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Excellent (Lec, Conv, & Letters)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:

Devotee: Verse number seventeen: "He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, working and recreation can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system (BG 6.17)."

Prabhupāda: Yes, you simply, there is no question of attending a so-called yoga class and pay five rupees or five dollars fee to keep yourself reduced fat and so on, keeping your health fit. You simply practice. This practice: Eat what you need, sleep what you need. Your health will be excellent. There is no need of any extraneous help. Simply by practicing this you'll have everything all right. Go on.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973:

Prabhupāda: When you go to India you can see this Naimiṣāraṇya still. It is very nice place. Just like Vṛndāvana, Prayāga, Hardwar. There are hundreds of nice place for spiritual advancement. So this Naimiṣāraṇya is still there. The railway station is now called Nimsar. It is about hundred miles from Lucknow. And people go there. Very excellent position for spiritual advancement. There are many temples like Vṛndāvana and Prayāga, and Naimiṣāraṇya. Naimiṣe. Animiṣa-kṣetre. Go on.

Pradyumna: "Animiṣa-kṣetre—the spot which is especially a favorite of Viṣṇu, who does not close His eyelids."

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

He was grown up He also said, "My dear mother, My father has left home. I will also leave home. If you want to take some instruction from Me you can take. Then I shall go away." So before going away He is giving instruction to His mother.

Now, this Devahūti's position is a perfect woman. She got good father, she got good husband, and she got excellent son. So woman has got three stages in life. Man has got ten stages. These three stages mean that when she is younger, she must live under the protection of father. Just like Devahūti when she was grown up, young, she proposed her father that "I want to marry that gentleman, that yogi." And the father also offered. So, so long she was not married she remained under the protection of the father. And when she was married she remained with the yogi husband. And she was troubled in so many ways because she was princess, daughter of king. And this yogi, he was in a cottage, no food, no shelter, nothing of the sort. So she had to suffer. She never said that "I am king's daughter. I was raised in so opulent condition of life.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Translation: Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Even until now, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and all the saintly persons could not satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of me? I am not at all qualified."

Prabhupāda:

śrī prahlāda uvāca
brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā munaya 'tha siddhāḥ
sattvaikatāna-gatāyo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ
nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ
kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ
(SB 7.9.8)

So ugra-jāteḥ means demonic family, passionate. Ugra. There are three qualities within this material world. Therefore it is said guṇa-mayī. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14). Guṇa-mayī means three guṇas, three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. So our mind is jumping. Everyone knows the nature of the mind, sometimes accepting one thing, again rejecting it, saṅkalpa-vikalpa. This is the quality of the mind or nature of the mind.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.49-65 -- San Francisco, February 3, 1967:

"Oh, I saw a sannyāsī, but I did not offer my respect. Therefore the penance should be that I should fast one day." This is the injunction. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although He was God Himself, but His behavior and His etiquette was excellent. At once He saw the sannyāsīs, He offered His respect. Pāda prakṣālana kari vasilā sei sthāne. And it is the system that when one comes from outside, he has to wash his feet before he enters room, especially for the sannyāsīs. So He washed His feet and sat down outside where the other sannyāsīs were sitting, a little off, just the place where He washed His feet.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.29 -- San Francisco, January 21, 1967:

So one of the chief disciples of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, he very much appreciated Caitanya Mahāprabhu's presentation of Vedānta-sūtra and excellent presentation of harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21), that "In this age there is no other alternative for self-realization than chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare," harer nāma, the holy name of God. So considering the fallen age at the present moment, God is so merciful and kind that He presents Himself as sound, sound vibration, which everyone can produce by his tongue and can hear, and God is present there.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Ceremony -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:

Karandhara: Elba.

Prabhupāda: Varā dāsī. Vara means excellent.

Karandhara: Audrey.

Prabhupāda: Dhattreyī. Dhattreyī dāsī. That's all.

Karandhara: That's all, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda.

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

I have introduced this marriage system in our society, and the result is very good. You'll be very pleased to know that in London I have sent six boys and girls who were married by me in my presence. Formerly, they were not married. You know as the other boys and girls lived, they were also living in that way. But the result has been very excellent. They are preaching there Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are not very big philosopher, nor Vedantist, neither, I mean to say, born in the Vedic civilized way—just like ordinary way—but they have been trained only under my direction for only two years. But they are working in London very wonderfully, so much so that people have come to know that there is a movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and London Times, in big heading, they wrote, "Kṛṣṇa Chanting Startles London." So formerly many sannyāsīs went there to introduce this movement, but they failed.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Hayagrīva: We should stop. (break) ...Mill was not only a utilitarian but a humanist, and he says, "A religion of humanity can have as excellent an effect, perhaps even to a greater extent, than a supernatural religion." The religion of humanity would cultivate unselfish feelings. That is a religion without God, religion with man at the center.

Prabhupāda: So without God, how it can be religion? Religion means, I have already explained, the order of God.

Hayagrīva: Finally on immortality and miracles, he says that there is no evidence for the immortality of the soul and none against it, but...

Prabhupāda: How he can be convinced? There are so many evidences. That is the misfortune of the human society. A learned person like Mill, he cannot understand, what to speak of the others. This is simple truth. Any child can understand but due to misfortune they cannot understand.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. What is the description?

Satsvarūpa: Very excellent location, right downtown. The things wrong with it is that the temple area is no bigger than the temple area we have now, but the location is just the greatest. Second floor. Still, right downtown.

Prabhupāda: Second floor. So what is the rent?

Satsvarūpa: Three hundred a month. But we can do it as long as... Presently, Patita-pāvana is working and so am I, and sometimes the gopīs get some money. So we wouldn't have any problem as long as Patita-pāvana would continue to work.

Prabhupāda: All right, Kṛṣṇa will solve the problems. But the space is not lesser than this temple?

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 13, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: No. She appreciated that Lord Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa, and she has written one poetry, song, that "Now You have left aside Your flute, and You have taken the sannyāsī rod." In that way she has written nice poetry. "And where is Your hair and peacock feather? Now You are bald-headed." In this way. So Mīrā appreciated. Her life is also very excellent. Her father gave her a small Kṛṣṇa doll to play, and she developed love for Kṛṣṇa as husband. So when she was married... She was princess, daughter of king, and she was married with another prince.

Allen Ginsberg: What position does Anandamayi Ma have now?

Prabhupāda: She is also impersonalist.

Discussion with BTG Staff -- December 24, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not?

Hayagrīva: Gurudāsa has some very excellent pictures from the archives taken from books that were printed several hundreds of years ago, Bhagavad-gītā and some woodcuts of Nṛsiṁha, which would be considered quite artistic, but maybe we can send them to you to see if they meet your approval and maybe reproduce them.

Prabhupāda: No, whatever card, form, we get, unless we have got arrangement for worship... Of course, we can keep, but our, any form, wooden or stone, that should be worshiped.

Hayagrīva: These are photographs, these are pictures.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Kenneth Keating, U.S. Ambassador to India -- October 14, 1972, New Delhi:

Mrs. Keating: Excellent.

Ambassador: Forty thousand.

Mrs. Keating: Forty thousand. That's wonderful.

Ambassador: That's great.

Mrs. Keating: Really, and it's a fine company.

Prabhupāda: Yes, fine.

Mrs. Keating: It's very good.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: They have manufactured different types of religions (indistinct). All these Radhaswami, (indistinct), Jains, Sikhs, they have manufactured... (indistinct) And our Vedic regulations (indistinct) Just like such a great personality as Buddha, simply he said that I do not follow the Vedic principles. (indistinct) That Buddhism could not flourish, although Buddhism began from India. (indistinct) He started this Buddha but because he did... Simply he said that I do not accept your Vedas, immediately... Such a great personality (indistinct) So anyone who does not follow the śāstra, the essence of śāstra is (indistinct) So anyone who studies Bhagavad-gītā minutely, (indistinct). These European, American boys, because they're strictly following the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, (indistinct). Only thing is they're following (indistinct) śāstra. (indistinct) ...waste of time, śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). That is stated in the Bhāgavata. Simply wasting time. (indistinct) Prayer has failed all over the world because they are neglecting the (indistinct). Nobody goes to church. Churches, churches are now being sold. In London, have you been in London? There are hundreds and thousands of churches, they're simply (indistinct), nobody goes there. Not only in England, in America also. In America still, they are going on, because there are (indistinct) churches, but in England I will say, it is (indistinct). Very, very nice, you have been to (indistinct)? (indistinct) ...so excellent church, there is one flaw, very big church, well constructed.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: No, why Americans will be interested to take the church, as it is... But he's thinking... That means he wants to dismantle the church. But church now will not allow. He's finding out some customer who will take the church (indistinct). So their headquarter land is very valuable. So if the land is vacated, then you may have a little church and other land he can utilize for himself. That is his proposition. And so far purchasing the church, there may be, but others will purchase the church for dismantling and making a nice skyscraper building. They do not want actually. Church now will not allow. We say that we shall not dismantle the church, we shall utilize it as temple. We says... Crazy idea (indistinct). But my point is that church is so excellent, huge amount of money has been spent, and nobody...? (pause) (Hindi) So I chastised them, fools and rascals in meeting, but they did not protest.

Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:

Śyāmasundara: The cream in England is excellent. (pause) (break)

Prabhupāda: So if the monarch becomes ideal, it will be very nice.

David Wynne: Yes.

Śyāmasundara: There is still a feeling... In all other countries, everyone thinks, "I can become the leader. I can become president." "I can become prime minister." But in this country, everyone still must think, "I cannot become the king. I cannot become the queen." The king is something higher.

David Wynne: I'm making also the new coins for this country, and they were thinking of leaving off the words "Fin def," which means in Latin "Defender of the faith." And I refused to do it if they left that off the coin. Because it's the most important. It means she's, it acknowledges that she is the, although it's only a tradition, but she's the defender of the faith of the people. And they were going... They said, "Oh, this is just now archaism." But I got them to keep it in.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 27, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And they have become śreṣṭha. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Blind men have become the leader of the blind men. That is the difficulty. And if you want to open their eyes, they will say, "No sanction for temple. Get out." Murkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamyati (?). This is the position.

Bhava-bhūti: It's an excellent preaching point, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Bhava-bhūti: Christianity was taught to the publicans and the beggars, but Kṛṣṇa taught originally bhakti-yoga to the kings.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because they were cultured.

Morning Walk -- April 6, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Super-excellent opulence in Kṛṣṇa, by His veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam (Bs. 5.30). That attraction is only in Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...scientist, we say the same thing.

Bhāgavata: Yes. He has spent his whole life, twenty-five years, studying so hard.

Prabhupāda: When he said this?

Bhāgavata: In 1972. His name is Professor Leakey. He is from, I think, America. And he has found in Kenya one skull two million years old. (break)

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. When our book was published?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: Scientists, first of all we have rejected that.

Guest (2): ...provides excellent quantity of proteins. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: But however protein you may accumulate, can you stop your death?

Guest (2): No.

Prabhupāda: Then what is value of protein? If you think that protein will save you from death, then you collect the best protein. But after all, you are going to die. Nature will not allow you to live, even you take much quantity of protein.

Guest (2): That's correct.

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: Therefore Indian civilization is that you take rice, wheat, ḍāl, vegetable, a little milk, whatever protein and vitamin A,B,C,D can be available, that is sufficient.

Guest (2): Dr. Malhotra has done excellent work on nutrition and he has done two books. In those books he has advocated that milk is not the only best diet. Balanced food, you can have by I mean ḍāls and so many other sources.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (2): Milk is not the only one.

Prabhupāda: In, in, in your Punjab, in United Province...

Guest (2): At least his (indistinct) approach it is not one sided.

Room Conversation with Justin Murphy (Geographer) -- May 14, 1975, Perth:

Justin Murphy: And vegetable growth. But we lack water. And in Perth we are doing an excellent job at ruining our water. It's criminal in many respects, what is going on. And this is what we must do. So we are trying to strike a balance between science for and research for the benefit of people. But it must be also for the benefit of the environment, because...

Prabhupāda: You find out this verse. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. Annād. A-n-n-a-d. Annād.

Paramahaṁsa: A-n-n-a-d. Hm.

Prabhupāda: Find out.

Paramahaṁsa:

Room Conversation with Justin Murphy (Geographer) -- May 14, 1975, Perth:

Justin Murphy: Excellent talking to you. Thank you very much and I wish you well in Melbourne and then in Hawaii?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Fiji and Hawaii. You can keep his address. He may talk with you.

Śrutakīrti: Here is a sweet we have made from milk product.

Justin Murphy: Thank you. Good night.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. (break)

Paramahaṁsa: He said that... When we were walking to the car, he said... I was talking to him a little bit about it, and I gave him some magazines to read. He said it is very convincing argument about the, why the problems are all there because of the bodily concept of life. So he said, "It is a very convincing point of view and very thought-provoking." So I think he listened very well.

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1975, Los Angeles:

Satsvarūpa: We just got a review published in a magazine called Choice which is used... It's very important. It's used by all the libraries all over the country, and the review was excellent. They didn't say one bad thing. You should see that review.

Prabhupāda: Where? You have got that copy?

Rāmeśvara: We have copy. I can bring it in today.

Satsvarūpa: That one review does more work than we could do by traveling all over the country for a year. Because the librarians, when we go to them, they say, "Well, we usually order our books from this Choice magazine." But now we're in it. So...

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa is helping us. Take advantage of it. (break) Vyāsadeva compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for this purpose. Anartha upasamam sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaja. These lokasya ajānataḥ, people are suffering on account of ignorance, so to give them proper knowledge, he made this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. (break) Who can become more learned than Vyāsadeva? Therefore he is known as vidvān, the most, supreme learned. He made this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to help these rascals who are spoiling their life only in sense gratification.

Morning Walk -- October 6, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: Our professors, they came from missionary, but there were other officers in government service, I.C.S., Indian Civil Service. They were also. In the province where they were employed he must learn the provincial language. Their administration was excellent, undoubtedly, British administration. Nobody in the world, so far administration... But their crooked policy ruined them; otherwise good administrator, good politician, good diplomat.

Harikeśa: They made those nice buildings in Delhi, too.

Prabhupāda: Huh? Yes, and everything good. Simply heart was not very good.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Heart.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: They could just be so valuable to helping our temples if they agreed to preach to our devotees. They could train. (break) ...brought the reporters from Time magazine over to see our temple. I had Mother Yamunā prepare some prasādam, and she was also serving them, and then she was explaining about prasādam and preaching. So I could understand that as long as she stays on that farm, she's limiting herself, because she's an excellent preacher. She could be very valuable, expert preacher. In her.... Their idea is that they would like to make their farm a little bigger, with more women living with them.

Prabhupāda: I like that idea.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Hṛdayānanda:

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā munayo 'tha siddhāḥ
sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ
nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ
kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ

"Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Even until now all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and all the saintly persons could not satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of me? I am not at all qualified."

Prabhupāda: Go on, second.

Hṛdayānanda: Purport?

Prabhupāda: No purport, translation.

Room Conversation with Ambarisa and Catholic Priest -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Fifty?

Śrutikīrti: People are very interested, the location is excellent. It's on one of the most important streets in all of Boston.

Ambarīṣa: Once we get open we'll be able to serve a thousand people a day.

Prabhupāda: Oh. And what you are charging?

Ambarīṣa: We're charging anywhere between three and eight dollars. Eight dollars for a very big, many preparations and different nectars and very sumptuous feast for eight dollars. And then if you just want a sandwich or something a little smaller you can pay just three dollars. We think we'll be making about half a million dollars a year, which will all go to you, Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: He was very expert. In India, a girl, if she could cook nicely, then she is perfect. There is a ceremony, it is called bahubhat(?). After marriage the girl comes to her father-in-law's house and there is a ceremony called bahubhat. In that bahubhat, the girl is to cook and distribute this food to all the relatives of her husband. If they say it is excellent, then she is accepted in this family.

Bali-mardana: What if they say it is not excellent?

Prabhupāda: Nobody says. (laughter) But the ceremony is made. The social system in India is that "If I do not accept your food, then I do not take you within my inner circle. You remain outside."

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Saurabha: Of course, the location is excellent. It is... This is... There's two towers, and here is the road. Here is that, our road, going to our land in the back. Here is the main entry. Here is the temple in the back. So these two on the ground floor are meant for bank. So people can come right from here, and here is an entry. So place is the best for the bank. So they all want that place. So you think State Bank of India is the best?

Prabhupāda: No, as you think?

Saurabha: I don't know very much, but Gopāla said that the Indian Overseas Bank is an upcoming bank as well as Syndicate Bank, so they may be more eager for this.

Prabhupāda: Syndicate Bank is not very...

Saurabha: I also think to have a big bank is better.

Prabhupāda: Big bank is better. And who pays the best price.

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Saurabha: It's excellent. And from there you can see down. You look down, and then you see the river Krishna.

Prabhupāda: It is a plateau.

Saurabha: Yes, a plateau.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: See the river Krishna.

Saurabha: Yes, you can just see the river flowing down there.

Prabhupāda: Oh, it is beautiful spot.

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Saurabha: Oh, yes. The building is excellent, but nothing is going on. Only twice a year they have a meeting. But it's very well built.

Prabhupāda: Their propaganda is that "You do sinful. You do whatever you like. You simply admit. Confession. Then you'll be..."

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Atone.

Prabhupāda: This is morality. "You commit immorality as much as you like. You simply admit it. Then it's right" (indistinct) This is their propaganda. They do not want to stop immorality. "You do, and don't hide it—you admit." But persons are so shameless that they will continually do, and they have no shamefulness to hide even. That is the Christian theory, that "Our religion is so... Maybe we are unable to remain without any sin. Christ will excuse us." Is it not? This is going on. This is.

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Saurabha: He's the head man of that institute there. And then some very big European industrialist they are also involved. They've spent two crores of rupees on that complex. It's very well maintained also. I went into the building. It's excellent. But there is nobody.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Nobody. (break) So it is immediately cut.

Mahāṁśa: The door is ready, so when you go for a bath...

Prabhupāda: No, he can come.

Mahāṁśa: Now he can come?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Mahāṁśa Swami is nicely doing (?).

Room Conversation -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Āsana, soft āsana. First of all, this kuśāsana, then the deerskin and then one...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Soft cloth. This will be excellent because nobody else is teaching yoga this way.

Prabhupāda: No. So they will sit down and perpendicularly. Perpendicularly, if you sit in this way, then you will automatically you become perfect yogi. Automatically. This should be practiced. In every class they should sit down with like this, like this, and they will not close the eyes but half-closed and see here.

Hari-śauri: Staring at the tip of the nose.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Arrival of BBT Manager -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: It's excellent.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Then it is final. (laughter) Do it.

Rāmeśvara: I think... What if we mentioned how many copies of Bhagavad-gītā have been sold in the last year?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we can say "sold to date." I tell people over four million copies sold.

Prabhupāda: No, no, that is not required. We are selling all worldwide. That is there.

Rāmeśvara: And also the American universities are using these books in their courses as required.

Prabhupāda: That we have said, "Available for reading from university, public libraries all over the world."

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: The diabetics. They have diabetes. Very common. We have a devotee who does that. This boy in New York whose parents have kidnapped him many times. He is actually... That's their charge against us, that "Oh, my son is diabetic, and you are not spending $25,000 on doctors. You are not taking care of him." That is their charge against us. Then Ādi-keśava Mahārāja said, "All right, if you want him to have such excellent medical treatment, you give us the money and we'll spend it on it." So then the parents say, "Just see! Blackmail." That is a big charge in the paper. It's called extortion. Ādi-keśava Mahārāja was indicted for kidnapping and for extortion.

Hari-śauri: He's that Ed Shapiro.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. The parents cheated again. They said, "Just see, blackmail."

Hari-śauri: That's how that charge came up.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. They lie and say, "This president, he said, 'If you do not give us this money, we will let your son die.' "

Prabhupāda: In a different way.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: In Assam there is excellent field.

Prabhupāda: Assam.

Gargamuni: Yes. They're all Vaiṣṇava. They worship Lord Caitanya.

Prabhupāda: Especially in Manipur.

Gargamuni: Yes. Especially in Manipur. There we could not go, though. Our men were not allowed to... They could not get a permit. They got as far as Shillong. They did fifteen standing orders in a few days there. They were only there for a few days. That used to be a British capital.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Gargamuni: Shillong.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "ISKCON farm report: Port Royal, Pennsylvania, report for year 1976. ISKCON Incorporated of New York owns a prime farm in Juanita County of Pennsylvania. The land is nearly four hundred acres in size, valued at around five hundred dollars per acre, or two hundred thousand dollars. In addition the buildings on the property consist of the following: barn worth $40,000; outbuildings worth $10,000; calf barn $25,000; equipment $50,000; residential building $45,000; guesthouse and public kitchen and prasāda pavilion $75,000; and silos $20,000. Total, including land, $465,000. The purpose of this land is to produce foodstuffs to meet all the needs of the farm community as well as the needs of our temples in New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. Another purpose is to demonstrate the principle of cow protection, as we are strict vegetarians and do not believe in slaughtering cows. Our herd of cows is Brown Swiss, and they are rated amongst the top one percent of dairy cow herds in the United States. All of the cows are pedigreed. Our farm holds fifty milk cows and fifty young cows, heifers. The milk cows milk an average of 40 kilos of milk per day in their first month of lactation and average 25 kilos per day over the whole year. We have 140 acres of crop land and 30 acres of pasture, the balance being woods, primarily hardwood, which is excellent for fuel. On our land we grow not only all the food for the residents but also for the cows. The following is the yield for 1976: corn-200 tons, soybeans-10 tons, barley-10 tons, oats-10 tons..."

Prabhupāda: What do you do with the soybeans?

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: Excellent.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very tasty.

Brahmānanda: Nearby there's a mill, and they grind the wheat fresh.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Brahmānanda: Near to our farm is a mill where they grind the wheat fresh.

Prabhupāda: Our mill?

Brahmānanda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We are going to get one now. It is not difficult to have a mill. "Hay-45 tons."

Prabhupāda: In India the practice was hand grind daily. The women will do that. That's exercise for them, and they keep their body fit and beautiful.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Gargamuni: Yes. "I have also found the Hindi book Īśopaniṣad to be of excellent quality. I am hoping that every sincere seeker of truth and higher knowledge will find repose in the books of Swami Bhaktivedanta." Signed, V. P. Singh, Professor and Head of the Department of Hindi, Benares Hindu University.

Prabhupāda: It is a very important document. It is written nicely.

Gargamuni: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: And print it. Wherever you go, you'll get order.

Gargamuni: Yes. Especially now the new prime minister is emphasizing Hindi literature and the study of the Vedas.

Prabhupāda: And send him one copy.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Very, very nice. They're superexcellent. Not only excellent but superexcellent.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here is a picture of the same Guru-Gaurāṅga in night dress.

Prabhupāda: You can say, "It is superexcellent."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I have written it three times. (laughter) Here is your Guru Mahārāja. He looks like a young man, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (chuckles) Very young. Here he is with full dress and garlanded. Here is Your Divine Grace, mūrti, fully dressed and garlanded.

Prabhupāda: Everything superexcellent.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He is the Head of the Department of Sanskrit at the Bombay University. " 'The printing is really excellent and the general get-up highly attractive. I have nothing but the highest praise for this splendid publication. The BBT's encyclopedia would be a valuable asset to each school and college library as well as all general libraries throughout the world.' " These reviews are as good as your books, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're tremendous. Here is a letter from the member of the advisory board of the Sāhitya Academy. You know what that is Śrīla Prabhupāda? Sāhitya Academy? I think it's a literary academy. " 'No earthly writer today can match the vast outpouring of pure verse which our ancient sages, particularly the great Vyāsadeva, have left to the world. Motivated by a deep desire to give moral, cultural, and educational upliftment to all people irrespective of caste, creed or nationality, they have taught us the higher values of life through the medium of historical narrations, biographies, the lives of great men, and simple instructive stories. The unlimited wealth which they have left behind in the Devanāgarī script is sheer ecstasy to read for the poet, the student and the common man.

Room Conversation With Madhudvisa and others -- August 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Śrutakīrti: Excellent weather. It was hot.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Los Angeles has good weather.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Very good weather.

Śrutakīrti: Hawaii's weather is (laughs)..., it's better.

Prabhupāda: So I wanted to return again.

Śrutakīrti: If not for the traveling, it would certainly be the best place to be for your health. I remember last time when you were sick, you recovered very well in Hawaii.

Prabhupāda: Let us see. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa wants me, wants to go back to...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was encouraging Prabhupāda to... I said that if he goes to the Western temples, that the welcome from his disciples would be so much that he would live for hundreds of years.

Prabhupāda: You can... Go a little... (Bengali)

Room Conversation With Madhudvisa and others -- August 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is the scarcity of money? (laughter)

Śrutakīrti: Also it is a very excellent business for householders in our movement.

Prabhupāda: You American boys, you know how to earn money. Now you have learned how to spend it for Kṛṣṇa. It is wonderful.

Śrutakīrti: It is very nice, because when you burn the candle it only burns on the inside, so you can burn the candle and still keep this attractive...

Prabhupāda: Oh. Outer cover.

Śrutakīrti: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you keep that permanently.

Prabhupāda: Oh, this is made of..., the outer portion is made of candle? No.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That will be our excellent achievement. This is our mission, the... Whatever we have got, teach others. In this spread. The whole world is chanting. Did you recite the verses in Fiji?

Yaśodā-nandana: Yes. In Fiji we recited all those verses, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: They appreciated?

Yaśodā-nandana: Yes. People liked it very much. They had never heard before.

Prabhupāda: Very good. The Gurukula is meant for this purpose. Teach them and let them go around the world to teach. Taroho e bhava-sindhu. Durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge, taroho e bhava-sindhu re. This is our mission. Īśopaniṣad?

Yaśodā-nandana: Īśopaniṣad? Recite?

Brahmānanda: Sing it, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Excellent. Very... Foundation, back to Godhead. I am getting little glimpse, He may agree to your prayer, yes.

Hṛdayānanda: Jaya Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Now stock books immediately.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here is Jayapatākā Swami.

Prabhupāda: You print. They will pay you. Jayapatākā?

Jayapatākā: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: There is no question of becoming miserly. You print as many books as you like. All money will be paid if you have no money. Why? If you are selling books, you must have money also.

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Madhusudana -- San Francisco 30 December, 1967:

I am so happy to read your letter dated Dec. 28, 1967. And I am very concerned that due to your sincerity and service mood you have improved in Krishna Consciousness excellently. Whatever allocation of duty there may be, if we try to execute such specific duty sincerely, that alone can make us much more advanced in Krishna Consciousness. In the Bhagavad-gita, it is stated that for the fixed up devotee there is one duty. This duty is understood through the transparent medium via media of the Spiritual Master. It is better service to Krishna and Spiritual Master in a feeling of separation; sometimes there is risk in the matter of direct service.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 13 January, 1968:

Yes, the ecstasy of separation of Spiritual Master is even greater ecstasy than meeting with Him.

Please continue your excellent service and I will always be so pleased with your sincere service, as I am so much happy with you. Hope you are well, and I hope your injured thumb is now fully recovered.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1968:

I think you are missing the four points of Krishna's superexcellent qualities to be added in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya. The four points are as follows: 1. He can create continuous waves of Transcendental Pastimes which attract the attention of everyone including His Visnu Expansions, 2. His super-excellent beauty in the midst of Radharani and Her Associates, 3. His super-excellent sound of His Transcendental Flute, 4. His super-excellent beauty cannot be surpassed by anyone in the three worlds, namely, the material world, the Vaikuntha Loka, and Krishna Loka. I hope you will add these points to complete the vacancy.

Letter to Rupanuga -- San Francisco 12 March, 1968:

They do not make any difference of quality and quantity, but Vaisnava philosophers are very accurate in their estimation of the Absolute Truth. Therefore, we interpret this Vedic verse as Tattvam asi means that the living entity is qualitatively one, as much as a particle of gold is also gold.

Thanking you once more for your very excellent work there, and hoping you are well.

Letter to Terry and associates -- San Francisco 22 March, 1968:

And I thank you from the core of my heart for doing such a nice thing. Krishna will be pleased upon you, and bestow His Benediction. Similarly, we want to open hundreds of centers, so that people may take up K.C.—that is our mission. It is an easy process, and appealing, and the highest spiritual realization simultaneously. Please continue your excellent work in Krishna's service, and when I come to NY, I shall come there to see how nicely things are being carried on.

I am happy to hear that you continued to chant despite so many doubts and skepticism. That is the process. Even there may be doubts and skepticism, if one continues the chanting process, the doubts will all disappear, and real knowledge will be revealed by the Grace of Krishna.

Letter to Jagannatham Prabhu -- Montreal 22 June, 1968:

I am so glad to receive your letter after a long time. I think I met you sometimes in the year of 1950, in Madras Gaudiya Math, when I went with Tirtha Maharaja to attend the Janmastami Festival. I know you are a sincere servant of Srila Prabhupada and you have done excellent service while He was present before us, and you have done similarly even after His Disappearance. I am very glad to learn that your children are well situated, but you are very much anxious to get them in touch with Krishna Consciousness. You know very well that jadavidya is the opulence of maya. So naturally, your children being well educated in jadavidya, are reluctant to receive enlightenment in Krishna Consciousness. But there is nothing to be disappointed, because they are your children; they have got the initiative seeds in them, and someday it will fructify. Don't worry about them; Krishna will put them in right line in due course.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 12 July, 1968:

How you will maintain such a Brahmacarini asrama separately unless there is some source of income. I expected that the pictures painted by the Brahmacarinis would be a source of income to the society. If some arrangement for such sales organization can be made, then it will be a very excellent idea. The Brahmacarinis cannot go, of course, for begging, but if some of them agree to go out and sell our books and literature, that will also be helpful. Some source of income by honest endeavor must be there, otherwise, how a nice Brahmacarini asrama can be maintained? In the asrama we must supply all inmates necessary nutritious food. Especially in your country, because they were accustomed to take meat and some protein food, just like regular supply of dahl, capatis, rice, fruits and milk, must be properly administered. There is no need of eating more than necessity, but the minimum demands must be supplied. But if you can organize such nice Brahmacarini asrama it will be a great success of our society.

Letter to Jayananda, Kartikeya, Syama, Dorothy, Visnujana, Dan, Tom, Russell, Michael, Krsna Devi, others -- Montreal 26 August, 1968:

I am very happy to hear of the so many new boys and girls taking a sincere interest in this philosophy, and I am also very eager to meet with them when I come there to San Francisco.

In the meantime, please continue your very excellent work of spreading this Krishna Consciousness all over that part of the country, and try to attract more and more new boys and girls to this great movement.

Letter to Dayananda -- Seattle 18 October, 1968:

My program is already above mentioned. Regarding the idea of Prasadam restaurant, I am advocating it since very beginning. If you can manage such Prasadam eating place and the temple at one place it will super-excellent. I shall personally assist you in this affair because I like this idea very much. Our chanting is medicine and our Prasadam is the diet for curing material disease. So I fully agree with your this scheme and you may accept the place as described in your letter dated 17th Oct: which I have just received.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 1 December, 1968:

Your idea of arranging meeting with all of the influential people who are interested in your activities is excellent suggestion and may prove very good results. So certainly Krishna is guiding you in your thoughts and activities. This is very nice, and all very encouraging to me. As you may have heard, our Bhagavad-gita As It Is is now published and can be ordered from the New York temple by writing to Brahmananda. Please try to popularize this book throughout England as much as possible. Because if these books are read, there is no doubt that many sincere souls shall be attracted and will join you in your work for Krishna. So please try for selling these books, it shall be considered as the greatest service.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 11 December, 1968:

You will be glad to learn that we are having very good success in improving our temples here because Los Angeles has acquired an excellent, large chapel suitable for living quarters and kirtana and New York has also acquired a grand three story building for a five year lease and this building is being described to us as being a palace. So with our new books this is all very encouraging and I am always thankful to all of my students for their sincere endeavors in this mission.

Letter to Himavati -- Los Angeles 12 December, 1968:

Please convey my thanks to Satyabhama for her nice work in sewing the clothes for my deities. These deities will require several more sets of such excellent dresses so Satyabhama or youself may supply as you are able.

Your sewing proposal is very nice and such idea is given by the Grace of Krishna. Try to utilize your profits to maintain the temple with your husband and the others. With much pleasure I have seen the French edition of Back To Godhead and I thank you all for this endeavor. With such engagements as this magazine, we can live to propagate Krishna Consciousness and that is the success of our lives. Actually, our living conditions can be minimized as far as possible. Simply we should live for propagating Krishna Consciousness. That is our life.

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 13 December, 1968:

Or else if this is not available or cannot be used then you may use any material which will do the job nicely.

I have just received a copy of Back To Godhead number 21 and please convey my appreciation to Satsvarupa for his excellent article of Lord Ramacandra. Such articles give enjoyment and spiritual benefit to all readers so he should do more of such writing as he is able.

As soon as possible, I will require some artist who will paint pictures from the Bhagavatam as I give hints on what to paint. But the artist must be very quick. Two or three pictures must be done every week. These pictures will be used for my new book, "KRISHNA", which I will begin as soon as I get the assistance of a quick painter. I am sure that you could do this but you are already engaged with so much work. There is one girl in Seattle, Joy Fulcher, who is nice artist.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Bhurijana -- Los Angeles 18 January, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter of January 13, 1969 along with the kirtana tapes and pictures of Buffalo temple. I cannot tell you how very much I enjoyed listening to this wonderful tape recording. All of the super-excellent qualities of kirtana were present on this tape and it was thus a great joy to hear it. On this tape Rupanuga has set an example for all householders because there was singing on this of Hare Krishna by all of his family members. It was all sounding very nicely, and I am going to show this tape to the Sankirtana Party which is here in Los Angeles so they may take example from such nice kirtana.

Letter to Murari -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1969:

I have just learned today that Bhurijana, a devotee in Buffalo is making arrangements to open a center in North Carolina where one other devotee's mother is letting us use her house for two months at least with no charge so we may see the possibilities of starting a center there. Similarly, there is some possibility of beginning a center in Berkeley, and Dindayal is looking into this possibility. So Krishna is giving us all facility to serve Him, and I am so pleased with the nice cooperation that my students are giving me in spreading this most important philosophy around the entire world.

Please convey my blessings to your excellent wife, Lilavati, and also to your little daughter, Subhadra.

Letter to Bhurijana -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated February 3, 1969, and I am so pleased and encouraged to note the contents. Your idea of going to North Carolina is excellent because there are so many students there, and you are college graduate, so I think that you are just the devotee to do the job nicely. The only thing is that I do not think it is necessary for you to go there alone, so immediately you may contact Tosana Krishna in Santa Fe temple, and he is also willing to go there to be your assistant. If the two of you find the place suitable, then for some time myself and Purusottama will go there to make the center fortified. So you may write immediately to Tosana Krishna in this connection, and the both of you may start on this important new endeavor.

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1969:

Therefore, the great rishis in the forest Naimisaranya inquired of the great sage, Suta Goswami, "How can the living entities actually be happy?" Srimad-Bhagavatam answers this question that the top-most super-excellent religious principle is that which following, the protagonist becomes a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without any motive and without being checked by any material impediments. That will make a person completely satisfied, and that is our process. We are educated people how they can develop their dormant love of the Supreme Lord without being impaired by any material condition.

We should train our disciples as well as ourselves in such a spirit that even if the whole world is against us, which is impossible to happen, the Sankirtana Movement must be pushed on without any reference to archeological evidence or any such scientific advancement of knowledge.

Letter to Himavati -- Hawaii 18 March, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter dated February 21, 1969, along with the Deity dress. It has come to me late on account of changing places so quickly and the statement given by you in the matter of worshiping the Deity is super excellent. Please continue this system and Krishna will bestow upon you all blessings. If one attains perfection in Deity worship, that is called Arcana Siddhi. Arcana Siddhi means simply by Deity worship one goes back to Godhead, immediately after this life. So this Arcana Siddhi program is given in the Narada Pancaratra especially for the householders. Householders cannot undergo strict disciplinary activities of austerity, therefore for every householder the path of Arcana Siddhi is very much recommended. According to Vedic system, all householders are ordered to keep Deity at home and follow strictly the worshipment process.

Letter to Madhavi Lata -- Hawaii 19 March, 1969:

Best thing will be if you can engage your time and energy fully in chanting and in painting nice pictures. You are very talented girl, and you can paint very super excellent pictures, I have seen it. Now the thing is that we are opening new branches all over the world, and we require so many pictures in our temples so that people may come and see and be attracted by the beauty of Krishna. That is needed. The people today are fascinated by so much of the glimmering so-called beauty of the external energy, and there is necessity of seeing beautiful pictures of Krishna and His devotees and His Pastimes, in order to attract them to the spiritual process. So this is a great service, and there is urgent need for such paintings. Our Jadurani has done so many nice pictures, and they are distributed amongst our temples, but still there is shortage of supply. and she is now sick, and unable to work very swiftly due to her health condition.

Letter to Mr. Windisch -- Hawaii 21 March, 1969:

I am very much pleased to receive your letter dated March 18. Your writing in the second paragraph is so much encouraging for me and your appreciation of devotees like Upendra and Ananda is super excellent. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us this lesson—one who appreciates a sincere devotee is eligible to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am so glad to learn that you are prepared to come to L.A. but in the meantime I have come here to Hawaii. I am returning to San Francisco by the 31st of March, and if you kindly see me on or before the 6th of April, 1969, there in S.F., with Barbara if possible, it will be very good opportunity to talk in detail about your future service.

Letter to Dinesh -- Hawaii 22 March, 1969:

I am sorry that I could not acknowledge receipt of your albums which I duly received, although I could not play them for want of machine. But I have received Mukunda's opinion about it. He says that it is super excellent to say the least. They are going to have it played by the BBC in London. Similarly, Govinda dasi is going to play it here in such important station. We are going there this morning for about an hour of music and discussion on the station here. So I hope you will be successful in your adventure.

Letter to Rayarama -- San Francisco 2 April, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter dated March 25, 1969, along with the two magazines. These are very excellent both in appearance and in reading matter. This should be the standard of our Back To Godhead. As in the next issue there will be no advertisements, we shall be able to give substantial reading matter like that of Bhaktivinode Thakura, "Teachings of the Golden Avatara." We have got many such informations from the Vedic literature. The mayavadis reject the Puranas, but actually the Puranas are supplementary to the four Vedas, the Upanisads and Vedanta. This is confirmed by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura. Srimad-Bhagavatam also is considered amongst the Puranas, but because the subject matter within is purely transcendental, it is called the Maha Purana.

Letter to Rayarama -- San Francisco 2 April, 1969:

The present issue is excellently done. It is rich in all respects. Your article, "Nine Points," is very instructive. I do not know whether people will take our advice, but we must go on presenting these ideas to the human society. If you are not going to print any more issues in the interval period between this issue and the Japan issue, then I think you can reprint another minimum 10,000 copies for continuing the sales propaganda.

Letter to Vibhavati -- Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969:

I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 23, 1969 sent along with the Panca-tattva painting, and I am so glad to learn that you are also a good painter. Your first attempt has been almost successful, so I request you to continue to practice so that excellent paintings may be drawn by you. We require so many pictures for our temples which are already present and which will be opened in the future. Immediately upon receipt of your picture, I had it hung right above my Deity room. Wherever I go I convert one closet into my Deity room, so I shall always be seeing your picture there.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Allston, Mass 26 April, 1969:

Krishna will like me to do this work. But your nice plan makes me hopeful that Los Angeles may be the suitable place. We have certainly to develop the New Vrindaban plan, but side by side the Los Angeles plan should also be executed. I do not know how Krishna will help us, but your idea is very excellent.

From yesterday, since I have come to Boston, I am feeling little backache. There is no unbearable pain, but when I stand up or walk, it is a little difficult. I think it will be cured within two or three days. So without investing further money in our present temple, because it has now become uncertain, we shall carefully save some money for investing in some new place. As our devotees are now coming by cars, we can go to a distant place undoubtedly. I have seen that there is one church just near the Bank of America on La Cienega Boulevard. I do not know to which sect this church belongs, but that church is very suitable for your described purpose.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 23 May, 1969:

The most important point is about the lawyer, and I think you may take advantage of his service if you think he will actually grant us the desired status in Los Angeles. I am very pleased with your schemes for spreading Krishna Consciousness on the West Coast, and I think you should manage organization of our propaganda work on the West Coast. I am sending by separate post a very excellent picture which Muralidhara may paint and which may be used for the next Festival, Dadibhanda. Hope you are well.

Letter to Sudama -- New Vrindaban 7 June, 1969:

All Glories to Sudama das Brahmacari and the Hawaii devotees for their excellent work. I have appreciated so much your letter of June 2, 1969 that I am making copies of this letter to send to different centers to show them how much potency is this Sankirtana Movement. So for the time being as you are working enthusiastically in Hawaii, try to establish a very good center there. There is nice potential there I know, and I think Krishna is already giving impetus for this purpose, because Gaurasundara and Balabhadra have gone to find a nice place on the Hawaii Island. So all of you work conscientiously and jointly, you are all good souls, and you will be successful if you can transform Hawaii into New Navadvipa. Lord Caitanya will shower His blessings and you will be happy, not only in this life, but you will be promoted to Krishna Loka. Concentrate your energies now in Hawaii center, and in the future we shall establish a center in Japan.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 15 July, 1969:

I have already given you one design for the throne. If such throne is made with golden or silver pillars, platform, ceiling, and canopy bedecked with jewels, and if the Deity is kept within such throne, it will be a super-excellent manifestation. So when you do such work you can consult me, and I shall give you some right directions. I am also glad to learn that you are going to press some records of the Hare Krishna Mantra with the help of the Beatles and Co., cooperated with some of the celebrated artists like Donovan and the Rolling Stones. It is a very good opportunity that you are making friendship with these famous men, and if you can turn them as they are already a little inclined towards Krishna Consciousness, then our Sankirtana Movement through all these famous artists and gentlemen will take a shape which will be appreciated all over the world.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Hamburg 9 September, 1969:

Yes, I have received the Vyasa Puja book in due time, and it is very nicely set up. Yes, the date was wrong, but it doesn't matter. It has come out timely: that is excellent. Regarding introduction to Isopanisad, please let me know the deadline for me to send it. Don't bother about the items I asked you to send with Hayagriva. I have instructed Hayagriva to work as co-editor with Satsvarupa, and he is now completely a surrendered soul. So conjointly make the appearance of BTG very nicely. The front cover page should be a nicely painted picture. You write that Jadurani is now painting wonderful pictures, so pictures by either Jadurani, Muralidhara or Devahuti should be given on the front page. The present front page picture is not very attractive as they were in last issues. A first class picture should always be given on the front page.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Hamburg 9 September, 1969:

I am very much encouraged to learn that Jadurani is painting very nice pictures, and all of them can be utilized one after another to come out on the front page of BTG. Later on, when we print Krishna, they will come together. In issue No. 27, the marriage pictures have come out super-excellent. They will give nice teachings to the people of your country how we are harnessing the confused younger generations under the protection of Lord Visnu. Uddhava has also written a very good article, and I appreciate this very much.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Tittenhurst 14 September, 1969:

I have also begun to give lectures here on specific days, but there are no outsiders coming. I have arrived here on the 11th September at about 2:30, and the devotees arranged for a very nice reception in the airport. There was chanting, press interviews, and nice press reports have come out with excellent pictures. Some of them are enclosed herewith for your reference. The first meeting organized by the devotees here will be held in the Town Hall tomorrow in the evening. So let us see how we can establish Krishna Consciousness in this part of the world.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Tittenhurst 19 September, 1969:

Here in London the activities are going on. The place where I am now staying is a very big garden house, and the place allotted to us is a super-excellent temple site. The only difficulty is it is far away from the city, so the city people cannot conveniently come here. The temple in the city is not finished being constructed yet, neither is there sufficient space. It can be used as office and residence, but as a temple, it has no sufficient space. So things here are not yet very smooth, although the movement is accepted by the people in general as nice. The Hare Krishna record is selling very nicely. Yesterday, it sold 5,000 copies, and this week it is on the chronological list as #20. They say next week it will come to be #3, and after that it may come to #1. So they are very much hopeful of this record.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Tittenhurst 28 September, 1969:

This is the difficulty of editorial work. I do not know in the absence of the book how I can help you. But the way of English synonyms given by you on page #3, under heading "Sri Isopanisad English Synonyms, Invocation and Mantras I-V" is set up very nicely. If you follow this principle throughout in all our books, it will be very, very nice, super-excellent work. But if you sometimes refer me on my touring program, it will be difficult for me. Of course, after my return from Europe I am sitting down tight for book work, and then it will not be very difficult job for me if you refer any sentence for correction. In the meantime, I think you are doing nicely. Just pray Krishna and do your best.

Letter to Brahmananda -- London 7 November, 1969:

They are both very nice. The BTG will be complete when the headings of the essays are bolder and on each page the name of Back To Godhead is printed. The titlehead on the front cover is quite suitable, and the picture in the front page is exceedingly beautiful. I showed it to Gurudasa and he remarked that it is super-excellent and he expects it to sell very well because of this picture. I think similar pictures from Western centers should be printed. The New York Sankirtana Party is also super-excellent. I am very much pleased to see all these pictures and our magazines gives information to the people that we do not stick only to the cities, but we train people in the remote villages also. So everything should be done very attentively and amicably. I am writing a letter to Hayagriva that he should take care of composition of our books. Please find a copy of this letter enclosed. If you decide to go to Columbus, that is all right. Everything should be done very amicably.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- London 13 November, 1969:

Srimati Govinda Dasi's writings have come out in the BTG issue 28; I have received the press copy and it is so nice. Everyone is appreciating, and especially for the Sankirtana articles this issue has become super-excellent. So gradually I am getting to be an old man. I have given you the formula how to preach; you are young boys and girls, our future hope. Now you follow the principles, apply your intelligence, and everything will come out successful by the Grace of our Lord Krishna.

Regarding the songs you have written, yes, you may send them here for Mukunda to consider for future recordings. I expect to visit your Hawaii center again when I go to Japan. Surely at that time it will not be difficult. But always remember that I am always with you. As you are always thinking of me I am always thinking of you also. Although physically we are not together, we are not separated spiritually.

Letter to Advaita -- London 15 November, 1969:

I have heard from Tamala Krishna that this press arrangement is made very nicely and you are doing excellently. Now my manuscripts for books are ready for at least 12 books. So according to your estimate, if you think you shall be able to publish 6 books in a year besides our BTG, then you have got two years engagement already. Regarding composition, the matter is going very slowly, so if you have any ideas how this can be centralized in Boston, please give me your suggestions.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1970:

So I am appealing to everyone, especially intelligent boys like you, to take up the propaganda work of Krishna Consciousness Movement very seriously, and it will be a great service to the human beings. We have got now sufficient books and literatures and our philosophy is super-excellent. We are authorized, and we shall go ahead more and more.

Letter to George Harrison -- Los Angeles 16 February, 1970:

I have dreamt something very nice about John which I shall disclose in proper time. In the meantime, please ask him to cooperate with this movement as you are doing, and he will be very happy.

Please try to understand the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness in a nutshell: Every living entity has a dormant propensity to love somebody other who is very excellent in his opinion. Everyone of us therefore wants to love somebody else, attracted by his different varieties of opulences. Somebody loves some other either on account of riches, power, popularity, beauty, knowledge, or renunciation. But this loving propensity for somebody else is fundamentally meant for the supremely rich, powerful, popular, beautiful, wise, and unattached Lord Krsna.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 18 February, 1970:

Our Isopanisad is now published. This excellent book of God-Consciousness should be introduced as study book for school and college students because it is so nicely explained about God-Consciousness. Any sincere gentleman serious about knowing God-Consciousness must read this book. A little education will make every one aware what is meant by God. It is a challenge to the atheists, agnostic, skeptics and gross materialists. Please get this book in quantities from Boston and try to introduce it.

Letter to Syama -- Los Angeles 23 February, 1970:

Women are by nature endowed with many artistic tendencies, and from the Vedic age we find that high grade women and girls were highly qualified in sixty-four arts. Srimati Radharani was fully qualified in those arts, and therefore, by Her super-excellent transcendental qualities, she could charm Krsna who is the charmer of the three worlds. One of the Principle Gopis was Syama dasi, and you are supposed to follow the footsteps of Syama dasi.

I am very much pleased to note that you are feeling happiness in Krsna Consciousness activities along with your good husband. Please remain in that spirit and chant Hare Krsna sixteen rounds regularly, both husband and wife, and develop New Vrindaban. Next summer if you hold Janmastami gorgeously, as I have already suggested to Kirtanananda Maharaja, surely I shall go there.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Los Angeles 9 March, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 March, 1970, and have noted the contents.

Regarding publication of French "Back to Godhead," for the present you are doing very excellently. My point is that BTG in French language must come out even irregularly. So you are fulfilling my desire in that way. So far our Paris center is concerned, it is not yet started. At last Syamasundara and George Harrison have gone there to find out a place. It may be by the grace of the Lord the center will be started now.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 15 March, 1970:

I am sure he will improve now in Krishna Consciousness. Krishna Consciousness is developed only by service. So he has very willingly and gladly served Krishna in many ways. The recent "Govinda" record, which your good wife has sung along with you, is certainly super-excellent, and it has become so nice because of George's attention upon it. So whenever this nice boy comes to our Temple, please receive him very nicely. Give him Prasadam and if possible talk with him about Krishna, and thus he will advance more and more in Krishna Consciousness.

When I remember all of you in London, as well as George Harrison, I become very happy because the combination is very much hopeful. I am so glad to learn that George has said, "I don't want to make nonsense records any more."

Letter to Hladini (Linda) -- Los Angeles 29 March, 1970:

Your initiated name is Hladini devi Dasi. Lord Krsna's Pleasure Potency is called Hladini, so this spiritual energy of Krsna's pleasure potency, Hladini, is Srimati Radharani Who is always increasing the transcendental pleasure of Krsna by Her super-excellent loving devotional service. Radharani is the most confidential servant of the Lord and Hladini Dasi means the servant of Radharani. So please always be engaged in chanting Hare Krsna mantra at least sixteen rounds daily and work sincerely and eagerly in the service of the Lord observing the regulative principles and thus be happy.

I am also pleased to know that you will be married with Sriman Mahananda in Krsna Consciousness and that you offer your children to Krsna is very, very nice. May Krsna bless you both to work combinedly for mutually advancing in Krsna Consciousness more and more.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 29 March, 1970:

I discussed with him that we have now opened so many branches and they should be properly maintained. As I am personally here in Los Angeles, and because Krsna has now given us a very nice church, it will be possible for me to look after the business here to be the ideal for other centers. The church building is very excellent. I am sending herewith two pictures. We have already paid the advance money, $50,000, out of $225,000. Your contribution is very much welcome.

I was to advance $20,000 as loan from my book fund, but Gargamuni has arranged not to take from me more than $11,500. So whatever contribution is received from other centers will go for repaying the loan taken from me and from other centers.

Letter to Ekayani -- Los Angeles 3 May, 1970:

That is nice if you get that land in Miami and open a center there. You are intelligent and eager devotee, ready to spread Lord Krsna's teachings, so do it. That will be very good, it is an excellent proposal.

So as you say the deep Southern part of this country is virtually untouched, but I think Kirtanananda Maharaja has gone to several places there, and he has been very successful. So try to attract the students, they are our great future hope, and they will take up this matter very quickly because the students are not very contaminated.

Letter to Patita Uddharana -- Los Angeles 9 May, 1970:

Then in future you may be able to do our binding here instead of in Japan. You write to say that these are some nice typical examples of your binding work, so it is a great credit because these books any man would be proud to have. I beg to thank you once again for your kind appreciations and excellent work.

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 26 May, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated "nil" regarding paintings for the KRSNA book.

We have now received the full set of paintings for the first volume of KRSNA book, and they are all very, very excellent. So your art department is doing very nicely, and surely the production will improve even more by the grace of Krsna. You are all being inspired just how to portray the Lord and His associates for the devotees' eyes, so everyone who sees to these transcendental pictures will turn to become devotees—that is our aim.

Yes, when Krsna and Balarama were students of Sandipuni Muni they may be shown with shaved heads and sikhas, kunthi, etc., just like our brahmacaris.

Letter to Vrndavana Candra -- Los Angeles 5 June, 1970:

This opening of new centers gives me the greatest transcendental pleasure, and I beg to thank you very much. It is very good news that you have received such nice cooperation from the City authorities so you can carry out our Sankirtana program with unrestricted distribution of literatures. This is excellent opportunity, so please take full advantage and push on our movement with your greatest enthusiasm.

The house which you have described sounds very good for our purpose. So continue to develop this building for our Baltimore temple. Please also continue to cooperatively join with Philadelphia temple and the other temples for spreading Krsna consciousness by Maha sankirtana, festivals like Janmastami festival to be celebrated at New Vrndavana. I want that all my students will cooperate fully for expanding our movement, and in this way every center will be benefited.

Letter to Advaita -- Los Angeles 18 June, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16th June, 1970, along with two copies of Nectar of Devotion.

Yes, it is made very excellent. At least I can safely say that there is 80% perfection. This means we can hope very soon books printed from your press will be cent per cent successful as we are expecting to get from Dai Nippon. In some of the pages, the ink impression is not sufficient, otherwise it appears everything very nice. The paper is first class, the sewing is also nice, and I hope the cover binding will be nice when it is done professionally. The pictures have also come out very excellent. So everything is very hopeful. You are trying your best, and Krsna will give you proper intelligence to execute these press responsibilities.

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 19 July, 1970:

Yes, the police and Government men will gradually understand us and naturally their harassment will diminish. The same thing is happening everywhere. So prepare excellent literatures, that will enhance our prestige.

I am very glad that you have made nice arrangements for carrying on our preaching work and maintaining everyone including the householders without necessity of an outside job. You are all very advanced and experienced, so do it nicely. That will give me pleasure.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 26 July, 1970:

That is the difficulty for family men, their first worshipable object becomes the children. What can be done? You are fortunate that you have got Krsna as your son.

The slides which you have sent of recent temple innovations is very, very excellent. One Bengali gentleman from London has sent me a letter praising your decoration of the Deities. The exact words he has used are that one cannot turn his face once turning towards the Deities. I have also seen the slides and my opinion is also the same. Please, therefore, go on getting credit for your service to the Lord. I am very much happy to learn it. Does your husband sometimes help you in this connection or not? I think he should be also trained up so that one day in a week he may also take charge of the Deities although he has got many other duties.

Letter to Vamanadeva -- Bombay 12 November, 1970:

Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your excellent wife Srimati Indira Dasi. I am so glad to hear from you after some time. I have been recently travelling all over the land of India and just recently I have come back to Bombay where I have received your letter redirected from Calcutta. I am so much pleased that you are carrying on our Krsna Consciousness program with such nice enthusiasm and devotion in St. Louis. I think St. Louis is an important city in your country, so you must do the large work of making the whole place Krsna conscious.

Letter to Tirthapada -- Bombay 13 November, 1970:

Please maintain the program of Temple worship, distribution of Prasadam, Sankirtana Party, distribution of literatures, study and Krsna work all in order and make everything as nice as possible. The school college and university students are very receptive to this Movement, so we must present them with an excellent example. They are very intelligent and bad experience has taught them to be cautious, so if you keep all your programs to the standard as I have already instructed in so many ways, then they will easily become satisfied that this is the real way of life for any intelligent person—Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 17 November, 1970:

It is our only intention to spread this sublime philosophy to all the persons of the world for the complete welfare benefit, both spiritual and material of everyone of them. The new program of preaching on Sankirtana using one basic verse from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is is an excellent idea. We should always be eager to find out such nice ways to spread this Movement. This will automatically bring joy to the devotees as well as to the nondevotees.

Please see that the highest standards are maintained in all the Temples in your jurisdiction as well as your own. We are now attracting the attention of the public in general and very influential persons as well. So our program if it is kept pure according to my many instructions, will give you the deserved reputation of being the topmost members of the society. That is very much wanted so that we may hope to change the society as a whole.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 9 April, 1971:

That is my idea. Kindly let me know your opinion in this connection. You can write to the new Bombay mailing address, given above.

Yes, the new thrones are actually super-excellent. So the 24" high Deities might have reached L.A. by this time, so when I return I shall hold like installation ceremony. I wanted that thrones be constructed like this, so you have introduced it. Personally I have already instructed and you are following. So make L.A. the ideal temple for all our temples to follow, in every respect. For this purpose, I purchased that house. I hope the installments on the house account are being paid regularly. I have not received the latest receipt since a long time, but I hope you are doing the right thing. This is a great responsibility. I think out of the $11,500.00 which I advanced during the purchase of the house has been fully paid except $1,700.00. Please check to see if I have it right.

Letter to Visnujana -- Calcutta 4 November, 1971:

I understand from Kirtanananda Maharaja that there is a nice scheme for travelling sankirtana party. So I think that your joining them will be super-excellent scheme and I have my full hearted sanction for your joining the party if you like.

Letter to Kirtanananda , Vrindaban Candra, Silavati -- Calcutta 6 November, 1971:

So do it with great enthusiasm and surely you will have the blessings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And wherever you go, if there is good response you can try and open a center there. This is first class scheme and surely will be "The greatest show on earth."

So far Visnujana Maharaja joining your party, that is super-excellent idea. Already, at your request, I have written him one letter to the San Antonio address, that he has my full-hearted blessings for joining the party.

Plays will be very successful and Vrindaban Candra is very expert in this connection. One thing, though, is that nice plays should be written for showing in the villages. The plays should be done seriously so that they will not laugh.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Bombay 3 January, 1972:

The program for publishing as you have outlined is very nice with a few corrections. We do not need to publish in English either BTG or books, since these we will import from either Dai Nippon or ISKCON Press. But if you can arrange for Hindi and Bengali BTG and Hindi books as you suggest, that will be excellent. The idea is that by the profit out of BTG and Book Sales if you can maintain the establishment and meet the expenses, then I have no objection. From Book sales at least 50% of the face value of the book has to go to the book fund. And from the sales of the BTG at least one rupee per magazine should be paid to the book fund. So whatever remains after this can be utilized by you to do the publishing. But I cannot pay you Rs. 1000/- per month from here, that is not possible. So somehow arrange for the publishing of all our literatures.

Letter to Krsna Bhamini -- Bombay 4 January, 1972:

I am glad to know that you are continuing on work on the children's version of Isopanisad. We will require such books for use in our Dallas, Texas school. Please do this work very thoughtfully; Krishna will give you good direction in how to do it. I have seen today the slides of the paintings from our Bhagavad-gita. Many of them are super-excellent. If we introduce these books in all the bookstores, schools, colleges, libraries and everyone's home our religion will be the only religion in the world very soon. This prediction has been made publicly here in one newspaper, by a Japanese philosopher, that within ten years Krishna Consciousness will be the world religion. If you all keep preaching in such a pure way this will undoubtedly prove true. So as the wife of a GBC member you have got the responsibility to help your husband to maintain the highest standard of Krishna Consciousness both in yourselves and in all the other devotees in the Temple.

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 5 January, 1972:

So after that, say by the end of April, I will come to Japan. It would be very nice if you can organize a pandal program as they have organized here in India. There are so many people in Tokyo, that a pandal program will attract thousands of Japanese people. So if you can organize such a program that will be very excellent. Perhaps the Indian community would be able to help you. Try and arrange as many engagements as possible at places like universities where English is understood.

I am very glad that you are all attending Japanese school full time. That is most important now. The Japanese people will make very excellent devotees, once you can explain to them our philosophy in their own language.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 10 January, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 12, 1971, and I am very much pleased by the enclosed pictures of your new Cleveland, Ohio, center. It is most respectable-looking and elegant, and I am very very glad to see that you have got such a nice place to conduct Krishna's business and to keep Radha and Krishna very excellently by providing them fully with nice prasadam, flowers, ornaments, etc. I think that if you order nice deities from our devotees in Jaipur that They will very much enjoy to live there, and then you can give Them all good attention befitting such nice house.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 11 January, 1972:

So I think such nice deities can be ordered by you, and you can give them very first-class home and give them all comforts and luxuries, either in that place or if you get a better place. Already they have sent very excellent black Krishna to Nairobi and New York of 48" height.

I am especially pleased by your proposal of producing many small leaflets and pamphlets to distribute widely to the public. Karandhara has initiated this program, and his small pamphlets are very very nice and to the standard, so you may also do like that.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 5 February, 1972:

It is not so much the numbers of books sold, it is the sincerity which Krishna appreciates, and I am encouraged by your determined enthusiasm to increase in every respect. The travelling SKP and teaching in the schools and colleges which you are organizing is excellent proposal, and I think that this is the best program for pushing on this Lord Caitanya's Movement: simply travelling and preaching, and infiltrating the schools where young boys and girls are interested to learn something which will satisfy them. In both activities you may distribute many of our literatures, and that will please me very much.

Letter to Meenakatan -- Bombay 22 March, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12/2/72, and I am very much glad that you want to come to Vrindaban to assist there, because just last week we have acquired with Krishna's grace a very large plot of land for raising up a very excellent center to revive the spiritual life of Vrindaban on behalf of Rupa and Jiva Goswamis, and also they have consented to give us at least eight very nice rooms more at the Radha-Damodara Temple, besides the two rooms and veranda already in my occupation, so it is a very big work and we require many men to come now to Vrindaban and assist, and in fact I have just requested Karandhara to send me fifty more men by end of March or as quickly as possible. So it is also very nice that you are also layout man for the Press, because Ksirodakasayi Prabhu will live in Vrindaban also and his job is to layout the Hindi BTG there and send it to Dai Nippon for printing each month one issue.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Sydney 2 April, 1972:

Now you two work cooperatively for making our Vrindaban a dazzling success, along with others you work nicely, and I think Ksirodakasayi may spend more time on laying out the Hindi BTG and doing that printing and translating work and you take mostly charge of supervising building work. 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.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 28 June, 1972:

You must jointly take responsibility in this matter or I shall be always in anxiety how the things are going on. I consider this Mayapur Project to be our most important work practically, so when I do not get any information I can naturally assume the worst.

Your touring party has done a very excellent job of spreading Krishna Consciousness in Bihar state as I have seen from the newsclippings and other enclosures which you have sent. One thing, our Subala Maharaja is preaching alone in Kanpur and I do not very much approve of alone preaching, so if you like you can request him to join with your party.* Also, Gargamuni Maharaja has left Bombay with his party for touring in Gujarat state and other places. Your touring and the publicity is a tremendous service. Krsna will be very much pleased.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1972:

Therefore, we shall be very, very vigilant and careful to maintain the highest standard of temple atmosphere and conduct in Dallas. You may install Radha-Krishna Deities and worship Them very, very gorgeously. Simply by associating with the elderly members, the children will learn everything. So, the quality of the elderly members must be also very much to the standard of excellent Vaisnavas; otherwise, the children learn by example and they will very easily be misguided if their senior god-brothers and god-sisters are themselves neglectful. I shall certainly come there to Dallas to see how things are going on as soon as there is opportunity. We must develop our Krishna Consciousness school at Dallas to be the model for education in all the world, and let anyone see our Krishna Consciousness children and they will immediately understand the importance and necessity for such education amongst the citizens at large.

Letter to Lalitananda -- New Vrindaban 2 September, 1972:

You may place cows and peacocks on the altar at Montreal, that will be nice. So far I am concerned, I have no objection if there is carved form of guru on the Guru-Gauranga altar, but one thing, is unless that sculptor is very excellent, it should not be attempted. How will you get photos from all angles of vision for the carving process? Unless it can be done very nicely, just perfectly realistic, he should not do it. Yes, God is always there in His Arca Vigraha form, either as Krishna or Rama or Caitanya, whatever. So He must be offered all respects as if He is there personally present, and if you are always sincerely chanting and following our Krishna Consciousness programme of chanting and other things you will very quickly develop the eyes to see Krishna there.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 7 September, 1972:

I have read all the newspaper cuttings and handbills very attentively, and I very much appreciate the counter presented by us against the vilificaion by the enemies. Sriman Subala das's reply in the paper with reference to the context of sastra are excellently gorgeous. 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.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Hyderabad 18 November, 1972:

He has acknowledged that Air-India is advertising Krishna all over the world and attracting tourists in that way. Now we have seen that many foreign visitors are coming to India to see the sacred places like Vrindaban, and the KLM Airlines has requested us to guide their tourists in some scheme, so if the Ambassador may give us any assistance in this connection, so that we may not have difficulty entering the temples or we may have all government cooperation to be the excellent hosts for such tourism, that he can do quite easily. I am enclosing the letter from Dr. Karan-Singh that you may show to Mr. Shukla.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Krsna Gopala -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

I am very happy to learn from you all of the valuable assistance that you are giving to our Tejyas there at Delhi. He is very sincere boy, along with his good wife, and there is excellent field for our preaching work in Delhi city. So as much as possible you may give him your attention and energy for helping me to push on this Krsna Consciousness movement there. You are householder, and you are teaching your family Krsna consciousness, that is the best example of grhastha model life. So go on in this way, and become the perfect example of grhastha devotee family. I think that you may also assist Tejyas by approaching the big men and professional men like members of Parliament, doctors, lawyers, like that, in your city, and enroll them as our life members.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Calcutta 6 March, 1973:

Thank you very much for for your letter dated the 3rd of March 1973 along with your kind daksina $200 check. Thank you very much, I have received your pamphlet inviting to participate in New Vrndavana activities. It is an excellent pamphlet nicely set up, but I am sorry to inform you that your co-founder Hayagriva Prabhu is little disturbed. Sometimes before you told about him participating in intoxication. Then I did not take it seriously, but the same thing is again revived and I am little perturbed. So is it possible to save him from this dangerous position? His is important man in our Society and we cannot allow him to deviate from our principles. Please try to save him.

Letter to Giriraja -- Zurich 3 April, 1973:

The judge has intelligently asked Mrs. Nair to whom she will hand over the land. She has denied us and is considering Chhaganlal, but if the judge takes seriously that the land must be given to one of us, that will be a great success. Chhaganlal must insist on the contract price, 7 lacs and if we give him 3-4 lacs more profit, that will be a very excellent arrangement between Chhaganlal and ourselves. It appears he is friendly to us and if out of religious sentiment he delivers to us the land it will be very good for him. I think no need asking specific action on our behalf, on the other hand please try and get the land at Grand Paridi through the help of Karatikeya Mahadevia or Mr. Ramchand Chabria. They told me about this land for Temple and I think both of them can secure it, either freehold or cost price. The gentleman Mr. Thirani was met 2-3 times on planes or in airports and is eager to construct a temple for us immediately.

Letter to Puri Maharaj -- Los Angeles 3 April, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 25, 1973 and I have noted the contents with great interest. While in Mayapur I expected to see you. You would have been pleased to see the excellent building that we have constructed. People say it is a unique building in all of Nadia district. There is ample space for 300 gentlemen to come and visit. The proposal is to construct four such buildings and a big Temple two hundred and fifty feet high.

Regarding the house at Puri – the place of Srila Prabhupada – it is understood to be in implication in so many ways. I understand also that Sripad B.D. Madhav Maharaj is also eager to purchase, so I do not wish to make a competitive price. Now I have left India for 6 months and may return by October.

Letter to Ajita -- England 11 July, 1973:

Yes, we can use everything in Krsna's service and when Krsna gives us a nice big house that does not mean we use it for our eating and sleeping, but we work harder in His service.

It is also very favorable that you are able to do sankirtana in the streets and getting a nice reception. The book you enclosed is excellently done. Let me know how you are doing in distributing them.

Regarding the initiated disciple of my Godbrother Sanananda Swami, Vamanadeva das, please approach him and request that he come and see me in London.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 20 July, 1973:

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 am glad to hear that you have various plans for publications, but first finish this affair and then you can attempt to publish many books.

Letter to Govinda -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 23, 73 and I have very much appreciated the pictures of the deities and their surrounding, this is excellent, better than Los Angeles. I have named your deities Kisora Kisori. So go on with your worship and increase it more and more till all Chicago has become aware of Kisora Kisori in your temple.

Regarding Gaura Nitai deities either wood stone or metal, it is all right.

There should be no complaint, under all circumstances we must chant regularly 16 rounds and attend the morning and evening classes, for Krishna we can work like anything, but one lick done for maya it is useless, overendeavoring.

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 10 December, 1973:

Make him in charge, also Govinda dasi, and you come and go. Yes, you can go to Brazil. Also, you come to Mayapur on Mahaprabhu's appearance day as many as possible at least for a week. Yes, the Gaura nitai Deities may be taken out for festivals. I am glad to hear of the excellent book distribution that is being done there. From other parts of the world there is also very good report of book distribution. That is our main propaganda work. So you go on with your preaching work and I will be pleased to receive your report regularly.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Bombay 12 October, 1973:

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.

So you are doing excellent preaching, while I am here fighting with Mrs. Nair. I want that when this business is finished to return for Europe or America, perhaps via Africa. You will be pleased to know that the London devotees that you have trained in Sankirtana and book distribution are doing very nicely. This past month they have sent dollars 10,000 to Los Angeles against their debts. Mukunda is there in charge, and Syamasundara is here in India.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Bombay 12 October, 1973:

You are experienced, senior member of the society, and Krsna has given you excellent opportunity for organizing Central Europe. I am sure you will be able to do something in Moscow. The young men there, are eager, only the government is a barrier. It is a good field there, you simply have to find the means, but rest assured that you will find many customers there.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Vrindaban 19 November, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 11/11/73 together with enclosures and I thank you very much for them. The book which you have sent is very excellent. The appearance is better than the English edition. I shall be glad to know how you are selling them in France. Increase the publication more and more as Hamsaduta is doing.

Here also the Hindi editions are coming by the endeavor of Ramananda dasa. They have also started in Gorakhpur a Bhaktivedanta Publication House. So let us conjointly publish in all languages. I am asking Brahmananda to publish also in Swahili in Africa. That will make our movement successful. Books are very important in pushing on any movement, especially Krsna consciousness.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Ajita -- Bombay 7 April, 1974:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 4/1/74, along with the new publication in Swedish of my English work, "Krsna Consciousness the Topmost Yoga System". Of course I cannot read Swedish, but looking through this book has given me unlimited bliss. After all, this is my prime duty, to publish books on Krsna Consciousness. The printing of the book appears excellent, and that you are "profusely distributing" the book all over Sweden is the crowning success of our movement. We will conquer Europe with these books. I can only thank you again and again in sincere gratitude for producing this literature, and pray to Krsna to bless you with all spiritual advancement.

Letter to The Management of Tirupati-Tirumala-Devasthanam -- Bombay 4 May, 1974:

The special excess we were given for darsana before Balaji is something we will always remember favorably, and for my American and European followers it was a rarely given privilege for which they are fully appreciative. We all left Tirupati feeling very much inspired by the darsana and by your excellent management, and we hope to return when we are able again.

If there is any land available, either for purchase or donation, we would be interested in constructing a cottage for the exclusive use of members of our society when they make pilgrimage to Tirupati. Please advise us on the availability of such land. Again thanking you for your excellent hospitality,

Letter to Ravindra Svarupa -- Paris 10 June, 1974:

I want to thank you a hundred times for the excellent way you are worshiping the Deity there as I can see from the color photographs you have sent. From my very childhood I was also worshiping Lord Jagannatha. When I was six years old my father gave me a ratha and I was performing the Ratha yatra in my neighborhood. And now in the western world you are worshiping Lord Jagannatha so gorgeously and it pleases me very, very much. Thank you again for the way you are conducting the deity worship in the Philadelphia temple. As for the Ratha ceremony, you go on with it, I shall attend there next year. But you go on holding a splendid ceremony for the people of the city. I am sure it will be a success.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 18 December, 1974:

Because New York is such an important center we must have a very good building. Therefore I want that you somehow or other get this New York Theological Seminary building at once. From the photographs it appears very big and capable of satisfying all our needs. And according to your letter it is an excellent location. And we can arrange for the money. So there is no difficulty. Try to get it as soon as possible. This will be very pleasing to me.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Abhirama -- Bombay 9 January, 1976:

Now you have got very excellent land, so develop it very nicely. Miami is a tropical climate, so it should be made very lush with fruit and flower trees. I was very glad to see how your temple is now amongst the big leaders of book distribution. This is a sure sign of spiritual strength, for where there is preaching there must be life. Please go on increasing more and more the book distribution. You are working in the right direction.

Letter to Sukadeva -- Mayapur 4 February, 1976:

As you say that the mango season is fast approaching, then I will come and visit by April or May. Everyone knows that I am very fond of mangos. Actually amongst all fruits I like them most. They are considered the king of fruits. And Hawaii has very excellent mangos.

The Panca-tattva should not have long hair. It should only come to Their shoulders as you have shown in the drawing. Please correct this.

Letter to Krishnakanti -- Vrindaban 6 April, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 27, 1976 with enclosed cassette tape and I thank you very much. I very much liked the chanting on this tape. It is very excellent and should be popularized and it will be a great success. Introduce this into every home and that will help them, and if they read our books then finished, no more material life. Yes, when I come also I can make a tape of chanting Hare Krishna but the chanting of Hare Krishna by the other boys on this tape is very nice. Thank you.

Letter to Balavanta -- New York 8 July, 1976:

By coming to America, the Indians have not improved their material condition. It is welcome that they have come to us. Wherever one lives he should continue Krishna Consciousness. The enclosed photo of the Mississippi farm Deities is very nice, super excellent. The Deity must be very nicely worshiped, dressed, and fed, etc. In so doing you will always be peaceful and enlivened. From the extra ghee, you can contact Boston restaurant. They can perhaps purchase it. Sell ghee and you'll have good income. If possible in the city of New Orleans, open one restaurant. Someone can go to Boston and see how they are organizing things. You can study the history of how cow-slaughter became prominent in the West and then use for preaching.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Radhavallabha -- Bombay 6 April, 1977:

I beg to thank you for your letter dated March 29, 1977.

The photographs you have sent are all excellent. I have ordered them to be mounted and hung in various places in the temple. Thank you very much.

Just now I am not completely fit but as soon as I become fit I shall write an introduction to the Kapila Book.

Yes, try to reduce the expenditures more and more. It is only with great difficulty upon all our book distributers that BBT gets its funds. So those who are responsible should be very frugal to see that not one penny is unnecessarily spent.

Page Title:Excellent (Lec, Conv, & Letters)
Compiler:SunitaS, RupaManjari
Created:26 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=9, Con=36, Let=90
No. of Quotes:135