# Letters — 1977 ### Letter to Acharya Omkar Giri **Date:** March 20th 1977 > Mahant, Beni Madhav Temple, Lecturer, Dhana, Sagar, M.P.Sri Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir P.O. Sreedham Mayapur, Dist. Nadia, West Bengal Dear Sri Giriji, Please accept my greetings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13th March, 1977. I am glad that you have appreciated the transcendental atmosphere of Sreedham Mayapur. My architect-disciple has seen the Temple compound and has made plans how to improve it. Now you should make a draft of the Deed of Gift and send it to me. After our lawyer has checked that it is O.K., then you may a regular document and we shall immediately take up and begin the construction. Thank you for enquiring about my health. It is gradually improving and I shall be leaving for Bombay on the 22nd instant. You can write me at our Bombay address; c/o ISKCON, Hare Krishna Land, Gandhi Gram Road, Juhu, Bombay 400054. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg --- c.c. Allahabad ### Letter to Acharya Omkar Giri **Date:** April 6th 1977 > Mahant, Beni Madhav,Temple Lect. Dhana,Sagar, M.P.Hare Krishna Land Juhu Road, Juhu Bombay 500 054 Dear Shri Giriji, Please accept my greetings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated. As I am planning to go out of Bombay in ten days time, I have sent a copy of your letter to my old friend and associate, Dr. G. Ghosh. Kindly see him. I have requested him to engage some lawyer for this purpose. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkgcc: --- Dr. G. GhoshGyan Bhavan22 Minto Rd.Allahabad 211002 ### Letter to Adi Kesava Swami **Date:** February 13th 1977 > ISKCON340 W. 55th Street New York City 10009 USASree Dham Mayapur Dist Nadia, West Bengal, India Dear Adi Kesava Maharaj, Please accept my blessings. I have received a very favorable testimony of our Movement from the President of Indian Brain Research Association, Department of Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, Professor J.J. Ghosh. Dheera Krsna das, who obtained this letter writes that he has sent you a copy. This will help us, and therefore I want it printed in prominent newspapers, even if we have to pay them to print it as an advertisement. Papers like the New York Times and others should carry it. Please do the needful, and let us depend on Krsna. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Adi Kesava Swami **Date:** May 13th 1977 > His Holiness Adi Kesava Swamic/o ISKCON New York Reply21A Feroze Gandhi Rd.Lajputnagar IIINew Delhi 110024Camp: Rishikesh My dear Adi Kesava Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 29th, 1977.I am very pleased to know that one Russian boy, Vladimir, has very sincerely taken to Krsna consciousness. Because it is very difficult of practice Krsna consciousness in Russia, we can be a little lenient in his case. I am very glad to accept him as my initiated disciple. His new spiritual name is Valmiki Muni Das. You can perform a fire ceremony for his initiation. Let him promise to chant at least 16 rounds daily, but don't ask him to change anything else abruptly. Never mind if there is some difficulty with his wife. There is no need that he should leave her. For now let him simply promise to chant his rounds, and gradually the other principles will follow. I hope this finds you well. Your every well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkgHis --- Holiness Adi Kesava Swamic/o ISKCON New YorkACBS/tkg ### Letter to Aksayananda **Date:** January 5th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Vrindaban My dear Aksayananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 1/1/77 and have noted the contents. Now the corner land of the parikrama road may be applied for acquisition. We shall use it for agricultural purposes. Sometime back they approached us for acquiring that land. Now you can seriously do this. First of all check whether it would be possible to build a drainage line to that land. If we can arrange for that it will be very good. It will solve our drainage problem, we won't have to pay tax to the municipality, and it will make that land very cultivatable. That drainage water is very good for fertilization. Please check into this possibility. Do it discreetly, so the acquisition may not be checked if it is possible. If it is not possible then you may go ahead with the sewer line. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Aksayananda **Date:** January 20th 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Vrindaban Dear Aksayananda Swami, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated December 27th and January 12th respectively, and have noted the contents. Since we are bound to go ahead with the sewer-line, what can be done, so do it. There is no need to send me the plans for the dharmasala, simply go ahead and begin. I am staying here at least until Feb. 2nd for laying the cornerstone of our new temple, then sometime afterwards, I will be going to Mayapur. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:rds ### Letter to Aksayananda **Date:** February 26th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Vrindaban My Dear Aksayananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 15th February, 1977. So far my coming to Vrindaban, if I don't go to Manipur then I shall certainly come. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Aksayananda **Date:** March 25th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Vrindaban My Dear Aksayananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 18th March, 1977.It is alright that the road is called "Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg", there is no harm. But in your letter you have mentioned that in the letterhead it will be called "Bhaktivedanta Marg". Why you are leaving out the name "Swami"? Please do not commit this nonsense mistake. Regarding the fixed deposit, the main point is that Punjab National Bank, must renew it from the date of maturity, March 15th, 1977.Now I have given a loan of Rs. 150,000/- towards the completion of the Gurukula. This is given as a loan, not donation, so you must all make arrangements, so that I may be repaid in full. In regard to the Rs. 51/- to be given to Gaurachand Goswami, I have already informed the bank to do this, so there is no question that any of you pay to him, otherwise he will be paid twice. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Aksayananda **Date:** April 6th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Vrindaban My dear Aksayananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 1-4-77 and I have noted the contents. I have received the advices from both the Punjab National Bank and Syndicate Bank. As you have requested for the time being Vishambarji may stay for helping with the Gurukula construction. I know he is very much expert. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Aksayananda **Date:** May 3rd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Vrndavana My dear Aksayananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings, Just now I have sent you a telegram reading as follows:"CANNOT ATTEND BY MEDICAL ORDER PROGRAM MAY GO ON BY VRNDAVAN PARTY LETTER FOLLOWS ALSO SENDING MY ZONAL SECRETARYBHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI"My health being not very good, the doctors have advised against making the long train journey as well as the vigorous preaching involved. Under the circumstances I was forced to cancel my going. However you may go as planned along with a few other devotees and hold the pandal program. Kindly let me know what was the response from the villagers during the program. Mr. Dwivedi is very eager for our cooperation, and if there is good response, then I think we can develop a very nice program there. So please give me your report in detail after the function is completed. Hoping this meet you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Akshayananda Swami **Date:** January 15th 1977 > Krsna Balarama Mandir Raman Reti,Vrindavana, Mathura, U.P.KUMBHA MELA, ALLAHABAD My dear Akshayananda Maharaj, Please accept my blessings. This is to introduce Sri Bajrang Bali Brahmacari. Please give him a place in our ashram in Sri Vrindavana Dham, where he may remain until my arrival. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- A.C.B.S./hsd ### Letter to Akshayananda Swami **Date:** March 11th 1977 > ISKCON – Vrindaban Sri Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir,P.O. Sreedham Mayapur,Dist. Nadia, W.B My dear Akshayananda, Please accept my blessings. Brahmananda Swami is handing over to you one letter to be submitted to Punjab National Bank in regard to renewing a Fixed Deposit I am keeping with them. I have advised the bank to transfer the interest accrued from the matured deposit to my a/c #1. Please have this entered into my passbook. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkgN.B. --- I notice on the letterhead the road is still called Chattikara Road. Why the change has not been made yet? Also what is the position with the Gates? ### Letter to Akshayananda Swami **Date:** April 3rd 1977 > ISKCON – Vrindaban Hare Krishna Land Juhu Road,Juhu, Bombay 400 054 My dear Akshayananda, Please accept my blessings. Enclosed please find a clipping from the Times of India regarding our New York High Court victory. Please mount this article nicely and display it at the entrance of our Temple. The gentlemen who visit our Temple should not take our movement lightly as some sentiment, and when reading this article they will understand the significance of our movement. Hoping this finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Akshayananda Swami **Date:** April 6th 1977 > c/o ISKCON Vrindavan His Holiness Akshayananda Swamic/o ISKCON Vrindavan Hare Krishna Land Juhu Rd., Juhu Bombay 400 054 My dear Akshayananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 1-4-77 and I have noted the contents. I have received the advises from both the Punjab National Bank and Syndicate Bank. As you have requested for the time being Vishambarji may stay for helping with the Gurukula construction. I know he is very much expert. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkgBy --- Hand Del. Smara Hari ### Letter to Alex, Bob, Drdhavrata, Gupta, Rsabhadeva, Stan **Date:** January 24th 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Prasadam Distributing International4350 Von Karman—Penthouse Newport Beach, California U.S.A Dear Alex, Bob, Drdhavrata, Gupta, Rsabhadeva and Stan, Please accept my blessings. I have received your invitation to the opening of Prasadam Distributing International Inc., and I found it nicely presented. Krsna will give you intelligence how to engage in honest, brilliant, glorious work on His behalf. There is no need to engage in anything dishonest. Krsna has given enough money, now earn by honest means. I have also heard that you are making plans for a very large order of my books from the BBT to be sold on a door to door basis on the style of the encyclopedia sales. If you can do this it will revolutionize our book distribution and afford greater spreading of Krsna Consciousness than any book distribution thus far. I want that every respectable person has a full set of Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrta in his home. I have given some suggestions how this book distribution in the homes can be done to one of my secretaries, Satsvarupa das Goswami and you can consult further with him as well as with Ramesvara and Tamala Krsna Maharajas. Hoping this finds you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to All G.B.C., All Temple Presidents **Date:** July 9th 1977 — **Location:** Vrindaban > To All G.B.C., and Temple Presidents Dear Maharajas and Prabhus, Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. Recently when all of the GBC members were with His Divine Grace in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada indicated that soon He would appoint some of His senior disciples to act as "ritvik- representative of the acarya, for the purpose of performing initiations, both first initiation and second initiation. His Divine Grace has so far given a list of eleven disciples who will act in that capacity: His Holiness Kirtanananda SwamiHis Holiness Satsvarupa dasa GosvamiHis Holiness Jayapataka SwamiHis Holiness Tamala Krsna GosvamiHis Holiness Hrdayananda GosvamiHis Holiness Bhavananda GosvamiHis Holiness Hansadutta SwamiHis Holiness Ramesvara SwamiHis Holiness Harikesa SwamiHis Grace Bhagavan dasa AdhikariHis Grace Jayatirtha dasa AdhikariIn the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee's initiation. Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple. After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada by giving a spiritual name, or in the case of second initiation, by chanting on the Gayatri thread, just as Srila Prabhupada has done. The newly initiated devotees are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- Prabhupad, the above eleven senior devotees acting as His representative. After the Temple President receives a letter from these representatives giving the spiritual name or the thread, he can perform the fire yajna in the temple as was being done before. The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupada, to be included in His Divine Grace's "Initiated Disciples" book. Hoping this finds you all well. Your servant, Tamala Krsna GosvamiSecretary to Srila PrabhupadaApproved: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to All Iskcon Temple Presidents **Date:** January 18th 1977 — **Location:** Calcutta To All Iskcon Temple Presidents, Please accept my blessings. Now you must arrange in each temple there must be sufficient stock of prasadam for distribution. You can keep first class cooks, two or three, and they should be always engaged. Whenever any guest comes, he must get prasada. This arrangement must be made, that the cooks prepare ten-twenty servings at a time, of puris and subji, and you can add halava and pakoras, and the visitors must be supplied immediately. Whenever a gentleman comes, he must be served. As the twenty servings are being distributed, immediately the cooks prepare another twenty servings and store it. At the end of the day, if no one comes, our own men will take, so there is no loss. You cannot say, "it is finished," "it is not cooked yet," "there is no supply for cooking" etc. This must be enforced rigidly. The temple is managed by Srimati Radharani, Laksmiji; so why should there be want? Our philosophy is, if anyone comes, let him take prasada, chant Hare Krsna and be happy. Everything is being supplied by Krsna, Krsna is not poor, so why we should deny them? This should be done at any cost. There is no difficulty, it simply requires nice management. At the end of the day you may sell or give away. If we believe that Krsna is providing and maintaining everyone, then why should we be misers? This means losing faith in Krsna, and thinking that we are the doers and suppliers. We are confident Krsna will supply! Let the whole world come, we can feed them. So please do this nicely, begin at once. Hoping this meets you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds ### Letter to Amarendra **Date:** January 3rd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Gainesville My dear Amarendra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 12-8-76. Yes, civil disobedience will be the only method in this circumstance. But there are so many judgments in our favor. We should bring the matter in the court. We have the opinions of so many scholars. Bring the matter in the court. But if it is a state policy to cut down this Movement, then civil disobedience. What can be done? As far as your wife is concerned, the only solution is that she become Krsna conscious. She should live in association with devotees, and strictly follow the regulative practices of Krsna consciousness. If you feel competent to give her the spiritual strength she needs then let her return to Gainesville, otherwise she can go to another temple. Let her read Bhagavad-gita every day. Upon your recommendation I am pleased to accept the devotees you have recommended for second initiation; Manusrestha dasa, Vaninatha Vasu dasa, Akincana Krsna dasa, Sranti dasi, Garuda Pandita dasa, Brhanti dasi. Now hold a fire sacrifice for devotees only. Play the tape of me chanting Gayatri mantra into the right ears of the devotees and teach them how to count on their finger divisions. Regarding your question as to when the soul leaves the body, it is when the heart stops beating. Even if the brain has stopped functioning, if the heart is beating that means the soul is present. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Amarendra **Date:** April 2nd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Gainesville My dear Amarendra, Please accept my blessings. You may be knowing that we have formed one party of scientists under the leadership of Sriman Svarupa Damodara prabhu. Also we have formed the Bhaktivedanta Institute for organizing scientific presentations of Krishna Consciousness. This party is our most important preaching arm with which we will be able to destroy the bogus speculation and cheating which goes under the banner of scientific advancement. Therefore I have got great hope for Svarupa Damodara and his colleagues. I want them to travel vigorously throughout the world to lecture in all universities and other institutions. There is no lack of financial resources and we shall spare nothing to see to this party's success. Svarupa Damodara has approached me that he likes to have you join him for making arrangements and engagements for his lectures. I know that you are intelligent and very energetic so kindly try to arrange things in consultation with your GBC so that you may be spared for this most important work. You may contact Svarupa Damodara who is returning to America for more details. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Ambarisa **Date:** May 11th 1977 — **Location:** New Delhi My Dear Ambarisa, Please accept my blessings. Perhaps you know that my health has not been so good recently. So I have journeyed to Risikesh, hoping to recover somewhat my strength. Here we have the best house and it is situated just on the side of the Ganges. It is very beautiful, with mountains, cool breezes and very nicely flowing Ganges River. All of the devotees say it is the nicest place that have seen in India. Recently I have received some photographs of the Doll Exhibit which they have prepared in Los Angeles. From the photographs it appears that they have done everything very nicely. This idea of doll exhibitions to demonstrate our philosophy has long been proposed, and my Guru Maharaja was very keen to execute this idea. Therefore I am just trying to give some shape to what my Guru Maharaja wanted. There is a proposal to make a very grand exhibition in the capital of the country, Washington D.C. It is proposed to have a restaurant and bookshop attached, and everything will be held within a specially built building. Formerly you told me that whatever money you had, it is my money. Of course I do not take it as mine, but it is a fact that everything belongs to Krsna: "isavasyam idam sarvam yat kinca jagatyam jagat [Īśo mantra 1]." I thing you can utilize some of your money to try to give some shape to this idea of a doll exhibit, restaurant, and bookshop. I have seen that in Washington so many tourists came daily to see the many monuments and museums. So why not let one of the museums be about Krsna. Everything should be done first-class, and I am suer that it will become the most popular place to visit in Washington. I shall be very glad to hear from you whether you think it is possible to execute such an ambitious project. Hoping this finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Ambarish **Date:** June 11th 1977 > c/o ISKCON Detroit Krsna-Balarama Mandir,Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg,Ramanareti, Vrndavana, U.P My dear Ambarish, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your very encouraging letter dated 31st May, 1977 and thank you very much for it. Your name is as Ambarish, worthy, because Ambarish Maharaja was the greatest emperor in his time, and at the same time the greatest devotee. Even by being challenged by a great yogi, Durvasa Muni, he came out triumphant. Durvasa Muni was such a great yogi that he could travel all over the material and spiritual worlds within a year and he could go personally to see Lord Visnu for protection of his life. But Lord Visnu was unable to save him because he was an offender at the feet of Maharaja Ambarish. So this is the history of Emperor Ambarish. He was so kind and benevolent a devotee and thus all success of life was due to him. I am very glad that you are following the footsteps of Maharaja Ambarish. Your life is sure to be successful and triumphant in the devotional service of the Lord. Many thanks for your encouraging letter. I am improving and hope to see you all again in due course of time. My habit is not to remain stationary. I want to move still, but my physical condition does not allow me at present. Please pray to Krsna. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Amogha **Date:** February 27th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Australia My dear Amogha, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 20th February, 1977. Thank you for the check of $20.Regarding your situation, it is nothing new for Westerners. This is a family matter. It is better to consult Bali Mardan how to manage your personal affairs. He is a grhastha, so you can speak with him. You are an intelligent boy, so do not misuse your intelligence. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Atreya Rsi **Date:** April 20th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Atreya Rsi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated March 25th, 1977.Power hungry politicians are creating havoc everywhere. These rascals create so many difficult situations. The public is very nice but the politicians keep them in ignorance. I have studied the whole world. Human nature is the same everywhere. The mass of people are very good but these rogues create by their personal aggrandizement so many difficulties. Your report of your visit to Pakistan is very very encouraging. Why not develop this center and take the help of these men? The temple is already there and the men are willing to help. Simply we have to explain our philosophy to the learned circles. Generally our program should be to hold kirtana and give very nice sumptuous prasadam, and if the opportunity arises we can speak some philosophy. If you invite everyone, and the Hindus and Muslims come and take prasadam, that will unify the whole country. Your entire program as you have outlined it is one hundred percent approved by me. I have got all faith that you can intelligently guide and develop this center very nicely. I also like the idea of Amoghalila going there. Just now Gopala Krishna has gone to Delhi and Vrndavana but when he returns I shall speak to him about Amogha-lila going to Karachi. Thank you very much for opening up this encouraging field of preaching. I shall be very glad to receive a report how everything is going in Tehran. Hoping this meets you and all of the devotees there in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Attorney General's Department **Date:** January 16th 1977 — **Location:** Calcutta > The Secretary Attorney General's Department Canberra, A.C.T. 2600Australia Dear Sir, This is to inform you that I, the undersigned, am the Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and the world leader for all of its branches. I have appointed 18 direct representatives to manage different sectors of the world, and they are known as Governing Body Commissioners. I have appointed Bali Mardan dasa Adhikari (William Berke) as the Governing Body Commissioner for Australia. Mr. Berke is my direct agent in Australia and my official representative, and he has executive authority there in all matters. Signed: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds --- Founder-Acarya ### Letter to Bala Krsna **Date:** February 13th 1977 > ISKCON400 18th Avenue East,Seattle, 98102 Washington Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal, INDIA Dear Bala Krsna das, Please accept my blessings. I have received your January letter and examined the contents. The GBC supervision of Seattle temple will be decided at the GBC meeting in Mayapur. Upon your recommendation I have accepted the following devotees for first initiation. Stephen Peterson-Stavyadeva-dasaStephanie Sherriett--Stritama-dasiAlice Trachsell-Anuttama-dasiCaroline De RooyKarunaksi-dasiKim De Rooy--Kilimba-dasiTammy De Rooy-Tamra-dasiLeona te HennepeLingini-dasiSusan Stein-Surangi-dasiHold a fire yajna and get them properly initiated. I have also accepted Parat Para devi, Gopanandini devi and Veda Vati devi for second initiation and the gayatri mantra is enclosed. Have them hear me speaking the mantra on recording, in the right ear. Please continue your vigorous book distribution and see all the devotees carefully follow all the rules and regulations. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Balarama **Date:** January 16th 1977 — **Location:** Calcutta > Melbourne My dear Balarama dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your two letters dated December 23rd and January 7th respectively, and have noted the contents. Enclosed please find a letter as you requested announcing my appointing Bali Mardan as GBC. Upon your recommendation, I am happy to accept Nakula dasa Adhikari for second initiation. Now hold a fire yajna, and play the tape into the right ear of me chanting Gayatri. Enclosed please find one sacred thread. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds ### Letter to Balavanta **Date:** January 3rd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Atlanta My dear Balavanta, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your report dated Dec. 3, 1976 and have noted the contents. That the Miami newspapers are appreciating our temple grounds is very good. Why artificial insemination? We should avoid that. The physiology is, if the semina is more, then comes bull. So, take more land and engage them in agriculture, plowing by the bulls instead of tractor. Bulls can be engaged in plowing and transporting. Nice bullock carts village to village for preaching. Make the farm the center and go ten miles this side, ten miles that side, ten miles this side, etc., with four bullock carts. Sell books and preach and live peacefully on the farm. People used to engage the bull for this purpose. So there was no problem which way to utilize them. First of all this artificial way should be stopped, and the bulls should be engaged in plowing and transporting, and smashing the grains. To avoid machinery, petrol, machine oil, by nature's way. Your description of the Tennessee farm is very nice. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Balavanta **Date:** January 4th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Balavanta, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 27, 1976 and have noted the contents. It appears that now it is the government policy to curb our activities. The zoning problem is another harassment. The general policy is to stop our Movement. That has begun, in so many ways; by the parents, by the municipality, by the government, by zoning; somehow or other to check this Movement. We are enemies to their standard of civilization. That is the problem. We are enemies, certainly. We frankly say, "This civilization is soul-killing. We have to save them, para upakara." Actually that is also fact, they are misleading people that the skin is everything. That is not the fact. The soul is everything. That they do not understand. They say, "What is this nonsense." They have no idea of religion. For them it is just a decoration. When the property is secured, then you can install the Deities. Otherwise, don't take the risk. I have no objection to your taking a loan for your farm project as you have proposed. Try to concentrate on these farm projects. Let the villagers come and hear, and distribute prasadam. In this way draw their sympathy and gradually they'll become our associates. Then they can come to live with us and work with us. In this way let them be induced. In the evenings you can hold kirtana and invite them to come and distribute prasadam. We are doing this now on our farm near Hyderabad. Gradually they may be invited to come and live and work with us. We will give them food, clothing and shelter and they can live simply and save time for developing their Krsna consciousness. Do this and then our Movement is successful. Our only motive is how to interest people in Krsna consciousness. That's all. There is no economic problem. We can produce our own food and clothes, gradually, and save time for spiritual life. So, [TEXT MISSING] that this is genuine Hindu religion. How can there be discrimination against us? There are so many Hindus in your country. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Bali Mardan **Date:** February 8th 1977 > ISKCON, P.O. 170 Box, Alexandria, N.S.W.P.O. Sree Dham Mayapur Dist Nadia, West Bengal, India Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 19, and examined the contents. In your letter you report you are considering the purchase of two separate real estates, a temple in the city costing $145,000 and an 800 acre farm costing $80,000. Prior to receipt of this letter, however, I received a telegram from you stating that you closed contracts on both of the lands. You write requesting the BBT for a loan of $125,000 (Australian dollars) but apparently you have already made the purchase. If you have already made the purchase, then of course it has to be purchased, and loans arranged. You can present the matter more fully to the GBC when you arrive for the Mayapur festival. It is disturbing news that the San Francisco president has secretly persuaded devotees to leave Australia, and that they have not been returned. I have requested my secretary to write a letter on my behalf to Caru das in San Francisco. Now the matter will have to be taken up by the GBC at their general meeting and whatever decision they make you will have to abide by. This business must stop. If you fight amongst yourselves what can I do? This fighting will spoil everything. Regarding the preaching against ISKCON by Tusta Krishna Swami and Siddaswarupa as reported by you, it is another disturbance. This matter and the matter of New Zealand president considering himself the self-appointed GBC of New Zealand, will be referred to the GBC meeting. If they criticize ISKCON still, we shall not cooperate with them. Hoping this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bali-mardana **Date:** January 16th 1977 — **Location:** Calcutta > Melbourne My dear Bali Mardan dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 6th along with photographs and have noted the contents. Yes take this house at any cost. It is very nice from the photographs, just suitable for our purposes. You should purchase it at once. If required, you can have a loan from BBT for the renovation. Yes, Krsna will give you strength, as you engage yourself in His service, Tesam satat-yuktanam, bhajatam priti-purvakam, dadami buddhi-yogam tam, yena man upayanti te. "To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me". [Bg. 10.10] Hoping this will meet you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds --- N.B. I have sent you a telegram reading as follows ### Letter to Bank of America **Date:** May 7th 1977 — **Location:** India > Bank of America Culver City Branch Los Angeles, California Dear Sirs, Kindly transfer the amount of $40,000.00 (Forty Thousand Dollars and no cents) from our account number 6004-07143, "International Society for Krishna Consciousness Mayapur-Vrndavana Fund" held with your bank to the favor of "Bhaktivedanta Book Trust" account at the Union Bank, Los Angeles. Please advise me when the transaction has been completed at my above Bombay address. Thanking you. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- c.c. Ramesvara Swami (Robert Grant)Bhaktivedanta Book Trust3764 Watseka Ave. Los Angeles, Calif. 90034 ### Letter to Baradraj **Date:** April 8th 1977 > c/o ISKCON Los Angeles Hare Krishna Land Juhu Rd., Juhu Bombay 400 054 My dear Baradraj, Please accept my blessings. Just recently I have received one letter from His Holiness Guru Kripa from Japan. The Panca Tattva Deities in Hawaii are now many years old and they are beyond being repaired. Please therefore immediately make new Deities of the same size as the ones that are now installed. They should be made in the same process as you are now doing for Fiji. This should be done as soon as possible as Guru Kripa Maharaj says that all the plaster is falling off of the Deities. I shall be glad to see finished photos of the Fiji Deities. Hoping this meets you in the best of health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to BBT - Gopal Krsna **Date:** February 17th 1977 > Hare Krishna Land Juhu Road, Juhu Bombay Sree Dham Mayapur Dist Nadia, West Bengal Dear Gopal Krsna, Please accept my blessings. Please supply me the following BBT information.1) What amount of order is the Vrinda Book Co. giving monthly, and 2) how much are they paying monthly. What happened to the advertisement? Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Bhadravardhana **Date:** February 22nd 1977 > ISKCON22334 Stuart St.Berkeley, California 94705Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal Dear Bhadravardhana das, Please accept my blessings. I have received your undated letter along with enclosure of the manuscript of “Analysis of Bhagavad-gita, as well as a fifty dollar check, and I thank you very much. What I have heard of your compilation of my “Analysis” is well done. It is a good summary for study of Bhagavad-gita. I am having my personal GBC secretary scrutinize it more closely with the idea of presenting it to the BBT Trustees for publication, as you suggested. As for your idea to publish the Brahma Samhita with word for word translations, send me the manuscript for inspection. Thank you very much for so carefully studying my books. If you can actually understand the verses and purports of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is then your spiritual understanding is complete, without any other literature. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bhagavat Ashraya **Date:** February 18th 1977 > ISKCON21-A Feroze Gandhi Road,Lajpat Nagar III,New Delhi 110024Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal Dear Bhagavat Ashraya, Please accept my blessings. I have received, by hand delivery of devotees from Delhi, your letter making recommendations for brahminical initiation. I therefore accept the following devotees: Syamasundari devi dasiChandra Lila devi dasiGive them gayatri mantra by hearing me speak it on the tape through the right ear. Instruct them in the standards of cleanliness and brahminical life. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Bhagavat Ashraya **Date:** February 24th 1977 > ISKCON – New Delhi Sri Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir,P.O. Sreedham Mayapur,Dist. Nadia, West Bengal Dear Bhagavat Ashraya Prabhu, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 7th February, 1977 and have noted the contents. I am very glad to learn of the improvements you are making in our Delhi center. It is very good that local Indian residents are coming to the evening program. Regarding the man who wants initiation, your idea to recommend him is nice when he increases his chanting to sixteen rounds and regularly attends the morning and evening programs. Regarding the two boys who are attempting to develop book distribution program, that is very nice. Distribute books as many as possible. Now we have new Hindi books – Easy Journey to Other Planets, Perfection of Yoga, Srimad Bhagavatam, etc. For your temple programs you should read from Bhagavatam and explain, and then someone should explain in Hindi. Prasadam must also be given. Whatever you can give, but something must be there. On the whole I am very much pleased by your program. Kindly continue. I am very glad that Tejyas is there. His cooperation will be very much helpful for the collection, He knows this thing. Yes, that will be very nice if we introduce Rathayatra in Delhi. People will automatically take part. I thank you for your invitation to visit you and yes, certainly I will come. Regarding renting the other part of the house, yes, refer to Tejyas and do the needful. If by rent or purchase we can take that place, that will be very nice. You appear to be intelligent boy, so if you can negotiate with the landlord and make some bargain then we can accept. The landlord is little devotee. I know that. So if we take both parts of the house he can reduce. I think you are paying rent Rs. 2500/- per month. So total rent would be Rs. 5000/- per month and per year total rent is Rs. 60,000/-. So to get this amount we would have to invest Rs. 6 Lacs in fixed deposit at 10% interest which would amount to Rs. 60,000/- a year. For purchasing he wants between Rs. 8 and 10 lacs, so from business point of view it would be better to rent and there will be no botheration. But if we rent there must be agreement that we cannot get kicked out. We need some permanent arrangement in Delhi, people are coming both local and foreigners. The situation is nice and it is important to take this house. It is disturbing to have another tenant. They were playing the radio and disturbing me in my room. I hope this meets you in the best of health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Bhagavat Asraya **Date:** March 13th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > New Delhi My dear Bhagavat Asraya, Please accept my blessings. I have read your letter dated 8th March, 1977.On your recommendation, I accept Sriman Rabindranatha Dasa, Sriman Mahabhuj Dasa, and Matachandra Libha for second initiation. The sacred threads for the men duly chanted on by me are enclosed. I also accept Bhakta Richard for first initiation and his name is now Ripughna dasa. Now you may perform the Agnihotra on Rama Navami as you have proposed. The first initiate should vow to always follow the regulative principles and chant at least sixteen rounds daily. The brahmanas should be explained the qualities of brahminical life and be allowed to hear the gayatri tape in the right ear after the ceremony. The best way to instruct the initiates is by your own good example. I hope this meets you in the best of health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bhagavatji, Gunarnava **Date:** January 8th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Vrindaban My dear Bhagavatji and Gunarnava, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 4.1.77 and have noted the contents. In your letter dated 24/12/76 you have stated, "to enable the work to carry on steadily as per schedule we will require Rs. 2 lakhs per month beginning 1st January 1977, as opposed to the Rs. 1 lakh you have been sending us over these last months." So I have arranged for this for the months of January, February and March as indicated in Jagadisa's letter. For January you will receive one lakh from the Bank of America in Bombay as usual and one lakh from the Mayapur-Vrindaban a/c no. 668 at the Punjab National Bank in Vrindaban as indicated by the bank advice I sent to you dated December 27, 1976. For February and March you will receive two lakhs from the Bank of America Bombay instead of the usual one. Therefore so far I can see I have fulfilled your request, so what is the problem? If you require more after March, we shall see at that time. Yes, from now on I shall send the money to a/c no. 1, current a/c in the name ISKCON construction a/c as has been requested by the bank manager. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Bhakta Wayne **Date:** January 3rd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Denver My dear Bhakta Wayne, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 18, 1976. I have noted the contents. Temple life means following strictly the regulative principles and chanting a minimum of 16 rounds, or more if possible. The temple must always be kept neat and clean. If the family is not favorable then let them remain separate and you remain in the temple. And, even if you live with your family, where is the difficulty? The same principles must be followed. As far as music is concerned, we have got our standard of music, the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. We do not require to introduce anything new. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Bir Krsna **Date:** February 10th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Caracas Dear Bir Krsna, Please accept my blessings. I have received your report of January 23, 1977, and examined the contents. Your dedication to translating and distributing my books in Caracas is very pleasing to me. This will be the most effective method for carrying out Lord Caitanya's prediction that the chanting of Hare Krsna will be taken up in every town and village of the world. The purpose of this Krsna Consciousness movement is stated by Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the Caitanya Caritamrta: Bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yarajanma sarthaka kari kara para-upakara[Cc. Ādi 9.41]"One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people." It is for doing good to others. So you should understand that as I have taken up this mission with full faith in my guru maharaja, as you also preach earnestly in the countries of South America, you will do the highest good for others and for yourself as well. Your statement that Guyana is a communistic county but still we are successful in getting people to chant Hare Krsna, is significant. The communist movement is artificial, but the chanting of Hare Krsna is the real and natural situation. Go on cooperating with Hrdayananda Maharaja and gradually spread the book distribution to every home in South America. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Brahmananda **Date:** April 29th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Nairobi My dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st April, 1977.The letter which you have sent from the student, Charles, is wonderful. I have asked that it be published in our English Back To Godhead as well as in all of the Indian language Back to Godheads here in India. Charles' letter shows that he is very intelligent and has begun to understand our philosophy. It is very encouraging. Take care of all of these good souls that Krsna is sending you. By your own exemplary behavior, train them all as ideal Vaisnavas. This will greatly please me, and if it is possible for me to come to Kenya, I shall be very glad to meet all of them. The photographs which you have sent are also very good and we are going to display them here for all visitors to see. The program which you are now conducting should be expanded more and more. By prasadam distribution and kirtana everyone will become attracted to Krsna consciousness. I am also enclosing a letter to Jayanta which I hope will encourage him. There is no harm if the land in Mauritius is jointly in the name of ISKCON and the Gita society. Why do these life members not come on time to see the Deity? Yes, in special cases you can open the curtain for a moment. But they should be instructed next time to come at the correct time to properly respect the Deity. The best thing will be if you immediately send a printed schedule to all of the life members showing what are the times of darsana. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Brahmananda Maharaja **Date:** April 10th 1977 > c/o ISKCON Africa Hare Krishna Land Juhu Rd., Juhu Bombay 400 054 My dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 5th April, 1977.Yes, try to pick up Chayavan Swami. He seems to want to do some good for the African people but you must convince him that besides Krishna Consciousness all other so-called welfare work is simply a waste of time. Nava Yogindra has for a long time wanted to serve me personally as you know. I do not want to force him to return. There are many things to arrange before the new house in Mombassa can actually be acquired. For the time being Nava Yogindra Maharaja suggests Ajamil das Brahmacary can be an able person to work in his place. Then later on we can consider about Nava Yogindra’s return. Yes, by Krishna’s grace my health is slowly coming back. Here in Bombay my quarters are first class and the weather is also nice. I hope this meets you well and enthusiastic to carry out the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Brisakapi **Date:** January 19th 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Dear Brisakapi dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter of Jan. 2nd and have noted the contents. It is good news that you have started a center in Bloomington. Go on chanting Hare Krsna and immediately Krsna will help you. Sex indulgence is not good; it is grossly material and we have to surpass it. But when one has staunch faith in Krsna, he'll be able to transcend the urge. Now you will be able to chastise your sex dictation. You are determined, so Krsna will help you. This prasadam distribution is very important. Do it nicely. Our main programs are distributing prasadam and sankirtana. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:rds ### Letter to Brojendra Nandan Goswami **Date:** April 6th 1977 > c/o ISKCON Vrindaban Hare Krishna Land Juhu Rd., Juhu Bombay 400 054 My dear Brojendra Nandan Goswami, Please accept my greetings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1-4-77.You are already known to Akshayananda Maharaj and Jagadisha Prasad so you can see them and do the needful. I hope this finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Candra lila devi dasi **Date:** February 21st 1977 > ISKCON New Delhi Sree Mayapur Dham Dist Nadia, West Bengal Dear Candra lila devi dasi, Please accept my blessings. I have received your note along with the folio of drawings for the proposed “Bhagavad-gita Coloring Book”. I can see from this work that you are a talented artist. However, I do not think we can publish this book. The reason is that the Bhagavad-gita is not a play-toy for boys, but philosophy to be understood by saintly kings, rajarsis. A coloring book for children is not a serious presentation of Bhagavad-gita. You mention that you were applying your artistic abilities with the deities working with Govinda dasi in Hawaii. If there is more engagement in that way take it up, or try to paint for our books. We can use unlimited amounting paintings for the Bhagavatam, as well as for our temples. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Candravali **Date:** March 28th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Sebastapol, California My dear Candravali, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 7th, 1977.Regarding keeping the cows, unless there is sufficient grazing land and cultivation, it is very difficult. But there has been some discussion about having a farm in California. You may write to Ramesvara Maharaja and Satsvarupa Maharaja in this regard. In any case the cows must be protected and cared for. If the farm is gotten then they can shifted there, otherwise continue to care for them as best you can. I hope this finds you and your children well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Caru **Date:** February 28th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Berkeley Dear Caru, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 24, and examined the contents. Regarding your standing in the book distribution as number three in the world, I am very pleased that you have worked so hard to help me in carrying out the order of my Guru Maharaja. Be convinced that you are doing the highest service for your fellow countrymen by distributing books of Krsna Consciousness. Actually in the west there is now no culture, and no brain even for what is the purpose of life. American civilization is finished, except that it can be saved if it takes to Krsna Consciousness. Try to become more convinced of this necessity for Krsna Consciousness and that will enable you to preach even stronger and distribute more books. I have heard that you are still not allowed to live in the Berkeley temple. You must fight this and continue the case until we win it. I have read your program for the grand opening of the temple, but I think it will be wiser to make our worship private. Declare that the building is our residence, and that wherever we live we worship the Deity. It is our private residential worship, it is not a temple. Argue like that. As for hiring the bhajan group Bharati Mandal, they are not as good as our bhajans. They eat anything and everything but no bhakti. I have accepted Mother Debbie for first initiation and her spiritual name is Divyadrsti dasi. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Chaityaguru **Date:** February 28th 1977 > c/o ISKCON,103, Sector 23 A,Chandigarh 160023Sri Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir,P.O. Sreedham Mayapur,Dist. Nadia, West Bengal My dear Chaityaguru Prabhu, Please accept my blessings. I have just sent you a telegram reading as follows:“COME MAYAPUR IMMEDIATELY SANNYAS CEREMONY”So as I told you, I wish you to take Sannyas. The ceremony will be performed on Gour Purnima, the 5th March. You can arrange to come immediately. Hoping this finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Charles Gold **Date:** January 29th 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Brooklyn Dear Charles Gold, Please accept my greetings. I have only now received your letter of December 7th, and have heard the contents. It is a very good idea, that through modern science you try to convince people of Krsna Consciousness. Krsna Consciousness is based on perfect information received from Krsna in Vedic literatures like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Our method is not the so-called research conducted by imperfect beings by their imperfect senses and mental speculation. It is difficult to understand why this inductive process is being credited as the highest form of knowledge, since the material scientists who follow this method are not able to do anything towards solving the basic problems of humanity. Although they spend billions of dollars of the public's money for ventures like going to the moon and collecting dust there, they cannot solve the basic miserable conditions of birth, death, old age and disease. Neither do they give us definite information of the cause of the universal manifestation, nor—despite their wild claims—can they produce even the smallest form of life. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, everything in the universe is actually under the control of the Supreme Being, the Cause of all Causes, and He is Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Hearing from the perfect source of the Supreme Being, one can get answers to solve the miseries of life, which begins with self-realization, knowledge of the self as the soul, beyond the body. Knowledge of the cause and origin of life are also given perfectly. I request you to first make a thorough study of these Vedic books as I have translated, and make inquiries of the devotees in the New York temple. Gradually all these things will be known to you. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Charles (Krsna Balarama) **Date:** April 29th 1977 — **Location:** Hare Krsna Land > Bombay, India My Dear Charles, (Krishna Balarama das)Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your very nice letter dated 18th April, 1977.We are not concerned with the skin but with the soul. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is:"vidya-vinyaya-sampannebrahmane gavi hastinisuni caiva svapake capanditah sama-darsinah"[Bg. 5.18]"The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater (outcaste)."So Krsna consciousness means not to make any distinctions of black or white, Christian or Muslim or Hindu, African, American or Indian. Krsna claims everyone as His son. This movement of Krsna consciousness is an attempt to enlighten the whole world on the spiritual platform. We are trying to do this. Please try to help us. By your letter, you appear to be a very intelligent young man. Try to understand this whole philosophy and work cooperatively with Brahmananda Swami to spread Krsna consciousness to all of your countrymen. Your letter is so nice that I have asked that it be published in our Back to Godhead magazine. Thank you very much for your nice sentiments. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Chhagan Krishna Baroe **Date:** April 3rd 1977 > 7 Hari Bhuwan, Sevaram Lalwani Road,Mulund, West, Bombay 400 080Hare Krishna Land,Juhu Road,Juhu, Bombay 400 054 Dear Shri Baroe: Thank you very much for your kind donation. May Lord Krishna bless you. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Chittaranjan Mohanty **Date:** February 8th 1977 > Ekamra Chhaya Chhabi Bhubaneswar, Orissa P.O. Sree Dham Mayapur Dist Nadia, West Bengal Dear Mr. Chittaranjan Mohanty, Please accept my greetings. I have received your undated letter requesting my endorsement of your film, “Shri Krishna Rasaleela.” When I was recently in Bhubaneswara, however, your representative came to see me and I already explained why I could not do so. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu never discussed the topics of Rasaleela in public audience, but only with the most confidential associates. It is not for materialistic persons. I suggested you film the Srimad Bhagavatam, starting with the First Canto, First Chapter. I wish that you develop pure [illegible].Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Citraketu das **Date:** January 27th 1977 > ISKCON London7 Bury Place, Bloomsbury London W.C. 1, England Nayapalli,Bhubaneswara, Orissa Dist. Puri, INDIA Dear Citraketudasa, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter, undated, along with the poems. On hearing your poem about Narada and the Hunter I think you have done nicely. Yes, you are correct when you say you should not try to write about Krsna and the gopis; such topics are only for the most exalted devotees. I suggested that you could take the Krsna book chapter by chapter and versify it, but what you have done it is also good, Ajamil, Narada and the Hunter; there are so many topics in the Bhagavatam. Your poem, “Knowledge” was also very nice. The grama-kavi, mundane poet, even a so called great poet like Shakespeare cannot help us in writing transcendental literature. If you want to look at his verse technique for improving your use of language you may, but it is risky because their ideas will spoil your presentation of pure devotional service. What you have done is nice, go on with it, publish in Back to Godhead as you are able, and try to become a first class devotee. Without being a devotee, your writing will not stand. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Danavir **Date:** January 26th 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Bhaktivedanta Manor Dear Danavir, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 11th along with enclosures regarding the Bhakta Program and it is very nice. It is good to hold more classes with the bhaktas, but they should all be on the basis of our books. You should not go beyond the jurisdiction of our teaching. The idea of theater, based on Bhagavatam topics is also a very good way to introduce the philosophy to the people in general. Go on preaching with vigorous enthusiasm and increase your program for bringing new men to live in Krsna Consciousness. You yourself must be ideal in following the rules and regulations, rising early, and restricting eating and sleeping. The less a person is concerned with material enjoyment such as eating, sex and sleeping, the more he is spiritually advanced. If the "devotee" himself lives like a hog or dog how can he preach? We are planning to construct a temple here in Puri and I was instructing the GBC that we can invite anyone to come and stay with us for three days and we shall supply room and board. In that time, however, he should rise early and attend our programs. After three days if he likes he can stay with us permanently, become shaven headed, engage as we request him, and we shall take care of all his necessities. Yes, your plan to have all temple presidents report the scores on new men recruited is approved by me. You can keep count which temple is recruiting the most men, just as they keep count of the book distribution. Hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:rds ### Letter to Dasanudasa **Date:** May 13th 1977 — **Location:** Hrsikesa > New Talavan, Mississippi My dear Dasanudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 21st, 1977. Thank you very much for sending the Guru Daksina. The two essays which you have sent are very nicely written. It appears that you have good talent for writing, so kindly continue to develop in this way and write more and more of your realizations based upon our books. There is no need to concoct anything new. You simply have to study carefully our books and then in your own words try to express what you have read. This will automatically make you a very successful preacher. There is no need to learn Bengali. I do not encourage learning any new skills. Whatever material abilities one has when he comes to Krsna consciousness, let him learn to engage these in Krsna's service: that is sufficient. There is no need of learning new skills now. That will simply be a waste of time. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Dhiranga **Date:** January 23rd 1977 > ISKCONP.O. Box 212, Cato Ridge Natal 3680, South Africa Dear Dhiranga, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of 31st December and have studied the contents. Your report is very good in all respects. Combining your efforts on one nice farm seems best. Now live there and also go out from there for preaching, as they do on the New Vrindaban farm. Grow more grains, fruits, keep cows, make a happy home and chant Hare Krsna. The existence of a lake on the land is a great advantage. Krsna has sent you some new devotees, now keep them and train them. They should not feel inconvenience. As a matter of etiquette you should tell them that if they feel any inconvenience they should inform you and you can fix their situation. The traveling bus program has been successful in other parts of the world, therefore increase it, as possible. Yes, when you are ready you can install Jagannath deities. Any of the GBC men can perform the installation. So you have a very good field there, and you are developing it carefully. Just continue to increase your enthusiasm and your preaching will come out more and more favorable. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACBS ### Letter to Dhruba Charan Pattanaik **Date:** February 24th 1977 > Shri Dhruba Charan Pattanaik,Vill: Tamandoo,P.O. Tamandoo, via Janla,Dist. Puri, Orissa.Shri Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir,P.O. Sreedham Mayapur,Dist. Nadia, West Bengal Dear Shri Pattanaik, Please accept my greetings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 21-2-77 and have noted the contents. We have already started one Temple project and we are raising funds for this purpose. Unless this temple is finished in Bhubaneswar we cannot take any new project. In this connection you can see our representative, Sriman Bhagawat das Brahmachary. I am forwarding your letter to him so you can discuss with him whether it is possible to do anything. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg --- cc Sriman Bhagawat das Brahmachari, President, ISKCON Bhubaneswar ### Letter to Dr. G. Ghosh **Date:** April 6th 1977 > Gyan Bhavan, 22, Minto Rd., Allahabad 211002Hare Krsna Land Juhu Rd., Juhu Bombay 400 054 My dear Dr. Ghosh, Please accept my greetings and prayers for you and your family’s well being. As I think you know, Sri Acharya Omkar Giri, the Mahant of the Beni Madhav Temple, is keen on giving the temple to us so that we can improve everything. I have requested Sri Giriji to see you in connection with making a Deed of Gift. If it is possible, kindly engage some lawyer friend and do the needful to make this transaction perfect. Enclosed please find a true copy of a letter recently received from him which will give you an idea of the situation. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkgEnc: --- one true copy ### Letter to Dr. G. Ghosh **Date:** April 19th 1977 > Gyan Bhawan,22, Minto Road,Allahabad-211002Hare Krsna Land,Juhu Road,Juhu, Bombay 400 054 My dear Dr. Ghosh, Please accept my warm greetings and prayers for the well-being of your family. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 14, 1977.Yes, you are right. My gradual recovery is certainly the grace of Lord Krsna. The holy name of Krsna is the panacea for all cures to the diseases of this material existence. Suffering is due to the material body. The entire Vedic civilization is meant how to avoid taking another material body. Because it is a fact you have to take birth again, but it should not be in this material body. Whether you take birth as the Prime Minister or as a dog, there is suffering. It does not matter. Krsna consciousness is an attempt to awaken people from the slumber of deep ignorance in which they do not even know properly how they are suffering. Simply if they will follow the instructions of Bhagavad-gita, it can be possible, even for the mass of people. I am very glad to know that your lawyer friend, Mr. Varma, is looking after the matter of the Beni Madhav Temple. That is very good, thank you. Now I am relieved that things will be done very nicely. And it will be a great opportunity for our men to go and to develop this place because Lord Caitanya visited there and therefore we are very eager to develop it. I am not neglecting my health. I am improving gradually. The swelling is almost 80% down and there is an improvement in my appetite, and once again I am translating at night. You will be pleased that things are improving so kindly pray to Krsna that everything will be alright. Hoping this meets you and everyone in the best of health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Dr. G. Ghosh, MBBS. DTM **Date:** February 8th 1977 > 22 Minto, Allahabad 1, U.P.P.O. Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, West Bengal My dear Dr. G. Ghosh, Please accept my greetings. The other day when I was at Kumbha Mehla, you came to see me with your family and you invited me at your house. But in the camp it was too cold. I was reluctant to leave the Mehla because it was going nicely, but my disciples asked me to come back to Bhubaneswara. I went to Bhubaneswara from Allahabad. From Bhubaneswara I came here to our Mayapur temple, preparing for Gour Purnima Festival. (We begin festival observance at the end of February and the actual Gour Purnima day is on March 5th).I think you have once seen this center. Recently we have completed another very large building for a guest house. I invite you to visit this holy place at the time of Gour Purnima Festival. Please come with your wife and children. We shall try to receive your family to our best capacity. If possible, kindly bring with you some description of the Sri Beni Madhava Temple at Dara Ganga as well as a description of the Dashasvamedha Ghat on the bank of the Ganges. Hope this will meet you in good health. Yours affectionately, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Dr. Premayogi **Date:** January 1st 1977 > c/o Krishna Balaram Mandir > Chattikara Road > Vrindaban, Mathura dist. > U.P. > Hare Krishna Land > Juhu, Bombay-54 My dear Premayogi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter undated and some samples of your literary work. Regarding your coming to the Kumbha Mela, yes you may definitely come. Arrangements are being made now for our camp there and you will be accommodated there. I shall go there around the 10th or 12th. You may come by the 14th. So far your literary work is concerned, the style is nice. We can discuss further when we meet at Kumbha Mela. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Dr. S.B. Chatterjee **Date:** April 3rd 1977 > 162/12/2B, Lake Gardens,West Block, 2nd floor,Calcutta 700 045Hare Krishna Land,Juhu Road,Juhu, Bombay 400 054 Dear Shri Chatterjee: Please accept my greetings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 30, 1977.Study of Vedanta is not a question of hobby. It is a question of realization. Shri Swarup Damodar was the secretary of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and many scholars of that day used to come and see Caitanya Mahaprabhu with their writings. One brahmana also came. This is mentioned in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Shri Swarup Damodar advised that brahmana that your Bhagavata study was imperfect. So the best thing would be that we have a Board of learned scholars for higher studies, the Bhaktivedanta Institute. I wish that you completely join this movement along with the other learned scholars and become a Bhagavata. Then everything that you speak and write will be perfect. You say that in the near future you wish to join one of our temples. Why the near future? Do it immediately! First live in our temple and practice our way of life. Then all facilities will be available to you. We have big centres in Vrindavan, Mayapur, and Bombay, so you may live where you like. But one thing you must understand, there is no question of keeping any profit. All profit goes to Krishna. I hope this meets you well. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Dr. S.K. Mayavi **Date:** January 16th 1977 > Dr. S.K. Mayavi Brajesh Films Mavawala, Gupte Market Malad West, Bombay-64India Kumba Mela, Allahabad Dear Mr. Mayavi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 26th, and have noted the contents carefully. At present, I am very busy and have very little time; still your ideas are very nice. However, unless we meet together, it will be difficult to give you help. Perhaps you can come to see me, as I will be in Vrindavan, at our Krsna-Balarama Mandir, Raman Reti, in March, and afterwards, through April, I will be at our Bombay Mandir, Hare Krsna Land, at Juhu Beach. As far as your manuscript is concerned, it can be reviewed by my personal secretary, as I may not be able to spare the time. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:rds ### Letter to Dr. W.H. Wolf-Rottkay **Date:** February 7th 1977 > 12915 Venice Blvd. Apt 37 L.A., Ca.P.O. Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal, INDIA Dear Dr. Wolf, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 22, and heard the contents. As far as knowledge of God is concerned that is contained fully in the Bhagavad-gita, but it is only revealed to the devotee. The “mysterious unity” you speak of is devotional service, whereby the eternal part and parcel of God renders loving service in union with Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not an impersonal or vague thing. Full facility for entering this eternal union with God is gained by associating with the pure devotee, who is already established in his relation with Krsna. In the present age the most recommended method is the chanting of the Holy Names of God. So there is nothing lacking in directly approaching God if we follow the authorized practices of the Krsna Consciousness movement. Your good friend Swarupa Damodar has been with me recently, and we are going to join him again in a month for a week long program in Manipur. Swarupa Damodar is such a nice devotee; he has the quality of always making friends, not enemies – no one speaks against him. I have great hopes in the scientific preaching Swarupa Damodar and other educated devotees can engage in to defeat the rascal, materialistic theorists who claim such nonsense as “life comes from matter.” More and more in the future Swarupa Damodar and others like him will be working to force the educated public to accept that there is God. Whatever cooperation you can give in this connection will help your own spiritual life and will give the greatest benefit to others. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Dravida **Date:** April 2nd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > India My Dear Dravida das, Please accept my blessings. You may be knowing that we have formed one party of scientists under the leadership of Sriman Svarupa Damodara prabhu. Also we have formed the Bhaktivedanta Institute for organizing scientific presentations of Krishna Consciousness. This party is our most important preaching arm with which we will be able to destroy the bogus speculation and cheating which goes under the banner of scientific advancement. Therefore I have got great hope for Svarupa Damodara and his colleagues. I want them to travel vigorously throughout the world to lecture in all universities and other institutions. There is no lack of financial resources and we shall spare nothing to see to this party's success. His party already consists of Madhava prabhu, Sadaputa prabhu, Ravindra Svarupa prabhu, and himself, and he has approached me that he would like you to help with the editing work as they are publishing scientific papers. In consultation with Ramesvara Maharaja try to have whatever work you are doing assumed by others so that you can free yourself for working with Svarupa Damodara. You may contact Svarupa Damodara, who is returning to America, for more details. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Edward **Date:** March 31st 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > New York My dear Edward, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 31-1-76 which has only now reached me here in Bombay. It is difficult to send things through the mail, so better if you go to our New York temple for getting prasadam. Krishna is absolute so prasadam offered in our temple in New York is as good and the same as the prasadam from here. I am glad that you are enjoying chanting "Hare Krishna" and reading my books. You and your wife should continue with this process and try to attend our temple as often as possible and gradually you will come to Krishna consciousness. Hoping this finds you both well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Ekesvara **Date:** January 4th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Potomac, Maryland My dear Ekesvara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil and have noted the contents. So, revive rigidly the devotional practices and be repentant. Then Krsna may be pleased to excuse you. You must be repentant. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Embar Sampath Kumarachar **Date:** January 5th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Karantaka My dear Embar Sampath Kumarchar, I am in due receipt of your letter dated 2/1/77 and have noted the contents. Whether you will be able to teach our boys Sanskrit in the standard way? That is the first question. Have you ever worked as a Sanskrit teacher anywhere? To teach these young boys requires special technique. Whether you know it? We have reports from the U.S.A. about you just to the contrary. Kindly reply this point. We don't pay any salary to anyone. You can bring your aged parents to Vrindaban. They shall also be provided and you can take personally care of them. What for do you want to go to Atlanta? I have received a letter from Atlanta. They haven't mentioned that your presence is required there. So, why do you want to go there and waste money? If you have got money keep it with you. Don't spoil it unnecessarily. Concentrate on bhajan along with your father and mother. That is my advice. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Embassy of the USA **Date:** August 2nd 1977 — **Location:** Vrndavana > The Embassy of the United States of America,Dept. of Immigration and Visa,New Delhi Re: Extension of the validity of my Alien Registration Receipt, Card No. A-17978480 Dear Sir, I left the United States of America in July of 1976. As I am planning to go to the United States shortly, and as over one year has passed since I was last there, I am requesting your good office to extend the validity of my Registration Card for another year. Thanking you. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Gaura Govinda **Date:** January 6th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Bhuvaneśvara My dear Gaura Govinda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 2/1/77 and have noted the contents carefully. We shall arrange for one man to oversee the construction. That will be supplied. You have got all blessings of Krsna. You are so nice faithful servant of Krsna, surely you will be successful. Come to the Kumbha Mela where I am going on the 11th instant and we shall talk in detail. Then with you I shall return to Bhuvaneśvara and start immediately the work. You can stay with us for four or five days at Kumbha Mela, then we shall go with you. Arrange for that. You can book one first class compartment for four of us from Allahabad to Bhuvaneśvara for the 17th or 18th. Before coming to Allahabad you can go to see one professor. His name is Dr. Banshidhar Mohanty. He is in the department of Oriya at Utkal University in Bhuvaneśvara. He has got one manuscript of Srimad-Bhagavatam that he wants to show me. You can see him and see also this manuscript. You can inform him of my coming there and ask him to come to see me at that time. When you come to Allahabad you can inform me about the manuscript. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Gaurachand Goswami **Date:** February 16th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > West Bengal Dear Gaurachand Goswamiji, Please accept my dandabats. Enclosed please find one copy of advise to the Punjab National Bank, Kunjhaba-Balarama Temple branch, to pay you Rs 50 (fifty rupees) per month. I shall arrange that you get this money so long as you live. When I was in your temple both you and your wife took very much care for me, so kindly accept this little help. This is apart from my temple contribution; this is for your personal expenditure. Thank you very much. Yours Sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to German Disciples **Date:** May 6th 1977 — **Location:** BombayMy dear beloved disciples, Please accept my blessings. I know that over the past years you have suffered so many tribulations to push forward Krsna consciousness in Germany. But this has not stopped you from your determination to serve the cause of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. A devotee is pleased when there is difficulty, for in these difficulties he is forced to remember Krsna. We cannot expect that the people of Kali-yuga will welcome our attempt to spread Krsna consciousness. It is just like a lunatic asylum: The patients are running around madly and when the doctor tries to give them treatment, they insist that they are not crazy. Sometimes the patient even strikes the doctor. So our task is like that. We cannot stand to see people suffering due to ignorance. What is that ignorance? They do not know that they are not their body. This Krsna consciousness movement is meant to deliver people to the proper understanding that they are not their body, that they are pure spirit soul. We may or may not be appreciated, that is not our concern. We must execute the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu which is:yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesaamara ajna guru haya tara ei desa[Cc. Madhya 7.128]"Whomever you meet, instruct them to follow the orders of Sri Krsna as they are given in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. In this way by My order become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land."So our business is to satisfy the acaryas and Krsna. If they are pleased then we know our work is successful. Go on spreading the sankirtana movement more and more. I am only one person, but because all of you have kindly cooperated with me, this movement has now become a success all over the world. Be assured that there is no more direct way to preach than to distribute Krsna conscious books. Whoever gets a book is benefitted. If he reads the book he is benefitted still more, or if he gives the book to someone else for reading, both he and the other person is benefitted. Even if one does not read the book but simply holds if and sees it, he is benefitted. If he simply gives small donation towards the work of Krsna consciousness he is benefitted. And anyone who distributes these transcendental literatures, he is also benefitted. Therefore sankirtana is the prime benediction for the age:krsna varnam tvisa krsna sango vangastra parsadamyajnaih sankirtana prayair yajanti sumedhasah[SB 11.5.32] Hoping this meets you all well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Giriraja **Date:** January 31st 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Bombay Dear Giriraja, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 28, and read the contents. Yes, train the others in responsibilities in Bombay, and go on as you are doing. In five days at Kumbhamela we were able to distribute 30,000 pieces of literature. Therefore we can expect to receive 1 lakh collections per month from all the centers. It is good news hearing good preachers like Jagat Guru and Sridhara Swami Maharajas, and Madhavananda are arriving to Bombay to push on the membership, other preaching and collecting. As for your plan to invite university students to spend the weekend, it is very good; do it. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sdg --- N.B. I have received a letter from the Bombay secretary, Aditya dasi, requesting me to sign a number of legal forms for the bank. Neither you or Gopala Krsna have even signed or initialled an approval, so how can I sign these forms? If you actually want me to sign them please write me your approval with regular signature ### Letter to Giriraja **Date:** May 11th 1977 — **Location:** New Delhi > Bombay My dear Giriraja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letters, both dated 8th May, 1977.As Mr. Mohatta has recommended, I have enclosed a letter to Bank of America advising them to make payment to E.C.C. for the amount of Rs. 2 Lakhs. This letter as well as the other letter advising a transfer of Rs. 6 1/2 Lakhs to State Bank of Hyderabad account, should only be presented to Bank of America after they advise you that they have received Gurukrpa Swami's $100,000.00, and not before. But Mr. Mohatta should be shown all the bills so that he can check them. I am not at all in favor of paying them any more money until the final bill is presented. Has I.O.B. began construction of their premises yet? Thank you for organizing the all day Sunday Kirtana program. This should be developed very nicely, stressing kirtana and prasadam. Yes, my health is improving a very little. The house that we have been given is the best in Risikesh. It is very nice and the climate is much better than Bombay's. Many persons are coming in the afternoons for darsana. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Gopala Krsna **Date:** January 28th 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Bombay Dear Gopala Krsna, Please accept my blessings. I have received your report of January 25, 1977 and studied the contents. I was especially pleased by the information that "The Hindi books are selling like hotcakes in Vrndavana." This is very good news. I approve of the arrangement for the writing on the "Bhaktivedanta Swami Gate". Your dealing with the municipality men and hosting them at the temple shows you have done these things very nicely. I have already sanctioned the expenditures for Gurukula, estimated at Rs. 1,800,000 which will include the Vrindaban gates and drainage. As for foreign publications I also want books in the Orissan language. Regarding the English edition of Srimad-Bhagavatam, I find the color reproductions are very good. You should also ask Tusta Krsna to order in New Zealand. The advertising for the English edition should be distributed to all government heads, state and Central. The Russian orders are very impressive. Yes, they can be given the books gratis; we do not want to exchange for Russian books. On the whole, the report from Vrindaban and BBT is pleasing; just go on enthusiastically and Krsna will give you all intelligence how to manage affairs expertly. Hoping this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sdg ### Letter to Goursundar **Date:** February 18th 1977 > Box 211Paau Hau, Hawaii 96775, USASree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal Dear Goursundar, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of February, and noted the contents. Why not come see me during the Mayapur festival? It begins 27 February until 8 March. You are already trained, so you can develop a nice center. Krsna will help. Your devotional service will never be lost. Be sincere and pray to Krsna that you remain in standard Krsna Consciousness. And wherever you remain follow the principles and your success of life is assured. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Gupta, Additional Chief Engineer **Date:** February 21st 1977 > Additional Chief Engineer Central Indian Railways Victoria Terminus, Bombay 400001Sree Dham Mayapur Dist Nadia, West Bengal Dear Mr. Gupta, Please accept my greetings. I have received your letter of January 31, and examined the contents. Perhaps by now you have already received a letter on my behalf sent by my personal secretary dated January 20th. If not, I am enclosing a copy of same for your inspection. I thank you for your good wishes and continued interest in our Krishna Consciousness Movement. Please accept my condolences on your recent ill health. Again, I want to invite you, as soon as you are a little recovered in health, to join us in Mayapur on the dates indicated in the enclosed letter. Please go on chanting Hare Krishna, as ultimately the shelter of Krishna is our only solace in this material world. Hope this meets you in improved health. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** February 5th 1977 — **Location:** Calcutta > Vrindaban Dear Gurudasa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 28, and studied the contents. Your suggestion that the devotees visiting Vrindaban engage in preaching and chanting and not in gossiping is very good. I have instructed that this be taken to the GBC and implanted. We have sacrificed our life for Krsna's service, where is there scope for sleeping and gossiping? You can see in my example, not a single moment is wasted. This idleness is the business of the karmis. They can be seen sitting in the park gossiping, "my son-in-law said this," "this man has cheated me." But it has no place in devotional service, so your suggestion is well made. Your suggestion for groups teaching practical subjects like book distribution, deity worship, is also good. These things are wanted. The installing of telex communications for our main temples is not required. Then they will gossip more through the telex. So if you apply yourself in helping to prepare and implement these suggestions for the Vrindaban portion of our festival, that will be very good. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** February 18th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur To Gurudasa, I have received your letter dated Feb. 12, and examined the contents. Please accept my blessings. Locks on the door, ask Gaurachand to help. I have just arranged to send him Rs. 50 per month for his lifetime and he will cooperate with us. If you like to stay in my rooms at Radha Damodara then you may stay there. I allow it. Preaching also means reading and writing, or else what will you preach? If I do go to Manipur I still plan to go to Vrndavana afterward. My schedule is being planned as leaving for Manipur on the 8th March and staying utmost a week say until the 15th. So as the festival program in Vrndavana runs through the 22nd March, I will still be there during the festival. N.B. You say you are on good terms with Madan Mohan Goswami. Under the circumstances take the whole house on rent from him. Although he is appealing to the court it will not stand. Better while the litigation goes on let him take money from us and let out the whole house to us. That will be his own gain. Whatever the court decides for the time being he can rent from us for the whole house. If you can induce him it is gain for him. Rent should be at the same rent as present. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** March 18th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Vrindaban My dear Gurudasa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter undated and delivered by hand. The Krishna conscious Katha contest and the workshops appear to be very nice. This is our only business—to endeavor to serve Krishna at every moment. The whole world is busy for sense gratification, it is anthill civilization. So much endeavor for what? We also work hard because we know the goal of life—to please Krishna. So if by these workshops service to Krishna has been increased in everyone, then they are very nice. Why there was no weaving and spinning workshop? On the map of Vrndavana it is still called Chattikara Road. Also still on the letterhead. If the municipality has decided to rename the road in my name, why it is not yet changed? In my room at Radha Damodara Temple you should keep one photo of me and offer to it Prasadam of Sri Radha Damodara. I hope this meets you in the best of health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Gurudasa **Date:** March 25th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Vrindaban My dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 18th March, 1977.There is no need to pay Gaurachand. I have already advised the bank, and they will pay him directly. You need not. As you have described the placing of my photograph and offering to it Prasadam, that is good. In consultation with Aksayananda Maharaja, just find out some responsible men to stay there. Everything should be kept neat and clean as if I am staying there. It is very good if someone daily sells books from there. Thank you, yes, I am feeling a little stronger now. On the 28th instant I shall be moving into my new quarters and then we have to organize Bombay as our world headquarters from every point of view, culturally, scientifically, philosophically, etc. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Gurukrpa **Date:** April 6th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Gurukrpa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 30 March, 1977.Yes, yesterday Bank of America has received your transfer of $100,000. May you live long and serve Krsna. As you have suggested I am instructing Bharadraja to immediately make a new set of Panca-tattva Deities for our Hawaii temple. Now that our Bombay temple is nearing completion you must begin to construct a nice temple at the birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Mayapur dham. I think in Japan there are some of the best architectural construction firms in the world. If it is possible kindly find out the best architect in Japan. Describe generally our Mayapur temple project and for more details have him write to Surabhi Swami, c/o Hare Krishna Land, Bombay. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Gurukrpa **Date:** May 3rd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Tokyo My dear Gurukrpa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. Yesterday, Gopala Krsna spoke with Ramesvara Maharaja, and it is understood that you are waiting for a letter from me before sending the second amount of $100,000. It is also understood that no money will be coming this month from the BBT. Therefore you can arrange to immediately send the $100,000 to the Bank of America, Express Towers, Nariman Point, Bombay, India to the advice and credit of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Mayapur-Vrndavana Fund, Account no. 16026. Please advise me when this transfer has been made. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Gurukrpa **Date:** May 18th 1977 — **Location:** Vrndavana > Tokyo My dear Gurukrpa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am so much grateful to you and to all of your men how much you are sacrificing for spreading the movement of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I have heard with great pleasure how in only one month's time you have distributed 50,000 Bhagavad gita As It Is in the Japanese language. Param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam! I think there has never been a case in history when so many religious books were distributed in such a short time. Now that our books have been taken by the people it is only a question of time until our movement is well accepted in Japan. Go on distributing these books more and more and Caitanya Mahaprabhu will bless all of you. It is simply wonderful how with only 12 men you were able to distribute so many books and at the same time send such sizeable contribution for our Indian projects. Thank you all very much. For some reason temples are not sending in as much money as was expected to the BBT. Ramesvara says that he cannot afford to send any money for completing Bombay at this time. Therefore I am hoping it may be possible for you to continue to send $100,000 monthly for finishing the Bombay project, until such a time when the BBT can arrange instead to send the money. When the BBT can once again transfer funds regularly then I shall tell you what to do with further collections. I was staying in Risikesh hoping to improve my health but instead I have become a little weaker. Now I have come back to my home, Vrndavana. If anything should go wrong, at least I will be here in Vrndavana. Vrndavana is for residence, Bombay is office for organization, and Mayapur is for worship of the Supreme Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I shall be very happy to hear of how your activities are going in Japan and Hawaii. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Haimavati **Date:** February 21st 1977 > Krishna Balaram Temple Raman Reti, Vrindaban Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, West Bengal Dear Haimavati devi dasi, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of February 14, 1977, and examined the contents. You report that Bhagaji is tired of dealing with the politics of ISKCON. Of course as soon as there are a number of men dealing, there are politics, but we still have to execute our duty. Anyway, I shall be coming there to Vrindaban and we shall talk. As for yourself, after hearing your problems there and your difficulties living with Bhagaji etc., I suggest you come and live in Mayapur for some days. There are extensive residential quarters here. Why don't you come to Mayapur? Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Hari-sauri **Date:** March 18th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur My dear Hari Sauri, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated March 13rd, 1977. Your letter is very nice. You have expressed transcendental sentiments. As far as knowing Krsna, I am not so fortunate that I claim like that. But still, as a child, I claim the Person Krsna is reality. My estimation may be childish. Just like our Syamasundara's daughter Sarasvati, she believed: "You know who Krsna is? He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead!" Like a child. Yes, I prayed like that in Sydney: "I can't do anything good to them. But somehow or other I have brought them to You Sir. Now You make them Krsna conscious. Otherwise, how can I do anything? It is beyond my power." When I left Krsna in that condition and when again came back I saw Krsna was doing everything. He is so kind. Krsna can do wonderful things. In Bombay He has done the most wonderful things. Everyone, the whole Bombay appreciates how wonderful. If Krsna likes He can do anything. Now in our New York court case the judge has declared that Krsna consciousness is a genuine religion and has dismissed the case. Is it not Krsna's great blessing? Be blessed by Krsna. Your sentiments are all very nice. Krsna will help you. Keep in that position, and whenever convenient you can come and serve me, but now your main business is there. I hope this finds you very well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Hari-sauri **Date:** May 1st 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Melbourne My Dear Hari Sauri, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 20th April, 1977.I am very much obliged to you for giving such a full report. May Krsna bless you and give you more and more intelligence how to manage everything very nicely in Australia and New Zealand. As you have recommended them I accept Michael Pepper and Jackie as my duly initiated disciples. Their new spiritual names are; Michael Pepper—Sikhipiccha-dhari DasaJackie—Venu-dhara DasiNow hold a fire sacrifice and the new initiates should vow to always chant minimum 16 rounds daily and faithfully follow the four regulative principles. I also accept for second initiation Jayasila Dasa, Vashrestha Das, Atitaguna Dasi, and Bhadra Dasi. The sacred threads duly chanted on for Jayasila Das and Vasusrestha Das are enclosed herewith, as are the Gayatri mantra sheets for all of them. After the fire sacrifice they may be allowed to hear the Gayatri mantra from the tape in the right ear. Teach them to be good brahmanas, always remaining internally pure by chanting Hare Krsna, and externally by regular bathing. Yes, the name "New Govardhana" will be very appropriate for your farm. Regarding the idea of getting 36" nim wood Gaura Nitai from Calcutta, that is very good. Or if somebody can carve them locally, that will also be very nice. Regarding the gentleman whom you have met who speaks so many languages, let him translate in any one of these languages any of our books and that will be a great service. You will be glad to know that I am feeling a little recovered now and every evening I am again able to do my translation work. Now my only disease is that I have no appetite. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Hari-sauri **Date:** May 18th 1977 — **Location:** Vrndavana My Dear Hari Sauri, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your telegram. It is not possible to reply you by telegram because there is necessity of sending beads, and sacred thread which can only be sent through a regular letter. As you have recommended him, I accept Clayton as my duly initiated disciple. His spiritual name is Karsna-Dasa. You should hold a fire sacrifice and he must vow to chant minimum 16 rounds daily and follow the four regulative principles faithfully. His beads already chanted on are being sent by separate post, so the fire ceremony should be held after receipt of the beads. I also accept Anupam Das and Bimala Dasi for second initiation. Anupam's sacred thread duly chanted on is enclosed herewith. After the fire ceremony they may be allowed to hear the Gayatri mantra in the right ear. They should be instructed to always remain clean, internally by chanting Hare Krsna and externally by regularly bathing. For ten days I was staying in Risikesh in a very nice house on the side of the Ganges River. But my health was not good and so I have come to Vrndavana where I will stay indefinitely. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Harikesa **Date:** April 28th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Frankfurt My dear Harikesa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 16th, 1977.Do not be worried. I have written one letter to Radhavallabha telling the Press to immediately print all pending German books lying with them in Los Angeles. I have got all my blessings upon you so organize everything very nicely and see that we come out successful in this trial. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Harikesa **Date:** May 6th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Frankfurt My dear Harikesa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your zonal report for the month of April, dated April 27th, 1977.Regarding the Arabic translation, whether it is good or bad, something should be printed. As you have suggested, let it be printed in India. Our good friend Mr. Brij Ratan Mohatta volunteered to help pay the printing costs of Arabic publication. So in this regard you can send the manuscripts to Gopala Krishna, and he will arrange everything. Regarding the translations into Russian and other East European languages, you are the expert in the field, so however you decide to get the work done is alright. I will simply be very glad to receive any publications from these languages. If you think that by getting a telex hookup in Bombay our international work would be benefited, I have no objection. I am very pleased to know that our activities are going nicely in Scandinavia. I know that Vegavan is a very intelligent good boy. The place as you have described it that they are thinking to get sounds very nice. I know how dedicated all of the distributers of my books are in Germany where it is not easy to work. Please find enclosed one letter to the sankirtana men. If you can overflood all India with ghee as you propose, that will be a great service. But what you describe sounds like a dream. As far as what to do with the ghee, it may be better that we take it directly. If we take it there will be no question of any black marketing. Rather we can take all of the ghee and advertise that everyone wanting free ghee apply through ISKCON. Does that sound alright? Now Krsna has given you suitable responsibility, and you are trying your best. That much I want. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Harikesa **Date:** February 1st 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Frankfurt Dear Harikesa Swami, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 23rd, and examined the contents. As for the German court case, it now appears to be suspended. So keep prepared and let us depend on Krsna. The tendency you report of the householders living at the expense of others in our Society, is not good. One way to earn money is by selling books, they can be given a salary or commission. But if you say that they do not want to do that, yes, they should do some honest work. As an overall problem, this can be discussed by the entire GBC at Mayapur. I am immediately engladdened when I hear of your plans to produce new German books; this is first class. If you are getting people to chant and take prasadam in Eastern European countries, that is our great success. If you so desire, you can send manuscripts of Hungarian and other books and we can get them printed in India cheaper. In this matter you can write to Gopala Krsna Prabhu. Our movement is an epidemic. It will devour the whole of Europe and America. As for the newspapers giving bad reports, they simply take some opportunity for selling their newspaper; it has no lasting value. These countries are faced with difficulty but it is nature's law. They will be without food, water and they will be heavily taxed. There will be revolution. How long can they keep the people terrorized? It will burst. I can't imagine how people are living in such a rotten state. There is nothing like pleasure; all is morose. Only we are benedicting the fallen souls all over the world, so go on with your enthusiastic preaching and try to do good to others with Krsna Consciousness. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Harikesa Swami **Date:** April 28th 1977 **Second part of above letter**Wolfgang - Varanga-dasaBernhard - Viruddha-sakti-dasaHarbet - Hrtpati-dasaMartin - Marutsuta-dasaElizabeth - Indukanti-dasiGertrude - Girvani-dasiBrigitte - Bhramaraksi-dasiInge - Indukanti-dasiI am enclosing sanctified threads for Pavanesana, Airavata, Ajata das, and Kamadhena das. Also gayatri mantra is enclosed. Have them hear the tape through the right ear, and hold a fire yajna. Instruct them to firmly follow the rules and regulations. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg --- His HolinessHarikesa SwamiISKCON6241 Schloss Rettershofuber Konigstein/TsWest Germany ### Letter to Hrdayananda **Date:** January 16th 1977 — **Location:** Calcutta > Los Angeles My Dear Hrdayananda Gosvami, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated December 25th and January 9th respectively, and have noted the contents. Yes, I am very pleased with your book distribution because nobody was able to defeat Radha Damodara TSKP previously. Radha-Damodara is Himself pleased upon you. sometimes the Lord wants to be defeated by His devotee. Nobody can defeat the Lord, but still He desires like that sometimes. That is His mercy. Pancadravida Swami is very intelligent in every way. He is a very competent, nice devotee. I am very much pleased, so go on increasing the distribution more and more. Upon your recommendation I am pleased to accept the devotees you have recommended for initiation. The name for Jose is Harinamananda dasa. You may chant on his beads. For the second initiate, Radha-Vinode dasa, hold a fire yajna. Instruct the first initiate to always chant a minimum of sixteen rounds daily and follow strictly the four regulative principles. For the second initiate, play for him the tape of me chanting Gayatri into the right ear. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds ### Letter to H.S. Dwivedi **Date:** April 8th 1977 > Secretary, Adarsh Seva Sangha,Pohri Dist. Shivpuri MP.Hare Krishna Land Juhu Rd., Juhu Bombay 400 054 Dear Shri Dwivedi, Please accept my greetings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 3rd, 1977 with the enclosed Bird’s Eye View of a Adarsh Seva Sangha center. The prospectus which you have sent appears to be very encouraging and I am considering how to do the needful. I will write you again in the near future regarding your party’s coming to Bombay. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkgMy --- dear Pujya Swamijee, I must apologise in the very outset for the delay in writing you. I had actually written to the Governor of Maharashtra on the same day I got your letter dated Dec. 12, 1974 requesting him to render the necessary help in the matter you have referred to in your letter. I was hoping to get some reply from him and hence this reply got delayed. As I am going out on a long tour to my home state for about 12 days, I thought I must keep you informed of the action I have taken. I am enclosing herewith a copy of the letter I had written to the Governor of Maharashtra. I had sent your letter to me, in original, to him retaining a copy of the same with me. I am extremely grateful to you for all the kind words you have said about me and the blessings you have showered on me. I only hope and trust that with your blessings and prayers, I would derive the necessary strength to rise up to your expectations and behave in Varnashrama manner and discharge my duties to the satisfaction of God, Godliness and the people. Today I have written to the Governor of Maharashtra reminding him about your case. I would also request you to kindly depute someone to find out from the Governor’s office or meet the person concerned in this context and also by referring to my letter to the Governor. I am really sorry for the very unfortunate manner in which your case for the construction of a temple is getting unduly and unnecessarily prolonged. I am enclosing a letter addressed to the Governor of Maharashtra which you may send through the person you appoint for the purpose to present it personally to the Governor. I hope you are keeping quite well. With affectionate regards, Yours,(M. Channa Reddy)Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiISKCON – Gandhi Gram Rd.Juhu, BombayEncl: as above. Dec 25, 1974My dear Nawab Sahib, I hope you received my letter dated Dec. 18, 1974, a copy of which is enclosed for your ready reference. I have now suggested to the organizers of Hare Krishna Movement to seek an interview with you and submit the details personally. I am confident that this will receive your sympathetic consideration. I hope both of you are quite well. With best and personal regards to you both. Yours,(M. Channa Reddy)Nawab Ali Yavar JungGov. of MaharashtraRaj BhavanBombayEncl: As above. My dear Shri V.P. Naik, Tridandi Gosvami AC Bhaktivedanta Swami, Founder-Acarya, ISKCON Centre has purchased a land at Juhu for construction of a Krishna Temple. There seems to be some hurdle and delay at the Municipal Co-operation level. I have requested Swamiji to present to you an application with all the details. I hope, you will kindly look into these details and give them the necessary advice and guidance. It is long time that we met. I hope you are quite well. With kind regards, Yours sincerely,(M. Channa Reddy)Sri Vasantrao Phulsing NaikChief Minister, Maharashtra, BombayGov., U.P.Jan. 15, 1975My dear Shri Shri Param PujyaSwamiji, Thank you very much for your letter dated 11 Jan. and the kind blessings. I am sorry to find that your two Secretaries, Srimad Bhagavan das and Srimad Giriraja das tried their utmost to get an appointment with the Sec. to the Gov. of Maha, but it was not successful. I also regret to inform you that I have not received any reply from Nawab Sahiv. In these circumstances, I think we should try with the Chief Minister. I am sending a letter addressed to him enclosed herewith with the request that you may kindly direct the above two Secretaries to seek an interview and personally present my letter along with an application giving the details of the case. I hope that the Chief Minister will look into this matter and to expedite. I really feel sorry that your small thing like this could not be resolved. As you are aware, Uttar Pradesh is full of Temples and pilgrims’ centres. Naimisharanya is one such sacred place where we have VYAS PITH and also where the PURANAS are said to have come into existence. SHRI SHRI ANANDA MAI has also an Ashram there. Shri Naradananda Swami is now occupying the VYASA GADDI. SHRI SHRI ANANDA MAI got a Purana Temple constructed here and also installing (STHAPANA) the Murti of PURANA PURUSH: She made a general reference for having something done for the PURANAS at Naimisharanya which is their birthplace. I have been contemplating to establish a Research and Teaching Centre for PURANAS AND VEDAS at Naimisharanya. The other day when I was at Tirupati the Tirupati Devasthanam people expressed their willingness to establish a Centre for Vedas and in such a case we can perhaps take up the puranas part in Naimisharanya. This is only a broad idea and the scope, and other details have to be worked out. I would seek your guidance and advice on the details of this kind of a project and your blessings and full cooperation in giving a shape to it. I have an idea of getting the foundation-stone laid by the 13th or 14th of May. I have also seen a site of about 45 acres of land for the purpose. With affectionate regards, Yours sincerely, M. Channa ReddyMy dear Governor, Please refer to your personal letter to me dated 18 Dec. regarding the construction of a temple in Juhu. I am examining the case myself and shall let you know later after the necessary consultations. Yours sincerely,sd/Ali Yavar JungGov. Uttar PradeshaRaj Bhavan, LucknowJan. 23, 1975My dear Pujya Swamiji, I hope you got my last letter, along with the original letter addressed to the Chief Minister in the context of the construction of temple at Juhu. Just now, I got a letter from the Governor of Bombay, Sri Ali Yavar Jung, a copy of which is enclosed herewith for your information. I do not know if your Secretaries have already contacted the Chief Minister. With affectionate regards, Yours affectionately,sd/(M. Channa Reddy) ### Letter to ISKCON International Gurukula **Date:** January 16th 1977 Calcutta/ 3 Albert RoadISKCON International GurukulaTo whom it may concern, The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has decided to introduce the gurukula system of education for the proper training of young boys in the traditional gurukula way laid down in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. This gurukula system will be gradually upgraded to the rank of a world university according to the ideas and ideals of ISKCON. ISKCON is in contemplation of opening their gurukula both at Vrndavana and Bombay and for this purpose Dr. S.B. Chatterjee, ex-professor and head of North Bengal University and Calcutta University, has already been requested to make on-the-spot surveys of ISKCON centers at Vrndavana and Bombay and to submit his recommendations for implimentation of this project of ISKCON at an early date when undersigned. It is desired that Dr. Chatterjee will be keeping contact with the educational wing of the society ### Letter to ISKCON Temple Presidents **Date:** January 27th 1977 Nayapalli, BhubaneswaraOrissa, Dist. Puri, INDIATo Iskcon Temple Presidents, This is to formally introduce Mr. Surrendra Kumar, a good friend of our Society. He will be traveling in the west and I request you to give him a respectful reception. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Jagadananda **Date:** May 11th 1977 > Sri Chaudhury Jagannath Prasad Dash,Sub-Assistant Engineer,Nuasahi, Nayapalli,Bhubaneswar 12,District Puri, Orissa Reply:21A Feroze Gandhi Rd.Lajpatnagar IIINew Delhi 110024CAMP: Risikesh My dear Jagadananda, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to all of your family members. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1st May, 1977.Regarding your daughter's illness, all of the family members should sit down together and hold Hare Krsna kirtan. Let your daughter hear and she will be alright. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Jagadisa **Date:** April 6th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Vrindaban My dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 2, 1977.Yes, Dr. Omkar Sharma is the proper man. Regarding Dr. Brojendra Nandan Goswami he is a little flickering and can not be given such heavy responsibility. If he wants to serve there can be no conditions. He has to live under our conditions. Our students should be taught English and Sanskrit so in the future they can read our books. That will make them MA, PHD. That much I want. Other things are external. And their behavior and character must also be most upstanding. Now you are all senior intelligent men so yourself, Yasodanandana Maharaja and Aksayananda Maharaja cooperatively do everything. So far a letter authorizing the collecting program which you propose, Tamala Krishna Maharaja has already written as GBC so it is not necessary for me to write. Adopt whatever means are necessary for raising funds for the loan repayment and permanent maintenance of the Gurukula. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Jagat-guru **Date:** January 31st 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Bombay Dear Jagat Guru Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 26, 1977, and studied the contents. I like your plan to take a travelling party for concentrating on book distribution in India. Our recent success in distributing 30,000 books in Kumbha Mehla indicates that there is a big scope for this distribution in India. Please work in cooperation with the GBCs and other leading devotees in India, and never mind if your efforts take some time before they produce solid results. The main thing is enthusiasm and determination. If you are actually sincere Krsna will reward all your desires to render Him pure devotional service. You are a very nice sannyasi, and expert in this kind of preaching, so I have faith that you will be able to do effective work to spread this movement for everyone's benefit. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sdg ### Letter to Jairamdas Kuthiala Yatri **Date:** January 6th 1977 > Sri Jairamdas Kuthiala Yatri > c/o Sadhu Ashram, 23-D > Chandigarh > Hare Krishna Land > Juhu, Bombay-54 My dear Jairamdas Kuthiala Yatri, I am in due receipt of your letter dated 31/12/1976. Yes, you can come to see me at Prayag. We are having our own camp there. It is proposed that my camp will be near the governor's camp. I'm going there by the 11th instant. Hoping this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Jayananda **Date:** February 26th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Los Angeles My dear Jayananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 21st, 1977, and I thank you for the check as well as the nice sentiments you have expressed. In the beginning you also gave me $5,000 and now again you have sent. This body is today or tomorrow finished. We should not be very much bothered about the body. Trees also live for thousands of years but that does not mean a successful life. A successful life is one of Krishna consciousness. By the grace of Krishna from the very beginning you are a devotee and that is the real profit of your life. I thank you for your check, but I would prefer that you may require the money for your treatment. So if you like I can return it. But I hear that you have some income. I pray to Krishna for your more advanced Krishna conscious life. About a sadhu it is said, "jiva va mara va," a sadhu may live or die, it doesn't matter. While living he is engaged in Krishna Conscious business and when dying he goes back home back to Godhead. Hoping this finds you improving in your health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Jayananda **Date:** May 5th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Jayananda, Please accept my blessings. I am feeling very intensely your separation. In 1967 you joined me in San Francisco. You were driving my car and chanting Hare Krsna. You were the first man to give me some contribution ($5000) for printing my Bhagavad-gita. After that, you have rendered very favorable service to Krsna in different ways. I so hope at the time of your death you were remembering Krsna and as such, you have been promoted to the eternal association of Krsna. If not, if you had any tinge of material desire, you have gone to the celestial kingdom to live with the demigods for many thousands of years and enjoy the most opulent life of material existence. From there you can promote yourself to the spiritual world. But even if one fails to promote himself to the spiritual world, at that time he comes down again on the surface of this globe and takes birth in a big family like a yogis' or a brahmanas' or an aristocratic family, where there is again chance of reviving Krsna Consciousness. But as you were hearing Krsna-kirtana, I am sure that you were directly promoted to Krsna-loka.janma karma ca me divyamevam yo vetti tattvatahtyaktva deham punar janmanaiti man eti so' rjuna[Bg. 4.9]Krsna has done a great favor to you, not to continue your diseased body, and has given you a suitable place for your service. Thank you very much. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Jayanta **Date:** April 29th 1977 — **Location:** BombayJayanta Dasac > /o ISKCON Nairobi Hare Krishna Land,Juhu Road, Juhu, Bombay 400 054 My dear Jayanta, Please accept my blessings. I was very glad to hear from Brahmananda Swami that he had found you again. When you came to Mayapur some years ago I was very pleased to meet you. I could understand immediately that you are a very intelligent young man and also a good devotee of Krsna. Of course maya is very strong, and sometimes she brings down even a good devotee. But it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:"api cet suduracarobhajate mam ananya-bhaksadhur eva sa mantavyahsamyag vyavasito hi sahksipram bhavati dharmatmasasvao-chantim nigacchatikaunteya pratijanihina me bhaktah pranasyati"(Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Chapter 9, texts 30-31)("Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated. He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.")So as you can see Krsna is very kind and He can forgive the occasional transgression of His devotee. Now you should once again [illegible] everything by taking part fully in Krsna consciousness. That will make you happy, your family happy, and everyone connected with you also happy, because Krsna will be pleased. When you were in Mayapur we discussed your translating some of our books. Whether you can still do this? If you can it will be a great service to all of the people of your country. Assist Brahmananda Swami as much as you can, and spread Krsna consciousness to all of your countrymen. This is my request. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Jayapataka **Date:** January 29th 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Mayapur Dear Jayapataka Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. Our plan is to arrive in Calcutta on the morning of February 4th; after a day or two, we will come to Mayapur. In the meantime, what is the position of the Panihati scheme? I want you to negotiate with the municipality so that we can take over management of Raghava Pandit's house. Our first project will be to take pictures of this house, and then tear it down for exact reconstruction. Therefore, complete the negotiations so we can proceed. More when we meet. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sdg ### Letter to Jayatirtha **Date:** January 13th 1977 — **Location:** Kumbha Mela > Allahabad My Dear Jayatirtha, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 31st and have noted the contents. Let Harikesa Swami have some encouragement, and at Mayapur we can decide. He is intelligent and has got good energy. It is good news about German book printing and distribution. It is all your credit, Krsna will bless you. You are competent to decide all these things. This book printing and distributions is wanted. Thank you very much, go on and be more competent. The Christmas distribution in England is unimaginable. Europe is a great field for preaching. New York-Radha Damodara and Los Angeles have already accepted defeat. This transcendental competition is very encouraging. But combined together, we must defeat Maya and her influence. When the Kurus and the Pandavas used to fight, there were 100 brothers on one side, and 5 brothers on the other side. But when there was another party, then the 105 brother were together. In this way, we must cooperate to spread Krsna consciousness. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Kashinath Mullick **Date:** February 4th 1977 Sri Kashinath MullickPresident, Srimat Udharan Dutta Thakur Samity39 Jatindra Mohan Avenue, Calcutta 53 Albert Road, Calcutta, 17Dear Kashinath Babu; With reference to your letter dated 25 January 1977 and your personal interview, I beg to submit that without Krsna Consciousness the disturbances of the world will increase. The disturbances by some ruffians in the vicinity of Udharan Dutta Thakur's Samity is noted by me. This can be stopped immediately if we adopt the process of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's activities are known as delivering the sinful men: papi tapi yat chila hare name udarila. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu without any discrimination used to call from all orders of life and engage them in chanting Hare Krsna Mantra. Similarly, if we make such organization in the temple of Udharan Dutta Thakur, to call everyone to join the Hare Nama Sankirtan and then distribute sumptuous prasadam certainly they will advance in spiritual consciousness and become perfect human beings. For this purpose preachers are wanted. So far as prasadam is concerned, there will be no deficiency but devotees are needed to organize this system. Engaging people in sankirtan, either in a musical way or by spiritual discussion, people will come to their senses and stop harmful activities; gradually they will become Vaishnavas, so they will be saved from sinful activities and the society will be saved from the harmful activities of rogues and thieves. While thinking of future improvements of Udharan Dutta Thakur's temple I wish that these points be taken into consideration. We are always ready to cooperate in this preaching work. That is our mission. Thank you very much for coming here. Yours Sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Kay Johnson **Date:** January 26th 1977 Kay Johnson2616 Ashby AvenueBerkeley, California 94705Nayapalli, Bhubaneswara, Orissa, Dist. Puri, IndiaDear Kay Johnson; Please accept my greetings. I have received your letter dated January 7th along with checks totaling $110.00 and I thank you very much. The best thing is if you come and live with us for some time and learn thoroughly the Krsna science. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu said anyone can become a guru in the matter of teaching about Krsna, provided he or she thoroughly learns the Krsna science. Don't consider Krsna - in any stage - as material. He and His Pastimes are completely spiritual. In the Gita it is said that out of millions of persons one becomes spiritually fixed in perfection, called siddhis; such a person is a siddha. Our of many millions of siddhas, one may be able to understand Krsna as He actually is. Therefore, before writing about Krsna, I request you to learn the science very well. If you live with us and study Krsna in the process then your writing will be very effective and Krsna will bless you. Otherwise, if you write about Krsna certainly you will indirectly be benefited because you will indirectly chant the Holy Name. But I advise you to learn Krsna as He is and then write about Him. That is my request. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Kim Korstad **Date:** April 16th 1977 Kim Korstad,2622 Third Avenue So.,Apt. #3, Minneapolis, Minn. 55408 USAHare Krishna Land, Juhu Road, Juhu, Bombay 400 054, IndiaMy dear Kim; Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your recent letter, undated. I am very glad to know that you are chanting 'Hare Krishna' and reading my books. Also that you are a good artist. This is our principle, whatever talent we have we shall engage it in Krishna's service. In that way Krishna will be satisfied and thereby we will also be satisfied. The best way to make advancement in Krishna consciousness is by the association of advanced devotees. The best thing is if you can move into our temple in Minneapolis. Just as you have become Krishna conscious by the association of other devotees, similarly by your association gradually your parents will come to appreciate the philosophy of Krishna consciousness. Give them Prasadam and encourage them to read our books, and if you can, get them to chant 'Hare Krishna.' In any case whether you are able to live in the temple or not, you can always go on chanting 'Hare Krishna' and in that way gradually your life will become perfect. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Kirtiraja **Date:** March 19th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Los Angeles My dear Kirtiraja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 8th March, 1977. It is very encouraging. I am very grateful to the boy and girl who are distributing our books in Poland. Gradually, it will be alright if they are initiated. In their case some special concession may be made to encourage them, even they cannot follow so strictly. Let them continue still a little longer before initiation. The program of preaching aboard the Russian ships is very nice. You are very intelligent. As to which way to preach aboard the ship, do you think best. The best thing will be if you and your family stay in Poland over a long period of time so that you can train the interested persons. At the same time others may come and go visiting for book distribution. You should try to get residency and if you can get property there that is very nice. That is our main business, that by our association we should try to train people up in our philosophy and principles. Yes, I approve your idea to have a sankirtana party in America to support the Polish preaching. You have got good intelligence so utilize it properly and Krishna will help you. The idea to send Bhagavad-gita to influence people and world leaders as complimentary copy is good, and the cover letter as you suggest is also O.K. The BBT may pay for it. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Kuladri **Date:** February 15th 1977 > Sriman Kuladri das Adhikary New Vrindaban Community R.D. 1 Box 620 Mc Creary's Ridge,Moundsville, W. Va. 26041 USAP.O. Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal Dear Kuladri, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 28 and studied the contents. As for mailing me sweets wherever I am, don't spend unnecessarily. Here they are also preparing them nicely. Now all my disciples are learning this art. Distribute your sweets to newcomers so they will become attracted. As for the Salagrams, send one to L.A. and you keep one. Simply decorate the salagram and put Him on a sringhasana, apply garland, chandan and tulasi. Salagram Sila bathing means to bathe all the deities. Enclosed fine one note from Jananivas; follow his instructions. As for bringing sweets and ghee to Mayapur festival, this is very nice. In this way everyone can enjoy the effects of cow protection. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Kuladri **Date:** April 28th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > New Vrindaban My dear Kuladri, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your telegram requesting permission for the fire ceremony for the new initiates and second initiations. I have already sent you a telegram reading as follows:"Initiated names Phil—Pippalada Dasa, Mark—Mahaprabhu Krpa Dasa, Susan—Syama Dasi, Rita—Pitambar Dasi, Brahmans all approved sacred thread of Aravinda sent with letter. Signed . . . Bhaktivedanta Swami"As you have recommended all of these new devotees so I accept them as my duly initiated disciples. Their spiritual names are as follows: Phil Newberry—Pippalada DasaMark Knox—Mahaprabhu Krpa DasaSusan Marietta—Syama DasiRita—Pitambar DasiBy now you must have held the fire ceremony for their initiation. I have also accepted the brahmanas who you have recommended: Sukalina Devi Dasi, Vedapriya Devi Dasi, and Aravinda Dasa. Enclosed please find a sacred thread duly chanted on for Aravinda Dasa. After putting on the sacred thread he may be allowed to hear from the tape the Gayatri Mantra in the right ear. Since there is no sacred thread for the women, they may have already heard the mantra. In any case there are enclosed three mantra sheets, one for each of them. Now teach them to be good brahmanas by keeping clean internally by always chanting Hare Krsna and externally by always bathing. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Kunja Behari **Date:** January 19th 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Ashland, Kentucky Dear Kunja Behari das, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated January 4th and have noted the contents. My instruction is that whatever food they serve, you should not eat meat, only bread, some butter, milk, vegetables and fruit if available. And always chant Hare Krishna. Then, it doesn't matter whether you are in heaven or hell. Yes, it will be a great service, even in prison, if you can preach there. You should inform the authorities for protection if other prisoners attack you. We have no business there except chanting Hare Krishna. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:rds ### Letter to Laksmi Narayana **Date:** March 26th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Houston My dear Laksmi Narayana, Please accept my blessings. I have read your letter dated 19th March, 1977.As you are recommending these devotees for initiation, I am accepting them. Their initiated names are: John—Jaya Jagannatha dasaLisa—Lalita Krsna dasiNo you must hold a fire sacrifice and they should vow to abide by the four regulative principles and chanting minimum sixteen rounds daily. Dugdhapana dasa may also be given his second initiation and you may find his sacred thread duly chanted on enclosed. After the ceremony he should hear the gayatri tape in the right ear. By your good example teach him how to be brahminical. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Lilavati **Date:** March 31st 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Bhaktivedanta Manor My dear Lilavati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated December 3, 1976, along with the enclosed manuscript. Your letter has taken a very long time to reach me. Our literature is not sentimental stories. It is meant to be understood by the intelligent class of men. Children and those with child-like mentalities will do better to chant "Hare Krishna" and take prasadam. We cannot water down the philosophy to make it more palatable. Our books must remain as they are. Do not waste your time anymore with such attempts. We are not going to publish it. Whatever books we have got, let them try to understand, and if they cannot then let them chant "Hare Krishna" and take prasadam. Hoping this finds you and your husband well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Loan Agreement **Date:** March 20th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur LOAN AGREEMENTI, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- , Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, have decided to give a loan not to exceed Rs. 800,000/- (Rupees Eight Lakhs only) for the purpose of completing the construction of the Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula Ashram. The Management of ISKCON Vrindaban whose signatures appear below, agree on their part to repay this loan in full plus 10% interest not later than June 30th, 1978.Dated 20th March, 1977A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, ISKCON Vrindaban Managers: Aksayananda SwamiYasodanandana SwamiSri Bishambhar DayalaGunarnava das AdhikariJagadisa das Adhikari ### Letter to Lokanath Swami **Date:** February 15th 1977 > His Holiness Lokanath Swami Birudiha Dist Burdwan, W. Bengal Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal Dear Lokanath Swami, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of February 14, and I am pleased to hear that you are now travelling in Burdwan and preaching in the villages. You ask for further instructions and suggestions, and the main instructions are to go on, to push on and preach and distribute books. If possible you can also hold a festival which is also part of preaching. I will be looking forward to seeing you and your bullock cart party in Mayapur. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- A.C.B.S./sdg ### Letter to Madhudvisa **Date:** January 3rd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Honolulu My dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. Srimati Govinda dasi is here and I have heard everything from her about yourself. Therefore, immediately after hearing from her I have sent you the following telegram: My dear son Madhudvisa please immediately come and live with me letter follows. So, when you come here we shall talk in detail and according to the conditions we shall arrange everything. There is no worry. I am still prepared to accept you as my original disciple and if there is anything wrong, I am prepared to try and correct it so that your life may not be spoiled. Please therefore come here immediately and live with me. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Mahamsa Swami **Date:** May 18th 1977 > His Holiness Mahamsa Swamic/o ISKCON Hyderbad farm Krsna Balarama Mandir,Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg,Vrndavana, Mathura, (UP) My dear Mahamsa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated May 8th, 1977. I was very surprised to know that you did not receive my letter dated the 13th April, 1977. Enclosed please find a copy of that letter. You have written to say, "As soon as the temple is completed, the prasadam distribution and evening public program will begin." Why the building is required for prasadam distribution and kirtan? These can go on in any circumstances. From the very beginning I have been insisting on this program, but you say that it will only begin in the future. Prasadam distribution must always go on. Now whatever money I have sent you, spend for prasadam distribution. If necessary you may suspend the building, but distribution of prasadam and kirtan should be stressed above all. In Mayapur simply because of this program we have become famous. There twice a week they are serving thousands of villagers, so you should also do the same at least two times a week. The best thing is that the villagers should come to our land, chant Hare Krsna and take prasadam there. When there is prasadam distribution and kirtan it means there is already a temple. Yes, it is alright if you use the secretary's room as a special guest room. If you are able to keep to the planting schedule that you have outlined it will be a great accomplishment. In these and other matters you should take the advice and help of Hari Prasad Badruka. I have already written him in this regard, but I have not yet got a reply from him. Please let me know as soon as you have the registered documents in your hands. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg --- His Holiness Mahamsa Swamic/o ISKCON Hyderbad farm ### Letter to Manager, Central Bank of India **Date:** January 18th 1977 > The Manager The Central Bank of India Limited Camac Street Branch10, Camac Street Calcutta-17, India Iskcon3 Alberta Road Calcutta 700017, India Dear Sir, Please find enclosed two Fixed Deposit Receipts. Please keep these Receipts with you in your safe custody, and renew them from the date of maturity as follows:1) Receipt No. 8/28, for Rs. One Lakh only, in favor of Tridandi A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- , Due Date March 8th, 1977. TO BE RENEWED FOR ONE YEAR.2) Receipt No. 8/27, Rs. One lakh six thousand seven and paise seven, in favor of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Due Date March 4th, 1977, TO BE RENEWED FOR FIVE YEARS. continued and one month and the interest to [indistinct]Please kindly sign and stamp the duplicate letter attached and return to me. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhakitvedanta SwamiEnclosure: Two ReceiptsACBS: rdsN.B. Please enclosed find herewith 7.2 receipt no. 8/108 for Rs 56603 3/77 n/o.[indistinct] to be renewed for five years. A.C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiReceived the above deposit for our safe custody and renewal [indistinct] of at the time of maturity.[illegible signature]5/2/77 ### Letter to Mangal Chandra Moulic **Date:** February 18th 1977 Sri Mangal Chandra MoulicPrincipal, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar CollegeP.O. Betai, Dist NadiaSree Dham MayapurDist. Nadia. West BengalDear Sri Mangal Chandra Moulic; I have received your letter of February 15, and thank you very much. Yes we are willing to help you to make your college a Krsna Conscious institution, but you must agree to follow. We are ourselves strictly following the instructions of Caitanya Mahaprabhu which are nondifferent from the teachings of Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita. Lord Caitanya taught for the benefit of all humanity, by teaching the constitutional knowledge of the self as the eternal servant of Krsna. If you come to our Mayapur center we shall be glad to talk of the proposal you are suggesting. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Mark Anson **Date:** February 4th 1977 > Mark Anson30 Inglebar Ave.Allambie Heights, N.S.W.Australia 21003 Albert Road Calcutta 17 Dear Mark Anson, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter undated and have heard the contents. Your attraction to Krsna Consciousness is a very rare achievement for a human being, and you are right to think yourself fortunate to associate with the devotees, and to follow the instructions of a bonafide spiritual master who is following the parampara coming down from Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as He has spoken in the Bhagavad-gita. But I must say that regarding your vision of Lord Vishnu and your flying in the sky - do not be too much dreaming. It may or may not have happened. If you want to advance in a practical, tangible way, practice the rules and regulations, thoroughly read my books, assimilate, chant Hare Krishna mantra, and take the proper directions. I have no objection to your stay with Tusta Krishna Maharaja, but wherever you are follow these principles. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Mayesvara **Date:** February 17th 1977 > Mayesvara das Brahmachari ISKCON340 West 55th Street,New York, N.Y. 10019 U.S.A.Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, West Bengal Dear Mayesvara, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of February 7, and heard the contents. Regarding whether to follow Tamal Krsna Goswami and work at architecture and mechanical plans in the Pennsylvania farm or to come and work in the same way with Saurabha in India, now Tamal Krsna himself is in India. So you can also come to India and work with both of them. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Mike Gabbard **Date:** February 18th 1977 > Mr. Mike Gabbard P.O. Box BPago Pago, American Samoa 96799Sree Dham Mayapur Dist Nadia, West Bengal Dear Mike Gabbard, Please accept my greetings. I have received your letter of January 28, 1977, and examined the contents. Your idea for starting a Krsna Conscious center in American Samoa is very good, but first you must be well conversant with our philosophy and following all the principles. The best thing is to remain with us for some time and try to understand the philosophy. Just as one cannot teach others "do not smoke" if he himself is habituated to smoking, so we cannot teach the science of Bhagavad-gita, Krsna Consciousness unless we fully understand it, and practice it without any compromise toward any other philosophy. By associating with my disciples in one of our ISKCON centers you can learn all this very soon. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Minakshi **Date:** March 16th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Toronto My dear Minakshi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your nice letter dated March 3, 1977. From your letter I can understand that you and your brother Indresh are both great devotees. You are very fortunate to have devotee parents and from your very childhood take to Krishna consciousness. I also had the good fortune to have a devotee father and mother and when I was young they gave me Radha Krishna to worship and I was also performing Rathayatra festival with my young friends. I am always thinking of you and your brother, what nice devotees you are. Please continue with your service to Srimate Tulsi devi and to Radha and Krishna and your life will be sublime. I hope this finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Mr. Sarkar **Date:** February 9th 1977 — **Location:** West Bengal Dear Mr. Sarkar, Regarding your proposed Hare Nama Sankirtana, please accept my well wishes for your sincere endeavor. Hoping this meets you in good health. Yours Sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mr. Sarkar **Date:** March 19th 1977 — **Location:** West Bengal My Dear Mr. Sarkar, Please accept my blessing. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 10th March, 1977. My health is improving by the grace of Krishna, and I am leaving for Bombay by the 22nd instant. Thank you very much for your concern. Hoping this finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Mrs. Perlmutter **Date:** January 23rd 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Dear Mrs. Perlmutter, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated January 7th, and have noted the contents with pleasure. Yes, our Society is depending on love and respect; we are bound by love. You have thought exactly like an affectionate mother. Every mother should think like you for the benefit of her son. Our endeavor is to save human society from the danger of animalism. In our scripture it is said that one should not become a father or a mother unless one is able to give protection to one's children from the imminent danger of death. People do not know, especially in the western countries, that anyone, if he likes, can be saved from the cycle of birth and death. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:janma karma ca me divyamevam yo vetti tattvtahtyaktva deham punar janmanaiti mam eti so 'rjuna[Bg. 4.9]"One who knows the transcendental nature of My (Krsna, God) appearance and activities, does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." (Gita, Ch. 4, Text 9)So you have given this chance to your beloved son to be saved from the repetition of birth and death, and your good example must be followed by all mothers in America. Thank you very much for your kind appreciation. Your son is doing very well here in India. I am very much pleased upon him. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:rds ### Letter to Mrs. Rose Forkash **Date:** April 3rd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Mrs. Rose Forkash Sp., 166, 3940 Via Real Carpenteria, California 93013, U.S.A Dear Mrs. Forkash: Please accept my greetings. I beg to thank you for the nice "Parents for Krishna" newsletter dated March, 1977. It is very nicely done. This newsletter should be sent to all the parents of our devotees. Just recently the mother of one of our senior devotees, Mrs. L. H. Gibline, whose son is Jayapataka Swami, Director of our Mayapur Project, visited Mayapur West Bengal as well as our other Indian centres. She was very much impressed with the deep philosophy and roots which our movement has within the culture of India. You can communicate with her at the following address: Mrs. L. H. Giblin6171 No. Sheridan Road, Chicago, Illinois 60660 USAI am sure she would be very pleased to be an active assistant. If the parents of our devotees study the philosophy of Krishna consciousness there is no doubt they will benefit equally as their children are now doing. I hope this meets you well. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Murtidas **Date:** February 3rd 1977 > Sriman Murtidas Adhikary188 Chetty St.,Colombo, Sri Lanka Nayapalli, P.O. 12Bhubaneswara Dist Puri, Orissa Dear Murti das, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 15th along with enclosed blueprints and have studied them. Your proposed design for ISKCON-Manipur, a 10 Lak design requested by retired engineer Mr. Ramamoorthi, is a very opulent looking temple. I appreciate that you have worked hard at this. I also have been thinking about Manipur, since my disciple Swarupa Damodar is arranging for me to go to Manipur about February 8th for a week. I am eager to preach there and think there will be good reception. I have given the Secunderbad address of Mr. Ramamoorthi to Swarupa Damodara. Perhaps you will want to be in contact with Mr. Ramamoorthi also. If he likes he can join us in Mayapur and go with us to our Manipur program. If Krsna desires, this temple you have designed may actually become ISKCON Manipur. Now you are going to Sri Lanka, and then the Hyderbad farm. So I will be interested to hear further developments about the Manipur temple as well as Hyderbad. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Nalinikanta **Date:** April 18th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Nalini Kanta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 12th, 1977. Thank you very much for the donation of 50 dollars. Unless the books are written by a PhD we do not want it. We are not going to be able to print the books you have suggested. There is no need for such books. Instead of writing simply read my books. That will be better for you. Whatever free time you have engage in reading my books. Otherwise, an idle mind is a devil's workshop. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Nandikesvara **Date:** January 5th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Montreal My dear Nandikesvara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil requesting initiations. Upon your recommendation I am pleased to accept these devotees: for first initiation: John—Jamahara-dasa, Don—Danapti-dasa, Andre—Aprakrtadasa, Cindy—Sindura-dasi, Sylvy—Siddhidasi, Clemence—Klesaghni-bhakti-dasi, and for second initiation: Jaya Govinda dasa, Sadapusta dasa, Paranagara dasa. Instruct the devotees to always chant a minimum of sixteen rounds and to follow the four regulative principles very strictly. One of the GBC or sannyasis may chant on the beads. Hold a fire sacrifice. Teach the second initiates how to count on their finger divisions and let them hear the tape of me chanting Gayatri mantra. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda --- N.B. Gururaj's name is Guru-prasada dasa ### Letter to Nayanabhirama **Date:** January 16th 1977 — **Location:** Calcutta > New York Dear Nayanabhirama dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 4th. Yes, you are welcome to come to India if you like, to work in Bombay. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds ### Letter to Nicholas **Date:** March 30th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Wiesbaden, Germany My dear Nicholas, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 11 March, 1977.Your proposal for arranging a Gita on tapes in different languages for distributing all over the world is very good. You may contact my representative, His Holiness Harikesa Swami, at:6241 Schloss Rettershofuber KonigsteinTaunus, West Germanyand arrange everything with him. I hope this finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Nicholas Prokosch **Date:** February 1st 1977 > Mr. Nikolas Prokosch62 Wiesbaden, Westendstr 6West Germany Nayapalli, Bhubaneswara 12Orissa, Dist. Puri Dear Nicholas Prokosch, Please accept my greetings. I have received your recent letter and I am glad that you are associating with the devotees at Schloss Rettershof. You are a sanskrit student so you can appreciate the Bhagavad-gita As It Is in all its scholarly aspects. Dr. Radhakrishnan, however is only speculation, and does not actually understand. Like so many others, he didn't know what the Gita is, and he has misused it for his own purpose. If you read the Bhagavad-gita as it is, without interpretation you can be benefitted. Read our Preface to the gita and you will understand the whole situation. Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Nityananda **Date:** February 18th 1977 > Sriman Nityananda das Adhikary ISKCON, Route 2 Box 449, Carriere, Mississippi 39426 USASree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal Dear Nityananda, Please accept my blessings. I have received your telegram requesting initiations for devotees on the New Orleans farm. Upon your recommendation, I have accepted Laureen Cogan for first initiation and her spiritual name is Lohanga-dasi. I am also accepting for second initiation, Jagatkarta dasa and Kamarikanta dasi. Enclosed find one sanctified brahmin thread. Hold a fire yajna and get them properly initiated. There is a gayatri mantra enclosed. Have them hear also the tape recording of me speaking gayatri; that should be heard through the right ear. Give them further instructions in the brahminical standards and all of you follow and practise all the principles very strictly, then your success in spiritual life will be assured. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Nityananda **Date:** March 16th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur My Dear Nityananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated February 21st, 1977, and I have noted the contents. The New Talavan Review and the brochure are both very nicely done and I thank you for them. So far as Gurukula is concerned, literary education is for the Brahminical class, not for all. Others should learn by seeing, like the ksatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras. Just like driving a bullock cart; it doesn't require education. Modern so-called education is simply a waste of time producing hippies. Shameless! Why compulsory education? To make hippies—compulsory education to degrade. So it is very fortunate that there is no compulsory education required by the state of Mississippi. Whatever is available easily we can use. There is no objection to using electricity. But we should not be dependent upon it. Produce oil from castor seeds and stock the oil sufficiently. It can be used in so many ways—for burning, grease, cooking, and as a purgative to cure all diseases. And oxen can be used for driving carts and go preaching village to village. What is the question of killing them? Here in India our Lokanatha Maharaja has successfully organized such a program and it is a great success. He has traveled all over India and everywhere they distribute books, prasadam and perform kirtana, village to village. Each night they stop at a different village. We can introduce many millions of such carts all over the world. If you are getting enough milk from the cows simply by pasturing them, then that is all right. But if you require more then you may have to feed them special grains. We want to do whatever is easy and save time for Krishna consciousness. As far as you are able to adjust to a natural way of life, do it immediately. Our principle is that we are against nothing and for nothing. Only for Krishna. We want whatever is favorable for Krishna. I am returning one Deity photo to you. This dressing style is not authorized. But the other photos are very nice. Please go on very enthusiastically developing your farming community. I hope this meets you in the best of health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Nityananda **Date:** April 12th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > New Talavan, Mississippi My dear Nityananda: Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 29 March, 1977.Oh yes, it is quite correct to try for complete exemption for your land. Why we should be taxed? Our work is all welfare work meant for the good of the general public. Such properties are always given tax exemption as you have pointed out to the newspapermen. The presentation of our position in the article is nicely given. Yes, if our householders cannot distribute books, then let them live in the farm communities. They can produce thread for cloth, spinning, and other such activities. But they must do something, not sit idly, for an idle brain is the devil's workshop. As you have recommended them, I am accepting for first initiation Kiki Laureen Cogan and David Hughes. Their initiated names are Krsna Kripa dasi and Dasanu dasa. Now you must hold a fire ceremony and they must vow to follow the four regulative principles and chant 16 rounds daily. I also accept Kamarikanta devi dasi and Jagatkarta dasa for second initiation. Jagatkarta's brahmana thread is duly enclosed. After the fire ceremony they may both be allowed to hear the Gayatri mantra from the tape in the right ear. By your good example teach them how to be brahmanas. Hoping this finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Omkara Giriji **Date:** February 8th 1977 > His Holiness Sri Omkara Giriji Sri Beni Madhava Mandir Dara Ganga, Allahabad, U.P.P.O. Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, West Bengal Dear Sri Omkara Giri, Please accept my greetings. We have heard about you from Mr. Rajendra Sahai. We extend an invitation to you to please come to Mayapur during GourPurnima, and if you come we will be prepared to pay you for your expenditures. (We observe this festival from the end of February to March 5th).Yours sincerely, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Pancadravida **Date:** January 20th 1977 — **Location:** Orissa > India My Dear Pancadravida Swami, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated Jan. 9th and am very pleased to note your book distribution results in Latin America. I am always thinking of Caracas temple. Although I went there once, it has given me some impression. Now I am an old man, and am depending on you to carry on our mission more enthusiastically. The seed is already there. Now water it and let it grow and fruit will come out, fruit of love of Godhead, and you will all enjoy, even in this material world. Just try to give shape to the instructions of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Pritivite ache yata nagaradi grama, sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama. "My name will be spread in every nook and corner of every town and village of the world." That is your duty, and you are one of the foremost workers. I want to travel continually to see my centers. Now there is little impediment on account of my old body. Still I am trying and will continue to try to see you again and again. My visiting different centers means to see you all, even the buildings are the same, and the Deity is the same, but your enthusiasm is ever fresh and invigorating. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Parvati **Date:** January 5th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Mombassa My dear Parvati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 25 December 1976 and have noted the contents. So, Brahmananda should be changed. Yes, I have received other reports. The GBC will change the situation. Someone of the GBC will come there and Brahmananda will be transferred to somewhere else. Perhaps he can go to Europe. If Brahmananda also falls then of course there will be trouble there. What can be done? As far as your own position is concerned, that can be definitely decided during the Mayapur festival. In the meantime you can remain in Kenya. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Parvati **Date:** February 6th 1977 > Srimate Parvati devi dasi International Society for Krishna Consciousness P.O. Box 82224 Mombasa, Kenya AFRICA3 Albert Road Calcutta 17, INDIA Dear Parvati, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 17, and noted the contents. As I have already stated, if you are feeling inconvenience being the only woman devotee in Mombasa you may move. I have invited you to attend the Mayapur festival, but if you cannot wait then you can move at once to the Nairobi temple, or you may come to India and stay at Mayapur. Wherever we are our business is to serve Krishna, but you should situate yourself in a temple where you can discharge your duties without so much inconvenience. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Patita Uddharan **Date:** February 4th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Mayapur Dear Patita Uddharan, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 16, relating your preaching activities of your trip to Tirupati. Regarding the astronomy book written by Dr. Arkasomayaji, I find it is influenced by the western concept of astronomy. At least as he presents the subject in this book we could not employ his interpretation in our temple in Mayapur. I have had my secretary write to him, however, inviting him to Mayapur for further discussion on this subject. If he is willing and able to depict the planetary situations exactly as presented in Srimad Bhagavatam, then he may be useful. As for the ayurvedic Kaviraj who is willing to send vasanta kusumakara rasa, yes have him do it. Preaching before gatherings in schools is very nice. Be always very careful to present the conclusion of Krsna consciousness exactly as you have learned it from my books and lectures; that is it the disciplic succession, and our potency lies in presenting our understanding of Krsna as he is, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We cannot compromise in any one with any other understanding. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg --- Sriman Patit Uddharan das B.Hare Krishna Land, Juhu, Bombay ### Letter to Pavanadeva **Date:** February 13th 1977 > Sriman Pavanadevac/o P.S. Rosen146 Academy Ave.Middletown, N.Y. 10940U.S.A.Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, West Bengal, INDIA Dear Pavanadeva, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of 27 January and heard the contents. No, do not give up the association of devotees. All of your comings and goings are due to restlessness. Use your money to come to Mayapur and associate with the devotees. This restlessness will be cured. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Postmaster **Date:** July 4th 1977 > Krsna Balarama Mandir,Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg,Ramanareti, Vrndavana, U.P.The Postmaster,P.O. Vrndavana,District Mathura, U.P Dear Sir, I authorize the Postmaster of Vrndavana to deliver registered insured articles, parcels and money orders addressed to me to my messenger, Sri Tamal Krsna Gosvami, whose signature appears below, and on the Postmaster's delivery of such articles and paying such money orders to Sri Tamal Krsna Gosvami and obtaining the letter's receipt, I free the Post Office from all responsibility in respect of such articles and money orders. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg --- Tamal Krsna Gosvamic.c. Tamal Krsna Gosvami ### Letter to Prabhakar Mishra **Date:** May 3rd 1977 — **Location:** BombaySri Prabhakar Mishra > F-91, Kirtinagar, New Delhi-15Hare Krsna Land Juhu Road Juhu, Bombay 400 054 My dear Prabhakar, Please accept my blessings. I understand from Gopal Krsna that you met him and you have offered your obeisances which I gladly accept. You have proposed to live in Vrndavana, so we have got enough place to provide you with accommodations. Now so long you could not do any tangible service. I propose that you can do something very tangible for us. In the Fifth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, there is a description of the planetary system. You are a learned scholar in Sanskrit, and also you have got knowledge in astronomy. I think if you tried, you can make a diagram of the whole planetary system. If you can do that, we want to make one gigantic planetarium. I shall be glad to hear from you by return post at the above address, or you can give me information of anyone else who can do it properly. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Pranaba **Date:** February 1st 1977 > Sriman Pranaba das ISKCON, 4544 Laclede St. Louis, Mo.63108USANayapalli, Bhubaneswara 12Orissa, Puri Dear Pranaba dasa, Please accept my blessings. I have received your undated letter and considered the contents. Krsna Consciousness is not a faith, such as the Hindu or Christian faith, but it is a science. When Krsna says Dehino smi yatha dehe…, the principle is that the soul is different from the body. On account of the presence of the soul we are getting different bodies. You cannot say it is Hindu. The Hindu religion may be more advanced, but Krsna Consciousness is a science. Others have only a vague idea. Krsna never said He was preaching as a Hindu or for the Hindus. But as a public statement you may say we are part of the Hindu dharma. It is actually Vedic culture, but they have been misinformed. We are actually Varnasrama dharma. The public doesn't understand Varnasram so sometimes we say "Hindu dharma. "It is a great science but unfortunately the name has come since the Mohammedans called the Indians Hindu because of the Indus River. The word is coming down like that, but we do not find the word Hindu in any scripture. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Prapujaka, Avinasa Candra **Date:** January 16th 1977 — **Location:** Calcutta > Frankfurt Dear Prapujaka dasa and Avinasa Candra dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your report dated Dec. 28th. Yes go on with your preaching work, Krsna will bless you. A little attempt is required, then all other things will come from Krsna. This is my practical experience I made a little attempt and Krsna has sent so many representatives like you to help me. Regarding that Sanskrit student who bought six books, yes, our word meanings will induce any Sanskrit scholar to purchase. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds ### Letter to Prity Ghose **Date:** January 29th 1977 > Sri Prity Ghose Sangeet Kala Kendra27/B Gray Street Calcutta 700 005Nayapalli, Bhubaneswara 12,Orissa, Dist. Puri Dear Mr. Prity Ghose, Please accept my greetings. I have received your letter of January 5, 1977, and appreciate your offer to perform Krishna Lila dance and music in connection with our ISKCON Movement. It will not, however, be possible for us to pay your passage fare in touring. If you can still join us, you will receive all other facilities, room and board at our centers. But I don't know whether you are accustomed to following the regulative principles for stay in our centers, such as no meat eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, no gambling. Otherwise, we can supply your needs, and we also have a dance and theater troupe coming from New York to perform at our Bombay center. If you can cooperate with our troupe we can have many presentations from Krsna Leela, Ramayana, etc. We are attempting to establish the movement of pure devotional service to Lord Krsna all over the world, and we welcome your joining us in this endeavor which will bring the highest benefit to the suffering humanity. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Pusta Krsna **Date:** February 19th 1977 > Pusta Krsna das(Paul H. Dossick)1932 Haste St., Apt. 10Berkeley, California 94704Sree Dham Mayapur Dist Nadia, West Bengal Dear Pusta Krsna, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of February 7, 1977, and examined the contents. Regarding your intention to study Sanskrit and Hindi at the university, that is not good. You have to give service with whatever you already have, not that you have to learn anything extra. It is also not possible to learn Sanskrit and Hindi at this late age; it will be a waste of time. Even if you can speak a little broken Hindi it will not be useful. As for your idea that your preaching will be more appreciated in the west if you are a professional or professor, we are already being appreciated by the professors. We don't want more. That is not our achievement. Real achievement is how we are advanced in Krsna Consciousness. That does not depend on degrees. As stated in the Bhagavatam, ahaituki apratihata, devotional service has to be executed without any condition, and there is no impediment. One doesn't become a great devotee on account of university degrees. As for my signing your recommendation, I am referring that to the GBC meeting to take place here in Mayapur. But you should not have used my stationary letterhead without my permission. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Radha Krsna **Date:** April 27th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Columbia My dear Radha Krsna dasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 16th, 1977.As you have recommended them, I accept all six devotees for second initiation. This is the success of our movement—that our devotees are becoming brahmanas. To be a brahmana means to be clean, internally by always chanting Hare Krsna mantra, and externally by bathing regularly. You have to teach others to be brahmanas by your own personal example. Please find enclosed six sacred threads duly chanted by me. Now you must perform the fire sacrifice and after the sacrifice the new brahmanas may be allowed to hear the Gayatri mantra from the tape in the right ear. Now all of you combined together and very vigorously spread Krsna consciousness throughout South America. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks --- Enclosures: Six sacred threads for Akilapatit dasa, Agnipuja dasa, Lilanatha dasa, Mrgesa dasa, Rayaram dasa, and Harigada dasa, and six gayatri mantra sheets ### Letter to Radha-sarana **Date:** April 17th 1977 — **Location:** Juhu > Bombay My Dear Radha-Sarana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 4, 1977.Just because there are no men is not a good reason to make someone a brahmana. This policy is not good. First have devotees. Then we should consider to open a center. Not that we open centers and have no devotees to manage them and therefore we create brahmanas. However, because this is a special case, I accept the two devotees, Sriman Jyotsna dasa brahmacari and Sriman Lalita-Govinda dasa brahmacari for second initiation. Their sacred threads duly chanted on are enclosed along with the Gayatri Mantra sheet. After performing the fire ceremony they may be allowed to hear the gayatri mantra from the tape in the right ear. You must teach them the principles of brahminical living, especially cleanliness is very important. Internally one should keep clean by chanting Hare Krsna and externally by bathing regularly. Teach them by your own personal example. I also accept as my disciples Bhakta Dhimas and Bhakta Ramon. Their initiated names are: Bhakta Dhimas—Devaprastha DasaBhakta Ramon—Raya Bhavananda DasaDuring the fire ceremony they should vow to faithfully follow the four regulative principles and to chant minimum 16 rounds daily. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Radhavallabha **Date:** April 6th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Radhavallabha, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated March 29, 1977.The photographs you have sent are all excellent. I have ordered them to be mounted and hung in various places in the temple. Thank you very much. Just now I am not completely fit but as soon as I become fit I shall write an introduction to the Kapila Book. Yes, try to reduce the expenditures more and more. It is only with great difficulty upon all our book distributers that BBT gets its funds. So those who are responsible should be very frugal to see that not one penny is unnecessarily spent. Thank you all for praying to Lord Nrsimhadeva for my good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Radhavallabha **Date:** April 28th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay My Dear Radhavallabha, Please accept my blessings. As you probably know, our society is facing a very serious courtcase in Germany. It is understand that if we have difficulty in this courtcase, we may not get further chance to print our German books. Whatever German books you have lying with you ready for printing should be immediately printed. This work should be given priority as our society's well-being there depends upon it. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Rajarsi **Date:** March 12th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Escondido, California My dear Rajarsi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 21st, 1977.Personal service to the spiritual master means to follow his instructions. My request is the same for everyone: that they follow strictly the regulative principles and chant at least sixteen rounds daily. And as much time as they are able should be devoted for preaching according to our books. So you and your wife should try to follow this instruction. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Rajendra Sahai **Date:** January 31st 1977 > Rajendra Sahai Maswani, Bhakti Bhawan Fatehpur, U.P.Nayapalli, Bhubaneswara 12,Orissa, Dist Puri Dear Rajendra Sahai, Please accept my blessings. I was very glad to receive your note hand carried by my disciple Prtha Prthu (sic) [Prthu Putra] Maharaj who came from Kumbha Mehla. The news that the Mahant of the Sri Beni Madhava temple is thinking of turning the management over to the Krsna Consciousness Movement, is very welcome. I appreciate your working on our behalf to bring this about. I know the Beni Madhava temple is famous and associated in the Pastimes of Lord Caitanya. I would like to invite you to be our guest in our annual observance of Gour Purnima at our International Center in Mayapur, Navadwipa. We can talk over how to chalk out a plan for future cooperation and worship in the Beni Madhava temple. Hope this finds you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Rajendra Sahai **Date:** February 8th 1977 > Rajendra Sahai Maswani, Bhakti Bhawan Fatehpur, U.P.Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal Dear Rajendra Sahai, Please accept my blessings. I have already written you inviting you to attend our Gour Purnima observance at Sree Dham Mayapur. (We begin observance at the end of February, up through the 5th of February). I am very interested in the Sri Beni Madhava Temple. I have also written the Mahant Sri Omkar Giri inviting him to Mayapur for further discussion on this. For yourself, I again invite you, and we will be prepared to pay for your expenditures. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Rajendra Sahai **Date:** February 21st 1977 > Shri Rajendra Sahai D.G.C. (R.)Fatehpur, U.P.Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal Dear Rajendra Sahai, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of February 2, and heard the contents. I am glad that you are thinking how the Beni Madhava Temple may be properly utilized by our Krishna Consciousness Movement, and I am hopeful of discussion with yourself and the Mahant on this subject. I am sorry you are indisposed and cannot come to our Gour Purnima festival in Mayapur. However, I am scheduling a visit to Vrindaban, approximately to arrive the 16th of Feburary or thereabouts. Then when I am there you can arrange, if possible, to meet with me. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Rajendra Sahai **Date:** May 13th 1977 > Sri Rajendra Sahai Bhakti Bhawan Fatehpur (U.P.)Reply 21A Feroze Gandhi Rd.Lajpatnagar III, New Delhi 110024CAMP: Risikesa My dear Sri Sahaiji, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter, undated. Regarding Sri Beni Madho Temple, I have already advised Sri Acarya Omkar Giri to see my friend Dr. G. Ghosh of Allahabad, for making a Deed of Gift. But I have not heard anything further in the negotiation. Perhaps you can let me know what has transpired in this regard. Hoping this finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Rajiva **Date:** January 6th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Delhi My dear Rajiva, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 3/1/77 and have noted the contents. Yes you may translate Bhagavad-gita. You're so enthusiastic. Krsna will give you strength. The more you serve the more you'll get strength. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Ramesvara **Date:** January 29th 1977 — **Location:** India Dear Ramesvara Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 24 with the enclosed newspaper, "The world Examiner". He has done this expertly, in the style of "The Reader's Digest", taking articles from different newspapers. Combinedly, it is a strong statement against the criminal position of "deprogramming". Distribute them widely, and if you can do itfreely that is also good. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Ramesvara **Date:** February 13th 1977 — **Location:** India Dear Ramesvara Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I have received a very favorable testimony of our Movement from the President of Indian Brain Research Association, Department of Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, Professor J.J. Ghosh. Dhira Krsna das, who obtained this letter writes that he has sent you the original. This will help us, and therefore I want it printed in prominent newspapers, even if we have to pay them to print it as and advertisement. Papers like the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times should carry it. Please do the needful. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Ramesvara **Date:** April 2nd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Los Angeles My dear Rameswar, Please accept my blessings. Now we are forming scientists party and we shall try with their help to establish Krishna consciousness as the genuine scientific movement of the world exposing the so-called scientists as nothing but speculators. Svarupa Damodara has received very good response here in India from the scientific community and there is good hope that many others will join him. He is returning to America for preparing some publications and when these are completed I have asked him to tour vigorously throughout the world lecturing with his other colleagues at all major institutions and universities. He has drawn up a budget of immediate needs, a copy of which is enclosed and I immediately sanction this amount. Whatever expenditure he requires supply him immediately from the BBT. I am prepared to give $10,000 or more monthly if required to finance this most important preaching program. So whatever money Svarupa Damodara needs must be supplied monthly and he will send you accounts. You can save this money by minimizing the expenditures in the luxury departments of Sanskrit and artists. We do not want these departments for the time being. One or two men must suffice for Sanskrit work. There is no need of new paintings. Whatever paintings we have, that is enough. There is no need of constantly making new variations on the same themes. So for the art department no more expenditure. If they want to continue painting let them come and live here in Bombay or in any of our other temples in India. We have got sufficient facilities now for accommodation and in this way we can save so much money. Svarupa Damodara has requested that Dravida das may come and help him with editing work. The scientists are publishing some booklets to be completed by their return here on Janmastami. If possible please arrange for Dravida das to join them. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Ramesvara **Date:** April 17th 1977 — **Location:** India My Dear Ramesvara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated March 26, 1977. Thank you very much for the Guru Daksina. Why not hold the Rathayatra on Janmastami? It comes at about the same time as you are planning and it will be very much appreciated. For Gaura-Nitai alone, Rathayatra is not at all recommended because They are playing the part of devotees. But as you are having three large carts you may arrange the following: Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai in the first ratha, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna in the second ratha and Sri Jagannatha, Balarama and Subhadra in the third ratha. I have received a letter from Caru dasa from Berkeley. He is worried that due to your Rathayatra no devotees will attend the San Francisco Jagannatha festival. This must not happen. Due to competition one program should not be diminished for another. San Francisco Jagannatha festival is established for many years, and it must be maintained and increased in the same grand style. As far as possible all of the devotees should attend it, as has been done in the previous years. You may also hold Rathayatra as described above in Los Angeles. In this way both festivals can be performed very grandly. Thank you for your prayers for my good health. Do not worry, I am working at night, a couple of hours, although I am not quite fit. I hope this meets you in best of health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Ramesvara **Date:** May 11th 1977 — **Location:** New Delhi > Hrsikesa My dear Ramesvara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 1st, 1977 along with all of the photographs and drawings. I have just sent you a telegram readings as follows:"ALL PAINTINGS OKAY BABY KRISHNA LYING DOWN"All of the artists' drawings are alright as they are showing, except for this one correction, that baby Krsna should be showing lying down, not standing up in front of Visnu. I am very glad to know that you are all working so hard to double the book distribution this year. Here in Risikesh Mahesh Yogi has his headquarters and he is training his disciples. But he has to pay each of them a regular monthly salary and give them vacations as well. So he is not so fortunate as I am, that I have so many sincere disciples that I do not have to pay them any salary nor do they ever ask for any vacation. Instead they are working twice as hard to double the book distribution. I am so much thankful to all of my sincere disciples who are working so hard to fulfill this great mission of Krsna consciousness. Jayananda's death is glorious. It is very good that he had stated, what is the use of such a useless body, better to give it up. He has left his body very wonderfully, and he has been transferred to Vaikuntha. I have already sent a condolence letter for publication in Back To Godhead. Everyone should follow the example of Jayananda. I am very proud that I had such a nice disciple. If possible Jayananda's picture should be hung in the ratha of Lord Jagannatha, and in all of our temples a day may be set aside for holding a festival in his honor, just as we do on the disappearance day of the other great Vaisnavas. All of the photos of the doll exhibit are very nice. As you have suggested I have written a letter to Ambarisa encouraging him about the doll exhibit for Washington D.C.From the photographs of the new construction I can see that in L.A. things are improving. Lord Dvarakadhisa is sitting there overseeing everything. He will give you all facility, simply you must cooperatively work together, faithfully following in the footsteps of the acaryas. You have written that the rent will pay back the loan and mortgages on the new building, but who will pay the rent if there are all brahmacaris living there? I am staying here in Risikesh in the best house. It is situated just on the Ganges and the climate is very first-class. Many persons are coming in the afternoon for darsana, and in every case they are going away very much impressed that our movement is not some concoction. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg --- His Holiness Ramesvara Swamic/o ISKCON Los Angeles ### Letter to Ranadhira **Date:** April 18th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Los Angeles My dear Ranadhira, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 8th, 1977 along with the enclosed review from "Choice." The review is very remarkable considering the importance of the journal, and I thank you very much for securing it. You have written: "We are all eager for the day when your books are recognized as the greatest masterpieces of all. We are all eager for the day when your books are the most demanded works in the library. We are sure that day is not far away." Yes, Krsna will fulfill your desire. Actually it is so. But because they are fools and rascals it will take some time. Regarding the error which the critic has noted about the location of Tirupati, I did not say so. It should be corrected. Do not worry. I have not stopped my business. I am writing at night even though I am not quite fit. Thank you all for your prayers. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks --- P.S. Thank you for sending me a copy of the anthology by Professor Robert S. Ellwood, Jr. They have quoted very nicely from our Krsna Book ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** January 23rd 1977 > Sriman Rupanuga das Adhikary ISKCON10310 Oaklyn Road,Potomac, Maryland 20854Nayapalli P.O. Bhubaneswara 12Dist. Puri, Orissa Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of December 24th, and studied the contents carefully. I have also noted the photocopy of the check for $1,000.00 and thank you very much. Regarding the book distribution in your zone, there is no pressure, but still you can try to improve. You have temples located in excellent cities for distribution, so why not increase it? I was very pleased to hear of the successful meeting with the parents in Washington D.C. Now gather opinions in writing from them. This opposition party is artificial. They have no standing. Make a little effort and they will be defeated. Sunday school for Indian children is very good, and you have knowledge how to educate. This should be done everywhere. If we give the Indian culture to their children they will be very appreciative. Regarding your proposal for becoming a lawyer, you can do it. If a GBC man becomes a good lawyer that is very good; utilize this opportunity by working with the lawyer. As for the deprogrammers in the Philadelphia area, let us take precaution; let the GBC decide how to handle it. Let the deprogrammers do their best and we will do ours, and everything depends on Krsna. If we simply remain sincere devotees, then "all glories to the Pandavas, on whose side Krsna is fighting." For Krsna was on Arjuna's side, otherwise Arjuna was like a fig compared to the generals on the other side. Arjuna said it was like crossing a sea of crocodiles. If someone says Krsna helped Arjuna but that was long ago, we say that Krsna is here now, the devotees are here now, and the business is the same. It has nothing to do with material time. If Montreal has such difficulty getting French books from Bhagavan in France, then why not open a BBT branch in L.A.? This can be settled by the GBC in Mayapur. As for Balavanta becoming a lawyer, it is not that we are concerned for many devotees to become lawyers. We can pay for a lawyer; rather we need strong workers. If you can become a lawyer it will be helpful, but not that many devotees have to become. But I can understand that Balavanta's becoming a lawyer is a trick to help his preaching for associating with important people in the government. Therefore it is all right. In this case we apply the principle, anukulasya sankalpam pratikulya vivarjanam (C.C. Madhya 22.97) "Whatever is favorable for Krsna should be done." Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Rupanuga **Date:** February 8th 1977 > Sriman Rupanuga das Adhikary ISKCON10310 Oaklyn Road,Potomac, Maryland 20854P.O. Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal, India Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I have received your monthly G.B.C. report dated January 24, and examined the contents. Regarding the one thousand dollar donation you were formally sending, other GBCs have been sending donations to the Mayapur-Vrindaban fund, or with the sankirtan collections to the BBT. You can send a donation to a new account I am just opening for construction of a temple at Panihati, an important place in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. The account is with the Central Bank of India, "ISKCON Panihati Gauranga Mandir" account, Camac St. branch, Calcutta. The branch will open our account in a day or two and I will send you the account number for sending a direct deposit. It is good news that our important center in Philadelphia may be situated in more prestigious quarters. Yes, the BBT can arrange the loan of $45,000 as you and the others arrange. Your emphasis to fight the deprogrammers by a program of education of parents is very good. You can send favorable letters by parents to other parents. Regarding your statement that our centers are not coordinating their efforts for education of parents, please do the needful at the GBC meeting. As for the devotee who is missing from Berkeley, immediately report to the police that we are suspecting the deprogrammers and they must act. They must take the case. If your new president Carter is actually a God-conscious man then he will be able to enact his God consciousness in political action. But there is a Bengali saying I have many times repeated, that if one shows devotional spirit too much it is a sign of a thief. Hoping this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Sajjanasraya **Date:** February 9th 1977 > Sriman Sajjanasraya das bramachari Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir Vrindaban, Mathura U.P.P.O. Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal Dear Sajjanasraya, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 11, and heard the contents. I think it is best that you come to Mayapur for the Gour Purnima Festival and we can talk in detail about the temple and preaching in Fiji and your part in it. If you can come to Mayapur that will be nice. You have asked a number of questions and they can be answered then. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdgN.B. --- Please bring information from [indistinct] ananda about construction work of both Gurukul and Gats. ACBS ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** January 1st 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Los Angeles My dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your zonal report dated December 13, 1976 and have noted the contents carefully. The parents' meeting in Detroit was very nice. It is a very good idea to organize a "Parents for Krishna" club. Try to do that. Regarding Chicago, why isn't the boy returned yet? He should be returned right away. I will be going to the Kumbha Mela around the 10th or 12th of this month. I will stay as long as possible up to three weeks. then we'll be going to Mayapur until the festival. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda --- N.B. Upon your recommendation I am pleased to accept the devotees you have recommended for initiation. Their names are as follows: Manu P.—Mahaprabhu dasa, Pujush D.—Purusottama dasa, Keith C.—Kulasekhar dasa, Gary C.—Gariyan dasa, Jim S.—Jaya dasa, Linda C.—Laksmipriya dasi, Robbie K.—Ramapriya dasi, Ann C.—Annapurna dasi. Now hold a fire ceremony and do the needful ### Letter to Satsvarupa **Date:** April 17th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Los Angeles My dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated March 25, 1977 along with the copy of "Readings in Vedic Literature."Yes, that is our aim, to destroy the position of the mundane scholars. Mundane scholars are called adhyksik, which means simply sense perceivers, no realization. Everyone has appreciated the substance of your book. This shows you are expert. Although you have quoted so many rascals, you have not become polluted nor has your book. Therefore I have sent you to Los Angeles for being the editor of Back To Godhead. Stick to your principles and be Krsna conscious. We have to prove to the world that anyone who is not Krsna conscious is a duskrtina and mudha. It is very good news that the book will be taken by many colleges and high schools as a textbook. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Saurabha **Date:** January 31st 1977 > Sriman Saurabha das Adhikary Hare Krishna Land Juhu Road, Juhu Bombay Nayapalli, Bhubaneswara 12Orissa, Dist. Puri Dear Saurabha, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 28, 1977 and read the contents. The quality of the work in Bombay must not suffer. I understand that formerly they were rushing to get it done, but now the quality is improved. This is wanted. However, the completion date should not be delayed more than October. Everything should be finished then. As for your invitation to help in construction projects in Bhubaneswara and Jagannath Puri, you have to help in every construction. But there is no hurry just now. Hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to S.B. Chavan **Date:** April 3rd 1977 > Chief Minister of Maharashtra Sachivalaya, Bombay Hare Krishna Land Juhu Road,Juhu, Bombay 400 054 Dear Shri Chavan: Kindly accept my greetings and extend the same to your good wife. I am so much obliged to you that you have lauded our activities throughout the world. This Krishna consciousness movement is based on deep science of the laws of nature. This human life is a boon to the conditioned soul to understand this science. I do not wish to take much of your valuable time but I would have been very much pleased that persons like you without any political prejudice come and take up this movement seriously and benefit the whole human society with this knowledge. At least in India where this knowledge was generated there must be some institution to know it perfectly and distribute it throughout the world. That will glorify India’s prestige. To broadcast India’s glorification is the duty of every Indian without any political differences. I wish that you may take some active part in this movement and thus magnify the prestigious position of India. Thank you very much for coming the other day and speaking so nicely about this Krishna consciousness movement. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Sivaram **Date:** February 13th 1977 > Sriman Sivaram das Brahmachary ISKCON 216 Ridgewood Avenue Minneapolis, Minn. USA 55403Sree Dham Mayapur Dist Nadia, West Bengal India Dear Sivaram, Please accept my blessings. I have received your report of January 18th and heard the contents. Regarding the persons who are opposing you in Minneapolis, we have to go on with our duty. This so called Christian says we are not a true religion and is opposing us because we have a different belief than his - but actually God is one. There cannot be two Gods, or a God of the Hindus, God of the Muslim, God of the Christian. Don't remain silent, but answer back in this way. Positively present our philosophy. They are misrepresenting us. We do not say one cannot be a Christian. We say be faithful to God. What is wrong in that? If one is a devotee of God, someone cannot argue against that. Just as gold is gold in anyone's hand. If a Hindu holds gold it is not Hindu gold, or Muslim gold. Gold is gold. We are preaching God consciousness. Love for God is equally applicable for all sects. Why should there be opposition? And because we are scientifically presenting love of God, we have 84 books published - this is unique in the world. No one can speak so scientifically in so many books. We have thorough, perfect knowledge while others have only a vague idea or only sentiment. Therefore others should not oppose us but should cooperate and learn about God from us. In this way make a positive presentation in the media and go on with your regular preaching program, chanting, distributing prasadam and distributing books. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to S.P. Malhotra **Date:** February 5th 1977 Sri S.P. MalhotraMalhotra Bhawan116 Koregaon ParkBombay3 Albert RoadCacutta 17Dear Smt and Shri S.P. Malhotra; Please accept my greetings. I was very gratified to receive your wonderful invitation. The invitation only reached me however after the event had passed. This was due to the fact I was touring in various places. I am hoping that when I come again to Bombay I will be able to meet with your family. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Sravanananda **Date:** February 5th 1977 > Sriman Sravanananda das P.O. Sree Dham Mayapur Dist Nadia W. Bengal3 Albert Road Calcutta 17 Dear Sravanananda, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 18, and heard the contents. The adventures of your transcendental boat party in distributing books from Mayapur to Sagar Island, are very pleasing to me. That you have distributed over 15,000 Bengali books thus far is very [missing word from letter] results. Your account of the reporter in Kologhat who was converted to our side is an example of successful preaching. If we meet one who is challenging us we should either defeat him or make him our friend. I know your party is already enthusiastic, but go on increasing and be sure that Krsna will help. Don't be afraid of the demons. As Krsna tells Arjuna, Kaunteya pratijanihi. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg ### Letter to Sri Govinda **Date:** February 1st 1977 — **Location:** Orissa > Puri Dear Sri Govinda, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter of January 20, and I have examined the contents. I am glad to hear you are enlivened at becoming editor of Back to Godhead magazine. This magazine must be edited very carefully. Nothing irresponsible should be printed, because in the future the articles in Back to Godhead will be taken as Vedic evidence. I am asking the GBC members to also concern themselves with the content of the magazine to assure that it meets the standards I am describing. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg --- Sri Govinda das3764 Watseka Ave. Los Angeles, California 90034 ### Letter to Sri Guptaji **Date:** January 3rd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Sri Raj Kumar Gupta > Chandigarh Dear Sri Guptaji: Please accept my greetings and sincere thanks for your kindly helping our movement in so many ways. The whole world is being misled by the blind leaders; they are keeping the people in darkness. Our present position is that we have got this human form of life after a great evolutionary process and this is the opportunity to understand God Krishna, and revive our original consciousness without which we are sure to go back to the cycle of birth and death. Krishna Consciousness movement is trying to save the people in general, religionists and philosophers, to save them from the downfall. Opening our center means to educate people in this great science. Krishna Consciousness is not a ism or simply blind following. It is based on authority; scientific and logical. I am so glad that you are trying to help us in opening this educational center in Chandigarh. Thank you very much for your help. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Srila Prabhupada **Date:** March 13th 1977 — **Location:** Unknown Place Dearest Srila Prabhupada, Let me first offer my fallen head under the petal-soft soles of your lotus feet, where I hope it will eternally remain. Out of pure causeless mercy and kindness you have given this coarse, gross materialist a taste of real pleasure derived from the ocean of devotional service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna and His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani. For that extraordinary gift I shall always be grateful and I beg you for the benediction that I shall never leave the service of your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace, the all-blissful Personality of servitor Godhead, and all glories to those most fortunate souls who are engaged by you in their real business of devotional service. I roll in the dust of their lotus feet! I just wanted to take the opportunity of expressing my heartfelt thanks for Your Divine Grace's kindness in allowing me to serve you these last sixteen months. I can honestly say that I have never been more satisfied at any time than when I had the opportunity to associate with you personally. Sri Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that a person who knows Him in truth is a very rare personality, and actually, as I have traveled all over India and the world with you I have seen these words substantiated. I am convinced beyond a doubt that only one person on this entire planet has really realized who the Supreme is and how to serve Him, and that person is you. There may be so many panditas, big big scholars, but Krsna says that the real pandita is the 'sama darsi,' that one who sees the equality of all living entities as part and parcels of the one Supreme Whole (mamaivamso jiva loke jiva bhuta sanatana [Bg. 15.7]). If anyone can be called 'pandita' it is you because you have practically demonstrated this equalness to all by engaging all persons from all parts of the world in service to Krsna, something which no one else, despite big words and much expellation of air, has been able to do. Even amongst the Vaisnavas you are a rare jewel set in the purest gold. The brightness of your devotion to Krsna outshines all others, and while they stay at home with the Deity and their bhajan, you boldly set forth to preach the message of Lord Caitanya and your Guru Maharaja. In recognition of this the Supreme Lord has agreed to live amongst the mlecchas and accept their poor hearted offerings. Without your devotion He could never have agreed to do this. Once in 1971, after you had installed Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krsna in Sydney in a 'temple' that was actually a converted garage, you prayed to Krsna that "Now I am living you in the hands of these rascals, so You kindly look after Yourself and see they serve You nicely." The following year you told us that story and commented that now you could see that He has done this and you encouraged us to go on increasing our service to the Lord more and more. Just recently also, you told us how, when the Bombay land dispute was going on and the demons tried to throw us off the land, you prayed to Krsna, "Sir, You kindly sit down tight and do not move from this place and I shall manage everything." Krsna did that; when the demons came to demolish the temporary temple you had constructed, they were stopped by 'outside' intervention just as they were about to remove the roof of the Deity room. Now, in fulfillment of your promise you have erected a most wonderful temple structure, certainly the best in Bombay, if not in India. These are proofs of your pure, unalloyed devotion and your determination to serve Him under any circumstance, 'ahaituki apratihata.'Just now in the west, the demons are combining to try and stop this wonderful movement of yours, but that will never be. Because you desire the welfare of all living entities Krsna will spread this movement everywhere and the demons will be vanquished. Now I am feeling very mixed emotions as I take leave of your lotus feet and venture off to try and enter the fire of preaching. I want very much to try to please you in all respects and I will do my best to spread whatever I have learned from you without envy or interpretation, and I beg of you your blessings in this regard. I also feel very much attached to your personal service, massaging your feet and doing whatever menial service I can, and if at any time in the future Your Divine Grace sees fit to have me back, I will immediately come. I know that my only business is to try and please you and that is all that makes me happy. Anything else is simply artificial and simply gives me suffering. Somehow or another I have become the most fortunate person to be your servant, so let that good fortune continue, forever, and wherever you go, kindly take this foolish person with you and engage him in your service in whatever way you see fit. Jaya, all glories to you Srila Prabhupada, the full moon of devotion to Sri Krsna. I beg to remain always licking up the dust of your lotus feet. Hari Sauri das. ### Letter to Subhavilasa **Date:** March 16th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur > Toronto My dear SubhaVilasa, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good wife Ashalata, and to your very nice children, Minakshi and Indresh. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 3rd, 1977, with enclosed photos. The farm you describe sounds nice and if you can supply grains, butter, etc. to Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa as you suggest, it is very good. From the photos it seems that it gets very cold there. Whether the weather will hinder the farming as happened at the Vancouver farm? There they were forced to sell the farm. The farm may be called "Subha Farm". I have already given general guidelines for our other farms. Whatever is available easily we can use. There is no objection to using electricity. But we should not be dependent upon it. Produce oil from castor seeds and stock the oil sufficiently. It can be used in so many ways—for burning, grease, cooking, and as a purgative to cure all diseases. And oxen can be used for driving carts and go preaching village to village. What is the question of killing them? Here in India our Lokanatha Maharaja has successfully organized such a program and it is a great success. He has traveled all over India and everywhere they distribute books, prasadam and perform kirtana. Each night they stop at a different village. We can introduce many millions of such carts all over the world. As far as possible try to adjust to a natural way of life free from dependence on machines. But our principle should be that we are against nothing and for nothing. Only for Krishna. We want whatever is favorable for Krishna. From the farms we should get sufficient foodstuffs and these can be sent to be used at our restaurants. Along with the restaurants there can be "Bhaktivedanta Reading Room" where all my books can be kept and people can come and sit comfortably and read. The people will like these restaurants and reading rooms. They will take them as non-sectarian. Why should anyone work at a place where meat is served? Are there no other jobs? There is never any good reason for this. There is no unusual circumstance for eating where meat is served. Such places should be avoided altogether. So far my coming to North America this year, that I cannot say yet. I hope this meets you and all your family well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Sudama **Date:** January 13th 1977 — **Location:** Allahabad > New York My Dear Sudama Swami, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated Jan. 3rd and have noted the contents. It is nice that you are enthusiastically engaged in New York. I have no objection to your worshiping my murti for Guru Puja. But for placing in the temple there must be a pair of murtis, (my Guru Maharaja must be there) as in Krsna-Balarama Mandir, and they must be permanently installed. This may be done in accord with the temple authorities. Or else you may worship one murti of myself privately in your room. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds ### Letter to Surendra Kumar **Date:** April 29th 1977 — **Location:** BombaySri Surendra Kumar > 'Saket,' Morris Road,Aligarh, U.P.Hare Krsna Land Juhu Road,Juhu, Bombay 400 054 My dear Surendra Kumarji, Please accept my blessings and also the same to your good wife, son, daughter-in-law and grand-children. I beg to thank you for your letter dated the 26th April, 1977.I am coming to a place near Gwalior by the 7th of May, 1977. The exact address is c/o Adarsh Seva Sangha, Pohri District, Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh. I shall be staying there for at least four days so you can come there with your family and I shall be very glad to meet you all. I am progressing in my health little by little. My only disease now is I don't have any appetite. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Sushil Kumar Arora **Date:** April 17th 1977 > Mr. Sushil Kumar Arora Golden Lotus Limited P.O. Box 761 Station AToronto 1 Ontario, Canada Hare Krishna Land,Juhu Road,Juhu, Bombay 400 054 My dear Sauri dasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated March 22nd, 1977 which has only now reached me having been forwarded to Vrndavana. Be assured, Krsna will give you all facilities gradually. Your attitude is nice, very humble. Maintain that attitude and gradually you will get all the facilities you require for serving Krsna. Thank you very much for your nice donation. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami --- ACB/tkg ### Letter to Swami Sri Radhey Baba **Date:** March 30th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Swami Sri Radhey Baba Siddha Baba-Ka-Asthan Kachchi Sarak-Mathura, U.P My dear Sri Radhey Baba, Please accept my greetings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 24 March, 1977.I was expecting to come to Vrndavana to be with my disciples during the Gaura Purnima time but I was suddenly forced to change my plans due to illness. Now, by the grace of Krishna, I am gradually recovering. Sooner or later we have to give up this body, but a Vaisnava may live or die for in either case he is always serving his Lord Krishna. So whatever Krishna's desire is, we are quite agreeable to it. As you are eager to see me, I am also eager to see you, but as to when I shall be returning to Vrndavana I cannot say. You can take information from time to time from my disciples as to when I shall be expected to be there, and when I come we shall be able to spend time together. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Swami Sri Radhey Baba **Date:** April 8th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Swami Sri Radhey Baba Siddha Baba-Ka-Asthan Kachchi Sarak, Mathura U.P My dear Radhey Baba, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 4th April, 1977 along with the enclosed essay entitled "Back."The essay is very good and I thank you for it. You have very nicely understood and described the meaning of "Back to Godhead." I am sending your article to the editor of our Back to Godhead Magazine in Los Angeles, Sri Satsvarupa Goswami, for publication. Hoping this meets you well. Yours faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Swarupa Damodar **Date:** January 24th 1977 > Sriman Swarupa Damodar das Brahmacharyc/o ISKCON/ Hare Krishna Land Juhu Beach, Bombay 400 054Nayapalli P.O. Bhubaneswara 12Dist. Puri, Orissa Dear Swarupa Damodar, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 15, and have studied the contents. I was very much anxious to hear from you, and now I hear you have gone to Manipur. You can do good work there. Manipur has been an historic place for thousands of years. Arjuna married the daughter of the Manipur king, and his son became the King. You are, therefore, descending from the original Kshatriyas. Now you bring the knowledge of Bhagavad-gita, revive Manipur's Kshatriyism and save Vaishnavism. For this purpose of preaching in Manipur I can go in any condition of life. I have great respect for Manipur, which was a Kshatriya kingdom long before Arjuna. You can do it, you are educated and a devotee, and we shall all help you. That is wanted. Everything can be achieved by bhakti. Make a Manipur temple like Vrindaban and Navadwipa. The people there have to be a little educated in the right line, and then the whole Manipur people will support you. If you make arrangements, then whenever you say, I shall go there. It is good that you got your immigration status in the U.S. They only allow qualified men who can do good, so it is a good achievement. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to The Manager **Date:** February 28th 1977 Sri Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir Guest House, and Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir Guest House (Vrindaban)Sri Mayapur Chandradoya MandirP.O. Sreedham Mayapur, Dist. Nadia, West Bengal. Please give Sri Brahma Gopal Dutta and his family free accommodation in a private room in our guest house whenever he comes as well as Prasadam. If he wishes to stay beyond three (3) days, he will pay the normal guest rates. Mr. Dutta is from Katwa. Alone he can stay as long as he likes. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Tikandas Batra **Date:** January 3rd 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Chandigarh My dear Tikandas Batra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 27, 1976, and have noted the contents. In answer to your questions, sastra says that only for progeny there should be sex, otherwise no sex, "dharmaviruddho bhutesu kamo 'smi." No "indriyartha," for sense gratification there should be no sex. But, this sterilization is for sense gratification. That is most sinful. The Indian government is becoming demonic because those who elect the government are becoming demonic. You can prepare for M.A. examination and live with us. Why not come and live with us? You are a single man. You are in Bombay. What is the difference? Then you can help us as far as possible and at the same time continue your studies. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to To Whom It May Concern **Date:** January 26th 1977 Nayapalli, Bhubaneswara, 12,Orissa, Dist. Puri, IndiaTo Whom It May Concern; By this letter of certification I fully authorize my representative, Robert Corens (initiated name, Rupanuga das Adhikary), to negotiate and complete the sale of property owned by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness located, 4544 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63108.Respectfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg --- Founder-Acarya, ISKCON ### Letter to Tracy and Rita **Date:** February 15th 1977 > Tracy Humphreys Rita Baker25 Labouchere Road South Perth 6151Western Australia, Australia P.O. Sree Dham Mayapur Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal INDIA Dear Tracy and Rita, Please accept my blessings. I have received your note and thank you for your contribution. Continue chanting and associating with devotees and your spiritual growth will be assured. In this way, be happy, that is my blessing. I want to see the whole world happy in this way - that is my only ambition. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Turiya (Alice Coltrane) **Date:** March 12th 1977 > Turiya (Alice Coltrane)c/o Ramesvara Swami ISKCON3764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, California 90034Sri Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir,P.O. Sreedham Mayapur,Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal, India My dear Turiya, Please accept my blessings. I have listened to your new record album, "Radha-Krsna Nama-Sankirtana," and am very pleased with your chanting. You have become transcendental. Now continue to keep yourself in that transcendental state and your life will be successful. As soon as you chant Govinda Jaya Jaya and Hare Krishna Mahamantra you are no longer in the material world. These are the Vedic verses in favor of chanting:yan-namadheya-sravananukirtanad / yat-prahvanad yat-smaranad api kvacit /svado'pi sadyah savanaya kalpate / kutah punas to bagavan nu darsanat.ahe bata sva-pacc'to gariyan / yaj-jihvagre vartata nama tubhyamepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya / brahmanucur nama grnanti ye"To say nothing of the spiritual advancement of persons who see the Supreme Person eye to eye, even a person born in the family of dog-eaters immediately becomes eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices if he once utters the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or chants about Him, hears about His pastimes, offers Him obeisances or even remembers Him. Oh how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name! Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable. Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all good manners of the Aryans. To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas and fulfilled everything required."(Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 3, Ch. 33, v6- [missing text]So here the spiritual potency of chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord is greatly stressed. The holy name has to be chanted to please the Supreme Lord, and not for any sense gratification. If this pure mentality is there then you become so glorious that not only do you become purified yourself, but you become competent to deliver others. So go on doing this nicely and Krishna will help you make advancement in Krishna consciousness. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Turyadas **Date:** February 27th 1977 — **Location:** Mayapur My dear Turyadas Prabhu, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt your letter dated Feb.16, 1977.Please continue to increase the deity worship and teach others to become a very good pujari like you. When I see my disciples doing deity worship nicely that engladdens me. 'Sevonmukhe hi jivadau/ svayam eva sphuraty adah', God realization is possible only by service. That is the only way. He is adhoksaja. 'Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajantam priti purvakam/ dadamibuddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te', When one engages in devotional service, Krishna gives intelligence from within. Otherwise, how the unlimited can be served by the limited? So please continue to make the worship more and more beautiful. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Tusta Krsna Swami **Date:** February 4th 1977 > His Holiness Tusta Krsna Swami PO Box 82, Mairangi Bay, Auckland New Zealand3 Albert Road Calcutta 17 Dear Tusta Krsna Maharaj, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 19, and have heard the contents. Certainly we are opposed to abortion, and we can advise that it is not good, but do not take an active part in this political agitation against abortion. We are not much concerned in that way, so do not waste time approaching politicians or affiliating with others on the basis of the anti-abortion issue. We are Krsna Conscious and we are for Krsna Consciousness; that is our issue. Abortion is only a side issue. Whatever you have done that is all right, but concentrate now on our main business to make everyone Krsna Conscious. Our method is simple as taught by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: chant Hare Krishna and distribute prasadam. And if we find someone who is a little educated, try to distribute a book to him, and with the profit we can maintain. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Uthal **Date:** January 13th 1977 — **Location:** Allahabad > West Germany Dear Uthal dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 31st and have noted the contents. I do not think this ship will be successful. Getting and managing a farm is a good proposal. I am encouraging farm projects everywhere. That is a very important, solid program. So do this enthusiastically and Krsna will be pleased. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds ### Letter to Vasudeva **Date:** January 23rd 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara My Dear Vasudeva, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 13rd January and have noted the contents. Yes, Krsna will give you strength because you are so sincere. I simply want to see that you, your wife and your whole family become perfect Vaisnavas, Krsna's devotees. Remain in your position and try to understand the philosophy—that will make you perfect. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva, jivanti sanmukharitam bhavadiya-vartam, sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanuvan-manobhir, ye prayaso jita jito-py asi tais tri-lokyam. Ramananda Raya said (to Lord Caitanya), "Lord Brahma said (to Krsna), 'My dear Lord, those devotees who have thrown away the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth and have therefore abandoned discussing empiric philosophical truths should hear from self-realized devotees about Your holy name, form, pastimes and qualities. They should completely follow the principles of devotional service and remain free from illicit sex, gambling, intoxication, and animal slaughter. Surrendering themselves fully with body, words and mind, they can live in any asrama or social status. Indeed, You are conquered by such persons, although You are always unconquerable.' " (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Ch. 8 Text 67)The purport is, don't become over intelligent. Just hear from the self-realized soul. If you sincerely, seriously hear from the realized soul, then one day, although nobody can conquer Him, you will be able to conquer Krsna. It is very good news that the temple will be ready in late March. I have now instructed Ramesvara Swami and Bali Mardan dasa Adhikari, who I have sent to Australia to help manage there, to make all the final arrangements for the Deities, pujaris, etc. Ramesvara will contact you very soon about these details. So far my going for the opening of the temple, and installing the Deities, if my health is physically fit, then I can come in late April or early May, and if the temple can be opened then. So please go on and do everything nicely and I will try to see you then. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Vasudeva **Date:** April 16th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Lautoka, Fiji My dear Vasudeva: Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 5th and 6th April, 1977, and I have noted the contents respectively. Enclosed please find a "message" which you can use when you print your souvenir issue commemorating the opening of the temple. Also enclosed is an article entitled "Who is Harijan?" written by Tamala Krishna Goswami which can be included in the issue. I shall try to send you a special article by separate post in the absence of which you can print any of my shorter essays like "On Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra" which you can take from by book or our Back To Godhead magazines. Regarding Bali Mardan, he is now here in Bombay and will be in charge of our international guesthouse. I have suggested that Ramesvara Swami be the GBC for Fiji, and I think Tamala Krishna has already written you about this. Your suggestion that I come to Fiji for recovering my health is very good. We are now thinking of going to Kashmir. When my program is definitely fixed up then I will let you know further. I know that your new house is very nice with a good view and that you and your family will take very good care of me. Let us see our program here then I shall let you know. My health is very slowly improving. I am simply trusting in Krishna. I hope this meets you and all your family members very well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tks ### Letter to Vasudeva **Date:** September 6th 1977 — **Location:** Bhaktivedanta Manor > Lautoka, Fiji My Dear Vasudeva, Please accept my blessings. Today I have received a report from Ramesvara Maharaja describing the Grand Opening ceremony of the Sri Krsna-Kaliya Temple at Fiji. I am so much pleased that this occasion has been celebrated so successfully. I pray that Kaliya-Krsna bless you with all intelligence and strength for pushing this great movement of Krsna consciousness forward to all the people of your country. You have worked so sincerely and now Krsna has personally appeared. In his letter Ramesvara has written, "Our plan is to continue expanding book distribution and try to get literally thousands of Hindus to begin chanting japa. In short, my report is that Fiji could easily become the first country in the world to have a Krsna conscious government, and Vasudeva is the perfect devotee to help accomplish this task." May Ramesvara Maharaja's words come true. By your example teach all of the citizens to become ideal Vaisnavas, faithfully following the regulative principles and chanting regularly the Hare Krsna mantra. Worship the Deity very gorgeously with full attention to regularity and cleanliness. Distribute ample quantities of sumptuous prasadam to everyone who visits Kaliya-Krsna. This program will make us successful. And in the morning and evening hold regular Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita discourses, but do not allow any rascal professional receiters to discourse in our temple. Only initiated disciples should be allowed to speak on the subject matter of Krsna consciousness. Now I have come to the West in a broken condition of health. In such condition no one would think of touring. An ordinary man would prepare for death. But I am not afraid of death, so why not let me see once again all of my beloved disciples and the Temples all over the world. When I go to Hawaii this winter I shall be very much eager to come to Fiji and to see you at that time. Until then go on very enthusiastically and try to make all of the citizens Krsna conscious. Hoping this meets you and all of your family members in the best of health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Vegavan **Date:** January 5th 1977 — **Location:** Bombay > Stockholm My dear Vegavan, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 76/12/27 along with two copies of the Russian Easy Journey to Other Planets. Thank you very much. This is very, very good. I'm very pleased. It is another epoch making event. I'm sending one copy to the Russian embassy here and asking for their comment and opinion. The inclusion of my conversation with Professor Kotovsky is welcome. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda ### Letter to Vegavan **Date:** February 13th 1977 — **Location:** West Bengal Dear Vegavan, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of 19 January and examined the contents. It gives me great pleasure to hear that the Bhagavad-gita As It Is will soon be published in the Swedish language. On your recommendation, I have accepted the two devotees for first initiation, and their spiritual names are as follows: Ryno Svensson---------Raivata DasaHelga Svensson-------Hiranyangi DasiI have also accepted Yogendra Das Brahmacari for second initiation. Enclosed find one sanctified thread and the gayatri mantra. Have him hear the recording of me in the right ear. You may hold a fire yajna for the first initiations. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Vidyapati **Date:** January 27th 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara, Orissa Singapore Dear Vidyapati, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated January 12, and have studied the contents. I am very pleased with your activities there and advise you to go on with kirtana. You say there is a small community there taking part in kirtana and prasadam distribution, so try to increase it as far as possible, according to time and place in the situation you find in Singapore. You lament that you are not qualified to present Krsna Consciousness properly, but this is the qualification: hold kirtanas with your friends, read passages from my books, distribute prasadam and try to get more people to read the books. That you are already doing. You don't need to establish a temple, but gradually get funds and organize. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ### Letter to Visvadharini **Date:** January 12th 1977 — **Location:** Allahabad > Bombay Dear Visvadharini dasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 9.1.77 and have noted the contents. Our strength is in following the regulative principles and chanting 16 rounds japa. Then Krsna will give you protection. We don't believe in material protection, like so-called family, friends, etc. Dehapatya-kalatradisu, atmasainyassv asatsv api, tesam pramatto nidhanam, pasyann api na pasyati. "Persons devoid of atma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children, wife, etc. Although sufficiently experienced, still they do not see their inevitable destruction" [ SB 2.1.4 ]. We do strongly believe in Krsna's protection. Real, spiritual protection is firm faith in Krishna. So go on with your real life as Krsna's devotee. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds ### Letter to V.V. Mirashi **Date:** April 16th 1977 > Shri V.V. Mirashi Retired Professor of Sanskrit Vidarbha Samshodhan Mandal,Pashim High Court Mag,Nagpur 440 001Hare Krishna Land,Juhu Road,Juhu, Bombay 400 054 Dear Shri Mirashi: I beg to thank you for your letter dated 11-4-1977. I have especially designed my books in such a way that they will be appreciated by scholarly persons like yourself and therefore it gives me great satisfaction to know that you have appreciated our humble effort. Thank you very much for your kind words. Your faithfully, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Yamuna **Date:** February 5th 1977 — **Location:** CalcuttaLT > _770205_B1 Dear Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 18, and studied the contents. The picture of your Radha Krishna deities is very good. They appear to be like the Radha Govinda deities of Mullick Thakur which I used to see from my childhood. Yes, go on with your program. Live a simple life. Take a little milk and food grains, chant Hare Krishna and worship Sri Sri Radha Krishna deity, that's all. That will make you perfect. Hoping this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg --- Smte. Yamuna devi dasiSri Sri Radha Vanabehari MandirMurphy, Oregon 97533 ### Letter to Yasasvini **Date:** January 20th 1977 — **Location:** Bhuvane > śvara Nairobi My dear Yasasvini dasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 10th and noted the contents. Thank you very much. Now my request to you is that you go on faithfully chanting daily 16 rounds at least and follow all our principles, and Krsna will help you advance in Krsna consciousness. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:rds ### Letter to Yasomatinandan **Date:** April 27th 1977 > Sriman Yasomatinandan das Adhikaric/o ISKCON Ahmedabad Hare Krsna Land,Juhu Road,Juhu, Bombay 400 054 My dear Yasomatinandan, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 22nd, 1977 which has arrived here on the 26th instant. By the time this letter reaches you the installation ceremony will have already been performed and the initiation for the brahmanas must have already taken place. The invitation card is nicely done and it must have been a very successful ceremony Now that you have welcomed Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai to Ahmedabad, you must take care of Their Lordships very nicely. The key to Deity worship is regularity and cleanliness. Everything must be offered on time to Their Lordships, and everyone who serves Them as well as everything prepared for Them must be very clean. Please personally see that Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai are given all attention. By getting Their blessings, you will become Krsna conscious and everyone else who you come into contact with will also. Regarding Jesus Christ, unfortunately he could not meet such nice devotees as I have met. Jesus said, Thou shalt not kill, but their first business was to kill him. And still this killing is going on. In that sense I am very fortunate to have assistants like you. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/tkg ### Letter to Yasomatinandan **Date:** April 28th 1977 > Sriman Yasomatinandan das Adhikaric/o ISKCON Ahmedabad Hare Krsna Land,Juhu Road,Juhu, Bombay 400 054 My dear Yasomatinandan, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 26th April, 1977.From your report and the report of Pradyumna I can understand that the installation ceremony was performed very nicely. This is the first impetus in Allahabad. Now you organize everything very nicely. The Gujerati people are natural devotees, so if you organize them, they will come out first-class devotees. There is no doubt about this. Organize the performance of kirtan and distribution of prasadam as far as possible. That will guarantee automatic success. I have seen the Gujerati Back to Godhead and it has been done very nicely in an improved way. Hoping this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami