Your article heading as "Let us be True to one another" published in the A.B. Patrika (Allahabad Edition) D/30.12.51 attracted my attention and I read it over and over again. This article contains the nucleus of future activities of the human society in the spiritual realm and I have read in your statement about your deep thought on the onward march of human civilization. You have rightly said the following words in this connection viz.
Contains (Letters)
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
Letter to Sir -- Unknown Place May 1964:
We are always prepared to answer any relevant question in this regard from any quarter who may be seeking after the Absolute Truth.
Although the messages contained in the pages of BACK TO GODHEAD are all gifts of the ancient sages of India who actually realized the Absolute Truth, yet at the present moment the so called leaders of India are too much enamoured by the western way of material advancement of knowledge. They are completely neglecting the treasure house of knowledge left by the sages.
You, gentlemen, of the Western Countries have seen much about material science and yet peace is not within your control. In most cases you may be feeling the want of peace although you have enough in the matter. This basic defect of materialism remains undetected by the misleaders of India and therefore they are not serious about going BACK TO GODHEAD the ultimate aim of life's journey.
Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- New York 23 November, 1965:
Expecting your reply in the above spirit I had some correspondence with the broker firm and the latest reply which I have received from them is joined herewith please find.
"Dear Sir, In answer to your letter of November 16 regarding the property for sale on West 72nd Street. This is located at 143 West 72nd Street. It is 18.6 by 100.2. contains a store and basement both the same size and a mezzanine. The owner is asking $100,000 for the property with $20,000 cash and will make good terms on a first mortgage that they will take back. As I have the keys, you can call at me for an appointment to see the property. Yours very sincerely Sd/Louis Baun for Phillips, Wood Dolson, Inc."
So I have seen the property and the whole space is twice as much as your Research Institute building on the road which is just in the central part of the city with all good facilities. Now if you decide to purchase the property, I can assure you that the building is just suitable for our purpose and it is almost on the same style as your Research institute.
1966 Correspondence
Letter to Bank of Baroda -- New York 3 August, 1966:
I therefore request you to open the above account immediately and transfer Rs 100/- from my present account to this new account. And on hearing from you I shall send all the deposits money to this account.
Please let me know the number of this new account A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA BOOK ACCOUNT. Also please send me a cheque book containing ten cheques to my above American address. Also please let me know the present or current exchange rate for American dollars in Indian rupees.
I hope you will please note the above points carefully and reply this letter at your earliest opportunity and oblige.
1967 Correspondence
Letter to Jadurani -- San Francisco 15 March, 1967:
Fix up your mind always in Krishna and He will give you good counsel.
I am sending herewith two pictures. I wish that you may enlarge one of them in painting. I like both the pictures but as an artist you can make your choice. I prefer the picture which contains all the body of Krishna on my right side. Anyway one of the pictures may be painted in three so that each branch may have one picture.
I shall be glad to know how many pictures you have completed by this time. Hope you are all well by the Grace of Lord Krishna.
Letter to Brahmananda -- Vrindaban 22 August, 1967:
So immediately, if some of you come here for such studies, there will be no difficult; but at the same time I am also trying to have our own house, and probably it will be done.
Regarding Gargamuni's marriage, I have already sanctioned it. Perhaps you did not receive the letters containing all instructions. I repeat: the bride and groom should sit before the Deity Lord Krishna or Jagannatha and you should ignite the fire to offer clarified butter; simply chant Hare Krishna, all of you, and offer the butter to the fire with the word SAHA. The bride and groom should exchange their garlands, and the groom should promise never to forsake his wife, and the wife should promise to serve the husband for all her days. Then when there is opportunity, I shall further bless them personally.
Letter to Jadurani -- Vrindaban 9 September, 1967:
Your letter of 8/24 contains some important questions. The six goswamis are not all eternal associates of Krishna. Only Rupa and Raghunath Goswami are eternal associates. You know there are two kinds of living entities: nityamukta or eternal associates of the Lord, and nityabaddha or eternally conditioned. This material manifestation is a chance for the eternally conditioned entities to go Back to Godhead; but when they go back there is no distinction between the two. When Krishna appears some of his eternal associates come with Him to assist Him in His different incarnational activities; and some of the living entities from conditioned life are liberated by following the footprint of Lord Krishna and His bona associates; so all the six became eternal associates of Krishna. Regarding Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, he decended from higher planet for being liberated in the association of Lord Caitanya, so his conditioned life came to an end after he contacted Lord Caitanya. The distinction between subtle and gross bodies is elementary.
Letter to Janardana -- Delhi 30 September, 1967:
Do not enter into correspondence with this man without my consent. The man is a politician and according to Canakya, a politician & a woman are never to be trusted.
Regarding Easy Journey. I may inform you that whatever is written there is authoritative. The information contained in EJ is contained in various Vedic literatures. In Bhagavad-gita as well as in Srimad-Bhagavatam it is clearly indicated that beyond this visible space there is another spiritual space which is eternally existant. Modern astronomers & scientists have no information of the extent of this visible space. And what can they speak of what is beyond this visible space? Therefore our movement is novel. God is living, He has got a particular place & anyone who is God conscious can approach it in this very life. One of our students, Brahmananda, appreciated very much this discovery. He wrote to me a letter that my delivery of this information has given them life—that God is not only alive, but that we can go & live with Him.
1968 Correspondence
Letter to Yadunandana -- San Francisco 13 April, 1968:
Anyone who can understand how God is great, automatically he can understand that God is great. You can mention some parallels from Christian literature while explaining Bhagavad-gita, but you cannot find in any other scripture in the world the full information as given in the Bhagavad-gita. We should not forget that we are preaching science of God from Bhagavad-gita, which contains all spiritual instructions contained in other scriptures. But if the public is unruly, simply to chant and not speak anything philosophy is the best. At that time there is no use wasting time talking with them on philosophy. Better for both you and the audience to chant and hear Hare Krishna.
Letter to Jadurani -- San Francisco 13 April, 1968:
Therefore my remark has no value from artistic sense. Anyway, don't be depressed; you can go on with your work, and we shall talk more on this subject when we meet together. I have replied Yadunandana's letter, and I wish that you all should read that letter, because it contains some valuable information about our preaching method, and many intelligent questions by him have been replied in that letter. Hoping you are all well.
Letter to Sivananda -- Seattle 10 October, 1968:
Please do it nicely and if you think that I shall go there, I am prepared. I do not mind for the severe cold there, but if you think that my service will be helpful to you, you can call me, I shall go. But I am very much anxious to know about your further progress, and whether the boys, namely Krishna das, and Uttama Sloka, have already arrived there. I am expecting your letter containing all these informations any moment, but till now I have not got any letter. Please therefore write all details by return mail. If you require help from Syamasundara for carving Jagannatha Deity, you can ask him and he may go there for a few days. He knows German language very well. So do everything nicely. So the boys and girls from San Francisco who are in London, they are doing their best but till now they have not been able to find out a house on rent. I am surprised that in Germany you could find out a place without any difficulty, and why there are so many difficulties in London? So that, in spite of there being a strong group of 6 persons, headed by Mukunda and Syamasundara, they could not find out a house in London, whereas you alone have already opened ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE in Berlin. Anyway, please do it nicely with help of other two boys, and let me know how you are making progress.
Letter to Syama -- Seattle 21 October, 1968:
So if you can continue to offer foodstuff like fruits and milk in the evening, you can introduce that system. There is no harm. Your second question, ice cream purchased from the market may not be offered. Because such ice cream contains sometimes undesirable things, which we should not offer. We must offer to Krishna only first class prepared foodstuff, especially made at home. We shall try to avoid as far as possible goods purchased from the market and offer to Krishna. Regarding your third question, morning lecture is also allowed. Lecture is also kirtana, and so as morning kirtana is there, similarly morning lecture can also be delivered. In New York , or even in San Francisco, when I was present I was giving lectures in morning also. So far as girls or boys lecturing in the morning, that doesn't make any difference. Either girl or boy devotees may deliver lecture if they choose to do. We have no such distinction of bodily designations, male or female.
Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 24 November, 1968:
I am pleased to learn that you are singing the Cintamani prayers of Brahma Samhita. This Brahma Samhita contains the highest of all spiritual knowledge. In lecturing too if we sing a verse from Brahma Samhita and then nicely explain the meaning it will be very much appreciated. Just as Krishna is the All-Attractive principle so, similarly, these Krishna kathas of the Brahma Samhita are All-Attractive and will gain favorable attention from listeners.
Also your description of progress in kirtana performance with Gurudasa playing sitar and Mukunda playing khole is encouraging. Practically we see that as we sincerely try to improve our chanting for the pleasure of Krishna, Krishna reciprocates and we feel our greatest pleasure which is devotional service to the Lord. So, you may continue with this method, it is very nice and approved by me.
Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 5 December, 1968:
Just on the point of posting this letter I have received one package from you containing the certificate form and letter. It is very nice. I am replying your letter separately.
Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 25 December, 1968:
I am very glad that you are taking the responsibility of doing pictures for "Krishna", and if Joy Fulcher has already gone there she may help you. The pictures should be paintings and if you prefer, you can make larger paintings so that when they will be printed they can be reduced to the size of the book, 8 1/2" x 11". The tenth canto contains forty chapters about Krishna in Vrindaban, and 50 chapters of Krishna in Dvaraka. So our book will most likely have the firt volume of the forty chapters of Krishna in Vrindaban, with one picture for each chapter. I will now submit my suggestions for the first five pictures.
1969 Correspondence
Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1969:
About the shell which you are presently keeping in the temple, because it is not a conchshell, it should be considered as impure, and therefore it may not be placed upon the altar. Regarding the meter sung by Narada Muni, it is not necessary for us to practice this. For your final question, you are correct in your idea that leaflets which are destined to be thrown upon the ground should not contain pictures of Krishna, Jagannatha, etc. Such leaflets may only be hung up for people to see.
I thank you very much for your offer to print any pages I may need upon your press there, but I think that the first business should be to immediately print another issue of Back To Godhead, French edition. The first issue was very nice, but I hope this will be printed regularly so that it may be a great help to us in spreading this Krishna Consciousness movement to the French speaking peoples of the world. Please inform me immediately as to what is the problem of printing this second issue of Back To Godhead, French edition.
Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 22 February, 1969:
That is my idea. So try to think on this program and do the needful.
I have received the booklet known as Paramahamsa Sarasvati Goswami issued by the Gaudiya Mission of London. I can understand that this brochure was written by my godbrother, Professor Sannyal, but the essay is not very practical. It contains some ideal discussions only, and I know that this Professor Sannyal is personally deviated from all of these ideas. So I don't think it is very much valuable for publishing in Back To Godhead.
Letter to Dinesh -- New Vrindaban 10 June, 1969:
The points are as follows: "ISKCON shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to collect preserve and distribute all tangible expressions of said sound vibrations." "Said sound vibrations shall be fixed in a tangible form solely by ISKCON" "ISKCON shall have the exclusive right to any existing sound recordings contained in any medium of fixation that have been previously recorded by the SWAMI" "ISKCON shall have the sole and exclusive right to use the name and likeness of the SWAMI for all purposes and activities encompassed by this agreement."
So upon hearing from you on these points I shall send you back the agreement duly signed by me. I am very much encouraged by the statement of your letter, but I must let you know the pros and cons of this agreement.
Letter to Dinesh -- New Vrindaban 13 June, 1969:
I thank you very much for sending me the broadcasting tape containing varieties of our Sankirtana Movement and it has come very, very nice. I have received one letter from Mukunda that you are already in negotiation with him for complete cooperation with the Beatles in future, and this is very nice program. Most probably I shall be going to London by the end of July, and from different sources I can understand that the Beatles are becoming interested in the Sankirtana Movement. In the meantime you may have received my letter to you dated June 10th in which I have asked you to explain some lines mentioned in the agreement between you and me. So I am expecting your reply, and upon receipt of it, I shall immediately send you the signed agreement as you have sent it to me.
Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1969:
I hope by now you have received the key from Purusottama, which I think is for the closet door. There are some important files in the closet. One of them is for the Radha-Damodara temple. That file contains many important documents. That should be kept very carefully. Immediately I don't require it, but I shall send for it when it is needed. When Gargamuni comes, or if Rayarama is coming, then the tape recorder, as well as the suitcase with my clothings may be sent.
Now the $600 which we have saved from the ISKCON PRESS establishment may be invested in improving our New Vrindaban scheme. I am writing to Hayagriva to transfer the property in the society's name, and I have already talked with him. So far as my books are concerned, work with great enthusiasm to print, sell, and bind them in cooperation with the other boys. I am glad that Gargamuni is coming here to improve his business in cooperation with Tamala Krishna.
Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 12 July, 1969:
So far as Nara Narayana is concerned, I do not know how did you think that he alone would be able to tear down the whole house single-handed. He sometimes promises such utopian things, but never fulfills. That is my experience. I am returning the letter you have sent in this connection. I am missing one letter said to contain my ticket from New York to Luxembourg. From Hamburg they have informed me that this ticket was sent, but I have not received it.
Regarding the usefulness or uselessness of the inmates, it all depends on proper management. You can't expect that all men and women who will be going there will be very useful. You have to make them useful by your arrangement. I am very glad to inform you that Tamala Krishna and Madhudvisa are managing so nicely in Los Angeles that they are making all men useful for Sankirtana Party purposes.
Letter to Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 13 July, 1969:
May Lord Caitanya and Nityananda Prabhu bestow Their blessing upon you, and don't be deterred in any circumstances. Serve Krishna with serious attempt. Your article is very nice and gradually you shall improve. Go on writing. It is my policy to publish as many as possible of articles by my disciples. BTG should contain news of our temples, articles, pictures of our activities, etc. The bunch of pictures you have sent have been forwarded to Brahmananda for publication.
Regarding BTG, I am so glad to learn that your center will be a good distributing place. Do you think that you shall be able to distribute 3,000 copies? Then I shall ask Japan to deliver the copies directly to you. We are charging from different centers $750 for 5,000 copies of BTG. Similarly, for 3,000 copies you have to pay proportionately, and the marginal profit will be 25 cents to 35 cents per copy. So even if you make 25 cents profit, and you can sell 3,000, that means about $750 to $1,000 profit.
Letter to Vibhavati -- Los Angeles 15 July, 1969:
There is immediate necessity for this, and for this writing you are qualified because you are a sincere devotee of this Krishna Consciousness Movement. So why not write nice articles of this philosophy as you have assimilated it? This will be a very great service because we are now converting BTG to exclusively contain articles by my disciples and myself, along with many pictures of our Sankirtana activities. So if you can write some words about Krishna consciousness and send them to Brahmananda in New York, that will be very nice engagement for you.
Regarding your questions about sex life, the basic principle is that in executing Krishna Consciousness sex life should be avoided as far as possible, and it may be utilized only for begetting Krishna Consciousness children. This is the basic principle that should be followed as far as possible by all married individuals. During the period of pregnancy sex life should be strictly avoided.
Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 15 July, 1969:
I have prepared a nice book, Krishna, and I want to print it in a deluxe edition. If some of your friends finance this publication, it will be a unique presentation to the world. This will contain Krishna's life from the beginning of His Appearance to His Disappearance from this mortal world. It will contain all of His activities throughout. It is full of philosophy, instructions, transcendental pastimes and artistic pictures.
Please convey my blessings to your good wife, Malati, and your daughter, Sarasvati.
Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 17 August, 1969:
Regarding celebrations of other holidays, they will be described as to how they should be celebrated in future memos to all of the temples. I think by now you must have received instructions how to celebrate Jhulana yatra festival. As you have suggested, I shall inform Tamala Krishna and Brahmananda that you are in need of some issues of BTG #22, containing the first part of Isopanisad.
Please offer my blessings to Gaurasundara, Balabhadra, Turya dasa, Jayasri, and the others.
Letter to Krsna dasa -- Tittenhurst 17 September, 1969:
Yesterday I received a packet from you containing several letters from different parts, and I thank you very much for it. I am expecting one air mail small parcel from India, from Indo Crafter. If it does come, you can immediately redirect it to me by simply writing the new address on the package and putting it in the mailbox. That will not cost you anything. But I have not received any letter from you since I left Hamburg. You will be glad that here the reception was very nice, and I am enclosing herewith one press cutting, although there were several other nice cuttings also of our activities and picture. We have already passed through two important programs here: one big meeting at the Town Hall, attended by Indians and Englishmen, which was very successful, and one nice meeting when the BBC men invited us for television on Tuesday night. They came also to the temple last night, and it was very nice. We are expecting many engagements from different persons, and it appears that people are interested in the Krishna Consciousness Movement. So I shall be glad to know how your center is making progress.
Letter to Unknown -- Tittenhurst 1 October, 1969:
The Absolute Truth is contained in all the great Scriptures of the world; the Bible, Koran, Torah, etc. However, the oldest known Revealed Scriptures in existence are the Vedic literatures, most notably the BHAGAVAD GITA which is the literal record of God's actual Words.
2) God, or KRISHNA is eternal, all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful and all attractive, the seed-giving Father of man and all living entities. He is the sustaining energy of all life, nature and the cosmic situation.
3) Man is actually NOT his body, but is eternal spirit soul, part and parcel of God, and therefore eternal.
4) That all men are brothers can be practiced only when we realize God as our common ultimate Father.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Tittenhurst 26 October, 1969:
I have duly made corrections on the Isopanisad glossary you had enclosed, and I shall send it to Brahmananda as requested by you. I want that in all of our books, magazines and other writings the scholarly presentation be given in all instances, so for every Sanskrit word there must be the appropriate spelling and diacritic marks. Regarding your question about BTG containing more than one essay by me in certain issues, you may use your own judgement in this connection. Enclosed is a tape for Krsna, and at the part on this tape where Kamsa is killed, that is the end of the first volume of Krsna. The remaining portion shall be published as the second volume. Now we must make arrangements for its publication. Please consult with Advaita as to the price for 10,000 copies on the style of TLC. There will be approximately 350 printed pages and 50 pages of paintings. So combinedly you determine what the production costs will be and let me know your figures. Regarding your final question, you are correct that Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Karanodakasayi Visnu are not divisions of Paramatma.
1970 Correspondence
Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1970:
If we are in spiritual strength, there will be no scarcity of money; and the spiritual strength is that each and every one of us must chant the sixteen rounds of beads and follow the rules and regulations with great adherence.
In the meantime, I have received one box containing sweets, balusai, a handkerchief, a flower, simply wonderful, a sacred thread, gopicandana, dhupa, and a painting, and three sets of beads from Monique, Evelyne, and Joelle. Later on I received their respective letters and recommendations of initiation from Yamuna devi, and I am sending the beads by separate mail duly chanted.
Letter to Harer Nama -- Los Angeles 11 February, 1970:
We should not pray to Krishna anything except to ask to engage in His service. If we are engaged in His service then automatically everything will be revealed.
Any foodstuff suspected to contain untouchable ingredients should never be used in the temple. Yogurt can be prepared in the temple, it is not very difficult. Boil the milk at night, put a little yogurt in it, and next morning you will find it full of yogurt. You can ask New Vrindaban, they are practically preparing all these things.
Please let me know how many members are there, what is your source of income, and what is your program of expenditure. I shall be glad to know these things. I would also like to know if the initiated devotees are chanting regularly sixteen rounds and following the regulative principles rigidly. This is very essential.
Letter to Unknown -- Unknown Place 28 February, 1970:
Acyutananda. His address is as follows: 35 Satish Mukherjee Road, Calcutta-26, WB, India.
We are not arranging to print the Krsna Book in our own press. It will contain about 48 color pictures. Sudama has written me from Japan that they have got very good opportunity in Tokyo for spreading the Sankirtana Movement, so they are moving from Kyoto to Tokyo city proper, and it is understood that some of the Japanese boys are already singing the Hare Krishna Mantra. I think I have written one letter to Sri Sai. Was it delivered to him? Now you are in good terms with the boy? Thank you once more for your letter. I hope this will meet you in good health by Krishna's Grace. I hope Govinda Dasi is also keeping good health now.
Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 16 April, 1970:
Now, since I have come to your country, I have entrusted the matter to my beloved American boys and girls, and I wish to see that this magazine is published and distributed in the American way like "Readers Digest", "Life" etc., published in millions and distributed all over the world. Actually the position of BTG should be more important than any mundane magazine because it contains the quintessence of human necessities.
You can immediately transfer my maintenance fund to Pico-La Cienega Branch (308), Bank of America, 8501 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90035; account No. 3081-61625 (Checking).
So far incense business is concerned, you can do very nicely as they are doing it here. Gargamuni will cooperate fully in this connection, and both Jivananda and Mukunda are very intelligent boys. So do it nicely.
Letter to Advaita -- Los Angeles 18 June, 1970:
All of you in the press are doing so hard work. I can simply pray to Krsna for your perfect advancement in Krsna consciousness. One thing I must inform you in this connection that so far our activities in Krsna Consciousness are concerned, everyone of us should read this book very attentively because all conclusive statements in the Kingdom of Bhakti are contained in this transcendental valuable book. It is the essence of all Vedic scriptures enlightening about Krsna Consciousness. If anyone will read this Nectar of Devotion very carefully, he will have all guidance in Bhakti cult. So in the temple class some portions of this book must be regularly discussed.
Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 19 June, 1970:
I have not heard from you since a long time, and I think you are now very busy on account of Rathayatra festival. I hope you are all well with your good wife, Malati, and daughter, Sarasvati. Your good daughter's photograph catching my hand is published in our Handbook of Krsna Consciousness which is to be printed very shortly containing the calendar and important information of our activities.
Brahmananda has gone to Japan to complete the KRSNA book. Everything is going alright. A few copies will be ready by the Rathayatra, and I have advised him to send you 25 copies to begin the sales from Rathayatra auspicious date. The balance books will be ready for dispatch by the 20th of July, 1970. I have decided to send you 2,500 copes for sale. And also I wish to send some free copies to George Harrison for distribution amongst his intimate friends as he likes. So please let me know by return post how many copies will satisfy him. I know that he has many friends, but I will be ready to supply him free copies not exceeding one hundred.
Letter to Uddhava -- Los Angeles 22 June, 1970:
I am so glad to receive your letter along with the blueprint of the Almanac for Caitanya Era 484.
I have looked over this work very carefully and it is very intelligently done. This contains all relevant informations concerning our bona fide movement, so I think it will be of utmost use in the matter of approaching foundations and influential parties to understand and support this movement. Therefore, you should print up a large number of copies because we will distribute this booklet very widely for propaganda purposes.
I am so happy that our ISKCON press is now producing such several literatures consecutively like Srimad-Bhagavatam chapter by chapter. So now I am enlivened to write more and more. Thank you very much.
Letter to Nevatiaji -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1970:
I thank you very much for your letter dated 10th July, 1970, and noted the contents. I am surprised that the mail parcel containing the following articles has not reached you. Maybe it is delayed, but still if it is not yet arrived I shall send you a second batch on hearing from you. There was a copy of a letter addressed to Hanuman Prasad Poddar which covers all your questionnaires, so I am sending herewith another copy which will cover all your questions. Furthermore I am also giving you answers in sort of your questionnaires.
Letter to Tribhuvanatha -- Los Angeles 18 July, 1970:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter dated 13rd June, 1970, and just the other day I have received your package containing gifts of conchshell, sandalwood incense, orange socks and flowers as well as your beads for initiation. I beg to thank you for all these nice presentation and they are all being appropriately employed.
I am very glad to know that you have been staying for some months at our London Temple in the association of our devotees. This is certainly the most fortunate company for you and I know that if you maintain the association of devotees your life will be happy and perfect. That is the version of the sastra that the most important thing for spiritual realization is the company of realized souls or pure devotees of the Lord.
Letter to Himavati -- Los Angeles 30 July, 1970:
I have not heard from you recently how you are and I have been anxious to know that you are recovering well from your car accident injury.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of a package yesterday which contained one set of Deity clothes. I have immediately got them on my Deities and They are wearing them and looking so beautiful. You have made the colors and clothes so nicely. I am very much pleased.
You are lying for some time in the hospital bed and still you are not wasting a moment of your time. This attitude is very good. This is Krsna Consciousness—not to waste even a single moment without serving the Lord in some way or other.
Letter to Krsna dasa -- Calcutta 6 October, 1970:
Human life is especially meant for reviving our lost relationship with God by following the instructions of God contained in religious books like the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc. Without God-centered society, the whole thing is dog-centered society. A dog also eats, a dog also sleeps, a dog also defends and they have ample opportunity for sex-life. So the goal of life is Krsna—to become free from the cat and dog propensities of eating, sleeping, defending and mating and achieve the spiritual platform of Eternity, Knowledge and Blissful Life in pure devotional service to the Lord—Bhakti yoga, that is religion. Simply loving Krsna. Society without religion, it is all animal society.
1971 Correspondence
Letter to Mukunda -- Allahabad 4 February, 1971:
Please accept my blessings AND OFFER THE SAME TO YOUR good wife Janaki. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 25th December, 1970, along with pictures of Regent's Park land and Finchley Road, but I have not yet received the registered packet containing certified memorandum and articles of Association. Anyway, we have now obtained registration of our Society in India (Bombay) and tax exemption also. Now we have got our place in Bombay and we are getting another in Calcutta very soon.
In regard of Regent's Park land we are taking steps to contact Sri Karan Singh, who is already known to Gurudasa and that way of obtaining royal favor is very good. I think Sri Singh will like to help us in this matter, so let us see what Krsna desires. In the meantime continue to work from your end as far as possible. I am so glad that you have decided to return as President of our London Temple. I consider London as our prime center for spreading Krsna Consciousness Movement, so it is very important center and I therefore wanted that you take charge of the affairs and see that things are always improving.
Letter to Visnujana -- Gorakhpur 22 February, 1971:
Actually we want to establish a transcendental human society in which everything will be perfectly done so that man will be happy in this life as well as the next. All pamphlets and leaflets are well selected and if you simply preach the message contained in that literature, that will be sufficient stock to deliver to the people in general.
I am so glad that you are developing the center in Houston Texas and now have gone to Austin Texas to open yet another center. If you think so, I can send Deities for installing in the Houston temple. Any boy recommended by you will be initiated. I am also contemplating to return to the U.S.A. by the month of April.
Your program there sounds very nice and Krishna is helping you by sending more devotees. The more you render service, Krishna will help you more and more. My only desire is that all my sannyasi disciples may increase this institution in a wide area.
Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 30 December, 1971:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 12th, 1971. Unfortunately, it did not contain the two Krishna Book samples as I believe you sent them to Madras. But that does not matter, I have understood from your letter the point you wanted to make. Krishna Book should be published with the American University students in mind. Brahmananda can not send money out of Africa, so there is no need of printing a special African edition. Instead a few copies may be sent to him and he can arrange to have them copied and printed there with the Book Fund money that is in Africa. Then he can adjust the size of the book according to the African book market. So I also agree that Krishna Book of 16 color prints plus 6x9 will be very nice.
1972 Correspondence
Letter to Madhucara -- Bombay 4 February, 1972:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1/25/72, and so far we have record, we have not received your letter of 1 1/2 months back containing $5 check; so you may cancel that check and issue another if you wish. As we are always moving about, it is not unusual for the mail to become diverted, sometimes for months.
I am very pleased that you have been appointed as President for Phoenix, Arizona, center. Now you are being forced by Krishna to advance in Krishna Consciousness, because you must set the perfect example for all others to follow and be always very responsible and sober. I think you will have no difficulty, as long as our routine work is attended to nicely and the highest standards are maintained. Routine work means rising early, cleansing, chanting minimum 16 rounds, having kirtana, reading scriptures, deity worship, like that.
Letter to Acyutananda -- Paris 22 July, 1972:
I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 16, 1972, along with two tapes and one book. The book contains some derogatory remarks about my Guru Maharaja, therefore we shall having nothing to do with printing it. In fact, since Lalita Prasad Thakura has not fulfilled his promise to give us that Birnagar land for our ISKCON center, so we shall not have any more to do with printing any books by Bhaktivinode Thakura or anyone. Try to induce him to fulfill his promise, otherwise we want nothing more to do with the whole business.
1973 Correspondence
Letter to Babhru Das -- 5 March, 1973:
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 5,1,73 and have received the dakshina contents contained therein. I am very grateful for your offering of $100 for your second initiation.
Now that you have become Brahmin you should know that this means increased responsibility on Krsna's behalf. Factually this is the important initiation so you please maintain a very high standard of Krsna Consciousness and be very serious to execute the instructions of the spiritual master and Krsna.
I have also noted that you are going to spread this mission of Lord Chaitanya to South America and factually this is our last unconquered continent and I think there is great potential there.
1974 Correspondence
Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 7 January, 1974:
I beg to acknowledge your requests for initiations of devotees at New Vrindaban, contained in your letter of December 30, 1973.
Upon your recommendation I am glad to accept the disciples for first initiation, and their spiritual names are as follows:
Susan Burchell—Madanalasa dasi
Jim Newsham—Jayanta dasa
Evelyn Newsham—Candrarekhika dasi
Sandra Chiefa—Kunjari dasi
Haynes Busby—Hari-dhama dasa
You may chant on their beads and instruct them seriously to always chant at least 16 rounds daily and obey the regulative principles. Only in this way is spiritual advancement possible.
Letter to Dhananjaya -- Honolulu 26 January, 1974:
I'm so glad to receive your Special Delivery mail containing BTG. I am so glad to see you have given another step forward in our activity of pushing on the Krsna Consciousness movement. Rome is certainly a very important place in Europe. Big, big headquarters of the Christian world headed by the Pope. The people are naturally religiously inclined there, and I am sure if our movement is properly organized there, surely we shall get many devotees. Please try to remain there and go on propagating Krsna Consciousness as far as possible. My special thanks to you because you have immediately published the magazine.
Letter to All ISKCON Centers -- Vrindaban 14 March, 1974:
I specifically formed the BBT to invest in it exclusive rights for the printing of all literature containing my teachings, writings and lectures. In this way the collections are to be divided fifty percent for printing new books and fifty percent for construction of temples.
The BBT can authorize a center to print, as in the case of foreign translations, with the agreement that when the foreign printing becomes financially solvent they will pay royalties to the BBT. But all printing of ISKCON literature must be by the BBT or under their sanction and approval.
Letter to Brian Marvin -- Vrindaban 15 March, 1974:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your long letter dated February 14, 1974 and I have examined the contents.
Your first question is, how can the Vedas be considered eternal since they contain many historical references? But history is also eternal. For example, six months ago there was summer now there is a new season, and in another six months summer again. This calculation of one year is history but the summer and winter seasons are also eternal. There is a saying, "History repeats itself." Why make a distinction between history and eternity. Things are happening eternally; this is history.
You have asked why the four Vedas are written in a different type of sanskrit from classical. This is not extraordinary. In India, sanskrit pronunciation is different in the North and South, and there are many different dialects. So the Vedas may also be presented with some differences within.
Letter to Dr. Ghosh:
Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita there is the essence of Vedic instructions. The plan is that the conditioned soul may fulfill his desire for material enjoyment and at the same time be trained up in spiritual identity to come back to Godhead, back to home. As such, Bhagavad-gita contains the solution of all problems of the material world. Unfortunately, foolish people described as duskrtina, do not want to take instruction from the Lord, although it is completely perfect—but they select their own concocted leaders who are themselves blind, and therefore the world is in chaotic condition on account of rascal leaders in all fields. There are so many rascal leaders in politics, social life, cultural, philosophy, religion, etc. They are all misguided. Bhagavad-gita, therefore is the only light from which we can take direction for all our civic activities. Our Krsna Consciousness Movement was started only for this purpose.
Letter to Jagajivana -- Vrindaban 6 September, 1974:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 8, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am glad that you are enthusiastically taking up book distribution and have increased to 15,000 pieces per month. You have rightly understood the potency contained within my books. So far as being leader is concerned, leader means spiritually not materially. This you should understand very clearly. If spiritual potency and strength is there, then material intelligence will automatically follow. We must have a solid foundation of chanting and following the regulative principles. Then one is fit to lead others. I hope you will understand this point.
1975 Correspondence
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 19 January, 1975:
If you can send more similar reviews on my books, I would very much appreciate it. I am keeping a folder on such things and we can print a small book to distribute that will contain such reviews so that people will see what a great impression our books have on the intelligentsia of the world.
Regarding your question about the controversial talks going on, this kind of talk is not befitting my advanced students. This is childish. In Krishna's service, there is no inferior and superior. Deity worship is just as important as book distribution. It is not material. As mentioned in the Bhagavatam.
Letter to Bhagavan -- Tokyo 27 January, 1975:
Please forgive me, I am so helpless and spiritually weak. Please save me. What more can I say, please save me. In India you said, "Every rumor contains a grain of truth." So the police, the karmis, newspapers must also bear a grain of Truth. I feel discouraged now. All my godbrothers and your Divine Grace are dissatisfied with me, so I have lost my enthusiasm.
Under the circumstances, I have asked Hamsaduta to come to me at Hawaii. There I shall try to rectify the mistakes and as previously arranged, the GBC's should act as my secretary at least one month in a year. So, he may come and remain with me and in the meantime, you work conjointly with Brahmananda Svami. Try to manage Germany, London, and Paris. The main business in Germany is to reply the charges and rescue the frozen money.
Letter to Brijratanji -- Perth, Australia 11 May, 1975:
I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 17th, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. I welcome your suggestion. I have advised my assistants to publish one chapter in each issue from the Bhagavat Maha-Purana. This will contain the devanagari script as well as the roman script. I thank you very much for your suggestion.
Letter to Brijratan S. Mohatta -- Berkeley 17 July, 1975:
Enclosed please find herewith a copy of our latest issue of Back to Godhead containing the selection from Srimad-Bhagavatam as you had kindly suggested. We are making it a regular feature each month.
Letter to Dinanatha N. Mishra -- Laguna Beach 26 July, 1975:
Very recently we have established our temple in Vrindaban at a cost of 50 lakhs of Rupees or more. The Governor of U.P., Dr. Channa Reddy was present for two days for the opening ceremony. All the goswamis and sannyasis like Akhananda Swami all attended the ceremony. We have got a guest house there containing about 80 rooms, and the recent report is that not less than 500 men are coming daily to visit the temple. Prasad is being distributed to the poor, and others are purchasing prasada (pakki) to the extent of Rs. 100/- per day. We are selling our books also.
Now I wish to establish some temple of Ramacandra, Sita Ram. Of course it depends on the mercy of Lord Ramacandra. Therefore I am still requesting you to join our movement completely retired from family life and engage yourself in translation work for the rest of your life.
Letter to Dr. Y. G. Naik -- Toronto 7 August, 1975:
Everywhere we have got temples we distribute prasadam especially to the poorer men. I am enclosing one issue of our "Back to Godhead" magazine which contains photos of our prasadam distribution starting on page 12. This prasadam distribution is going on all over the world.
Regarding the free distribution of books, there is no need in this country. They have sufficient money and sometimes they pay more than the price. Here in this country if literature is given free of charge, they throw it away. In most cases we offer our books and ask for a contribution. And, sometimes they pay three rimes or four times the requested price. So about money matters they are very liberal. Krishna has given them money, and they spend it very liberally.
Letter to Dr. Y. G. Naik -- Toronto 7 August, 1975:
Since I have come to this country, I might have sold this Easy Journey about one half million copies. My Krishna books are selling more than that. So by Krishna's grace our books are being appreciated by universities, libraries, and respectable professors, and some are being used as textbooks in the universities. I am enclosing herewith a copy of our book catalog which contains some of the comments of the professors. I hope you will enjoy it. Also I am enclosing a copy of one book, Scientific Basis of Krishna Consciousness, written by one of my Ph.D. students. You are also a scientist, and I hope you will enjoy it.
In India we have got a program of membership and patronship costing Rs. 1,111/- and 2,222/- respectively, and all of our members and patrons are receiving all of the books free of charges. So any member can come to our temples and live as long as he likes and take free prasadam. So if any Indians students come here as our member, we shall welcome him and give him a place as well as prasadam free of charge.
Letter to Certification (for Jayapataka) -- Vrindaban 24 August, 1975:
In the matter of an application for a certificate of naturalization under the Citizenship Act, 1955, made by my disciple Jayapataka Swami/ Gordon John Erdman I, Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami aged 79 years by occupation the Founder-Acarya: International Society for Krishna Consciousness son of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada, residing at Vrindaban, U.P., do solemnly and sincerely affirm that I am an Indian citizen otherwise then by naturalization; that I am a property-holder; that I am not a solicitor or agent of Jayapataka Swami/ Gordon John Erdman; that I have personal knowledge of, and intimate acquaintance with, the said Gordon John Erdman of seven years; that the statements contained in his application for naturalization are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Letter to Hamsaduta, Bhagavan -- Vrindaban 1 September, 1975:
So I am requesting you to make vigorous propaganda in Eastern Europe. In the latest English BTG there is my discussion about Marx philosophy which will appeal to any sane gentleman. This should be read and translated. Lenin killed the Czar that's all, but any gunda can do that.
You make one book containing my conversations with Prof. Kotovsky and also the one with Syamasundara, and translate it into Russian and distribute in Russia.
My special mission is for the Western countries. Whatever success I have got, it is because the Westerners have cooperated.
Letter to Sri Ramchandra Chabriaji -- Vrindaban 11 September, 1975:
Please accept my blessings. Here in Vrindaban we have constructed one Guest House by our Krishna Balarama Mandir. The Guest House contains 44 Guest Rooms not including the rooms for our own men.
I wish that you may kindly come here to Vrindaban to train up my men how to organize and run the Guest House nicely. I think one week will be sufficient. We shall pay all your expenses in coming and going from Bombay.
Letter to Harinama, Tadit, Bhaktin De Anna -- Vrndavana 21 September, 1975:
I am in due receipt of your letter. I thank you very much for the package containing the woolen slippers and the nice bag for the karatalas. They are very nicely done. Regarding the baby Acarya das, yes, the name is approved by me and it is a very nice thing that he was born with umbilical cord wrapped like sacred thread. I am very pleased to hear about the book distribution. I know that Atlanta is very good place for book distribution and you are doing it nicely. So please continue.
Letter to Cyavana -- Johannesburg 17 October, 1975:
I have received one letter from Jnana das Adhikari dated Oct. 8, 1975, and also Pusta Krsna Maharaja has pointed out one letter addressed to you here in Johannesburg dated Oct. 10 from Jnana das. This letter was opened by Pusta Krsna because it may have contained information relevant to our travel to Nairobi.
In any case, it appears that Jnana das is restless. It is not a good idea for him to bring Lilavati's daughter to Kilifi as he has described the living conditions as very poor and now she is at least nicely situated in Gurukula. Also, he speaks of going to America, and who will supply him the money for this? So, all these unnecessary expenditures should be stopped. We can discuss the matter further when I am in Nairobi. I will be arriving on BA 018 from Johannesburg on Saturday, October 25.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 9 November, 1975:
Also, enclosed is one letter from Karttikeya MahaDevia who suggests in this regard and also Mukunda Prabhu from London has telephoned that the Encyclopedia Brittanica will be containing an article of 350 words on myself in their publication. So far your lecturing is concerned, you simply put in your own language the purports of our books. That will make your lectures successful. And everywhere you can refer to the book, Hare Krsna and Counterculture, written by Professor Judah.
So in the Western countries they are selling their churches and farms which we require. That is also Krsna's plan. In U.S.A. there is enough land and if we organize we can become very big party—Hare Krsna party. We can occupy America and make them all become Krsna conscious. Regarding the St. Louis farm, yes, we can work and build some small cottages with thatched roofs provided we get men. It is very encouraging; you should get this farm. Ten at least are sufficient to run a farm.
1976 Correspondence
Letter to Saurabha -- Honolulu 20 May, 1976:
What rooms would be utilized for this purpose?
I am enclosing a copy of the letter to the Bank of America requesting them to issue payment to the ECC (Engineering Construction Corporation). See that this copy is given to Giriraja das, and he can see that this transaction takes place according to instructions contained therein.
Letter to Ramesvara , Radhavallabha -- Bombay 14 August, 1976:
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of the package from Los Angeles containing the Vyasa Puja and the latest BBT newsletter and I have found both to be extremely pleasing.
The report of the book printing is both encouraging and surprising. Every time I see this I remember the words of my Guru Maharaja when he told me that wherever there was money it should be used to print books, not that we shall have big big temples and then fight in the court. He asked me to do this and I am trying my little bit, that's all. It is all by his blessings for without his blessings this wonderful thing would not have happened. He said personally to me, "If I could sell this Gaudiya Matha building, that would have been better." He predicted that there would be fire within these walls. So I took it, "O, His Divine Grace wants some books."
Letter to Jagannatha-suta -- New Delhi 28 August, 1976:
I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 18, 1976 and the separate package containing ten Back to Godhead magazines. Thank you very much for them.
Actually I am dependent on your mercy. If you kindly follow my instructions and continue to push on Krsna consciousness, that will make me very happy. You must very strictly observe the regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds a day and Krsna will give you guidance. This is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita, tesam satata yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te (BG 10.10), to those who worship Him with love, Krsna gives the guidance so that they can come back to Him.
| Page Title: | Contains (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 08 of Aug, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=67 |
| No. of Quotes: | 67 |