I am in due receipt of your letter Dec. 19, 1972, and I have not yet received the sample copy of Bhagavad-gita in German language. But I think each book will cost you about $1.50, so that is not too much for such nicely printed and bound book with color plates. I know that the German printing and bookmaking is always the first class, so if you are satisfied then you may go ahead with printing as you have arranged. That is a very great step of progress in spreading this Krsna Consciousness to the German people. Krsna Consciousness movement rests upon the words of Krsna, so if people can read for themselves what Krsna is saying, then they shall understand our movement. Otherwise it will be very difficult to convince them. So you have done the right thing, printing Bhagavad-gita in German language, and I very much appreciate that you have done this great service.
Language (Letters 1973 - 1977)
Correspondence
1973 Correspondence
Try to present everything very logically and always quoting our Sanskrit authorities in connection with the main points, and that will impress them greatly. Yes, and if you also yourselves write something daily, that will sharpen your use of language and you will be able to make your points very clear. And if you dress neatly and conduct yourselves properly, that will help further.
We have four places which I have visited—Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, and Jakarta. The preaching was very satisfactory. Sriman Amogha dasa is trying to learn the local language and print some books in the Dai Nippon branch here. So cooperate with him.
Krishna tells Arjuna, His disciple, that "It is lust only . . . which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world." In the Vedic language, their word for materialistic "love" as we call it at present day; "kama" lust for material desire, not love. The word for love, actually love we find in Vedas is "prema", meaning one's love of God, only.
He has given me one idea to educate our men in Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati for preaching work in the interior part of Bombay. I think it a good suggestion. If you are really serious in this matter you can immediately engage some of our men to learn these different languages. He has already given us a place to stay and for this proposal he will continue his patronage. So try to execute this part of our propaganda immediately.
Your progress in translating work is very nice. It is actually most important of all that this translating of books is going on at the same time as the festivals. I have seen the photographs of your festival blocking the traffic and I am very much encouraged. The pictures should appear in all languages and you should write an article for BTG.
We had previously received copies of the Swahili language publication of Topmost Yoga System from Brahmananda Swami and it is very nicely done. This printing and distribution of our literature is most important aspect of our propaganda work.
Undoubtedly matter has come from life, and we can present so many practical proofs of this. So let Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda think in their own chemical language how to push this fact to the scientific world. If by Krsna's grace they even partially admit it, it will be a great triumph. My point is even if they partially accept then they have to find out what is the original life.
The thing is Brahmananda Maharaj is having difficulty translating literature into the Gujarat language in Nairobi. There is a large Gujarati population there and he has had some of our literature translated by a non-devotee translator. You know well the havoc which can result if a nondevotee tries to give his interpretation of Krsna.
Although Krsna understanding is very easy for those who are simple and submissive devotees, for the duratma, Krsna is very difficult. So if at all possible we want all our foreign language books to be translated by devotees. I think you are already working on Gujarati translations of our works, so please immediately correspond with Brahmananda Maharaj at our Nairobi center and offer your services as translator.
You have done a nice job with the French edition of Back to Godhead, and I am especially looking forward to the next issue which will be color 32 pages. You should more and more improve this magazine until it becomes superior to all other magazines in the French language. The translating of our books such as Bhagavad-gita and Isopanisad is of the utmost importance and I am very thankful that you are seriously taking on this practical work for spreading Krsna Consciousness in your European zone.
Regarding the translation work, if you can translate into German or other languages of Europe, then it will be a good help. They are very much eager to publish in other languages there.
I thank you very much for kindly allowing an interview to my disciples Sriman Gurudasa Adhikari accompanied by his wife also, Srimati Yamuna devi. Perhaps your Excellency is aware of our Krsna consciousness movement all over the world. We are not only preaching the cult by chanting and dancing, but also by presenting in the English language the books of the bhakti cult, especially Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam all over the world.
I am glad to note the work of Cakravarti and Prthu at the Belgrade Book Fair. This is real progress. So from all the literatures you are distributing you spend this money for spreading Krsna consciousness in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and East Germany, and prepare men. Put all of our books into the local languages.
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.
It may not be possible to convince the rascal scientists of this Krsna Consciousness philosophy because after all, Krsna gives everyone free will and if it is their determination to remain atheistic how shall it be checked? Our principle aim is to challenge their nonsense proposition so that the layman and common people may be saved from this rascaldom. You study our books very carefully under the guidance of Amarendra Prabhu and preach our philosophy from Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam in your scientific language.
Regarding visas for our American devotees coming to India, I have made arrangements with the Consulate General of India in New York to grant six month student visas, renewable in India, for all our men. The premise is that we want our men to come to India to learn the Sanskrit language so that we can study the Vedic literature.
We want to introduce this program of teaching our students Hindi and Sanskrit for two reasons. First of all, as I have already explained in a previous letter, if we can establish a bona fide language school then our American and European disciples can acquire student visas for coming to India. This will solve our visa problem.
The curriculum can be two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening and the panditas can be paid Rs. 200 per month. Our students, however, must be prepared to apply themselves and actually learn the languages. Mr. B. R. Mohatta, our life member from Bombay, has just today visited me in Los Angeles and we have discussed this matter of the language school. He has advised that we take sanction for our school from different branches of the Indian Government such as the educational department, the social welfare department, and the cultural department.
1974 Correspondence
Regarding starting a school in Vrindaban, we don't want any school for studying philosophy. Simply a school for teaching our members sanskrit and Hindi. Dr. Kapoor has expressed his inability to teach language, that's all right, for the time being we don't require any philosophical teacher.
This money I have deposited in the Mayapur-Vrindaban Fund and when I shall start a center in Surat I will draw from that fund. For our arriving devotees they should all be coming on student visas for learning Sanskrit and Hindi languages and thus they can stay for 3 years. I have arranged this with the Consulate General in New York for the student visas for our men. I think Giriraja has written to you by now and he knows of this arrangement.
My wanting these subjects taught is a plea for getting the students visa. It is not for actually becoming great scholars. This was the impression I gave the Consulate General in N.Y. and he is helping. Dr. Kapoor has already refused to teach language. He is interested in teaching philosophy but we don't require it. We have everything required in the Bhagavatam. I want that the students can nicely recite the sanskrit verses and then they can read the full purport in English.
Now print as many literatures as possible in french language and distribute. If you have any money left from the recent donations of $20,000.00 I request you to spare something to contribute to our Vrindavan construction; it can be sent to account number 230 of the Punjab National Bank, Moti Bagh Branch, New Delhi.
From our historical references, however, we understand the Vedic knowledge has been current since the time of creation but the knowledge was originally accepted in disciplic succession from spiritual master to disciple. Later, when Vyasadeva found the peoples' memories decreasing he wrote it into language. Otherwise it was existing by sruti, or hearing. So when this hearing began there is no history. He simply recorded the sruti, and there is no question of change.
Similarly, the Bhagavatam is mentioned in an earlier Purana means that the whole language is sruti. Although the Bhagavatam may not have been written the tradition was there. It is written by Sridhara Swami quoting the Puranas, that the practice was to write out the Bhagavatam by hand and present it to a learned man.
Your activities in book publication and distribution in the German and other European languages is very engladdening to me. I am enclosing the latest letter I have received from Wolf Rottkay and I am glad you have been able to engage him; cultivate this man, he is an important elderly professor in a U.S. university and wants to be engaged in Krsna Consciousness.
Get the German people to take this movement seriously. Utilize the money you are collecting there for printing more and more books in German language, and profusely distribute our books in German language. I am very pleased that you are printing in German the books you have mentioned.
Now you publish in German language all our books and distribute. Krsna will help you in every respect. The BBT collection should be spent 50% for publishing and 50% for construction of temples.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17/9/74 in Hindi language and I have noted the contents. I thank you for your concern for my well being. Actually I was very ill. I was falling down. But, by your prayers Krishna has kindly made me recover. Because you have prayed to Krishna therefore I have recovered.
I have not received the new books. I have learned about them from Puranjana, but I have not received them. Maybe they are held up due to a postal delay in Calcutta, but anyway I am so pleased that you have published. Even I have not seen them, I am pleased and obliged to you. Continue this work. Whenever there is any publication in any language, it enlivens me 100 times.
Your news of more publishing after seeing the newly published books is very happy news for me. Thank you. Overflood Europe with German books. I think that the German people are the heart of Europe, and your march will be followed by Bhagavan dasa in French language.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 7, 1974 and was glad to hear from you. So I want you to organize Rome temple for the time being. When you train up someone and produce sufficient literatures in the Italian language, then you go to the Spanish speaking countries. We have got a few books in Spanish language, and they are selling them in south America.
Regarding the book distribution, apart from our books, the Communist Party has become popular simply by distributing their literatures. I know in Calcutta the Communist agents were inviting friends and reading their literature. The Russians never came to India, but by distributing literature in every language they get a pretty good number of followers.
N.B. I understand that you are translating "Bhagavad-gita As it Is". Please continue this work and Krishna will bless you. I want to see that my literature is widely distributed. In Spanish language there is great scope for distributing our literature and preaching to the people of South America
So concentrate on publishing books as far as possible, and sell, and spend the money accordingly. In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated: sa gunam samatityaitan/ brahma-bhuyaya kalpate (BG 14.26) The devotee is transcendental to the material modes. On the whole I am very much pleased with your publishing extensively in the German language. It has given me great pleasure. One thing, for our books the words "Bhaktivedanta Book Trust" must appear on the spine of the jacket. Formally it was being done, and now it has been stopped. These things should always be there. I have seen it on the latest Bhagavatams.
Does it mean you are Brahma? But, it is a fact. Here in India we are not arranging for publishing Hindi books and other languages for profuse distribution in India. That is my immediate program. I blindly follow my guru maharaj. I do not know what is the result. So I am stressing on this point of book distribution. He told me this personally.
That will not cost you any financial assistance at all. You can live with us anywhere in the world and along with our devotees gradually you will learn all devotion activities. And if you desire you can translate our English books into Bengali language. You are already reading our Nectar of Devotion and if you like this idea you can translate this Nectar of Devotion immediately into Bengali and send me some copies of the translation so I can see how you have done.
Please print as many books as possible, this is my real pleasure. By printing these books of our Krsna Conscious philosophy in so many different languages we can actually inject our movement into the masses of persons all over the world, especially there in the western countries and we can literally turn whole nations into Krsna Conscious nations.
At the present moment they are distributing their literature here in India in nine different languages and it is quite effective. Therefore we must print hundreds and thousands of books and distribute them at the same speed and thus we will have a great effect on the mass population of Europe and America.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 17, 1974 and have noted the contents carefully. Also I have received the books newly printed in Spanish language; Krsna, vol. 1, Beyond Birth and Death and the new Spanish BTG. The printing job is done very nicely. I hope to see many, many more of them coming in the future. Especially as you mention in your letter, Bhagavad-gita complete by the Mayapur festival this year. That will be very nice.
1975 Correspondence
As far as sending more men to Bangkok is concerned, we shall see if any of our men are forced to leave India on account of visa difficulties. They can go there. But my policy, as you know, is not to import devotees, but to create devotees out of the local men. That will be better. I did not import any Indian devotees when I first came to your country. Print as much as you can into the Thai language. That will be a great asset.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 9th, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you very much for translating my books. It is so much important to me to have my books printed in all languages of the world. But, why are you sending the work to Ksirodakasayi for publication. I would rather have you send them to Bombay.
You can purchase records from Hamsaduta. Do not manufacture yourself. The BBT fund there has money, so your Bhagavad-gita in Dutch language can be printed with that money. I shall be anxious to see it. Anyway, work combinedly and everything will come out successful.
Srila Prabhupada was very much fond of publishing books and he especially advised me to preach in English language. So, by his blessings, we have now about 30 big books of 400 pages and more than 20 small booklets in English and all of these books and booklets are being translated into French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Swahili, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Italian, etc.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due reciept of your letter dated 2-4-75 and have noted the contents. I am also hoping that you will be able to print our books in that part of the world in the local languages. I think there is a Dai Nippon branch in Jakarta. It is a great service to sell our books to educational institutions. The more you do this, the more you become recognized by Krishna. Take standing orders, as much as possible. If you can induce any of these educational institutions to invite me, I shall go there to speak amongst the educated persons. Please continue your good work with added enthusiasm.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 3-4-75 and have noted the contents. Thank you for sending the final edition of the Swedish Sri Isopanisad. It is very very nice. I am very anxious to see all of my books printed in the Swedish language, so continue your printing, and distributing with all enthusiasm.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 27-4-75. The enclosure of the Gujarati paper clipping was received but I could not read the Gujarati language. I could although understand the purport of it. I have already decided to make a trust board for Hare Krishna Land in which there will be twelve trustees. Out of them seven will be Indians and five will be foreigners.
Simply we want some sincere worker like your honor. Up to date, I am working chiefly with my foreign assistants and disciples. In India, for them there is the language difficulty, otherwise they are ready to work in Indian villages also. Besides that, they have visa problems. Under the circumstances, I require immediately some willing, educated worker for this purpose. So, kindly reply this letter to my Honolulu center.
Simply we want some sincere worker like your honor. Up to date, I am working chiefly with my foreign assistants and disciples. In India, for them there is language difficulty, otherwise they are ready to work in Indian villages also. Besides that, they have visa problems. Under the circumstances, I require immediately some willing, educated worker for this purpose.
I am in due receipt of your note. Your desire to stay with us for regular recitation of the Srimad-bhagavatam is welcome. So, for a few days, you can stay with us and see how it will be suitable for you. But, one thing is the language difficulty. All our men are speaking in English. Still, you can make an experiment and if you like, then you can live with us provided you follow our rules and regulations. Just now, I am on tour and I shall be glad to receive your reply to my Honolulu address as follows: 51 Coelho Way, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Then I shall do the needful.
Please accept my greetings. By experience, we gather that Japanese ladies and gentlemen are very much interested with our Krishna Consciousness movement, especially with our literature, and more specifically with Srimad-bhagavatam. Here in Hawaii, many Japanese gentlemen, they purchase Srimad-bhagavatam simply by hearing the name, but they have got the language difficulty—they don't know English. So, if our books were translated into Japanese language, it will be a great help to us and to you also because it will be another opportunity for printing books. So, why not give us a good translator who can regularly translate all our books into Japanese? This will be another enterprise for printing in your press.
I have seen in the book that your good name and Sripada Tirtha's name are also there. We are also having good sales of our books about 50 in number amongst educated circles both in America and Europe with good appreciation. Enclosed is one pamphlet published in Dutch. We are publishing in all languages.
Upon your recommendation, I accept the following as my initiated disciples and their names are: Henk van Teylingen—Hayesvara dasa; Gabriel Sebach—Gabhiratma dasa; Ernesto Lucifero—Ekatma dasa.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well wisher,
- A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
N.B. The translation work of Bhagavad-gita in Dutch language is very important work. Do it nicely.
Please accept my blessings. I have received one letter from Alanatha das Brahmacari, President of ISKCON Stockholm, in which he reports that there is much interest in Krishna consciousness in Eastern European countries. He is recommending two boys for initiation from Czechoslovakia. I do not know the language otherwise I would have gone there. So I am requesting you to make vigorous propaganda in Eastern Europe. In the latest English BTG there is my discussion about Marx philosophy which will appeal to any sane gentleman. This should be read and translated. Lenin killed the Czar that's all, but any gunda can do that.
The clipping on the Janmastami day mentions specifically that the Manor was purchased by George for us. Keep this article for future if there is some trouble. Actually he purchased for this purpose. Encourage Alanatha in his publishing, and also in German language publish as many books as possible. Enclosed are letters about Hyderabad.
After publishing the book, there is no question of distributing it underground by smuggling it into Russia. Sell it openly outside of Russia. It will be for people coming to visit our temples who come from there. You can advertise that ISKCON Books in Russian language are available in such and such place. That they cannot stop.
Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated August 22, 1975, and I have noted the contents carefully. You are knowing so many languages and you can be of great service in this respect, so why don't you join our Bombay centre and help to propagate Krishna Consciousness in Hindi and other languages.
This is more important responsibility. Gopala Krishna also agrees with my desire, so you should go there. You can apply for one year entry visa. Say that you are a member of ISKCON and you are going to India to study Vedic culture and languages and Deity worship in our temples in India. Apply immediately because Gopala Krishna says it may take 6-8 weeks for the visa to be granted.
I am glad that things are going on better there. For lecturing, any one of our members can speak. Simply one has to memorize the purports and then speak in one's own language. Anyone who chants and follows the rules and regulations, where is there room for anxiety for him? You are an old, experienced devotee; so you behave like this and teach others to do so wherever you may stay.
So study my books and reproduce the purports in your own language. You should instruct your temple presidents to preach like this. This is preaching. We haven't got to invent something by our fertile brain for preaching. Everything is there. One who is expert for presenting these things before the audience so they can conveniently understand, this is a successful preacher.
So far your lecturing is concerned, you simply put in your own language the purports of our books. That will make your lectures successful. And everywhere you can refer to the book, Hare Krsna and Counterculture, written by Professor Judah.
So far Krsna consciousness is concerned, we have got new and sufficient number of books and if we read them carefully and reproduce the purports in our own language, that is perfect preaching.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 4, 1975, with the enclosed copies of the Yoga Library in Swedish language. The get-up is very nice and I think they will sell very, very well. Just see what books we are publishing all over our Society in all the languages. Where is the CIA message in our books that they are claiming? They are claiming that we are CIA's, but where is the CIA message in our books? Our books are simply on the basis of Krsna consciousness. What better service are we doing than publishing these books?
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter undated from El Paso, Texas and I have noted the contents. So I am glad to see that you are doing well. Similarly, now we are getting literature published all over the world. I just received very nice books in Swedish and also Italian Isopanisad and similarly our Bhagavad-gita is being prepared in Dutch language. And also our literatures are being received very nicely. Bhagavan das in Paris has reported that they are collecting $20,000 per week in literature distribution. Our Bhagavad-gita in French language is being received very enthusiastically by the people, libraries and schools.
If they say the moon is 240,000 miles from the earth, then why is the moon not mentioned first? Why not Monday being the first day of the week? According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, the sun is first, the moon is second and therefore we have no objection to the first of the week being Sunday and then Monday. Why is it universally accepted in all languages that Sunday is first and then Monday? Why is it not Monday and then Sunday?
Please accept my greetings. From your report I can understand that things are going on there very nicely. When I first came to America I never imagined that this movement would spread so far and wide. I thought that my Guru Maharaja has ordered me to try to spread his teachings in the English language, so let me try. In a country where everyone is trained from childhood to indulge in sinful activities who will accept these restrictions, no meat fish and eggs, no intoxicants, no gambling, no illicit sex life.
We have published more than 50 big books in the English language such as Bhagavad-gita as it is, Caitanya Caritamrta, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and others. For a complete catalog of our publications write the secretary at New Delhi temple.
The deities in the picture you sent appear nice. Also the article, Visa to the Kingdom of the spirit looks favorable, although I cannot read the language.
Your idea of printing a deluxe edition and an ordinary edition is all right, everyone should get a book that is the idea, so do it.
I understand that you are translating Bhagavad-gita as it is into Malayalam language. Hamsaduta has spoken to me about you. Please send me a sample, and we will see about it's publication and distribution in India. Maybe in the future you will like to come to India and help preach this message to your countrymen.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 7, 1975. I am very please to note your activities in Warsaw Poland. Yes if you can arrange for the translation of my books in Polish language that will please me very much. We do not have to manufacture anything new. We are getting perfect knowledge from krishna through the disciplic succession, so our position is very firm. Whatever we hear from the bona fide spiritual master should be practiced in life and the same message delivered to whomever we meet. In this way you become spiritual master.
1976 Correspondence
Mundane books are written by imperfect persons. Everyone has his own theory, which means he is imperfect. The Srimad-Bhagavatam says if there is a real presentation of spiritual understanding, then even if it is presented i broken language, it is accepted by high, saintly persons, because it glorifies the Supreme Person. On the other hand, if literature is highly metaphorically composed, if it does not glorify the Lord, it is compared to a place inhabited by the crows.
Actually, if some literature doesn't carry any real knowledge, what is the use of ornamental language? We are not interested in presenting ornamental language.
Now we have books in so many different languages, they simply have to be distributed everywhere. Then gradually by reading them our movement will be appreciated by all.
If you publish some book in Oriyan language, that book will give you good support. So now you have an opportunity, you are there and Krishna will help. Gradually we will help. Krishna is so kind, He is always ready to help. "dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te.'
The general estimate is collection of Rs. 1 lac to Rs. 5 lac daily. Our preachers are very much enthusiastic but in India they have got a language difficulty. If you cooperate with us along with other learned devotees, we can immediately take up preaching work in India with great enthusiasm.
That's a fact, but if Indian young men join me I am immediately ready for this travelling touring from village to village, town to town. However, my foreign disciples have the language defect, they can't speak the village language, otherwise I would have started this program long ago. If some young men like you would join me then along with some foreign disciples I can immediately take up this program.
I have noticed how you are producing so many of our books now in the Spanish and Portuguese language. This is very good. I shall be in Fiji by the 28th April, and shortly thereafter in Hawaii.
Let any man come, but here they cannot touch. We are putting these books for deliberation before the topmost thinkers of human society. Therefore, I have to see that in all languages all of our books are published. If we strain, and if he takes one book home, some day people will come to understand what valuable knowledge they have received.
It is done so nicely, without any spot, the spotless Purana. Please continue like this to print books in all the languages for the benefit of suffering, misdirected humanity.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 10, 1976, along with enclosed pamphlet printed in Korean language and photographs of preaching activities in South Korea.
Your plan to print the books in German language is thoroughly approved by me. Make the same propaganda as in America to attract the scholarly world. Do it immediately. It doesn't matter where you print the books. You can print with Dai Nippon or in India.
Whatever the case may be, print books and present the bill to the bank. It is a good case in our favor. We are printing books in Germany in the German language. So why the money is frozen? Some good lawyer should be gotten. It will be good publicity and at the same time we will have the books. Whether the money was collected illegally or legally, the money is being spent in Germany.
Maybe some workers have done like that but we are trying to enlighten the whole world and the people of Germany with good knowledge. You can show them the full set of books that we are going to print in the German language, and use all of the professors quotes to show how authoritative our books are amongst the scholarly circle throughout the world.
When the educated circle supports our movement, there is no danger. We have already printed some books in German language.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 7, 1976, and I thank you for the copy of Easy Journey to Other Planets in the Finnish language. Now go throughout all of Europe with your travelling party and distribute my books profusely, just as the Radha-Damodara TSKP is doing in America. You must remain strong by following the four regulative principles, and chanting 16 rounds of japa daily, and go on distributing my books unlimitedly in Europe.
This book production is real progress. It is very good news to hear that you are producing so many books in the European languages. This is most pleasing to me.
Now we are starting new centres in Athens and a new building is being acquired in Rome. So as you have requested you can make a program for Rome, and I can go there just after the program in France. The program in France and Rome will be between July 26, and August 10, 1976, before I will be going on to India to officially open our Hyderabad centre.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your offering of the sanskrit verse which you composed for me and I thank you very much. Now I am encouraging my young disciples to all try to learn at least one Indian language, like Hindi or Bengali. At least those who have the propensity can become proficient in some language, especially Hindi, and then you will be able to preach in India in the native language. It will be very effective.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your offering of Bhaktivedanta-astakam, and I thank you very much. It is very nicely done. I have noted that you also have the aptitude for Bengali language, so you can learn this nicely and then you will be able to preach in Bengal in the native language. It would be very effective. Also, you can chant the Gita-Gan in Bengali and people will profusely take out Gita-Gan. Thank you very much.
Another good news, we are selling books in Communist countries headed by Russia and Yugoslavia, and learned scholars are appreciating our books. We have published the Bhagavad-gita now in so many different languages, some of which are: English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, and now Chinese language, and also Russian language is in progress. We are getting very good response, especially where Spanish and Portuguese are spoken, in South America.
You plan to have travelling parties go out village to village preaching and distributing my books in Telegu language is very important. Do it nicely.
Please accept my blessings. Concerning the idea of exchanging our books for Russian books, unless we find sellers in India for Russian books (in English language), what will be the value of getting their books. You must ask the prominent book dealers in India what books from Russia (in English) are in demand and to what extent.
So you can make this enquiry from the Indian booksellers, "If you are selling Russian books in the English language, if so, kindly send us the list." Then enquire from Russia, "we can supply our books in exchange for particular Russian books in the English language (those titles which are desired in India)."
n.b. when there is such language difficulty as was found in Yugoslavia in that press interview, then we should not give interview. Stop all this bad practice. No interpretation. Otherwise what is the use?
Now you can try to introduce all my books into the Swedish Universities just as we are doing everywhere else. Approach them with all 54 volumes in English and also in all other languages.
This Hari-kirtana is the best yoga bhakti-yoga. You just follow our regulative principles and teach others and you will be successful, without any doubt. You are trained up, and you speak the language of the local people, so do everything conscientiously and my blessings are always with you. However, don't create any awkward situation that may be criticized. Caesar's wife must be above criticism.
Please push on this movement in the Spanish and Portuguese languages with great enthusiasm and certainly Krsna will bless you for taking so much trouble to preach His glories.
Even experienced devotees—perhaps you know Anand Baba—he was asked also to go as there were so many complaints against him. But one hope is there that you are publishing in the Orissan language and it is being distributed and your writing is approved by me.
This is the problem. So you are conversant in the local language. If you bring some sincere souls to join you by preaching then it will be successful. Just like in Europe and America I went singlehandedly and by preaching work the boys responded and therefore we can see some light of success.
Similarly you should print in the German language as many copies as possible. That is my only life. When I see that there is publication of the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other books in other languages that gives me life. It is very nice that you will print in Yugoslavian, Hungarian , Polish and Russian.
1977 Correspondence
As for foreign publications I also want books in the Orissan language.
Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of 19 January and examined the contents.
It gives me great pleasure to hear that the Bhagavad-gita As It Is will soon be published in the Swedish language.
On your recommendation, I have accepted the two devotees for first initiation, and their spiritual names are as follows:
Ryno Svensson———Raivata Dasa
Helga Svensson——-Hiranyangi Dasi
I have also accepted Yogendra Das Brahmacari for second initiation.
Your proposal for arranging a Gita on tapes in different languages for distributing all over the world is very good. You may contact my representative, His Holiness Harikesa Swami, at:
6241 Schloss Rettershof
uber Konigstein
Taunus, West Germany
and arrange everything with him.
I hope this finds you well.
The letter which you have sent from the student, Charles, is wonderful. I have asked that it be published in our English Back To Godhead as well as in all of the Indian language Back to Godheads here in India.
Yes, the name "New Govardhana" will be very appropriate for your farm. Regarding the idea of getting 36" nim wood Gaura Nitai from Calcutta, that is very good. Or if somebody can carve them locally, that will also be very nice. Regarding the gentleman whom you have met who speaks so many languages, let him translate in any one of these languages any of our books and that will be a great service.
So in this regard you can send the manuscripts to Gopala Krishna, and he will arrange everything. Regarding the translations into Russian and other East European languages, you are the expert in the field, so however you decide to get the work done is alright. I will simply be very glad to receive any publications from these languages. If you think that by getting a telex hookup in Bombay our international work would be benefited, I have no objection.
I have heard with great pleasure how in only one month's time you have distributed 50,000 Bhagavad gita As It Is in the Japanese language. Param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam! I think there has never been a case in history when so many religious books were distributed in such a short time.
Lord Caitanya's movement still awaits for being preached all over the world. And to broadcast anything all over the world—English language is the only medium of circulation. I shall be very much pleased if you kindly cooperate with this world movement very intelligently and be knowing it with all your reasoning powers. More when we meet on Sunday next at 10 am.
So we are not very much impressed by them, neither we take their version as perfect. They will say that millions of years ago the human beings were primitive hunters. But if we see Vedic language, we can understand that their thought and language and intelligence was not that of primitive men, no. If you are looking for some excuse to doubt, then maya will always provide you. So this or that you may find out something flaw if you want.
So far I know, no one else Indian spiritual movement has produced such literature in Chinese language. That is a big credit for you. And you have mixed with the Chinese people and they have purchased, there is good response, so why we are leaving that place? Your plan is to go there from time to time to collect money from the Hindus for spreading Krsna Consciousness in other places in Far East, that is nice.
| Page Title: | Language (Letters 1973 - 1977) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, JayaNitaiGaura |
| Created: | 17 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=109 |
| No. of Quotes: | 109 |