If you go there through India, overland, of course that will be cheaper for you, but it will also be a very, very difficult journey with many unfortunate or disturbing incidents. There may be chance for becoming sick also, or you may be sometimes robbed or cheated, like that. It will not be very pleasant thing. I think once before Hamsaduta and Himavati had gone to Europe from India that way, and they were telling me how much difficulty they had. Besides that, you will be taking so much time, I think at least one month, so why not utilize the time better for preaching work? So you are both young and adventurous, that I can appreciate, and you have got the energy for it, and you may go there in that way, I have no objection, but if you collect money in Australia, that is a rich country, I think there must be some charter flights or cheap airline flights from Australia to London, why not go to Europe the easy way and save time? Anyway I am coming to Australia by 1st of February, so we may discuss it further when I shall come there. Or if you have got plans for immediately going to Sweden, then you may go, I shall be very happy if you will open one center there on behalf of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thank you for desiring to help me in this way.
Collect (Letters 1972 - 1973)
Correspondence
1972 Correspondence
I hope that Mayapur festival preparations are going on and I am awaiting news from you. Just now Tamala has received one telegram from you reading:
"Plans underway Mayapur pandal Absolutely imperative Giriraja return immediately Calcutta for collecting."
In Madras Giriraja reports that there is good field. He is expecting to make at least one life member daily and distribute many books to bookstores. Two men have already joined him from Delhi. So as long as there is good field he should remain there. Thereafter he may return to Calcutta.
Please take quotation for the printing of a Bengali book—page 5" x 3 1/2", with very nice paper and softbound, about 100 pages long. When I receive the quotation I will send you a Bengali poem that I have written on the Bhagavad-gita called "Gitargan." All of the pamphlets and small books which you mention you would like to print you may go ahead and do so. Try to collect cent percent of the funds needed for printing, but I will pay up to 50% of the printing costs. So print these books immediately. Send me quotations and descriptions of what you want to print. I am prepared to pay you up to 50% from the Book Fund.
Very soon we shall begin constructing the Temple there, and our devotees from all over India will come there to live in tents and build and collect money. For this collecting money, we shall require that some of our men go every day into Bombay some distance away for seeing rich men and persuading them to give something. And I think for this purpose a suitable van or bus from Germany would be very nice. If you like, you may purchase there and drive here in that van as soon as possible and then go back. Syamasundara has written to Karandhara that he may assist you in sending money to purchase, so you may consult Karandhara.
I have received the plan from Bhavananda and it is nice. Please try very hard to get those permits, as we must be all assembled there for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day.
So far Acyutananda's book is concerned, I have already written that you should try to collect at least 50% of the printing costs there, and all of the costs if you can, but the Book Fund, if absolutely necessary, will pay up to 50%. So far the other books in English which you mention, if you find a good printer you may order the plates to be sent here from Karandhara and they must be printed immediately. If such books are inexpensively available to all Indian people, that will give our preaching work a great boost, so try for it very seriously.
The plain business is that the press is to be submitted the manuscript, they will print and deliver, and then for distributing our office will take necessary action. The magazines should be sent according to the order of the different centers and they should be responsible for the payment of the bill, and when bills are collected, money should be directly deposited in Book Fund Account.
I do not think there will be difficulty if we just go there like the ordinary pilgrims and set up our camp there for kirtana continuously. Anyone will see we are only serious devotees of Lord Caitanya and not Pakistani spies. So I think you should plan that we shall definitely be coming to Mayapur and hold a grand festival there for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day celebrating. You may collect advertisements for Mayapur on this basis that somehow or other we shall go there.
One more thing, those One-Rupee Coupons, they may be given one book of Gitar Gan also, and 50% will go to Book Fund, 50% to Building Fund. In this way 10,000 books will be distributed very easily.
So how many thousands have been printed, and how they have been distributed? Last month I sent you Rs. 4000/= in favor of Radha Press. So you have already collected some money by selling Hindi BTG in Jaipur, so did you send this money to Book Fund Account? Rohininandana was ready to go to you, but you have sent news through Gurudasa that because he was not too much anxious that he is not needed. But if Rohininandan's assistance is required he can join you, I have no objection. For financing this publication department of Hindi language, side by side recruiting Life Members must be done. I have written a letter in this connection to Ramananda, and a copy is enclosed herewith. His proposal is that Hindi publishing department should be done by you and Ramananda without any interference by other Foreign members.
Did you pay already $100 before? If not, the balance remains $200.
I am especially pleased that you are compiling booklets for ISKCON Press. Yes, that is their best work: small booklets and pamphlets. Leave the big books to Dai Nippon. Meanwhile, Syamasundara has collected many tapes of me lecturing in Africa and India, and he is sending them to Jaya Advaita for transcribing. He shall request Jayadvaita to make one copy of each for sending to you also, and also one copy for the Krishna Radio Show in Los Angeles.
A few days back we have purchased a large 20,000 sq. yd. plot of land in the wealthy and most beautiful neighborhood of Bombay, and I have called Brahmananda here from Africa to work with the others to raise up our first Hare Krishna City, with very nice temple and skyscraper apartments. In March, upon returning from Mayapur, I shall lay the cornerstone and the work will begin. We have collected sufficient funds to begin the work, and the rest will not be difficult to get. Part of the space will be used for a school and college of this Krishna Consciousness, especially to attract the bright young Indian boys and girls, so I think that you shall have to come here in future to take charge of such institution of learning, either in Bombay or in Mayapur.
Why you delayed so long? Now we have no Hindi magazines to distribute, either in Madras or Visakhapatnam, so I think things are not being managed very well, because, even there may be now 2000 magazines in Bombay, also there is no one there now to distribute them, nor will anyone be there until March, so you must take all these things into account, because unless the magazines are distributed nicely, what is the use of printing them? Also, I note that only Rs. 850/- was collected from Jaipur, but I was told by you and by others that more than 1000 magazines were sold. Kindly clear up this matter. And why no magazines (by 10th February) have been sent to Calcutta. There are many Hindi-speaking people there, practically the business community is all Hindi-speaking, so why they have not received any BTG's?
I have heard that Americans like to go to the Caribbean islands in the winter where it is very warm, so if they are devotees also, as we may gradually recruit them, they may want to have their apartments there to take advantage of the climate and the pure devotional atmosphere at the same time. So let us see what develops.
As soon as the Deed is signed and you have collected local funds, please start immediately as per your plan, and I am very much engladdened by the news that you are establishing something nice there. If it is not difficult, I can come there when I visit Dallas later this year. They have also just got a nice building for our Gurukula school for children in Krishna Consciousness. Similarly, Miami has just got a big church and they have invited me also, so let us see what will happen by Krishna's desire.
Krishna Prasad is always all right. The consideration of spoiling foodstuff after 3 hours, that is ordinary or it is so for persons who are not advanced in accepting Krishna prasada as transcendental, just like Ragunatha Goswami: he was collecting rejected rice from the cooking of Lord Jagannatha and he was eating only that. So this is a higher stage, so for the time being you should know that Krishna prasada is never contaminated by any material source.
Now Brahmananda is in charge here, and there is a huge land and we are occupying it in tents and small cottages like Mayapur cottage and the work is immense. So Gargamuni is collecting also not less than two Life Members daily, but his collection goes toward our Vrindaban construction work. So now things are not going very nicely in Nairobi because Brahmananda has left, so I shall have to send him back there tomorrow, therefore I wanted that you should come here to assist Madhudvisa and __ by collecting profusely, and I think there will be no difficulty here because there is such rich population. Madhavananda can go from Mayapur to Calcutta to help Bhavananda collect there, and you shall come here at the soonest.*
I have requested Saurabha, our new Holland devotee in Bombay, who is an excellent designer, to send you plans for the Vrindaban scheme, but meanwhile you should concentrate on collecting as much cement, sand, stone chips, and steel as possible and stockpile them, along with bricks, etc. Meanwhile Gargamuni is collecting very nicely in Bombay for Vrindaban scheme, so you have not to worry about money as he will be in charge of that department, so you may correspond with him frequently and work together all of you for making this Vrindaban project a heaven on earth.
I am advising Saurabha das, our new Holland devotee in Bombay, who is an expert designer, to draw up the plans for Vrindaban project, and he will be sending you in due course. Meanwhile you must stockpile enormous quantities of cement, sand, rock chips, bricks, etc., along with steel, so you may cooperate with Gurudasa and others to work very hard for securing ample supply of these things. Gargamuni is collecting funds in Bombay for Vrindaban scheme, so he will be in charge of getting money, and you may also help by getting rich men to contribute.
In Bombay there are many charitable institutions and Trusts, so if you approach them and they are convinced about our activities, enough money can be collected intelligently. I never suggested for a round building. Every inch of the available land should be utilized for a skyscraper. I do not know if Saurabha has made any designs. If so, let him send them to me, along with site plan, so I may make suggestions and give him direction how to do it.
Now, so far the BTG and Book Funds are concerned, these matters shall be managed separately from the GBC by a body known as The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. The Book Trust shall be comprised of Srila Prabhupada, Karandhara dasa, and Bali Mardan dasa. They shall combinedly collect the sales proceeds from each Center and utilize all funds for the printing of Srila Prabhupada's books and the construction of ISKCON Centers all over the world. Not a farthing is to be spent for any other purpose.
The Book Trust shall see to the printing and distribution to Centers of books and magazines and it will be the serious responsibility of each Temple President to see that the billed amounts for these are paid to the BTG and Book Funds regularly. The billings and collections shall come from and to Los Angeles where Karandhara dasa will collect and keep accounts. We request that everyone will take these formulas to heart and execute them very conscientiously. In this way we shall certainly be successful in pushing on this movement.
Especially you may try for wholesale book distributing through Rupa and Co., and you may inform them that yesterday 1,500 3-volume sets, or 4,500 books, of paperback-size Krishna Books were dispatched to Bombay from here, and that in the near future many more books are to be shipped to India, so there will be always regular supply. All money collected from these books can be used in building there in India, you have not got to pay for them, so try to increase sales in this way and practically you can finance Mayapur in this way.
Ksirodakasayi is in charge of the building and other things in Vrindaban, along with Gurudasa and you are in charge of the financial aspect of Vrindaban project. I have asked that the fence be built, and they have got it done very cheaply. You can sometimes go to Vrindaban to see, but your job is to take the Sankirtana party out for collecting. They shall be able to manage very well there, of this I am sure. So far decorating my rooms, give this job to Yamuna. Collection of grains has been done very nicely by Gurudasa from the American government. Plans of the temple, detailed program—all these things are already taken care of, they are not your job. The real thing, money, is in your hands. Tamala Krishna has already taken his party to Bangladesh, so any assistance you can give him by way of advice or addresses will help. But you should concentrate on book sales and collecting with your SKP in various rich quarters in India.
Tamala Krishna has already taken his party to Bangladesh, so any assistance you can give him by way of advice or addresses will help. But you should concentrate on book sales and collecting with your SKP in various rich quarters in India. Now we have sent many books lately to India, Gurudasa has got a full description, and he is getting CCP clearance permission. Now you settle amongst yourselves on some programme for distributing these and many other books, I don't care at what price __ sell, because all you can collect will go for building for Vrindaban, and Mayapur only, no question of 50/50 division. The books are being sent to you free, so you raise money __ In the absence of Madhudvisa, you take charge of the school __ Sarasvati's arati will help. I have given her the name leader __ very happy when she's called leader.
So far whatever BTG's you have printed in India, whatever has been issued to the centers, they must now pay you, you send them bills. I shall notify Calcutta and Bombay to pay you. 4,000, 5,000 copies each issue printed, where they have been distributed and how the money is being collected? There was some money with Radha Raman Goswami, whether he has paid it? So collect wherever you have given BTG's. I have given you Rs. 4000/- on BTG account. This must be returned and deposited in the Book Fund Account in Bombay.
So I do not think it is wise to get that big store and start a big business with many departments. That will distract. Our main business is to become Krishna Conscious and to convince others through preaching work. Therefore, we do not want to strive for making big business and lots of money. Of course, money is required, but better to sell many, many books and collect in that way.
If you are selling daily average of 2,000 literatures, why so little money is being paid by you on these debts? 60,000 pieces of literature per month means you should send the entire amount collected until this debt is completely eliminated. It is not good if such big temples who are setting the example for the whole Society do not pay their bills. This is most irregular. I am trying to retire from the administrative affairs, but if the presidents and GBC men make such disturbances then how I can be peaceful? Things should be maintained automatically, then it will be peaceful for me.
Your idea for helping Vrindaban by sending money upon their sending you invoices will be very nice. But there is no need to keep all the money in Bombay, as suggested by Giriraja to Gurudasa. They have made a very nice plan for Vrindaban, more gorgeous than Bombay plan but also quite costly, but they are also collecting nicely and I have requested them to go ahead as they see fit. The present construction of fencing, etc., they have paid for collecting locally. Ksirodakasayi has promised me: "I am planning to make a very big program to collect at least 25,000 rupees per month average for our project." So they are doing something enthusiastically, so let them do it. What is there in occupying a post, we simply want to serve Krishna, and if you also can collect this amount then combinedly the construction can go on very nicely and quickly.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 5, 1972, and I have noted the contents. You can accept Suri's plan, it is very nice, so you execute it perfectly. That will be the grandest temple in Vrindaban. May be a little costly, but if you can collect Rs. 25,000 per month and also Gargamuni can collect Rs. 25,000 per month, then it can be done nicely.
In the Hindi BTG there are so many mistakes, spelling, grammar, and some places the philosophy is faulty with some other ideas mixed in; the printing is shabby, the second page is almost invisible. So this has to be improved somehow or other. Dr. Kapoor has remarked exactly. So you may inform Ksirodakasayi, and you try to help him for improving Hindi BTG.
So far the building plans, they are nice. I have already sent telegram to Cyavana reading as follows "Fully approve your plans. Go forward immediately," and I have sent you the copy of plan with sketch of domes on the temple roof. So do the needful. So far our investing, where is our money to invest? We have no money to invest. Our process is to collect and spend, from left hand to right hand, or from right hand to left hand. So far you are revising your plan to fit the Los Angeles skyscraper, I do not say that is necessary, it is only a suggestion. Whichever is nicer, you do. Cyavana says that the L.A. skyscraper is impractical for India because it will have to be air-conditioned, so there is no need to follow this plan if it is impractical there. But I am thinking to invest some money to provide for maintaining Vrindaban and Mayapur temples. So in that case, we can follow Indira's instructions, but this will be done when we go back to India, not now.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5/5/72, and I have noted the contents. Yes, Tejiyas is a very good worker, and I very much appreciate, you may ask him to write me his report and I shall be very glad to hear from him.
Your plan for collecting Rs. 6000 to 11,000 for each room, that is very nice process. Then rooms will be there always to receive the owners. There is a system, bhetnama, it means the person who contributes, for his lifetime the room is reserved for him and after his demise it goes to the temple. There are many buildings in Vrindaban which are constructed on this principle, and for Delhi men it will be very convenient. It takes only two hours by car—they can come on weekends, associate with the devotees, take prasadam, hear lectures on the philosophy. That will enlighten them. In Vrindaban, we must do something very grand and gorgeous, both in the matter of preaching and accommodating the educated class of devotees.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9th May, 1972, and I have noted the contents. Why the construction work has not yet begun? The materials were collected long ago, piles of building materials but no building. Why the plinth work is not yet begun? What is the matter? Bhavananda has just written to me also, but he also has not mentioned anything. Before you depart for Bangladesh, kindly send me photos of the construction.
So we must be very careful from the beginning to select only qualified devotees of Krishna or Vaisnava families to live with us, just like Indira devi and her family. So you may create the building society but there should be an explicit understanding that only those who agree to follow the rules and regulations will be allowed to live with us. So begin collecting in this way from devotee families in Bombay, and when I shall come there in Autumn we shall see how the things are going.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 23, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Regarding Trivikrama Maharaja I have informed Madhudvisa Swami, who is the new GBC secretary in Australia and South Pacific zone, to write to Trivikrama and engage him for preaching work in that zone. But if there is difficulty for the temple in general to raise the money for his fare, then let Madhudvisa Swami supply his fare for going to help him in that zone. And any money that Trivikrama has collected he can turn over to you for getting that new temple in Tokyo city center.
Just purchase a monthly ticket on the train and travel in the Bombay area very extensively. Just like Ville Parle is a big city, so there are so many suburbs like that in Bombay. First you organize this program for widespread distribution in Bombay. In Bombay, the people have money but in the villages no one has got any money, so what is the use of going there for collecting for our Juhu project? Besides, our books are in English, and they can neither read them or purchase them. The money is in __. So organize your travelling party to go all around Bombay __ distributing and collecting, and that will be the best ___ Tamala Krishna how he is doing in East India.
What is the use of going village to village when the village people not only can they not read in English but also they have no money. And we will not be able to preach to them. So I think best thing is to thoroughly travel into the suburbs and all sections of Bombay city, sometimes going to Thana, sometimes to Poona, somethimes to Surat, like that, and distribute our books in these places and collect. I have instructed Karandhara to order from Dai Nippon all of our English literatures to be printed in very cheap paper back editions for sending to India for raising building funds. In addition, I am requesting our Hindi translators to translate more and more of my books into Hindi language and these will be printed in Japan in cheap editions as well. So you will not lack for books there in India, and by selling these books very widely you can collect immense funds for building projects in Bombay, Vrndavana, and Mayapur.
Bhagavan was here from Detroit that he has mentioned that there has been some difficulty for him by sending money to Bombay for purchasing the Detroit Deities, and he is puzzled what has happened to the money and when the Deities are coming, etc. So you kindly investigate what is the position concerning those Deities and as soon as possible ship them from Bombay by air-freight collect to Detroit. I have heard that Mr. Birla has given us two more sets of nice Deities in Jaipur, so you can transport these two sets to Bombay and sent one set to Detroit an one set to Toronto by air-freight collect as quickly as possible. There is no need to purchase any more Deities as these two sets of Deities have been given to us without charge. Also Bhagavan reports for money which he has sent to India there is no acknowledgement. So you can kindly clear up this matter.
Our business is in the big towns of India with the persons who speak in English language, so go town to town, and for that there is already the ___ arrangement of train, bus, like that. But I have given you the ___ in my previous letter to organize your party for traveling __ out the suburbs of Bombay city for collecting. Bombay mean __ So if you are anxious to collect large fund for our Vrindaban __ Bombay construction work and distribute many literatures ___ think is to stick to Bombay city and outlying districts ___ Poona, Thana, and others.
But the best thing for attracting many people ___ in India will be the opulence in our Deity worship ___ should try to assist also in making sure that ___ ornately and gorgeously worshiped so that the ___ observe that our American and European Vaisnavas are passing all others in the sincerity and purity of their service to Lord Krishna.
And if they become __ that is very nice. The only difficulty is the Indians __ we have to learn from the Americans? So the best thing is to __ or other make them members and raise funds for our activities. When someone pays it means he is converted. Somehow or other __ has to render some service, so if you can collect money from ___ that means practically they are becoming our disciples. So do not become spiritual depressed, actually these things are going forward very progressively there in India and I am very much thankful to you all my sincere disciples, especially the elder disciples and Sannyasis like your good self, for assisting me in this great mission of reviving the original Krishna Consciousness atmosphere in India. Do not worry, in time we shall be completely successful.
We cannot give the control of the house to anyone and everyone. So your idea is all right, the housing society should be registered in the society's (ISKCON) name and we should pay the tax 70,000/.
Thank you for sending the books to Brahmananda, so you should also send him bill, collect, and deposit in the book fund. If you have paid 100% of BTG money into the book fund account already, that is all right, you haven't got to pay twice. You should inform Ksirodakasayi what you have already paid into the BTG Book fund account. Did Ksirodakasayi send any bill? According to that bill you must pay, then the account will be nice. But if he has not sent you a bill, and you have paid the rest into the book fund, you haven't got to pay him. But in future he should always send bill and you should settle up with him accordingly.
You can send one copy of the contract to me and one copy to Bali Mardan at ISKCON Press in New York. I do not know if we are covered by copyright in India or not. You may inquire into this matter.*
I am very pleased to hear that the collecting work for Vrndavana project is going on by cooperative endeavor amongst yourselves there. ___ to interest the life members and richer class of men to purchase rooms in our Vrndavana Temple on the Bhetnama system for staying with us on weekends. Many high class gentlemen in Delhi who are also devotees would relish the chance to live with us on weekends and it will be for them just like Vaikuntha. I very much appreciate your courageous preaching work and I can understand that Krishna is giving you all facilities for making your spiritual advancement.
So in this way you may order increasingly as many books as you can distribute and they will be immediately dispatched to Bombay without any cost to you.
So far foodstuffs, you should collect profusely. If you collect more distribute more, and if you collect less, distribute less, but only distribute what you have collected. If there is no food, do not contribute our own funds for this purpose. Try to collect more, besides there is the contribution of American Government. You should purchase one iron safe and keep the Deities' jewelry or any valuables in that, or an iron closet, a little heavier, and you may keep either in my room or in some special room.
Ahmedabad is a great industrial city. It has got more than 100 big, big mills and if all of the mill-owners and officers become our members, from Ahmedabad and other cities in Gujarat, such as Baroda, Surat, Dvaraka, Rajkot, like that, you can collect millions of Rs. Also, I remember in Bombay at Akash Ganga there was some invitation from some important persons living near Dakot in Gujarat sometimes before. Whether they have been contacted? If we can open a Center in Dvaraka or Dakor, that will be very nice. In Gujarat State we can open a Center in every city because the people are so much dedicated to Krishna. In Gujarat we can very soon make our movement very popular, because by nature they are devotees of Krishna.
Sometimes before, Ksirodakasayi has made promises many, but then he goes away. So Gargamuni is a little aspiring to be the president of Vrndavana, and he was sorry when he was refused the post because I wanted to give Ksirodakasayi chance. But Ksirodakasayi is not very responsible, so why not make Gargamuni president of the Vrndavana temple to be responsible for collecting the money and making certain that the job gets done on time? If he is given a big task to do, Gargamuni has got determination and he always comes out successful in this matter of raising money and doing some big work with it, just like when he purchased our Los Angeles temple. Main thing is, don't waste any time. Finish it on time.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 22, 1972, and with great pleasure I have noted the contents and enclosures. But one thing, I do not find any mention of how the work is going on there at Mayapur. I have entrusted you as the leader of this project to see that it is always going on at full capacity, that the men are working, that the money shall be collected and spent wisely and timely, and in all respects take full responsibility for this great construction work. But I do not find even any mention how the work is going in your letters. Neither I find any photos or mention in the letters from Acyutananda, Bhavananda, and Jayapataka. Why you are not mentioning? I received sometime back two telegrams requesting money to be transferred in the usual manner, and I have duly replied the telegrams by informing you to first receive the money from Mr. Jayan, as before, and then send us requisition order with minimum joint signature of two numbers.
I instructed in the beginning that Calcutta should maintain Mayapur. Also, you are not sending your collections regularly to Bombay, so how they can support you? If Bombay is maintaining, what are others doing, eating and sleeping? Why does Jayapataka want allowance? Anyone who cannot collect money, they should go to Mayapur and live there and simply eat and sleep, like women and widows. I shall arrange for their eating and sleeping. But in cities, those should live who can collect and earn. The widows are not earning in Hindu society, they eat and sleep at others' expense. So if you are not able to earn in Calcutta, better all go to Mayapur and eat and sleep and I shall accommodate all widows, women, and others at Mayapur and Vrindaban.
So if you are not able to earn in Calcutta, better all go to Mayapur and eat and sleep and I shall accommodate all widows, women, and others at Mayapur and Vrindaban. Otherwise why should we maintain such large establishment in Calcutta simply for eating and sleeping and spending. These two places will be reserved for those who cannot collect. For them I am making provision. Only the active members who can collect, they shall live in the city. Eating, sleeping members, they shall live in Mayapur, that's all.
As soon as the first residence is finished, no more cash will be sent, only books. Therefore, you must work very hard to sell the books. Not that money will come from somewhere and we shall eat and sleep and so-called chanting. We must work hard like karmis, but not for sense gratification but for Krishna.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 14, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am especially pleased to hear that everything is going on nicely in Bombay, and that you are sending a party of men to live in Bombay city for collecting there. That is a nice plan. Yes, the men may be rotated from time to time. And if all the others also go sometimes to nearby neighborhoods for preaching and distributing books, that is also good proposal. I am also glad to hear the deities will soon have a first-class house, and you will keep their nice jewels, etc., in a heavy iron safe.
Hamsaduta has promised to arrange for getting one German van for your party in India, and he will send some men there by driving it to India very soon. If so many men are coming forth to offer you all cooperation, why not take collection from them for new slide projector? That is not very big thing, so I think you can manage. In Bombay they have got very big work to collect for their Juhu building scheme, so they may not be bothered ___ small thing of slide-projector, but I have requested Giriraja ___ give you all cooperation and whatever you want you give __ and I am enclosing one copy of that letter to Giriraja.
Very soon you will be receiving many, many books. I shall instruct Giriraja to send you as many books as you shall require for selling there for raising fund for Mayapur project. I do not wish to send more funds from here, but we shall send you free of charge many books and the whole money collected from them may be spent in building.
I am glad to hear that you are purchasing more land for expanding. What about our former land purchased from some Ghose that is on the left side of our land? From so many wonderful varieties of vegetables, you will get very soon full of vitamins. Keep a cow, then there will be no question of scarcity or relying upon somebody else for your maintenance. Now you have got a big hall on first floor, so keep rice stock there to protect from floods.
I can pay you $56000.00 by advising the Bank of America, and the balance of $1250.00 you can find, and the escrow will be fully paid. Regarding the corner property, for which you have offered $73500.00, that is a nice proposal, if the book trust can purchase the whole building outright as an investment and collect the rents as dividends.
I have just received the newscuttings from Calcutta, and the Rathayatra festival there was simply spectacular. In one day, we have captured the full attention of the Calcutta people and they are very much favorable. So in this way, if we perform many festivals in all of our centers around the world, many times during the year, then the general populous will become very much favorably inclined toward us and that will push on this sankirtana movement in the best way. Under separate post please find the copies of some important documents for your perusal.
I am in due receipt of your telegram dated July 28, 1972 and I am to inform you that we shall not advertise in this way because we have not yet received visas for Bangladesh. When we get Bangladesh visas and actually begin our preaching work there, then we shall be able to advertise and collect. So for the time being, do not advertise in this way. I shall be looking forward to seeing you by the end of August.
So many months they have been there but there is nothing tangible begun. Practically you are the best man for giving them a good start. Now the Bangladesh business is postponed, and you have trained Yasodanandana Maharaja in leading the sankirtana party, so you will be free for a few weeks to help me in this way by taking one qualified engineer from Calcutta who has agreed to work with us and live with us without consideration of remuneration and go to Vrindaban and do some solid work. Kindly do the needful immediately and let me know. Gargamuni has collected funds for Vrindaban project very nicely, so if cooperatively you and Gargamuni Maharaja work together you can do something concrete, and this will please me very much. He will supply you with funds and you supervise the building work. In the same way that you have begun everything at Mayapur, just bring along one engineer and see that he is doing everything properly.
I can understand if one of my students is making spiritual advancement if he is also making many life members and devotees. So you have not to minimize the preaching program in order to study independently, no, continue as you are doing, preach as much as possible, collect, make life members, and whenever you have time read and study and never neglect to chant your sixteen rounds daily, and this will be the perfect program.
Wherever it is possible try to save the construction costs by getting donations. But we must have that building completed at any cost. But if you can raise at least 60,000 rupees per month locally that should be given by the local men without any difficulty. I have received one letter from Madhavananda and he has assured me that the collecting is going on well. He has also mentioned that you are planning your Maidan Pandal from 7th October to November 5th tentatively. But these things must be consulted amongst all of you leaders, not that one man decides these things whimsically. My program is already sent to you earlier, I shall be in Vrndavana from middle October to middle November, but after that time I am free to come to Calcutta for holding our festival, but these things should be decided amongst all of you leaders in India, including Gurudasa, Giriraja, Tamala, Bhavananda, Gargamuni.
I have received your letter dated August 15th and have noted the contents carefully. I have also looked at the article in Kothari Magazine and it is done very nicely. Thank you very much. I am encouraged to hear that the collecting is going very nicely under your supervision and that you have made 33 Life Members there in Calcutta more. But we shall require huge funds to finish our Mayapur Project, at least Rs./60,000 per month must be collected there, along with donations of kind, such as steel, etc. So if you can assist Jayapataka and the others in this way that is very much appreciated.
He has given references from Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Nectar of Devotion and Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and it is very nice. So Krishna is within everyone and He becomes revealed in proportion to our sincere service, Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuratyada (Brs. 1.2.234). I am also glad that you have collected 25,000 rupees within three weeks with all great honor and prestige. Thank you very much. In Vrindaban I wanted a temple like Radha-Govindaji's and a simple residential quarter, but it has not yet begun due to so many reasons. Now when you have gone please do begin something without any delay. Our Bombay affair has been little muddled because the conveyance deed is not yet executed. I have sent Bhavananda to Bombay to look after the matter with Giriraja, but I do not know what is the resolution by this time. Anyway, let us work very diligently for Krishna all over the world, and our advancement will depend on our sincerity.
Regarding your questions, Seva Puja* means only for daily worship of deities. The building fund will construct, the book fund will maintain, and this fund is for daily expenditure of Seva Puja or worship of the deities only. So far your administrative duties as secretary of Mayapur-Vrndavana Trust Fund are concerned, that will be informed by you. For the time being, rents should be collected by Karandhara and sent to India. How it will be done I shall think over and let you know. As for the responsibility for proper spending, the man in charge or the president will be responsible in Mayapur and Vrndavana.
I do not think it is necessary to take money from Karandhara for opening that center. From our experience we have found it is always in the long run more stable and better situation if local people can be persuaded to help from the very beginning. So you may solicit money from them in small amounts and gradually collect in that way enough to open a center in involve or engage all of the local people from the very beginning. You are the pioneer in Australia so I shall expect the Perth center to be first class in every way, and next year when I return from India I have been invited to Djakarta and New Zealand so I shall be very glad to stop at Perth, Australia, also and see you then.
All funds should be deposited in the Book and Building Accounts and spent for those purposes only. I have very much appreciated your Hare Krsna monthly magazine, it is a great step forward, now maintain it actually monthly and collect many advertisements and spread our propaganda in this way. One thing is, Bhavananda has suggested that you need more help but he was called to help you from Calcutta and coming such long distance he was also silent and then he went away. I do not know why he has gone away because I asked him to stay there in Bombay and help you execute the conveyances and not to leave Bombay until the conveyances were signed. Kindly keep me informed more regularly what you are doing and how the things are getting done in Bombay.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 30, 1972 and I have noted the contents carefully. Concerning your request for money for Hindi and Gujarati BTG's where is the money collected from the first editions. For any magazine published money should be collected and then republished. Accounts should be kept—money invested money collected. What is this that every time money is invested, then for a reprinting, more money has to be invested?
I can understand from your letter that you are doing very nicely and everything is going well. But you did not inform me what is the progress on our new building in New York, whether there is any new proposal? You have loaned London the $30,000 for deposit on their new place, and they shall repay you, but if you require some money for deposit on some new place in New York I can immediately help you. Now go on collecting very vigorously and distribute books as many as possible, I think New York is the best field in the world for collecting money, and very soon Krishna will give you suitable place.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated October 16 and 9, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care. Brahmananda is collecting many life-members in Zambia, and if there is financial crisis there in Nairobi, why not he should send you the money he is collecting? He is not going to open centres there, there are not enough men to manage, so I think he can send you that money. But try to persuade Shah and Damji to leave their money with us as gift. Why they are giving to Krishna then taking back? Both are rich men, out of sentiment they have been offended, so try to pacify them as best you can, then they will give.
I want to sell as many books as possible, that is the main thing. By selling books, that is the best preaching work. But so there may not be any complaint, your travelling parties must cooperate with their local temple officers, and that means they shall operate wherever they are allocated, that they shall only sell books, no collecting without selling books, and that, above the wholesale price of the book, any profit there is must be given at least 50% to the local temple. Ultimately, it shall be up to the local temple president if the presence of your party is favorable or not, everything is considered, and if he agrees you may stay, otherwise if he judges it is unfavorable at the time, he may order you to go out. But just to avoid these things, better to arrange in advance with the GBC men concerned.
I am just now in receipt of your letter from Zambia dated October 21, 1972 along with the photos which were very nice, and I have shown them to many guests. Yes, as I said in my last letter, there is no possibility to start temple there without sufficient local men who join us. If you think you shall keep the money you collect there for future use for temple, that's alright, but my Guru Maharaja used to say, "Trust no future, however pleasant." Or in other words, there is some urgent need for finances in Nairobi, so why not send there, and later we shall see in Zambia, and other places?
So local temple officers should be the final judge to allow or disallow anyone from outside to sell books there. And if some outside party comes, they must sell books only, no collecting without selling books. They must live in the local temple and not separately, and they must follow faithfully the instructions and directions of the local president. They can purchase books from the temple at regular wholesale price and sell, and whatever profit there is above wholesale price they must give at least 50% to the local temple out of good will. That will be nice. So we shall not think that this is my zone, that is his zone, just like the Indian and Pakistan nation are thinking, and then there is war, no. Lord Caitanya has given us the task to spread His message all over the world, and any process which may be useful for facilitating this business, that we shall gladly adopt, never mind his zone or my zone, that is material designation.
In Mayapur they are also requiring about Rs. 50,000 monthly for the work, and for that they are managing with travelling party and temple collection of Calcutta. So you collect from Delhi and spend, and for the rest these other parties will send. I have got report that Yasodanandana has collected more than Rs. 20,000 for Vrindaban, so you have not to worry about anything. But you must keep accurate accounts how it is spent and send me. So far Saurabha is concerned, I have left him at Hyderabad to design our temple there on the land donated for that purpose in the busiest marketplace of central Hyderabad city. But if you invite him to come there from time to time, I have no objection.
Yes, I have seen Vaikunthanatha in Ahmedabad and he appeared very sickly. So he may have to go back, that's a fact, but I shall send you some other good men to assist you. So far Dvija Hari is concerned if he is acting in that way, that is abominable. He has collected some money, so my direct order for him is that he should immediately leave Delhi and return to his country, using the money has got. He may go to Los Angeles and stay in the temple there, taking instruction and help from Karandhara. If he tries to commit any further harm to you or attack you physically, inform the police and have him arrested. Or he may use that ticket of Vidura and give Delhi temple the money he has collected, that is better idea. You may inform him like this. If he has got question, he may write me, but I think he should leave at once without further delay. In Los Angeles there is better facility for making film, that he should know.
I beg to acknowledge reciept of your letter dated 12/7/72, and I have noted the contents. Thank you very much for the sincere sentiments expressed therein, and I am very much pleased that you are happy in Krishna Consciousness. For the time being, you may assist Subala Maharaja by working there in Delhi for collecting and making Life Members for the Vrindaban project. At present there is shortage of men to help there, so kindly give your full co-operation. For now, I am not making any more sannyasis, but we shall see later on.
George is very keen to purchase one monastery and there is every chance they will get it before one week. At least let us see. So there is no immediate need to cash my bonds, nor take the money from London. Jayatirtha has informed that Bali Mardan has saved more than $100,000 in few months time only, so New York is very rich place for collecting, so why not he shall collect there for few more months to raise the whole price? Also, that place on 77th Street is not so much important as 5th Avenue and 40th Street. If we are taking such big place for big risk, why not in the important business district?
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 8, 1972, along with description of that house. I am enclosing one copy of my letter to Karandhara in this regard. I want to use those bonds for purchasing books for India.* But I think there is no shortage of funds to be collected by you and your men in New York only. I was told by Jayatirtha that you have collected more than $1,00,000 in last few months. So if you go on collecting in this way, where is the difficulty? Of course if there is great need, I can give you, but if you think that you can manage something independently, then try for that, that will be better. I had purchased those bonds originally for M-V Trust, so I want to utilize them in India.
We do not hate anything material because we have learned from our disciplic succession how to utilize material things for Krishna's service. Actually, bhakti means realization of the Supreme, and this means increasing attachment for Him and reforming of detachment or hating of material name and fame.
So far this making some false story for collecting money or selling book, of course we may do anything for Krishna, but that is supposed to be reserved for very advanced experts in Krishna Consciousness—they know how to catch the big fish without themselves getting wet. So it is not very much advisable to make lies just to sell book. If we simply stick to describing how wonderful is Krishna, then whatever we may lie or exaggerate, that will not be lie! But other things, lies, they will not help us to train ourselves in truthfulness. Lie to some, not to others, that is not a good philosophy. Rather the brahmanas are always truthful, even to their enemies.
You mention that the Indonesians inside the country are good people. Yes, try to make local men into devotees. When I shall come there I shall try to convince that boy who owns the printing press. Don't neglect the Hindus. Collect money from them for printing and pushing on our preaching work. They are able to give enough money, but don't bother to try to mix with or preach to them excessively. Real business is to convert the local men to become Krishna Conscious and carry on the work.
You told Gurudasa that it is in some trunk in Vrindaban, but we have opened and it is not there. So if you have got it, kindly send it to me at once. Now we have made good progress there in the construction work, but I want to keep that deed with me.
I have heard that you are collecting some money for the Vrindaban work, but how you are doing that and where is that money and how much you have collected? What you are doing there in London? You wanted to open one Iskcon branch in your home, but I could not allow it as official branch. But I encouraged you to hold arati, class, and invite your friends, sell our books, like that, not that you should become silent and go away. I wanted that you should attend regularly with your nice family to our Bury Place Temple, preach sometimes there to the guests, and give our young boys your encouragement and experienced advice. But I have heard that you are not attending, so I am puzzled what you are doing now?
I am in due receipt of your both letters dated December 21 and 22, 1972, along with the copy of income statement for six months ending November 30, 1972. I am most pleased to note from that income statement that since June your monthly income has doubled and that for six months you have collected $245,000. That is very much astonishing to me, and I can understand from seeing these figures just how much suitable you are for heading up the responsible position of senior man in the New York temple affairs. That means you have made the most substantial increase in financial status anywhere in our society. Krsna has blessed you with the best business sense. Studying the figures I can see that beginning in the month of September, after we had discussed everything at New Vrndaban at end August, the net savings total has almost tripled each month over the previous highest month's total for August of $8,500.
We may tell any damn thing to induce people to give us money on Krsna's behalf, that is not the point. The point is that by saying lies, the less advanced neophyte devotees may become entangled or disturbed in their minds by it. Of course by their collecting more money and giving to Krsna, He will relieve them of all anxiety of telling lies. But not everyone is able to catch the big fish without themselves becoming wet. I am convinced that if you simply glorify Krsna and our books in the best descriptive manner, that anyone and everyone, no matter even atheist or otherwise, they can be convinced to purchase. Of course that is a great art and not everyone can do it, but gradually by practice of preaching in this way, striving to so much present a wonderful picture of our books to the people, gradually you will master the trick how to do it.
1973 Correspondence
So however you manage it, that you know best, my only point is that I do not like to see you become discouraged as you are indicating, because there is no actual cause for such discouragement.* Rather there is all encouraging prospects ahead. Now you have started something tangible and solid in German-speaking countries, you are printing books, magazines, and distributing them widely, collecting huge funds, now the work is just beginning. So you have got a little facility now, utilize this opportunity to take advantage of Krsna's favoring you in this way. Consider that each day shall be a new challenge for you to push on Krsna Consciousness movement within your range of managing. But I think that you are developing things nicely already, you are one of my senior disciples, and you know these things already, only you are little humble so you have said like that.
Now diligently and tactfully handle this matter, it is a very very good sign that our Tarun Babu and Mr. Bajoria are working together and promising to raise Rs. 2 lacs for Mayapur. If this is actually collected, then at least 5 lacs more can be collected just by advertising their 2 lacs collection.
So far the money transferred from Calcutta to Bombay, as much money as can be arranged from the Building Fund can be immediately returned to Calcutta. But I think there is only roundabout Rs. 10,000 in the Building Fund in Bombay, although there are two Building Fund accounts here and I do not know how much is there in the other Building Fund account. Most of the money collected in India has been deposited in my Bhaktivedanta Book Trust fund for printing and purchasing books for distribution in India. Actually, our main business in this country shall be to distribute our books profusely. Mayapur, Vrindaban, these temples shall be utilized for the most part by foreigners. So far the work in India of spreading Krsna consciousness, there are already millions of temples, so what shall our two more temples accomplish for spreading Krsna consciousness?
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1/1/73 and have noted the contents with great pleasure. It is so nice to hear how your wife Daivisakti Devi Dasi is distributing so many books and collecting big big donations for the Lord. This is very very pleasing to me, as our book distribution and collecting of funds is so much important for pushing on this movement. So if all of the devotees in New York can collect like that, at least $100 daily, then very shortly you will have enough funds for getting that big skyscraper for use as the world headquarters of our Krsna Consciousness movement.
One thing though, the deity worship must be completely pure in terms of cleanliness and punctuality, otherwise there will be some offense. Regarding the Radha-Krsna Deities for Chicago, I believe that Syamasundara Prabhu is taking care of this matter so you may consult with him about the shipping date of the deities, etc. You say that you are collecting sizeable funds from incense sale and book distribution, so I expect that you will also increase your payments to my book fund as much as possible. This will be very very pleasing to me, as I am most concerned that these books of mine be printed profusely and distributed all over the world as each book has so much potency for making persons Krsna conscious. So as Chicago is one of the largest cities in the U.S., why not see if you can be the largest contributor to my book fund, although I think that you have got some stiff competition from Los Angeles branch. But if you can beat them, that will be very first class.
I have arranged with Karandhara das, and he is sending 5000 copies of Bhagavad-gita As It Is to India, and Karatieya Mahadevia in Bombay, one of our life members, has agreed to distribute 3000 of these Gitas at no less than 50 rupees apiece. So that is one and a half lacs and I am sending one letter to Karatieya informing him that all money collected for these Gitas should be sent on to you in Vrindaban and it is up to you along with the other GBC men in India to arrange the sale of the balance of these 2000 Bhagavad-Gitas and I think this will provide the necessary finances. I will be travelling here in Australasia for a few weeks then I will be returning to Calcutta by March 2nd. So when I return to India we may discuss this matter in more detail. But in the meantime you should work with the senior men there in India to get some concrete plan to finance this program. I have sent you the books and it is up to you to devise a program for distribution.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated the 27th February. I just arrived here the day before yesterday and I am glad to receive your Hyderabad progress report. The Deities mentioned are too expensive. Of course, we cannot collect money without Deity worship. Without Deity worship there is no life, and there must be preaching also.
But the thing is, without Indian devotees rural preaching cannot be effective. They are mostly illiterate, how they will understand? We must avoid the risk of a separatist movement, unity is our purpose; just like in London where the Indians are starting their own Hindu Radha-Krsna Temple. We want to avoid skin disease and the Indian people are like the tannery expert. Such a cobbler is expert at skin disease. They will see our Sankirtana Party and think it is a white dance. Anyway, how to gather Indian devotees, that program is wanting.
So I am coming back, and I will stay at Mayapur. Last time when I was there I left with you some instruction namely fixing the closet doors, iron bars on the windows and I hope you have these all finished by this time as well as the toilet facilities. I was pleased to learn from Madhavananda that he collected Rs. 42,000/. in one month for Mayapur construction. I hope things are going on nicely without any scarcity of money.
Regarding Lalitananda, formerly Hrsikesa, his proposal for joining us does not appear to be very sincere. He wants to keep himself as Bonn Maharaja's man, although he has taken permission from Bonn Maharaja to leave him and join us. Formerly it was reported that he collected money in Bombay as our representative on behalf of Bonn Maharaja and sometimes it is reported that he advertises ISKCON as a department of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy. I think you should not be very much anxious to reaccept him as our man. I have replied his letter and there is a copy enclosed, which will speak for itself.
You ask that I arrange to have 9 lacs of rupees ready from America for this purchase, but so far you have already paid 2 lacs, 3 lacs are in the bank—so if we have to raise 9 lacs from outside India then my question is what are you collecting there? Anyway, collect as much as possible and I will fill the balance. Rest assured, that if required, we can even draw the money from the U.S.
Now you have taken a loan of Rs 1,50,000 from the BBT, so with these excellent collections you are now taking I request you to fill up that debt and then collect further, and the balance I shall arrange. I have read how you have dispersed your recent collections to repay BBT, and Vrindaban construction and it is all right. Please deal cautiously and do not spend unnecessarily.
I have read your report on Hyderabad and the present state of affairs there, and it is all right. Regarding Delhi, Madhavananda has also gone there and I have written to him how he can be engaged collecting with Tejyas at the government offices.
Yes, your plan for people paying for a guest room at Vrindaban is very nice. The idea is they pay the price of the room and they may come there for their lifetime duration. This practice is called bhetnama, where a room is reserved for a donor for a lifetime. You will be able to secure much money in that way as many gentlemen will want to come to Vrindaban. So arrange to accommodate them in the new temple. You should also arrange for that in Mayapur building.
That quarter is aristocratic and our temple is unique. From Bombay and Delhi we can rent rooms in the temple. This is called bhetnama. Perhaps you may know. The room is used by the contributor for lifetime then it becomes again the property of the temple.
Our new disciple Hrsikesananda Swami has promised to collect money from Punjab for Vrindaban. Let him go to Punjab, leaving Calcutta. In this way all of you, Tejyous, Tamala Krsna etc., combine together collect and finish the project. I may try to help from other sources if I receive an estimate of the cost of the scheme.
At any rate there is nothing in the world thAT CAN COMPARE WITH our Movement of Chanting and dancing. So Chant dance and when you get tired take Prasadm, this is our actual solid preaching work all over the world.
I have noted that you are collecting great amounts of money, therefore I humbly request you send 50% to India for the Vrindaban Building Fund. Don't spoil the money in any way, simply utilize it for Krishna's purpose.
If so what is the balance amount there, that I also want to know, and who is jointly signing checks in the Overseas Bank. If there is any such account please immediately transfer to the Central Bank of India Building Fund Account and let me know all these points in detail, this is absolutely necessary. Whatever amount you have collected, that also deposit in this account. But the main point is whether any negotiations or settlement. I am prepared to send the balance of 9 Lacs, but I do not wish to block this amount without definite understanding. Kindly reply this letter immediately.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2, August 1973 and I have noted the contents very carefully.
Yes! Hrsikesananda Maharaja may collect money for Vrindaban, that will be nice. But I notice that you are to collect one Lakh only, how is that? You are GBC so you should collect more than the others, you should collect the highest amount. One thing is that the Hyderabad scheme is hazy, so that collection may be spent for Vrindaban. See the correspondence with Mahamsa above. Yes! your idea to install Krishna Balarama first is all right. It would be nice if all the deities can be installed at the same time, but if it is not possible then installation of Krishna and Balarama is all right.
Yes! I have received the Bank statements from C. B.I. I shall talk of this thing later.
Out of the 150,000 Rs/. you have repayed only 27,000 Rs/. you have to complete this immediately so 3 lakhs will be shown from Gowalia Tank Branch and 9 Lakhs from C. B.I. Head office, so whatever money you collect use it to fill up this blank. You fill up the 50,000 Rs/. and I shall show the balance of 9 lakhs in the C. B.I. Head office.
So pay immediately another 30,000 Rs/. and free the second 50,000 Rs/.
The collections from your part meant for Vrindaban may be sent later because the construction is going on there. First of all fill up if you are serious about negotiations.
If Mrs. Nair's solicitors are serious then we can show bank reference by the 25th August 1973.
Gargamuni told me that he collected 50,000 Rs/. of which the major portion was spent to pay for bills that Madhavananda left unpaid. If this is a fact then it is most dangerous. Let me know. Gargamuni is sending you reports, but have you not received this report?
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 1, 1973 and I have noted the contents carefully.
The book fund debts should always be cleared very quickly, otherwise how books will come out, so always pay regularly as you collect.
To install Deities in a moving vehicle is not very good. There is always danger of falling and breaking. Sudama already has experience of this. Why is Deity worship being introduced? It should not be introduced because it is very difficult to maintain the standard under such circumstances. If you have picture of Guru Gauranga that is sufficient. You are wondering if you did the right thing by giving the Deities to Sudama, so the answer is no. The deities may be brought back and worshiped in the temple as before.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your GBC report dated October 4, 1973 and I thank you very much for it. So your Sankirtana Parties are collecting very nicely, especially Amsterdam. As long as we go on preaching in this way, we will not starve. It is good that the Berlin party is travelling. To be stagnant is not good. Just like I am an old man, but I am always travelling. I am glad that the Hamburg Deity worship is going on nicely. Wherever there is Deities there must be first class care, arati, bhoga, cleanliness, dressing, regular classes. If this is not possible, then better to travel. Your translation process is very good, so do it nicely.
Yes, we want to begin the temple construction immediately, so let them approve the plans. In the meantime finish the fencing, cleansing, and painting the residential quarters. If possible make the privy a little usable. It is not a practical idea of Mr. Birla to first collect half the money and then construct. People will pay as the construction goes on. If they are doubtful, then they can form a temple construction committee and see that every pie is used for temple construction. At least Mr. Birla must give whatever he has promised for Vrindaban. Vrindaban needs money, but we can't press him for Bombay. If he likes, he will give, but he is such a rich man he can pay for both.
Regarding Mohanananda I have already written to Satsvarupa that Mohanananda may remain in Bombay for at least three months. I think you can keep him to assist you so you can go for collecting, and he can manage locally. Gradually he will also collect, but now India is foreign to him. But you should know that Krsna has sent him, so keep him nicely.
Not like in the West of co-education, because intermingling of men and women was not at all sanctioned. If he is performing arati, how can he sit in a throne or asana?
The young girls on the bank were worshiping Siva linga. It is made from earth collected from the Ganges bank. There was no deity of Durgadevi. These Siva lingas are placed right on the Ganga bank without any throne, wherever there is a suitable place.
So why don't you come to Mayapur for sometime, not only you but all others and stay for sometime and finish the paintings locally there.
So go on with your chanting of Hare Krsna. You have written "Jaya Vali Hari," but it is "bali hari yai?" meaning "I give you all credit, all glories."
If I go to Rome, whether you can come? I may be going there in the first week of December from Nairobi.
These are tangible services that you are doing, recognized by my Guru Maharaja and Krsna. Brahmananda was saying that two years ago when he was in Paris they were collecting 40 francs on Sankirtana, now you are collecting 1500 dollars. So has the time changed, or is it because you are there? Krsna will surely bless you.
I saw your Deity room packed up when I was there, so I think its going on like that, surrounded by police cars. Anyway your temple is centrally located and in a good quarter, so certainly it will be successful. When I go to London next, I will certainly visit. The picture of Radha-Paris Isvara is very nice. Radharani's attitude is very nice. She is giving her blessings to everyone.
So you take instruction from Rupanuga Maharaja on how to properly perform the yajna after he has chanted on their beads. Each disciple should go for collecting guru-daksine after the ceremony and the proceeds may be sent here c/o Karandhara.
I have two days ago arrived at our Los Angeles Center after going through London and New York.
I have been informed by Karandhara Prabhu that you both are presently traveling and collecting money for our Vrindaban Project. I am very glad to hear this. Just today we have received a letter from Guru das that the construction has stopped there due to lack of funds. Somehow or other we must complete this Vrindaban Temple so in this connection we require at least $10,000 per month from the U.S.A. for one year. Karandhara can manage $5,000 per month for the BBT and M-V Fund so I request that you both remain in America for 1 year further and collect and send a minimum of $5,000 per month to Guru das for the Vrindaban Temple.
Enclosed also find three sacred threads and six mantra sheets for the second initiates. Hold a yajna and afterwards they may hear the Gayatri mantra through the tape in the right ear. All the initiates should collect daksina and send it to Los Angeles c/o Karandhara.
I will consider coming to Toronto later on. For now, carry on as my representative there and be strong and always faithful in Guru and Krsna.
I have five days ago safely arrived here in Los Angeles by the Grace of Krsna.
Since leaving India, I have not heard from you. Guru das has written that the work has stopped in Vrndaban for want of finances. What is the position of your collections in New Delhi? I am arranging to collect and send money from here for the Vrindaban project and I also want you to concentrate on collecting there. We want to finish this project as soon as possible so that we will have our Center firmly fixed up in Vrindaban. Kindly report to me the progress in this connection.
All the devotees should collect Guru-daksina and send it to Karandhar in Los Angeles.
I am in receipt of your letter dated December 19, 1973 and I have carefully noted the contents. I have received all your previous letters and have replied to each of them. Regarding the rents collected from the apartments at our Juhu Beach property, this money must be kept and spent only for Deity worship and Temple maintenance. It must not be used for any other purpose.
Regarding Vrindaban construction, we are trying to make an arrangement with one gentleman here in the U.S.A. for giving him dollars and taking rupees in India at the rate of 22 1/2 rupees per dollar.
Regarding Vrindaban construction, we are trying to make an arrangement with one gentleman here in the U.S.A. for giving him dollars and taking rupees in India at the rate of 22 1/2 rupees per dollar. Presently the Book Trust and Gurukrpa and Yasodanandana Swamis' travelling sankirtana party are collecting the $100,000.00. To date approximately $30,000.00 has been collected. We are waiting to see if the arrangement with this man for three to one rate exchange will actually materialize and at the same time are still collecting the funds. So it may take one to two months so for the time being you will have to stand by for these funds. Meanwhile construction of the Vrindaban Temple should go on with whatever you have there. The Temple construction should go on first and later the residential quarters.
| Page Title: | Collect (Letters 1972 - 1973) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 21 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=104 |
| No. of Quotes: | 104 |