that we cannot have another situation like Edinburgh. Once a temple has been opened it must never be closed. So if you are confident in this regard, then continue as planned. The bank transfer copies sent by you show payment to our L.A. account and therefore payment of BTG. But what payment has been made to Dai Nippon for KRSNA book? Please immediately send me a detailed report of such payment. Kindly offer my blessings to all the others there. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to My Beloved Disciples at New Vrndavana **Date:** August 18th 1970 > My Beloved Disciples At New Vrndavana RD 3, Moundsville, WV 26041, USA6-16, 2-chome, Ohhashi Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan My Dear Shamadasi, Theresa, Sanat Kumar Brahmacary, Jagatananda, and Tarunidasi; My Dear Jadunandan, Chris, Stan, Patita Pavana, Barbara, Sandinidasi, Pamela and Maria; My Dear Ekendra and DDD; My Dear John, Nathan, Richard, Jackson, Rasananda, Kenneth and Troy; My Dear Trivikram, Yaminidasi, Theresa, Devakinandan, Ranadhir, Martin and Bhagavatananda; My Dear Peter, Girish, Birbhadra, Paramananda and Satyabhama, Please accept my blessings. I was so happy to receive all your nice letters from New Vrindavana and have read them all with great pleasure. Now, however, I have come to Japan to arrange for some printing work and I am staying at our Tokyo center. I am very much encouraged to know that you are all advancing in Krsna consciousness at New Vrndavana and I am very much eager to see your transcendental community grow still more to become and ideal Krsna conscious asrama. So please follow the regular schedule of Krsna activities and be happy. I hope you are all well in Krsna consciousness. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Nara-narayana **Date:** March 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Nara Narayana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter addressed to Gargamuni dated "nil," along with a new set of beads. I have conveyed the letter to Gargamuni after learning from it that you have lost your original set of japa beads and request me to chant on these. So I have duly chanted them as you have desired, and they are returned herewith enclosed. However, in future, please be very careful to keep these sanctified beads. You should be more heedful. Now be sure to chant at least the prescribed sixteen rounds daily without fail, avoiding the ten offenses to the Holy Name, and thus advance in spiritual strength. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Nara-narayana, Dinadayadri **Date:** December 19th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > New Vrindaban My Dear Nara Narayana and Dinadayadri, Please accept my blessings, I am in due receipt of your letters dated 1st November and 26th October respectively and have noted the contents carefully. That you are working hard to build cottages there in New Vrindaban is very encouraging to me. I want very much to see this project grow, so you please continue to work in this respect. So far as what materials to be used to finish the cottages, I think whatever is easiest and least expensive is best. So far as your casting of Murtis there during the winter months, that sounds very nice. If you could produce plaster Murtis of Lord Caitanya the same size in height as Kartamashai Murtis you produced earlier, that would be very nice. And then your good wife Dinadayadri, acting as pujari there, can take nice care of that Murti. Husband and wife working conjointly in Krishna Consciousness is the perfection of household life. So both of you go on working in this way to strengthen and improve our wonderful New Vrindaban community project and Krishna will be very pleased. Hoping you are both in good health and happy in the service of Lord Krishna. Kindly offer my blessings to the others there. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Navayogendra **Date:** July 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sri Devanandana Gaudiya Math Navadvipa My Dear Navayogendra Brahmacari, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 14th July, 1970, in Bengali, and you will excuse me for replying in English to save a little time. Nowadays I am not keeping very good health and very soon I may return for a change in India. I have received no Panjika from your side, neither I have any information from New York. So it is too late now, you need not send any more copies. Regarding magazines, please inquire from Acyutananda. Please offer my obeisances to all Vaisnavas. Thank you very much once more for your kind letter. Herewith please find a copy of our booklist. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dmN.B. --- Please offer my obeisances to Srimad Narayana Maharaja. I have not heard from him in a long time. Please request hm to find out a large piece of land perhaps with a house, between Mathura and Vrndavana, for purchasing. A.C.B.S ### Letter to Nayanabhirama **Date:** August 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Philadelphia My Dear Nayana Bhirama, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 30th July, 1970, and noted the contents. I have duly initiated the new student Elaine Marberger and her spiritual name is Daivisakti devi Dasi. I have sent her beads back by separate air post and her letter is enclosed herewith. I beg to thank you also for the check of $50 contribution to my book fund, it is very welcome. Regarding your proposed marriage with Srimati Daivisakti, she appears to be a very nice intelligent devotee, so if she is agreeable to your proposal I have all blessings for your marriage. Now please work combinedly in Krsna's service with your new wife when you are married and make your lives perfect in Krsna consciousness. That is my desire. You should be very careful to always set the highest example of householder life in Krsna consciousness and that will automatically benefit all persons with whom you come in contact. So you live and work together in Krsna consciousness and be happy chanting Hare Krsna mantra. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Nayanabhirama **Date:** August 28th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Philadelphia My Dear Nayana Bhirama, Please accept my blessings. I have just received one unaccompanied cheque for $100 return addressed to your Philadelphia center. So I beg to thank you very much for this contribution which I think must be a gift for Vyasa Puja Day presentation and I have deposited it with Dai Nippon for publication of our literatures. Please offer my blessings to all the other devotees there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Nayanabhirama **Date:** September 26th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Nayana Bhirama, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Sept. 10th, 1970 and noted the contents. I have not yet received the bead bag sewn by your good wife, but I beg to thank you for the check of $100 forwarded to my book fund. I am so glad that you are now together, husband and wife, engaged in serving Krsna as an ideal Krsna Conscious householder couple. Do not be discouraged that you are only four devotees at present moment in Philadelphia. Simply you very strictly follow the routine schedule of devotional service and chanting Hare Krsna and do your best to spread this Movement amongst the local people. Krsna will send you many more sincere souls very soon to help you. So go on with your work with new efforts of increased enthusiasm and Krsna will bless you more and more in Krsna consciousness. Please increase your program of distribution to the public as well as trying to place our books and magazines in the libraries. This is very successful in libraries in other centers. I am very glad to know that Mr. Gajjar is continuing his interest in our Movement, so please encourage him in this way. It is very good that is brother, Mr. Navin Gajjar, from Taiwan, is also interested in a center there. Please contact Bali Mardan immediately in this connection. He has got great eagerness to open branches in that part of the world and he has got already invitation from Hong Kong and Fiji. So this will be added impetus to his work if you kindly give him further information regarding our friend in Taiwan. I am very happy to know that Mrs. Max, the proprietor of Paragon Bookstore has remembered me and I have written her one note which I have sent in care of you for forwarding to the proper address in New York. Please offer my blessings to all the devotees there and your good wife. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Nayanabhirama **Date:** October 26th 1970 — **Location:** Amritsar > Philadelphia My Dear Nayana Bhirama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 11th, 1970, and noted the contents with satisfaction. It is most important if you arrange lectures and kirtanas at the schools and colleges because the more intelligent young boys and girls of your country are very much eager to understand this Krishna Consciousness Movement. They are frustrated in so many ways and they are looking for something new kind of happiness which they will find in this Krsna Consciousness Movement. Please also try to introduce our books in the colleges and schools as well as local libraries. I have received word from other centers that our literatures are very well received and often they are being used as course textbooks in the schools and colleges. You are already preaching on the university campuses, so you add this book distribution to your program and make it complete with preaching, chanting of Hare Krsna Mahamantra, distribution of Prasadam and literatures. I know how well this program is received by the students because they are very intelligent. You are also very intelligent boy and devotee of Krsna and Krsna will give you even more intelligence in proportion to your endeavor to serve Him faithfully. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, whose picture in the news clipping is showing nice Krsna Consciousness, and all the other devotees there in our Philadelphia Temple. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Nayanabhirama **Date:** December 1st 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Nayana Bhirama, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 21st November, 1970 and have noted the contents carefully. Yes, I am so glad to learn that you are distributing our books in colleges and schools so nicely. Actually this Krishna Consciousness Movement is a novel proposition to the world. The world is suffering on account of atheistic conviction of life, so our theistic proposition presenting Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is certainly a great relief to the agnostics, atheists, impersonalists and voidists. In all our books we have very scientifically covered all such demons and if these books are introduced in the schools and colleges, so many beautiful souls will be saved. Your are doing a great service to humanity to introduce our books to the people in general. So far as preaching through television the mantras of Isopanisad is concerned, that will be a great success to do so. So far as moving the temple to a new location, that is very good news. When I return to your country, I must visit your temple, either from New York or from New Vrindaban. Formerly, when I first came to the U.S. I saw this Philadelphia city. It is a nice small city almost representing New York. In the Philadelphia University there is one professor of Sanskrit. His first name is Norman, and the last name is, I believe, Brown. Dr. Norman Brown. He invited me to speak in his class, so we are acquainted. If possible, try to introduce our books there. This university is in the Walnut district. If you can keep cows, it is very good. You'll get fresh milk. That's a great benefit. To take care of the cow is a religious function for the Hindus but actually if care is taken for cows, it delivers us the miracle food—cow's milk, which is so valuable. And because we drink cow's milk, we should accept the cow as our mother. That is etiquette. Someday when the opportunity comes for film-making you can do so. If you can make bona fide films it is welcome. Then I can help you by directing. So far as exporting films that is not possible. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to N.C. Chatterji **Date:** August 21st 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Sri N.C. Chatterji Member of Parliament New Delhi Dear Sri Nirmal Babu, Please accept my greetings. In reply to your letter dated July 2nd from Calcutta, I had to send a reply to you dated July 9th, 1970, and the copy of the letter is again enclosed herewith. I hope in the meantime you had some meeting with the Prime Minister of India and I am very anxiously awaiting your reply to this. I know you are very busy in your professional work, but still I am giving you trouble because I know you love this cause. I am confident of this great Krsna Consciousness Movement for worldwide peace and prosperity. I am therefore coming to India as of the 29th August, 1970, to meet all respectable Indians to help me in this great Movement. The Murtis which are donated for being established in my different centers are still held up under different pleas, so to undo this deadlock we have to take some immediate measure. I was very much encouraged when you promised to see the Prime Minister of India and other Ministers in this connection. Kindly therefore get this matter sanctioned without delay. I shall be staying in Calcutta at the following address:37/1 Hindustan RoadBallyganjCalcutta-29and will expect your reply early as possible. Hope you are well. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Nevatiaji **Date:** July 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Industry House Bombay Dear Nevatiaji, Please accept my greetings. I thank you very much for your letter dated 10th July, 1970, and noted the contents. I am surprised that the mail parcel containing the following articles has not reached you. Maybe it is delayed, but still if it is not yet arrived I shall send you a second batch on hearing from you. There was a copy of a letter addressed to Hanuman Prasad Poddar which covers all your questionnaires, so I am sending herewith another copy which will cover all your questions. Furthermore I am also giving you answers in sort of your questionnaires.1. Before 1959 I was householder. Calcutta is my birthplace. Our house was at 151 Harrison Road, now Mahatma Gandhi road. This house was originally purchased by late Siva Prasad Jhunjhun Mullick and I think at present the Govinda Bhavan is situated there. This was done long, long ago. At the present moment I am seventy-four years old complete. I was by profession chemist and druggist, and in the beginning I was manager in a very big chemical firm of Calcutta. I was educated in Scottish Churches College, appeared for my B.A. in 1920 and then joined Gandhi's movement and gave up education. I met my Guru Maharaja in 1922. I was born in a Vaisnava family—perhaps you may know Kasinatha Mullick Thakuravati—so by the grace of Krsna from the very beginning of my life I was Krsna conscious by family tradition and my father's caretaking.2. My Spiritual Master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, advised me to preach the Krsna consciousness movement in the Western world on my first meeting with him and I was preparing to come here in the Western world since a long time. I met late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Radhakrishnan and the late Lal Bahadar Shastri for this purpose. I was convinced by my Guru Maharaja that in the present status of civilization there is not scarcity of anything except Krsna consciousness. So distribution of Krsna consciousness in the best service to the human society, so I tried first of all to start this movement in India, but friends were not very much sympathetic. Therefore, with great difficulty I came here in 1965. In 1966 I registered the Society with the help of some friends and disciples, and the movement was started regularly in 1966, July, from New York. Gradually it developed and at the present moment we have got 32 branches all over the world. We have got very huge expenditure for maintaining these establishments for example in Los Angeles, we are spending near about $3000 per month, which is in Indian exchange Rs. 24,000 per month. Similarly we have got expenditure in London, New York, Hamburg, Sydney, Tokyo, etc. The source of income is generous contribution by the public and a little profit out of selling our magazines and books. We do not get any lump out of sum contribution from any of various foundations, but our boys and girls work very hard and we maintain our establishment. The main source of income is Hare Krsna. I think very confidently that this Krsna Consciousness Movement will solve all the problems of the world—political, social, economic, etc. I am writing books and articles on this subject strictly on the line of Acarya Parampara and I have a already published some books, a list of which is enclosed herewith.3. The Society is registered in each and every country as a religious and cultural institution under specific statutes. I am trying to get this institution registered in India also. So far, up to date, actually I am the only superior controller, but as the boys are getting experienced I shall very soon transfer the administration to them, simply keeping myself as an overseer guide. Because I am old man, so I am trying to maintain this standard of management uniformly with the assistance of my grown up students. But actually what we need is to render sincere service to the Lord because ultimately Krsna is the supreme manager. eko bahunam vidhadati kaman, "The Supreme One supplies all the necessities of all the living entities." Actually this is our constitution. All the devotees strictly follow our regulative principle of 1) no eating of meat, fish or eggs, 2) no illicit sex-life, 3) no taking of intoxicants including coffee, tea, tobacco and alcohol, and 4) no gambling. In each center we have a president, secretary and treasurer who manage the local affairs.4. I am sending the list of temples on separate sheet.5. Specific information about our schedule of general and specific activities you will find in the letter addressed to Sri Hanuman Prasad Poddar.6. The boys and girls here naturally they are born of rich nation and materially cultured families, but there is no spiritual guide. According to Vedanta Sutra this human form is meant specifically for spiritual understanding. So a person or a community or a nation when in the top position of material enjoyment and still does not find any peace, he searches after something better. That is the position of the Western countries. But they have no information what is that better. Therefore, the younger generation especially they are turning to be confused and frustrated and they are generally known as "hippies." Here in this Krsna consciousness movement, because the actual solace and remedy is there, they are finding it very nice and gradually they are being attracted. Some of them actually experience that before coming to this movement they did not know what is spiritual life. So there is a great potency of spreading this movement all over the world. The India Government has a Department for Cultural Affairs; if they would have taken this cultural movement as the background of Vedic civilization, then the whole world would have been happy, and India's glories would have been magnified many thousands of times than by simply imitating the Western technology which is on the verge of failure.7. Regarding Swamis and "Swaminies," you have been misinformed. Among my disciples there is only one Swami or Sannyasi, but there is no "Swaminie." Woman is never offered Sannyasa in the Vedic culture. Up to Vanaprastha stage the woman may remain with her husband as assistant or friend without any sex relation, and when a man takes Sannyasa the woman has no connection with him. I am very sorry to inform you that there are some Indian "Swamis" in this country who are living with so-called "Swaminies," but so far we are concerned we follow strictly the Vedic principles. All our students are following the regulative principles as mentioned in Section 3, paragraph 2.8. As referred to above we have got only one Swami, but no Swaminies. Rather I encourage the boys and girls to get married and live regularly on the Vedic principles. They are following this instruction and they are happy and advancing in Krsna consciousness.9. The Americans are very intelligent and qualified boys and girls so they understand the principles as genuine and thus they accept them. They understand that Krsna Consciousness Movement is neither Indian nor Hindu, but it is a cultural movement for the whole human society although of course because it is coming from India it has Indian and Hindu touch.10. Kindly refer to section 2, paragraph 3.11. We are expanding every month. Recently I received one letter from my disciple in England and the report is very favorable. In the villages of England they are very much receptive to this movement and even children in grammar school are chanting Hare Krsna. We have got many records and record albums out of which some produced by one renowned musician of London, George Harrison, has become very popular and many people from all parts of Europe are coming to see our temple in London. Recently we have opened two branches, one in Amsterdam and one in Copenhagen and another in Edinburgh.12. New Vrndavana, a transcendental community project, modeled on the Vrndavana site of Lord Krsna's pastimes, is developing nicely in the mountains of West Virginia. The primary message of Lord Krsna to surrender all one's activities unto Him, that is to carry out one's duty for the sake of Krsna, as it is delivered in the Bhagavad-gita is practically undertaken in New Vrndavana. All work in Vrndavana is specifically executed in full knowledge of its being transcendental loving service to Krsna the supreme proprietor of everything and all souls. This natural environment for living in pure Krsna consciousness or plain living and high thinking develops the spiritual character of the inhabitants and especially the Society's children who are conceived, born, raised and educated in Krsna science or natural spiritual consciousness. New Vrndavana school system provides education for children which is both practical and spiritual. This site situated in the midst of the beautiful West Virginia mountains provides an ideal setting for demonstrating the simplicity of naturalistic living based on brahminical culture and cow protection in Krsna consciousness. Cow protection practically solves the problems of sustenance and the greater portion of time of the devotees, being not engaged in the frantic scramble of materialistic competition for food and shelter, is kept engaged in the pursuit of spiritual perfection. The activities are centered on the temple schedule of Aratikas (six daily, very regularly), kirtanas and classes in the Vedic scriptures. Work is in the fields of agriculture, horticulture, dairy and construction as well as devotional studies. I am sending the description as it will appear in our Krsna consciousness handbook which is just now being printed. The complete and finished Handbook will be sent later on. Along with the section on New Vrndavana there is also a two page feature on our ISKCON Press.13. Our press owned and operated by the Society is housed in our Boston temple buildings. Presently we are printing books regularly and our monthly magazine BTG is being printed in English, French, German and Japanese editions with Spanish, Hindi, Bengali, Dutch and Danish forthcoming. The English edition is understocked at 125,000 copies per month and the other editions are printed at the rate of 10,000 per month. The public demand for our literatures is international and so much greatly increasing that although printing department (editing, transcribing, composing, layout, photography, printing and binding as well as sales) is full-time engaged and the press is kept running almost 24 hours daily we are unable to meet the demands for literatures and so we must also go to outside printers like Japan. See pages on ISKCON Press in the Krsna Consciousness Handbook.14. Rathayatra festival was celebrated in three major cities—San Francisco, London and Tokyo—with great pomp and grand success. The transcendental festivities organized for large public participation have drawn admirable comments from the city authorities regarding their unprecedented joyous nature shared by otherwise unmanageable numbers of people. The San Francisco Rathayatra was given all facility by the full cooperation of the City and public advertisement was extended by the City via the newspapers, radio and television and posters in all the public transportation vehicles as well as large banners lining the main streets. Over 20,000 persons attended for a full day of chanting and dancing as they eagerly drew the Ratha cars five miles to the sea. At the end of the procession Prasadam was sumptuously distributed to everyone and the distribution of Prasadam was extended through the next several days. Also at the end of the procession route a capacity attendance filled a standing auditorium to attentively hear the spiritual master speak. His reception was well mannered and very enthusiastic including participation in dancing sankirtana. In the accompanying packet are enclosed some prints from this year's various Rathayatra festivals and also issue No. 20 "Back to Godhead" which was a special issue on last year's festivities. Other major celebrations are Janmastami and Lord Caitanya's Abhirbhava on Phalguni Purnima. These are especially celebrated gorgeously at New Vrndavana and New Navadvipa respectively. For its lavish Rathayatras yearly for the last four years San Francisco is now commonly known as New Jagannatha Puri. We are gradually increasing the size of major festivals and eventually there will be twenty-four or two each month. The public response is always very encouraging. I will enclose in the accompanying air packet the several photographs you have desired as well as several other items which you may find helpful in preparing your article. If there is any further questionnaire which you may need, please drop my a line and I will be very glad to supply the required information. Yours very sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Nirmal Babu **Date:** June 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Nirmal Babu, Please accept my greetings. Since a very long time we are now separated, and I think I met you last at your home sometimes in 1964 before starting for America. Perhaps you have information about my activities in the Western countries and the cult of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu being nicely transplanted in the Western countries. Sometimes some of our friends donate a pair of Radha Krsna Deities for our different temples, but the Reserve Bank of India takes too much time to sanction the free gift. In this way I am put into great trouble. So I am seeking you help if something can be done that if somebody gives us free gifts of Deities the Government shall not object to it. Krsna Consciousness Movement is India's original culture. Why the Government should not help in spreading this culture while they are eager to receive it? I hope you will kindly think over this matter and help me. Hope you are well. Awaiting your early reply. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Nirmal Babu **Date:** July 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Member of Parliament New Delhi Dear Nirmal Babu, Please accept my greetings and blessings of Lord Krsna. I am very much glad to know that you have recovered from an attack of cerebral thrombosis but the grace of Lord Krsna. I shall always pray for your good health and prolonged life because at the present moment you are the only hope to us in the matter of spreading India's original culture, Krsna consciousness. When you meet the Prime Minister and other Ministers of Government, kindly try to impress upon them that Krsna Consciousness movement is not a type of religion. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that everyone is constitutionally servant of Krsna or God. In the Bhagavad-gita the same thing is confirmed that the living entities are parts and parcels of God. This philosophy is very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Unfortunately Bhagavad-gita was not properly presented as it is. Therefore I have published my edition of Bhagavad-gita in English, Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS. It is published by Messrs. MacMillan and Company and people are very much appreciating this presentation, so much so that every year since 1968 they are printing consecutively. It was first published in 1968. The second printing was in 1969 and yesterday I saw that they have printed for the third time in 1970.So I am very glad to repeat that our Krsna Consciousness movement has met with considerable success here in America and Europe. We have got up til now 33 temples in America, Europe, Japan and Australia. In America specifically we are increasing one center practically every month. Very recently we have opened our center in Chicago. I am sending per separate air mail parcel one copy of your magazine, "Back to Godhead." Perhaps you remember that this was being published from Delhi when I was there and sometimes you were very kind to give some contribution to this paper. I hope you will be very much pleased to see the present status of the paper. We are publishing this paper in English 120,000 copies per month and lesser quantities in German, French, and Japanese. We have got branches not only in London, but also in Paris and Tokyo and everywhere this Krsna Consciousness Movement has spread by the simple process of chanting the Maha mantra—Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and speaking some philosophical topics from the Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS is getting very good response. Perhaps you might have seen in the "Kalyana" of Gorakhpur an article about us, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in the April 1970 issue. They have very nicely presented news about our activities. As a result we are getting many inquiries from India. The former Ambassador of U.S.A., Sri B. K. Nehru, who may be at present moment Governor in Assam, knows me very well and about my movement and Sri Apa B. Pant, the High Commissioner of India in England, knows me very well and about my movement also. Within the magazine I am sending you one photograph of my meeting with Sri Apa Pant. So this Krsna Consciousness cultural movement is not actually Hindu movement, but originally it is India cultural movement. Krsna does not claim Himself either as Hindu or anyone else, but He claims to be the father of all living entities. The people of the world now require this cultural movement for actual peace and prosperity. In the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said that Krsna consciousness is not a foreign thing which is imposed by force, but is dormant within everyone's heart, simply it has to be awakened by the authorized process. The authorized process is chanting of the Holy Name as it is recommended in all the Vedic literatures, and it is being effective amongst the people whose background is neither Hinduism nor Indianism. Because it is the natural propensity of all living entities it is being accepted by all classes of men without any distinction of caste, creed, or color. Such a great cultural movement originated from India and Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation, was always carrying with him the Bhagavad-gita. Then why the Indian Government will not give its full support for this great movement? The Gandhi Memorial Fund has got immense amount of money, the Cultural Department of the Education Ministry of the Indian Government is spending so much money and why not for the real Indian cultural movement, Krsna Consciousness? So kindly try to convince the Prime Minister and take up this matter very seriously because by the spread of this cultural movement India's prestige will be glorified. Bhagavad-gita although accepted as Hindu gospel is not limited with the Hindu community. All over the world this book is studied. There are hundreds of foreign editions of this book and actually I am seeing how they are anxious to receive this culture. If you want more information I shall be very glad to supply you, and you please try to help this movement for the remaining days of your life. Both of us are now old enough. I shall complete my 74th year by the next month and you are of the same age, so let us do something combinedly for the remaining days of our life so that our mother India may be glorified all over the world. I wish to go to India early next year with some of my students, twenty-five to forty, to demonstrate their spiritual advancement and behavior to our men in India. I will be glad to know if you will cooperate on this attempt. On hearing from you I shall be glad to supply you more information about this. Hope this will meet you in good health and thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Nityananda **Date:** March 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Buffalo My Dear Nityananda Das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1 March, 1970, along with your beads and request to become my initiated disciple. I am glad to learn that you are already progressing nicely in Krsna Consciousness and actively engaged in leading Sankirtana Party at Buffalo Temple. So I am very happy to accept you as my bona fide initiated disciple, and your spiritual name is Nityananda Das. One who is desiring to have the eternal bliss of association of Lord Krsna by devotional service must be the sincere servant of Nityananda Prabhu, and in that way win His grace. Therefore your name is Nityananda Das, servant of Lord Nityananda. I have chanted your beads duly, and they are returned herewith. I am also enclosing one sheet of standard practices for devotees, for your reference. Please follow the regulative principles strictly, and chant daily sixteen rounds of beads regularly without fail. This is the essential process for dissolving the clouds of illusion or Maya; and when the cloud of illusion is removed, then we can understand Krsna Consciousness perfectly and that is the highest perfection of human life. So be fixed in devotional service, chant Hare Krsna mantra and be happy. I am waiting to hear of your further progress in spreading this Krsna Consciousness movement for the benefit of all concerned. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Nityananda **Date:** March 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Buffalo My Dear Nityananda das, Please accept my blessings. I have just received one note from Brahmananda which informs me that your original set of beads was lost in the mail and did not arrive in the packet with your letter of initiation. Brahmananda has sent one set of new tulsi beads, and I have duly chanted upon them and I am sending them to you enclosed herewith. I hope you are doing well in Buffalo under the guidance of Rupanuga Prabhu. Please be sure to chant at least sixteen rounds of the Holy Name daily and be happy. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Nolen **Date:** January 1st 1970 > Sriman Nolen Brahmacary > New Vrndavan > RD 3 Moundsville, WV 26041 > U.S.A. > C/O Kailash Seksaria; 74 Marine Drive; Bombay-29, India My Dear Nolen, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your nice poetic letter and I am so glad that you have begun to appreciate the sublime nature of Krsna consciousness as you have experienced being with our disciples for some months. The simple method of Lord Caitanya is to chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra sincerely, without offence of ten different kinds and one will very quickly come to the stage of ultimate happiness of life as opposed to the miserable conditions experienced by wandering back and forth in the material existence. So I am requesting you to kindly go on chanting Hare Krsna Mantra with determination to become a pure devotee of the Lord, and He will be pleased upon you to give you all facilities for advancing in His service. That will make your life both joyful and perfect. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: ds ### Letter to P. Gangulee **Date:** August 16th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Sri. P. Gangulee Minister of Education & Culture Embassy of India2107 Mass. Ave. Washington, D.C Dear Sriman P. Gangulee, Please accept my greetings. I beg to thank you for your kind letter, reference number F.562/01/M, dated 10 August, 1970.In this connection I may inform you that although there is no law by which the Temples can bar anyone's entry in India, still sometimes practically I have felt the difficulty in respect of my American and European disciples. Last time when I was in India one of my students, Harivilasa Brahmacari, felt the same difficulty when he was in the Temple of Jagannatha Puri. Similarly one disciple was refused entry in the Ranganatha Temple in Vrndavana. So if you kindly issue a general letter, suggestively reading as follows:"Certified disciple of Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta, the missionary preacher of Vaisnava cult in the Western world, is strictly following the Vaisnava regulations. They are regularly initiated in Vaisnava culture. They have changed their names in the form of Krsna das or servant of God, and are following the regulative principles very strictly, worshiping the Lord in the Temple, and thus they are converted Vaisnavas in the strict sense of the term. No Temple authority of India should therefore restrict them in the matter of offering their respects to the Deities or chanting the Hare Krsna Mahamantra within the vicinity of the Temple."Of course each and everyone of my students will carry an authorized certificate of initiation and if it is accompanied by a copy of letter as above mentioned, I think that will be a great satisfaction for me. I hope you will kindly send me this letter and in the meantime I am advising Sriman Dinesh Candra Dasa Adhikari to see the Consular Division of your Embassy in the matter of getting the necessary visa. With my best wishes, I amYour ever well-wisher,c.c. Sriman Dinesh Candra ### Letter to Paramananda **Date:** June 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > New Vrndavana My Dear Paramananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your kind letter dated 7th June, 1970, and as I did not receive your letter since a long time it is a great pleasure to have it now. You have rightly observed that I am simply trying to execute the order of my Spiritual Master. Whatever is being done it is not on account of my intelligence or endeavor because I am simply an instrument in the hands of my Spiritual Master. I do not know how far I have got the capacity to carry His order, but I may say that I have a sincere desire to do it. This is Parampara system. If a student tries to satisfy his immediate Acarya or the Spiritual Master, that is the only qualification for advancing in Krsna consciousness. This is explained in the "Guruvastakam"—yasya prasadah bhagavata prasadao. So I am very much pleased that you are doing your job very nicely. Everyone should try his best to do his part depending on Krsna and Spiritual Master, then all success is there. I have heard about you how nicely you are working in New Vrndavana. Your good wife, Satyabhama, is also doing nice in teaching work. Similarly all our students are doing their jobs very diligently, and that is my satisfaction. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. [TEXT UNCLEAR] ### Letter to Patita Uddharana **Date:** March 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Patita Uddharana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for the six volumes of our BTG magazines which you have bound up and sent to me. You have done it very nicely, and I am keeping them installed in my bookshelf for convenient reference. I do not think it is necessary to make any slip-cases as you have kindly offered. But in future, the magazines may be bound up by the full year and you may enclose in the binding also an index for the year's articles. Soon our BTG will also be printed in other languages, and it will be nice if you can also bind these in similar sets as the English BTGs.I am very glad to know that your pen is inspired to create, because we are in need of many intelligent writers who can express our Krishna consciousness philosophy nicely just following exactly the transcendental words and purports of our vast Vedic scriptures according to the previous Acaryas of our Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya. And if you continue to work in this writing and publishing of our literatures with steady enthusiasm and sincerity, your success in Krishna Consciousness is certain. Therefore to keep your spiritual strength, always observe the regulative principles strictly and chant at least sixteen rounds of beads daily without fail. This is essential for understanding our philosophy practically to advance in Krishna Consciousness. And we should always avoid mental speculations. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Patita Uddharana **Date:** May 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Patita Uddharana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 24th April, 1970, along with the typical examples of hardbound editions of Sri Isopanisad, and thank you so much for them. This binding work is so nicely made. You have done it very well, and I am completely satisfied. I very much appreciate your efforts in our ISKCON bindery, and if such binding is done we will have sure success with our books. So you can bind our books in this way, and although it may go slowly just now it is being done very nicely. Then in future you may be able to do our binding here instead of in Japan. You write to say that these are some nice typical examples of your binding work, so it is a great credit because these books any man would be proud to have. I beg to thank you once again for your kind appreciations and excellent work. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** February 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 18 February, 1970, along with one sheet enclosure, and I am very much pleased with your work. The minor mistake which you committed on the first verse of Isopanisad I marked, but I ignore it as very insignificant. I am very glad to know that you are so much repentant even for this insignificant mistake, and that will push you forward further in Krsna Consciousness. Please be happy and work on with steady and firm determination. I have read the transliteration of Bhagavad-gita verses, but I think you have to do it very carefully because there are some mistakes in some of the verses. But I am sure in your next reading they will be all corrected. So your next compositions shall be Bhagavad-gita As It Is, revised and enlarged edition. Please do it nicely. Your attempt to work on Brahma Samhita is very nice, do it carefully. Regarding the first chapter, eighth verse: the manuscript is correct "Saumadattis tathaiva ca." I have compared the text with Gita Press edition as well as Baladeva. Vidyavhusan's edition. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Arundhati, and be happy in Krsna Consciousness. I hope this will meet you in good health. Please inform Satsvarupa that I have received his letter. I have consulted with Brahmananda, and I think things are going on nicely. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** March 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I have received your questionnaire note for tape No. 20, and the answers are as follows:1. Pg. 9 line 14 you can make it Kartikeya.2. Pg. 9 line 15: In my Srimad-Bhagavatam it is written Sri Sailam. At that time it was known as Sailapura, and now it is known as Solapura. It is still a pilgrimage in Mahar, and because Balaramaji was traveling in South India, this is Solapura is in South India.3. Pg. 9 line 18; yes, Dravidadesa is correct.4. Pg. 9 third paragraph: Bvankatachaila is incorrect. It should be Venkatacala.5. Pg. 10: panda is correctPlease offer my blessings to your good wife, Arundhati. I hope you are both in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- N.B. Regarding point #2: you can put the present name "Solapura" and then in parenthesis (Sailapura) ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** April 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I have just received one check of contribution from Brahmananda and I understand that you have contributed $500, so I thank you very much for this. May Krsna bless both you and your good wife. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** April 5th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 31st March, 1970, and in the meantime I have received one small tape record. Your teaching of Sanskrit pronunciation has been very much successful. I was just thinking of teaching our students the pronunciation of the Sanskrit verses in the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc. and by Krsna's will you have already begun this. It will be a great help for me if the students are taught to pronounce in Sanskrit vibration. It will be another effect of transcendental sound vibration. But we should always remember that our aim is spiritual realization, so in such classes in the beginning there must be Kirtana and at the end also there must be Kirtana. And they should not only pronounce the verses, but they should also understand the meaning and purport of each verse, then it will be grand success. If possible, you can make another complete tape for use in other centers. You should make several copies and perhaps Dinesh can help you in this connection. Then distribute these specimen tapes to all centers and they may be asked for the charges. About word endings, when we speak about sabdharupa it is just like the sabdarupa is gunin or svamin, but when we actually articulate, we speak the nominative form. In the place of gunin we speak guni (nominative form). So the nominative part of speech is used when we articulate, not the pratipadika. That is usage. Similarly in the matter of atman, we should speak atma. So I do not know what the scholars in this place want to have. You can make your own discrimination. Do you think you shall require all these books? Of course I have no objection if you keep these as reference books, but we should always remember that we have to give more stress on our spiritual side than the scholastic side. But at the same time, if our books are presented in a scholarly way, that will be very nice. So you use the best part of discretion and do the needful. So far grammar is concerned, one has to learn Sanskrit grammar for at least 12 years, then he becomes an expert grammarian. In India, those who are Sanskrit scholars studied in the beginning, from 5 to 15 years—that is for ten years continually—and they study grammar thoroughly. When one is expert in grammatical rulings and formation—that is to say: sabda, dhatu, sandhi, samasa, prakaran, vidhan, pratyaya, adhikarana—after this they study nyaya. In this way, when one is expert in 10 to 12 years, that is by the age of the 17th year, a student becomes very much expert and any departmental knowledge he can master in 1 to 2 years. But you need not become such a scholar. You require simply to understand Sastras Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc. and chant Hare Krsna Mantra as much as possible. The thing is if you give more stress on scholarly line, other devotees will try to imitate you. Already your wife has express such intention, and as soon as we try to be scholars, our devotional line will be slackened. These points are to be kept in view always. Yes, I was missing the two volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam of Cantos 3; 7, 8, 9. So keep them with you as reference, or conveniently send them here. I think in the very near future you will be required to move from center to center to teach this verse vibration. So in each center, by hearing your tapes and by your personal presence they will become very expert in pronouncing the Sanskrit verses. Regarding your last point that you shall try to learn the various literatures very carefully and present everywhere in classes and books, that is very good. This is a nice idea and if you can do it, it is great service and Krsna will bless you. I am sure you will be successful in this attempt, but don't forget to chant sixteen rounds regularly. then you will get spiritual strength more and more. I do not know much about Mukunda dasa, but I think Jiva Gosvami did commentation on Bhakti-rasamrita sindhu and that is accepted by my Guru Maharaja. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** April 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your special delivery letter dated 6th April, 1970.Regarding the prayer verses, I have sent you immediately the Bengali prayer book and you will find all the prayers of Acaryas' there. I have also sent you one copy of Panjika which will help you to find out the list of names of Acaryas' Appearance and Disappearance Days. If you can, you can prepare conveniently the Panjika or ISKCON Almanac for next year, but not now, you have got many engagements, this is for leisure hours. Regarding the new prayer addition "Namaste sarasvate devau. . .", I think you can change the word "devau" into "deve" to make it compatible with sarasvate. Sarasvate is locative, so you can change the word to "deve" to make it fit, or it can be made "devam". "Devam" is the accusative singular and "deve" is the locative singular, so both can be used, but I think "deve" will be most fitting word. Regarding your tenth point, the word "Radharamanahari" is one word compound, therefore it is correct. Regarding your 9th point, the exact verse is as follows:samasrita ye padapallavamplavammahatpadam punyayaso murarehbhavambudhir vatsapadam param padampadam padam yat vipadam ne tesam(Bh. 10/14/58)meaning for a person who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Murari (Krsna), which are the shelter of all great souls and are famous for being the reservoir of all piety, this great ocean of material existence shortens like the pit-hole created by the foot of a calf and for him the supreme abode of the Lord is quite fit place for living, but not this miserable material world where there is nothing but danger in every step. Regarding your 11th point, the line should readjagannatha-svami nyayana pathagami bhavatu me. Yes, it is just a line for repetition of a great verse prayer for Jagannatha-svami, but I do not remember the whole verses just now, neither do I remember immediately where it can be found. For the present you be satisfied with this one line. Regarding ___ tipadika sabda, I consulted grammar and it is correct to mention the first case ending or nominative case. The authorized injunction in this connection is as follows:abhidheyamartre prathamapratipadikartha langa parinamavacana matre pratamaTranslation: The sound which indicates a particular subject or word should be the first case ending or nominative case. So in your last correction of Krsna tape number 27, on page 11 you have mentioned "Sannyasin", "Gosvamin", "Mayavadin", "tridandins", "svamins," etc. They should be corrected without "n"s like "Sannyasi", "Gosvami", "Mayavadi", "tridandis", etc. So in future, only the first case endings should be used, not the sound, that is the rule. Regarding your other arrangement, I have already replied you in my last letter, and as you are trying your best to make our preaching propaganda as most authoritative on the Vedic culture, Krsna will certainly help you. I think the book which I have sent you will help and the balance Krsna will teach you. We should always remember at the same time that we want to understand our business only and not try to become very scholarly because time is very short. But some of us, as you are trying may proceed on as far as possible on the scholastic way. I think the scheme of publishing Srimad-Bhagavatam chapter-wise decently is good, so that it will keep all of you engaged and the press going on. When all the chapters of the canto are printed, they can be assorted in one book form for hard bound publication. The size of the book must be symmetrical of my present Bhagavat editions—that is to say 6 1/2 inches by 9 1/2 inches. I think the present composition of the NOD is not to my standard; so whatever is done is done, but the Srimad-Bhagavatam must be to the standard size. If the books are printed in standard size (6 1/2 x 9 1/2), then the chapter pamphlets may be easily bound into a hard cover when all the chapters of the canto have been printed. Regarding your 8th point, I am enclosing a corrected xerox copy of the text for aratrika prayer by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, please find. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** April 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I have just received the blueprint copy of KRSNA, the Reservoir of Pleasure and I have begun to read it through. But I notice that there are some points you should correct before the final printing. I have already noted you the injunction that you should change the pretipadika artha to first case ending instead. Sannyasin should be printed Sannyasi, etc. So please correct these. Another point is that there are some errors in the English also. On page 2 it should read ". . . decided to kill his sister, Devaki." but it has become sisters, plural. Then, what does it mean?: "The Lord's compromise was that He had Vasudeva propose . . ." This does not seem to be very clear or at least it is very awkward expression. So please see that the editors make a very careful final proofreading before printing the final copies. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** April 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated "nil."Regarding your questions about the calendar-almanac:1. Herapancami is correct (9 July 1970).2. When there is an important Dvadasi, the Ekadasi fasting is transferred on the Dvadasi, and this is called Mahadvadasi. The 26th October, 1970, is actually Dvadasi, so the fasting is observed together, or Ekadasi fasting is disregarded, and the Dvadasi (Mahadvadasi) fasting is taken as important. You were give this old Panjika just to consult the names and spelling only. The dates are different, so whatever date I have given, that is correct. Why you are searching Byanjali Dvadasi in this last year's Panjika? What I have given is from this year's Panjika, so everything will not collaborate.3. The word is __. That is called Odana-Sasthi and the date is 14th December, 1970. That is correct even if you do not find it in the dictionary. The dictionary may not have every word.5. 7th February, 1971—Varaha-Dvadasi, I have explained the position in regard to #2.6. So far determining Ekadasi it is counted 11 days after the full moon and 11 days after the new moon, but sometimes it so happens as you have noted one day later. However, what I have given is correct. The Panjika which I gave you is old Panjika, our calendar is for this new year. Regarding the Prayer book, I did not ask you to transliterate this—somebody else has underlined, I have not underlined it. I have received both the prayer book and the panjika also with your letter. Regarding your work on the Staal Correspondence, locating references to chapter and verses and adding appropriate translations after the Sanskrit, that is alright as you have done itOn page 13 of Three Essays, manasinah is the correct word. You must always ask the Lord's grace to make you in the right position. It is not for your sense gratification, it is for the Lord's service. For the Lord's service we can ask for His grace and mercy a hundred times, but for our sense gratification we cannot pray or ask anything—that is pure devotion. I have also received a note from you, and regarding KRSNA chapter 31, page 4, top, the word Hrdaya is correct. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** May 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 8th May, 1970, and I have seen the synonyms of Brahma Samhita verses. It appears that it is nicely done, but if I have to see it scrutinizingly, it will take some time. In the last portion of your letter you write to say, "I need to have this back immediately for publication in the upcoming issue of BTG." So I can advise you that you can publish it as it is, and if there is any discrepancy we will rectify it in future. The policy of the BTG should be always writing articles which can be understood by people in general. Vedic literatures like Brahma Samhita may be published in separate books, but assimilated ideas may be published in BTG.I am sending herewith back the notes on tape #14 Krsna. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** June 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good wife, Arundhati, and your firstborn son, whom you may give the name Aniruddha. This is very good news. Now you must take the responsible post of both husband and father to guide both these good souls, your wife and son, to the perfection of human life in Krsna consciousness. You and your wife are both intelligent and advanced in devotional science, so work conjointly to raise your son in the best atmosphere of ideal family blessed by Krsna in Krsna consciousness. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 14th June, 1970, and have read it carefully. So your efforts in the matter of our Sanskrit editing are effectively improving our books more and more with scholarly standards. All your work and programs are approved by me as you have listed them. So please continue to develop your capabilities by careful work as you are doing. Your corrections of the discrepancies found in the Gita Press editions of Srimad-Bhagavatam are alright. On page 39, verse 24, the word vyajyate is correct. The style of Srimad-Bhagavatam just as I had printed earlier in the First Canto editions is very nice. Go on with this style for all our Bhagavatam editions. Regarding the missing verse #13 from the manuscript of second chapter, Second Canto, I give you the following: Second Canto, second chapter, 13rd verse: Synonyms: ekaika—one to one, or one after another; angani—limbs; dhiya—by attention; anubhavayeti—meditate upon; padadi—legs, etc.; yavat—until; dasitan—smiling; gadabhrtah—the Personality of Godhead; jitanjitan—controlling the mind gradually; sthanam—place; apahya—leaving; dharayet—meditate upon; paramparam—higher and higher; suddhyati—purify; dhir—intelligence; yatha yatha—as and as. TranslationThe process of meditation should be beginning from the lotus feet of the Lord up to the smiling face. The meditation should be placed upon the lotus feet, then to the calves, then to the thighs, in this way up and up, one after another, as and as the mind becomes fixed up on the different parts of the limbs, and thus the intelligence becomes purified. PurportThe process of meditation recommended in the Srimad-Bhagavatam is not to fix up one's attention on something impersonal or void. The meditation should be concentrated on the Personality of Godhead, either take Him as Virata Rupa or gigantic universal form, or take Him as His Sacidananda Vigraha as described in the scriptures. There are authorized descriptions of Visnu forms and there are authorized presentations of Deities in the temples. So one can practice meditating upon the Deity, concentrating his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord gradually rising up and up to the smiling face. According to Bhagavat school the Lord's Rasa Dancing is the smiling face of the Lord. As it is recommended here in this verse that one should gradually rise beginning from the lotus feet up to the smiling face, so we shall not at once jump to understand the Lord's pastime in Rasa Dance. Better we should practice to concentrate our attention by offering flowers and tulasi on the lotus feet of the Lord. In this way as we become purified by arcana process gradually we dress Him, bathe Him, and all these transcendental activities help us in purifying our existence. So when we are on the higher standard of purification, at that time if we see the smiling face of the Lord or relish the Rasa Dance pastimes of the Lord, then we can relish His activities. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, therefore, Rasa Dance pastime is delineated in the 10th canto. The more we concentrate on the transcendental form of the Lord, either on the lotus feet or on the calf or on the thighs or on the chest, the more we become purified. In this verse it is clearly stated "as and as the intelligence becomes purified," which means as and as we become detached from sense gratification. Our intelligence at the present moment in the conditioned state of life is impure on account of being engaged in sense gratification. So the result of all meditation on the transcendental form of the Lord shall be manifested by our detachment from sense gratification. Therefore the ultimate purpose of meditation is purification of our intelligence. Those who are too much engrossed in sense gratification cannot be allowed in the matter of arcana to touch the transcendental form of Radha Krsna or Visnu Deities. For them it is better to meditate upon the gigantic Virata Rupa form of the Lord as it is recommended in the next verse. The impersonalist and the voidist are therefore recommended to meditate upon the universal form of the Lord, whereas the devotees are recommended to meditate on the Deity worship in the temple. So because the impersonalist and voidist are not sufficiently purified in their spiritual activities arcana is not meant for them. So if there are any other missing parts, please let me know immediately so that the work can go on unhindered. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Pradyumna **Date:** July 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters, one dated 6th July, 1970, and the other listing Sanskrit points from Tape #43, Chapter 90 of KRSNA. So I have noted the corrections in each case and I am returning the sheets to you herewith. I am very happy to know that your family is doing well in Krsna consciousness. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Arundhati, and your son, Aniruddha. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Professor J. F. Staal **Date:** January 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles J.F. StaalProfessor of Philosophyand of South Asian LanguagesUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CaliforniaMy Dear Professor Staal; I thank you very much for your kind letter dated 23 January, 1970. In the last paragraph of your letter you have mentioned that you are not irritated at the chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra (like some people) but rather you like it. It has given me much satisfaction, and I am sending herewith a copy of our magazine, "Back to Godhead" issue number 28, in which you will find how the students liked this chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra although all of them were neophytes to this cult of chanting. Actually it is very pleasing to the heart and the best means of infusing spiritual consciousness or Krishna Consciousness into the hearts of people in general. This is the easiest and recommended process in the Vedas. In the Brihad Naradiya Puranam it is clearly stated that it is only chanting of the Holy Name of Hari that can save the people from the problems of materialistic existence, and there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative in this age of Kali. Western culture is monotheistic, but they are being misled by the impersonal Indian speculation. The young people of the West are frustrated because they are not dilligently taught about monotheism. They are not satisfied with this process of teaching and understanding. This Krishna Consciousness Movement is a boon to them because they are being really trained to understand Western Monotheism under authoritative Vedic system. We do not simply theoretically discuss, but we learn by the prescribed method of Vedic regulations. But I am surprised to see that in the last paragraph of your letter you say, "it is an indisputable fact that the Bhagavad-gita (not to mention the Vedas) does not require such constant chanting." I think, however, that you have missed the following verse in Bhagavad-gita, apart from many other similar verses.satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha vratahnamasyantas ca mam bhaktya nitya-yukta upasate[Bg. 9.14]The engagements of the Great Souls, freed from delusion and perfect in their realization of God, are described here: "Satatam kirtayanto mam"—they are always (satatam) chanting (kirtayanto) My glories, and "nitya-yukta upasate"—always worshiping Me.So I do not know how you can say "indisputable." And, if you want reference from the Vedas, I can give you many. In the Vedas the chief transcendental vibration Omkara is also Krishna. Pranaba Omkara is the divine substance of the Vedas. Following the Vedas means chanting the Vedic Mantras, and no Vedic Mantra is complete without Omkara. In the Mandukya Upanisad, Omkara is stated to be the most auspicious sound representation of the Supreme Lord. This is also confirmed again in the Atharva Veda. Omkara is the sound representation of the Supreme Lord and is therefore the principal word in the Vedas. In this connection, the Supreme Lord Krishna says, "Pranaba Sarva Vedesu" (B.G. 7:8)—"I am the syllable Om in all the Vedic Mantras."Furthermore, in the 15th verse of chapter 15, Bhagavad-gita, Krishna says, "I am seated in everyone's heart. By all the Vedas I am to be known; I am the Compiler of Vedanta and I know Veda as it is." The Supreme Lord, seated in everyone's heart, is described in both the Mundaka and Svetasvetara Upanisads; "Dwa suparna sayuja sakhaya . ." The Supreme Lord and the individual spirit soul are sitting in the body as two friendly birds in a tree. The one bird is eating the fruits of the tree or reactions of material activities and the other bird, the Supersoul, is witnessing. The goal of Vedantic study, therefore, is to know the Supreme Lord Krishna. This point is stressed in Bhagavad-gita chapter 8, verse 13, where it is stated that by the mystic yoga process, ultimately vibrating the sacred syllable Om, one attains to His Supreme Spiritual Planet. In the Vedanta Sutras, which you have certainly read, the fourth chapter, fourth Adhikaran twenty-second Sutra states it positively; "Anavritti sabat . . ."—By sound vibration one becomes liberated. By devotional service, by understanding well what is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, anyone who goes to His Abode never comes back again to this material condition. How is it possible? The answer is, simply by chanting His name constantly. This is accepted by the exemplary disciple, Arjuna, who has perfectly learned the conclusion of spiritual science from the Yogisvara, master of mystic knowledge, Krishna, recognizing Krishna to be the Supreme Brahman, Arjuna addresses Him: "Sthane Hrsikesa . . ." (B.G. 11:36)—"the world becomes joyful hearing Your Names; and thus do all become attached to You." The process of chanting is herein authorized as the direct means of contacting the Supreme Absolute Truth the Personality of Godhead. Simply by chanting the Holy Name, Krishna, the soul is attracted by the Supreme Person, Krishna, for going home, back to Godhead. In the Narada Pancaratra it is stated that all the Vedic rituals, Mantras and understanding are compressed into the eight words; Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Similarly, in the Kalisantra Upanisad it is stated that these sixteen words Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare are especially meant for counteracting the degrading and contaminating influence of this materialistic age of Kali. All these points are elaborately presented in my book, The Teachings of Lord Caitanya. The process of chanting is, therefore, not only the sublime method for practical perfection of life, but it is the authorized Vedic principle and inaugurated by the greatest Vedic scholar and devotee (Whom we consider as an incarnation of Krishna), Lord Caitanya, and we are simply following His authorized footsteps. The scope of the Krishna Consciousness Movement is Universal. The process for regaining one's original spiritual status or eternal life full with bliss and knowledge, is not abstracted dry theorizing. Spiritual life is not described in the Vedas as theoretical, dry or impersonal. The Vedas aim at the inculcation of pure love of God only, and this harmonized conclusion is practically realized by the Krishna Consciousness Movement or chanting Hare Krishna Mantra. As the goal of Spiritual realization is only one, love of God, so the Vedas stand as a single comprehensive whole in the matter of transcendental understanding. Only the incomplete views of various parties apart from the bona fide Vedic lines of teaching, give a rupturous appearance to the Bhagavad-gita. The reconciliative factor adjusting all apparently diverse propositions of the Vedas is the essence of the Veda or Krishna Consciousness (Love of God).Thanking you once again, Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:nd ### Letter to Professor S. C. Chakravarti **Date:** October 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Sri Professor S.C. Chakravarti,D. Litt.Bolpur, India Dear Sriman Sudhindra Babu, Please accept my blessings. I am so pleased to receive your postcard dated 18th Sept., 1970. Unfortunately, I could not reply it very promptly on account of various engagements here almost twice, thrice daily besides my routine work. You will please excuse me. I am so glad to learn that you are interested in the matter of Vaisnava philosophy. Vaisnava philosophy is very simple: that God is great and everyone is His servant. Nobody can be equal to or greater than God. They are simultaneously one and different. In quality they are one, but in magnitude they are different. This is the whole philosophy of the four Vaisnava sampradayas. As we are now preaching Vaisnava philosophy throughout the world as a whole, your valuable service is most welcome. Most probably I am going out of station by the 5th instant and shall come back by the 20th or by the end of this month. If you kindly see me by that time it shall be very much appreciated and we can talk about this cooperation in detail. Regarding our institution, please read the enclosed pamphlet and you will know the synopsis of our propaganda work and as well you will find herewith enclosed a booklist of our publications. Thanking you once more for your kind letter. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Prthu **Date:** August 28th 1970 — **Location:** Unknown Place My Dear Son, (Prthu Das)Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Sivananda I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent by separate post. I have given you the spiritual name of Prthu dasa Brahmacari. King Prthu was the ideal ruler of the citizens, so you should also set the example of ideal person and spread this ideal very widely to all the citizens of your country. I can understand that you are a very sincere boy and are very eligible candidate for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the supreme destination. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Punjab National Bank **Date:** January 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Punjab National Bank P.O. Vrindaban (Mathura)U.P., India Manager Dear Sir: Re: My savings fund account No. 2913 with you. Please transfer Rs. 5,500 by mail order to your Calcutta branch at Brabourne Rd. for credit of my savings fund account No. 2595.Please send me your debit note as well as let me know what is the credit balance at present. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Punjab National Bank **Date:** September 1st 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Punjab National Bank Calcutta Dear Sir: Re: My Savings Fund Account No. 2595 with you. I am sending herewith my Pass Book per bearer, Sri Tamala Krsna Adhikari. Please make it up to date and return. Kindly note my change of address as above. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Punjab National Bank **Date:** September 8th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Punjab National Bank Calcutta Dear Sir: Re: My Savings Fund Account No. 2925 with youKindly receive the following draft of the State Bank of India in your favor and credit the same to my account above mentioned. Draft Number 1 377160 dated 4/9/70 for Rs. 5,000Draft Number 1 377161 dated 4/9/70 for Rs. 3,500Total: Rs. 8,500Please acknowledge receipt in enclosed duplicate form and oblige. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Puri Maharaj **Date:** November 19th 1970 — **Location:** BombayRamsharanam > ; 18th Road; Chembur, Bombay-71 My Dear Revered Puri Maharaj, Kindly accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. I thank you very much for your kind letter dated November 10th, 1970, received through our elder God-brother, His Grace Y. Jagannatham. I am so pleased to receive your letter inviting me and my disciples and asking me to perform the opening ceremony there. Certainly it is a great privilege for a humble servant of Krsna. In my next letter I shall inform you how far it will be possible in the month of March, because at that time it will be too warm in India. So I shall consult this matter with my immediate assistants and let you know my decision within a week. I hope you are getting my magazines regularly. But recently the publication has been delayed due to my travelling now all over the world and some of my important assistants, members of the Governing Body Commission, accompanying me. Certainly you will get my magazines regularly as I was sending as well as my books which are coming very shortly. Some of them have already reached Calcutta port and we have to undergo some formalities regarding this import of books. I thank you once more for your kindly remembering me. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dsP.T.O. ### Letter to Puri Maharaja **Date:** December 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Puri Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances. I am in due receipt of your letter dated on November 24, 1970. Perhaps you are my only Godbrother who has appreciated my humble service to the cause of Guru Gauranga. All my other Godbrothers are very much envious, as I can understand from their behavior. In your letter dated November 10, 1970, you have written to say that I should inaugurate the installation ceremony. So I am very much obliged to you for your kind invitation, and my program will be as follows: Tomorrow I am going to Indore; from Indore I shall come to Surat. From there I shall go to Gorakpur. From Gorakpur I shall go to Allahabad, and most probably from Allahabad I may go to Vrndavana. So far as Mayapur is concerned, I do not think I shall be able to attend the Gaura Jayanti celebrations at there. The reason is that I have no place of my own, and certainly there will be too much crowd during the occasion. Therefore, I want to avoid this occasion. Sometimes after we may visit. I shall go to your place from Vrndavana or from Allahabad, and we have to arrange in that way. We are thirty men and women all together. Whether you want us all to visit? Perhaps if we go from Vrindaban we shall have to take advantages of the Grand Trunk Express. Of course there is sufficient time now, and I shall be in regular correspondence with you on my tour, but I accept to visit all the places mentioned by you when I go by that side. Hope this will meet you in good health. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- PTO ### Letter to R. D. Birla **Date:** March 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sri R. D. Birla Industry House Churchgate Reclamation Bombay-1, India Dear Sri Birlaji, Please accept my greetings. I have received one letter from Sri Balmukund Parikh of 78 Woodstock Avenue, London, N.W. 11, and the copy of the letter is enclosed herewith for your perusal. Perhaps it may be known to you that in the Western world I am preaching the cult of Krishna Consciousness strictly on the Vaisnava principles, and I have established already 26 centers as listed on enclosed sheet. I want to establish many Radha Krishna Temples in all important towns and countries of the Western World. I am not only establishing Temples, but I am creating the devotees of the Temples. There are many thousands of disciples in America, Europe, Canada, Japan, and Australia. So I am in need of many pairs of Radha Krishna Murtis, and from the letter of Sri Balmukund Parikh I learn that you are interested to donate such Murtis for being installed in different parts of the Western countries. I understand that four pairs of Murtis have already been donated by your Trust through correspondence with the Secretary of the Dalmia Jayan Trust. But I want many hundreds of pairs of such Murtis. Generally in our Temples we install 24 inches high brass Murtis or 42 inches high marble Murtis. A picture of our London Deities is sent herewith for your inspection. Thanking you in anticipation of your early reply. Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Radha Madhava Sharan **Date:** June 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sri Radha Madhava Sharan Vrndavana Dear Sri Sharanji, Please accept my greetings. I beg to thank you for your kind letter dated 28th May, 1970. I am so glad to receive a letter from a 70 years old young man. Sometimes they say about me "74 years young holy man", and sometimes they say "jet-age parivrajakacarya." They also very kindly have written that I have done magic to the foreigners. So I thank you all for your good wishes, although I am not elegible for these honors. Whatever is being done, it is Lord Krishna's mercy. He is unlimited and His mercy is also unlimited, so by His mercy even a crow can dance like a peacock. Things are going here nice. The younger generation is taking very serious interest, and whatever advancement is made it is due to their cooperation. They are taking seriously to the sadacarya process—good behavior. The thing is that this country is not poverty stricken. So after material opulence the natural tendency is for something which is better. That better is spiritual enlightenment. The leaders of these countries could not deliver that better thing to the hankering souls, and as such some of them have become frustrated and confused. Now, having received this transcendental message of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, they are feeling relieved. So there is very good possibility of advancing this movement, and I am so glad that you are ready to offer your cooperation in this connection. I have advised my secretary to send you immediately a copy of "Back to Godhead," and I am getting also many demands for the KRSNA book. I think in future you will be able to get this book from Atma Ram & Sons, P.O. Box 1429, Kashmere Gate, Delhi-6.Regarding your cooperation, I have got many things to ask from you, but because you are a 70 year retired man I do not wish to overburden you. For the time being if you kindly help us by sending some goods from Vrndavana just like some chanting beads, some brass murtis, gopi-candana tilaka and similar other things. I understand that you have got business in Allahabad, so if your sons and grandsons there can supply us Banarasi dhoti and saris from Benares as well as some brass utensils from there, this is one thing. Besides that, next year I am contemplating to send a World Sankirtana Party, therefore I wish to have a nice place in India either in Vrndavana or at Prayag Sangam. So I shall be glad to know if you can help us in this connection. Thanking you once more for your kindly letter. Yours very sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Radharamana Sharanji **Date:** June 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Radha Raman Vrndavana Dear Sriman Radharamana Sharanji, Please accept my greetings and blessings of Lord Krsna. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 17th June, 1970.The most important subject immediately is that I intend the World Sankirtana Party to visit Vrndavana sometimes in January or February of 1971. So we want accommodations for at least forty men and women which will constitute the Sankirtana Party. So we want a nice place for their stay in Vrndavana for some time. If a big house is available for rent that will be very nice, or if a suitable house is available for purchase that also we could consider. There are many dilapidated big temples of our late native princes and if one of them suitable for our purpose is available either on rent or for purchase we can accept it. As you know the standard of living of Americans and Europeans is different from our standard, it is better if we can accommodate them little comfortably. In that sense commode will be convenient for them. Otherwise, my students are so nicely trained that they can even lie down on the street. But it is my duty to see to their comforts as far as possible. So please let me know if such house is available. It does not matter where it is situated. The next point is whether the principal temples in Vrndavana, say for example Radharamanaji's Temple where you are staying, will have any objection to admit these Europeans and Americans for darsana and kirtana. From sastric point of view there cannot be any objection because they are now pure Vaisnavas following rigidly the rules and regulations. As you already have seen in the "Kalyana" magazine, April 1970, they are taking twice daily bath, having kuntis, chanting Hare Krsna on the beads, decorating the body with twelve tilaka marks and following the four regulative principles 1) no eating of meat, fish or eggs, 2) no illicit sex, 3) to taking of any kind of intoxicants, including coffee, tea, and cigarettes, and 4) no gambling, strictly. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam that anyone, even in the impious source of birth, if one takes to the Krsna conscious principles he is admitted in Vaikuntha Goloka Vrndavana. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sukdev Goswami says that such things are possible by the grace of Almighty Visnu. Similarly Narada Muni has explained to Maharaja Yudhisthira that one has to be judged by the symptoms of his life and not by his birth. And this is also accepted by the great Bhagavat commentator, Sridhara Svami. So all of my disciples are trained up Vaisnavas, there is no doubt about it. But still if the Vrndavana temple owners object to their admission, then what is the remedy? I am seeking you help in this connection because suppose they go to Vrndavana and if the temple owners object for their admission, then I shall be put into great difficulty. So I am expecting your reply on this point after due investigation. Regarding exporting Vrndavana articles, you may kindly let me know what will be the charges for sending 100 pieces of japa mala, ordinary, by surface mail parcel. So far I have calculated the price of 100 pieces of japa mala will not be more than Rs. 50, and for dispatching by surface post parcel maybe almost the same amount. So kindly let me know if this is correct. I have got my account with Punjab National Bank of Vrndavana, and as such, whenever you supply some goods you will be able to take payment from the bank without any difficulty. Similarly, if your friend supplies Benaras dhoti and sari that will be very nice arrangement. I wish that if our Vrndavana center is opened you may take charge of this center and thus help advancing this Krsna Consciousness Movement all over the world. There is a great necessity for this movement from all angles of vision. I am experiencing practically that through this movement the entire human society will be happy. And as you write to say that, "the Lord has very, very kindly given me human form in the sacred soil of India—simply to serve the humanity and through that Him alone," so this is the opportunity offered to you by the Lord—take advantage of it and set exemplary activities so that our countrymen may know what is the duty of a bona fide Indian. So I will be glad to hear from you at your earliest convenience. I can read your handwriting very nicely. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Raktaka **Date:** January 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Montreal My Dear Raktaka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge I am in due receipt of your letters dated 24th and 31st of December 1969. So, I am very glad that you are determined to go ahead in Krishna Consciousness and, if you remain serious and steady, certainly you will make infallible progress. Of course, Maya is very strong, there is a chance of our falling down at any moment, but if we are able to catch hold of Krishna's lotus feet by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, then Krishna gives us all protection from the onslaught attack by Maya. Remember this principle always and follow the footsteps of Jayapataka, he is very good example, and, even there is some misunderstanding, try to tolerate and don't be agitated. I am very glad to learn that you appreciate the activities of our Boston Temple, and I was also very pleased to see their routine work. Regarding your marriage, I have all sanction for it, but I do not know what is the legal implication. Besides, that, the girl is not initiated. But if she is working very obediently in the Temple, there is no impediment in your being married with her and she may be initiated later on. I am sending herewith back the beads of Labangalatika duly chanted by me. Please offer my blessings to the twelve inmates who are living in the Temple at present and especially to the newcomers. Please try to convince them to take part in the Sankirtana Party either within or outside the Temple. So, on the whole, you have got my approval for the marriage and you can do the needful. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/db ### Letter to Ranadhir **Date:** June 29th 1970 > ISKCON CENTER: 3764 Watseka Ave.Los Angeles, Calif. 90034 My Dear Ranadhira, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distribution of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totaled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/db ### Letter to Ranadhira **Date:** January 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Wheeling, West Virginia My Dear Ranadhira, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 January, 1970. I am so glad to learn that your New Vrndavana is now expanding with all good prospects. I also thank you very much for sending me a check on my maintenance account for $50.The most encouraging news is that the school is being very nicely organized. Another encouraging thing is that Kirtanananda Maharaja has now taken up actually the work of a Sannyasi and is preaching outside our Krishna Consciousness cult with great enthusiasm. Now you can remember your last year's crying for $300. I did not very much encourage that attitude because I thought it was that necessity is the mother of invention. Now you must be realizing how it was good for you that within one year you are purchasing two adjoining lands and everything is in advancing position. Now you have got a nice truck and the road is open directly from the main road on account of the side properties being purchased. I thank you for sending me back the small book in Bengali which I was missing. Now you have this truck, and your activities will surely improve the expansion of our Vrndavana scheme. We shall hold our Janmastami ceremony in great pomp, and if by Krishna's Grace it is possible, I shall also go there. The cancelled check has no use for me, it was returned by the bank. Please do the preaching work more vigorously as Krishna has given you all facility. The sixteen word Maha Mantra is nobody's invention. There are authorized mantras in the different Puranas which are Vedic authorities. Especially in the Kali Santara Upanisad it is stated that this sixteen word Maha Mantra is the Holy Name of the Supreme Brahma for the deliverance of the fallen souls. Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted, Haridasa Thakura chanted 24 hours, all the Goswamis and Acaryas chanted, my Guru Maharaja chanted, and following all these footsteps we are also chanting. So they are authorized by disciplic succession, and all of us must chant at least 16 rounds daily to keep us fit on the Krishna Consciousness transcendental platform. Amongst all our duties surely we must not forget to complete our sixteen rounds. We should not be carried away simply by the Krishna duties which is also regarded as good as chanting, but in all circumstances we shall not forget this duty. I am very glad to learn that the small children are also increasing their dispositions and service attitude. Please get it recognized and increase the activities of the school more and more. All the devotees who desire to know may ask their questions to the elderly members but still they are open to write me for all their questions and there should not be any hesitation. I reply each and every letter that I receive, but sometimes it may be a little late due to pressure of work. But they should write; there is no checking. But it is better if simple questions are solved amongst yourselves in the Istagosthi class. Every one of you must regularly read our books at least twice—in the morning and evening, and automatically all questions will be answered. I hope this will meet you all in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Revatinandana **Date:** March 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Goleta, California My Dear Revatinandana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter dated 18 March, 1970, along with a check for my book fund paid by blessed Roy Richard. I am enclosing one letter to him herewith, which please hand over to him. From the description of your letter it is to be understood that things are going very nicely in your center. Our line of action is very simple, and if you stick to the principles, then success is sure. Regarding your question about the various demoniac species of life: the Lord's condemnation, although appearing to be very harsh, is not so. The Lord being Absolute, His condemnation is as good as His blessings. Whenever the Lord or anyone of His pure devotees condemns somebody, it is to be taken as blessing. You know that the great sage Narada condemned the sons of Kuvera to become trees, but as a result of this, they were able to see Lord Krsna which is very difficult even for the great mystic yogis. You have been a little bit perturbed that the demons are eternally condemned, and I thank you very much that you have been compassionate with the demons. That is the sign of Vaisnavism. The Lord may condemn the demons, but because the Vaisnavas are there, there is ample chance for the demons to become blessed by the devotees of the Lord. The devotees of the Lord are so powerful that each and every one of them has the power of delivering many demons, even condemned by the Lord. The preaching work of Krishna Consciousness Movement is specifically meant for delivering the demons. Therefore, if you remain faithful to the Lord, you shall be able to deliver many such demons. So there is no cause of being disappointed because of the demons being condemned by the Lord. It is the duty of the devotee to deliver them. And the Lord is so powerful that through His pure devotee anyone can be delivered, never mind how he is fallen or condemned. I think the answer of your question is now clear and you can do the needful. I have gone through the newspaper articles sent by you, and they are very important. Continue to work like this in cooperation with Dininath Prabhu who is a very good devotee. Prabhavati's husband, Harer Nama, is here in L.A. now. Please convey my blessings to all the Prabhus there working under your good direction. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Revatinandana **Date:** June 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Santa Barbara My Dear Revatinandana, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 6th June, 1970, along with a check for $100, and thank you very much. Regarding your question whether you may go to Rathayatra festival, yes, you may go because in your present temple the Deities are not regularly installed. So you can close the temple for a few days keeping in front of the Deities some dried fruits and a tumbler of water. When the Deity is installed it is called niyama seva. That means the routine seva prescribed after installation you cannot stop. But Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very kind to the fallen souls of the Kali Yuga and He is satisfied with chanting of Hare Krsna mantra. And for chanting the Hare Krsna mantra there is no hard and fast rules and regulations, so if you are absent for chanting Hare Krsna mantra somewhere else, it is as good as to chant the Hare Krsna mantra in the temple. Your chanting may not be stopped; it does not matter where you chant. The next question, about the living entities falling down in this material world are not from the impersonal brahman. Existence in the impersonal brahma is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness. Those who are in the brahman effulgence they are also in the fallen condition, so there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition. When fall takes place, it means falling down from the non-fallen condition. The non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness. So long one can maintain pure Krsna consciousness he is not fallen down. As soon as he becomes out of Krsna consciousness immediately he is fallen down. It does not matter where a living entity stays. In the material world also there are different stages of living conditions, and to remain in the brahman effulgence is also another phase of that fallen condition. Just like in the Bhagavad-gita it is stated that conditioned souls by their pious activities are elevated to the higher planetary system, but as soon as the stock of pious activities is finished he again comes down on the earthly planet. Similarly those who are elevated beyond the planetary system to the brahma effulgence, they are also prone to fall down as much as a living entity from the higher planetary system. As such those who are thinking that they are liberated by being situated in brahman effulgence are described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam as impurely intelligent. In other words, they are actually not liberated, and because they are not actually liberated they again come down to the material world as much as a living entity elevated to the higher planetary system comes down to this earthly planet. So we do not accept anyone elevated to the brahman effulgence as actually liberated. I hope this will clarify the matter for you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Revatinandana **Date:** August 27th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Santa Barbara My Dear Revatinandana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your encouraging letter dated August 15th 1970.I am very glad that you are all following the regular chanting of sixteen rounds daily very strictly. This schedule which you have made is very satisfactory, so follow the rules and regulations according to schedule and execute your duties in Krsna's service and everything will be alright. These regulative functions of chanting the rounds sixteen daily, rising early in the morning to attend Mangala Arati, holding classes for studying our scripture and going on Sankirtana, these items must not be neglected. They will quickly advance us in Krsna Consciousness and clear up all doubtful activities which have been causing mischief in our Society. It is very good news that people are gradually taking more interest in your activities there by attending love feasts, classes, Arati and Sankirtana performances. In Japan they are doing nicely and similarly I have not good report from Los Angeles that they are doing nicely also, and in Boston also they are doing nicely. Please offer my blessings to Bansidhari, Devarsi, Patraka, Divyasuri and Sriman Jim as well as all the other boys and girls. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Robert, Karen **Date:** April 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > New Vrindaban My Dear Robert and Karen, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad that you have come to our Vrindaban retreat and try to remain there for some days. Attend our classes and routine work, and I am sure you will find the place very nice. The truth within this material world is relative. The Absolute Truth is outside the relative world. Just like when a child is born, he is relative—he is born by his father. Then you go on researching and you will find that his father is also born of his father and so on. In this way if we go on searching out the Absolute Truth, you will find Him, the Supreme Person, not imperson. Just like the child is a person, therefore the agent or the truth which begot the child is taken without any hesitation as a person. Therefore the Absolute Truth cannot be imperson—that is a fact. Impersonalism is only a solace for the frustrated. When we are frustrated by the relative personalism of this material world, we try to find out, in material way, the opposite number. Just like a patient who is suffering in diseased condition tries to find out something opposite number. So this is a long course explanation, but actually impersonalism cannot give us the answer to our eternal search after peace. So far we are convinced from the Vedic literatures, God is a Person exactly like you are a person, I am a person, but His personality is very great, full with six opulences, and none of the living entities beginning from the highest like Lord Brahma down to the ant, nobody can be on the equal level with God. These things are all explained in our books, and I would request you to read these books especially the recently published Isopanisad. There are many impersonalists within our experience who renounced this world to merge into the impersonal existence, but being baffled there they come down again to the material world to find out engagement as altruist, philanthropist, communist, etc.. So there is no stand on impersonalism, but there is steady stand in Bhakti cult because in this cult God is there, the devotee is there and the devotional service activities are there, and when they are joined together that makes us able to stand on the Absolute platform. The physical activities in Vrindaban are not material activities. Just like Arjuna, in the beginning he declined to fight, and Krishna apparently induced him to fight. But does it mean that Arjuna after understanding Bhagavad-gita became a violent fighter? If that is the result of understanding Bhagavad-gita, then no gentleman would read it ever. Therefore the real thing is that in Bhakti cult the activities appear to be like those of the Karmis, but actually they are all devotional service. In New Vrindaban everyone is engaged in Krishna's service, they have no interest in material activities, but they are always ready to act anything for Krishna's sake. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Rsabhadeva **Date:** November 16th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Rsabhadeva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your encouraging letter dated October 1st, 1970, and your appreciations of devotional service in Krsna Consciousness are very nice. Now you are placed in a responsible post, so I may request you to very carefully execute the regular program as you have learned it in Los Angeles. If the regulative principles are strictly followed there is no chance of maya's dangerous influence to come in and cause some havoc. Maya is always peeping, ready to take advantage of our any lapse from devotional standard, so everyone should be continuously engaged in either chanting, studying or working and preaching. This full schedule will save you from engagement elsewhere. Maya and Krsna are always side by side. Either one is serving Krsna or he is serving Maya. Please manage the affairs of your temple in close cooperation with Karandhara and your Godbrothers and Krsna will give you the good intelligence to progress nicely. You have remarked how the students on campus receive our devotees and Krsna philosophy so well. It is a fact that they are eagerly looking for some real meaning in life and that reality is Krsna. So you must carry on work on the campuses very diligently and try to impress them with the importance of Krsna Consciousness. I am very pleased to know that Sriman Singh is helping by speaking to campus authorities and students Krsna consciously at UCI. That is a very large University and many highly intelligent boys, girls and faculty can be approached therefore joining our program. I am especially happy when you write how each devotee is executing his particular task with enthusiasm and they are chanting at least the required sixteen rounds daily. Everyone should think that he has been assigned this particular task to do by Krsna and he should be satisfied with that and do his best to accomplish the work as nicely as possible for the pleasure of Krsna only. By this cultivation of service attitude one swiftly advances in devotional service. Please offer my blessings to all the devotees there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Rsi Kumara **Date:** April 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > New York My Dear Rsi Kumara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 6th April, 1970, together with two checks for $1015.79 and $150 respectively and thank you very much. New York is the best city of your country, therefore the prospect of preaching in New York City is especially very great. I began my preaching life in this city, therefore I have got some special attraction for New York. I wish, therefore, that a fitting and imposing temple may be situated in New York. I understand that you are trying your best to secure a house, so in consultation with Brahmananda you can do it very earnestly. Regarding Sankirtana Parties in New York, Krsna will provide devotees, don't be worried. Krsna can provide anything and everything within a moment, but He waits to test a devotee. And when the devotee comes out successful from the test, He gives him all opportunity for devotional service. So everyone of you should go on with the Sankirtana Party and gradually Krsna will send more and more devotees to join you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Rudra **Date:** March 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Toronto My Dear Rudra das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27 February, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to learn that you are finding the atmosphere congenial in the new Toronto center. I think your valuable services will be put to good account there in the matter of pushing our Sankirtana movement. I have heard that there is very good potential for spreading Krishna Consciousness movement in Toronto especially among the large younger population. So I think this will be a good field for you to work enthusiastically in cooperation with other good devotees like Jayapataka, Raktaka, and Jagadisa. When I learn that you are selling many BTGs and are receiving nice support from the community, I am very much encouraged. Now we have published our Isopanisad and you must try to sell it as far as possible. I have tried to explain in this book the preliminary knowledge of God-consciousness so any layman who reads it will be able to understand our Krsna Consciousness movement to their great benefit. If you simply present our program before them with great sincerity of purpose, they will be influenced by the seriousness of our Krishna Consciousness movement, and you can further impress them to join with us. I am also glad to note that you are making practice of keeping in mind various important verses from our scriptures. This is the approved process: mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186] to "follow in the footsteps of the great authorities in Krishna Consciousness like Narada Muni and our other Acaryas." Now we are requiring our students to be very well familiar with all our literatures so that we may present our philosophy before even the most educated persons. This is very important as our movement is now growing and attracting greater notice. Regarding sleeping, there is no need of confusion on this subject. At this stage, if we do not take sufficient rest, we shall fall ill. There is no need of forcing the matter. So one should take rest enough to keep in good health. Sleeping two hours out of 24 is a later natural development. For the present, take six hours sleep at night, that is enough; and if necessary, take another hour during the day. If chanting rounds at night is not a disturbance of your daily schedule, then it is alright. But by perseverance at rigid following of devotional service your demands for extra hours sleeping will automatically diminish. Lord Nityananda is Guru. He can instruct us, but ultimately it depends on the disciple. A doctor may say "Do this, Do not do this," but if the patient does not follow the prescription, what is the result? Similarly, Nityananda Prabhu will hear the prayer of an insincere rascal, if that rascal actually wants to change his condition. One must agree not to be a rascal any more, then his rascaldom can be reformed. Jagai and Madhai begged the Lord for His mercy and they were prototype rascals, drunkards and debauchees. Lord Caitanya told them first you stop your nonsense activities, then I will accept you. So a rascal may be accepted provided he agrees to stop his nonsenses. Otherwise, how can one expect to be reformed if he does not agree or like to be reformed. To be reformed, he must agree to the reforming process. In this connection, in order to remain fixed in spiritual strength, always be sure to chant the prescribed sixteen rounds of beads daily without fail. This is essential for insuring your spiritual progress. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Rukmini **Date:** January 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Rukmini, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14 January, 1970, and have noted the contents. I have also received your gift of two boxes of laddu expertly prepared by you.* They have so far lasted and I am enjoying some each day. They are first-class. Regarding Srimurti Subhadra, the old Deity should not be repaired, but a new Deity should be carved and installed. The old Deity may be wrapped up in some cloth, tied up and weighted with stones, then put in the river. This is the procedure to be followed. You may paint Garuda with the figure of half man/half bird. That will be nice. I am happy to note that you are all trying to serve the Deities more and more nicely. Please go on in this attitude and such efforts in devotional service will become the greatest pleasure or Krishna Consciousness. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- *you can send me such laddus at least every fortnight a packet ### Letter to Rukmini **Date:** February 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Rukmini, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your gift of Lugloo Mahaprasadam and the enclosed kind note from you, and I thank you very much for these. I have immediately tasted these lugloos,* and I can understand also how you are happily advancing in the service of Lord Krsna, they are prepared so nicely. I am so happy to know that you are finding Krsna Consciousness to be the sweetest thing in life, and actually it is so. Please continue your good service attitude more and more and be certain to chant daily the sixteen rounds of beads duly, and Krsna will surely bless you with better and better intelligence for advancing your Krsna Consciousness. Always be sincere and eager to perform your duties allotted by the Lord to you and be successful and joyful in your life. Thanking you once more, and hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. So far sending these offerings after first offering them to Lord Jagannatha and Sri Sri Radha Krsna, that is alright.*This is Laddu ### Letter to Rukmini **Date:** March 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Rukmini, Please accept my blessings. Very, very much thanks for your laddus. They are very, very tasteful, and we have eaten with great relish. Still they are in stock, and I shall go on eating. Deity worship means to be very, very clean. You should try to bathe twice daily. The Deities should never be approached without having bathed first and changed to clean cloths after passing stool, etc. Keep teeth brushed after each meal, fingernails clean and trim. Be sure that your hands are clean before touching anything on the altar or the Deities. And cleanse the Deity room, altar and floor daily thoroughly. Shine the various Aratrik paraphernalia after Aratrik. This is described in the booklet for pujaris written by Silavati Dasi. The idea is summit cleanliness—that will satisfy Krsna. Regarding your dream, it is a great blessing to you that Krsna warned you. So you should never be negligent. Always be careful, then in due course you will feel the Bhava. Please offer my blessings to your good husband, Bharadraja. I hope both of you are in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** January 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated December 21 along with the picture of the new house was duly received by me while I was in Boston and we enjoyed the few days of meeting together in that Temple. It was a great transcendental pleasure to meet you all. Your statement in the letter, "All glories to Sankirtana, Prasadam and Srimad-Bhagavatam" is very welcome. Before coming to your country, when I was in India and I was planning to come here, I was thinking in the same way. I was thinking that my preaching work in this country would be a difficult job for me on account of the country's position being completely different from the principles of Bhakti cult. At that time I was also thinking of chanting and dancing in Sankirtana as well as distributing prasadam in the matter of my preaching Bhagavatam. So this planning has by the grace of my Guru Maharaja and Krishna become successful in the practical field. Forty years before when two of my eldest God-brothers came to London with this mission they simply devoted their time in lecturing in some renowned public place and inviting some leading politician to preside over the meeting. You know very well that when I began my preaching work in New York I never followed this policy of lecturing amongst the stereotyped politicians or elites of the society. And if I would have followed such a policy, I think I would also have gone back to India without any success. I think this policy of Sankirtana, Prasadam and Srimad-Bhagavatam has been successful in all the centers. Please therefore follow this transcendental policy with heart and soul and make your center as spiritually opulent as far as possible. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** February 17th 1970 > Sriman Rupanuga das Adhikary ISKCON Temple40 Englewood Avenue Buffalo, N.Y. 14214CENTER: 1975 So. La Cienega Blvd.Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your two letters dated February 7 and 9, 1970 respectively. I have also received the edited copy of Krsna tape #10.Yes. The arrangement of sending tapes to many difference centers was becoming too confusing, so I have agreed to send the tapes only to Boston and Detroit alternately. I am glad to see that you are eager to do editorial work, and in this connection you should work in close cooperation with Satsvarupa. Our editing is to correct grammatical and spelling errors only, without interpolation of style or philosophy. Regarding duplication of letters for distribution, I do not think that it is necessary. I have received encouraging news of our Toronto center's importance in the matter of reaching our Krsna Consciousness movement to the many young people who live there. I am very glad to learn that Jagadisha and Laxmimoni will be helping there. Please keep your close contact with them and help them with all advices as an experienced devotee. I am very happy to learn that your program of spreading our Krsna Consciousness movement is going on so well with classes at two universities and other outside engagements as well as the regular Temple activities. If you feel so certain that your present job is of no further practical advantage, you may leave it in favor of putting your energies all full time to managing Temple activities. Our movement is just now expanding very much and we are in need of many expert full-time leaders of our many activities to preach and also to guide the new students. So after careful consideration, if that is your decision, you may set aside your job. That is all right. But now we should increase our study of our literatures, so that we can answer the scholars and philosophers who will be coming forward as our movement attracts their attention. So you should carefully study our books very thoroughly because there are many questionnaires coming daily and I shall forward them to you also. It is most essential that all the initiated devotees study our books and learn this philosophy very well. And to get the strength for understanding these, everyone must chant sixteen rounds of beads daily without fail. In this way, when the devotee is constantly engaged in Krsna Consciousness, following the regulative principles rigidly, Krsna will give all intelligence from within how to make steady progress in Krsna Consciousness. I hope in Buffalo center you will ask all the boys and girls to follow this method, because henceforward we will have to face many scholars and philosophers to stabilize our Krsna Consciousness movement. Hope this will meet you in good health, and please convey my blessings to your wife and all the other boys and girls there. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** March 7th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Buffalo My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1 March, 1970, in which you have given your recommendation that Mr. Nico Kuyt be initiated by me. So in accordance with your recommendation, I have accepted him as my bona fide disciple, and I am returning his beads herewith duly chanted. I am glad to learn how the students are friendly toward the devotees although they are generally depressed and rebellious. So Krsna Consciousness is so nice that it can pacify even the most rebellious person because it appeals to the soul. Regarding your questions; yes, Ramadevi is the sandhini attribute of cit-sakti because her function is for creation, and the jivas are members of the samvit attribute of cit-sakti. The demigods are included within the species of human life. Most of the Spiritual Masters are situated in Madhurya rasa, but not all of them. I am very glad to learn that Nityananda Das (Nico Kuyt) is currently leading your Sankirtana. Please keep him nicely advancing in Krsna Consciousness under your guidance, and help him to learn our philosophy very well. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** March 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 24th March, 1970, and it is very encouraging. When Brahmananda came here, I discussed with him that we have now opened so many branches and they should be properly maintained. As I am personally here in Los Angeles, and because Krsna has now given us a very nice church, it will be possible for me to look after the business here to be the ideal for other centers. The church building is very excellent. I am sending herewith two pictures. We have already paid the advance money, $50,000, out of $225,000. Your contribution is very much welcome. I was to advance $20,000 as loan from my book fund, but Gargamuni has arranged not to take from me more than $11,500. So whatever contribution is received from other centers will go for repaying the loan taken from me and from other centers. Regarding moving with Sankirtana Party, as Kirtanananda Maharaja is doing now, it will be another impetus for pushing forward our mission. Please do this business very nicely. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also did like that and He presented Himself as a merchant in Krsna Consciousness selling the transcendental commodity in exchange of eagerness of the people. If people simply become faithful to the understanding of Krsna Consciousness, that will be the price for our transcendental commodity, Hare Krsna Mantra. As you are having many engagements, it is very much encouraging. The clippings which you have sent are very nice. You are going to about a dozen colleges in different places and that is very much encouraging also. I have all my blessings for Jagajjanani Dasi and Prahladananda Das for being married under your care. Train this couple for opening a new branch in one of the places you are now visiting with Sankirtana Party. Try to open as many branches as possible and manage to see them that they are going on nicely. That is my request. Please offer my blessings to your good wife and all the Prabhus there in Buffalo Temple. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** April 27th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Buffalo My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22nd April, 1970, along with enclosure of one check for $200, and thank you very much for this. The moving Sankirtana Party was programmed long, long ago, even when I was in India. When there was talk about preaching amongst our God-brothers, I used to say to my God-brothers that when I would begin preaching I shall take two trucks, one for Sankirtana Party and one for carrying requisites, and I would go from village to village throughout the whole world preaching Lord Caitanya's message. So the time has come as per my dream, by the grace of Krsna you are carrying on this program. Please therefore organize this moving Sankirtana Party as you are already doing from one school or college to another. If we can rightly impress the Krsna Consciousness idea in some intelligent student's heart, it will be of great service. Perhaps sometime after, I will request you and Kirtanananda to go to India and execute this program in the student community there. I am negotiating with a gentleman in India to get the management of a very old Radha Krsna Temple, and if this negotiation is successful, we will organize a very nice preaching center in the center of India. From this part, any side extreme boundary is not more than 1000 miles. I think that will be a very nice preaching center. So try to recruit more members for our Society because we have to open many centers, and from each center we shall organize this moving Sankirtana Party. That will be nice program for executing the will of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I am very glad to learn that you are visiting the near about centers—keep them alive by such visits. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** June 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Albuquerque My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. Since you met with the motor accident, although I am getting your news time to time, still I was very much anxious to write you directly, but I did not know your address. This morning I have got this address. So it was Krsna's grace that He saved you from a dangerous position. This dangerous position is dangerous if it does not go away after its appearance for a while. But if it goes away, then it is friend. A devotee's angle of vision being that everything is emanating from the Supreme, danger is not danger—that is the conclusion of Srimad-Bhagavatam. A devotee takes danger as also mercy of Krsna because in everything there is a purpose of Krsna and without His sanction nothing can take place. Anyway, do not be worried, Krsna has saved you, and very soon you will regain strength. Your son, Sriman Ekendra, is living with us comfortably. He has now by this time overcome the shock and now he is pleasantly chanting and dancing. I hope your wife is also improving by this time. According to Bhagavad-gita we have simply to tolerate all these temporary appearances and disappearance, our main function being to make steady progress in Krsna consciousness. Please keep me informed about your progress, and oblige. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** June 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distribution of our books and literature is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** September 25th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Buffalo My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 16th, 1970. Yes, the mail is a little slow: your letter was posted on the 17th of September and was received by me on the 23rd September. Anyway, please continue to write regularly. I am very anxious to know that things are progressing nicely under the new management of the Governing Body Commissioners. So please write at least once in a fortnight. The mail is coming through and better late than never. I have just received one letter from Brahmananda Maharaja and one from Gargamuni Maharaja sent from Florida. I have replied them in care of you and you can forward their letters to their respective addresses. Books and magazines which they may require may not be restricted. I hope you understand the spirit of my letters addressed to them and try to bring them back to the service of Krsna. I am very pleased that you all GBC members are remaining vigilant so that the disturbance in our Society may not continue. In Isana and his wife's letters there is reference to Tirtha Maharaja's name, as if they were advised by Brahmananda Maharaja and company to come to India and join Tirtha Maharaja. It appears like that. I shall be glad if you kindly inquire on this point. It is now clear that my Godbrothers take objection of my being called as Prabhupada and on this point they wanted to poison the whole Society—that is now clear. But how it was manipulated—that is a mystery. Regarding Indian consulate permission for visas, etc., I have already received telegram that they are coming here on the 3rd October, so I do not think there is any need of further effort. I have instructed Dinesh to finish up the necessary details and I am sure he will do so as he as nicely done it so far. I have received Karandhara's letter and Satsvarupa's letter and I am so glad to receive their encouraging reports. So the Portland temple is now established and you try together to open as many other branches in suitable places as possible. Please try to improve our Vrndavana scheme at New Vrndavana with the cooperation of all parties. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your $2,500 check to the "Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit." If you can arrange the tour of New England in that way I am sure you will get very good response. So please do it carefully. And if you get some monetary return, that will be nice. Yes, please see that there is very strong program for placing our books and literatures in all the libraries and school-colleges of your country. That will be a great boon to the thoughtful men of your society. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** October 28th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Buffalo My dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated October 6th and have noted the contents carefully. Formerly I issued one circular letter requesting all GBC members who are zonal secretaries also, to give me a fortnightly report of the activities in his jurisdiction, but I am not receiving. I've received no letter since a very long time from Karandhara, and I'm very interested to know how things are going in L.A. We have a great responsibility to pay $2,000. monthly to the church trustees. In regards to my activities here, I'm trying to open many centers here in India. I've sent the sannyasis letters requesting them to preach from different centers. I'm glad that Subala das Swami has gone to Amsterdam. Similarly the other three may go to other places. Why they are together? Sannyas means they should travel extensively, create new centers and new devotees—that is sannyasa business. Also they can create life members. We are making life members here in India and getting good response. The membership plan is as follows:a) LIFE MEMBER receives all our books thus far published as well as all future publications, as well as a lifetime subscription to BTG. He is also free to visit any of our temples, take prasadam there and stay there if he likes. Price is 1111 rupees (7 1/2 rupees per dollar).b) DONOR MEMBER receives all our literature thus far published as well as a life-time subscription to BTG. Price is 555 rupees.c) SUBSCRIPTION MEMBER receives a lifetime subscription to BTG. Price is 222 rupees.d) COMMON MEMBER receives a one-year subscription to BTG. Price is 33 rupees. So this same system may be introduced in other parts. In regards to how Swami Tirtha's name came up, and so many other things, forget all these past incidences. Let us now work with new life and new vigor. That your confidence in Subala Swami has been restored is nice. Actually they are all nice boys but maya has made them something else. In the course of time, they'll all become nice again. I've seen Ekendra's artwork. See that he is taken care of nicely and he will become Krishna Conscious. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** November 4th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of October 15, 1970, and the contents have given me great encouragement. When I first came to your country I had no idea how much the American people would cooperate with my Krsna Consciousness mission. But now good boys like yourself and all my other spiritual sons and daughters all around the world have been giving me great hope that I may be able to successfully fulfill my Guru Maharaja's plan. I have formed this GBC for that purpose, to keep the devotional standards at the highest level and at the same time to manage a world-wide organization. I have just now received a letter from Brahmananda Maharaja, one from Gargamuni Maharaja, and one from Visnujana Maharaja. From his letter I think that Brahmananda is feeling discouraged and not very enthusiastic. So I am asking him to come to India and live with me. In the meantime Gargamuni and Visnujana can work together for establishing a nice temple in Coconut Grove, near Miami, Florida, and that will please me very much. Please go on opening thousands of centers all over the world. I have received reports from my European centers that there has been some disturbance. I think that London is the most important center in Europe and the leadership must be very strong there, so I am asking Gurudasa and his wife Yamuna to return there. They are now in Delhi with some brahmacaris and, since they have come so far, they may remain in India for some time, but in time they will return to the London Temple. I have received one letter from Bali Mardan Das Brahmacari and he has expressed enthusiasm for his GBC post, so he shall continue in that capacity. It is my desire that every American boy and girl receive a Krsna Conscious education, so your program in the Buffalo area schools is very encouraging to me. Young people especially are eager to receive our philosophy and this must be presented very palatably, jut as you have induced your young son, Ekendra, to become first-class devotee. Now you must make hundreds of devotees like him. Regarding marriage, generally the man should be older than the woman. We have not had good experience with marriages when the woman is older. But everything must be done with reference to time, place and circumstance and in your country such a marriage is not uncommon. So if you think the match is good then you may marry them.[PAGE MISSING] ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** November 13th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Buffalo My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated October 27th, 1970, addressed to Calcutta and now redirected to me here in Bombay. We are just now receiving great publicity and it is reported that Bombay has now got its atmosphere filled with Krsna Consciousness. It is a fact, and the important members of the Bombay community are appreciating our Movement. I am very glad to receive all the enclosures and see that you are forging ahead nicely for spreading Krsna Consciousness on a scale from family to the greater society. For the present I am more prominent than all swamis. People are appreciating—What are these swamis? They cannot go outside. There is a Bengali saying that a jackal is king in a small forest. The story is that a jackal became king in the forest by fooling the other animals for some time, but he remained always a jackal and his ruse was at last exposed. I am very glad that you are receiving good promise of help from Mr. Gajjar. Please give him all encouragement in Krsna Consciousness. Regarding Bali Mardan, he has not resigned and until he or some other member does so there shall not be any change in the members of the GBC. If there is such resignation the candidates will be Gaurasundara, Mukunda and Gurudasa for replacement by vote of the remaining members of the GBC. But why have you taken information on this important matter from Gurudasa? You should not "understand" from Gurudasa; you should understand from me. Regarding the Sannyasis, they should be independent. Why they should take help from you? They are strong men, so they should manage on their own strength. That is the test of their effective preaching work. I am very glad to learn that the program for distributing our books in the libraries and classrooms is having such outstanding success. I have already assured this and I have personally placed my books formerly in the library of Bombay which they were very glad to accept. So press this matter until every library and school has fully stocked our literatures and that will be a very real success. You have made it a proposal and plan that each center shall contribute $20 monthly for the improvement of our New Vrndavana Community Project. I have no objection to this, but it has been already the program that every center shall send me maintenance funds of $15 per month and since leaving Japan I have hardly received any. I do not know if they have sent or not sent, but I have not received. So if they cannot even send my maintenance charges, you cannot depend on their sending monthly $20 for the maintenance of New Vrndavana. I have read over the GBC Memo and you make the following adjustment regarding membership charges. The comparison of India to that of U.S.A. is not the exchange value of rupees and dollars in the bank, but is according to purchasing power or manifest value, so practically one rupee is equal to one dollar by this calculation. Therefore, simply change the sign from Rs. to $$ and set the figure for Life Membership at $1,111, Donor Membership at $555. and Subscriber membership at $222. An Ordinary Member should pay only $5.00, which covers a one year susbscription to our magazine. Another thing is that we welcome life members to participate fully in our Temple programs anywhere they may travel and they may stay in the Temple where they are visiting. Your plan of the Buffalo Temple is very nice. Please develop it more and more for serving the Lord. It is a very good house. The picture in which your wife and child are engaged in preaching work—it is simply wonderful. You are ideal householder and you are teaching the world who to live with wife and children as a householder. My Guru Maharaja generally used to make a Sannyasi from Householder, but I have created householders for preaching work and your example is proving my attempt successful. Hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** December 1st 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Buffalo My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 12th November, 1970 and have noted the contents carefully. That the sannyasis have gone is all right. Also Gargamuni Maharaja is trying for Florida. That is good. I've written to him one letter encouraging him. I think things are going nicely. So please cooperate with the sannyasis. Work with them so that they may go on with their missionary activities. I've advised all the GBC members here to keep regular correspondence with you. So what is the cause for mistrust? I do not know. These engagements at schools and colleges is a most important task. If schools become interested with our philosophy and we can introduce these books, then it is our success. A little effort in this direction is sure to be successful because these are completely new thoughts for the Western world, this science of God. And because the West is scientific minded, they will take it up. We should try for this vigorously. Once they take up Krishna Consciousness in the colleges, it will be the greatest success. We've got books and we've got the Dr. Staal correspondence. Let the school authorities inquire about it. These are the propoganda items. This task should especially be entrusted to Hayagriva Prabhu because he is in one university. Not just Hayagriva, but all of you who are college graduates. You know better than me how to introduce these books into the schools. Also recently I have received one report from Jagadisa and he is distributing our books nicely. Yes, all blessings for this marriage between Nityananda das and Carol. Please also offer my blessings to the others. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** July 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Virginia Beach My dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter from Buffalo dated June 26, 1972, and I can very much appreciate the report therein. Yes, that is our main program, this traveling and preaching just as I am doing. Now you have to keep the institution in living condition in the near future, so as such you have to preach vigorously to the right point so that people will appreciate our movement and take to it. I am so much pleased that you have taken Sannyas and are preaching whole-heartedly. Do not worry about your wife and child, Krishna will take care of them. Just you save the foolish world from going to hell. Everyone has become already animals. They are not interested in morality, religion, or other subject matter of the human form of life. And when one is prepared to become animal, then what this school-college education will do? This material world seems to me like a dead body, and even though they try to decorate it very gorgeously, what use can we enjoy from such dead body? So practically we see the youth of your country have become very much frustrated by trying to enjoy this dead body, and they are seeking to find the point of real life which has been lost, but they are thinking that to become animals will give them new life, just like standing naked or growing long hairs. But without Krishna that is not possible. Therefore, it is your duty to inform them very seriously and tactfully that this dead body of material nature can only be revived if we inject it with Krishna Consciousness movement. If we do like this, then your country will become the most gorgeous place, it will be Vaikuntha. Therefore, I am especially appealing to the GBC men to take this mission of Krishna Consciousness movement very, very soberly and without any inebrieties for advancing the knowledge of how to inject Krishna Consciousness into the dead body of material nature. And I am especially convinced that your government of your country must come forward to assist us. We may approach our government leaders with our simple formula and show to them by the practical result that we are accomplishing the reform work that they are trying to do by spending millions of dollars but not very successfully. We, on the other hand, are rescuing the most fallen members of society among the young people and giving them new life of spiritual or highly desirable qualities, such as honesty, cleanliness, truthfulness, morality, like that. Now you approach the government leaders and convince them in this way, and that will be the greatest achievement. They have got so much money for spending for human welfare activities, and practically we are demonstrating that they have given us foodstuffs in India and we are distributing them daily to not less than 500 men, and if they would give us more we could also increase more and more. Your government has got inclination to assist the unfortunate people of the world, and that is very nice idea, now they should understand also that we are very much anxious and capable to assist them in their great and noble endeavor by rendering our services amongst the unfortunate citizens. If they give us financial help in this matter of human welfare activities, we are prepared to save or rescue their entire population from the clutches of ruin and degradation of all sorts. As I think you have tried once before and you have met some important political leaders in your Washington, D.C., so I am requesting you especially should take up this task very seriously of convincing your nation's leaders to give us all cooperation, and we shall in turn volunteer our all services to help them. By our mutual combination I am certain that we can improve the entire humanity to the point of spiritual understanding and thus automatically eliminate the basis for wars, poverty, disease, inequality, insufficient supplies of foodstuffs, and so many other problems that plague our so-called civilized societies. Another thing is, wherever I shall be from now on I want the Bhagavata Seminar to go on. In San Diego, I spoke at one such seminar on "Hinduism" which attracted many scholarly persons from all over the United States. So I am thinking that if we arrange similar seminar programs in the future, wherever I am speaking at the time, that will be a great success. So I am coming to New Vrindaban for the Janmastami celebration by end of August from Europe, so if you can arrange and advertise widely for such Bhagavata Dharma seminar or festival, I shall speak for minimum 7 days on the subject matter of Bhagavata Dharma. You may invite all the intelligent class of men, like students, professors, philosophers, scientists, educationists, like that, and they can pay some fee and we shall give them all facilities for living, and they shall attend our classes daily for some set period and take away immense benefit. I am enclosing the copy of one sample advertisement for the seminar in San Diego. Similarly, we can arrange such seminar at New Vrindaban. What do you think? Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sacisuta **Date:** February 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Sacisuta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 4, 1970, and I am glad to learn that you have now become steady in comparison with your flickering past life. The association of devotees is the most important element in learning Krishna Consciousness way of life. By association with undesirable companions we have learned so many bad habits and similarly by association with pure persons or devotees we can become purified of our acquired bad habits. So constant association and working cooperatively with devotees is the prime and easy method to relearn our original good habit of Krsna Consciousness. I am also very pleased to know that you are living happily with your good wife, and you are expecting a child in July. So now you must take especial care to raise the new child in such a nice way that he will become a pure devotee in Krsna Consciousness; that is the responsibility of the parents, to see that their child is freed from the clutches of Maya. It is good news that by joint agreement you are now established as a nice Krsna Consciousness family in Boston center where you are working on the press. Please do persevere and make advancement in this Krsna Consciousness movement. In this connection, I may inform you that now we are in need of devotees who are very well versed in the scriptures. The means of understanding the spirit of the scriptures is to chant regularly sixteen rounds daily without fail and follow the regulative principles rigidly. All our students must carry out these daily duties of regular chanting without offense of ten kinds, following the regulations, and studying our literatures, both in the weekly classes and individually, with close attention for thorough understanding of the transcendental subject. Regarding your first question to explain the statement of Sri Isopanisad that "even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance." In material things there is exhaustion and in spiritual things there is no exhaustion; that is the difference between matter and spirit. From one Krsna there were 16,100 Krsnas in Dvaraka, and each Krsna is as good as the original Krsna. Just like there may be 1000 candles, and all of them light up from one original candle, but still they are of the same candle power as the original candle. Similarly, there may be hundreds and thousands of emanations from Krsna the Supreme, but that does not mean that the Supreme One has diminished in potency, although all other emanations are equally potential. Regarding your second question, what I said at the airport was that everything is not your's. Everything is Krsna's; you are Krsna's. I hope this will clear the misunderstanding. If you simply chant your rounds daily as prescribed and stick strictly to the rules and regulations, all these questions will automatically be answered by Krsna as Supersoul. You may refer in this connection to Bhagavad gita, (10:10), "To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." and (10:11), "Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance." This process of understanding by devotional service is essential for developing Krsna Consciousness and you all must follow this program assiduously. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sagar Maharaja **Date:** October 21st 1970 — **Location:** Amritsar > Calcutta My Dear Sagar Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I hope you are doing well along with Hansadutta and shall be glad to hear from you the reports of your activities. I shall be glad to know also if you want to stick in Calcutta only or if required you may come to Bombay. We are very much serious to open a branch in Bombay very soon. Hope this will meet you in good health. Awaiting your early reply. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Sagar Maharaja **Date:** November 3rd 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Calcutta My dear Sagar Maharaja, Please accept my obeisances. I beg to thank you very much for your Bengali letter dated 16th, October, 1970. In Calcutta, the following inquiry should be made immediately: Madhudvisa Maharaja wrote me a letter which is missing, that somebody is willing to pay to my book fund 11,000 rupees on my return to Calcutta. So please inquire from Madhudvisa Maharaja if my immediate return to Calcutta will be helpful in this connection. If so, he can send me immediately a telegram and I shall go to Calcutta by plane. So far your acceptance by my other disciples is concerned, in the beginning there may be some inconveniences but if your decision is to work with us without any reservation, then there will be no difficulty. When I come to Calcutta this will be adjusted. Another thing is that since I've come to India, I've received many Hindi and Bengali letters. So if you work as my Indian secretary, it will be of great help to me. I shall be glad to know your decision in this matter. You have inquired from me about your future activities with our mission. Therefore this is the first offer to you. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:adb ### Letter to Sandini **Date:** June 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Columbus, Columbus My Dear Daughter Sandini Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your nice letter dated 10th June, 1970, along with your beads and request for initiation. So I am very happy to accept you as my initiated disciple, and your spiritual name is Sandini Dasi. Please keep this nice attitude of service which you have expressed in your letter, this is very necessary. Always chant the sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna Mantra on your beads, follow the four restrictive principles very rigidly, live peacefully according to the rules and regulations and your life will be perfect and sublime. Serve Krsna to the best of your capacity and when you are 24 hours engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord that is the highest stage of transcendental bliss or Krsna Consciousness. Please study our literatures and work to spread the movement of Lord Caitanya namely the Sankirtana Movement and be happy. That is my desire. I am enclosing herewith along with your beads duly chanted one sheet of qualifications and regulations for devotees. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** September 13th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated August 30th and September 4th 1970 and it appears that the arrangement for distributing books in the libraries of schools, colleges and universities as well as public libraries is very satisfactory. Do everything conscientiously and Krsna will give you all necessary intelligence. In India our preaching work is going on. Practically everyday we have got an outside nice meeting. There is regular newspaper coverage, but the difficulty is that the whole country is now communist infected. People are in very much perturbed condition. All of them are expecting me to do something for ameliorating the situation, but I am simply advising them to chant Hare Krsna because this transcendental sound is the only panacea for all material diseases. I am receiving many astounding letters regarding the new propaganda work by our four Sannyasis. I do not know why these boys are doing such nonsense and wasting their time. I received their letter from Detroit about a week ago and I have replied them duly intimating therein that instead of wasting time in that way let them work constructively. Please advise them on my behalf not to waste time in such fruitless endeavor. I hope I shall receive their reply by the grace of Krsna in the meantime. Now I have invested the GBC for maintaining the standard of our Krsna Consciousness Society, so keep the GBC very vigilant. I have already given you full directions in my books. Please counteract this contamination which has been spread throughout our Society. Regarding the printing of the serialized chapter by chapter books of the Second Canto, why stop it. Let it go on as it is, do not stop it. We may suspend the Japanese printing for now. You have written to say that it seems in general that ISKCON Press is being taken over by Dai Nippon as far as satisfaction of our needs, but there is no such question at all. ISKCON Press must continue and expand also. So far the 5,000 copies of Nectar of Devotion are concerned, there is no sufficient money just now, so this may be stopped for the time being. I am very glad to know that you are not affected by the propaganda of the Sannyasis that I am displeased with all the members of the society—I am never displeased with any member. I hope this will meet you in good health and please offer my blessings to Srimati Jadurani whom I am so glad to hear is well and working on the paintings for Bhagavatam. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** November 4th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Boston My dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of 23 September, 1970, along with the note from your good wife, and have read them with attention. The sentiments which you have expressed are very much encouraging to me, that I have got such disciples as yourself who are more anxious to serve me than my own children. You are one of my oldest and best-qualified students, so now you may, along with the other men of GBC, take over from me management of ISKCON affairs and work combinedly to open as many centers as possible all over the world. If you simply carry out the instructions which I have given you Krsna will reward you with all success. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that this chanting of the Hare Krsna Mantra will be heard in every nook and cranny of this globe. He is God, so there is no doubt about it. So if we are intelligent we will take advantage of this opportunity and get the credit. If we do not, someone else will. So far your management of Southern USA centers as Zonal secretary, I have instructed Brahmananda Maharaja, Gargamuni Maharaja and Visnujana Maharaja to open one center in Coconut Grove, near Miami, Florida. Now you must open correspondence with them in this regard and encourage them. Your plan to increase our propaganda activities in the colleges and high schools is very nice, and it is my desire that every American boy and girl will receive a Krsna Conscious education through our books. You have a very great responsibility to print and distribute these books. So far printing is concerned, if you are able to print books why not do it? I am prepared to give up dealing with Dai Nippon if ISKCON Press can print my books. What is being done with the manuscript of the unabridged Bhagavad-gita As It Is? It should be printed as soon as possible. My European disciples have written that there are no books available in Europe. I want that each and every one of my centers should be fully stocked with all of my books, never mind if they can pay or not. The principle is that every center must pay for whatever books they order, but if for some financial difficulty a center is not able to pay for books still we should supply them whatever they need. You will be pleased to know that I am resuming my translating work here in the peaceful surroundings of a Sita-Ram Temple in the suburbs of Bombay. Hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** November 25th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of several letters from you and I am answering the points from letters dated October 7th, fortnightly report dated October 24th, and letters dated November 2nd and 13rd. I am very glad that you are trying with all the other GBC members to maintain all the various functions of our very large organization up to the standard as I have set for you. This is most important. So please always work cooperatively for this end. I know that there has been a great disturbance amongst the devotees caused recently, but now things are being rectified. You are right to say that the example and kindly guidance of our elder members in the Society is the most profound force for motivating our students both new and old towards advanced Krsna Consciousness. Neglect of following the regulative activities and so-called advancement on the basis of self-motivation are both offensive. One should sincerely try to bring himself to the stage of devotional service motivated by pure love of Krsna, and our personal example must set a guide for them. You have written, and several others have written to me intimations that you are establishing a membership program in the U.S. That is very good idea. However, I have already advised Rupanuga how the Membership fees are to be fixed. Please see that this business is done consistently by all our centers, otherwise there will be a confusion. Regarding means for increasing the income of the temples, I have asked Tamala Krsna to give you some hints how to do it. I am waiting further reports on the endeavors of our Sannyasis in establishing new centers in Houston, New Orleans and Coconut Grove. I have written Brahmananda how they are to manage their own establishment program. Every Temple must work independently so far as maintenance is concerned. I was so much anxious about Advaita and I am very much concerned lest he become further victim of maya. I am anxiously waiting for a letter from him. In the meantime, I have asked that as far as possible, all unpublished manuscripts be printed by him on ISKCON Press. I have also requested Kulasekhara to go to Boston to assist Advaita and I am confident that the tense situation will be relieved. Yes. You have the right attitude towards disturbing comments of fellow devotees. Lord Caitanya has advised us to always remain more humble than the grasses and more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer respects to all persons. It is not our policy to reject someone on any personal grounds. Rather it is our duty to encourage him on the common platform of devotional service to Krsna. I have received very nice reports from all our centers how they are very much appreciating my books and they are understanding association with the Spiritual Master is the same as association with His vani or teachings. This is a transcendental fact. I am very glad that Krsna has saved you from "financial crises". In any case we shall not evade our natural dependency upon the Lord. Neither it can be done in any way. The materialists foolishly play that they are independent, but such false independence is vanquished at every instance by the superiority of the material nature. Devotees are never subject to such kinds of illusory thinking and its subsequent frustration because they keep themselves always engaged in their natural dependent position as sincere servants of the Lord. Regarding book binding, if you can produce only ten hardbound books per day that will suffice for our own purposes. For large quantities of hardbound books we shall have to depend either on Dai Nippon or some outside binder. But the softcover books are very good. Simply they must be sewn. I know these paperbound books are very popular with the college set in your country, so we should encourage them to take our books in that way also. I do not know why there should be such a lack of money for ISKCON Press. Every Temple reports very good books sales, but where is the money going? Anyway, your rectification program by the GBC in the matter of right payment of bills for literatures is good. So now please bring things under the right order. I fully approve of your idea to prepare every available manuscript up to the stage of printing, even if they remain in the layout stage for a while. I may tell you that I am not so much encouraged to work on translations unless I see that the literature is being printed or at least being prepared for printing. I have done some translating recently, but it is not yet decided whether to send you the tapes or to transcribe them here and send you a copy of the manuscript. Very soon you will know about this. I will be encouraged if you keep on with the work of readying my manuscripts and printing them. I have not heard in a long time from New York. I am confident that things are going on there alright, but still I would like to hear from you or Bhavananda report of our Temple in New York. Next time I return, I shall go first to New York. I am glad that many new centers are being opened in different places. I have had several encouraging letters from Mohanananda in Dallas and in all our centers things seem to be improving and the public reception is also improving. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** November 28th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17th November, 1970 and I have noted the contents carefully. You write to say that you have asked Karandhara to send some money received for the bookfund to pay for paper. That is alright provided that Karandhara can also continue making payments to Dai Nippon. The problem is that book money isn't being properly collected. Big books like KRSNA and NOD: NOD, 5,000 books printed @ $4.00 = $20,000.; KRSNA - 10,000 printed at $8.00 = $80,000. for a total of $100,000. $70,000. or $80,000. should have been collected, but Karandhara has only collected $24,000. So where is the rest of the money? This means that the money is not being collected properly. What can be done? Also there were so many small booklets printed. Where is the collection for them also? If collections are not being made properly, then there will be a shortage of money. So how to adjust things? Arrangements should be made so that book collection can be made properly. Also how the books are collected, how accounts are kept, how books are distributed. Then there will be no scarcity of money. Even if you take $5,000. to $10,000., that's all right so long as Karandhara can send to Dai Nippon at least $50,000. So what will be the cost of printing and folding 5,000 NODs? If Karandhara can't pay, I will see how to get it from here. (You can print and fold there and send here for collating and binding.)So far as minimizing the use of Sanskrit words in BTG, that is very nice. There is no need for so much Sanskrit. Therefore I object to the Brahma-Samhita edition. I use Sanskrit, but the purport I give immediately. I just want to see that these books be printed, whether it be on our own press or by Dai Nippon; that is my ambition. I have become slackened in my dictaphone work because the manuscripts already there are not being pushed ahead. So far as books like KRSNA, NOD, TLC, I am sure that they'll be accepted everywhere—all over the world, so we should keep sufficient stock of them, and Bhagavad-gita also. So you should arrange for reprinting and folding of 5,000 NODs and send them here as soon as possible. Also please arrange for reprinting of TLC.Pradyumna has to create another assistant locally. It is not possible at the present time to send a man from here, at least for the present moment. So he has to work a little hard. He should have created by now another assistant. I think his wife can become the best assistant. Please offer my blessings to all the other devotees there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** December 19th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated November 30th, December 3rd and 8th, 1970, along with a correspondence with one E. Michael Kelly. I have read your reply to Mr. Kelly and I find it very nice. Such important persons shou be carefully instructed so they may aid us in spreading Krsna consciousness. I have seen the layout proposal for the first pages of our new edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is and it is fully approved by me. I shall immediately write one preface to the enlarged edition as you have requested and send it as soon as possible. I have written to Karandhara that the money for printing according to Advaita's estimate of $17,000 should be realized from London. London book sales have nothing to do with my book fund. They have got 2,500 copies of KRSNA or in other words $20,000 worth of books, so they can send $17,000 for printing of Bhagavad-gita, immediately. It is a good proposal to print 10,000 copies; 5,000 for India and 5,000 for U.S.A.I am very much pleased with the two latest chapters from Srimad-Bhagavatam—The Process of Creation and The Cause of all Causes. They are so much satisfactory and I am very eager that they should be produced by ISKCON Press at a regular pace. I have written one letter to Advaita requesting him to take up his duty again unflinchingly and print our books especially the enlarged edition of Bhagavad-gita at this moment. I have great hopes that our ISKCON Press will continue and expand by the grace of Krsna. I have advised him that he must attend daily classes regularly, but there is no need of his attending other functions like Aratis etc. I have given him this special permission in this case, so you also please let him do anything, but let him be always engaged in printing our books and other required literatures. It is my opinion that he should remain as individual manager of ISKCON Press because of his experience and ability in the matter practically. I do not think that you are able to be the manager because you have got too many other very important duties. So the management may be returned to Advaita and the GBC may cooperate in this way for the continued uninterrupted function of our press department. The pictures on the Srimad-Bhagavatam Chapters are very nice. My sincere blessings are to Jadurani and the art department. If our books are printed in this standard, that will be very, very good. I do not aspire to any more efficiency in printing, but simply the printing must go on regularly. Offer my blessings to all the workers of ISKCON Press because that is my life. Next time when I go there, I shall first go to Boston. In future, if we get some nice place, some of the workers may come and start our own press here also. You may inform Jadurani that the picture she has sent is alright with necessary adjustments. Krsna is of course to be pictured in the same dress in all the scenes of the Kuruksetra delivery of Bhagavad-gita because the episode took place all within about one half hour. Some ideas are: 1) Duryodhana and Dronacarya conferring in a tent just before the battle. 2) A ratha with four horses drawn before the ranks of soldiers and akshouhini carrying Krsna and Arjuna. 3) Arjuna morose; leaving weapons aside he is almost crying. 4) A man pictured dead and also living. Krsna says to Arjuna, "the wise mourn not for the dead or the living." 5) pictures of an individual from babyhood to youthhood, in manhood and in old age and death. The figure of the soul in each different body remains the same indicating that the body changes, not the soul. 6) Krsna instructing the Sun-god; Vivasvan instructing Manu (his son). I will send you more ideas later if required by you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** December 28th 1970 — **Location:** Surat My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 23rd, 1970, Along with a press letter. I am very glad that Advaita has come back to his position, but I am very much concerned that there is a Mayavadi Sannyasi among yourselves. According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, anything spoken by the Mayavadis is very, very dangerous. If the Sannyasi who has come to our shelter becomes clean shaved and keeps a sikha with beads on his neck and chants Hare Krsna Mantra 16 rounds at least and changes his dress, then he can be allowed to stay with us. Until six months pass he cannot lecture in the meetings. On these conditions, he can render us service in the matter of Sanskrit composition, otherwise there is no need of him. Please take immediate steps in this connection and let me know what you have done in this matter. The $28,000 plus $800 contributed by Sai may not be touched for any other purpose until you hear from me. Dai Nippon's debt regarding BTG should be liquidated by the Department of BTG. Why the debt should be cleared with a contribution which Krsna has sent for another purpose? I can understand that from London the payment is not regularly coming from the very beginning, so in order to counteract this anomaly I shall be sending someone out of the four important members to check out the condition of London. Most probably Hansadutta will very soon go there. At present I am at Surat, which is very nice city in India. People are very responsive and we are getting practically every day a Life Member. There is an important meeting in Calcutta on the sixth of January, so I may be going there on the 5th of January, 1971. I am writing you this letter in great haste on account of being concerned about a Mayavadi Sannyasi being present among you. Therefore, if he completely surrenders to our principles and lives as other newcomers live, then he can be allowed. Otherwise there is no need of his staying with us. My next letter will follow very soon. You can offer my thanks to Advaita. The dummy Bhagavad-gita sent by him is approved by me. If it is possible it may be improved further. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** January 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4 January, 1970 along with the newspaper cuttings and I have enjoyed the article with nice pictures. If you go on with your work sincerely, by following the footsteps of our predecessors, certainly our movement will be recognized by the people in general. Recently, I have received a copy of one letter issued by the draft board recognizing our society as religious. So this means that both the public and government are gradually appreciating our position, and there is no doubt about it, if our motives are sincere, they will do it more and more. Now our immediate duty is that all our society members are strictly following the rules and regulations and chanting routine. That will make them steady and strong in their positions respectively. Regarding Art Department, Muralidhara has already gone to Boston, and now you have a good board of artists. And I am glad that Devahuti is also returning, so all combined together produce at least one nice picture daily. So, other news is very encouraging. So execute aratis regularly and properly. So far my book is concerned, special attention is required in the composing department, otherwise, the whole scheme will be disturbed. Regarding Krishna, please make the MS ready because if George Harrison pays for the printing in Japan, we shall have to send it immediately for the purpose. Regarding transcribing, I have written to Detroit if they can do it. In the meantime, I have engaged Devananda transcribing the tape and a primary editing also, and the copy can be sent to you for final editing and then printing. We have to do things now very dexterously, simply we have to see that in our book there is no spelling or grammatical mistake. We do not mind for any good style, our style is Hare Krishna, but, still, we should not present a shabby thing. Although Krishna literatures are so nice that, even if they are presented in broken and irregular ways, such literatures are welcomed, read and respected by bona fide devotees. That does not matter because you are not personally tending me in Boston, that is formality. I want to see that all my disciples are engaged 24 hours in the service of the Lord. If one is engaged full time in the service of the Lord, under my direction, that is my personal service. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** January 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard from you since a few weeks. I hope you are well and everything is going nicely there. Regarding tape transcription: many devotees are ready to help in this matter. I want to send daily one tape, and to finish one tape transcription and editing it takes about one week. Under the circumstances, if there are four or five men transcribing, then at least four finished manuscripts come out per week. Many devotees are ready to transcribe; like in Detroit there is Bhagavan das; in Buffalo, Rupanuga; in Berkeley, Hansadutta; as well as here, Devananda. But how to adjust things? Do you think that their transcribing will help you, or do you want to transcribe yourself? I wish that all copies, before finally going to the press, must be thoroughly revised and edited so that there may not be any mistakes especially of spelling and grammar or of the Sanskrit names. So how to finish it, I do not know. So give me your directions about this immediately. Whether I shall send the tapes directly to you or to other centers who are ready to help? How many pages and up to which chapter is the Krishna book finished up to now? How many pictures are ready? If you can let me know all these points, it will be very nice. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** January 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28 January, 1970.In Krishna book we want solid 400 pages text matter and 52 pictures. If you have got 40 paintings complete, then still you require 12 pictures more. There are 14 pictures hanging in my apartment here. Whether the 40 pictures includes these 14? On the whole, for the first part of Krishna we want 52 pictures and 400 text pages—so whether they are complete? If not, you have to finish them as quickly as possible for sending them to Japan. Regarding the tapes; I think the distribution to many centers is becoming puzzling. Therefore, I will send the tapes one to Boston and the other to Detroit alternately. I think that will solve the problem. So I will go on doing that, and you be in correspondence with Bhagavan das and do the needful. Regarding the demons' tilak: There is no necessity of putting Saivite tilaka on their foreheads, although most of the demons are like that. When there is particular mention that a demon is the devotee of Lord Siva, in that case the Saivite tilaka may be marked. Regarding titles of the pictures, I think Jadurani will be a nice judge. Otherwise, unless I see the pictures, how can I give titles for them? The pictures which I have got here I can give titles, or if I get photographs of the pictures which are being painted there, then I can give titles for all the pictures. Regarding Sridhara Swami's article: I do not know what sort of article it is, but whatever it may be, the writer's name should be Swami B. R. Sridhara and not Sridhara Swami. Sridhara Swami is a different man. Besides that, there is no need of giving any short introductory note at the present moment. Whoever sends an article for publication in our paper, and if we publish such article, it is to be understood that the version of such article is not different from ours. There is no need of discussing Siksha Guru and diksa Guru in this connection. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** February 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9 February, 1970, and I have also received the two tapes sent by separate mail. I have sent a few tapes to Bhagavan das. He sends to you his edited copies and they may be made final. I want two editings only, just to see if there is any grammatical or spelling mistake. Your present program of two editions first by yourself and then by Jayadvaita is a nice arrangement. Jayadvaita has good knowledge. In this connection, I may inform you that I have heard there is some difficulty for working on our press. I was talking yesterday with Gargamuni that the press will require an investment of great amount of money to keep it going on nicely, so please let me know what is the actual position. I understand there is some confusion about the press working and it is also understood that this confusion is due to my direction. I do not know what they mean by this. Yourself, Brahmananda, and Advaita are appointed as three directors of the press, and why there should be confusion on account of me? So many things daily I here from Gargamuni and he again speaks to Brahmananda, so let me know clearly what direction you want from me in writing. I have written to Hayagriva to send the manuscript, typed or untyped for being submitted to Dai Nippon immediately. If Hayagriva does not send it immediately, I think the duplicate copy which is with you may be submitted. The number of pictures to accompany the 400 pages text is 52 (fifty two) not 50 as you have written. I want that the manuscript and the pictures be submitted to Dai Nippon without delay. You write very nicely, I have seen you articles. In that way you may take out so many purports from Srimad-Bhagavatam and write nice articles upon them. Yes, it certainly requires many leaders to manage the many affairs of a large scale institution, so you must train up whatever men you have got and try to manage this way. Now we are increasing, and with the increment we must make arrangement for carrying on very nicely. At the same time we should see that all the members are chanting regularly, that is our strength, and following the regulative principles strictly. Maya is very strong. If we do not keep ourselves fit by chanting Hare Krsna, we may fall a victim at any moment. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** February 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13 February, 1970.Please do not be disturbed by second-hand information. Just continue your editing as you have been doing nicely. I hope you have been receiving the transcriptions and edited versions of Krsna tapes which I have sent to Bhagavan das. I have not received any copies from him, still I have continued to send him tapes, and I have sent some to you also. I am now delivering some lectures every Sunday at the L.A. Temple and the series may be called "Sinful Activities and Their Resultant Reactions." They will be transcribed here weekly, and sent to you for editing. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** February 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am just now in receipt of five tapes collected from Detroit. So I think all the tapes that were sent to Detroit and Boston are now within your jurisdiction. In the meantime, I also sent you L.A. Tapes #12, 13, and 16, and today I am sending #17. This means all the tapes recorded in L.A. are now in your custody. So instead of sending tapes anywhere else, the tapes will go regularly to Boston. Now what I want is that one tape in two days must be finished for being composed. This does not mean that one tape has to be finished so quickly, but the arrangement should be made in such a way that after some time the process will produce at least fifteen tapes completely in one month or 30 days. The process should be in the same way as I have suggested for painting of the pictures. The process is like this: Suppose on Monday you receive the tape number 17, let it be transcribed in two days by someone "A." Then in the next two days (days 3 and 4) someone "B" edits it. Then in the next two days (days 5 and 6) another "C" edits it for the second time. Then Mr. "D" gives it the diacritical marks, and then it is ready for composing. With diacritical marks, one copy should come to me for my record. The idea is that this #17 tape takes 7 days to the point of composition. In the meantime, tape #18 is coming into the process just in the same order. So I receive the final copy of tape #18 just 2 days after receiving tape #17 copy. If you follow this process, then ultimately we shall be finishing one tape in two days. Now, if we finish 15 tapes in a month, it comes to near about 300 pages per month. Therefore, very safely we can calculate that every 2 months we produce a book. Or, in other words, in every year we produce 6 books. We wish to print at least sixty books, so it will take ten years. So if you go on under this process, then at least we can hope to finish 60 books by that time. And the time allowed is quite reasonable. I have talked already about this with Brahmananda, and he says that it will be done. Anyway try to process the work in the above way and let me know how far it is feasible. So far I have not received the final copies of the tapes returned by you. So think over this matter and make the process complete, and let me know what you have done in this connection. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. My address ____ for my Spiritual Master, may be all printed in the BTG ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** March 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for sending me the transcribed copies of two tapes #17 and #18, and I see it is well done. Although there are some minor mistakes in spelling of the proper names, that is not a problem. In my next letter I will point them out and give the correct spelling. So offer my thanks to all the boys and girls who are working so hard for my Guru Maharaja's sake. Certainly He will be very pleased and bless you all for making your Krsna Consciousness life very successful. I have already written to Candanacarya to come back and help in the matter of layout. Brahmananda is already there; and please see that everything is managed nicely and at least one book is published every two months. We do not need to publish a large number at a time, but what I want is that all the manuscripts which are ready for printing may be published without further delay. That will give me much satisfaction. Your article published in the college newspaper is very nice regarding the eclipse. If we stick to our principle, certainly very soon we shall be recognized as a bona fide institution; and who can give better information than us in the matter of Spiritual understanding? The first volume of KRSNA may be delivered with pictures to Dai Nippon. I do not know whether it shall go directly to Japan or through their N.Y. office, that is up to Brahmananda. So as soon as possible, please deliver to them—it is already delayed. Regarding missing tapes, Devananda has written to both Detroit and Buffalo and he has sent you a letter also in this connection. So very soon you should be receiving the delinquent tapes from Detroit and Buffalo and then see if any are actually missing. If they are missing, I shall have to record them over again. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** March 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of the edited copy of tape #19. I shall reply the points listed by Pradyumna in a separate letter. I have received information from the Scindia Steam Navigation Co., Ltd. that the pair of Deities, 24 inches high, weighing about 50 kilograms the pair, will be arriving in Boston sometimes by the end of May 1970. They will be delivered by the New York Agents of the company. The Deities will be carried by the vessel "Jalapalaka." So you may note this, and you have to prepare a bigger throne for accommodating the larger Deities. When the large Deities are installed, the small Deities should be worshiped as Vijaya Vigraha which means this pair of Deities may go outside the Temple in a small car as they have made in L.A. This car was made by Nara Narayana, so he can give the idea. This Vijaya Vigraha may be taken out with Sankirtana Party, not always, but conveniently. In due course of time, I shall let you know the details. Your Temple will save about $400, including price and freight of the Deities from Vrindaban, India. This money may be contributed to my book fund. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. I am enclosing a note for Pradyumna herewith, please find, and also a poem to be published in BTG. Your tapes have daily been received ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** March 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16 March, 1970.Regarding your question about the art department, for the present we should finish the pictures for KRSNA first. Then, if there is opportunity, they can print pictures for Nectar of Devotion. Both are required, but most important is KRSNA. It is better to have pictures in all our books, as many as possible. I have received two copies of Easy Journey, and Advaita has done this picture cover and it is very much advanced. So he can print pictures in NOD. The printing of Easy Journey is very encouraging. I think that the second part of KRSNA should be printed in our own press. Yes, be engaged always in Krishna's duties, and you all members, husband and wife, family, friends, brothers, and sisters, all combined will feel transcendental bliss. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** March 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26th March, 1970, along with transcription of tape #23.Regarding opening of a branch in Providence, Rhode Island, it is very encouraging. Both Nandakisora and Sri Dhama are nice devotees and I am sure they will be successful in conducting the new center. It is a good news for me. To open a center for us is not very difficult job. Simply the devotees who volunteer their service must be very serious and sincere. Both Sri Dhama and Nandakisora are good administrators of Prasadam which is our peak medicine for driving away Maya; so I have all blessings for them. Let them chant Hare Krsna and distribute Prasadam, and things will come very quickly. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** April 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1st April, 1970. I am very glad to know that you are busy now in the press assembling the new book Krishna Consciousness the Topmost Yoga, that is very nice. I am sending $2,400 next week as Advaita has requested. Regarding the proposed marriage of Manmohini and Sridama, Yes, I have already sent Sridama sanctioning this marriage and offering my blessings. Subala has already got practical experience, he has performed two marriage ceremonies and he has sent me a xeroxed copy of the procedure which I have approved. I am enclosing herewith one copy and you can perform the wedding in your temple. Everyone, at least all the presidents, should be experienced in performing marriage ceremonies. I am also glad to learn that you are engaging Visvakarma to construct an enlarged altar for the new Deities. That is very nice. Then when the Deities arrive you can send the $400 to me here for my book fund. Regarding the pictures from the first volume of KRSNA, they should be all sent here and I have advised Brahmananda in that connection. Regarding your first question, there is no difference of the svayamvara ceremonies of Draupadi and Laksmana, they were almost alike. The only difference was that the fish was covered with a cloth in the case of Laksmana, but the fish was naked in the case of Draupadi. Regarding your second question, when blood stands for some time it coagulates and the coagulum subsides leaving the serum or water. So the lakes then become full with water. Regarding the third question, generally these airplanes are constructed in the shape of a swan with wings and beak and tail, etc. and on the back they put a dome like on a chariot for sitting and driving. I have drawn you one picture to convey the idea, please find it enclosed herewith. You are at liberty to make many questions like that. So long I can, I must make answers to your questions, but when I fail, I shall ask you to excuse me. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** April 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 14th April, 1970, along with the transcription of tape #30 KRSNA. Thank you very much. Regarding permission to marry Manmohini and Sridama, I have sent you one letter dated 11th April which I hope you have received by now. So in that letter I have already informed you that I have written to Sridama sanctioning his marriage and offering my blessings. I also enclosed one copy of procedure for the marriage ceremony to be performed by yourself in your temple. If you have still not received the letter and copy, ask Subala to send you one by air post. His instructions for performing the ceremony are personally approved by me. Please offer my blessings to Srimati Jadurani and to all the other boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. What has happened to the Caitanya Almanac which was to be printed? Brahmananda said it would be a little delayed, but I have not heard anything further is several weeks. Is it still being done? What is the situation? P.P.S. My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I have just received KRSNA tape #30. Why are you still putting in "sannyasin" etc? I have written you that the "n"s should be left off e.g. "sannyasi," that is the first case ending should be used. ACB ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** April 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17th instant. I am glad to know that you are about to enlarge your altar and throne to accommodate the new Deities. However, you should not put the Vyasasana in the rear as they are doing in L.A. L.A. has got a different arrangement than you have got in Boston temple. So you can put the Vyasasana along the side of the Temple room and that will be nice. I also think that you cannot make the same arrangement as L.A. for separate doors for each of the three altars, so simply expand your present altars to fit the new Deities on the basis of the old style. Regarding organization of the artists, there is no need of wasting time for learning the art from study of texts. We should always remember that our time is very short. I think our artists should be satisfied with whatever they have learned already, that is sufficient. They should be simply be engaged in painting pictures always, and that will teach them the art sufficiently. In the beginning I was seriously corresponding with Indian friends to get some good mrdanga players, but when I found it too difficult to get a man from India some of my students were given the rudimentary lessons in playing and simply by practice they are putting on Sankirtana Party everywhere. My Guru Maharaja used to say that in a foreign land where you cannot speak the language with the natives very nicely, what do you do when there is a fire in your house just to get their help? In such emergency one has to express himself somehow or other to his foreign friends and get their help to extinguish the fire. But if he wants to learn the language first and then talk with the foreign friends to get help, then everything in the meantime would be finished. Similarly if we have to learn and then paint, it will be a long-term affair. But immediately we want so many pictures for all of our books, so all the artists may always be engaged in painting works and that painting itself will gradually teach them how to make things nice. Regarding how the art department should be organized, that is to be managed amongst themselves. I do not know the technical details, I want only that they may be always engaged. Now it is up to them how to manage these things. As you have suggested, you may make any suitable arrangement and that is approved by me however you make it fit. The only thing is the artists must be always engaged fulltime in their painting work. You may inform Devahuti and the others that I am always satisfied with their work. I am satisfied only to see that everyone of us is always engaged in his respective duties. As the teacher wants to see that the students are engaged in their handwriting work. Who is writing good hand, that is a secondary question. The teacher's duty is to see that everyone is engaged in handwriting work. So if all the artists are always engaged in painting, that will satisfy me, and that will gradually make them experienced for making good paintings. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** April 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 24th April, 1970.Yes, publish the Bengali poem which I am sending herewith. Get it transliterated by Pradyumna. The meaning is as follows: My Dear Lord Krsna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me. 1But I can guess that You have got some business here, otherwise why should You call me here which is demoniac. 2Most of the population here is covered by ignorance and passion modes of nature, and I do not know how they will be able to understand the transcendental message of Vasudeva. 3But I know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible because You are the most expert mystic. 4Therefore, I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I can be able to convince them about Your message. 5All living entities have become under control of the illusory energy by Your will, and therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of illusion. 6If You so desire, I wish that You may deliver them, and only by Your such desire all of them will be able to understand Your message. 7The words of Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation, and if they receive it in submissive aural reception, repeatedly, then they will be able to understand your message. 8In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, verses 17 through 21, it is saidAnyone who gives aural reception to the transcendental message about You, which are always auspicious, by hearing and chanting, for him You become special well-wisher, and thus remaining within his heart You clear up all inauspicious understanding. When such inauspicious understandings are almost clear, at that time one realizes the importance of devotional service. In that stage of understanding, the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion becomes almost nil, and the resultant action of passion and ignorance cannot anymore attack the heart, and thus he becomes joyful being situated on the platform of goodness. When he thus becomes jubilant on account of awakening the modes of goodness by dint of devotional service, at that time he becomes liberated from material contamination and is able to understand the science of God. In this stage of liberation all misgivings in the heart, or bondage of material network, becomes cut into pieces, and he is elevated from all sorts of doubts in the science of God. At this stage the result of past activities becomes vanquished because of his realization of the Supreme Lord. 9-13This is the process of becoming liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion, and thus they can become freed from all inauspicious things accumulated in the heart. 14But because I am very unfortunate, unqualified, and the most fallen, therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I may be able to convince them about this (Krsna Consciousness). 15Somehow or other, You have brought me here to speak about You. Now it is up to You to make me a success or failure as You like. 16You are the Lord of the whole creation, so if You like You can make my power of speaking as suitable as they can understand. 17By Your causeless mercy only my words may become transcendentally pure, and I am sure when such transcendental message is penetrated in their hearts certainly they will feel engladdened, and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life. 18I am just like a puppet in Your hands, and You have brought me here, now You can make me dance as You like. 19I have no devotion, nor I have any knowledge, but still I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, now if You like You can just fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta. 20The most unfortunate, insignificant beggar, Bhaktivedanta Swami, on board the ship "Jaladuta," Commonwealth Pier, Boston, Massachusetts (U.S.A.), dated 18th September, 1965. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** May 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28th April, 1970, along with a note from a boy in Spain. I have replied the boy, and the letter is enclosed herewith, please forward it to him. I am very glad to learn that you have the Prahlada pictures in your safe custody because I want to print up many small books with text accompanied by illustrations, and the first one may be of Prahlada Maharaja. Sometime ago you wrote me that you wanted some new topics for writing subjects, so I think you can begin by compiling information from my past lectures on Prahlada Maharaja, then add the pictures and print it. Then you can do many other such books like this. Some other books may be about Dhruva Maharaja, Ajamila, etc., and I am sure these stories with their very significant purports will make very successful books, and they can be very easily sold. So if you can begin on this project and arrange everything carefully, that will be very nice. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** May 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple—chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Sankirtana Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books. Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard. Hope this will meet you in good health, and more when we meet. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** May 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of Krsna tape transcriptions #13, 32, and 33, and 34, along with your note from the art department. Regarding the Vedas personified, they should be drawn just like you have seen some pictures of great sages. They are young in appearance like perfect Vaisnavas, and they may be shown with tilak and Vaisnava markings in that way. So such pictures are definitely required and please have them execute the subjects appropriately as they have so nicely done thus far. In the meantime, I hope you have by now received my last letter inviting you to visit L.A. Temple at your earliest convenience, and I shall be very glad to see you then. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** May 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to Srimati Jadurani and others. I am so pleased to learn that you are satisfied to see the Los Angeles Temple situation. Actually it is very, very nice to our purpose, and if we can maintain the standard of the Temple atmosphere certainly anyone who will come here will be influenced by the spiritual effect. As I have already said many times that we have to maintain two lines parallel; namely the path of Srimad-Bhagavatam and the path of Pancaratriki. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the path for Paramahamsas, ansd Pancaratra path is for the neophytes. So the Temple worship is necessary for the beginners so that by following the regulative principles such devotees become more and more purified and thus gradually come on the platform to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. So we shall always keep these principles in view and maintain our centers on this standard. Recently I have received one "Kalyana" magazine in which our activities in the Western world have been very much appreciated. Especially they have appreciated my strong injunctions on the point of following the four prohibitive regulations. So after describing our activities, the editor has remarked in one place that things are going certainly very nicely at present, but it is God only Who knows how it will continue in the future. This means that the Indians, or the rigid followers of Vedic principles, are doubtful about my American and European students about their sticking to all these principles. So it is a God sent warning for us so that we may not deviate from the above mentioned two lines of action and thus become subject to criticism by the opposing elements. In India there is already a party who are prepared to criticize my activities in the matter of offering sacred thread to the so-called mlecchas according to their calculation. But actually whatever I am doing here, of course giving consideration to the local situation, all of them are strictly in the line of our predecessors and direction of Sanatana Goswami. Therefore my request is that all of you be determined to maintain this standard which is not very difficult to follow that I have introduced. I am so glad to learn that you are trying to compose at least 800 pages per month. That will enliven me very much to write more and more books for you. I have received some photographs of London Sankirtana on the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so publish them in BTG.The copies of the police commissioner's letter are very much encouraging, so this will be documentary evidence for executing our missionary activities. If you quote the actual wordings of the specific laws mentioned in the letter, then it will be helpful to other centers also. Actually we do not want to disturb the law and order of the state, that is not our business, but the Vedic principle to receive contribution from the devotees has to be allowed. Properly speaking, we preachers are not supposed to work, therefore we have got the right to take contribution for executing our activities. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbP.S. --- Has Dinesh taken delivery of the song tape recorder? ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** June 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. The tape recorder which you have taken for Dinesh—whether he has taken delivery? He wanted it very urgently, so if he has not taken it yet, you can inform him by telephone. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- N.B. With further reference to question five, in both the Bible and the Koran it is always recommended to be engaged always in kirtana or glorifying the Supreme Lord. Kirtana means to glorify the Lord by your vibration. In the churches there is always singing of praise and glories of the Lord and there is preaching naturally also. Mohammedans actually have singing kirtana publicly. This I have seen in India that they were holding kirtana with drum accompaniment ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** June 5th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I have received your informative letter dated 2nd June, 1970. Thank you very much. Try to deliver the tape recorder to Dinesh who is now in Washington again. So try to make some arrangement for this. Hope this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** June 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 19th June, 1970.Regarding the picture of King Paundraka, Yes, he may be colored blue. Because he was imitating Vasudeva, he had two artificial extra hands attached also. So he might have painted himself blue also. Your question from chapter 89 KRSNA is answered in the beginning of the 90th chapter. I am very glad to learn about Giriraja's tricks for the imitation God. Just like expert business men make profit both ways, namely when the merchandise goes down by price or goes up by price. An experienced merchant makes profit both ways—when the price goes down, he purchases, and when the price goes up, he sells. So our Krsna conscious men should be transcendental business men, and Krsna gives the right intelligence how to deal with all classes of men. The title for the Second Chapter of Second Canto, "The Lord in the Heart", is alright. In the cover picture, the footmark on the chest of the Lord should not be painted. Regarding the Deities, although we were formerly advised that they were to be dispatched, we have just received news that they have been delayed in India pending some Government sanction. So you will be informed of Their arrival in due course. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** July 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. So far it is fixed up that I go to New Vrindaban for Janmastami day by the 20th August. So if you like I can go for a few days before to Boston to see your temple and press. You can fix up this program by talking with Hayagriva and let me know. I think everything is going nicely in Boston. Offer my blessings to all the boys and girls. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** July 31st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27th July, 1970 regarding the manuscript. I understand that all the pictures of KRSNA, Vol. II, are not prepared, so I shall request you to complete these pictures as soon as possible. There is no hurry because now I am going with a small Sankirtana Party to the Eastern countries. I wish to remain in Japan at least for two months. Therefore if you send me the complete manuscript and pictures, then I can personally get the book, Second Volume, printed in my presence. I have duly received the press meeting report of July 25th, signed by you, Uddhava, Advaita, Brahmananda Swami, and Gargamuni Swami. It has given me much pleasure, so I shall be more pleased when they are done according to the writings. Regarding Bhagavad-gita, enlarged edition, the picture approved by me to Jadurani is all right. I am glad to learn that it is being serialized. Regarding Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, I am glad that manuscript is also being composed. Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto, improper title pages being rectified is good news. Please keep me informed about the progress of those manuscripts. Our life is very short. The Krsna consciousness movement is not meant for fulfilling one's personal ambition, but it is a serious movement for the whole world. I am therefore going to the Eastern hemisphere, beginning from Japan. We are going four in a party and all of us are Sannyasis. In this old age I am going with this party just to set an example to my disciples who have taken recently the Sannyas order. I think Brahmananda Swami, Gargamuni Swami, Visnujana Swami, Kirtanananda Swami and Subala Swami, all of them, two in a party assisted by other Brahmacaris should form separate Sankirtana Parties and travel all over Europe, America and Canada. Now we want very many Swamis to take up this job. The Grhasthas are to take care of the Temples as well as the general management. I have already formed the Governing Body Commission and your good name is also in the Board. There is no time for creating a crack in our solid formation of Krsna Consciousness Society. Take it now with great responsibility and everyone of you may serve jointly for Krsna's satisfaction. That is my request to you all. I think you may reply this letter to me care of ISKCON, Tokyo, Japan. Whatever mistakes that have been done in the past may be rectified. That is my request. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** August 14th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. Now that I have formed this Governing Board Commission, the twelve members should each act as my zonal secretaries. So kindly keep me informed of your zone's activities at least once a week or once fortnightly. In this way I will be encouraged and can give you direction and inspiration. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** August 16th 1970 > 6-16, 2-chome, Ohhashi, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan LT_700816_E1 My dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th August, 1970, along with a list of schedule for Temple activities. It is very nice program. If you simply follow this program, then the spell of Maya will not be able to enter into your constitution. All Questions and answers are practically given in our books. I have received two Bhagavatam chapters, “Pure devotional Service” the arcan program is very nicely described in verse number 22 specifically. So these books are so valuable for public reading, but some way or other they are not being introduced in proper channel namely the school and college for reading. I have nominated you as one of the members of the Governing Body because I know you are a very good soul and I shall be very pleased if the mistake which has already crept in our society can be rectified by your combined effort. I have not heard anything about the activities of the four Sannyasis, neither I have received any letter from them. I have not yet received any letter from Rupanauga about the press questions, but as you know as I have several times mentioned that the press is my heart and soul and it should work constantly to produce literature for wide distribution. Similarly I am trying to engage the Dia Nippon Press for printing our works. Yesterday I have placed with them $32,000 worth business. We have now stock of NOD’s 5,000 at $4 a piece, similarly KRSNA at $8, so by book estimation you have got more than $100,000 worth books in stock. So if we collect only one fourth of it and pay to Dia Nippon then we got another $100,000 worth books. Of course, it is not business proposal, but it is a scheme for distributing widely our literatures. That is my program. So I hope you are all meeting in New Vrndavana and try to make a strong program how our missionary activities can be pushed on with great stride. I have advised Karandhar to collect all book funds and send to Dia Nippon wherein I have opened an account “Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit”. The more they receive amounts, the more we print books for distribution. In the Third Chapter the black border underneath my name does not look very well. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** August 18th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. Herewith please find four pages of poems written by Tirthapada dasa Brahmacari who is working at Sydney very diligently. If our Vyasa Puja pamphlet is not yet finished, you may add them there or conveniently they may be published in BTG. He is a good worker in Sydney; he should be encouraged. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** August 20th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 13rd, 1970. Since I have left L.A. I have received many letters from many centers, but I have not received any letter from New York nor a letter from Brahmananda Swami nor Gargamuni Swami. I have already sent a circular letter requesting the Zonal Secretary Governing Body Commissioners to send me at least twice in a month the reports of the activities in the respective zones. So I shall be glad to know how the new building in New York is being worked out. When I was in L.A. I heard that a good many visitors were coming there (N.Y.) It was very much encouraging. I think Bhavananda is president of the New York center so I shall be glad to hear from him. The KRSNA manuscript Vol II has already been received by Dai Nippon, but the Hindi BTG is not received. Most probably it will reach them today and then I shall talk to Dai Nippon. Regarding shipment of books, you need not send Sri Isopanisad because I have already ordered from Dai Nippon 10,000 copies. I think you have already received a list of books which are to be dispatched from Boston. So you can send the balance that is without Sri Isopanisad. Go on painting the pictures for II Canto as many as possible. Regarding other pictures, Tamala Krsna is arranging for them being painted in Germany and France. But if Jadurani has spare time she can also go on painting the same pictures of Spiritual Masters and Pancatattva. I think the cover of First Step in God Realization is not to the point. There is a picture in Gita Press Bhagavata where Sukadeva Gosvami has been offered a nice raised throne and the king Pariksit along with the sages sitting on the floor on the bank of the Ganges and it is very nice. The king Pariksit has no beard. His face should be very nice looking, young king between 30-40 years age. I have already approved of the schedule which you have sent me. If you follow this new schedule very strictly there will be no chance of Maya penetrating our camp. And try to introduce the same schedule in New York and other centers. According to your report of the July 25th, 1970 Press meeting you are going to issue a booklet for Vyasa Puja, but as yet no such booklet has been received by us. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Satsvarupa, Uddhava **Date:** July 27th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Satsvarupa and Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your express letters and have noted the contents carefully. You are all my children and I love my American boys and girls who are sent to me by my spiritual master and I have accepted them as my disciples. Before coming to your country I took sannyasa in 1959. I was publishing BTG since 1944. After taking sannyasa I was more engaged in writing my books without any attempt to construct temples or to make disciples like my other Godbrothers in India. I was not very much interested in these matters because my Guru Maharaja liked very much publication of books than constructing big, big temples and creating some neophyte disciples. As soon as he saw that His neophyte disciples were increasing in number, He immediately decided to leave this world. To accept disciples means to take up the responsibility of absorbing the sinful reaction of life of the disciple. At the present moment in our ISKCON campus politics and diplomacy has entered. Some of my beloved students on whom I counted very, very much have been involved in this matter influenced by Maya. As such there has been some activity which I consider as disrespectful. So I have decided to retire and divert attention to book writing and nothing more. The ISKCON Press was specifically established exclusively for printing my books. Please therefore give me an idea how you can help me in getting all my manuscripts printed as soon a possible. Whenever Advaita is submitting an estimate for printing my books, I am supplying the money immediately. So far the finance is concerned, Krsna is supplying. Therefore if you simply print my books in the Press incessantly, that will give me great delight. Please therefore let me know how far you can all help me in this connection and what are the manuscripts ready for printing. I think I shall now stop all other activities except publishing of my books. Kindly enlighten me per return mail. Hope you are all well and offer my blessings to all boys and girls in your temple. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dm --- P.S. I think the wrongly printed pictures may be cancelled and fresh printing should be done. If not, it will create a very bad impression of our Press management ### Letter to Satyabhama **Date:** March 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > New Vrindaban My Dear Satyabhama, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good husband Paramananda. I am very glad to receive your letter dated 28 February, 1970, along with the first part of the condensed version of KRSNA book. Regarding the organization of our theistic school at New Vrindaban, I am happy to know that you are now proceeding with regular classes. So it is better late than never, and now it will develop nicely. You are an educated and understanding devotee of Lord Krishna. Now Krishna will see your sincere cooperative efforts and He will provide all necessary facilities for continued growth of our educational center. I know the atmosphere in New Vrindaban is very, very nice, and the children will surely benefit greatly in their advancement of spiritual life. So please do it carefully, and I am certain that when we are fixed up there, many parents will like to send their children for education in our New Vrindaban school. I am so glad to know that the boys are being taught 4 to 5 hours daily by the combined teaching of yourself and Devakinandana. Of course their spiritual progress is natural because of the good association of devotees and their good fortune to be in the service of the Deities. I am so much encouraged to learn how they are becoming purified and elevated in Krishna Consciousness, and are just like spiritual gopas. That is very nice. Mr. DDD and Ekendra also are very good boys, so see that they may be trained up well because they are our future Krishna Consciousness society. I am very happy to learn that your son is growing strong and blissful. That is good news. And that your desire to raise many such souls in Krishna Consciousness is very nice proposal. We need as many Krishna Conscious men as possible, trained from the very beginning of their lives, to carry on our mission and purify the society. Regarding the condensation of KRSNA book, I have read it and it is very nice. Try to work on it as time permits; and in the meantime, you can have some xerox copies made, then later on we shall find opportunity to print it. You write to say that Paramananda is always thinking of me and he is working hard to develop New Vrindaban transcendental community. That is very good. I know Paramananda is a very good soul, and you together are good combination. So do everything enthusiastically to develop our New Vrindaban scheme and advance forward in Krishna Consciousness life. I hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Satyabhama **Date:** November 1st 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > New Vrndavana My Dear Satyabhama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 9th, 1970. Since I left the U.S.A. I am continuously travelling for the last three or four months and just yesterday evening I have come back from Amritsar to Bombay. I have noted your letter and your analytical study of Krsna consciousness is very nice. Regarding Brahmananda, he is actually surrendered soul, but Maya is so strong that on account of association he has even fallen down. So these two things are always side by side—Maya and Krsna—Krsna is service and Maya is sense gratification, so every moment we are prone to be subjugated by either of them. Our duty is therefore to be very, very careful. The poison is personal ambition. So everyone has the chance, therefore one should not be complacent. Doubts may come about, but one should be firmly fixed up that there cannot be any doubt on the Spiritual Master or Krsna. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sethji **Date:** January 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Sethji, Please accept my greetings. I beg to thank you for your New Year's greeting card which I have received here in L.A. after returning from London via Boston. I am so glad to see your quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam about the socialistic view of Sri Narada Muni. It is very nice and I have also mentioned it in the preface of my first volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Krishna Consciousness Movement is so nice that it can adjust the disagreement between socialism and capitalism. At the present moment, neither of these isms is perfect from the philosophical point of view, but if both parties take this common formula of Krishna Consciousness each one will supplement the other. I think, therefore, that this Krishna Consciousness Movement should be pushed thoroughly all over the world and I am seeing practically that it has got powerful effect. There are many millionaire Vaisnava business magnates in India, like your good self, and if they like, they can cooperate with this movement tremendously. When I was in London your second son with his wife and friends came to see me when I was staying as guest in the house of Mr. John Lennon. This was before the completion of our Temple house at 7 Bury Place. When I was staying in London I received one letter from Hitsaranji that the Dalmia-Jayan Trust as well as the Birla Trust have agreed to give us five pairs of Radha-Krishna Murtis for being installed in different Temples and I gave immediately instructions where to send them. But until now I have no information about the dispatch of the Deities. All the centers are reminding me. So if you will kindly ask Hitsaranji to do it without delay that will be very kind of you. Things are going on here nicely. In every center Sankirtana parties are going around the town. Sometimes the authorities are checking us from doing so but we have not yet stopped, neither we have in our mind anything to stop this Sankirtana Movement. On the whole things are improving daily and I hope it will continue to be so on and on. Please let me know by return mail what is the position of dispatching the Deities and I will be very much obliged. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- N.B. The following books are being sent to you by separate post: Sri Isopanisad, Two Essays and Back to Godhead published by our own ISKCON Press in Boston ### Letter to Shyama Dasi **Date:** January 26th 1970 > Srimati Shyama Dasi 4154 E. Shan Drive Mobile, AL1975 So. La Cienega Blvd.Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My Dear Shyamadasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 22nd March, 1970, and may inform you that confidential matters between you, husband and wife, may be settled up between yourselves. But your foremost duty is to abide by the will of your husband. Your husband is not an ordinary boy-he is educated, intelligent, sober, and a devotee of Lord Krsna. Therefore, whatever he plans, you should follow. To understand further on this subject matter, it will be better if you read Srimad Bhagavatam, Volume 3, page 832, Text 58.Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: db ### Letter to Shyama Dasi **Date:** January 26th 1970 > 1975 So. La Cienega Blvd.Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My Dear Shyamadasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your nice letter dated 23 January, 1970. Your poetic appreciation about my humble self goes directly to my Spiritual Master because I am His servant only. Although I have no capacity to assimilate all the nice things that you offer me, they are directly dispatched to my Spiritual Master who is worthy of accepting all nice things. I am very glad to see that both you and your husband are a good combination. Everyone should be happy by your unique unity. Your husband is a learned scholar and you are a well qualified devotee wife. Now, by the Grace of Krishna you have a good husband, good association, good land, and good engagements. Similarly, you have got a very good atmosphere in Columbus. So be happy with all these, Krishna's gifts, and be advanced in Krishna Consciousness. I thank you very much for your handkerchief which will be immediately engaged in the service of the Lord. It is so beautiful with lace edges. I am so glad to learn that Columbus center is doing very well, and that sincere souls are being attracted there. Please decorate the new Deity room and altar as nicely as possible. I well remember your excellent chopatties, and I am happy to know that you are know preparing nice foodstuffs for the Deities. If you all will spread this Samkirtan Movement, going on Samkirtan Party in the streets, regularly read our literatures and always keep engaged in Krishna Consciousness activities, you are sure to increase the joyfulness of your own lives and influence all others with whom you come in contact to join you in this program of going back to home, back to Godhead. I hope this will meet you in very good health. My dear Hayagriva, I have advised Jananibas to submit his thesis for publication in BTG, so please do the needful. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: db ### Letter to Shyama Dasi **Date:** April 11th 1970 > Srimati Shyamadevi Dasi ISKCON Temple318 East 20th Avenue Columbus, Ohio 432013764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My Dear Shyamadasi, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to receive your letter dated 5th April, 1970. Next summer, if your child delivery is complete by that time, I invite you to come here at that time and stay in this new temple along with other devotees and see how things are going on here. This church is very nice and commodious. We have got lecture hall separate, temple hall separate, my two storied residential quarter separate, and brahmacary and brahmacarini quarters separate, householders quarter separate. Besides that there is extra land for developing a nice green house and parking motor cars. So I am glad that you are typing the remaining portion of KRSNA, and then I shall send the second part of KRSNA also for editing. Your husband wanted from me a specific duty, and I think the best part of his valor can be utilized in editorial work. There is ample work for his engagement and your assistance for him, so combined together you fully engage yourself in this service of Krsna and please come here. I shall ask you to make some good chapaties for me. This will be an extra duty for you besides your typewriting work. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Shyama Dasi **Date:** April 29th 1970 > Srimati Shyamadevi Dasi ISKCON Temple318 East 20th Avenue Columbus, Ohio 432013764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My Dear Shamadasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your kind letter dated 24th April, 1970, and thank you so much for the beautiful silken cloth. Nanda Kumar has placed the cloth on the wall just above the Deities and upon it is a picture of Radha Krsna. So how nicely the white silk is enhancing the picture. Yes our new temple house is very, very nice, and the boys and girls here have renovated and decorated it very gorgeously. When the temple room is complete with the new altars, thrones, etc. I will send you some pictures and you will appreciate how nicely Krsna has provided for His service in L.A.Yes, I will be very happy to have some of your Ph. D. Chapaties when you come here. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: db ### Letter to Shyama Dasi **Date:** June 3rd 1970 > Srimati Shyamadevi Dasi ISKCON Temple318 East 20th Avenue Columbus, Ohio 432013764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My Dear Shama Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter and the following presentation for my Lord Sri Sri Radha Krsna sent through Hayagriva Prabhu. One handkerchief cloth finely embroidered in colors for offering with Aratrik, one set of clothes for the Deities, and ISKCON bullets ( sweetballs). They are all very nice and will be properly utilized. Chant always Hare Krsna mantra in any condition of life and you will never feel unhappy. Your husband is staying here with this temple and he is doing nicely. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS: db ### Letter to Shyama Dasi **Date:** July 1st 1970 > Srimati Shama Devi Dasic/o New Vrindaban R.D. 3, Moundsville, W. Va. 260413764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 My Dear Shama Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your letter and nice presentations. I was thinking of you since a long time because I have not received any letter from you. I am very pleased with your nice presentation and I have seen the pictures of your son, Samba, also. He is looking very jolly. So raise him nicely in Krishna Consciousness. Hayagriva was here and we had some very nice talks. I am glad that you are managing New Vrindaban, so do it nicely. Be happy in Krsna Consciousness and be the ideal grihasta. Better to be satisfied with one nice Krishna Conscious child and the rest of your time being saved for making advancement in Krishna Consciousness. You will be glad to know that by the middle of this month I will be going to N.Y. and shortly thereafter surely I will be coming to New Vrindaban, as I have told Hayagriva. I have received one letter of invitation from Kirtanananda Maharaj also. I am always aspiring to eat your nice chopaties, so when I go there, you will have to give me many. Please offer my blessings to the others. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Sivananda **Date:** February 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Sivananda, Please accept my blessings. Since a long time I have not heard from you, but I am glad to learn that you are doing your duties nicely. I always remember your smiling face and submissive attitude. Be blessed by Krsna and be happy. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbP.S. --- I think that many of you may go to London to participate in the Rathayatra festival there. That will be very nice ### Letter to Sivananda **Date:** May 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Sivananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 11th May, 1970, and noted the contents. Thank you very much for your contribution from yourself and your wife of $8, I have placed it in book fund account. Regarding your question how to engage yourself, you may travel from University to University and preach as you suggest, or you may go and work. For local work or engagement you consult with Hansadutta and Tamala as they are in charge of the Hamburg management. After all we have to fix up our Hamburg Temple still more. Regarding your staying back during Rathayatra, I think that is just a nice arrangement because someone must remain with the Temple during the absence of the others. Also since you are having some trouble with the immigration because of draft, and you already got a nice German wife, the best thing will be to make your headquarters there in Germany. So in this way manage things nicely in consultation with Hansadutta, and Krsna will provide you with ample opportunities according to your sincerity to spread His Movement. Just try to make our Krsna Consciousness Movement strong in Germany and you will also automatically become strong in such devotional service or Krsna Consciousness. Please offer my blessings to your good wife. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. So far your taking German citizenship, as I have hinted above, it is a good idea, so you try for it ### Letter to Sivananda **Date:** November 12th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Sivananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13rd Sept. and letter dated Oct. 18. Due to travelling and so much work, I was not able to answer you sooner. I'm very happy to hear that you are once again in Berlin. When you first went to Germany by yourself, I was praying that Krishna would help you in every way to establish a center there in Berlin. Now you have done it by the grace of Krishna. Berlin is one of the most important cities in Europe and is one of the gateways to the communist world, and since your temple has a central location with good room space, everything is set for our preaching program. It is a good sign that the Berlin people are receiving our Sankirtana so well that with only one other devotee you have distributed 100 magazines in an afternoon. Yes, on Sankirtana we want everyone we meet to go away with a magazine and having heard and chanted Hare Krishna Mantra. That will be the sign of success. Please have Mandali Bhadra's mother help you in every way possible. I think she is well acquainted with Berlin and she can render good service. So give a start to our Krishna Consciousness Movement there and that will be your success. Now you have a nice German devotee wife, and together you should give all the people of Germany the example of how husband and wife can be engaged for the service of Krishna, not in the service of their senses. The two of you, along with Sucandra and Gunai, should lead a nice regulated daily schedule of chanting 16 rounds, reading all our books, going on Sankirtana Party, and taking nice Prasadam. Then this will keep you pure and potent in your preaching work. I have received your Vyasa Puja offering and it is very nice. Please offer my blessings to the others. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sri Bajoriaji **Date:** October 5th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Bharata Sadhu Samaj Bombay Dear Sri Bajoriaji, Please accept my greetings. In continuance of my telegram dated October 2nd, 1970, and letter dated October 3rd, 1970, I beg to inform you that although my party from London has reached there in Bombay, I am unable to join you there in Bombay because there was no arrangement for my passage. Therefore, if my disciples there can do the work, then I do not require to go to Bombay leaving aside my important engagements here. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dsc.c. --- Sriman Gurudasa Adhikari, leader of ISKCON Sankirtana Party from London ### Letter to Sri Balmukundji **Date:** March 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London Dear Sri Balmukundji, Please accept my blessings, and offer the same to your good wife. As advised by you, I have already written letters to the Murti makers as well as to Birlaji and Jaipuraji. Actually my mission is to establish hundreds and thousands of Temples like the one which I have established in London and other places. And I wish that every Indian who has a little love for Krishna may cooperate with me in this attempt. Please try to understand this Krishna Consciousness movement as very, very great. The people are missing the point—love of Krishna, and if somehow or other they can revive their lost consciousness and be fixed up in Krishna Consciousness, all questions and problems of the world will be solved very easily. So I would again request you to take up the preaching work of this great movement. It does not matter whether you accept Sannyas order of life or not. You can preach this Krishna Consciousness movement even along with your good wife, and why not this procedure? My disciples are only children. If they can preach this Krishna Consciousness movement husband and wife together, without having any background of Vedic culture, why not an experienced gentleman like you with full knowledge of Vedic culture preach this movement? If you take up this work in right earnest, I am sure you will feel transcendental bliss. I thank you for your assurance that you are coming here very soon, and I shall await your arrival with great interest. If possible, come along with your wife also. Regarding Birlaji and Jaipuraji, I think if you also write to them, because you are personally known to them, it will be very nice, and induce them to supply these Murtis because that will be a great cooperation with our movement. Anyone who will cooperate with this movement will be transcendentally benefited. Please try to convince them of this point, and oblige. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sri Birlaji **Date:** April 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Bombay My Dear Sri Birlaji, Please accept my greetings and blessings of Lord Krishna. I thank you very much for your kind letter dated 17th April, 1970. You have rightly pointed out that people are becoming more materialistic in this age on account of their forgetfulness of Krishna Consciousness. Actually there is nothing like materialism. Materialism means forgetfulness of Krishna or God. We are preaching therefore Krishna Consciousness. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that the first-class religion is that which teaches love of Godhead. At the present moment, one professes a type of religion, but does not develop real purpose of religion, namely love of Godhead—that is materialism. Materialism does not mean that one has to possess so many things, the actual fact is one may be a perfect transcendentalist of spiritual man by possessing the whole world, and one may be a gross materialist without possessing a farthing. So this distinction can be made on the basis of consciousness. When one is Krishna Conscious possessing everything in the world, he is perfect spiritualist, and one may have renounced everything in the world, but lacking in Krishna Consciousness he is a gross materialist. In my recent publication of Isopanisad I have tried to explain this fact on Vedic authorities, and I am sending by separate Air Parcel one copy of Isopanisad and I hope you will read this book conveniently with interest. Regarding London temple, I can appreciate very much that your goodness is anxious to have an imposing temple in London, so in my next opportunity I shall take up this matter more seriously and I shall let you know in due course. Regarding the two pairs of marble murtis, I do not know where you have ordered them. I hope you must have ordered them from Jaipur because in that city there are many good artisans for manufacturing such murtis. But kindly see that the facial expressions be as nice as the bust I have sent you of our London Deities. In this connection, I may inform you that I have some correspondence with a Jaipur marble dealer, and they have agreed to supply the murtis less 20% off their catalog price. Their catalog price for 40 inches high marble murtis is Rs. 2300 per pair, and they have agreed to give us 20% discount, so I am sending a copy of the letter. If you think it is favorable, you can do the needful. I am very glad to know that you have sent some copies of Bhagavad-gita in Hindi and English, and I shall see to it as soon as they are received here. With my best wishes, I beg to remain Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sri Birlaji **Date:** November 8th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Birla House Bombay Dear Sri Birlaji, Please accept my greetings. I beg to apologize for not keeping our scheduled appointment on the morning of November 3rd. I became ill due to exhaustion from too much travelling and was not able to leave my room. I have been told by my disciple that you have kindly agreed to donate 500 rupees to our society. There are many beautiful books which our society has published within the last few years and which many of the gentlemen of Bombay are now receiving as life member of our society, and take advantage of these wonderful Krishna Consciousness books. The membership fee is 1111 rupees. I should very much like to see you, as this is one of the reasons I have returned here to Bombay. So when you are feeling fully rested, I hope you will arrange an appointment at your convenience. I hope you are feeling better. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nkda ### Letter to Sri Dhruva **Date:** April 7th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sri R. C. Dhruva Secretary to Sri R. D. Birla Industry House159 Churchgate Reclamation Bombay 20, India Dear Sri Dhruva, I beg to thank you for your letter dated 28th March, 1970. I am so glad to learn that Sri Birlaji feels that there is a need for an imposing Hindu temple in London. The minimum expenditure for such a temple will not be less than L1,000,000. So far I have met with the Hindus in London, they are not very rich. Most of them are engaged in service and some of them are doing business, but still it will be difficult to raise this L1,000,000 from the local Hindus. If, however, Sri Birlaji assures to contribute 50% of the expenditure, I think I shall be able to raise the balance funds somehow or other. I know there is difficulty for transferring money from India, but if Sri Birlaji contributes the money in India, I think I shall be able to utilize the money for London temple program. I have already established one Radha Krsna temple in the most busy part of the city at 7 Bury Place, just adjoining the British Museum. This temple is situated in a five story rented (on lease) house, and many devotees are coming to see the Deities from distant places. So by the grace of Lord Krsna it is going on. So far my preaching work is concerned, I am not giving much stress on the immediate construction of the temple, but wherever it is possible I am renting a suitable house and starting a center immediately. As already informed in my previous letter, I have now got 28 temples or centers in different parts of the world, namely; Europe, America, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Regarding marble murtis of Radha Krsna contributed by Sri Birlaji, I may inform you that Srimati Sumati Morarji, Director of Scindia Steam Navigation Co., has kindly agreed to carry all the murtis by her different ships to different parts of the world. I think Sri Birlaji has his own shipping line also, therefore this carrying will not be a problem. I am sending herewith again the picture of our London murtis, and I am requesting Sri Birlaji to contribute at least 4 pairs of murtis: one to Paris, France, one to Honolulu, and two to Philadelphia, one of which will be for our New Vrindaban temple. Recently we have purchased a big church property consisting of four different houses, namely; the lecture house, the temple house, the Acarya residence, and the quarters for the devotees both male and female, along with a small garden and parking land for the visitors' cars. Enclosed please find two pictures of this temple house, as well as I am enclosing some of the pictures of our Philadelphia activities where one American boy and girl, devotees, were married under the ministerial guidance of the local President. You will understand from the informations that this Krishna Consciousness movement is a major revolutionary renaissance specifically delineating social and religious conception of life based on authorized Vedic culture. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sri Govinda (Bob Lindberg) **Date:** May 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Detroit My Dear Sri Govinda Das (Bob Lindberg), Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your very nice letter dated 21st May, 1970, along with a set of beads. I am very glad to note your humble attitude, so keep this nice state of serving mood and your success is guaranteed in Krsna Consciousness. So I am very happy to accept you as my initiated disciple, and your initiated name is Sri Govinda Das Brahmacari. I have chanted your beads duly and I am returning them to you enclosed herewith. Please continue as you have been following the regulative rules and principles strictly and always chant sixteen rounds of the Holy Names daily. It is very good that you are presently engaged in assisting Bhagavan das by taking care of the treasury and distributing incense, you may continue to expand this engagement and at the same time learn thoroughly our Krsna Consciousness philosophy and how to apply it practically. You can take all help from Bhagavan das in these matters, he is a very qualified devotee. Therefore do not waste even a moment of this rare opportunity of human form of life. Chant Hare Krsna, be always finding out some engagement in the service of the Lord, and be happy, and by the grace of Krsna you will be freed from all contaminations of this material condition and become fit for realizing the highest perfection of life, Krsna Consciousness. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbP.S. --- I am enclosing herewith one sheet listing the standard practices for a devotee and also the qualifications of a devotee ### Letter to Sri Poddarji **Date:** July 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Sri Poddarji, Please accept my humble obeisances. Your letter dated 7th June, 1970, put me into some anxieties because you wrote in that letter that you are not keeping good health these days. I hope by this time you are feeling well and I shall be glad to hear from you favorably. Early next year some forty heads of my students will go to India to visit Vaisnava temples as well as performing kirtana there. As you know they are observing all the regulative principles and according to our sastra they are Vaisnava sadacara. People of India as well as the priestly order should receive them properly. When they go to India, I wish to accommodate them in Lord Krsna's birthsite at Mathura. I shall be glad to know if there is accommodation for such visitors. In your letter under reply you write to say, "I am waiting for Sri Jayadayal Dalmia who is shortly to come here, we shall put our heads together and try to find some place for lodging them." Therefore I shall be glad to receive your reply to this. Regarding the translation of International Society for Krishna Consciousness have you made a proper substitute? Regarding the books, please excuse me. I cannot charge price from you. Please keep them in your study room—that will engladden me. Hope you are well. Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sri Trivediji **Date:** August 17th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Scindia Co.Calcutta Dear Sri Trivediji, Please accept my greetings. Since I received your letter dated July 18th, 1970, I have not heard anything from you regarding the Murtis which are kept under your care. The matter appears to be very complicated because I do not know why Sri Caitanya Research Institute has falsely declared to the Chief Controller of Import and Export that the Murtis were donated by them while that is not a fact. There were five pairs of Murtis, one pair being donated by Dalmia-Jayan Trust and the other four pairs being donated by the Birla Trust. Anyway, it is practically near about one year the matter is being dragged. You will kindly therefore let me know by return mail what is the actual position and whether there is possibility of carrying the Murtis as previously arranged. If not, please let me know and I shall depute some of my representatives to take delivery of the Murtis and do the needful. At the present moment I am in Japan at the above address, so kindly reply by sending to me here. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Sridama **Date:** February 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Sridama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12 February, 1970, and I am very glad to know that you are doing well in Boston Temple. I did not know where you were staying and I was very much anxious about your health, so I wrote to Subala and he has conveyed my message to you. Now I am relieved to learn that your are engaged in cooking and your injury is healing nicely. I am also feeling very well here in Los Angeles. Gargamuni has rented a nice house with a sunny compound for me, and I am being attended by two good boys, Nanda Kumar and Devananda. Hope this letter will meet you again in good health, and thank you for your sincere service. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sridama **Date:** April 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Providence My Dear Sridama, Please accept my blessings. I am so pleased to receive your letter dated 4th April, 1970, and I am very glad to read the contents. I am very glad that you are going to marry Manmohini Dasi and I have got my full sanction and blessings for this unity. Nanda Kisora and his wife and yourself and your wife, four together, organize the center in Providence which is already wonderful and by your propaganda of Krsna Consciousness it will be heavenly. As soon as a center is open and my disciples conduct it nicely, it gives me Vaikuntha bliss. Vamanadeva is doing very nicely in St. Louis, and I am sending herewith some pictures of his activities. So Bali Mardan and Upendra are doing in Sydney also. All these newses are to me life-giving ambrosia, so the more you open branches, the more I increase my duration of life. Therefore, if you all my students want me to live for some days more, go on opening nice branches as many as possible. Be happy in Krsna Consciousness and keep me informed about your activities. Thanking you once more. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sridama **Date:** June 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Sridama, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distribution of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sridama **Date:** July 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Provincetown, Massachusetts My Dear Sridama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th June, 1970, and have noted the contents with great interest. I am so happy to learn that you have been so well received in Provincetown by the young boys and girls. It is a fact that the hippies are our best clients. I had very good response in San Francisco during Rathayatra festival. I saw that they were taking up the chanting of Hare Krsna maha mantra very feelingly even without the presence of any devotee to lead them. They appreciated my lecture and I appreciated their attitude. They joined in Rathayatra very enthusiastically. So try your best to convince them by very nice preaching and in particular very nice Sankirtana party and distribution of our literatures. It is very good news also that you have received permission in Providence for chanting and distributing literature and incense as well as collecting. Now you should concentrate to develop your spiritual power to attract the fallen souls to Krsna consciousness. The daily regulative duties must be performed by everyone very strictly, the beads chanted sixteen rounds, and our literatures read and discussed. In this way everything should be done very nicely. Sankirtana should be done by you in the streets and at gatherings and in this manner display what is this Krsna consciousness movement and how it is for everyone's eternal welfare and happiness. So you do all these with great enthusiasm and very carefully. Our all activities must be open so that no one may criticize our mission, so all dealing must be to the standard of Vaisnavism. We cannot misrepresent ourselves for the purpose of taking monies from the public, but as everything is undertaken forthrightly in Krsna consciousness way, then Lord Krsna will be pleased to provide all facilities for aiding our such sincere service. Regarding your closing the temple in Providence during the very cold winter months and going to Florida at that time, yes, you may do it, but in that case you may not install any Deities in the temple. Worship of Deities means special care must be there for regular uninterrupted service and the Deities cannot be moved from place to place. So you must have picture of Pancatattva for worshiping and making offerings. This picture along with Acarya pictures may be carried from one place to another. Lord Caitanya is very kind and He accepts the simplest worship or simply sincere chanting of the Holy Names of Krsna. Please offer my blessings to your good wife and to Sriman Nanda Kisora and his wife. Hope this will meet all of you in good health. I am very glad to know that you are selling our Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS; so keep the accounts for book and BTG sales daily, and issue a check for payment weekly according to the amount of literatures sold. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sridama **Date:** July 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Province Town, Massachusetts My Dear Sridama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9th July, 1970, and I thank you very much for your check for $2,000. It is a great help to me because in this month I have paid about $20,000 for printing my books and your contribution is welcome. I have also read the newspaper cuttings in which I understand that people accept our Society as genuine and religious. So it is Krsna's grace that they are giving you permission to chant on the streets. I am sure if we work very sincerely all facilities will come from Krsna. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that Krsna personally carries the necessities of His devotee and gives protection to his status quo. So let us all believe in the words of Krsna and serve Him to our best capacity and thus we will come out victorious in every field of action. By the grace of Krsna you are a beautiful young man with nice intelligence, devotion and spirit, so employ all of them in the service of the Lord along with your good wife and be successful in Krsna consciousness. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sridama **Date:** December 19th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Miami My Dear Sridama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 6th December, 1970 and I have noted the contents carefully. Now you and your good wife Manmohini are in Miami after having left Providence and that is very nice. Miami is a very good place to establish a firm center and if you can organize this center nicely, it will be a great credit to you. Just continue with your sincere efforts and Krishna will give you all assistance. Yes, when I return to U.S.A. I must go to Florida, and I'm anxious to see you also because I've not seen you in a long time. I always remember your valuable personal service given to me. So go on and Krishna will bless you. Stick to the regulative principles, chant Hare Krishna and be happy. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Srilekha **Date:** July 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Toronto My Dear Daughter Srilekha, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your nice letter dated 8th July, 1970, and I am very glad to learn that you have been living at our Sri Sri Radha Krsna Temple for the last four months. I understand that you are a very sincere girl and you are also following the regulative rules and regulations as well as chanting sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna Mahamantra daily. So I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple as you have requested and you are recommended by Sriman Jagadisa. I have chanted one set of beads for you and they are returned to you herewith. Your spiritual name is Srilekha which means "everything very beautiful." I please request you to continue to execute the regulative principles of Krsna consciousness as you are already doing and your life will be fully successful and sublime. Please always keep the association of your good Godbrothers and sisters and work very cooperatively with them for pushing on this movement. If you are always engaged seriously in Krsna's service, Krsna will give you all opportunity for advancing in Krsna consciousness or blissful spiritual life. Study our literatures carefully and try to understand the philosophy nicely and if you have any questions you can ask them of Jagadisa and other elder devotees who know the science. So always chant Hare Krsna Mantra and you will be happy. I am enclosing one sheet of standard practices for devotees and list of ten offenses to be avoided in chanting the Holy Name. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Srimad Vamana Maharaja, Trivikrama Maharaja **Date:** August 17th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Debananda Gaudiya Math Navadvipa My Dear Srimad Vamana Maharaja and Trivikrama Maharaja, Please accept my respectful obeisances. I am now staying in Japan at the above address in connection with printing work of some of my important books and magazines. I beg to thank you very much for sending me a copy of your Sri Caitanya Panjika. I have received it just yesterday redirected from Los Angeles. In future if you kindly send such Panjikas, please send it my air mail otherwise it takes four to five months to reach and sometimes it gets lost. Please offer my dandabats to all the Vaisnavas. Hope this will meet you in good health. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Sriman Bankaji **Date:** March 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Gita Press Gorakhpur, India My Dear Sriman Bankaji, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your kind letter dated 23 February, 1970, addressed to my London center and now re-directed to me. I left London sometime by the end of December, and since then I am staying here which is my headquarters. Here we have got the biggest center for training preachers, and the climate here is quite suitable for us (Indian).I exactly remember you that you kindly took care of me when I was guest of Sri Hanuman Prasad Poddarji sometime in the years 1961 or 1962. I shall remember those days. I beg to convey my thanks again that you have remembered me even after so many years. I thank you very much also for your kind appreciation of my humble service in the cause of Krishna Consciousness movement. I think every Indian is responsible for spreading this movement all over the world. That is the order of Lord Caitanya in pursuance of the dictum of Lord Krishna. Lord Caitanya says that anyone who has taken birth as a human being in the land of Bharatavarsa should sanctify his life, taking advantage of the Vedic culture, and then distribute the knowledge for welfare activities of the rest of the world. As you are personally assisting Sri Poddarji, it will not be difficult for you to understand how much Vedic culture is important for the human society. Vedic culture is perfect knowledge, and without that knowledge, a human being is a polished animal in different degrees. This Vedic knowledge is summarized in the Bhagavad-gita, which is the cream of all Upanisads. The Lord personally says in the Bhagavad-gita that the purpose of Vedic knowledge is to understand Krishna. And Krishna can be understood by His devotee who has been fortunate to have a little fraction of the Lord's mercy. Bhagavatam says, "My Dear Lord, one who has a little bit of mercy of the rays of Your lotus feet can understand You a little bit. So far others are concerned, they may continue to speculate on You, still they are unable to know what You are."In the Bhagavad-gita also, the Lord says to Arjuna, "I shall teach you the philosophy of the old system of Bhagavad-gita because you are my dear friend and devotee." This is the secret of understanding Lord Krishna or to enter into the confidential part of Vedic knowledge. The preaching of Bhagavad-gita has been going on both in India and abroad, but almost all of them on the speculative background without any knowledge of devotional service to the Lord. Many Swamis before me came in the Western countries, and they say that nobody could act so wonderfully as I am doing. Perhaps it is right. But I do not know how such things are happening. The only reason that can be adduced is that I am presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entities are His eternal parts and parcels. The duty of the part and parcel is to render service to the whole; as much as different limbs of the body are engaged to render service to the whole body. These things are very simple to understand, but when they are presented in a round about way, simply by jugglery of words, it becomes cumbersome, and the desired result is not achieved. Lord Caitanya advised that everyone of the Indians should go outside and, carrying His order or following His footsteps, one should preach Krsnakatha. The Krsnakatha is Bhagavad-gita as well as Srimad-Bhagavatam. If you split the word Krsnakatha, then it becomes Krishna's words or words spoken about Krishna. So Krishna's words are directly Bhagavad-gita, and words spoken about Krishna is the Srimad-Bhagavatam. I think the Society to which you have referred in your letter under reply, namely Vishva Hindu Parishad, should take up this message of Lord Caitanya if they are actually serious about doing something for the Vedic culture which is known as Hindu culture. Actually there is no such word as "Hindu" in the Vedic literatures. The "Hindu" name was given by the Mohammedans with reference to the river Indus or Hindus, from Sindhu. So the Vedic culture is not for any sect of country, it is meant for the whole human society. In other words, Vedic culture is also known as Sanatana Dharma which means "eternal function of the eternal living entities." Krishna is eternal, and we all living entities, being parts and parcels of Krishna, are also eternal. And the reciprocal exchange of love between the two eternals is called "eternal occupational duty" or Sanatana Dharma. I am very glad to know that you are very much anxious to cooperate with my movement in the Western world. And if you kindly do so, it is not only welcome, but also Krishna will be very much pleased upon you and bestow His blessings. If your friends who are "educated and ambitious band of young workers" will agree to follow my direction, I think they can render a great service to the human society. We should not any more think in terms of Hindu society. If we limit ourselves to Hindus, then there will be many competitors like the Christians, Mohammedans, Buddhists, and so on. But if we preach the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness in right earnest, it will be accepted throughout the whole world. And that is practically experienced during the last three or four years. There are thousands of my disciples, European and American; their background is not Hindu culture, and still they are accepting this Krishna Consciousness philosophy. Some of my students are from the Mohammedan sect also; but all of them conjointly are chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, dancing in ecstasy, honoring Krishna Prasadam, and happily living on Vedic principles; namely as Brahmacari, Grhastha, Vanaprastha, or Sannyasa, not to mention their personal dealings in the matter of four kinds of prohibitive regulations; namely no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat eating, and no gambling. So we have to train the whole younger generation at the present moment by the simple method recommended by Lord Caitanya, and then this movement, Krishna Consciousness will spread all over the world. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sriman Murthy **Date:** May 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Toronto My Dear Sriman Murthy, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated May 17th, 1970, but I am very sorry to learn that you have been victimized by a rascal who claims to be Lord Krsna. You are an educated boy, and I am surprised how you have been so befooled as to accept an ordinary man as Krsna. Anyway, Krsna has saved you by causing your failure in the examination, otherwise you would have been more entrapped by the spell of this so-called "Krsna."Krsna's further mercy upon you is exhibited that you are now living in our Temple. Our different centers are specially meant for reclaiming sincere souls to understand Krsna Consciousness, and if you are more serious about Krsna Consciousness then you should not only read our books and literatures with due care, but also if possible you should come here and live with me for some time. You have mentioned about your dilemma between Krsna and your parents, and in this connection I may inform you that parents are available in any kind of birth. Either you take your birth as a human being or as an animal, there is a set of parents. But Krsna is available in the human form of body, so Krsna is more important than the parents. So do not miss the opportunity of your present human form of body. Try to understand Krsna, and make you life successful. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Stan **Date:** November 17th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Sriman Stan, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your nice letter dated nil. I am very pleased that you are in New Vrndavana for some time now and you are feeling the benefits of the transcendental atmosphere there. Actually it is my dream to have such a perfect community established fully in Krsna Consciousness so that the people of your country may have a right example what is the natural way of life or pure spiritual living. Your attitude of determination to progress in your transcendental knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna and perfect your devotional service to Him, is very praiseworthy. Ramananda Roy has explained that there is nothing so glorious or worth of fame in this world for a person who knows the true value of life other than to be famed as a devotee of Krsna. We are all originally situated on the platform of Krsna consciousness in our eternal personal relationship of love of Krsna. But due to forgetfulness we become familiar with the material world or Maya. As soon as one chants the Hare Krsna Mantra with sincerity and without offense (you know there are ten kinds of offenses to the Holy Name which we are to avoid very, very carefully) his original Krsna consciousness is immediately revived. Krsna consciousness means to be always remembering Krsna in some way or other, just like we are immediately thinking of Krsna when we chant His Name, Krsna, and we are always thinking how we can do something nice to please Krsna with some service or other, or we are reading literature about Krsna or speaking about Krsna. In this way we are always remembering Krsna and that is our natural conscious state. So naturally everything about Krsna is originally known to us all and as soon as we begin to associate with the devotees of the Lord and chant His Holy Name, this memory gradually becomes stronger as we remember our constitutional position of always serving Krsna in different ways. The first step, so you have noted is that the dirty things which are clouding our spiritual senses must be cleansed by the Sankirtana process. So Krsna Consciousness is a purifying process. If you follow the regulations of our Society very strictly you will quickly become completely purified and thus achieve the highest perfection of life, Krsna consciousness or Love of God. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Subala **Date:** March 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Philadelphia My Dear Subala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12 March, 1970, and I am so much pleased to learn about your gradual progress and success in preaching work. You are a sincere devotee, and Krishna will give you more and more chance for preaching His glory. I am very glad to know that you have arranged a nice meeting in the National Conference of Christians and Jews. I am sending herewith copies of my address to the Japanese people, as well as the preface to my book, KRSNA. They will help you to have some clear idea of our Krishna Consciousness Movement. You know them all, and still this will be a great help. Try to convince in the meeting that the difference between animal society and human society is that the human society has in some form the ideals of Krishna Consciousness or God Consciousness. That is religion. Religion without God Consciousness has no meaning, and God Consciousness means we are eternally related with Him. He is the Father, and everyone of us is the part and parcel or son. He is the Supreme Leader, and we are subordinates. He is the Supreme Maintainer, and we are completely dependent on Him. Whatever we possess, including our body and our self, everything, belongs to Him. When one is completely in sense of this fact—he is God Conscious. And unless a living entity becomes God Conscious, which is his constitutional position, he cannot be happy. So this is our propaganda. There is no question of sectarianism. Every religion should have this aim in view. But that system of religion which teaches development of God Consciousness is first class. We have to estimate by the result, and not by the formalities. So this Movement, Krishna Consciousness, very quickly develops this God Consciousness, and it is very easy to adopt it. But at the same time, we must remember that a sinful man cannot develop God Consciousness. The four pillars of sinful life are: 1) no illicit sex, 2) animal killing or animal eating, 3) indulgence in intoxication in any form, and 4) take to the life of gambling. We therefore request all religious institutions to check their followers from the reactions of these four principles of sinful life, and that will pave the way of developing God Consciousness, and thus all the people will be happy. It is not a question of following this religion of that religion. It is a question of philosophy of life. Our Krishna consciousness philosophy is practical, easier, and based on sound reasoning and philosophy. We place them before impartial, thoughtful men of the world, and we are certain that they will find it sublime. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Subala **Date:** April 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Philadelphia My Dear Subala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 30th and 31st March, 1970.Regarding religion, not only at present, but also in the past, all of them are described as pseudo-religions. The Bhagavat has condemned such pseudo-religion in the second verse of the first chapter, first canto. Under the spell of material energy, man is forgetful of his eternal relationship with God. They create some religion to derive some material benefit as they create political organization for mutual undisturbed sense gratification. So religion is also a part of that concept of life. As such, in most of the religions you will find some instruction on morality and goodness, and God consciousness is superfluous. So except Krsna Consciousness or Bhagavata Dharma or religion of the Bhagavata, any other system of religion is only pretension, that is the fact. It is not therefore surprising that your impression of the meeting of the Jews and Christians, where you had opportunity to speak, was that they were lacking so much in God-consciousness. So far we are concerned, our principle is to live with God as actual fact, and not to make God a supplying agent. Our process is different because we want to supply God everything—whatever we have got and whatever we have not got. Regarding your need for men, Krsna will give you many assistants, don't worry. I have ordered for you big Radha Krsna murtis for which you will have to donate $400 to my book fund. All centers are selling our literatures very nicely, you also try for it. Whether you have got sufficient stock of all our books—Bhagavad-gita, TLC, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Easy Journey, etc.? If not, then get them from Brahmananda. I have not yet received the package of matched cloths which you have sent, but when it is in my hand I shall properly utilize it as directed by you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Subhadra **Date:** August 5th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Subhadra dasi, Please accept my blessings. Thank you very much for your nice letter dated July 22, 1970 Thursday night. I did not reply right away because I am getting ready to to lead a Sankirtana Party to chant Hare Krsna in Japan and then to India, where Lord Sri Krsna had all His Pastimes with the cowherd boys and girls. Yes, you are certainly right when you say Radharani cooks prasadam for Lord Krsna. Whenever He returns in the evening from herding cows with His cowherd boy friends, Radharani has a nice preparation waiting for Lord Krsna. You have also mentioned about Krsna playing on His flute. In the Nectar of Devotion, it is said that Lord Krsna attracts living entities from all over the universes by simply playing on His flute. Now please listen faithfully to your mother and father and they will teach you all about Lord Krsna. It is said that everyone has a mother and father but only a few are fortunate enough to have a Spiritual Master. So you are doubly fortunate, you have a Spiritual Master and also you have a nice Krsna consciousness father and mother, simply live by their example. I am hoping this reply finds you in happy mood, and I remain Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACB:rda ### Letter to Sucandra **Date:** February 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Sucandra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 8 February, 1970, and I am glad to learn that you are trying to make your service more perfect, that is most encouraging to me. It is most important that our activities be regular or, in other words, on a schedule. Everyone should chant his beads sixteen rounds daily without fail and follow the regulative principles strictly. These basic Krsna Conscious duties are essential to be performed regularly, and they will give you the necessary strength of spirit to keep always fixed up in devotional service. As soon as a devotee is regularly engaged in this way, always engaged in Krsna Consciousness, Krsna will reveal the whole spiritual science from within the heart of such sincere devotee. This program of chanting and following the rules and regulations will give you spiritual intelligence for understanding the Bhagavad gita and our other scriptures also. In this connection, I think that since you have some difficulty in reading our English edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, you can study more easily from the copies of Mandali Bhadra's German translations of the same. Perhaps you can assist him in some respect also by proofreading his work. So you may inquire from him in this way. It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that this devotional service is so powerful that even if a devotee occasionally falls down from the standard there is no loss for him. If he is sincere, he will automatically rectify his error and Lord Krsna immediately purifies him from within. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita also, that for the devotee Krsna gives all protection, and there is never any loss for him. But if one is not engaged in Krsna Consciousness, there is no gain for him in any position of material life. So we must stick firmly to the chanting of the Holy Name and following the rules. This will keep us from being tricked by Maya. But there is no question of disappointment for some temporary bewilderment. We are all new and weak in this Krsna Consciousness. Just as everyone in the hospital is diseased, and although they are trying to become well there is a chance that anyone of them may relapse, but that does not mean that the hospital should be closed. It is now our business to struggle with Maya, and when we win out by Krsna's grace that is to regain our natural healthy life of Krsna Consciousness. So there is no case of disappointment. I am very happy to know that so many young boys and girls are now becoming attracted to the Hamburg Temple. I can understand that there is great interest in Germany for Krsna Consciousness. So continue to push our Sankirtana movement more vigorously so that the people may become more and more attracted by this transcendental sound—Hare Krsna—and that will be the greatest service to bring them the true welfare and happiness of life. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** April 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I am very much anxious to hear from you about your activities. I sent you one tape record as desired by you and I hope you must have received it. So you please keep me informed about your activities at least once a fortnight. In the meantime I have received some quotations of Japanese printers, sent by you. One of them is replied as per carbon copy enclosed, and if possible try to see them if they are agreeable. Please enlighten me by return mail how you are making progress in our movement, how the Japanese people are responding. Naturally I am very much anxious to know that. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** April 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter dated 15th April, 1970, and noted the contents with great satisfaction. Today I have received the copy of BTG sent by you. Thank you very much. I have also seen the pictures and I can guess from these pictures that your activities are going very nicely. You have done good by sending duplicate copies to Brahmananda for publishing in BTG.So from your account and pictures also, the program of the 29th appears to have been very nicely executed. I am so very glad to learn that you have some boys coming regularly and two of them are now living with you. Get some Japanese disciples and then you will feel stronger in preaching work. Regarding your temple house, gradually as you work, as you are presently doing, the Japanese center will be another Dvaraka undoubtedly. You should keep your aim for publishing Japanese BTG. That is the immediate need of your studying Japanese language, and that is immediate task. If the Japanese boy can translate it and you can see the final reading, that will be nice. I am always glad to know that you are faithful in the matter of discharging the prescribed duties of devotional service like regularly chanting your prescribed rounds. This simple program will keep days. Attend our classes and routine work, regular chanting is your foothold in Krishna Consciousness. Regarding your Government grant of missionary visas, it is very good news. Also the leaders in L.A. have already purchased their own temple at the above address. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Cintamani, Bhurijana, and all the other girls and boys there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** April 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. Regarding Tosho Printing Company, what has happened?—it is very urgent. I have not as yet received any reply whether these people are agreeable. I want to settle up this thing, so let me know definitely about their decision taken from them in writing. If our regular printing is done there, whether you will be able to supervise it? Either yourself or Bhurijana Prabhu, if you take this responsibility, it will be a great help. If you so desire, Brahmananda can also go there for some time to train you how to do this press management. So kindly reply this letter. I am very much anxious to hear from you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbP.S. --- Try to introduce Japanese BTG as soon as possible ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** May 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple—chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Sankirtana Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books. Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard. Hope this will meet you in good health, and more when we meet. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** June 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 29th May, 1970, and I am very glad to know that your preaching work is going on nicely. Please take advantage of the stall at the San Francisco Pavilion, and try to distribute the "Peace Formula" literature which you have sent to me as well as the card which you have also sent to me. Your plan to distribute French, German and English editions of BTG from the pavilions of those countries is very good idea. Brahmananda is there so jointly make some solid plan. I understand that in Japan there is good possibility of spreading our movement, and the Japanese boys are chanting Hare Krsna Mantra very nicely. I think for the Japanese to pronounce Sanskrit language is easier than to pronounce English language; but this mantra is universal, anywhere you go everyone will be able to chant this mantra. I am so engladdened to learn that arrangements are being made to print Japanese BTG immediately. Please do it as soon as possible. Amogha Das Brahmacari and Satyavrata Das Brahmacari have already started this morning. So already you are three there, and Brahmananda and these two Brahmacaris—now you are strong six, and by preaching you will gather another six times six Japanese people and preach Krsna consciousness in as many cities of Japan as possible and distribute literature. The small books also can be translated into Japanese. I have seen the footnote in the Japanese paper you have sent, and it is very nice. If possible you can import from India kholes, mrdanga, and karatalas. We have already ordered through Messrs. Dwarkin and Son superior quality kholes and pakhwaz, so when we receive them if they are satisfactory, then I will place order for your center. The more you progress in preaching work, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will give you more facilities in this connection. By His grace you have got determination and you have got a nice wife and nice assistants—please do the work enthusiastically. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** June 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your encouraging letter dated 14th June, 1970.Your proposals for extending Sankirtana Party activities and distribution of literatures and organizing Tokyo center as the headquarters for our Far Eastern branches of ISKCON are very encouraging, so try to substantiate these ideas. Regarding printing of Japanese BTG with Tosho or Dai Nippon, that is nice. But why 10,000? Why not 100,000? The more you increase the number of BTGs that is very encouraging. Sometimes back you mentioned one Japanese lady attached to Ramakrishna Mission who was translating our literatures—so what has happened to her? It is very good news that you are getting your branch of ISKCON incorporated in Japan. That is nice. So you write to say that things are taking shape very nicely. It is all Krsna's grace. You have gone with great hope and enthusiasm, so Krsna is giving you all opportunities. So try to serve Krsna with greater enthusiasm, then you will get greater facilities. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** July 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to inform you that I am leaving Los Angeles on the 7th July. I am taking three Sannyasis on world tour. We shall reach to Hawaii first and I shall let you know then definitely what our plans are for coming to Tokyo so you will know when to expect our arrival. I hope everything is going on well with you. Your reports from Japan are very encouraging, so I am looking forward to seeing you there. Please offer my blessings to all Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dmP.S. --- If you have already arranged for my apartment then you can send me telegram immediately & I shall cancel Hawaii program. ACB ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** September 17th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your nice letter dated September 14th, 1970, and I have noted the contents. I was very much hopeful about the house, but you have not got it. Don't be worried, Krsna will provide you with a better house very soon. Regarding the quotation, it appears to be cheaper, but there is no mention of the quantity. So in your next quotation clearly state the quantity. In India, from the very moment we stepped down from the airplane, there is good propaganda work going on. We are following the same principles as in the U.S.A. by sending Sankirtana Party and it appears to be very successful. We have had many meetings and still we have got many engagements and the functions are going very nicely. The boy Bruce is improving and becoming more interested. He has now sacrificed his hairs for Krsna—that is a good sign. I hope the methodical way you are conducting our Tokyo Temple will improve more and more and there may not be any more poisonous effects as it happened in the past. Kindly let me know at least once in a fortnight about your nice actions. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dsb ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** November 4th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22nd October, 1970 and I have noted the contents carefully. I'm glad that you and Bali Mardan Prabhu have had a chance to be together and have planned jointly one center in Hong Kong. That is what I wish to see from the GBC members; that they work combinedly to open as many centers as possible all over the world. I am very hopeful for this GBC that you will work in such a way that I may be completely relieved from all management of this society. Now I want to simply begin translating. Here I am situated in a temple of Sita-Ram in a nearby suburb of Bombay. The atmosphere is very relaxing, such as I have not found anywhere else in India thus far. So in every way it is very conducive to my translating work and beginning today I will spend all my time translating. Tamala Krsna and Syamasundara are here with me as my liaison officers and the rest of the GBC members are spread all over the world. So please work closely together and do everything in cooperation. Please send immediately ten copies of Japanese BTG as soon as they are printed by Dai Nippon. You can send them to the Marine Drive address. Thank you very much for your check for 45 dollars for my maintenance fund. Please offer my blessings to your good wife Cintamani and to all the other good Tokyo Prabhus. I hope you are well and jolly. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:adb ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** December 30th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings, and offer the same to your good wife Cintamani devi Dasi. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15th December, 1970—as well as the telegram sent on the 16th December. So far as the 10 copies of Japanese BTG sent by you is concerned, they were received by me some time ago and acknowledged in my letter to you dated 5th December, 1970. This letter was sent to your old address, so perhaps you have received it by now. I am very glad to learn that Krishna has given you such a nice new temple with so many nice facilities. If you can get one cow that is very auspicious. Then you can have fresh milk and butter. Also the garden mentioned by you should be cultivated. In India the system is that no matter how poor a man is, still, if he has a little land, he can grow some flowers or vegetables and offer to the Deity. In this way take advantage of all that Krishna has so kindly provided. In addition if you can begin production of of spiritual sky incense there, that will be helpful. Your temple can be named as New Gaya.* Gaya is the province where Lord Buddha flourished. Japan is Buddhist country and we accept Lord Buddha as incarnation of God. So far as Bruce Prabhu is concerned, he may return to Tokyo at any time if you feel that his service is required there. Presently he is in Bombay, so you can write him at our Bombay camp address given above. I am pleased to learn that you and Bali Mardan are cooperating fully to make our Asian program a success. The two of you are a superexcellent team. I am also appreciating your wonderful enthusiasm for pushing on this movement. Simply be patient and continue in this way with confidence and Krishna will give you all facility. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb --- *At Gaya Lord Caitanya was initiated by His Spiritual Master, Sri Isvara Puri Maharaja. N.B. On the 4th January 1971 we are all going to Bombay. From there my party men about 25 will go to Allahabad where the great spiritual fair Ardhakumbla mela will take place. I am reaching Calcutta on the 5th by air plane. There I shall attend an important meeting & then I shall come back to Allahabad & then to Gorakhpur etc. ACB ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** January 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 4th, 1970. I noted the contents with great interest. Actually, I was thinking of you from London and by the grace of Krishna my anxiety was televisioned to you in your dream. So Krishna is very kind upon us, and His kindness will be more exhibited the more we expand this Krishna Consciousness Movement. Take it as a fact, there is no question of doubting this statement, the whole world is in need of Krishna Consciousness. Krishna inspired My Guru Maharaja, and He inspired Me, and I am trying to inspire you all because Krishna wants it. You have gone to Tokyo with a great mission, with blessings of Krishna, and I am very much encouraged to read your letter that there is great possibility of Krishna Consciousness Movement in Japan. I am so encouraged to learn that you are going to order 5,000 copies of BTG for selling in Tokyo. Thank you very much. I am so glad to learn that Mr. Row, a South Indian gentleman, is helping you, and why not take some help from Dai Nippon Co.? They can issue a certificate in our favor that we are completely non-political, religious institution meant for every human being. Bhurijana is very intelligent boy and good match for cooperating with you in the absence of Bali Mardan. I have talked with Gargamuni yesterday, and he is going to send you the letters of guarantee very soon. I shall remind him again. Even if you don't rent a temple for the time being, you can go on street Sankirtana and hold meetings from a rented hall. That will also do. Yes, Krishna is never approached directly. Krishna is approached through His bona fide servitors. He says that, "Carrying out the order of My pure devotee is greater than carrying out that directly given by Me." In this connection, I may inform you that you try your best to serve Krishna under the direction of your Spiritual Master and Krishna will surely help you in all respects. I shall be very glad to go as soon as you call me. I have got great interest in preaching for the Japanese, and, if Krishna gives me opportunity, I shall stay in Japan for one or two months for this transcendental business. That is a fact, this plan of Sankirtana is the only way, the only way for our success. Sankirtana, Love Feast and selling BTG, they are our primary engagements and next Temple worship. Temple worship is needed for the inner section. In the beginning, Sankirtana is more important for drawing the attention of the people in general. Last night, I went to see our men chanting in Hollywood Boulevard, and I saw it was so fine and satisfactory. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/db ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** February 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 February, 1970, and I have also received the copy of the article printed in the Japan Times Weekly. I am so glad to learn of your successful activities in spreading our Krsna Consciousness movement in Tokyo. The potency of spreading Krsna Consciousness is everywhere the same. That was experimented by me in your country, where I came alone without any support; and Krsna is so kind that He has sent me so many boys and girls like you. Lord Caitanya said that every village and town on the surface of the world will know the message of the Sankirtana movement. This very statement affirms that in every village and town all over the world there are many candidates who are awaiting this message. Please therefore work very seriously. Chant your daily beads regularly. You have got a very nice devotee wife, she will help you in all respects. So try to follow the footsteps of the disciplic succession, and everything will come out successful. In London there is some clashing between the police and our men, but the reaction is in our factor. Probably there will be a great agitation in this connection, and the whole world will know automatically the importance of this movement. Gaurasundara has intended to call me at Hawaii during Lord Caitanya's birthday, somewhere by the end of March 1970. Similarly, whenever you are also nicely established, you may also call me and I shall be very glad to visit your center. By the by, I may request you that you may take quotation of our BTG for printing 100,000 (one hundred thousand) copies per month from some of the leading printers in Tokyo. I am happy to learn your plans for celebrating Lord Caitanya's appearance day, and please make the meeting very successful. Hope this will meet you in very good health. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Cintamani, and to all the other boys and girls there. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** March 13th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Tokyo My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 7 March, 1970. I have received your tape yesterday, but without waiting for this tape, I have already recorded a speech and several songs also. The tape is already dispatched to you by air mail. Please acknowledge receipt. The typed copy of the lecture also you will find along with the record. Yes, because the transcendental sound vibration directly appeals to the soul, therefore everyone will take it if the vibration is made by a pure devotee. We should therefore try to fix up our mind to remain in our spiritual position by chanting and following the regulative principles. Both in our American and European centers things are improving, and I hope you shall also do the needful. I am very glad to learn that you have engaged one older Japanese lady for translating our lectures. This is a great opportunity that you have got a good translator. Give her sufficient work for translating, and certainly she will turn to be Krishna Consciousness. Regarding your projected study of all aspects of Japanese language—writing, reading, and speaking—for spreading Krishna Consciousness to all the Japanese speaking people all over the world, that is just our program, and you should do this without fail. As you have written that Tokyo is the largest city in the world and there is no limit to the scope of our preaching work there, your work there is very important to spread our mission. I am so pleased to learn that you have held several successful kirtanas and also you were on the T.V. program. So now we are in the news and people will be inquiring more about our movement, so your progress in preaching Lord Caitanya's message in Tokyo is very much encouraging to me, and I am so happy to note your sincere determination in this matter. When you are able to find out a house for inviting interested persons to live in our Krishna Consciousness community, that will be very much helpful. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Cintamani Dasi, and to Bhurijana who is your valuable aide, and to all the other boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sumati Morarjee **Date:** February 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles Madam Sumati Morarjee Baisaheba, Please accept my greetings. I hope you are doing well. Since a long time I have not heard from you. I hope this letter will find you in good health and devotional service of Lord Krishna. I hope you are getting my "Back to Godhead" paper regularly, and you will be glad to know that the paper has increased in circulation by this time and we are printing 50,000 copies per month. Also you will be pleased to know that now I have got 24 branches—perhaps you have seen the list in our "Back to Godhead." Our Indian Vaisnavas are helping me by contributing each one pair or more Radha Krishna Murtis for our different Temples. I would request you also to contribute one pair of Radha Krishna Murti and recommend some of your friends to do the same. You will find in the enclosed copy of the letter that Dalmia-Jayan Trust has contributed one pair of Murti, and similarly the Birla Trust has contributed four pairs of Murtis. Now I request you to carry these Murtis to America by your shipping line. The Murtis are being prepared in Vrindaban, under the direction of Sri H.S. Sharma, Secretary to Dalmia Jayan Trust. The Murtis are already packed and ready for dispatch, so on hearing from you, immediately they will be sent to your care for being carried by your shipping lines to the respective destinations; namely Boston, Montreal, New York and Los Angeles. So kindly send your instructions to the following address: H. S. Sharma, Dalmia Charitable Trust, 4 Scindia House, New Delhi. Awaiting your early reply and thanking you in anticipation. Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Sumati Morarjee **Date:** March 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles Scindia HouseBombay, IndiaMadam Sumati Morarji Baisaheba, Please accept my greetings. I thank you very much for your letter dated 26 February, 1970, and noted the contents. You will be pleased to know that recently we have opened a center in Sydney. The newspaper-cutting is sent herewith. I am also enclosing herewith a picture of the Deities in our London Temple. These Deities were donated by one London Devotee, Mr. Goyal, and they were purchased from Jaipur. The Deities contributed by Dalmia Jayan Trust and Birla Trust (5 Pairs) are made in Vrindaban, 24 inches high brass Deities, but these London Deities are made of first-class marble from Jaipur, and they are 42 inches high. So any one of these patterns may be supplied by you, and I shall be glad if you kindly send me a list of prospective donors of such Deities from Bombay. There are many Vaisnava respectable gentlemen in Bombay, and they can cooperate with my mission. For the present, I have a plan for opening 108 centers all over America, Europe, Canada, Japan, and Australia. I have got at present 26 centers. I have sent some of my devotees in Germany where people are more interested in this Hare Krsna movement. You will be pleased to know that simply in Germany alone our "Hare Krishna Mantra" record has been sold to the extent of 57,000 copies. You write to say that the copy of the letter addressed to Mr. Sharma was enclosed with my letter, but I do not find it. Anyway, I hope you have already instructed your Calcutta office to carry these Deities to different places of the U.S.A.You will be pleased to know that my latest publication is "Sri Isopanisad" and I am sending one copy for your perusal. I hope you will feel interest in reading this book. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Suridas **Date:** March 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Suridas, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15 March 1970, and noted the contents with great satisfaction. In the meantime, I have also received one copy of your first Parisian BTG. So while we are waiting for regular edition of French BTG, you may try to improve this small publication and sell it as far as possible. That is very nice. I have also received one similar letter from London, and I have sent the reply to Gurudasa, and the copy is enclosed herewith so that all of you may follow the same instructions and open hundreds of Temples in Europe combinedly. Mukunda, Tamala, yourself, Syamasundara, Gurudasa, and if possible, George, as well as Hansadutta and all your better halves just make a very rigid plan for opening centers in every nook and corner of the European countries. I am arranging with Indian sympathizers to get some nice Deities like those in London. So try to install Deities and centers as many as possible. Actually the modern human society is in need of Krishna relationship, so as soon as they will come in touch with our movement, surely they will feel very happy. So kindly execute this responsibility to your best capacity, and Krishna will be very happy upon you. Your combination with your good wife, Jotilla, is very good, and now with greater enthusiasm execute Krishna activities as I have advised Gurudasa also. We must be fully equipped, and the preaching work by pairs of husband and wife will be an unique example to the world. Formerly the Acaryas were generally all Sannyasis, but Lord Caitanya, in His instruction to Roy Ramananda, who was a confidential devotee of Lord Caitanya, but a householder and responsible government official, Governor of Madras, has given open instruction that it does not matter what is the social or ecclesiastical order, if one is fully in Krishna Consciousness, he can act as Acarya. So all you boys and girls who are now married, follow this instruction of Lord Caitanya, and show vivid example to the world how man and woman can be united, not for sense gratification but for the service of the Lord. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Syama **Date:** February 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Syama Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 19 February, 1970, with your embroidery work on my Guru Maharaja's picture. Women are by nature endowed with many artistic tendencies, and from the Vedic age we find that high grade women and girls were highly qualified in sixty-four arts. Srimati Radharani was fully qualified in those arts, and therefore, by Her super-excellent transcendental qualities, she could charm Krsna who is the charmer of the three worlds. One of the Principle Gopis was Syama dasi, and you are supposed to follow the footsteps of Syama dasi. I am very much pleased to note that you are feeling happiness in Krsna Consciousness activities along with your good husband. Please remain in that spirit and chant Hare Krsna sixteen rounds regularly, both husband and wife, and develop New Vrindaban. Next summer if you hold Janmastami gorgeously, as I have already suggested to Kirtanananda Maharaja, surely I shall go there. Please ask Hayagriva Prabhu to finish the Bhagavad-gita As It Is with full explanation and text, and as soon as it is finished I shall send you some new tapes which you shall work husband and wife conjointly and you will be very pleased. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** January 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 2nd, 1970 and accordingly I have issued one letter to Mr. Allen Klein, the copy of which is enclosed herewith, please find. I have advised Brahmananda to see him. I am so glad to learn that Sriman George is making good advancement in Krishna consciousness. He is a good soul and I am praying for him to Krishna, so surely he will make advancement. His book, Krishna, is already ready for being sent to the press. Please let me know if I shall send the manuscript to the press or I shall await further instruction from you. Now I am in Los Angeles and you can contact me here after consulting George. I am very glad to learn that London Temple as well as the householder devotees are all doing well. I have received letter from you and Mukunda also, but I have received no letter from Tamala. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls and devotees in London Temple. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ddb ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** January 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. Regarding George's money: Brahmananda talked with Gargamuni and informed him that one week ago the secretary of Mr. Klein's APTKO (?) record company called our temple and said that the check is ready for you, please come and pick it up. In response to this, Rsi Kumar went to that APTKO Co. and they wanted to give him a check for $1,900. (19 hundred). Rsi Kumar said that we were expecting a check for $19,000 (19 thousand). So the check was mistaken and he did not receive the check. Then it is learned that two days ago the secretary of Mr. Klein phoned Brahmananda and submitted his regrets that the check was drawn wrongly as $1,900, and he would call him again for delivering the right check. But up to now there is no news from them. I do not know what is happening, but you may keep George informed about this fact, and if possible reply this letter. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** February 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated January 31 and February 3, 1970 respectively. Your attitude of humbleness and meekness in the service of Krishna Consciousness is the only qualification which can lead us to upper grade of Krishna Consciousness, and this is the version of Lord Caitanya. Your service is appreciated not only by me, but all other members of the Society. Recently I received one letter from Bhagavan das and the copy of my reply to that letter is enclosed herewith, please find. Now everyone has heard how strenuously you induced George Harrison to contribute for our Krsna book. The delay of payment was not due to your so-called "negligence," but it was due to the tricks of the lawyer, Mr. Klein. Anyway, now we have got the money, let us forget the delay. I have received one letter from Dai Nippon and they have informed me that it will take at least 85 days for finishing the printing work completely. I am going to submit the manuscript and pictures. Now, according to their calculation, we shall have the book ready by the 15th of May, 1970. Your suggestion to introduce Krsna book along with the new record is very welcome. When do you expect the release of the records? I think it must be before the 15th May, 1970. Under the circumstances, I wish to print a few thousands of a small booklet regarding Krsna book, with a few pictures, giving a short description of Krsna on the cover page—Krsna The Supreme rich, powerful, famous and beautiful Personality of Godhead without any material attachment is now available in book form (400 pages reading matter and 52 colorful illustrations) in first-class hardbound and woodfree paper printed. Those who have heard the "Hare Krishna Mantra" record as well as "Govindam" will do well by procuring this deluxe book and keep at home as a great treasure. Try to understand the basic principles of the great movement "Krsna Consciousness"The above will be a sub-clause on the pamphlet. I think if George writes a small foreword, then we can include it along with other description in the pamphlet. I think if we issue such prologue pamphlet and put it within the paper cover of the album, we can expect some order from many customers before the book is out of the press, and in that case perhaps we have to mention the price and delivery terms to save time. If the shopkeepers who will sell the records will send us order, we shall give them sufficient trade discount. So I shall be glad to hear from you how you like this idea. If you like it, then please let me know by return mail the latest date on which you will require them, so that I can arrange for that. I am so glad to learn that you are always gazing on the Sri Murti in our Temple, and this is also very much helpful in advancing Krishna Consciousness. I understand that you have now some changes in the posts of the officers, but one thing you must remember that Tamala has to move at least in the three main centers of Europe and therefore you three directors or founders must have to learn the ways and means of administration from Tamala so that in his absence you may not feel any difficulty. As we are increasing the number of our centers and as it is not possible for me to move, I am just trying to train three or four of the advanced boys to work as the superintendents of the centers. Now you will be glad to know that we have our branch in Australia also. I am glad that your press release propaganda is going very nicely and I shall request you to include the names of our books and publications as far as possible. When such press releases are printed, send me the copies regularly. It will be a great advantage for us as well as for the people in general if the press reporters can ventilate the idea of one God, one religion, one Scripture, one Mantra, and one people throughout the whole world. I have seen the list of "Hare Krishna Mantra" record distribution and I am surprised to see that Germany alone has taken 57,000 records. Therefore we should open more branches in Germany immediately. So Krishna das has also written me about this prospect and I have asked Hansadutta to go to Germany via London immediately for this purpose and I have written to Tamala about this. For you this engagement of press propaganda, I think, is the best occupation, assisted by Gurudasa. I am very glad to note that you have marked the secret weapon of Krsna's beauty, and this weapon was introduced by Lord Caitanya. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is clearly said that Lord Caitanya's Associates are the weapons for conquering over the influence of this age, Kali Yuga. Try to realize this fact more and more and you will be victorious in every field for pushing on our Krishna Consciousness movement. I am so glad to learn that you wish to distribute the Krsna book in Europe to the extent of minimum 2,500. It does not matter what it is, but you try your best—that is required. Regarding Rathayatra festival, I have already written to Acyutananda for the exact date which I shall send you as soon as possible. But you can make arrangement of this Rathayatra festival for taking place sometimes in the month of July. Last year it was a great pleasure for me to participate in the S.F. Rathayatra; so this year, if you invite me, certainly I shall go to London; but for transcendental competition with S.F. you have to introduce three Rathas as they are done in Jagannatha Puri. But if it is difficult for many reasons, then you can accommodate all the three Deities on one Ratha. Regarding the building, certainly it will be very nice to secure it for our central movement in London. I think the royalties which you may have for 200,000 "Hare Krishna Mantra" records may immediately be employed for this purpose. Regarding your staying in London, you must do it by all means and utilize the facilities offered by George's cooperation. Regarding World Sankirtana Party, we can attempt for this great task if somebody comes forward to sponsor the trip. We cannot do it ourself. We must remain free from the side of financial responsibility. Whenever you feel some difficulty you may consult me. If there is possibility of such sponsoring agency, do try for it seriously. Regarding George's request to supervise the work in his monastery, I think you should help him because he is our good friend and by that way you shall be able to utilize his telegraph machine, etc. This is a good plan; I completely approve of this. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. London center must also pay my monthly maintenance as others are paying ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** February 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your very interesting letter dated 11 February, 1970. In the meantime, I have sent you one letter which I hope you have received by this time. Herewith please find one cover addressed to George Harrison, and I hope you will deliver it with my blessings. I am very glad that his service is effectively working on him, and that is the way of realization, Krsna Consciousness. The description of Krsna Consciousness movement in London gives me a great pleasure with hope and interest. Lord Caitanya was also checked in His Sankirtana movement by the then police officer, and He led a procession of one hundred thousands of men to the house of the Kazi. So I think Lord Caitanya is planning a situation which will help us in pushing the Krsna Consciousness movement throughout the whole world. I therefore request you all to chant Hare Krsna mantra very rigidly sixteen rounds a day and thus be fixed up in your spiritual strength and everything will come out successful. The cover of George Harrison is open, and after reading it you can close it and deliver it to him. So far his contribution is concerned, I shall duly acknowledge it as I do usually in the Krsna book also. Besides that, I wish to put his good name on the dedication page of devotional service.* I would have done this in the Isopanisad, but this book was already printed. I hope you like the letter which I have addressed to George. Hope this will meet you in good health. Offer my blessings to Malati, your daughter, Sarasvati, and all other boys and girls at the Temple. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- *"Nectar of Devotion" ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** February 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16 February, 1970, along with "Govindam" record. I have heard it played on a record player and, although the machine was not very good, still I enjoyed the transcendental vibration very much. Regarding Yugoslavia, the communist country, if they are anxious for our association why not take this opportunity immediately. The communists are first class disciples of Kali; therefore our attention should be more upon them because of their serious materialistic fever. So you can make immediately correspondence with the Yugoslavian friends, and as Tamala is going there very soon, he can immediately open a center with the cooperation of local people. So, with George's recommendation letter, if somebody goes there, I am sure it will be a successful attempt. Actually I am very much eager to start a temple in the communist country. Regarding civil-disobedience movement, I do not think there is need of it. Our people have been arrested on the charge of blocking the pedestrian path; so if some friends give evidence that we did not actually block the way, then the case will certainly be dismissed as you said that the members of the public were in sympathy with us. Our people are still going with Sankirtana Party, so government does not prohibit us so far Sankirtana is concerned. Therefore, civil-disobedience on this ground would be unnecessary. But I will suggest one thing—that you can organize a mass Sankirtana procession on the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya, 22 March, 1970; that day is also Sunday. Therefore if George and John Lennon both lead the procession, that will be a great service. Because of their presence many young men especially will join the procession. And if you carry flags, festoons, and pictures in that procession, starting from a big park like Hyde Park or St. James' Square and then pass over some important streets, especially the residential quarters, that will be a great success. In that procession, you can distribute our literatures of various kinds—books and magazines also. I think that will be a great successful program. I have already written a letter to George and it is sent through you. In that letter I have suggested the importance of Krsna Consciousness movement, so if George elaborates this idea in his foreword that will be very nice. The suggestions I may repeat again, that every living entity has a dormant propensity of love for somebody else. That is exhibited not only in human society, but also in the animal society. That love is exhibited primarily in five kinds of relationship—especially as master and servant, as friend and friend, as parents and children, and as lover and beloved. This stock of love in every living entity is dormant eternal love for Krsna, but because the living entity has forgotten Krsna since a very, very long time, even before this creation was manifested, therefore all of us are misplacing that dormant love in a perverted way. Therefore there is always frustration. Even so-called "sincere" love between lover and the beloved or husband and wife or even parents and children are so many instances of frustration. Therefore the only remedy for this repeated frustration of our life after life is revival of original Krsna Consciousness. As soon as we revive that love of Krsna in any one of the five primary relationships, as we have constitutional aptitude, immediately we become happy. This is the fact, but it requires little time to come to this point by the prescribed method as we have to undergo patiently a treatment for the cure of our disease. Therefore this Krsna Consciousness movement is the only solution for all kinds of frustrations and problems. You can give this idea to George as well as explain your practical experience plus his practical experience also, then a nice foreword may come out. While he has given me contribution of $19,000 for publication of my book, Krsna, I think he has not done it foolishly. He is very intelligent boy, therefore I am sure he has also some practical appreciation of this Krsna Consciousness movement. But my above suggestion that if George and John lead the procession, on Lord Caitanya's Birthday, that will be very, very nice. Regarding the small booklet, Jayadvaita from Boston has sent me two pages writing which I am enclosing herewith. So with additional alteration of this idea, plus your idea, if you write a suitable introduction, then we shall print them with some pictures on nice paper as many copies as you require for putting them within the paper covering of the records, and that will be a good introduction. But one thing, I must warn you in this connection that these records are distributed amongst teenagers, therefore the language and presentation should be suitable for their understanding. I think you will understand me right in this connection. So, after writing the pamphlet and if possible getting it edited amongst yourselves, you can send the copies one to me and one to Boston for printing. So this is my idea, now you can work upon it as you think it fit. Yes, before your travelling around Britain, if these pamphlets are distributed, I am sure very easily you will be able to sell our Krsna book. The U.S. centers will act according to your direction without fail in this connection. I am expecting your next longer letter as mentioned in your letter under reply. Thanking you, and please convey my thanks to Malati for her nice letter. I shall reply it in due course. Regarding the court case, I am sending herewith one news cutting how they were released in Detroit. Regarding the exact date for celebration of Rathayatra Festival, it is on the 5th July until the return journey of Lord Jagannatha on the 14th July. Before Rathayatra, on June 19, there is a ceremony of bathing Lord Jagannatha after which Lord Jagannatha falls sick with fever from too much bathing. Then He takes rest and no one is allowed to visit, but He reappears on Rathayatra day.*Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- *This ceremony you can observe by bathing a small deity on the day participated by all devotees. But there is no need of closing the temple for fifteen days. ACB ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** February 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22 February, 1970, and noted the contents carefully. In the meantime I have posted another letter in which I have given hints how George can write the foreword. I want that he may write the foreword by his personal experience, otherwise, I could write one for him if he so desires. Regarding authorized songs, you may inform George that authorized songs means the songs which were sung or composed by self-realized Acaryas. It is an injunction in the Vaisnava regulations that unauthorized songs or statements should never be heard. The comparison is given that milk, although very nutritious food, if it is touched by the tongue of a serpent, it acts like poison. So I am giving herewith a few lines of authorized songs which you may deliver to George. They are as follows:1. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare2. Hari Haraye Namah Krsna Yadavaya NamahYadavaya Madhavaya Kesavaya Namah3. Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna HayKrsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna HayKrsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Raksa mamKrsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Pahi mamKrsna Kesava Krsna Kesava Krsna Kesava Raksa mamRama Raghava Rama Raghava Rama Raghava Pahi mamSo these songs were sung by Lord Caitanya Himself, therefore they are the most authorized songs. I am very glad to learn that he has given up composing nonsense songs, it is a great advancement of his spiritual life. But as he has got the aptitude for writing songs, I shall be very glad to give him many such themes of songs on which he can write in his own language and expression. I am giving below one theme:"My Dear Lord, I have simply wasted my privileges of human form of life. This life was meant for understanding Krsna Consciousness and the pastimes of Lord Krsna with Radharani, but I did not take care of this important business of life. Therefore I have not only wasted my valuable time, but also I have willingly drunk poison for committing suicide. My heart is always in blazing fire because of my association with material sense enjoyment, and I did not fix up my mind in the Krsna Consciousness movement which is imported directly from the Kingdom of God. This Krsna Consciousness movement is inaugurated by Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda Who are Krsna and Balarama respectively. They have descended very kindly to reclaim all fallen souls of this age of whom the typical examples are the two brothers Jagai and Madhai. Now, forgetting all mistakes that I have committed in my past life, I humbly surrender unto You, my Lord Krsna the Son of Nanda Maharaja, and also to Srimati Radharani the daughter of King Vrsabhanu. So both of You are present together, and I fully surrender unto You. Please do not reject me as I have no other shelter except Yourselves."Perhaps you have heard, and George has also heard, my song on this theme, "Hari Hari bifale janama gonainu . . ." So if George can compose a nice song in his own words, and sings, I am sure it will be an epoch making incident. There are many hundreds of thousands of such themes, and if he wants to introduce such songs propitious for pushing Krsna Consciousness movement, that will be very nice. The transcendental vibration OM is also authorized, but is specifically sung by the impersonalists. Although there is no incongruity, still because we are preaching the personal feature of God, we shall not chant Hari Om.Regarding the castle which George has acquired, certainly it can be turned to a nice Krsna Consciousness asrama, and you can help him your best in the same pattern as you have developed our 7 Bury Place. But I do not know whether George will like to install Radha Krsna Murtis in that asrama. In case he likes to do so, then you and your wife, Malati, will have to take care of the Deities as nicely as possible. I do not know in which way George wants to conduct this asrama, and on hearing from you further on this subject, I can give you nice plans. Our general plan is always the same—chanting, dancing and distributing Prasadam. This program can be reduced or enhanced according to one's financial equipment. If George is actually prepared to spend 50% of his income, and thus become a typical example to other European householders, then I shall be able to give him a plan for organizing this asrama so much so that it will be very, very attractive to everyone. As you say that George wants to invite famous people from all over the world to come there and get Krsna Consciousness, in that case, we shall cooperate with him with full vigor. And if George believes in my potency to spread God-consciousness, then it will be a full program of cooperation. So I am glad that you are going to Paris, and just try to find out a suitable place for our temple there. Regarding Krsna book, our printing cost will be $2.00 per book, so we have no objection if you can sell at $6.00 per copy. But here the opinion is that such a nice book with so many pictures, priced at $10.00 is very cheap. So I think if we keep the price $8.00 that will be nice. And so far selling in Europe by yourself, we can discount the price up to 40% and you can sell in your own way. But how it will be possible that the price is printed $8.00 here and $6.00 in Europe? That will be very much contradictory. Another process is to paste a small label for the European equivalent of $6.00 over the printed price of $8.00.Regarding Mayapur center, when the building will be constructed there, probably your valuable service will be required. Let us hope for that auspicious moment. Yes, I am sure that when George takes seriously into Krsna Consciousness, he will do many things desirable out of his own accord, because Krsna is sitting in everyone's heart and thus when a devotee is willing to serve, He gives dictation from within. So when George will help establish temples, it will be a great achievement. I have already acknowledged that the "Govindam" record is very nice, and I am sure it will be appreciated. Devananda also has liked it and says that the sound will be very attractive to the young people especially. Regarding the presentation of "Govindam" as well as other mantras, the vibration is always pure. I will give the theme and if the sound is Westernized that does not matter. But another point is that this specific sound of Kirtana as I sing is also another introduction of art that can be intermingled with Western art, and such combination will certainly be appreciated. But so far I know that the Kirtana tune is a specific representation of Gaudiya Vaisnavas and this tune is appreciated all over India as unique. They say that the Kirtana tune is the specific gift of Bengal, and that is a fact. So why not utilize this tune in the Western countries under the able guidance of such expert musician as George? If you arrange, I will certainly come during Rathayatra. You will have to arrange for passages for at least two men, coming and going. I am very glad to learn about the activities of your nice daughter. I am sure she will be a great devotee and great preacher also in future. I want that on this Krsna culture the whole world can be united. Our Caitanya Almanac is being published. In the meantime, I am sending you one sheet. Keep it carefully for guidance. I think it is better to keep it with Yamuna because she is in charge of Deity worship.*Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- *I have received one letter from Yamuna and she requires the list ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** March 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 March, 1970, along with the "Govindam" record. The record is so nice that I am playing it at least once in a day and it is giving me transcendental pleasure with tears in my eyes. I am sure this record will be the first-class "hit" as already opined by the experts. Certainly this has has come out so successful because of George's sincere effort in Krsna Consciousness. I am so pleased that he is advancing towards perfectional stage of Krsna Consciousness; and your association will greatly help. Try to convince him to avoid the four principles of sinful life and chant Hare Krsna mantra as much as possible, then he will find everything is successful in his life. I think on account of this record, many people, at least from different parts of Europe, will come to see our Temple. Many tourists also may come there. So you do not take it as gloomy, but you should welcome them in our Temple. Regularly try to sell our books and magazines to them. So far taking away the shoes is concerned, you can make the following arrangement: just after the entrance door, arrange for a movable railing so that anyone willing to enter the Temple room, but who does not like to take of his shoes, may be allowed to enter the door but stand near the railing and see the Deity from that place. Anyone willing to go inside the railing boundary must have to get out of his shoes. And exactly by the side of the Altar another railing may be fixed up. This railing should stand between the Vyasasana and the Altar. So anyone who may come must be well received, informed about our activities, and when we publish a little pamphlet which is in preparation, it may also be distributed to each and every one of the visitors. I have not heard anything from you about the small leaflet to be prepared for putting along with the "Govindam" records. Are you preparing it or not? or do you think it is necessary or not? The next song you may record is Jaya Jagadisa Hare: Kesava dhrta dasabidha rupaJaya Jagadisa HareAnd we shall make a children's book with ten pictures of Krsna's different appearances (Dasavatara.) and a short story or explanation for each. Now we have just received part of the manuscript of an abridged version of KRSNA especially meant for children. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. What happened to the manjirao imported from India through Lloyd's Bank. Ask Mukunda to write me about this. ACB ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** March 28th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. Since a few weeks I have not received any letter from you and I understand also that some of you have moved to George's place. I shall be glad to know what is the program there. It was also informed to me by Umapati that all of you along with George were in Paris for some television engagement. Did you find any suitable place for our Temple in Paris? I am therefore very much anxious to hear from you and I shall be glad therefore if you reply in detail by return post. I learn also that Murari and his wife have also gone to London, but he is staying with you. How are Malati and your nice daughter, Sarasvati? Please offer my blessings to George. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** April 12th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 9th April, 1970, with enclosure of George's introduction to KRSNA. Please convey my thanks to him. Regarding your staying in George's place, the first consideration is that in our temple there is no ample accommodation for all the Grhasthas. In that sense your staying in George's place with family is welcome, but your separation from the Society's activities is not very favorable. Either you should create another center in George's place or you should find out some place from where you can regularly join with the activities of our temple. I think Lilavati and Murari are feeling little perturbed on account of this. They are very much fond of temple activities. I understand that George has got a nice chapel in his house and he is also anxious to develop his Krishna Consciousness, so it is not necessary that he has to become my formal disciple, but in order to develop his Krishna Consciousness, he should give us some opportunities to develop a duplicate temple in Oxon. Our staying in John's Tittenhurst garden was a failure because John wanted to utilize the labor of our men without giving us proper facilities for developing the temple. Regarding how George may continue his meditation, that meditation may be done by keeping one picture of Krishna, keeping his mind concentrated on the picture of Krishna and softly chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra as long as he likes. That will complete both his meditation and Krishna Consciousness perfectly according to the last verse of the sixth chapter of Bhagavad-gita which says, "And of all yogis, he always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in Yoga, and is the highest of all."But I do not know whether he is following the four regulative principles. That will help him very rapidly. So for the time being you remain as you are and you also do the same thing, and if possible as suggested by you, Murari and Lilavati can open a center in Oxford. Oxford is a good place for our Krishna Consciousness movement. Formerly when I was there, we saw an old church for the purpose of purchasing it. I think Mukunda had some correspondence about it. Besides that, what are you going to do about Rathayatra? Both you and Murari are good carpenters. So I shall be glad to learn what is your program about Rathayatra. Regarding your need of engagement, then you have to join Sankirtana Party. Your aptitude is to be engaged in constructing something for Krsna. The best thing will be to engage yourself in carving Lord Caitanya's statues. That will be good engagement for you even in George's house. Is it not possible to have a small temple in George's house so you can engage in temple worship? That is necessary. If there is a small temple there, then you and your wife and others can be nicely engaged. I think George does not require to become my formal disciple because he is already more than my disciple. He has sympathy for my movement and I have all blessings for him. He can easily spare that chapel for developing it into a nice Krishna Consciousness temple. We do not want any proprietorship right, but we want simply to utilize the nice place into a nice temple. Our men will take charge of maintaining the temple, so what is the objection about his sparing this nice place for turning into Krishna temple. My idea is that you six boys and girls who have gone there remain there and help George as far as possible, but you maintain a regular temple there so that people may come see an ideal place of worship and surely that will be a great advantage for George and the visitors who come there. I have received one letter from Munich, the copy of which is enclosed herewith. If George simply spares that chapel to us it will be a great service to the neighboring people and visitors. We shall turn the chapel so nicely that everyone who comes to see will be Krishna conscious person. Yes, I always think of your little girl, she is so nice. Sometimes I think that I left my home leaving aside all children and grandchildren, and Krsna is giving another batch to whom I am becoming attached. But this attachment is nice because the center is Krsna. I always narrate the story of your daughter when she was dancing on the platform of the law college and she obliged all other law students to imitate her dancing. Anyway, just raise this girl in full Krishna Consciousness and she will be a great preacher when she is young. During Rathayatra ceremony I will suggest that Lord Jagannatha be carried from London to Oxon in Their chariots and in procession and Lord Jagannatha live for 8 days from the 5th to 14th July at the chapel house of George. And for eight days there should be continued festivals which means Kirtana and distribution of Prasadam. During this 8 days time, George should invite all his friends and guests and they should be informed about the necessity of Krishna Consciousness movement. The chapel house should always be nicely decorated with leaves, flowers, and lights; and then after completion of 8 days stay, Lord Jagannatha shall return back in procession to London temple. I think George can afford to expand for this whole week celebration at his house. That will be practical understanding of Krishna Consciousness. You can suggest this idea to George on my behalf. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** April 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 11th April, 1970.Regarding your further statement in the matter of George's introduction, I think as he is not settled up in his conclusion, he wants to change it, either we should wait for his final decision or it may not be added. For the time being I am holding its publication. In the meantime, I hope you have received my yesterday's letter. Regarding the presence of God, both the theist and atheist have practical experience in two different ways. They are as follows: The atheist is hypocrite that he says there is no God. There is presence of God both for the theist and atheist. The vivid example of this presence of God both before the theist and atheist simultaneously is Lord Nrsimhadeva. Lord Nrsimhadeva appeared before the atheist Hiranyakasipu as Death and He appeared before Prahlada Maharaja the theist as the Benedictor of Blessing. So God has two features of appearance—to the atheist He appears as Death and to the devotee-theist He appears as the Supreme Beloved. The hypocrite atheist says that he does not believe in God, but he cannot say that he does not believe in death. Our definition of God is that He is great. That the atheist does not believe in God means that nobody is greater than him—he is "God" himself, but he is enforced to believe that Death is greater than him. In other words, Death is the representation of God before the atheist. The atheist theoretically can deny the presence of God, but the presence of God in form of Death is present before him despite his flouting. You have seen the picture of Lord Narayana—He has got four hands, two hands are for the atheist and two hands are for the theist. For the theist-devotee the Lord has the Lotus-flower or blooming peace and prosperity, and the Conchshell dissipating all inauspicity by its vibration. But for the atheist there is the big Club for hammering on the head of the atheist, or separate the head of the atheist by the sharpened edge of the Disc. In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that He descends in every millennium to give protection to the faithful and to annihilate the miscreants. So God has got always these two features of His authority, namely protection and death. So the atheist is hypocrite himself when he says that he does not believe in God. He has to believe in God in the form of Death. A criminal hypocritically says that he does not believe in the Government, but a civil citizen abides by the law of the Government. The Government is present therefore both for the criminal and for the law abiding citizen. To the criminal the Government is present as force of law and order, putting the criminal in the prison house and giving the civil citizen all facilities for peaceful life. So in both the cases how one can say that he has not seen God? Death is Krishna—mrtyuh sarvaharas ca aham (B.G. 10:34). "(Also) I am Death who takes away everything." The atheist is liar that he does not see God. God is there for him as Death. But the atheist is so stubborn and obstinate that although he is very fearful of Death who will take away all his arrangements for sense gratification he lies that he does not see Him, and in the end he even attempts to resist Death, but he is killed as easily as anything and there is no doubt about it. This appearance of God as Death before the atheist is also the kindness of the Lord. Both God's killing and protection are the same because He is Absolute, but His mercy is shown to the atheist by killing and His mercy is shown to the theist by protecting; so both are seeing God in different features. This is the practical demonstration of the presence of God, it is everyone's practical experience to see Death. There is never any question of the presence of God, only the lying rascal atheist tries to cheat by saying that he does not see God. He tries to cheat others to believe that he is "God," but he himself cannot deny God when He comes before the atheist in the form of Death. Regarding the presence of the soul, it is experienced by everyone as the living force or consciousness which gives the body life. So long the living force remains within the body, the life symptoms are exhibited. When at the last stage of a man's life the doctor is feeling the pulse and then the beating stops, he says, "He is gone now." Who is gone? The complete bodily machinery remains, but the living soul has left it and the machinery stops working. It is the soul that has left. The soul was there and its presence is known by the life symptoms and when the soul departs its absence is perceived by the stopping of the exhibition of life symptoms by the body. Just as a machine is working so long the current is introduced into it and as soon as the electricity is removed the machine stops functioning. We know that there is electricity in the machine and that is making the machine run and we also perceive that the electric force is absent when the machine has stopped running. In this way the presence of the soul may be perceived directly by any thoughtful man. I think these will clarify the points for you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- P.S. I am enclosing herewith the Preface of Krsna which will __ the whole thing ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** April 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Friar Park, England My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 20th April, 1970.Regarding George's foreword, you write to say that certainly there will be no more changes. Do you mean that the changes which you have already suggested in you letter dated 11th April with quotation from Swami Vivekananda are to be added? We cannot add any quotation from Swami Vivekananda. In your letter of April 11th you have asked me to insert "What right has a man to say he has a soul if he does not feel it, or that there is a God if he does not see Him?" Do you mean I have to put in my KRSNA book all this nonsense quotation? This man (Vivekananda) has no understanding either of soul or of God and still he has posed himself as a Swami to mislead so many innocent persons. Understanding of the existence of soul is the beginning of teachings of Bhagavad-gita. If one has no understanding of the soul and God, he is no better than an animal because animals cannot have any idea of the soul or God. So how can I add these nonsense quotations? George's foreword as it was originally sent can be published with little editorial changes, but in no case can the quotation from Swami Vivekananda be placed in my book. You have already admitted in your letter dated 11th April that it hurts you to see this change, quoting a rascal like Vivekananda, so please let me know clearly what you want me to do. If you think that George's foreword will help the selling of the books, then it may be published as it was originally sent. I am glad to learn that George is chanting now Hare Krishna with you, and that will make him advanced. You write to say that George is still not convinced that there is not something beyond the form or body of Krishna. He is thinking that beyond Krishna there is an unmanifest God. These are all vague questions. I think by unmanifest God he means impersonal Brahman. This is quite natural for persons who try to understand God by their own endeavor. God cannot be understand by such ascending process of speculation. You can give a common example how God cannot be understood by ascending process. Take for example that there was one Mr. John who was the great-grandfather of the great-grandfather of George. So if George wants to know about this Mr. John, his forefather, is it possible for him to know about Mr. John by speculation? He has to know about Mr. John by family history spoken by his father or grandfather. Similarly, God is the Supreme Father, so if anyone wants to know about God, he must try to understand Him through the history of creation. This is called Parampara system. This Bhagavad-gita is spoken by God Himself, and that is the best source of knowing about God. He cannot be known by our limited exercise of the senses. The difficulty of understanding God as person is that as soon as there is conception of person we think of God as a person like us. Therefore, in the Vedas, the personality of God is described in different ways which are distinct from our personalities. The Veda says that God has no legs or hands, but still He accepts all the sacrificial offerings. He has no eyes, but He can see everywhere—past, present, and future. He has no ears, and still He hears everything that you are talking. He knows every nook and corner, but nobody knows Him, what He is. He has nothing to do, and nobody is equal to or greater than Him. He has got immense potencies and therefore everything in His creation is performed as perfectly as anything. In the Bhagavad-gita also there are many statements confirming the above Vedic descriptions. So when Vedas say that He has no hands and legs, He has no eyes, He has no ears, but still He can accept our sacrificial offerings and He can see everything, these statements clearly indicate that God has hands and legs, but they are not exactly like ours. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find that Krishna says "I am sitting in everyone's heart, and from Me one remembers, forgets, speculates, and so on."His name is Hrsikesa which means the Master of All Senses. We are exercising our senses, therefore, according to His direction. In that sense, if every living entity is working under His direction, then all the legs and hands which are existing all over his creation are His legs and hands. We are simply instrumental. When the Veda says that He has nothing to do, it means that He has so many hands and legs that personally He has nothing to do. It is not very difficult to understand that a big business man is sitting in his room and thousands of workers are engaged in different activities under his direction. So practically the business man's brain is working, but when we see the business man alone in the room we see that he is not working. So we have to understand God from authoritative sources by spiritual education by being trained under the experienced guidance of a self-realized personality, otherwise how we can understand such vast subject matter delineating about God? So George's question that there is something beyond Krishna is answered by Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita that there is nothing superior beyond Himself. Krishna is the original Cause of all causes. This is the fact. If He wants to know the subject matter clearly, then he should be prepared to receive the knowledge from the right source, and if he wants to consult such persons who have no knowledge of the soul or God, then how can he learn about the transcendental subject matter? If he is serious to know about these things, then he must know it from the proper channel. You cannot learn music from a carpenter. If you want to learn music, then you have to approach an expert musician. So how he can learn about God from persons like Vivekananda who had no preliminary knowledge of the soul, even? So best thing is if he is serious to know about God, tell him to begin reading Vedic literatures, and we have published our Isopanisad. Let him seriously read this book and whenever he has to question, he can ask from us, but he should always remember that he should try to know about God from a person who is in touch with God, not from a speculator. You have asked me to disclose my dream about John, so I beg to state the incident as follows. I dreamt that John took me in a place at Calcutta and he was showing me a house, a big palatial building, which formerly belonged to a very rich man, and he was a famous musician also. I think therefore that John was previously that man to whom that house belonged, and now he has taken birth in England. It is quite possible that he has inherited his past musical talent, and because that man was very liberal and charitable, so he has acquired some wealth also, and now in this life if he properly utilizes his talent and wealth for Krishna, then surely he will achieve the highest perfection of his life. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** May 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > c/o George Harrison Oxfordshire, England My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 7th May, 1970, written on Hare Krishna stationery of George Harrison. My hearty thanks are to George Harrison because now he is chanting Hare Krsna so enthusiastically. May Krsna bless him more and more, and he may advance in Krsna consciousness. So as suggested by you I am deleting the words "of the famous Beatles", and simply putting his name and his present transcendental change by chanting Hare Krsna. In the Preface the one paragraph is being replaced by the following words, suggested by him. "If there is a God, I want to see Him. It's pointless to believe in something without proof, and Krishna Consciousness and meditation are methods where one can actually obtain 'God perception.' You can actually see God, and hear Him, play with Him. And He is actually there, actually with you."Regarding your invitation to visit you in England, in this connection you can read my circular letter recently sent to all the Presidents. But when there is absolute necessity, there will be no difficulty. It is very encouraging to hear that you have converted the very nice chapel to a splendid Temple and you have arranged to hold public kirtana one night a week in Henley. Please continue to expand these developments because the outlook is very bright. Yes, the village folk are not so much contaminated. The great English poet, Mr. Cowper, said, "Town is made by man, and village is made by God."So if from your center the surrounding villages are drawn to the attention of Krsna consciousness simply by the distribution of Prasadam and chanting of Hare Krsna Mantra, it will be a great success. It is not necessary always to be officially initiated, but if they participate in the group chanting of Hare Krsna Mantra and taking of Prasadam weekly or daily as it is possible, that will fulfill our mission. Thank you very much for sending me the two Apple posters for "GOVINDA", it is a very good advertisement and I have suggested that it may be shown in the temple bookstore here. I have noted the french newsclippings also and they are very much encouraging, so I am satisfied that everything is going on well there. Regarding your question about the term "unmanifest" in the Bhagavad-gita 8/21, there are two words in Sanskrit—aprakata which means "unmanifest" or "nonmanifest" and prakata which means "manifest". Krsna's Lila in Vrndavana is prakata or manifest Lila, and the same is going on eternally in the spiritual realm which is known as aprakata or nonmanifest. Actually Krsna's planet and Krsna's pastimes are going on eternally, and the same is manifested before the conditioned souls at certain intervals, that is to say once in one day of Brahma, exactly as the sun is visible for 12 hours once in a 24 hour cycle of day and night. When the sun is visible it is called prakata, and when the sun is not visible that is called aprakata or unmanifested. Nonmanifested therefore does not mean there is no existence, but the terms are used in relation to the visibility or nonvisibility to the limited conditioned souls. Krsna by His causeless mercy manifests Himself along with His form, name, qualities, entourage, and pastimes in order to attract the conditioned souls to the eternal blissful life of knowledge. Thus by understanding Krsna in His manifest Lila one is attracted to His eternal Lila, and that is the highest success of life which is explained in the latter part of the verseyam prapya na nivartantetat dhama paramam mama"Going, no one ever returns from that, My Supreme Abode."Please offer my blessings to Sriman George and all the other Prabhus there. I am marking that George has the serving spirit, and that is making him advance gradually. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** June 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard from you since a long time, and I think you are now very busy on account of Rathayatra festival. I hope you are all well with your good wife, Malati, and daughter, Sarasvati. Your good daughter's photograph catching my hand is published in our Handbook of Krsna Consciousness which is to be printed very shortly containing the calendar and important information of our activities. Brahmananda has gone to Japan to complete the KRSNA book. Everything is going alright. A few copies will be ready by the Rathayatra, and I have advised him to send you 25 copies to begin the sales from Rathayatra auspicious date. The balance books will be ready for dispatch by the 20th of July, 1970. I have decided to send you 2,500 copes for sale. And also I wish to send some free copies to George Harrison for distribution amongst his intimate friends as he likes. So please let me know by return post how many copies will satisfy him. I know that he has many friends, but I will be ready to supply him free copies not exceeding one hundred. So please reply this point immediately. Recently I have made some songs recorded of course in Bengali. If you so desire, I can send them for George. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** July 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 10th July, 1970. Before that I received one postcard from you in Amsterdam. I was expecting your letter since a long time, but I could understand that you were very busy with Rathayatra festival, and I am very glad to learn that this time you made Lord Jagannatha's car as strong as a warship. I can see from the picture it is very sturdy and tall also. Your report for organizing village schools in England is very encouraging.* Similarly I have received report of Amsterdam also very nice. So it can be easily guessed that Europe is a very good field for spreading this movement. So in consultation with Tamala kindly take up the grammar school organization immediately. In childhood the impression taken continues life long, so try to train little English and Dutch boys to be accustomed to chant and dance. I am so glad that your daughter, Sarasvati, is growing nicely Krsna conscious. I always remember about your daughter's movement when she was coming up stairs in Ascot and sitting by me. May Krsna bless her to grow a Krsna conscious child. You will be glad to know that her picture catching my hand is now published in our ISKCON Handbook. Regarding KRSNA book, one copy was sent from Japan directly to George's address attention of your name. Perhaps George has got it. Please inquire and see to it. Brahmananda has arranged to send you 2500 copies of KRSNA in London. Please try to sell them quickly and send the money so I can print the second part which is already prepared. In the first volume the pictures are so attractive that in San Francisco during the car festival 22 copies were sold immediately. I hope you will have very good market for this book in European English speaking places. Regarding George Harrison, I think you have sufficiently helped him. He has also rendered service to Krsna, undoubtedly, so gradually, surely he will improve in Krsna consciousness—there is no doubt about it. In my previous letter I inquired if George requires some copies of KRSNA for free distribution to his friends. In that case you can give him 50-100 copies as he desires. You are expecting to see me, but I also expected to see the London Rathayatra, but you made no arrangement so what can I do? So let us meet by Sankirtana. I also do not feel separation from my Guru Maharaja. When I am engaged in His service His pictures give me sufficient strength. To serve the Spiritual Master's word is more important than to serve him physically. Please try to open as many branches as possible in European countries. Regarding your program for the grammar schools, Yogesvara wants to write some books for children. So let him write and introduce them in the schools. If nice pictures are inserted the books will become very popular. I have already said; again I repeat, go from village to village and get them interested in Krsna. You write to say that many nice devotees are coming, Oxford graduates, etc., and there is demand for temples by the people in many countries like Sweden and South Africa. These are all good news, so try to utilize these opportunities. When I hear all these things immediately I wish to go myself personally. Please offer my blessings to Murari. I do not know if his wife, Lilavati, and daughter are already there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- *If you want I can dispatch four Sannyasis for this preaching work ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** August 14th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. Now that I have formed this Governing Board Commission, the twelve members should each act as my zonal secretaries. So kindly keep me informed of your zone's activities at least once a week or once fortnightly. In this way I will be encouraged and can give you direction and inspiration. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** September 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Sept. 13, 1970, and I have noted the contents carefully and with pleasure. I am especially pleased to note your fresh enthusiasm after your recent visit to the States, and also your statement that there is renewed determination and fresh enthusiasm in all of the temples you have visited. That is very encouraging to me, and if the GBC continues to work in this way there will be no difficulty in the future. Your proposals for increasing our popularity and familiarity among influential circles in the U.S. is very good. You may know that when I was in L.A. I especially wanted to use the new temple to attract some influential persons to our movement, but nothing much was done in that regard. Now if you can do something, that is more important than coming to India immediately. Lord Krishna says in B.G. that what great men do the common man will follow. So if we want actually to be successful we must convince the influential men of your country, then everything will follow automatically. So I request you to take this matter very seriously, as I think you have some special talent for it. Regarding the motion picture, it is a great opportunity, and if they actually want to do something wonderful I can come there personally and see to its direction. If it is an important film I think my personal direction is necessary. If not, then I think you can send me a synopsis of the script so that there may be nothing objectionable from the start. If this film is properly done it will be very profitable, even from the commercial point of view; and if they are interested, we can give them hundreds of stories from Bhagavat which will make wonderful films, and simultaneously the people will be educated to the proper religious and moral standard. So please try very seriously for this and I think Krishna will give you all intelligence and facility. Please convey my blessings to your good wife and child. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ks ### Letter to Syamasundara **Date:** December 30th 1970 — **Location:** Surat My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th December, 1970.You write to say that on last Monday morning you were to see Mr. G. R. Jolly, but you talked with Hansadutta by trunk call this morning and you did not mention anything about your meeting with Mr. Jolly. If Jolly accepts our terms of Rs. 50,000 down immediately and the balance to be paid by Rs. 2,000 every month as I have advised you previously, then why not settle up the thing that way? If these terms are settled up, then I can pay him immediately Rs. 50,000 down payment on my arrival in Bombay. I am very glad that you are working in Bombay with great enthusiasm. As you say that Bombay is like a dream for Krsna Consciousness, you may take the Bombay Center very seriously and do it nicely. The program of work of two parties working canvassing Life Members is very nice. The only thing is we require immediately a nice place to keep your assistants. If the Jolly business is not settled up, then you immediately try to have some place on rental basis. We are all leaving Surat on Sunday the 4th January, 1971, by the Flying Ranee, reaching Bombay Central at 10.30 AM the same morning. I hope by the time I reach Bombay the registration of the Society and other things might have been finalized. Please keep the Tandberg tape* recorder ready. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- *as well as my Bank Pass book made up to date. P.S. Enclosed herewith, please find one letter to be signed by you and sent to the editor of the Times replying the several letters which you have sent me cut from the recent editions of the Times. This letter is very important and you may personally hand over the same to the Editor so that it may be published immediately. We invite all kinds of men to discuss on this high philosophy of life. ACB ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** January 12th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 7, 1970 and noted the contents. The sentiments that you have expressed in your letter are all due to my Guru Maharaja who has deputed me to pick up all good souls like you in this part of the world. Fortunately, we are now together and with great enthusiasm and patience let us erect this mission of Krishna Consciousness. I am so glad to read the portion of your letter in which you show your determination to preach this cult in all countries of the world. Please continue this determination and keep all your contemporary Godbrothers alive on this point. Surely we will bring in a new chapter in the history of the world. Now first of all, let me inform you that in the Temple you finish Deity worship by 12 o'clock noon and then the Temple should be closed for 1 hour. Then after 1 o'clock you can continue earlier program for eight hours, as suggested by you, with out any impediment. Offer foodstuffs or Bhoga continually by batches as many times as you can manage and other things also—aratrik, kirtana and discussion may continue for eight hours from 1 to 9 p.m. I think this arrangement will be perfect. I can understand from your letter that there is very good prospect of spreading our movement in London. I approve your scheme not to charge money for love-feast. Whatever voluntary contribution you receive, that is alright. So far items of foodstuff (Bhoga) and distribution of Prasadam are concerned, there is no need of increasing the number, better reduce it to five just like rice, dahl, capati or puri, little sweet rice and a nice vegetable, that is all. And on Sunday you can increase the items up to ten, but make everything very nicely. I am so glad to learn that you have contacted a very good devotee, Mr. Jashapara. By Krishna's Grace you have met such a nice friend, and if he is prepared to spare his apartment in Bombay immediately we can start a Bombay center and send Jayananda along with his wife and begin work in Bombay. Acyutananda may be called to cooperate with him. In Bombay there are many Vaisnava devotees and they are great industrialists and business magnates, so if we can draw their sympathy there will be no difficulty in expanding our activities. So you can talk with him seriously and if you get this opportunity, then if need be, I can also go there for some time to collect the money. I understand from your letter that in London we require that big house for facilities, therefore we must try for it heart and soul. I have also written in this connection to Ksirodakasayi das. Regarding press propaganda under Syamasundara and Gurudasa, do it very nicely. You want to see the Beatles with Syamasundara but I have not as yet received the money offered by George. His lawyer has given him suggestion which is not very palatable. Will you try to ascertain from them what is the actual position. The best thing would be that George Harrison may simply ask his banker to assure Dai Nippon Co. about payments that the printing may be immediately taken up. The printing process will take at least 2 months. In the meantime, he can manipulate the scheme suggested by his lawyer. It is pleasing to hear that young boys and girls are coming from different parts of European countries. I am so much enthused to know that we can open our centers in Amsterdam. Stockholm, Munich, Rome and other adjoining cities. Mr. Appa Pant, the high-commissioner of India, is already impressed with my activities. He assured me that he will render all kinds of help from the background but not as a politician. So without taking his official position, he can render service to us in various ways. So try to contact him intelligently. The proposal of German and French BTGs to be printed in Japan is welcome, but I do not know if they will take up the work if each item is less than 20,000 copies. But it is a good suggestion. Do the needful in consultation with Brahmananda. You wanted an urgent reply so I am sending this letter by express delivery. Here in L.A. things are going very nicely. Last night I was present in the Temple. Visnujana played a nice short drama about Kali Yuga and its entrance. It was very nice. There were about 100 guests besides our own men. Gargamuni is taking care of me very nicely. Hope this will meet you alright. Offer my blessings to Syamasundara, Mukunda and Gurudasa and the boys and girls. I am so glad to learn that Yamuna is doing very nicely. Now she may train Visakha who must have come by this time to London. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** January 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Tamala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I have not received any letter from you in several weeks. Gargamuni also has not received any letter from you. Of course, I am hearing indirectly that everything is going well in our London and European centers. Still I would like to know from you what is the situation. I am expecting a report from you on all new developments in the activities of the centers there. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** February 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Tamala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 February, 1970, along with Mukunda's, Gurudasa', and Syamasundara's letters. I am replying all of them separately within this envelope. Regarding Visnujana, that is a common factor of all your letters, but you must know that the development of L.A. Temple was practically done by you four; namely yourself, Madhudvisa, Visnujana, and Jayananda. Last year when I was in Hayworth Street, there was no Temple and sometimes we were chanting in the garage. Then gradually this Temple was secured and at that time I asked how much you could help out of the $400 rent and with great difficulty you promised to help only $100 from the Sankirtana Party. Now by the Grace of Krishna they are collecting more than $100 daily. You know that the expenses of the Temple have gone up to $2,000 per month. There are at least 30 devotees, and practically all old boys like you, Jayananda, Madhudvisa, etc. are not here. Besides that, Visnujana is training all the new devotees who are coming. So Visnujana himself also thinks his absence will be hampering in the Temple procedure. I am enclosing herewith Visnujana's letter in this connection which will speak for itself. You have written to say that you cannot go to Hamburg or Paris to organize their activities, but actually you were left in London for the purpose of organizing these three centers. If you stick only to London Temple then our former scheme will not be executed. I think, it is proper that you should devote your time for all these three centers and train the local management for being self-supporting. As you are helping London Temple, similarly you should help the Hamburg and Paris Temples also. I think that was our original plan, and you should not change the same. I have received one letter from Krishna das that there is good potency for opening many branches in Germany. I think, therefore, you should go to Germany at least for one or two months and see how things can be managed for opening more branches. I have therefore asked Hansadutta to go to Germany for this purpose. He has also got organizing power as he has well done in Berkeley. So with your cooperation I think in your absence he may be a great help in the German center. I have asked him to go via London. So these are the things for practical solution. You have written to say that no one can deal with the devotees except Visnujana; that is not a good proposal. There are so many old and experienced devotees in London; but for management of other devotees, if there is no one to look after them, that does not sound very good. For musical training I think Mukunda has sufficient knowledge. Anyway, for the time being, Hansadutta is going and Mukunda is there and you are also there. See if the Worldwide Sankirtana Party can be organized without Visnujana. For the present Visnujana cannot be freed from the Los Angeles engagements, but in future if somebody is trained up to take his place then I shall recommend him to go to London. Regarding the court case of our Sankirtana Movement, there was a similar case in Detroit and the charges were creating disturbances, but the case was dismissed. I have asked Bhagavan das to send you the copy of the newspaper report, and I hope this will help you. The newspaper report heading was "Religious Group Wins Day in Court."Regarding the six months contract for L250 per week from engagements in halls, colleges, clubs, etc., it is very good news. But one thing we must remember that we are not professional musicians or concert party. Our main business is to vibrate the Holy Name of Krishna everywhere so that the people will be benefited by hearing the transcendental sound. The musical training is not so important as it is to keep ourselves spiritually fit in spiritual strength, that we should not forget. If we are in spiritual strength, there will be no scarcity of money; and the spiritual strength is that each and every one of us must chant the sixteen rounds of beads and follow the rules and regulations with great adherence. In the meantime, I have received one box containing sweets, balusai, a handkerchief, a flower, simply wonderful, a sacred thread, gopicandana, dhupa, and a painting, and three sets of beads from Monique, Evelyne, and Joelle. Later on I received their respective letters and recommendations of initiation from Yamuna devi, and I am sending the beads by separate mail duly chanted. The information and date for Bhakti-vaibhava examination will be forwarded in due course. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** February 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15 February, 1970, and noted the contents carefully. My first request to you is to take from Mr. Goyl, the gentleman who donated the Sri Murtis, the address of the manufacturer or supplier of the Murtis. I know that the Murtis were supplied from Jaipur, India, but I do not know the address of the supplier. So please take it from him and please send it to me immediately. All other points in your letter are completely agreed upon by me, and please execute the program accordingly. We must follow our own principles. We can go anywhere to perform the Sankirtana, but the process in which we execute the performances should be strictly followed; namely first of all we chant and dance, then we deliver a short lecture on our philosophy, try to advertise our books and magazines and sell them, then at last we again chant and dance and conclude the meeting by distributing Prasadum. Generally we must have at least one hour time if not more for functioning this program. So far we are concerned, every one of us must chant the beads according to the vow and follow the regulative principles in all departments of our activities, and this will give us spiritual strength to convince the audience about our aims and object. Some one of us in each and every center must be well versed in the Sastras so that he can meet scholars and philosophers, and if need be convince them about our movement and philosophy with great strength. I am so glad to learn that our London Temple decoration is being improved day by day, and Deities have got nice dresses and ornaments. So far Ksirodakasayi is concerned, or anyone else who is newcomer, should be allowed some concession. And after some time when he is accustomed to our principle, then we can make the screw tight. I think this point will be sufficient hint to deal with him. Brahmananda and Advaita have come here yesterday, and I am giving them advice about our future press activities. They have already printed Isopanisad paperbook very nicely and the price is also very cheap. You may ask Boston to send you copies for sale there in London. Please see that the French and German issues of BTG are published as soon as possible. I hope Hansadutta has met you by this time, and when you go to Germany along with him I think he may be situated as the president of the center being the seniormost member. I am so glad to learn that you expect to open another center in London in the hippy quarter as soon as possible. When I was in London I went to Oxford and there was a very successful meeting. Therefore I think Oxford will be a good center for our activities. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there, and keep me informed of your further progress. The Krsna manuscript is already handed over to Messrs. Dai Nippon Co. for printing. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** March 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1 March, 1970.I am glad that you have gone to Germany along with Hansadutta and his wife, and I am so pleased to learn that things are being arranged nicely—that is my satisfaction. Marriage or no marriage, that is not our problem. If we find it suitable that by marrying one will be able to serve better, than by not marrying, then one must marry—that is our principle. So as you are thinking that accepting Jyotirmayi as your wife you will be happy and your duties in Krsna consciousness will be enthused, then I have got all sanction, and you do it. I know that all my spiritual children are doing very nicely as Grhasthas, and similarly I hope you shall be doing better after your marriage. Organization of the European centers and the World Sankirtana Party later on—for these two reasons I called you in London. Now Mukunda, Hansadutta, yourself, Krsna das, Umapati, Janardana, Suridas, etc., all of you are tested devotees, now do everything nicely in full cooperation. Always remain engaged in Krsna's service, then there will be no misunderstanding. See that the French and German BTGs are nicely done—that is my ambition. Jaya Govinda must marry the girl Sadanandini. It is already advanced, and I do not think it can be changed now. So he can immediately call her from New York by sending her passage money to Hamburg. Then get them married immediately in your presence. On the first of April we are going to our new church property which is being purchased at the cost of $225,000, payable in twelve years, and $50,000 down payment. Please keep me informed about your progressive march in Krsna Consciousness. While you are in Germany, please see that Vasudeva is given all facilities for his painting work. He is a very good painter and very enthusiastic, so make arrangement that he can devote full time to his painting and may not feel any inconvenience in his work. He can begin immediately to paint pictures on the many different subjects as you know. I will write to him separately, in the meantime do the needful. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** March 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13 March, 1970, and noted the contents with great satisfaction. I received one similar letter from London, and I have sent the reply to Gurudasa, and the copy is enclosed herewith so that all of you may follow the same instructions and open hundreds of Temples in Europe combinedly. Mukunda, yourself, Syamasundara, Gurudasa, and if possible, along with George, as well as Hansadutta and all your better halves just make a very rigid plan for opening centers in every nook and corner of the European countries. I am arranging with Indian sympathizers to get nice Deities like those in London. So try to install Deities and centers as many as possible. Actually, the modern human society is in need of Krishna relationship, so as soon as they will come in touch with our movement, surely they will feel very happy. So kindly execute this responsibility to your best capacity, and Krishna will be very happy upon you. Your marriage with Madri Dasi is a good news, and now with greater enthusiasm execute Krishna activities as I have advised Gurudasa also. We must be fully equipped, and the preaching work by pairs of husband and wife will be an unique example to the world. Formerly the Acaryas were generally all Sannyasis, but Lord Caitanya, in His instruction to Roy Ramananda, who was a confidential devotee of Lord Caitanya, but a householder and responsible government official, Governor of Madras, has given open instruction that it does not matter what is the social or ecclesiastical order, if one is fully Krishna Conscious, he can act as Acarya. So all of you boys and girls who are now married, follow this instruction of Lord Caitanya and show vivid example to the world how man and woman can be united, not for sense gratification, but for the service of the Lord. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** April 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 6th April, 1970, and I am so glad that you are now married with Madri Dasi. Please accept my blessings both of you and be happy and preach Krishna Consciousness. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not give much importance to the Vedic system of varnasrama which is very important for mundane people because Krishna Consciousness is above everything. So any suitable position in the order of our life is good if it is utilized for Krsna's service. You thought that with a wife you will be more enthusiastic, so Krsna has given you a nice wife, now you move in the European countries and try to promote centers as many as possible. Today I received one letter from Yamuna that the Amsterdam people are very much anxious to have a center of Krishna Consciousness movement there as soon as possible. So when you are expected to return back to London? or do you want to remain in Paris for some time? Recently I have drained out of my book fund $14,000, so Hansadutta wanted to pay me another $1,500. If he sends me the money it will be a great help to my book fund. Another point is that three couples from our London temple are living in George Harrison's place, but is far away from our temple. If they cannot join regularly with the temple activities, then there might be some disturbance within. I learn that Murari and Lilavati are feeling like that. Have you any correspondence recently with London? Or you may have correspondence with Gurudasa to adjust these things. As far as possible all the devotees should live together. To live in the association of devotees is a great strength. So you try to adjust things in that way as far as possible so the devotees may live together. Here in L.A. this new temple is being renovated in so many ways. For me they have allotted a completely separate building consisting of four big rooms up and down, with a newly constructed bathroom. So I am feeling very much comfortable here and the boys are taking care of me more carefully than I require. So I hope you will be happy to know this. Similarly, all the boys are very busily engaged in beautifying the temple room. When you come here, you will appreciate everything. All the devotees, male and female are expected to move into these buildings in about 10 to 12 days. Brahmananda is taking care of publication, so things appear to be nice everywhere. Damodara came here from Washington, and they have got a nice house there which may be purchased next year. Now your first business is to see Paris center organized very nicely and see the BTG published in French and German languages. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** May 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26 April, 1970, and I am so pleased to note the contents which are exactly befitting your name Tamala. Perhaps you know Tamala is a nice tree in Vrndavana, and because the color of the tree exactly resembles that of Krsna, therefore Srimati Radharani always used to take rest underneath the Tamala tree when she was feeling separation from Krsna. So for European activities, I have sent you there, and for its nice organization I am counting upon you very much. You have so kindly written to say, "Please order me in any way Your Grace desires, everything I have including myself belongs to You, and Your Grace may do with me as You wish." So it is my desire that in Europe you will kindly occasionally visit the three countries—England, France, and Germany—and see that the things are going very nicely. In England your suggestion to open a few other Temples in big cities like Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool, is very much welcome. For constructing Temples in England, especially in London, I have got very good support from a very rich man in India. Not only he, but also many others will be ready to pay for our construction such Temples, but I want the Temples should be constructed by the local natives—that is our success. If I bring money from India and construct a Temple here in a Western country, that is not very creditable. Now this Temple of Los Angeles is completely undertaken by your countrymen and that is a good credit for me. Anyway, if I go to India for some days, I am sure I shall be able to collect a considerable amount of money for this purpose, but I wish that people from this part of the world should be sympathetic with my movement. This means good organization to convince the people of the Western countries that we are doing something which is very, very much beneficial for everyone, and especially for this part of the world. Regarding a place in Paris, you write to say that there is accommodation, but you are in want of money. If this is a fact, then immediately find out a nice place for our Paris center, and if you let me know how much you require, then I may try for it. But I am very much hopeful from your statement that in Paris we have got very good prospect of organizing this movement. Simply by your request only so many young boys and girls joined—this is a very good sign. I have information from reliable sources that in France this Krsna Consciousness Movement has very good chance. So far translating our literatures, if you simply send the matter, our press will immediately give you so many books. You can print books in small sizes and distribute them profusely. Small books like "Easy Journey to Other Planets" and "Isopanisad" will be very quickly sold more than the larger volumes of TLC and Srimad-Bhagavatam. So if Suridas and Umapati engage themselves five hours for translating work, there will be no difficulty to publish our French language books immediately. So arrange for this. I have received one copy of the latest French BTG, published from Montreal. It is printed in our ISKCON Press in Boston, and they have done it very nicely. If for the present this BTG published from Montreal can be useful? I am sending by separate airmail one copy which you can examine, and if you think they are useful for your purpose, you can immediately ask them to send you as many copies as you need. Your suggestion for Murari's opening a center at Amsterdam is very much welcome. His wife, Lilavati is very intelligent and both of them can do the preaching work very diligently in that place, so try to give effect to this proposal. Regarding this Temple, actually it is simply Krsna's grace that we have such a nice place very suitably arranged for our all purposes. Both the devotees and myself are living very comfortably, and the Temple is in the center between us. The kitchen is very nice and the frontage with a small garden space, as well as sufficient place for parking, on the junction of very important roads—all these facilities make the position of this building unique. Besides that, the banks, stores, laundry, medical house, everything is within easy reach, so we must consider this as Krsna's gift. Regarding the appointment of Suridas to the post of president, that is a very good proposal. He is intelligent, sincere devotee, and similarly his wife is also. Regarding your question about annamoya, pranamoya, etc. Yes, they are different stages of consciousness. Different living beings are situated in different consciousness, Some are satisfied in the matter of eating and sleeping, they are on the annamoya stage. Pranamoya means those who can simply survive in the struggle for existence. Manomoya means philosophical speculation. Jnanamoya means self-realization, vijnanamoya means application of that stage in practical life, and when there is the right perfection of life that is anandamoya stage or Krsna Consciousness. So by the grace of Lord Caitanya, in this age our movement is giving directly the anandamoya stage, and anyone can visit our Temple and see how our students are in blissful life. Naturally they are in jolly mood by chanting, dancing, and taking Prasadam. Your regular chanting of Mahamantra and reading of books will keep you always fit for pushing on this movement. This formula should be rigidly followed by everyone of us. In conclusion I may inform you that Acyutananda has given publicity in an important newspaper that next year I am going to India with forty students, so for the next year we have got sufficient margin of time—eight months—so what do you think? Shall we be able to have our World Sankirtana by that time? That will be very nice. All our selected students like yourself, Hansadutta, Mukunda, Syamasundara, Umapati, etc. along with their wives, and some of the students from here may join, then we can go to India via Africa, and then after a few days in India, we can come back via Japan, So you have to consult over this matter also because it is already advertised in India. I have also just received the second copy of this letter sent by you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to Umapati and his new wife Ilavati Dasi, and to all the other boys and girls there in Paris center. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** May 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is progressing well with you in Paris. I am enclosing herewith the copies of two letters which will speak for themselves. Please immediately let me know what is the actual situation regarding this matter. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** May 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 11th May, 1970, and noted the contents. When you go to London making plans for World Sankirtana, you may take into consideration of the proposal made by Mr. Parikh. He said that from Kenya there is invitation for our group to perform Kirtana there. So if we go, a group of at least 25 heads, they have already agreed to pay for return journey and accommodation there. So on your way to India you can perform Kirtana in some important cities of Europe, and then go to Africa, Kenya. From Kenya you may go to South Africa. In this way you collect funds there from Indians and proceed to Bombay. In Bombay some of my friends will receive you very nicely, and from Bombay you gradually travel all over through other provinces namely Gujarat, Rajasthan, Central India, Northern India, then Behar, and then reach to Bengal. In Bengal we then start our own Temple at Mayapur, and some of the devotees may live there in batches. Some batches go, some batches come. I am so pleased to learn that there are so many interested French persons joining our Movement in Paris. Regarding the two new couples who are serious to learn this Krsna consciousness, please take care of them nicely, and make them devotees. Please see that the French and German editions of BTG are published as soon as possible, that is one of my dreams. And then we take the books and publish them in French and German languages. My Guru Maharaja liked the publicaton of books very nice. He liked publication of books more than construction of Temples. Regarding Umapati and his wife moving very soon to Hamburg for composing on the new composing machine, that is very nice, the arrangement is good. Let them work hard for translating and composing, and his wife may also be engaged in this work. Regarding your question about Lord Jagannatha and Lord Krsna, Jagannatha is Krsna. Krsna's childhood up to His 15th year He lives in Vrndavana. Radharani is His childhood friend. But Krsna, after returning to His father's home at Dvaraka, came to see Kuruksetra during some solar eclipse. At that time His sister Subhadra and brother Balarama also came in a chariot, and this incident is worshiped as Jagannatha Rathayatra. The conclusion is that Jagannatha and Krsna is the same. So Krsna when He is with His brother and sister, He is Jagannatha, and when He is with His village girl-friends that is Radha-Krsna with Gopis. So Whomever you worship, it is the same, but if you like to worship Jagannath you can continue it and it is as good as worshiping Radha-Krsna. Krsna has so many forms, and which ever form you worship it is all the same, but you should worship that form which you like most. Regarding the means of worship, our Vaisnava process is first offer respects to the Spiritual Master, then Lord Caitanya, and then Lord Krsna. Vyasa is the Spiritual Master, therefore the Spiritual Master is the representative of Vyasa. Therefore the Spiritual Master's seat is called "Vyasasana."Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Madri Dasi, and to all the other Prabhus there in Paris. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** May 27th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st May, 1970, and noted the contents carefully. Regarding the Sanskrit class, I think it was only a plea, but he wanted to teach us something other philosophy. Our Temple is meant for our men, and we may have our own discussions amongst ourselves, no outsider needed. It is definitely concluded that we have not got to learn anything from any outsider beyond the jurisdiction of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy. Our philosophy is established on sound ground of the conclusion arrived at by Vyasadeva down to Jiva Goswami, Visvanatha Cakravarti, Bhaktivinode Thakura, etc. The other day one Indian boy came here to take permission for chanting some bhajan, so I indirectly refused. Try to understand our own philosophy described in so many books, but I cannot allow you to hear form the mental speculators without any solid knowledge. So it is very encouraging that London Temple is being managed by one pair of husband and wife very nicely. Similarly each pair should take care of a center; and if you love me at all, then all of you try your best to open at least 108 centers during my lifetime—that is my special request. At the same time, we must be very careful to see that every center is going properly. Our possessing own building is not so important as it is important to see that everything is going on nicely in order. Yesterday I received one very important magazine "Kalyana" from India in which the editor has described about our activities so nicely, but at the end it has been remarked whether in future the standard shall continue. Of course we are not very much concerned with the future; at least in our presence who are the floating members of this Society we should like to see things going on properly. You have described Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krsna at London Temple as wonderful. Yes, that is the test of standard service. If we see the Deities in very pleasing mood, that will certify our service unto the Lord. So everywhere we shall see the Deities in such pleasing mood. As soon as we see the Deities in a different mood we must immediately understand our discrepancies. Regarding your proposed agreed upon program to send each householder couple to a different European city to open a center there, and then having the center firmly established, join the World Sankirtana Party is very good. This program is approved that first we establish some more centers. My missionary activities are especially meant for the Western countries. To go to India is a secondary question, the primary thing is that we establish our institution firmly in the Western countries. So when we are sound in our preaching work in the Western countries, that news automatically goes to India as it is already publicized. So if Krsna desires, we may go to India next year with our party, but I will prefer if George takes the responsibility of this touring party. If he is serious about it, I can give my suggestions about how it will be done. As you have listed the prospected cities with the respective couples of householders to go there, these programs are very encouraging. In England there are some very important cities like Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, etc. so these may be gradually incorporated in your program. Regarding the members comprising the World Sankirtana Party, on the whole I wish that 40 members will go, one half from Europe and one half from America or as it may be suitable, there is no definite restriction. So far the proposal of the Karachi Gujarat Hindu Union and the Brahma Samaj to take our devotees to Africa, if they give return fare we will go to Africa, but I am not very much hopeful of the Indians there. They may be of the same type as they are in England. The difficulty with the Indians is that they are under the impression that they know everything and they have not got to learn anything from us, but factually most of them have lost their original culture and they have to learn so many things from this Krsna Consciousness Movement. Regarding decreasing the number of copies of KRSNA book ordered by Syamasundara, no, Syamasundara must sell at least 2,500 KRSNA books, that is already decided. He can sell them at the best price, it does not matter whether it is the price mentioned on the book cover. So if you want to see a Spanish edition of BTG, then you go to Spain and open a branch, then we get Spanish edition also—it is not difficult. It is very good news that several new boys and girls have joined the Paris Temple, so utilize all these newcomers—whatever capacity they have got try to utilize it for Krsna's service—that will be good for them and good for us. Regarding your two questions, the first, Sri Gadadhara is expansion Radharani and Srinivasa is the expansion of Narada Muni, or in other words they are the internal and the devotional energy respectively. The second question, Yes, Rupa Goswami is a Gopi by the name of Rupamanjari, but not all the six Goswamis of Vrndavana are Gopis. The following is a list of some of the principle Gopis, the first eight are called Astasakhi:1. Lalita2. Visakha3. Sucitra4. Campaklata5. Rangadevi6. Sudevi7. Tungavidya8. Indurekha9. Rupamanjari10. Ratimanjari11. Labangamanjari12. Rasamanjari13. Manjumali14. Kasturikaetc. You can sing individually the names of the Gopis, there is no harm, but when we sing the prayer "Sri radha krsna padan sahaguna lalita sri visakhan vitams ca" this includes them all. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Madri Dasi, and all the boys and girls at Paris center. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** June 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 18th June, 1970, sent by Special Delivery Air Mail. Krsna philosophy is understood as it is stated in the Vedas: Yasya deve para bhakti yatha deve tatha gurautasya ete kathitha hi artha prakasante mahatmanah"One who has got unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord and similar faith in his Spiritual Master to him only the imports of Vedic knowledge become revealed."A Spiritual Master is always liberated. In any condition of His life He should not be mistaken as ordinary human being. This position of a Spiritual Master is achieved by three processes. One is called sadhana siddha. That means one who is liberated by executing the regulative principle of devotional service. Another is krpa siddha, one who is liberated by the mercy of Krsna or His devotee. And another is nitya siddha who is never forgetful of Krsna throughout his whole life. These are the three features of the perfection of life. So far Narada Muni is concerned, in His previous life He was a maidservant's son, but by the mercy of the devotees He later on became siddha and next life He appeared as Narada with complete freedom to move anywhere by the grace of the Lord. So even though He was in his previous life a maidservant's son there was no impediment in the achievement of His perfect spiritual life. Similarly any living entity who is conditioned can achieve the perfectional stage of life by the above mentioned processes and the vivid example is Narada Muni. So I do not know why you have asked about my previous life. Whether I was subjected to the laws of material nature? So, even though accepting that I was subjected to the laws of material nature, does it hamper in my becoming Spiritual Master? What is your opinion? From the life of Narada Muni it is distinct that although He was a conditioned soul in His previous life, there was no impediment of His becoming the Spiritual Master. This law is applicable not only to the Spiritual Master, but to every living entity. There are thousands of examples explained in our books that the conditioned soul is never affected with the material body. It is said in the Vedas asamga ayam purusa which means the living entity is always unaffected with matter. Another example is given that the reflection of the moon on water appears to be moving, but actually the moon is not moving, it is fixed up. So any living entity is like that. His reflection on the material body appears to be changing, but the spirit soul is fixed up, therefore this movement is called illusion. Liberation means liberation from this changing condition. So far I am concerned, I cannot say what I was in my previous life, but one great astrologer calculated that I was previously a physician and my life was sinless. Besides that, to corroborate the statement of Bhagavad-gita "sucinam srimatam gehe yogabhrasta samyayate" [Bg. 6.41] which means an unfinished yogi takes birth in rich family or born of a suci or pious father. By the grace of Krsna I got these two opportunities in the present life to be born of a pious father and brought up in one of the richest, aristocratic families of Calcutta (Kasinath Mullick). The Radha Krsna Deity in this family called me to meet Him, and therefore last time when I was in Calcutta, I stayed in that temple along with my American disciples. Although I had immense opportunities to indulge in the four principles of sinful life because I was connected with a very aristocratic family, Krsna always saved me, and throughout my whole life I do not know what is illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating or gambling. So far my present life is concerned, I do not remember any part of my life when I was forgetful of Krsna. So it is very good news that your centers are doing well. And the program for opening several more new centers is most encouraging to me. In the meantime, I am eagerly awaiting to see the French and German editions of our BTG printed, so please send me copies as soon as they are printed. Hansadutta has also just written to me in this connection of acquiring our own European printing press. But I think that for the present there is not enough capital to advance for this purpose. Also, unless we have very good press equipment it is not very practical to print our literatures ourselves. But in future if the opportunity is there, then we shall consider further. Regarding the invitation from Africa, I have not heard anything about this from Gurudasa until now, but I have just asked him for the information. Regarding your question how to carry your Deities to different places with you, you should of course always carry them personally if at all possible in a small box or cabinet for the purpose. Then when you come to another temple you may place Them on the altar with the other Deities. That is nice. Regarding your second question: what determines whether a devotee goes to a Vaikuntha planet or to Goloka Vrndavana?—Those devotees who are following viddhi marg are meant for going to Vaikuntha planets and those who are following raga marg are meant for going to Krsnaloka. It is generally that the followers of Lord Caitanya are going to Goloka Vrndavana. There is no difference between the Vaikuntha planets and Krsnaloka, it is a matter of personal taste only. I have heard that the Ratha is almost completed in London and it is expected that the Rathayatra Festival will be very, very magnificent. So as you have suggested, this will also be the best opportunity for the several programs to be established by mutual consultation amongst yourselves, yourself, Gurudasa, Syamasundara, Hansadutta, Mukunda, etc. So please manage everything very nicely and Krsna will provide all opportunities for expanding His movement throughout the European countries. So see that everything is done cooperatively. Then it will be very nice. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** July 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th July, 1970. I have also received news from Syamasundara that the Rathayatra was nicely performed. This is very encouraging. We should concentrate our energy in constructive work. The constructive work is preaching. So this Rathayatra festival is one of the items of our preaching work, and therefore it was introduced in both San Francisco and London and the initiative was taken by Syamasundara. In 1967 I gave this idea to Syamasundara when I was in San Francisco. So it was promptly executed. Similarly last year in London also he promptly executed. So his proposal for preaching from village to village in our own bus is very much appreciated by me.* I have already instructed him to do this immediately and you also encourage him. World Sankirtana Party does not mean that we have to cover immediately the whole world. The program is that everywhere the Sankirtana Movement should be introduced. Mayapur temple is not settled up still because the boy in charge, Acyutananda, has not yet purchased that land although I have advised him to do so at all risk. Another boy, Jayapataka, has gone there, but he is also silent. I do not know what is happening there. If you have enough business now in Europe as Syamasundara proposes, then first of all we should finish this program. I have got good report from Amsterdam also. So if you have got immediate engagements in England and neighboring European countries, then we shall take up the African program later on. The principle is that whatever is handy we shall first of all take into consideration. So far Mayapur is concerned, if the land is there, there will be no difficulty in raising funds even from India. But we have no land as yet. The first business is if the temples are not properly maintained, then we should simply concentrate on Sankirtana outside. Temple opening is secondary, but we should concentrate on the Sankirtana outside. As in Paris we have no official temple but still Sankirtana is giving us encouragement. I have received a letter from Jaya Hari and replied it. Holland is full of cows, so that would be the best place for a European New Vrndavana scheme. But it is not immediately possible. If we get some suitable land opportunity. But we have already got New Vrndavana that is yet to be developed. So that scheme is not yet feasible. In future we shall see to that. Vidhi marg and raga marg are already explained in the TLC. Neophyte devotees who are trained under rules and regulations is called vidhi marg. When by execution of the vidhi marg one comes to spontaneous service of the Lord that is called raga marg. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- N. B. I learn from Brahmananda that you are planning to come here and attend the meeting during Janmastami days at New Vrndavana and I am very glad that you are coming.*very soon four Sannyasis will go to England for this purpose ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** August 14th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo My Dear Tamala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. Now that I have formed this Governing Board Commission, the twelve members should each act as my zonal secretaries. So kindly keep me informed of your zone's activities at least once a week or once fortnightly. In this way I will be encouraged and can give you direction and inspiration. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** December 30th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > Calcutta My Dear Tamala Krsna, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on with you all well in Calcutta, I was expecting your letter at any moment, but I have not received any word from you since you went there. This morning I have sent you one telegram requesting you to send me a complete report immediately. In the meantime, our plans have been changed so that I will come to Calcutta from Bombay by plane and not by train. Our whole party is leaving Surat on the 4th January and we shall reach Bombay on the morning of the 4th. From Bombay I shall fly to Calcutta by Indian Airlines flight number IC-175 leaving on the 5th January at 6.15 PM, reaching Calcutta the same evening at 8.20 PM.Two of us will be arriving there, so please meet us at the airport. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Tamala Krsna **Date:** December 30th 1970 — **Location:** Surat TAMAL KRISHNA,NO LETTER FROM YOU VERY MUCH ANXIOUS FOR BOOKS WIRE ACTUAL SITUATIONBHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI ### Letter to Tamala Krsna, Syamasundara **Date:** October 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Amritsar > Bombay My Dear Tamala Krsna and Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I hope you and your good wives as well as Srimat Sarasvati are all well. I have safely arrived in Amritsar and we are being very well cared for at the Vedant Niketan. The people and also the Sannyasis here are very much liking our Sankirtana Movement, so things are going on nicely. I am very anxious to know your situation; whether you have removed to the Rama Temple or where you are stationed now? What was the result of my application to the Buildings Society Cooperative? Please let me know. Unless there is good reception for us arranged at Delhi and Vrndavana, we shall come back directly to Bombay as scheduled. There was one manual typewriter left at Seksaria's house which was used for typing up the letters for inviting the press to the conference—please see that this machine is with you or ask Mr. Seksaria for it. Gurudasa has left the Movie projector with you at Mr. Lalan's house and also there were several silver bowls and one set of clothes for the Deities as well as their jewelry which was not packed up by Malati when I left Lalan's with Gurudasa. Please be sure that all these things are with you. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Tamala Krsna, Syamasundara **Date:** October 25th 1970 — **Location:** Amritsar > Bombay My Dear Tamala Krishna and Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I'm in due receipt of your separate letters and have noted the contents carefully. The letter addressed to Ksirodakasayi has been approved by me and sent by airmail to London. I think the procedure followed by you for Bombay activities is quite nice. I was thinking of going to Delhi and Vrndavana but, as you say, that my presence in Bombay will be more beneficial. Therefore we have all reserved our seats in the Deluxe Train on 30th October, Friday. We shall start from here at 6:35 a.m. reaching Bombay central station next day 31st October, Saturday by 4:40 pm. I think I shall send you another telegram but you can take it as certain that we are starting on the 30th. On this basis you can make arrangements for meeting the respectful gentlemen and ladies mentioned by you. So far I've not received the copies of the magazines sent by Dai Nippon from Japan. I'm very glad that you are organizing the temple worship at Chembur. It will be a great opportunity to show your capacity how to worship the deity in the temple. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Tamala Krsna, Syamasundara **Date:** December 9th 1970 — **Location:** Indore > Bombay My Dear Tamala Krsna and Syamasundara., Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 4th and 5th December, 1970, respectively, as well as one telegram dated 7th, December regarding the Surat program. Gorakhpur has already sent us money for going there, therefore we should give first preference to going to Gorakhpur and them from Gorakhpur we shall make further program. So for the time being the Surat program may be postponed. I am arranging to go to Gorakhpur by the 17th December and if you have no important program in Bombay, then all of you may come to Gorakhpur. From Gorakhpur we shall go to Allahabad or maybe to Vrndavana. That will be settled there. So let me know if you are all starting for Gorakhpur by the 17th instant. The best way for you to go is to purchase reserved tickets from Bombay through Gorakhpur according to the following schedule. Leave Bombay on the 17th December by the 5 (down C.R.) Punjab Mail AC departing at 15.20. You will arrive at Bhopal Jn. by 6.20 next morning. Most probably we shall join you at Bhopal with tickets reserved on the same train. The 5 Punjab Mail will then reach Jhansi at 11.40. At Jhansi the train divides and one part goes on to Luknow called the 43 (down C.R.) Jhansi-Lucknow Mail departing Jhansi at 13.20 and arriving Lucknow at 20.05. From Luknow the Lucknow Express (E.R. down #16) departs at 21.15 and arrives in Gorakhpur at 3.05.In Indore we shall continue our program up until the 16th and therefore we shall start on the 17th to Bhopal Jn. where we should meet your train and join parties. In the event that we do not join you at Bhopal Jn., you continue on to Gorakhpur as above schedule. Regarding the proposed meeting with Sri Birlaji, your letter arrived too late for any action to be taken from here. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- I have advised Gurudasa to print the numbers of the receipts which were lost in Delhi in the public papers with a note that any monies collected with these receipts are not received by ISKCON, neither ISKCON is responsible for such false representation. Please send the numbers of the missing receipts immediately to Gurudasa so he can do the needful. Giriraja says that you now have the only copy of the missing numbers. So please send them without delay. ACB ### Letter to Tamala Krsna, Syamasundara **Date:** December 13th 1970 — **Location:** Indore > Bombay My Dear Tamala Krsna and Syamasundara, Pleased accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 6th, 1970. Regarding the land in Bombay, we shall prefer to have that vacant land at 5 lakhs. That is a better place than Mr. Shedh's building. From your letter everything is encouraging, still you should post me daily one letter. I am anxiously awaiting your full report from Bombay in letters. Regarding Surat, how can we go? We have not received any money. So it should be postponed. We have received two telegrams, but no money. In the meantime I have received two letters from Jayapataka Swami in Calcutta. I have received one telegram from Gurudasa in Delhi reading as follows: CCP granted also official letter clearing books waiving demurrage sent to all ports trying Indian 18th—GurudasaSo I am very anxious to know what you have been able to do in the matter of receiving the books. Because of the proposed meeting with Indira Gandhi on the 18th instant, our Gorakhpur program is not fixed up. If you have already purchased tickets in the meantime, you may go there as planned, but our arrival from this end is not yet ascertained. Please keep me informed by daily letters as you promised before my leaving for Indore. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Tejiyas **Date:** May 20th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Buffalo My Dear Tejas Das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13rd May, along with your set of beads for chanting and request to become my initiated disciple. So I am very glad to accept you as my initiated student, and your spiritual name is Tejas Das Brahmacari. Tejas means powerful. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Pariksit Mahara pointed out to Sukadeva Goswami that Lord Krsna is Tejas or the Incomparable Supreme Powerful, Personality of Godhead. I am returning your beads enclosed herewith, duly chanted upon by me. Please follow the rules and regulations for advancing in Krsna Consciousness beginning with strict observance of the four restrictions, and chant daily the prescribed number of sixteen rounds on the beads, and you will grow strong in spiritual strength. Study our literatures with the cooperation of your God-brothers and sisters in Buffalo, and any questions you may have may be submitted to Srimad Rupanuga for answering. So in this way always find some engagement in Krsna's service and you will be supremely happy and successful in your life. Always follow the prescribed program of Krsna Consciousness as it has already been established by the Spiritual Master, and thus executing your prescribed duties in the loving service of the Lord He will reveal himself to you in proportion to your sincere efforts to satisfy Him only. So now you are Krsna's servant, and if you give your life completely over to Him, He (Tejas) the All-powerful Lord will protect you from all dangers in all circumstances. Please always chant Hare Krsna Mantra without offense and be happy. Now please take the good opportunity to learn how to practically prosecute Krsna Consciousness Movement so that you may help start new centers for expanding our program to every nook and corner, village and city. This is our business, to carry the message of Lord Caitanya to every person for his ultimate welfare. Help Rupanuga in the Buffalo Temple or otherwise as he may advise you to do, that is the best program for now—to become very well trained up in Krsna Consciousness—and then you can preach. I am enclosing herewith a sheet listing the standard practices for devotees and the qualifications of a devotee for your reference. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tirthapada **Date:** July 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sydney My Dear Tirthapada, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter undated and to know that you have gone to Sydney to execute Krsna consciousness there. Now you three combined together are strong trio, so just push on Krsna consciousness movement in Australia. You have seen in London all kinds of fluctuation in establishing our temple there. You have got sufficient experience in this connection. Now you can utilize your talent and experience in establishing a very nice temple in Sydney. Upendra has requested me to go there by January next year, so if you can make all arrangement complete by that time, certainly I shall go and install the Deity as I did in London. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tirthapada **Date:** November 13th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Sydney My Dear Tirthapada, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to all the devotees of our Sydney Temple. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 14th October and have noted the contents. The test of preaching ability is whether one is making some disciples or not. So it appears that your preaching is going on nicely. The standard of purity which I have introduced in the Krsna Consciousness movement will give you the real spiritual strength needed to preach. If you will simply stick to your principles, you will gain the respect of the whole world and our preaching work will be successful. Please maintain the program of Temple worship, distribution of Prasadam, Sankirtana Party, distribution of literatures, study and Krsna work all in order and make everything as nice as possible. The school college and university students are very receptive to this Movement, so we must present them with an excellent example. They are very intelligent and bad experience has taught them to be cautious, so if you keep all your programs to the standard as I have already instructed in so many ways, then they will easily become satisfied that this is the real way of life for any intelligent person—Krsna Consciousness. I have heard from Upendra and he seems enthusiastic about opening the Fiji center. Our Krsna Consciousness Movement is flourishing all over the world by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and I am receiving favorable reports and full invitations from all over the world for our Movement. Now it is up to you to keep on working vigorously in the service of the Lord and because He is seated within your heart, He will reveal from within all necessary intelligence for you to further extend your loving devotional service to Him. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- P.S. I have seen the news-cutting and I am very glad that Upananda and Anne are now married happily in Krsna Consciousness Please offer them my full blessings to work together in mutual cooperation for advancing Krsna consciousness. However, in future, if you kindly take sanction for such marriages beforehand, that will be in proper way ### Letter to Tosana Krsna **Date:** June 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > New York My Dear Tosana Krsna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge reciept of your latter dated nil. Regarding New Testament, we can simply agree that the New Testament accepts God is great and the creation came into existence by His Word. I do not know the details of New Testament, but I know so far that it is stated there that all creation is made by God. So this statement is Vedic statement. In the Vedanta philosophy also the same thing is stated that the Supreme Brahman is the cause of all creation, maintenance and destruction. So on the principle that God is Supreme, God is Great, I do not think there is any difference of opinion between us and the Christians. But the Vedic literatures being older and disseminated by many, many superior acaryas we can find out how God is great, how the creation took place one after another. These details are not found in any other scriptures in the world. So on the whole if anyone accepts that God is greater than everyone and nobody is equal to Him, then we welcome such statement. And if he is sober and intelligent then he will try to learn from Vedic literature how God is greater than everyone and nobody is equal to Him. This knowledge is very clearly defined beginning from the Bhagavad-gita. So if you meet such persons who are staunch Christians you can humbly put this argument before them for consideration. But if somebody is dogmatic and blind follower, then avoid to discuss with him. Better spend that time for enlightening a person who is innocent. Do not try to enter into the details of New Testament, but simply say that we agree on the principle that God is great. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tribhuvanatha **Date:** July 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Tribhuvanatha, Please accept my blessings, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter dated 13rd June, 1970, and just the other day I have received your package containing gifts of conchshell, sandalwood incense, orange socks and flowers as well as your beads for initiation. I beg to thank you for all these nice presentation and they are all being appropriately employed. I am very glad to know that you have been staying for some months at our London Temple in the association of our devotees. This is certainly the most fortunate company for you and I know that if you maintain the association of devotees your life will be happy and perfect. That is the version of the sastra that the most important thing for spiritual realization is the company of realized souls or pure devotees of the Lord. So on the recommendation of Gurudasa I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Tribhuvanatha Das Brahmacari. Tribhuvanatha means the Lord of the Three Worlds. And Das means servant. I have duly chanted the beads sent by you and they are returned to you herewith. Please always follow very strictly the regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds of Mahamantra daily on the beads. Study our literatures attentively and try to understand the philosophy nicely with the help of your God-brothers. Always work cooperatively to spread Krsna consciousness movement and chant Hare Krsna and your life will be sublime. I am enclosing one sheet for your reference. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Trivikrama **Date:** March 7th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Trivikrama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2 March, 1970. Now I think because Himavati is there, she will be first-class caretaker of the Deities, and you can be relieved. So I have no objection if you come back to the States if there is no other urgent necessity for you there. So you can consult in this connection with Krsna das and Hansadutta, and with their consent, you can come back. But if there is any urgent necessity for your presence there, you may wait a little more and then come back. I know as you expressed your desire in London, that you are very much anxious to come back to the States; so you can do so at your earliest convenience. I do not think that Hansadutta is pressing you for marriage. Marriage is a concession for a person who cannot control his sex desires. Of course it is a difficult job for the boys in this country because they have free access to intermingling with the girls. Under the circumstances, it is my open order for everyone that everyone can marry without any artificial pose. But if somebody is able to remain a Brahmacari, there should not be any canvassing for his marriage. But at the mature age say after 50 years old age, everyone should separate from wife. Married life does not mean that one should continue to live with wife throughout the whole life; at a certain stage, say between 20-25 years, one may accept a wife, live with her to the maximum age of 50 years, and then there should be no more sex relationship—stringently. And at the mature old age, say 65-70 years, everyone must accept the renounced order of Sannyas; if not in dress, then in action positively. Our students, either Brahmacari or Householder, are being trained up for constant engagement in Krsna Consciousness service without any personal interest. This is perfect order of Sannyas. So if everyone is trained up in this line of action, all of us are Sannyasis in all circumstances. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita that anyone who is not after the result of any action, but simply he acts as a matter of duty for Krsna, he is a factual Sannyasi and Yogi. So whatever status of life we may accept, this principle of working for Krsna as a matter of our duty, without being attracted by the result—should be followed by us. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tulasi **Date:** June 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > San Diego My Dear Tulasi dasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated by Post 12th June, 1970, and it is so much encouraging. May Krsna bless you on and on in your progressive march for advancing Krsna Consciousness. Personally I cannot give you anything, but I can sincerely pray to Krsna for your improvement on and on. I was so pleased to read your letter that I have taken some xerox copies and sent them to some centers putting before them an example. So offer my blessings to the boys: Bhaskara das, Vanamali das, Rsabhadeva das and Ezekiel, and go on with your work thinking always of Krsna by chanting His Holy Name. And keep me informed about your future progress. Hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Tulsi **Date:** July 1st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Tulsi dasa, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distributions of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program. But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep a daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice. Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Tulsi **Date:** November 9th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > San Diego My Dear Tulsi das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28th Sept, 1970 and I have noted the contents. I am glad to see that you are taking seriously to spreading this Krishna Consciousness Movement to all your fellow Americans. Try and increase Sankirtana Party more and more to new areas and ever-larger circulation of our literatures. I am glad to read in your letter you are going to the universities to preach. The universities are very important places because there there are men who can appreciate our philosophy. So when you speak in the classroom, just quote from any of my books and then try and explain the meaning in your own words and the students will appreciate it very much. Please see that the schedule of offerings is done regularly without any break. To worship the Deity or to worship Panca-tattva means that there can be no upsetting of the schedule of offerings. You have seen our L.A. temple and how nicely the pujaris are doing everything. So, in the same way, try and make your worship equally nice. In that way you will have the full blessings of Srimati Radharani. I humbly thank all of the boys and girls who are living in the temple for helping me to spread this Krishna Consciousness Movement throughout the world. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Tulsi **Date:** December 28th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > San Diego My Dear Tulsi Das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26th November, 1970 and have noted the contents carefully. I was not able to reply sooner, but have been travelling and so much of my mail has been neglected. Presently I am touring many cities in India and the response to our Sankirtana Movement has been tremendous with thousands upon thousands actively participating. In India, actually, everyone is a devotee. They have simply been mislead by the politicians and so many things. By Lord Caitanya's mercy we are again reviving their dormant Krishna Consciousness, just as we are doing in our centers all over the world. I am very pleased to hear how nicely the activities are gong on there in our San Diego center under your expert guidance. Also your program for "Maha Sankirtana" in conjunction with Laguna Beach temple is very nice. Such engagements should be held whenever possible as it is very enlivening to all those involved. Simply by keeping a nicely regulated temple schedule with many integrated devotional activities and our preaching program is sure to be a success. Following the regulative principles strictly is our strength in spiritual life. If they are neglected, then all our efforts simply become spoiled. So go on in the way you have described and Krishna will surely bless you. Please offer my blessings to the others. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Tulsidas **Date:** August 28th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > San Diego My Dear Tulsidas, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 18th, 1970, and I am so glad to learn that your center's activities are having their transcendental effect on the local population. It is sure and certain that if you all continue to follow the rigid schedule of chanting sixteen rounds daily with vow, going on Sankirtana and studying our literatures will increase your spiritual power to attract more sincere persons to Krsna Consciousness. So please see that all the devotees in your center are performing their regular duties in Krsna Consciousness and everything will be all right by Krsna's Grace. Please keep your lives absorbed in transcendental loving service to the Lord and be happy. Your increased Temple activities chanting two hours before the altar, three hours of studying scriptures, etc., is very nice. Please continue this program and spread Krsna Consciousness vigorously. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there, Rsabhadeva, Vanamali, Bhaktadasa, Ezekiel, etc. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Turya Shramy Maharaja **Date:** April 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > His Holiness Swami B.S. Turya Shramy Maharaja Sri Radha Gobinda Gaudiya Math Village, Jagada nandapur P.O. Dal_ (Burdwan)West Bengal, India My Dear Turya Shramy Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances. I am in due receipt of your kind letter dated 23rd March, 1970, addressed to our New York center and now forwarded to me here. You will be pleased to know that we have got twenty-six centers all over the world, namely; Europe, America, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Of all the centers this Los Angeles center is my headquarters. The temple house is recently purchased by us at a price of $225,000 corresponding to our Indian exchange of 22 lakhs and 50,000 rupees. Out of the 26 centers, in three centers we have got our own premises. In Boston we have got our own press in our own house which was started last October, 1969 at a cost of 9 lakhs of rupees. I am sending herewith one picture of our present headquarters in Los Angeles at the above address. By the grace of Srila Prabhupada the preaching work is going on nicely and the most important factor is that I have got a number of youthful American and European disciples who are helping me very seriously. As you know the western boys and girls are educated and trained up in practical life.. They are spreading this movement better that any Indian could do. So whatever success is there, it is due to them; I am simply instrumental in giving them direction. They are very kind upon me and offer me the best facilities of comfort. So things are very satisfactory here. I have published English translations and commentaries on the following books: Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Sri Isopanisad, Nectar of Devotion, KRSNA, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and Easy Journey to Other Planets. Our magazine "Back to Godhead" is published 100,000 per month. I have advised my assistant who is in charge of the magazine in New York to send sample copies to Srimati Hemanta Kumari Chowdhurani, as advised by you. In the beginning we had to accept some advertisements in our magazine to meet the expenditure, but at present we do not accept any advertisements. The whole magazine is full with transcendental message, even on both sides of the cover page. I understand that when the first mrdangas were sent, you very kindly helped my former sister. So if you have got time, you can help us by sending as many mrdangas as you can because we require them for our Sankirtana movement all over the world. If you can help us by supplying mrdangas and Navadvipa made karatalas it will be a great service to the cause. In our various centers (26) everywhere there are at least 30 to 40 devotees. Some of them are householders and some of them are Brahmacaris. I don't encourage very strictly increasing the number of Brahmacaris and Sannyasis because in this country men and women are very freely intermingling. Therefore I am encouraging householder's life strictly restraining them from sinful activities principally based on the following four points: 1) no eating of meat, fish, or eggs 2) no illicit sex-life 3) no taking of any kind of intoxicants including coffee, tea, and tobacco 4) no gambling. So this scheme appears to be successful, and in most cases the Grhasthas are preaching very satisfactorily. Last December I have established our London temple at 7 Bury Place in a five story building, and it has become a great attraction because people from distant places come to see this temple. Our Radha Krsna Temple has become very popular because of two record albums published by Mr. George Harrison who is a world known musician. This young boy is very much sympathetic with our movement and he has very kindly contributed 2 lakhs of rupees for publishing my book, KRSNA.So things are coming out very successful although slowly, and your good cooperation is earnestly solicited. Thanking you once more for your letter. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Uddhava **Date:** June 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4th June, 1970, along with the enclosed photostat of the new masthead for "Back to Godhead." Thank you very much for this. It is very nice. One of our friends, Sri Sarafji, Chief Editor of the "Godarsana" magazine, has requested some photographs for an article which is to be published in the "Godarsana." Please send therefore some negatives of pictures of Sankirtana, Deities, and some other pictures of our devotees and temples to the following address: Sri Tarachand SarafChief Editor: "Godarsana"11-7 Kalakar StreetCalcutta-7, IndiaPlease send these negatives by Air Other mail as soon as possible. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Uddhava **Date:** June 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15th June, 1970, along with a copy of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 2nd Canto. I think this style is very nice following the tradition of my other Bhagavatam publications. So please continue this process, chapter after chapter, and it will give me complete satisfaction. Thank you very much. I am also in due receipt of one letter from Pradyumna regarding Sanskrit editing. I will study this letter scrutinizingly and then I shall reply. But on the whole, the Sanskrit editing has been done very nicely and the style is completely satisfactory. Answers to the questions will follow in the next mail. The specimen copy of the book catalog and the price list is very appropriate. Please print them as early as possible and send some here. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Uddhava **Date:** June 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter along with the blueprint of the Almanac for Caitanya Era 484.I have looked over this work very carefully and it is very intelligently done. This contains all relevant informations concerning our bona fide movement, so I think it will be of utmost use in the matter of approaching foundations and influential parties to understand and support this movement. Therefore, you should print up a large number of copies because we will distribute this booklet very widely for propaganda purposes. I am so happy that our ISKCON press is now producing such several literatures consecutively like Srimad-Bhagavatam chapter by chapter. So now I am enlivened to write more and more. Thank you very much. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Uddhava **Date:** July 11th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 6th July, 1970, along with the blueprint copy of the Lord in the Heart. Thank you very much. It is alright to go ahead with the printing of this second chapter. I have approved all the questionable points noted by Pradyumna, so it is alright. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Uddhava **Date:** July 14th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th July, 1970, along with the blueprint for the third chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam Second Canto, entitled "Pure Devotional Service: the Change in Heart."I have looked over the blueprint and noted a few points to be corrected, so I am sending back the blueprint to you for seeing the necessary changes as they are in the text. I have also corrected the points sent by Pradyumna and the sheet is also sent back herewith. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Uddhava **Date:** July 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. Sometimes I am asked for my glossy photo by some friends, but I have none here. Therefore I shall be glad if you kindly send the following glossy by return mail. (These photos will also be used for printing in various Indian papers and magazines as they are requesting. So they must be of good propaganda quality.)SubjectPrabhupada (alone preferred.)Exterior view of L.A. TempleDeities and altars (very opulent)Scenes of Rathayatra and other festivalsCow protection in New Vrndavana(pictures in Handbook of milking, and calf)Some important members (alone or together)Thank you very much. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Uddhava **Date:** July 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Boston My Dear Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter dated 20th July, 1970, along with the blueprint for chapter 4 Second Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam. I have gone through the blueprint and I am also sending the necessary Sanskrit corrections to Pradyumna. So when these corrections are made then you can print immediately. Yes, I am awaiting for the propaganda photographs which you are sending. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dm ### Letter to Uddhava **Date:** August 16th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Boston My Dear Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your telegram dated 14th August, 1970 and reading as follows:—will send Hindi BTG by 14 special delivery should reach you on 16 or 17 your eternal servant uddhava das isokrishna boston. However until today there has been no arrival of the Hindi BTG, so I am still waiting for it. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Umapati **Date:** January 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Woompati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 January, 1970, and I have conveyed your good suggestion to Suridas and Jotilla to go to Hamburg. As Tamala is already informed of this fact, I am sure he will take this practical suggestion and do the needful. Regarding antiques: we do not require of them in our Temple. For the time being don't spend money on antiques, better to try to expand our cult as far as possible with strenuous effort. So I am getting good reports from all our centers. Now I will be very much pleased to have our own center in Paris as soon as possible. I am so much thankful to you for your sincere endeavor to spread Krishna Consciousness in the European countries. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Umapati **Date:** February 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > France My Dear Umapati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14 February, 1970, and I am so much glad to note how nicely you are realizing the importance of Krsna Consciousness movement. This is Krsna's grace; so work sincerely and seriously, and thus Krsna from within will reveal everything confidential. Actually the whole world problems can be solved by this movement, that is a fact, but people are so much involved in Maya's activities that it takes some time to come to the right conclusion. But, if our preaching method is carried on in order, certainly it will be very much effective. So you are intelligent and one of the oldest members in the Society, and gradually Krsna is giving you better intelligence also; and thus push on the missionary activities as fast as possible. I came to your country completely in helpless condition and Krsna is so kind that He has picked up some serious students like you; and my only hope is that even if I die these missionary activities will go on. And to keep yourself on the standard spiritual strength, please do not neglect the sixteen rounds chanting and following the regulative principles. Try your best, and Krsna will help you in all respects. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Umapati **Date:** March 30th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Umapati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th March, 1970. I have also received the newspaper cutting in which the picture of George has come out and it appears to be very nice because he has taken to chanting Hare Krsna Mantra along with you. Actually he has done some service to the cause of Krsna Consciousness, therefore he must make progress in his spiritual advancement. The heading "An Anti-Alcoholic Beatle at Maxim's"—does it mean that George has given up alcohol? Anyway, I am pleased with his dealing with us and I pray to Krsna that he shall make more and more advancement in Krsna Consciousness. You have written to say that French people are eager to understand Vaisnava philosophy, and the summary of Vaisnava philosophy is as follows: God is a person like us, but He is all-powerful with all opulences in full. The living entities are His eternal servants. There are varieties of living entities that have inherited the opulences of God in different degrees. There are two kinds of nature, the spiritual nature and the material nature. The living entities belong to the spiritual nature and being part and parcel of God they have all the qualities of God in minute proportion. There are innumerable living entities both in the spiritual world and in the material world. The spiritual world is far, far greater than the material world. As such, the number of living entities living in the spiritual world is many more times greater than the number of living entities living within the material world. The living entities, when they try to lord it over the God's property, forgetting their constitutional position to remain as eternal servant of God, they are given the material world to act according to their desires. In such endless varieties of desires the living entities are seen in varieties of bodies beginning from Brahma, down to the most insignificant insect. In this way, when someone is fortunate, he, by the grace of Spiritual Master and Krsna, revives his Krsna Consciousness. And if he makes progress under the direction of the Spiritual Master, then he revives his original Krsna Consciousness in full and thus he regains his position in the eternal Kingdom of God. So you know very well all these facts, and while preaching you have to explain all these things nicely. Then you become a good preacher. Now you try your best in this line of preaching work and be successful as you have taken birth as a human being. Our Vaisnava philosophy is in summary the Teachings of Lord Caitanya. You read them very carefully, word to word, and immediately begin translation into French language so they may be published in French BTG as well as in future they may be published in a book. I think Janardana is very busy in preparation for his Ph.D. because I have also not heard from him for a long time. So let him continue his studies. There is no need of disturbing him at present. Better both you and Suridas take up this translation work seriously. I think there are some devotees in Montreal who can also translate into French language. Anyway, arrange for this work immediately, without waiting anymore. You have not written anything whether you have been able to find out a suitable place for our Temple. It was understood that when George goes there, he would help us in this matter. So I shall be glad to know how far you have been successful in this connection. It is all Krsna's grace that you have been favored with some publicity and more people are coming weekly for Kirtana. It is very much satisfactory, and I hope Krsna will help you more and more. Please keep me informed about your further progress and offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Umapati **Date:** April 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Woompati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 14th and 21st April, 1970, respectively, and I am very glad to receive good news that your Krishna work is going on nicely. You have selected your bride, Ilavati, who I think is a French girl, so I think this marriage will be nice. But our all selection should be with a view to serve Krishna, that we must not forget in any circumstance! The other point is that all my best students are now in Europe. Yourself, Tamala, Mukunda, Hansadutta, Syamasundara—all of you are in now double strength, so please do things very enthusiastically and organize the world Sankirtana Party because in India the people are already expecting us next year. Also open as many branches as possible. So it is very good that now all the devotees can take Prasadam together. All the devotees must keep together, that will be an extra strength. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Umapati **Date:** July 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Paris My Dear Umapati, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated 12th July, 1970.I understand that the new boy, Harivilasa, is very experienced, so if he is going to be president that is nice. We want a good administration—that is one side of our propaganda work. I am very glad to hear about the apartment of the American boy, Lou, which you are utilizing as a base in Paris. That is nice. Anywhere we may live, our chanting process must go on. Yes, the police and Government men will gradually understand us and naturally their harassment will diminish. The same thing is happening everywhere. So prepare excellent literatures, that will enhance our prestige. I am very glad that you have made nice arrangements for carrying on our preaching work and maintaining everyone including the householders without necessity of an outside job. You are all very advanced and experienced, so do it nicely. That will give me pleasure. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Umapati **Date:** August 23rd 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Hamburg My Dear Umapati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Hamburg August 19th, 1970, and I am pleased to learn that you are all engaged in the publication work. I shall be so much pleased to see the French and German BTG's published as soon as possible. What you have heard about me that I have left the U.S. for the time being is more or less correct. I left L.A. on the 7th August. I lived for one day in Honolulu on my way to Japan and then I have come to Tokyo on Saturday the 8th August, 1970. I am starting for Calcutta on the 29th August to see if the World Sankirtana Party could be organized and to see if our Mayapur Temple could be constructed. The Mayapur matter is lingering since a long time, so we are going to Calcutta, seven including one Japanese Brahmacari, to complete the transaction. I am so pleased to note your Vaisnava attitude in your letter under reply. In this connection the incidence which occurred during Lord Caitanya's time may be remembered. One very intimate devotee of Lord Caitanya, most probably Vasudeva Dutta, requested Lord Caitanya to deliver all the conditioned souls in his presence. He said, "Let me suffer for their sinful actions, but my dear Lord You take them with You back to home, back to Godhead." So this attitude of offering facilities to others for going back to home, back to Godhead, and personally accepting their suffering thereof is perfect Vaisnava Attitude. Perhaps you know I have already formed a Governing Body Commission, so in my absence they will manage the affairs of the Society. I shall begin my 75th year from the Vyasa Puja Day and if you all combined together manage the affairs of the Society nicely, that will give me a great pleasure. I shall try to do some work in India regarding the Krsna Consciousness Movement although my physical strength is diminishing. But still now if all you cooperate with me with your full young energy I am still competent to work with you with greater energy. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Unknown **Date:** April 12th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles Dear ____, I thank you very much for your letter . . .As you have liked to know more about the temple, the worshippers, and the scriptures, I beg to inform you that this Krishna Consciousness movement is based on the Vedic scriptures. Veda means knowledge and there are two kinds of knowledge—one mundane and another transcendental. Vedas are considered to be originally transcendental because they are coming from the platform which existed before the creation. This transcendental knowledge was impregnated in the heart of the first created living being, and then he distributed the knowledge both for material and spiritual purposes. This Vedic knowledge was stated in the Atharva Veda. Later on, just on the beginning of this millennium, the Kali yuga, Vyasadeva, who is the supreme authority of Vedic knowledge, considering the degraded condition of men in this age, divided the whole Veda into departmental knowledge and some of his disciples were entrusted with a particular type of departmental knowledge. In this way the whole Vedic knowledge developed into four Vedas, 108 Upanisads, 18 Puranas, then summarized in Vedanta Sutra, and then again to benefit the less intelligent class of men like women, workers, and the degraded descendants of the higher class he made another fifth Veda known as Mahabharata or the great history of India. The original Bharata and modern India are not the same. The original Bharata means the whole earthly planet. Gradually being sectioned, the modern India is only a fractional part of the original Bharata. So the knowledge is distributed in so many departmental Vedic knowledge, but the whole process is aiming at God-realization. The living entities within this material world are supposed to be rebellious conditioned souls who disregarded the order of the Supreme Lord, and they lost their spiritual kingdom. It is something like Milton's idea of "Paradise Lost." This material world is created, developed, maintained, produces many by-products, then gradually dwindles, and at last it is dissolved or annihilated. The spirit souls or living beings, are by nature eternal. This condition of life for the living beings are by nature eternal. This condition of life for the living beings, namely to go through repeated births and deaths, is unnatural for him. Therefore the whole Vedic knowledge is devised to regulate the life of the living entities not in the animal form of life, but in the human form of life, so that he can fulfill his material desires, but at the same time he becomes elevated to his original spiritual position. This process of evolution from the lowest aquatic life up to the stage of brahminical culture is delineated in the whole Vedas. This is called knowledge, and when one is liberated from the material contamination, the same knowledge further advanced becomes transcendental knowledge. This process of elevating oneself from different platforms of understanding to the highest status of life is called religion. According to Sanskrit language, religion is not a kind of faith, but it is a prescribed form of duties to be discharged by respective human society, ultimately rising to the platform of Krishna Consciousness or God-consciousness. The first class religion is therefore that which teaches human being love of God because religion means to understand one's position in relationship with God. This God-realization also depends on three phases of life. When God-realization is there distinguished from material realization, this is called liberated stage of transcendental enlightenment. The next stage is to realize God everywhere in His localized aspect, and the highest stage of God-realization is to know Him as the Supreme Person—all powerful, full of all riches, all reputation, all beauty, all wisdom, and all renunciation. For the further understanding of this religious process I would recommend you to read our three books namely Sri Isopanisad, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Easy Journey to Other Planets. When you have finished them, you can read Srimad-Bhagavatam and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. Besides these we have many other books and our "Back to Godhead" magazines, in which we are fully describing about this religion only. So you read them one after another, and whenever there is a question you may write to me and I shall be very glad to answer it as far as possible. I am so pleased to learn that you are so impressed with our activities and you are so eager to learn about religion. Thank you very much. ### Letter to Unknown **Date:** July 29th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles I, the undersigned, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- , presently author of the following books: Krsna; Nectar of Devotion; Easy Journey to Other Planets; Isopanisad; Bhagavad-gita As It Is; Srimad-Bhagavatam; Teachings of Lord Caitanya; Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System, do hereby appoint Rupanuga das Adhikari, Bhagavan das Adhikari, and Karandhara das Adhikari for the purpose of the publishing of manuscripts and literatures made by me, distribution and collection and all other necessary paraphernalia in this connection. This trust is called the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Out of the three trustees, the majority decision will be carried. At the present moment, the Krsna books are coming from Japan and they should be taken care of immediately. The present procedure is that Sriman Karandhara das Adhikari is looking after the business and collecting the fund. The same procedure should be followed and whenever there is a collection, it should be deposited in my bank account entitled ISKCON, INC. - BHAKTIVEDANTA BOOK TRUST, number __ with the Security Pacific National Bank. And whenever there will be a new printing, on submission of the estimate I shall immediately advise the bank to remit as I am now doing. In the future, things will be done as it is necessary. All withdrawals are to signed by me exclusively. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust account will be used to publish my books and literature and to establish Temples throughout the world, specifically three Temples are to be established, one each in Mayapur, Vrndavana, and Jagannatha Puri. A.C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiFounder-AcaryaACB/rda ### Letter to Unknown **Date:** December 14th 1970 — **Location:** Indore Wanted qualified Brahmins to preach Bhagavad-gita all over the world. Educated candidates accepted without any discrimination of Caste and Creed. Apply ISKCONLife Member can send any member of his family for being trained up as qualified Brahmin who can preach Bhagavad-gita as it is all over the world ### Letter to Unknown **Date:** January 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles [PAGE MISSING]Recently, in the month of October, we have purchased one house in Boston at a cost of $70,000 and have started our own press at a cost of $20,000. You will be pleased to know that the American boys took to work in some professional press to learn the arts of operating press work, bookbinding etc. They earned some money by so working and now they have started the press working themselves; otherwise, it would not have been possible. So Your Holiness' blessings for these sincere devotees are very much welcome. I am so much obliged to you for your ventilating our activities in your esteemed paper, "Sri Caitanya Vani" in India. When I was in London, your disciple Sriman Sacisuta das Adhikari saw me several times, and he was regularly attending my weekly discourses in the London Conway Hall. I understand that he is also working on some press there, and I was so much pleased to see him. I am so obliged to you for giving shelter to Sriman Acyutananda Brahmacari when he was in Calcutta. Sriman Jaya Govinda das Brahmacari who saw you in Vrndavana is now staying in our center in Hamburg, Germany where he is in charge of "Back to Godhead" in German language. We are now publishing English "BTG" 50,000 copies per month, German "BTG" 5,000 copes per month and French "BTG" 5,000 copies per month. And very soon we may be able to publish a Spanish "BTG" from Mexico where two devotees, husband and wife are going to open a center. Regarding our London Math at 7 Bury Place, it was very successfully opened and the seva puja operations are going on very, very nicely under the care of Srimati Yamuna Devi. It is always full with devotees since its opening and all kinds of people Indian and European are participating in the daily functions. You will be glad to learn that one Mohammedan boy in London became my disciple under proper initiation besides a few Indian Hindus also. We are now feeling the present place of London center, although is is a five storied building, is not large enough to accommodate all the devotees. We have taken another house for the householder devotees and the present house is inhabited by thirty-one male devotees only. There is a very nice house in the neighborhood of central London demanding 100,000 English pounds corresponding to Rs. 18 lacs; but as you know, I am always penniless, it is only a dream for me. There are many Indians like Mr. B. K. Birla who can help in this connection, but neither I have got any acquaintance with them, nor I am getting any help from India's side in this great propaganda work of Krishna Consciousness Movement which is actually felt by the local people as a major spiritual revolutionary movement. Nobody, either European or India, expected ever that the European and American boys and girls would strictly follow the regulative principles; namely, not to indulge in illicit sex-life, no taking of intoxicants up to the point of not taking tea or cigarettes, no meat eating and no gambling. Not only that, the boys in clean-shaven head and saffron dress will go on the streets and chant Hare Krishna Mantra so jubilantly. ### Letter to Unknown **Date:** February 28th 1970 — **Location:** Unknown Place ...show you all these things and try to follow as far as possible. Acyutananda. His address is as follows: 35 Satish Mukherjee Road, Calcutta-26, WB, India. We are not arranging to print the Krsna Book in our own press. It will contain about 48 color pictures. Sudama has written me from Japan that they have got very good opportunity in Tokyo for spreading the Sankirtana Movement, so they are moving from Kyoto to Tokyo city proper, and it is understood that some of the Japanese boys are already singing the Hare Krishna Mantra. I think I have written one letter to Sri Sai. Was it delivered to him? Now you are in good terms with the boy? Thank you once more for your letter. I hope this will meet you in good health by Krishna's Grace. I hope Govinda Dasi is also keeping good health now. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Unknown **Date:** February 28th 1970 — **Location:** Unknown Place ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLES AT: 411-B W. Water Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico; 26 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y.; 95 Glenville Avenue, Allston, Mass.; 3720 Park Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 5364 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal.: c/o Mr. Lal Goel; 53 Englewood Avenue, Buffalo, New York, 14214; Acyutananda Brahmacari; c/o radha Press; 993/3 Main Road/ Gandhi Nagar; Delhi 31, India; Atlantic City (send copy to Brahmananda and he will forward it to Atlantic City, as we have not got their address.)Hope you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Unknown **Date:** February 28th 1970 — **Location:** Unknown Place So please try very seriously for this and I think Krishna will give you all intelligence and facility. Please convey my blessings to your good wife and child. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- —Unknown Place28 February, 197070-02-28to the international unabridged, the same principle is there. Similarly in mathematics beginning from 1,2,3, adding and subtracting, etc. up to higher mathematics, just like calculus, the 1,2,3, adding and subtracting is still there. But basic math taught to children and higher math to the college man. In this way by Krishna Consciousness we can solve all the dogmatic confusions and speculations. This is the greatest need of the human beings and please try to do it as far as possible and Krishna will help you. Hope you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** April 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sydney My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 20th April, 1970, with newspaper clippings enclosures, and they are all every encouraging. Don't worry about your wife, she is trying to get immigration visa and Madhudvisa is helping her. In the meantime, I am enclosing herewith a copy of the police officer's letter to me and I hope this will help you to get police permission for Sankirtana. We are the best peaceful group in the world and we are trying to bestow upon the people the supermost knowledge for the humanity. Everyone should cooperate with us, but unfortunately this is the age of Kali and people are not very much eager to accept genuine things, so don't be disappointed. Do as you are doing now and Krsna will help you without fail. To face difficulty in the course of preaching work is a kind of austerity. These difficulties do not go in vain. The more we face difficulties, the more we draw the attention of Krsna. So in that way we shall be prepared to meet all kinds of difficulties in our preaching work. Such attempt gives us a lift on our progressive march in Krishna Consciousness. In my last letter to Bali Mardan I have already written that I was very much anxious to hear from you. Now this letter has given me much relief. Thank you very much that you are working so hard for this movement, and surely Krsna will reward sufficiently for your transcendental labor. Be blessed and preach. I shall send you very soon detailed photographs of our new temple room and I think you will very much appreciate it. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** May 25th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15th May, 1970.I know you are sincere servant of Krsna, so sometimes we may do something which is not very congenial, but Krsna is so kind that one who is engaged in His transcendental loving service is corrected immediately from within as Krsna is sitting within everyone's heart. So you have gone there with a great responsibility on behalf of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and try to convince people about the importance of Krsna Consciousness, that will make everything nice and in order. You have asked some specific mantra; there is no other greater mantra than Hare Krsna. Srila Bhaktivinode says, "When I chant Radha Krsna or Hare Krsna all my dangers are gone immediately." So which other mantra can be more effective than Hare Krsna. So far responsibility is concerned, there is an action in Bhaktirasamrta Sindhu to be executed by the devotee which is called Krsna arthe akhila cesta which means to take all kinds of responsibilities for Krsna's sake. Sometimes I also think that let me go back to Vrndavana, in that peaceful situation, to live without any responsibilities; still, in this old age, I take the responsibility of managing our quite a big Institution now, and I have to reply so many letters from different centers to give them instruction. As an old man I can take relief from this work immediately, but for Krsna's sake I am pulling on even though there is sometimes personal inconveniences. So let us act in that way all together for Krsna's sake. Regarding using our Temple for marriage ceremonies for the Hindu community, if they contribute something to the Temple they can use the Temple and perform the marriage with their own priest, but we cannot take responsibility for marrying others who are not initiated by us. I beg to thank you also for the nice picture. I have kept the picture on my table, it is very nice. May bless you Gopala Krsna. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** June 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sydney My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated June, 1970.We must stick to our Krsna consciousness business at all circumstances. This determination will make us successful. Although according to Vedic system there is restriction that boys and girls should not freely mix, the brahmacaris are strictly prohibited to talk with young women, but in the Western countries this rule is not valid. As such, we have to accept both boys and girls in the same standard. But if each of us follow the regulative principles and chanting of the mantras hardly there will be any chance for sex indulgence. So we have to be little careful about it and Krsna will help us. I do not know why you wife has not yet got her visa. The devotees who are trying to join our movement may be called by some Vedic name, but ultimately change of name will take place after first initiation. In the meantime there is no harm in calling them by some suitable good names. Speaking or anything all depends on practice and study. I remember when I was first called for speaking by one of my senior Godbrothers. I felt very much hesitating because I was not practiced to speak. Later on by speaking and hearing or reading I got experience and now we can speak 45 minutes, 50 minutes or one hour at a stretch. So you have to read our books very nicely and gather thoughts, then you can speak for hours without any difficulty. It requires practice. So read your books carefully, especially Nectar of Devotion now published, and practice speaking. It will be alright. The complete edition of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is is not yet published. It will be published soon. If you cannot procure mustard seed oil, you may use olive or sesame oil. The translating work cannot be transferred everywhere. It is not possible because for my regular work I require reference of the books which means I shall have to carry with me so many books and other things. So I have no objection to do this, but by such action the work will suffer. But I can go to Australia when you are fully equipped for some time and again come back. I have never seen Australia, so naturally I am inquisitive. But in that case you will have to provide for at least two men's double journey. I wish that your center may be strengthened more and more, and if by next January as you have stated you like me to go there, certainly I shall go for some time. The actress girl, Janne, has arrived here. She has presented me one ballpoint pen, and she has also transferred travelers checks to the amount of $500 to the Society. She appears to be very nice intelligent girl, and we are trying to engage her for some dramatical performance on the basis of Lord Caitanya's pastimes. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** July 15th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Sydney My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters (2) dated 8th July, 1970, and noted the contents. Janne is still staying here and she is enjoying the company of the devotees. I know that Tirthapada is a very nice and good boy. He is ready for all kinds of service. Now you are three strong male devotees and many girls are also helping you, and I hope you have now full strength for preaching work. In future if it is so required you may have one or two more from London, but the best thing will be to recruit devotees locally—that is the success of preaching work. Regarding harassment of our devotees, Yes, this is not a new thing in the history of the world that preachers are sometimes persecuted. But at the present status of civilization I do not think anybody will be crucified like Lord Jesus Christ. Hiranyakasipu persecuted his own son and only five years old. So the demons and atheists are always prepared to give trouble to the devotees. Sometimes the demons like Kamsa are prepared to kill God even. During Lord Caitanya's time Thakura Haridasa was also persecuted and put into jail. Not only that, he was whipped in twenty-two market places, but still the demons could not come out successful in the snubbing down of the Hare Krsna Movement. So do not be worried about this. Go on about your business. Krsna will give you all help, rest assured. Simply stick to you work seriously and sincerely. Rathayatra festival was successfully performed in San Francisco, London and Tokyo also and you may write to Durlabha about the films. Regarding your question—What does it mean: "We are all originally Krsna conscious entities."—We are always with Krsna. Where is not Krsna present? So how you can say that we were before? You are always with Krsna and when we forget this fact we are far, far away from Him. In the Isopanisad it is clearly stated that tad dure tad vantike "He is very away, but He is very near as well." (Iso. mantra 5). So this forgetfulness is our falldown. It can take place at any moment, and we can counteract this forgetfulness immediately rising to the platform of Krsna consciousness. Yes, your have correctly answered your second question by the purport that Arjuna's mind was already absorbed in knowing Krsna as his friend so he should not give up that status but he should only change his vision for the time in order to see the Universal Form of the Lord. Regarding the three beads missing from your set of japa beads, just string three beads in place. That is all that is necessary. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** August 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. Thank you for your letter dated July 30, 1970. I am glad to hear that our Sydney Temple is going nicely. Regarding your questions, the sannyasis are now devoted fully to travelling and preaching work, management is left to the local Temple Presidents and the members of the Governing Body Commission. As we make advancement, offenses should be gradually diminished; advanced devotees, in fact all devotees should study how to do this very carefully in the Nectar of Devotion. We can understand the Absolute Truth by hearing, that is how we can become perfect. Simply by hearing and chanting the Glories of the Supreme Lord from the Srimad-Bhagavatam one can become perfect, this example is shown by Sukadeva Goswami and Maharaja Pariksit. The Gayatri is chanted morning, afternoon, and evening. The pujari chants Gayatri at each offering. Regarding the "Sayyothana" ceremony. In that part of the year it is very hot so they pour water mixed with milk over the Deities. Lord Jesus Christ is a saktyavesa Avatara, an empowered living entity or jiva. In order to attain such a position one must be pure, so in this sense Lord Jesus Christ was a pure devotee. Of course, humanitarianism is not a sign of the pure devotee, but unless he did like that no one would hear him. So Lord Jesus Christ was acting a part suitable for the particular circumstances. It is a nice story about the police sergeant bowing down following the example of the devotees. That tendency is there in everyone eternally, simply they must be exposed to our Sankirtana Movement. It does not matter what we are, Grhasthas or Sannyasis, the point is to be paramahamsa, completely surrendered to Lord Sri Krsna. Some of Lord Caitanya's followers were Sannyasis but not all of them. Thank you once again and please convey my blessings to all the Prabhus there. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACB:rda ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** August 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated August 4, 1970 and have examined the contents. A reply to your last letter was previously sent. Now all my disciples must work combinedly and with cooperation to spread this Sankirtana Movement. If you cannot work together then my work is stopped up. Our Society is like one big family and our relationships should be based on love and trust. We must give up the fighting spirit and use our intelligence to push ahead. You should accept help from your Godbrothers. Now I have set up the Governing Body Commission to handle management, questions of philosophy, and personal problems. These things are too much botheration for me, I simply want time to write books to satisfy my Guru Maharaja. If Balimardan Prabhu has gone to open still another Temple that is certainly good news. Kindly remain there and teach Upananda das by nice example and work together with the devotees there. If we work hard for Krsna without personal consideration or ambition, then we are assured of success. Tomorrow I am leaving for Hawaii on the way to Japan. After some time our Sankirtana Party, including five of my disciples, will go on to preach in India. Meanwhile, kindly push on our Sankirtana program and distribute as much literature and prasada as possible. I hope this reply finds you in good mood. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACB:rda ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** August 18th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Sydney My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th August, 1970.Yes, for the present I am in Tokyo and arranging to reprint some of our books and magazines to the extent of 70,000 copies and I am also awaiting the manuscript of KRSNA, Volume II, as well as Hindi magazine. So altogether there will be about 100,000 copies of different books and literatures which will all be carried to India for distribution. The idea of going to India is to organize our Mayapur center tributed by a number of subordinate branches in a number of cities in India. We have already got invitation from various places like Mt. Abu, Nainital Hill Station, Gorakhpur and many other important cities. With my party at the present moment we are five Sannyasis and one householder. In India there are two Brahmacaris. So if we actually work together we can factually do something substantial there in India. So arrangement is being made for this purpose. Yes, I shall not be able to attend New Vrndavana meeting and the picture kindly sent by you will certainly be properly utilized and placed somewhere for worshiping. Yes, I received one letter from Bali Mardan which I have replied to Sydney address, but today I have received one letter from him from L.A. He is on the way to New Vrndavana. I understand on his way he was on Fiji Island and there is a very good prospect to open a branch at Fiji. Please always remain busy in Krsna Conscious activities and there will be no disturbance created by Maya. That is the standard of real peace. Without Krsna's association there is no possibility of peaceful condition of life. We can associate with Krsna in so many ways by chanting His Holy Name, by hearing His Qualities and Pastimes, by seeing His Beautiful Form in Arca Deity, by eating His Prasad, by contacting His Devotees, by travelling to His Temple and Holy Pilgrimages and after all by thinking of Him within our heart always. All these different items are identified with Krsna because He is the Absolute Truth. It is a known fact that Maya is very strong, but one who associates with Krsna in the above mentioned ways, Maya can show no strength or Maya converts herself from Maha Maya to Yoga Maya. Kindly observe the regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds regularly and see that all your other assistants are doing the same. If someone is lacking, try to induce him peacefully. The schedule of your activities appears to be very encouraging. You have stated, "I have with contrite heart decided to bow my rotten head to all authority and to serve You with my heart and soul." Your assurance is very encouraging and I thank you very much. Tirthapada is your very sincere devotee and combined with him the activities there will be very much exemplary. I have sent the poetry written by Tirthapada to Satsvarupa for publication in BTG.You are good for everything but your attitude to remain good for nothing is very nice. A Vaisnava is always humble and meek and he is never puffed even he has got the highest qualities of demigods. You are always welcome to write me directly. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dsb ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** September 29th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Sydney My Dear Upendra, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very encouraging letter dated Sept. 21st, 1970, along with some nice photos of your Sydney activities and some favorable reports from the local newspapers. All this publicity is very nice for our Movement and people are beginning to seriously appreciate our work. I have had good reports also from Jagadisa in Toronto and he says that in Canada the people are very receptive to our Krsna Consciousness philosophy. I am very glad to now that you are following a strict schedule of devotional service and that will keep you all strong in Krsna Consciousness. Please maintain this standard and improve further. It appears that Krsna is giving you nice facilities and nice devotees also for fulfilling His Mission in Australia. Please train the new devotees nicely and have them carefully read our literatures so they get a fine understanding of our Krsna Consciousness. Regarding your invitations to speak at different gatherings of "yogis" etc., wherever you go speak pure Krsna Consciousness. God is One. He is All-Attractive. Therefore His technical Name is Krsna. In other words, Krsna is God and God means Krsna. So you can preach this philosophy anywhere, never mind whether it is to yogis or bhogais. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** October 26th 1970 — **Location:** Amritsar > Suva, Fiji My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter from Fiji Islands dated October 4th, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad that you are preaching steadily our Krishna Conscious philosophy and this should be done in defiance of all the atheistic propagandas which are so much current. Regarding the impersonalist swamis, don't try to mix with any Swami who has no knowledge of Krsna Consciousness. So their speaking is simply maya, therefore they are called Mayavadis. Lord Caitanya has warned us that anyone who listens to or tries to understand the impersonalist philosophy is doomed, his devotion will become dried up. Regarding worship of demigods, the whole Hindu society is absorbed in this business, so unless our preaching work is very vigorous it is very difficult to stop them. As soon as I return to Bombay I shall send you the tape as you desire. I shall be returning to Bombay by the 31st October. So far the literatures in Hindi, Gugrati and Tamil are concerned, it shall take some time because we have no ready made such literatures. But we are getting Hindi "Back to Godhead" very soon as Tamala has informed me. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Upendra **Date:** November 21st 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings [illegible] I am in receipt of your recent letters dated October [illegible] and November 4th respectively. I have received your frequent reports as you have been travelling and your account of the situation is of great interest to me, especially I am pleased to note your enthusiasm in the matter of spreading Krsna Consciousness [illegible] to all the people of the world. I am so much pleased with your sincere endeavor. You are doing [illegible] service for the Lord and He is sure to reward you with advanced Krsna Consciousness in no time. I am very glad that you have found some interested and friendly persons to give you at least some temporary assistance in Fiji. Do not be worried about the future. If you will simply work on very strenuously in humble state of mind as the sincere servant of the servant of the Lord, then Krsna will give you all facilities [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. I know you are already acquainted with the Lord's mercy in this respect because you have already had several times experience in the matter of establishing our ISKCON Temples in different places. I have seen your leaflet and it is very nice. Regarding Hindi BTG, several hundred copies will be sent to you as soon as they are received by us. Yes. As you have noted the youth are our most potential source of converts to Krsna Consciousness. I do not think it is necessary for you to spend time unnecessarily at this time of your life to learn some foreign languages, but the program as we have followed with good success is to find out some local boy who is well acquainted with the English language and train him to preach to the general less educated public. This is the best system and do not be hopeless because you are sure to find such a helper very soon. The article in the Hindi paper appears to be nice. It is very good that you have renovated one flat for a Temple. Now you can begin your program properly and invite some boys to stay and learn Krsna Consciousness under your instruction. The young boy of 14 years is a very prospective candidate if you train him properly. So do it nicely. As usual, always be very careful that the regulative principles are being followed by yourself and others very strictly. If you keep to the standard in that way and make a nice Temple for serving the Lord that will be the right path for going home, back to Godhead. Regarding "Devi Chandan", we have no use for it. It has got no place in our Vaisnava worship. So far the demigods are concerned, we Vaisnavas have nothing against them, so they may be offered all respects as part and parcel servitors of the Supreme Lord Krsna. The foolish persons may worship the Demigods as Supreme, but we see only that they are agents of the Lord and as such we may offer them our humble respects. Hope this will meet you in good health. Another thing, although we respect the demigods, we may not take their prasadam if invited. We observe the system followed in Jagannatha Puri. First the foodstuff is offered to Lord Jagannatha and then His Prasad is offered to the different demigods; then we may take such remainders as prasadam. This is the correct procedure. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds --- P.S. I am sending you the Hindi tape record as you have desired by separate book post. You should receive it soon ### Letter to Vamanadeva **Date:** April 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > St. Louis My Dear Vamanadeva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 29th March, 1970. The newspaper portion is very encouraging. They have devoted so much space for describing ourselves. Although there are a few misquotations, never mind, it is a good publicity. I am so much pleased with your wife and yourself and I can simply praise you how wonderful you are. Both you and your wife are setting good examples how Krsna Conscious Grhasthas or householders should live for Krsna. You are practically experiencing that there is no difficulty in household life if people are in Krsna Consciousness. So please stick to your principles very nicely and the program which you are following is already very nice—lecturing in the university, having classes in your apartment, distributing Prasadam—all of them are very, very nice. Please offer my blessings to Indira, and go on with your program, and Krsna will give you all opportunities. We have purchased a new church building here, and you will be glad to see the picture enclosed herewith. So gradually in your center also one day we may have our own buildings because everything is possible if Krsna desires. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Vamanadeva **Date:** May 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > St. Louis My Dear Vamanadeva, Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center. As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple—chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Sankirtana Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books. Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard. Hope this will meet you in good health, and more when we meet. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Vamanadeva **Date:** June 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > St. Louis My Dear Vamanadeva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very interesting letter dated 5th June, 1970, and noted the contents. It is by the grace of Lord Krsna on account of your sincere service unto Him that you have got a very nice place for our propaganda center. I understand that the house is purchased by you, but you have mentioned nothing about it. So I am not very much anxious whether it is purchased or not, but from your description I understand it is a nice place. You are personally a good carpenter, and certainly you can make good additions and alterations for our purpose. In the meantime, if you could make some time to come here you could see personally how the Los Angeles temple is constructed by the devotees here. Everyone who comes to see this temple is very much pleased to see the arrangement. I was expecting your newsletter which is very interesting since its beginning, and I wish that you may continue the practice. Offer my blessings to your wife and other brahmacaris; and I hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Vamanadeva **Date:** June 22nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Vamanadeva, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good wife, Indira Dasi. I am in due receipt of your very encouraging letter dated 17th June, 1970, along with some pictures and plans of the new St. Louis temple. I am very glad to know that you are both, husband and wife, working very hard and sincerely for the mission of spreading Krsna consciousness, and therefore Krsna has provided these nice facilities for His service. From the appearance of the house it is very strongly built of stone brick and in good condition. The plans which you have drawn up indicate that the building is well suited to our purpose. So now develop your center with the help of the new boys and girls. You are an intelligent and educated boy and highly skilled carpenter as well as devotee and your wife is well qualified similarly. I want that you should continue our program as you are already doing and in this way you will advance in Krsna consciousness more and more. So you set the ideal standard of householder life for the benefit of others and they will gradually be influenced to follow your example of sincere service on Krsna's behalf. Regarding the arrangement of the Deities on the altar, the arrangement here in L.A. temple isGuru-GaurangaRadha-KrsnaJagannathaGargamuni has taken some pictures of the Temple room and I shall send a copy to you when they are printed. So make the altar very gorgeous according to your facilities there. That will be nice. Regarding my stay in New Vrndavana, I will be there at the time of Janmastami celebration, and at that time all the members of the Eastern temples are invited to gather to celebrate this Holy occasion together. This will also provide an opportunity for me to visit you all. So when you come there we shall discuss our further programs together. I understand that your first child will be born in one month. The child may be named "Jagannatha" and you may make it Das or Dasi accordingly. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Vamanadeva **Date:** November 12th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Vamanadeva, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your excellent wife Srimati Indira Dasi. I am so glad to hear from you after some time. I have been recently travelling all over the land of India and just recently I have come back to Bombay where I have received your letter redirected from Calcutta. I am so much pleased that you are carrying on our Krsna Consciousness program with such nice enthusiasm and devotion in St. Louis. I think St. Louis is an important city in your country, so you must do the large work of making the whole place Krsna conscious. Similarly we are trying in India to establish some centers and the response of the people here has been very favorable towards our movement which they have found to be a great stimulus to the revival of Krsna consciousness which they have been forsaking for the imitation of your Western material prosperity. You all my students must simply maintain your standard of pure conduct in Pure Krsna Consciousness and everyone will be satisfied that this is the best way to bring in the needed peace and prosperity to the world. I am very pleased to learn that you have several new devotees with you and the Temple has been completely renovated. It is a very nice house, so simply make it a palace for Lord Krsna and Srimati Radharani and that will be the perfection of its utilization and you will become perfect and happy by this work. Please continue your work in the "Bhakti-Yoga Society" at the University, the students cannot be over-estimated as our best prospects. The new growth of Tulasi is testimony to your sincere devotion because she will only grow and flourish in an atmosphere of Krsna Consciousness. Please see that the regular rules and practices are strictly followed by all the inmates and keep improving the quality of your Deity worship—this will keep you firmly fixed in the Absolute Truth. Always try to increase the distribution of literatures and more sincere persons will be attracted by this. Please work in coordination with Sriman Bhagavan das and the other GBC members and make progress in your center. I beg to thank you for your kind invitation and certainly I shall be very happy to stay for a while in St. Louis when returning to the U.S. conveniently. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Vamanadeva **Date:** December 28th 1970 — **Location:** Surat > St. Louis My Dear Vamanadeva, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your kind letter dated December 11th, 1970, and have noted the contents with great satisfaction. I am very much willing to see your center at St. Louis, but for the time being the installation ceremony of Radha Krsna may be postponed until my further advice. I am so glad to learn that you have increased the distribution of BTG to the extent of 3,000 per month. The collections from BTG Department may be immediately sent because they are in debt. Please offer my blessings to your good wife. Thanking you once more for your informative letter. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Vamanadeva **Date:** February 12th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Vamanadeva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 2, 1970, along with the letter from Sriman April Grover, your St. Louis newsletter, and one handbill. I may inform you that by the grace of Krsna this mission of spreading Krishna Consciousness is being enthusiastically pushed on for the benefit of the whole world by the assistance of all my disciples, good souls like your self and your good wife. I am so happy to see that you have introduced our Bhakti Yoga or Krishna Consciousness classes in two universities, St. Louis University and Washington University. This is the real course of study for human beings and we should use such good opportunities to give the young collegiate boys and girls this education of spiritual science. So please conduct these courses diligently to influence the hearts of the students and encourage them to participate in your temple's activities as well as weekly classes at the universities. I am glad to learn that your Sunday Prasadam love feast has grown to fifty persons attending and participating in our Krishna Consciousness Program, and also you are holding successful Kirtana in the high schools. These young people are our future in Krishna Consciousness so try your best to convince them of the importance of this movement. I have replied the letter from Anil Grover duly, and I hope these answers will satisfy his questions. You may further encourage him to chant regularly on beads, follow the four restrictive principles, and study our Scriptures with your help. If this chanting is sincerely performed and the regulative principles strictly followed, Krishna will give intelligence in such way to remove all doubts and answer all questions of philosophy from within the heart of the devotee. This regular program is essential. Please offer my blessings also to your wife, Indira dasi, and to the other boys and girls and devotees there. I hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Vasudeva **Date:** March 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Vasudeva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 20 February, 1970, along with an enclosed photograph of one painting of the Spiritual Master rendered by you. In the meantime, I have received also one painting of my Guru Maharaja Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Both these paintings are very, very good, and I am therefore requesting that you be able to devote yourself full time in developing this great talent of yours. There are many paintings required not only for our Temples, but for illustrating our books also. So I think this work will be more than ample and you will be happy in this work. I have noted your enthusiasm for painting, but I learn that there is need of many adjustments so that you may be able to execute the work properly. I have written therefore, in this connection, to Tamala Krsna to arrange for your working conveniences before he leaves Germany. I am also very pleased to learn that the Deities are now receiving proper service and you are developing a great love for Them. Please continue your sincere service with even greater vigor, and your love will grow increasingly more. Actually when this dormant love for Krsna is aroused in the heart of the devotee, there are for him no more problems of life. So continue to chant regularly Hare Krsna and be happy. Your nice service attitude is most encouraging to me. Thanking you once again, and hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Vasudeva **Date:** July 31st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Hamburg My Dear Vasudeva, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard from you since a long time. I hope everything is going well with you in Krsna consciousness. I know that you have been practicing your painting in a regular schedule and you are very much enthusiastic to be engaged in this. You are not only advanced student in painting, but also in Krsna consciousness, so always pray to Krsna how you shall draw the painting and I think it will come out nice. My another request to you is that because I am going to the Eastern hemisphere countries I wish to establish as many branches as possible on that side. As you know me very well, I shall require many pictures of Pancatattva, either Sankirtana or Five standing together, also the pictures of Acaryas. Wherever a Sankirtana Temple will be established, I shall require at least three pictures, namely your Spiritual Master, my Spiritual Master and Pancatattva as they are being worshiped in the first apartment of the Temple here in L.A. I shall have some color pictures of this first apartment of the L.A. Temple sent to you for reference. These pictures may be painted on a canvas with oil painting and when it is dried up they may be rolled all together and dispatched by Post Air Mail. The framework may be done locally. Paraffin paper may be placed between the paintings so they will not stick. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Vasudeva **Date:** August 15th 1970 — **Location:** Tokyo > Hamburg My Dear Vasudeva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5th August, 1970. I am very glad to know that you are very fully engaged in the duties of chanting regularly 16 rounds, going out on Sankirtana, performing arcana for the Deities and painting. It is very encouraging for me to learn that you are so enthusiastic in the execution of your devotional services. So please be engaged 24 hours daily in sincere transcendental loving service of the Lord and your life in Krsna consciousness is sure to be successful. Many of our Temples are now requiring pictures of Pancatattva and Acaryas, principally your Spiritual Master and my Spiritual Master, for their Guru Gauranga worship. So I am confident that you can help them in this connection by painting many of these very important pictures of our Temples. No we have got so many new branches of our Society, so your assignment is already given to provide them in this way with paintings. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Vrindaban Candra **Date:** November 9th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay > Baltimore My Dear Vrindaban Candra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter dated 30th Sept, 1970 and I am glad to see how nicely you are reading my books. Please continue to do this. We need so many preachers who are soundly versed in the scriptures to convince the world to take to Krishna Consciousness. I am glad that you and the others are each writing one hour daily essays. That is parampara. All of our previous acaryas on our line have written substantially on the science of God-consciousness, so I would also like all my students to do this and I am very encouraged by this nice program you have initiated. The important thing is to see that everyone is following a regulated schedule of chanting 16 rounds, reading, Sankirtana, and temple worship. Any breakage in the performance of one's duties will surely be a hindrance in one's advancement. So, as President, you should see that everyone stays engaged 24 hours a day in Krishna's service. Please offer my blessings to your good wife Vidarbha Kanya, as well as to all the other devotees there. Hoping you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb ### Letter to Vrndavana Candra **Date:** January 9th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Philadelphia My Dear Vrndavana Candra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 4, 1970 and noted the contents. The girl referred to is certainly very nice as I can understand from her letter, and she has sent me her beads for chanting and Subala has recommended to initiate her. So they are all good news. I am sending her the beads duly chanted, and her initiated name is Vidarbha Kanya. Vidarbha Kanya means the daughter of king of Vidarbha country, and she was married with Krishna. So her name is Vidarbha Kanya dasi, the servant of Vidarbha Kanya. So, I have got all approval of your marriage. Both Subala and yourself are fairly advanced in Krishna Consciousness and both of you can guide this nice girl to perfect Krishna Consciousness. And when both of you are ready, you can go somewhere suitable place and open a branch there. That is my mission. Recently, Vamanadeva, along with his wife, has gone to St. Louis and I am getting very encouraging letters. So I do not say go immediately somewhere, but keep this idea within your mind and as soon as you find opportunity, do it. Subala is very sincere servant of Lord Krishna and if you follow his example along with your wife, I am sure you will be benefitted. I beg to acknowledge receipt herewith a check for fifty dollars sent by Subala on behalf of the girl. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Vrndavana Candra **Date:** June 5th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Vrndavana Candra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your encouraging letter dated 24th May, 1970.I am so happy to learn that both you and your good wife are now engaged in opening our new center in Baltimore. This opening of new centers gives me the greatest transcendental pleasure, and I beg to thank you very much. It is very good news that you have received such nice cooperation from the City authorities so you can carry out our Sankirtana program with unrestricted distribution of literatures. This is excellent opportunity, so please take full advantage and push on our movement with your greatest enthusiasm. The house which you have described sounds very good for our purpose. So continue to develop this building for our Baltimore temple. Please also continue to cooperatively join with Philadelphia temple and the other temples for spreading Krsna consciousness by Maha sankirtana, festivals like Janmastami festival to be celebrated at New Vrndavana. I want that all my students will cooperate fully for expanding our movement, and in this way every center will be benefited. Regarding your visit to the Indian social club, we no not expect very much from such Indians, but you have done best by distributing our literatures to them. I have already advised that you may get some help from the Eastern temples and Bhagavan das has, I am told, already agreed to send some men to help you in Baltimore. I beg to thank you for your enthusiastic service attitude, utilize it with determination in the matter of preaching this Krsna consciousness and you will quickly achieve the highest perfectional status of life namely Krsna consciousness. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Vidarba Kanya, and to the other boys and girls who may be there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Vrndavana Candra **Date:** June 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Baltimore My Dear Vrndavana Candra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 18th June, 1970. You are doing very nicely. Krsna is giving you intelligence. So remain dependent on Krsna and work sincerely and everything will come out very easily. The program of work given by you is very satisfactory. And it is good that you have got an opportunity to teach a course in the John Hopkins Free University. I have seen the photograph and the cutting from the university catalog. They are very encouraging. I am glad that Subala also came to assist you. So accepting always Krsna as the Supreme advisor and always begging for his mercy, go on with your progressive march—and I am very satisfied with your activities. I am so glad to learn that your good wife is also helping you. That is the duty of a faithful companion of life. If the wife is helpful in the spiritual progress of life, she is the best friend and philosopher. So in Krsna Consciousness the wife is never a burden, but she is completely a counterpart. So set example to your countrymen how younger generation can live peacefully, husband and wife, being engaged in Krsna's service. There are many examples of this type of husband and wife working in our different centers for propagating this sublime message. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Vrndavana Candra **Date:** July 12th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Baltimore My Dear Vrndavana Candra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 30th June, 1970, and noted the contents. I am so pleased to learn that your center is attracting so many persons some of whom are sincere. If you are sincere in your service of preaching our Krsna consciousness philosophy, other sincere souls will come. Our process is for manufacturing sincere souls. How is it possible? Simply by your kindly following the rules and regulative principles and chanting the Holy Names offenselessly. This program is given by Lord Caitanya specifically to change the hearts of the fallen souls of this Kali Yuga for picking up their spiritual life. I have received the set of japa beads sent by you. I have chanted them duly and they are sent back to you enclosed herewith. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Vrndavana Candra **Date:** July 18th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Baltimore My Dear Vrndavana Candra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter informing me that you have lost your original set of beads and requesting me to chant upon the new set sent also enclosed by you. You are intelligent boy and now you are in very responsible position as president of our Baltimore branch, so you should be more careful. Anyway, I have chanted duly the beads and they are herewith returned to you. I hope that you and your good wife are doing well in Baltimore. I have very favorable reports from our East coast centers. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Vrndavana Candra **Date:** July 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > Baltimore My Dear Vrndavana Candra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th July, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad that Haladhara has gone to join you in Baltimore center. Now you are three men strong so carry on our program nicely and gradually more sincere souls will come. Do not be disappointed but be always engaged in pushing on Sankirtana, distribution of our literatures, Prasadam, and preaching and classes and sincere souls will come. It is only required that we work very sincerely and Krsna will provide all facilities according to our endeavor. Regarding your first question: When a person becomes a perfect yogi he can transfer himself to any planet in the material or spiritual sky at his will. That is the perfection of the mystic yoga process. Generally the yogis are impersonalists, therefore they transfer to higher planets within this material world. This is explained in the Second Canto of Bhagavatam. In Chapter VIII, verse XIII of the Gita it is described that the yogi is thinking of the Lord while vibrating Om, so he goes to the Lord's Abode because he is thinking of Krsna. One who knows what is Om knows that Om is the sound representation of Krsna he immediately remembers Krsna just like we chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. This conception of Om and impersonal conception is different. The impersonalist has no information of Krsna, he thinks of something like the Brahmajyoti effulgence. Yes Krsna fulfills everyone's desires fully. He can full our desires either materially or spiritually. Material desires to be the supreme enjoyer or god are not natural desires, however. Such desire is maya. Maya means what is not. Our constitutional position is not that of the supreme enjoyer so such desire is unnatural and false. Krsna fulfills the ultimate spiritual desire of everyone also. According to one's constitutional position he enjoys a fully perfect relationship of love with Krsna. Just like a hand is not happy when it is trying to be independent and it becomes naturally happy when it acts in its constitutional capacity as subordinate part and parcel of the whole body. But if the hand desires to be the complete body that desire is not constitutional so such fulfillment of false desire cannot be real. However for those who are not advanced in their intelligence and desire to be one with the Supreme, Krsna grants such persons the opportunity to merge their identity in his transcendental effulgent body. So that desire can be fulfilled by Krsna also, but one who is in full knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and who knows his own constitutional position never desires in that way. Rather he always desires only to fulfill his constitutional position of eternal existence as servant of Krsna and such service is complete and perfect and the supreme pleasure for the living entity. Who can enjoy more than one who is always enjoying Krsna? So it may be said that his enjoyment is supreme. Regarding your third question: This yoga process is authorized, but Arjuna says that it is too difficult. The so-called yogis are simply making farce. They do not reach to the perfectional point of yoga. Arjuna admitted this difficulty and it is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore Krsna said that anyone who is thinking of Him within his heart is first class yogi. In the Bhagavad-gita it is recommended about kirtana. This kirtana means kirtana or glorifying of the Holy name, fame form, activities, qualities, etc. of the Lord. They are all kirtana. Not that everything has to be included in the Bhagavad-gita, Therefore the spiritual Master is required. Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends kirtaniya sada hari one has to chant the glories of the Lord always. Question fourth: What Lord Jesus Christ says, that is the destination of his devotees. What Lord Jesus Christ says I do not know. If there is no description of the Kingdom of God, then we give that—cintamani prakara sadamasu . . . etc. Question the fifth: If Mohammed as the servant of God and Lord Jesus Christ is the son of God, then where is the break of the disciplic succession. After all the disciplic succession is beginning from God, so how do you find that there is no disciplic succession? If the original tree has branches, twigs and leaves and they are in touch with the original tree, it is alright. The test is whether the line is in touch with the Supreme—that is all. Although Mohammed and Jesus Christ appeared in the Kali Yuga their instruction is as it is because the persons to whom they had to speak could not understand any more and they find it difficult to understand even that much. Question the sixth: You are always with Krsna. But you forget. That is maya. Regarding Bhagavad-gita Chapter XIII, verses 5-6: All these are elements and their interactions are the bodily combination and its changes. Convictions are mental impressions derived through the body. Convictions are not fixed up. The aggregate refers to the aggregate of the elements or the body. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Vyasa **Date:** August 6th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Sriman Vyasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated July 14, 1970 and its contents have been carefully noted. Yes, you are correct when you say that for a true devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krsna theoretical speculations are avoided. Not only is devotional service the simplest way of God realization, as you have agreed, it is clearly pointed out by Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita in every chapter that He can be achieved only by finally engaging directly in devotional service, or bhaktiyoga, the highest stage in yoga practice. In the First Canto, second chapter, verse seven of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is clearly stated that by the process of applying devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead Vasudeva (Krsna), the immediate result is that causeless knowledge and detachment follow. Therefore the burden of useless theories can be avoided, simply by following the Sastras. Anyone can understand that behind the beauty of nature, behind the succulent fruits and vegetables, and behind the wonderful heat and light of the sun, there is a Friend. So we should contact that Dearmost Friend, Krsna. Any reasonable man will accept this argument. That is rational thinking. In the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna says that "One who restrains his senses and fixes his consciousness upon Me is known as a man of steady intelligence." Otherwise there can be no conviction. How can a man be convinced who will not accept? Krsna says hear from me, "tatsrnu."We are going to popularize our Sankirtana Movement by following strictly the footsteps of Lord Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and distribute Krsna consciousness literature throughout India as well as the rest of the world. All of our resources are used for this purpose. Our Society is intended for the intelligent class of men, so you are invited to join this Sankirtana Movement. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACB:rda ### Letter to Yamuna **Date:** January 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 12 January, 1970 and I have noted the contents. I am so happy to know that the activities in London center are progressing with such great success. It is our desire that we shall always be engaged fully 24 hours in the service of Lord Krishna; in this way our lives will become perfectly joyful simply by singing and dancing and taking Prasadam. So if you carry on your service to Radha and Krishna according to the prescribed rules, your love of Krishna will increase more and more; this you are seeing practically by the Grace of Krishna. So far colors that may be offered to the Deities, all colors may be utilized just suitable to your scheme. But black should not be used for the Deities dresses or for Temple decorations. Krishna as He is appearing in our Temples is in the Kisora age, and the dress which I have introduced is His dress of Kisora age. In our Temples the Deities, Radha and Krishna are worshiped as Laksmi-Narayana with all the opulences of Their Majestic Lordship in Dvaraka. The worship of Radha-Krishna as They appear in Vrndavana is a very advanced stage, so we worship Them in the Temples as Laksmi-Narayana. Actually there is no difference because Laksmi-Narayana is directly the expansion of Radha-Krishna. We are following the prescribed method of Temple worship as it is the effective program for developing the highest perfection of pure love of Krishna. If Prasadam is to be honored in the Temple room, the curtains may be drawn before the Deities while the devotees are taking Prasadam. The best arrangement is to honor Prasadam in a separate room for the purpose, if possible. The arati articles may be returned to the same places, especially the conch shell, but the deeps, lamps, should be set down from their places because they must be washed. I am very glad to learn that the three girls from France are advancing nicely under your tutelage. Please continue to train them up to chant regularly and to always keep engaged in Krishna activities. As ideal householder girl, you are giving them the best example of Krishna conscious life. Please offer my blessings to them and to all the devotees. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Yamuna **Date:** February 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter undated and I was so glad to learn that you have defeated four of the whips of the Ramakrishna Mission by giving quotation from the Bhagavad-gita. It is a fact that all other institutions, never mind whether it is Ramakrishna Mission or philosophical speculators, nobody can stand our arguments and reason if we can support them by quoting Scriptures. So if we thoroughly study the books which we have so far published, as well as serve Krsna in great devotion by following the regulative principles, we shall be able to defeat anyone who is not in Krsna Consciousness. So do it nicely, and everyone of you become great preachers. Please write me occasionally about your activities and train the initiated girls to assist you in all respects. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Yamuna **Date:** March 2nd 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 17 February, 1970, and have read the contents with great interest. We are not impersonalists, under the circumstances we have got varieties of perception in the matter of discharging devotional service. In Rupa Goswami's "Siksamrta" it is stated that advanced life in Krsna Consciousness means one should be always very much anxious to calculate whether every moment of his life has not been utilized in devotional service. This is called feeling of being afraid for misusing time. One should be very careful to estimate how every moment of his life is being utilized in the service of the Lord. The Goswamis were very much advanced in this line of action, and therefore about them it is said "nidra hara bihara vijito" that means one who has conquered over eating, sleeping, and mating. The idea is to save more time from this materialistic business and utilize it for Krsna's service. When our anxieties are how to utilize life in that way, that stage is abyarthya kalatvam "utilizing life without spoiling it." The next stage is namagane sada ruci "attraction for chanting the Holy Name always" and priti tad basati sthale "feeling of pleasure in living in the Temple or in the place of pilgrimage." So I am very glad that you are gradually coming to that stage; continue it carefully. Try to realize it yourself and teach the method to all your younger brothers and sisters. Krsna Consciousness means full cooperation with Krsna, and Krsna means with all His entourage. We should always remember this. Just like when we speak of a tree, it includes the root, the trunk, the branches, the leaves, the flowers—everything. Therefore to love Krsna means to love Him along with all His Name, His fame, His qualities, His entourage, His abode, His devotees, etc. Now I have sent you one copy of all celebrations in the current year of Caitanya Era 484. I hope you have received it through Syamasundara by this time. It will be published in calendar form, but I have sent you one copy in advance. You must all find time to write some articles for publishing in "Back to Godhead." That is culture. Regarding the devotees, I am very very pleased to learn of their sincere and enthusiastic endeavors in Krsna Consciousness, this is most encouraging to me. Now guide them carefully so that they may be engaged further in our program of Krsna Consciousness movement activities. So far management is concerned, you have to do it amongst yourselves because it is not always possible for me to give direction from such distant place. Regarding an assistant Pujari, Ilavati may be trained to assist you, but she may not conduct Arcana without being dvija. The system is that only one who is qualified with Gayatri initiation may directly worship the Deities (i.e. bathing, offering bhoga and aratrik, cooking for the Deities, etc.). But she may assist you by helping in all other respects. If for some reason you are unable to perform aratrik, there are other devotees, initiated brahmanas, who can make the offerings there. Please offer my blessings to all the new devotees and all the other boys and girls at London Temple. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Yamuna **Date:** April 10th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your burfi. It is so nicely made. Lest it go out of stock, I am eating only a very little quantity daily. But how you have made it, if you send the formula, maybe Nanda Kumar or Devananda may be able to prepare it. I hope you are taking care of the Deities with greater attention, and teaching your younger God brothers and sisters to follow the Arcana bidhi. As we open many branches, we shall require many devotees like you to take care of the Deities very nicely. So be happy in Krsna Consciousness and I shall pray to Lord Krsna for your greater achievement in devotional service. Thank you very much. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Yamuna **Date:** May 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your very nice letter dated 8th May, 1970, and noted the contents with interest. Thank you for your determination. For the way in which I am trying to expand I require so many sincere assistants. So the program which you have listed for the students and your daily schedule are very nice, and your schedule is fully approved. Just see that everything—Aratrik, Bhoga offering, etc. is done strictly on time. When every moment one is engaged it is called avyarta kalatvam which means not to spoil even a single moment of life without Krsna Consciousness. I am so glad to learn that you are regularly observing the listed holidays in our Caitanya almanac. The roaring kirtana, offering feast to the Deities with special preparations is our simple mode of celebration, and there is no special other program, this is standard, and that is our festival. It is good news that Sriman Tirthapada has also engaged one carpenter to help rebuilding our London Temple house. As he is giving service, gradually he will come to Krsna Consciousness. His giving service is his qualification. As we accept valuable metal like gold from a filthy place, similarly we should allow any Karmi to work for Krsna. Regarding Rathayatra, Jagannatha starts on the second day of the moon, and on the fifth day there is no meeting, but there is some controversy with Laksmi's servants and Jagannatha's servants—that is Herapancami. Jagannatha returns back on the tenth day of the moon. Thank you very much for the silver for sweetmeat preparations and also the milk massala of ginger base; I have kept it for future use as you have suggested. Yes the Brhat Saman is meant for the demigods—devotees are demigods—but people are not so advanced that they can sing Brhat Saman so nicely in this age, therefore Hare Krsna Mantra is recommended to be chanted without diversion. You have already mentioned yajnanam Japaya jna'smi on the head of your letter, that the Hare Krsna Mantra is the best yajna sacrifice. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Yamuna **Date:** June 24th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 15th June, 1970, and noted the contents. So it is very good news that the atmosphere of London ISKCON is swelling in preparation of Rathayatra festival. Regarding your first question, while Lord Jagannatha is on His Ratha, and for the duration of the festivities for eight days following, bhuni kicrie may be offered along with other preparations. So for Rathayatra day feast should consist of bhuni kicrie which you make by first frying the dahl and rice in ghee. Also fry the vegetable with little ghee and massala. Then after the kicrie is cooked add some sugar, not enough to make it sweet, but just a little sweet taste, and some nutmeg, cinnamon, and other sweet spices. In this way it is like push pana. Other preparations may be a fruit salad, sweet rice, puris, a chutney, and a vegetable which is neither wet nor dry. There is no need of a curtain for covering the Lord as He is being carried to His throne. For the eight days following July 5th the best thing is that Their Lordships remain in some new place very gorgeously decorated for Them and the program should be as much offering of feasts and Kirtana as possible. If it is not possible that They shall be able to remain in some new temple place, then they may return to London temple. I had suggested to Syamasundara that this could be very nicely done at the chapel house at George's, but I have not heard from him in this connection. It is very nice that you have decorated Their Lordships with complete new outfits just befitting Their excursion. I am enclosing also a description of the sankirtana parties and how they should be arranged for surrounding the London Ratha. I have received the tape recording of London devotees chanting and thank them all very much. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Yamuna **Date:** July 26th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 12 July, 1970, and noted the contents. I have also received the pera and it is very nice. I know that you prepare everything very carefully for the Deities. You can offer the Deities as many varieties of sweetmeats as possible. I am very glad to learn that your training program is going on and the result is that now men are trained for opening and maintaining new branches. This is very much encouraging to me. So there are many things to be trained up and I am sure both yourself and Gurudasa are competent to execute them. So your program of study is very nice and regulated. Try to chant the mantras. It will not be difficult because the transliterations are there. In Los Angeles temple they are doing it very nicely every morning. Yes, I am glad to learn that the brahmacarinis are engaged in assisting work and cleaning. These are the most important duties for the brahmacarinis—namely cleansing. Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally used to inspect temple cleaning and if He would see a little particle of dust He would remark, "O, you have not done very nice." So try to follow His footsteps in the matter of cleansing. By nicely cleansing one can get promotion in the spiritual kingdom in some of the Vaikuntha planets—it is so nice. So your program for training your Godsisters is very nice, so do it nicely as you have got experience in arcana. There is no matter if there is a little change here and there—the real duty is love and devotion. But you say that the women with children make their schedules around their children. That is the difficulty for family men, their first worshipable object becomes the children. What can be done? You are fortunate that you have got Krsna as your son. The slides which you have sent of recent temple innovations is very, very excellent. One Bengali gentleman from London has sent me a letter praising your decoration of the Deities. The exact words he has used are that one cannot turn his face once turning towards the Deities. I have also seen the slides and my opinion is also the same. Please, therefore, go on getting credit for your service to the Lord. I am very much happy to learn it. Does your husband sometimes help you in this connection or not? I think he should be also trained up so that one day in a week he may also take charge of the Deities although he has got many other duties. Yes, I have received the article from the Swedish newspaper. I could not read it, but it appears to be very nice. I have also received the two articles on the Rathayatra festival. Thank you very much. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dm ### Letter to Yamuna **Date:** September 16th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta My Dear Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I am so much pleased to receive your letter dated Hrsikesa 22, 484 Caitanya Era and I am so glad to learn that our London Temple is very, very well managed under your supervision. Kindly continue this standard of Temple management—that will make me very happy. Here in India I am trying to establish a branch. We have come here eight strong Vaisnavas and Tamala Krsna is also with me. We are getting encouragement and there is similar situation in New York and other U.S. cities. Yesterday morning Tamala along with other two devotees went to the downtown quarters and they immediately gathered about five hundred men and collected 25 rupees also without any magazine or literature. Books and magazines worth about $60,000 are coming from Tokyo very shortly, then we will have vigorous preaching work in Calcutta. We are already in a very nice house, five stories, and we are getting another still better house in North Calcutta. The program executed by you on Janmastami and Nandotsava Days appears to be very nice and I am so glad that you remember my childhood name "Nandu" given by one of my uncles. Regarding your program of duties for the brahmacaris and brahmacarinis and grhastha men and women, this is a very nice arrangement. The girls should manage internally and the boys should manage externally. So all of you have my hearty blessings for your kind service to Lord Krsna. Be always engaged in this way and become happy. I understand that Syamasundara and Gurudasa are appointed to oversee the European centers in the absence of Tamala Krsna, so ask them to send reports once in a fortnight. I am very anxious to see our "Back to Godhead" printed in French and German languages just like our English language edition. I have received the news clippings sent by you. These articles are very nice. I have seen and I am showing everyone who comes to me. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Yamuna **Date:** November 18th 1970 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Yamuna devi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your nice letter of report from Delhi dated November, 1970, and have noted the contents. I have already written to Gurudasa to try for one very nice Temple in Vrndavana which is in good repair. If we can establish one center there it will be very, very nice. Our foreign devotees must have one very nice place in Vrndavana where they may stay while visiting there and I think this palace of the Maharaja of Bharatapur is just right for us. So you both together work very strenuously in Delhi for making Life Members. That will provide the means for establishing our branches. Regarding Mr. Gupta, he is an old friend of mine. But I think if you can get him to become our Life Member, you should not expect more than that. That much will be satisfactory. Regarding the Gaudiya Math, our position has nothing to do with them. They cannot do anything and if somebody does something, they will be envious. That is the nature of third class men. My Guru Maharaja once told this story; one friend informed another that one man has become the High-Court Judge. "Oh no," he replied, "No. That cannot be right." "Yes, he is now a Judge," said the first friend. "I have seen him sitting on the bench." The second man replied, "Maybe. But I don't think he is getting any salary." Such envious men will find out some fault anywhere. There is no fault, actually, but they will manufacture some fault. That is their business. So many persons were envious of my Guru Maharaja, but He was preaching and did not care for them. Please offer my blessings to all the other devotees with you in Delhi. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Yamuna, and Gurudas **Date:** June 4th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Yamuna devi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23rd April, 1970, with enclosed pictures of Lord Caitanya's Birthday procession as well as the Calcutta magazine section. I have immediately asked our magazine editors to publish the London pictures. This letter was mailed by ordinary surface mail, so it reached here just after one month. So in future send by aerogram or air mail. It is very, very encouraging to learn that London temple is receiving so many inquiries form the different European countries. So open branches there. When there is inquiry, the people are receptive. It is now already experimented that wherever we may open a center, Hare Krsna mantra will be chanted with great delight. Our Japanese center is doing very well. They have got very many television engagements. Brahmananda has gone there, and he says that in those parts of the world there is very good chance of spreading Krsna consciousness. Most probably Brahmananda will open a branch in Hong Kong. One Indian gentleman has taken very active interest, and he is paying $50 per month. So if there is possibility of opening centers in the places from where you have got inquiries, do it as far as possible. I am so glad to read the line wherein you write to say that there is no room for nonsense. That we want. We don't want to give any chance for Maya to enter in our business. That should be our motto, and we should be very much vigilant. In the meantime, while writing this letter, I have received your letter dated 1st June, 1970, and I am glad to know that the program for Rathayatra is well under way. Regarding your first question, the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannatha is observed by His Lordship standing in a bathing tank while each of the devotees in turn offers prayers and obeisances, then pours water to bathe the Lord, then offers obeisances and the next devotee follows the same procedure. All the other devotees are holding kirtana throughout the bathing ceremony which takes place on June 19th. Regarding your second question, after being bathed, Lord Jagannatha catches fever and at that time you may carry Him along with Balaramaji and Subhadra to my room for recovering. During this time, up to Rathayatra, any repairs may be made. In Jagannatha Puri during this recuperation period the Deities are completely repainted. But that is especially in Jagannatha Puri that this is done so. Then Lord Jagannatha reappears on the day of Rathayatra festival. During His convalescence Bhoga is offered as usual, but no visitors are allowed to see the Lord. I am so pleased with the continuing expansion of London center's opulence for Deity worship, and that is the mercy of Lord Krsna for attracting so many visitors who will become devotees. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbSriman --- Gurudas AdhikarySrimati Yamunadevi DasiISKCON Temple7 Bury PlaceLondon, W.C. 1England ### Letter to Yamuna, Gurudasa **Date:** April 16th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Yamuna and Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11th April, 1970.You were very much anxious to worship Radha Krsna Deity and you took one pair from Mataji. At that time I advised you to wait. Now when the pair of Deities were taken by Mataji again and you were little bit sorry, but Krsna is so kind upon you that He has come to you again in a better position and now you can engage yourself in His service heart and soul. Both mangal aratrik and sundar aratrik can be changed according with sunrise and sunset. We are not concerned with the time, but with the sun's movement. Sundar aratrik may be performed one half to one hour after sunset. So the decoration of the temple room and offering Bhoga to the Deities should be done as nicely as possible as it is within our capacity. This is the sign of love. So I am confident of your love for Krsna and do everything nicely for His pleasure. Whenever it is necessary you are quite at liberty to ask me for direction. These classes of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam as you are now holding must be continued very rigidly. About holding Sanskrit classes, the special stress should be given to chanting the mantras in our books. I have given specific instructions in this connection to your husband, and if Sanskrit class is to be held, it should be mainly for this purpose. We should simply expend our time for development of Krishna Consciousness. To become a scholar of Sanskrit is not our business. You say that 15 to 40 students are attending. Are they outsiders? My point is anyone who will attend the Sanskrit class must be interested for chanting the mantras (in our books Isopanisad, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam) and not for any other purpose. And before and after the class there must be Mahamantra chanting. I am arranging how the Gayatri mantra should be given to the advanced students. You can simply let me know how many of our students are fit for this purpose. Unless one is strictly following the first initiation process and following the regulative principles, one should not be recommended for the Gayatri mantra. Yes, I agree with your point, unless we have fixed up our preaching work in London very nicely, we should not attempt for going a long distance outside London. Regarding the prospected opening of a temple in Amsterdam very soon, do it, that is my desire. Also, I have already informed Tamala about these things. It is very encouraging that you are receiving 10 to 30 letters of inquiry and they should be properly replied. Who is doing this work? This is very important business to enlighten so many people when there are so many inquiries. All informative literature should be supplied to them and request them to read our publications especially BTG. One xerox copy of such letter was sent to me by Gurudasa and I have replied the same, the copy of which is sent herewith. I think this copy will help you in answering similar other letters. I have already instructed Gurudasa about the couples staying at George's place. Please see to it. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Yamuna, Gurudasa **Date:** July 7th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for sending me the Jagannatha Prasadam pera. This is a very nice sweetmeat, so you learn the art how to prepare it. I think it is purchased from some Indian shop. But you should try to prepare it yourself. I hope your Rathayatra preparation was completed and the procession very grand and gorgeous. Previously Syamasundara wrote me to participate in the Rathayatra festival, but since then I have not heard anything from him. Where is he now? At George's place or in a different apartment? I have received a letter from Mukunda recently, but I have not received any letter from Syamasundara. I am very glad to learn that you are vibrating the mantras from ISOPANISAD and BHAGAVAD GITA independently. Here they are chanting these mantras on the streets during Sankirtana Party and the people are responding very nicely. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:dbThe --- more you advance in Krsna Consciousness, the more you will feel such ecstasy. This is Krsna's grace. So remain fixed up in the service, at the same time try to train others because we shall have to open so many centers. Unless we have got very trained up pujaris it will be difficult for us to install Deities. There is a good advertisement of us in India, and if some Indians come to our temple and see that the arcana worship is not being done properly, then there will be great criticism. A.C.B.S.Note to Gurudasa: My dear Gurudasa: Please accept blessings. I have duly received your recent letter. Reply will follow. In the meantime I have written one letter to Ksirodakasayi about visiting India next year. Please let me know what arrangement is being made for this. A.C.B ### Letter to Yamuna, Mandakini, Ilavati, Jyotirmayi, Dhananjaya, Digvijaya, Jotilla, Prithadevi, Tamala Krsna **Date:** February 8th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles My Dear Yamuna, Mandakini, Ilavati, Jyotirmayi, Dhananjaya, Digvijaya, Jotilla, Prithadevi, and Tamala, Please accept my blessings: I am so much obliged for your loving presentation of sweets, balusai, handkerchief, painting, flower, simply wonderful, sacred thread, dhupa, and gopicandana, and I have immediately tasted all the preparations so nice and distributed them to the devotees of the Temple. I have offered the handkerchief and dhupa to Radha Krishna, and placed the picture on the wall. Please organize this Sankirtana Movement under the leadership of Tamala, Mukunda, Syamasundara, and Gurudasa and be happy. Hope this will meet you all in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db ### Letter to Yamunacarya **Date:** June 17th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > New Vrndavana My Dear Yamunacarya, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated nil. You write to say how you were saved from a commitment of suicide. So you have seen the mantra in Isopanisad:ye ke catma-hano janahSo not only you, but almost all the conditioned souls within this material world, practically 99% of the whole population is committing suicide. As it is natural for a gentleman to try to stop a person committing suicide when it so happens just in one's presence, similarly when we see that so many men and women are simply committing suicide as described in the Isopanisad ye ke catma-hano janah, let us try to save them through this Krsna Consciousness Movement. I am very glad that you are going with Kirtanananda Maharaja to colleges. So try to understand the philosophy* nicely and spread it to your best capacity so that these suiciding men can be saved as far as possible. It is not, however, possible to check the suiciding policy of the modern society, but my Guru Maharaja used to say that if he could save one person then He would consider His mission successful. Similarly, if we individually could save at least one person, many of the suiciding men can be saved. So do your best and Krsna will give you necessary intelligence and help, and try to push on this Movement as far as possible. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- * Read 'Nectar of Devotion' repeatedly ### Letter to Yeager **Date:** January 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles Dear Sriman Yeager, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 20, 1969.Upendra is now living with me and he has spoken very nicely about you so some way or other I understand you are interested in Krishna Consciousness and this is a good sign and opportunity. Please try to understand the philosophy with all your reason and faith; and as you have inquired from me I shall try my best to convince you in the subject. Regarding your question that "the devotees are more kind than the Lord because they understand the purpose of the Lord," I may inform you that the Lord's advice to His devotee (pointing out to Arjuna) is that one should not speak about God-consciousness to a person who is neither a devotee nor has undergone any disciplinary methods. But a devotee sometimes takes the risk of approaching nondevotee rascals even at the cost of life. The best example is your Christian religion's Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ risked his life for speaking God-consciousness amongst a people who were fanatics. A similar incident is there in the action of Lord Nityananda. Lord Nityananda, when passing on the street, saw a crowd of people howling at some incident, and on inquiry it was found that there were two rascals of the then name Jagai and Madhai. They were always disturbing people in drunken condition. Nityananda Prabhu thought it wise that these two brothers may be delivered so that Lord Caitanya's mercy could be well known all over the world. When Lord Nityananda approached them He was immediately hurt by violent attack. On this incident Lord Caitanya became very angry and He called for His Sudarsana cakra to kill these debauchees. Lord Nityananda then implored Lord Caitanya not to kill Jagai and Madhai but to save them. By this time Jagai and Madhai came to their senses and immediately they surrendered unto both the Lords and were delivered by the mercy of Lord Nityananda. So Lord Nityananda or Baladeva. is the original Spiritual Master, and such pure devotee sometimes takes the risk of life in order to reclaim a person who might have otherwise been rejected by the Lord. The devotee knows that the Lord wants all the fallen souls to come back to Home, and therefore the devotees always try to induce the conditioned souls to take to Krishna Consciousness by various ways and means. Therefore the conclusion is that a devotee is more kind than the Lord Himself. By such advanced devotional service a devotee becomes quickly recognized by the Lord. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Actually, without the mercy of a devotee nobody can approach the Lord directly—and it is easier to get mercy of a devotee than to get mercy of the Lord. So therefore the most intelligent way of approaching God is to take shelter of a pure devotee. Somehow or other if one can please a pure devotee of the Lord, such action means immediate satisfaction of the Lord, even though such a person is not officially qualified to receive the mercy of the Lord. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACB:m ### Letter to Yogesvara **Date:** July 19th 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Yogesvara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13rd July, 1970, along with one poem which I have read and sent on to the editors of BTG. Some time back you sent another poetry which I have also sent to the editors; These poetics are nice, but now if you would write some articles for our BTG that will be even better. Now you have got some good understanding of our Krsna consciousness so you write it for publication. I am very glad to know that you have got the experience and talent as well as the desire to write Krsna conscious children's books. I have very encouraging report from Syamasundara that the grammar school children in the villages of both England and Holland are very eager and ready for learning Krsna consciousness and their instructors are also very enthusiastic to introduce our program. So you can write many books for children and insert pictures, then they will be a sure success. The books should be written in simple language. First of all try to explain what is God, then what is the relationship of God with the world and the living entities. Then explain what is our duty in that relationship with God.* In this way write the subjects very clearly. What one learns as child is not lost throughout the life. So this is a very important business. Please execute it with great care and seriousness of purpose. May Krsna bless your sincere endeavor in his service. The more yo work for Krsna, the more He will bestow auspicious intelligence upon you for furthering your loving service unto Him. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- *God means all-attractive Krsna ### Letter to Yogesvara **Date:** October 4th 1970 — **Location:** Calcutta > Hamburg My Dear Yogesvara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you so much for your letter dated September 21st, 1970, along with your copy of Who Is God?—A Children's Introduction to Krishna Consciousness which I see you have done with great care. I have gone through the book, and I think it is very nice. Devananda and others have also seen it and have also approved your efforts. But I think this book is meant for somewhat older children, about ten to fifteen years. We are also immediately requiring some books for much younger children, say five to ten years age. Another thing you just see that every and each item and example for discussion is made very clear in continuous context so that it will be easy for their understanding. As you have done this first book it is very good beginning, so you go on writing and improving and make a series of such books and we shall see to their printing. Also have the pictures done very nicely and in color if possible as it is done by our Art Department in Boston and if you have any questions in this regard you may correspond with them directly. That will be very nice. In the meantime, have all your works read by the other devotees as they may find it convenient to do so and they can give you further suggestions. So go on writing more books; we need many such books for distributing to the public schools as well as for our own schools and send me the draft copies as you make them up. I will be very glad to see to them. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds ### Letter to Yogesvara, Gurudasa, Digvijaya, Lesley, Yvonne, Jyotirmayi, Paul, Prithadevi, Purnananda, Tom, Lena, Dhananjaya, Inga, Mandakini, Tirthapada, Trivikrama, Yamuna, Jaya Hari **Date:** May 21st 1970 — **Location:** Los Angeles > London My Dear Yogesvara, Gurudasa, Digvijaya, Lesley, Yvonne, Jyotirmayi, Paul, Prithadevi, Purnananda, Tom, Lena, Dhananjaya, Inga, Mandakini, Tirthapada, Trivikrama, Yamuna, and Jaya Hari, Please accept my blessings. I thank you all very much for your Aksoy Treetiya card. This is the new years day of the appearance of Satya Yuga. Satya Yuga means the age when people did not know anything except the Absolute Truth or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Srimad-Bhagavatam we begin our reading by offering of obeisances to the Supreme Truth Satyam Param Dhimahi [SB 1.1.1], so those who are strictly on the Bhagavat line or in Krsna consciousness actually they are living in Satya Yuga age. Our London Temple is replica of Vaikuntha, so live there peacefully, chant the regular beads, and follow the regulative principles. I am so much thankful to you for your respective presentations—they are as follows: one golden cup, mysore sandal soap, some scent in snuff box, one picture of London Radha-Krsna Deities and one xeroxed interview report. So I shall be glad to know what is the contents and its formula in the box, then I can use it as snuff. I beg to thank you once again for these gifts. Hope this will meet you all in very good health in Krsna Consciousness. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db --- P.S. Where is Mukunda & Janaki please inform