My request to you all

Expressions researched:
"I am requesting all my" |"I am requesting all of my disciples" |"I am requesting all of my" |"I am requesting you all" |"I am requesting you, all" |"I request all my" |"I request you all" |"I request you and all" |"I shall request you all" |"I therefore request you all" |"My general request is that you all" |"My only request to all of you" |"my one request to you all is that you" |"my only request is that you all" |"my only request to my disciples" |"my only request to you all" |"my request is that all of you" |"my request to all of you" |"my request to you all" |"my request to you and all" |"my special request to you all" |"you are all requested"

1968 Correspondence

My request to you and all others is to follow the principles of Krishna Consciousness adherently and there is no danger however the Maya may be strong.

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 14 January, 1968:

Kirtanananda's refusal to accept the Parampara system and authority of the scriptures is the cause of his misfortune. His version that the sun and the sunshine are one and the same is right, but when the sunshine is in the room it is not correct to say that the sun is in the room. His knowledge therefore is imperfect and therefore he cannot be a preacher. He is therefore contemplating for starting nightclub of the psychedelic type. His association is not desirable for the present neither I can think of his future correction. Hayagriva has fallen a victim and I am sorry for this.

Anyway, my dear boy, please remember that Maya is very strong. Any one of us can be arrested by her at any moment if we are not strongly attached to Krishna Consciousness. So my request to you and all others is to follow the principles of Krishna Consciousness adherently and there is no danger however the Maya may be strong. Hope you are well.

I am so happy to hear that you are finding strength to be determined to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world; my Guru Maharaja wanted like that, especially the Western world, and my only request is that you all sincere boys and girls, to spread this Krishna Consciousness to every home, to every village and town, and to take this mission very seriously.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 17 February, 1968:

I thank you very much for your sincere appreciation, and for your feelings of imperfectness. The more you think as imperfect, the more you make actual progress in Krishna Consciousness. This hankering after perfection is seen in even the most perfect devotees. So we should never think of being perfect at any stage. Actually, Krishna Consciousness is unlimited, because Krishna is unlimited, so we do not know at which point the perfection is there. Even Krishna Himself thinks that he is imperfect to understand Radharani's feelings of devotion; and to understand the devotional feelings of Radharani, He became Lord Caitanya, to worship Krishna in the feelings of Radharani. So transcendental activities are so nice that it is all perfection, and still there is no perfect satisfaction. That is the duty of spiritual life. Please stick to your principles as you are now doing and serve Krishna to your best capacity, and Krishna will give you all protection undoubtedly.

I am very happy to hear you are making nice arrangements for the Kirtana Party; I am anxious to see the idea take shape. Yes, the more you develop the attitude for service sincerely, the more opportunities Krishna will give you to serve Him, in so many varieties of ways. And I am so happy to hear that you are finding strength to be determined to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world; my Guru Maharaja wanted like that, especially the Western world, and my only request is that you all sincere boys and girls, to spread this Krishna Consciousness to every home, to every village and town, and to take this mission very seriously.

Such French edition was my great ambition and now that you have achieved success, I request you all to improve it continually so the French speaking people will have opportunity to take advantage of our Krishna Consciousness movement.

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

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters of December 4th and December 7th, 1968 and also I have received the beautiful first edition of Back To Godhead in the French language. This is a great joy to me to see such publication being printed so nicely and my heartfelt thanks are due to Janardana, Dayala Nitai, Vaikunthanatha, yourself and your wife, along with all the others who have helped to make this publication come so expertly. Such French edition was my great ambition and now that you have achieved success, I request you all to improve it continually so the French speaking people will have opportunity to take advantage of our Krishna Consciousness movement.

So now there is plenty engagement for everyone at the temple and if you can secure funds simply by selling our literature, by prasadam program and by some sewing labor, then it will not be necessary to take karmi jobs outside. So Krishna has given you very good facilities to be engaged and make profit at the same time for the temple so even though you may live poorly, if you can support yourselves simply with these activities it will be very good.

You have expressed some new ideas to improve BTG of the English Back To Godhead, but I think that there is no need to interrupt their way of thinking. Now you have a chance for your own edition so do it nicely and according to your own ideas. You are artist, so you have facilities to make a very nice edition to sell to the French public. Since in Montreal 75% of the populace are speaking French I think you have very good chance to popularize and improve this magazine.

Now you have this all important opportunity so I request you to take full advantage and perfect yourself in Krishna Consciousness. This is my request to all of you.

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

So please continue to be very sincere about developing your Krishna Consciousness and Krishna will give you all facilities to return with Him to His Spiritual Abode. Take instructions from your god-brother Rupanuga, chant your sixteen rounds daily, follow all regulations strictly, and you will have all blessings from the disciplic succession to advance nicely. So now you have this all important opportunity so I request you to take full advantage and perfect yourself in Krishna Consciousness. This is my request to all of you. This will be great service not only to yourself, but also to all the living entities with whom we come into contact.

1969 Correspondence

We are pushing our movement on the background of a peaceful atmosphere in the world, and if we show a little disturbance in our own camp that will not be a very good example. Therefore, everyone should be forebearing, tolerant and cooperative. That is my special request to you all.

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

Please accept my blessings. I was thinking of you since about a week why you are silent, and all of a sudden I got your letter with a golden ring enclosed. It was so much ecstatic. I thank you very much for your kind presentation which you have given, even sacrificing your husband's interest. I think, though, that your husband, Mukunda, is also pleased with this action. Anyway, immediately upon receipt of this ring I pushed it on my finger, and it is very nice.

Regarding your unstable condition of mind, I beg to request you to always remember that you have all gone to London with a great mission and responsibility. I am so much pleased with you all six boys and girls who are doing so much for my missionary work. My Guru Maharaja, Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura, Lord Caitanya and at the end Lord Krishna Himself all are surely very much pleased for your noble activities. You have already made the city of London feel something about the Hare Krishna movement. This is a great credit for you all and I appreciate it very much. Please do your duty combinedly without any disruption of peaceful attitudes amongst yourselves. We are pushing our movement on the background of a peaceful atmosphere in the world, and if we show a little disturbance in our own camp that will not be a very good example. Therefore, everyone should be forebearing, tolerant and cooperative. That is my special request to you all.

So far as I am concerned, I have written to Syamasundara. whether there is any possibility of my going there immediately. If not, then I may go to other places for the time being.

Lord Caitanya has taught us to be more tolerant than the tree in the matter of chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. You can show this letter to Sriman Sivananda and Sriman Uttama Sloka, and my request to you all is not to be childish, but to be serious for propagating Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- San Francisco 3 April, 1969:

Don't you see the indication by Krishna that we must make propaganda in the German language in that part of the world? So you have to adjust things by the indication of Lord Krishna. Don't do anything whimsically. The direction comes through the Spiritual Master, and any one who abides by the order of the Spiritual Master to give shape to the wish of the Lord, he is perfectly surrendered soul. So don't be childish, stay there. Let Jaya Govinda come and begin printing the BTG. Go altogether in Sankirtana Party and try to sell BTGs. In other centers they are doing very nicely with this. Sometimes they are selling more than 100 copies of BTG and collecting $130.00 or $150.00. The Los Angeles temple has become unique in this connection. They have decorated the temple room so nicely that in the Love Feast and any other ceremony, hundreds of people are coming. Why don't you follow this example and try to exert your energies to make your temple more important than Los Angeles? In the spiritual world there is also competition, but the center is always Krishna. In the material world there is competition, but the center is sense gratification. That is the difference. So competition, disagreement, or even dissension, if they are there, and the center is Krishna, such disagreement is not material. Even in Krishna Loka, there are rival parties of Srimati Radharani whose name is Candrabali, and there is competition between the two parties how to serve Krishna the best.

So you are all good souls, please do not be agitated in trivial things. Do your duty nicely, develop the center as nicely as possible. If you think that your personality has been minimized, you can tolerate it. That is very nice. Lord Caitanya has taught us to be more tolerant than the tree in the matter of chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. You can show this letter to Sriman Sivananda and Sriman Uttama Sloka, and my request to you all is not to be childish, but to be serious for propagating Krishna Consciousness.

I hope you have by now received one circular from Brahmananda in which it is stated that you are all requested to write articles of Krishna Consciousness as you have personally realized it, and also send as many pictures as possible of Sankirtana Movement for BTG along with short descriptions.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 5 July, 1969:

Regarding frozen vegetables, they are not bad, but if they are twice boiled, then they should not be used. I do not know exactly, but I do not think it is twice boiled. Anyway, if it is, it should not be used.

Now Tamala Krishna will be the supplying agent of devotees to many temples, because he is attracting many new devotees in the Los Angeles temple. So the program is after being trained up here, some of them may go either to open new branches or where they are required. But I wish that you should also attract new devotees from your quarters. Instead of importing devotees, it is better to attract devotees from your own area. And the basic principle for doing this is Sankirtana Party. I hope you have by now received one circular from Brahmananda in which it is stated that you are all requested to write articles of Krishna Consciousness as you have personally realized it, and also send as many pictures as possible of Sankirtana Movement for BTG along with short descriptions. Hope you are well.

It is my request to you all that you establish an exemplary character and show how householders can be the first class transcendentalists.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 28 July, 1969:

I am so glad to learn that Mr. Ted Berk, the American poet, is now living with you as brahmacari. Let him become now a Vaisnava poet. There are so many Vaisnava poets in India. Now as Krishna Consciousness is spreading, I think there must be some western Vaisnava poets, and Mr. Ted Berk may be the first one. So far as Trivikrama is concerned, he is a super first-class brahmacari. His service attitude, his submission is very nice although he is still a new member. The thing is that he had the association of Rupanuga who is an ideal householder devotee. I am feeling very much proud personally because my so many householder devotees are preaching Krishna Consciousness so nicely. Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not make any distinction between the so-called brahmacari, householder, or sannyasi. He specifically stressed that these designations are superficial, pertaining to bodies. Krishna Consciousness is the function of the soul, jivatma. In the Vedas it is said that the spirit soul is without any touch of material contamination, but when he forgets Krishna he thinks himself as a material product. That is called Maya. But in any position, if one can understand the science of Krishna Consciousness, he can deliver many, many fallen souls. So it is my request to you all that you establish an exemplary character and show how householders can be the first class transcendentalists. When I feel that my householder disciples are preaching so nicely I actually feel very much proud.

For so many countless lifetimes the conditioned souls have been giving all of their service and energy to the service of Maya, and I am requesting all of my disciples that for this one lifetime you give all of your energy and service to Krishna.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Hamburg 7 September, 1969:

Also I very much appreciated the poem that you have written for Vyasa Puja Ceremony, and because it was too late for being published in the Vyasa Puja booklet, I have handed it over to Hayagriva for publication in BTG. This poem was especially nice and I thank you for it. I am always encouraged to learn of your activities in the San Francisco temple, and I think that by the Grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu you shall do very great service to His Sankirtana Movement. For so many countless lifetimes the conditioned souls have been giving all of their service and energy to the service of Maya, and I am requesting all of my disciples that for this one lifetime you give all of your energy and service to Krishna. The spiritual force is eternal, so to give simply one lifetime to Krishna is not a very difficult thing. And yet if we are serious in executing the devotional principles, this one lifetime of service to Krishna will absolute and final solution to all the problems of life. Sincere devotional service in even one lifetime is sufficient to make one eligible to return to the Vaikuntha world permanently. Krishna Consciousness has got this power. So stick to this path as you are now doing, and as your sincerity and determination increase more and more, Krishna will surely be pleased to bestow all of His blessings upon you.

By Krishna's Grace I find all sides bright. My only request to all of you is to keep it bright. Don't let it go dim. That is Krishna's Glories.

Letter to Gargamuni -- London 11 November, 1969:

Regarding your sales report, I think it is encouraging, and the profit should be expended in the manner as I have already suggested in my last letter. Regarding Bina Musical Stores, I am sending herewith their invoice dated 30th August, 1969 and the shipping documents of Nedlloyd & Hoegh Lines (B/L 30). So you will have to pay only the freight, $129.00, and clear the goods. I do not know whether you have already received these documents through the Bank of Baroda because that was arranged with them. If not, you can do the business with these documents. The invoice #14528, dated 30th August, 1969, is for 5 cases of musical instruments. In the invoice you will find one piece "Bina Sangeet Model Harmonium". This should be kept aside for my personal use. It is not for sale. Other items are for sale. There is another item, one Big Size Khol, or mrdanga. You will see how the quality is and kindly report so that we can order for more.

Tamala Krishna is scheduled to arrive here this evening. He has not come yet. Iskcon Press has very nicely printed our Peace Formula and Two Essays. They are also cheap, so I hope you will order them 2,000 copies. Our BTG appearance is coming out nicer. Everyone approves. So by Krishna's Grace I find all sides bright. My only request to all of you is to keep it bright. Don't let it go dim. That is Krishna's Glories. When Tamala comes we shall talk with him about the World Sankirtana Party program.

In further regards to your recent contribution, this time you have deposited the money in the wrong number. My account number is 12410, but I see on the receipt the number is noted as 12416. In the future you should be careful about the number. In the meantime you rectify this mistake with the bank when you get time. I am returning the receipts herewith for your reference.

1970 Correspondence

I think Lord Caitanya is planning a situation which will help us in pushing the Krsna Consciousness movement throughout the whole world. I therefore request you all to chant Hare Krsna mantra very rigidly sixteen rounds a day and thus be fixed up in your spiritual strength and everything will come out successful.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 16 February, 1970:

The description of Krsna Consciousness movement in London gives me a great pleasure with hope and interest. Lord Caitanya was also checked in His Sankirtana movement by the then police officer, and He led a procession of one hundred thousands of men to the house of the Kazi. So I think Lord Caitanya is planning a situation which will help us in pushing the Krsna Consciousness movement throughout the whole world. I therefore request you all to chant Hare Krsna mantra very rigidly sixteen rounds a day and thus be fixed up in your spiritual strength and everything will come out successful.

The cover of George Harrison is open, and after reading it you can close it and deliver it to him. So far his contribution is concerned, I shall duly acknowledge it as I do usually in the Krsna book also. Besides that, I wish to put his good name on the dedication page of devotional service.* I would have done this in the Isopanisad, but this book was already printed. I hope you like the letter which I have addressed to George.

I am requesting you, all my European and American students, to spread this movement city to city and village to village and make all people of the world happy.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 12 March, 1970:

Now work with great enthusiasm and ask Himavati to take care of the Deities very, very nicely. Both of you have seen in L.A. how much they are careful about Deity worship. We have to make our steady progress, keeping both sides in balance; namely the Pancaratriki Biddhi and Bhagavat Biddhi. The Pancaratriki Biddhi is Arcana or Temple worship, and the Bhagavat Biddhi is to preach by chanting and distributing literature. Although chanting is quite sufficient to cover all the Biddhis, still to keep ourselves pure and sanctified, we must observe the rules and regulations of Pancaratriki Biddhi.

Our London Deities are certainly very, very nice; and everyone is captivated by seeing the smiling face of the Lord. It is very enchanting. Now everything is there and you are also experienced, therefore go on opening branches as many as possible and preach Sankirtana movement to your best capacity. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura entrusted the responsibility to my Guru Maharaja, and He also in His turn empowered us to do the work. Similarly, I am requesting you, all my European and American students, to spread this movement city to city and village to village and make all people of the world happy. Actually they are missing the central point—Krsna, therefore they are unhappy. Let us inform them about this missing point, and certainly they will be happy.

So far you are concerned, I request all my spiritual sons and daughters to help me in this great adventure, and if you all help me, I am sure I shall be successful.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 26 April, 1970:

I thank you very much for your kind appreciation of my humble activities, and you always pray to Krsna that the remaining days of my life may be thus engaged in executing the orders of my Spiritual Master. So far you are concerned, I request all my spiritual sons and daughters to help me in this great adventure, and if you all help me, I am sure I shall be successful.

Now our next program will be to lead a Sankirtana Party round over the world. It is already advertised in India from mouth to mouth that I am coming there next year with forty disciples. So I think we must keep this program in the beginning of our next year. There is already invitation in Africa. One party may go from London via other countries to Bombay, and another party may go from here via Japan to Calcutta, and then they will meet together.

Now among our students those who are advanced should take up this matter more seriously, and the Movement which you have started may not be stopped for want of adequate preachers—that is my request to you all.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 22 May, 1970:

Your remark on the student demonstration is quite appropriate. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura said that materialistic knowledge is another expansion of the influence of Maya. The result of material education is that the living entity forgets his own identification and takes to the business of a particular type of body which is given to him by the grace of Maya. The Vedic education means one has to understand his real identity as brahman or the spirit soul. Unfortunately the modern educational system is so defective that everyone is educated to accept this body as self. At the present moment they have no clear idea of identification, so much so that even a person who is partially advanced about the importance of the soul does also improperly identify himself with the Supreme Brahma.

So Krsna Consciousness Movement is meant for defying both classes of men; namely the karmis and the jnanis or yogis. That is our mission. Now among our students those who are advanced should take up this matter more seriously, and the Movement which you have started may not be stopped for want of adequate preachers—that is my request to you all. I am very glad to know that Kirtanananda Maharaja has now taken up this matter seriously and is preaching. Similarly I expect our advanced students like you, Rupanuga, Bhagavan das, Brahmananda, etc., may be seriously engaged now for preaching this cult.

My request is that all of you be determined to maintain this standard which is not very difficult to follow that I have introduced.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 28 May, 1970:

Recently I have received one "Kalyana" magazine in which our activities in the Western world have been very much appreciated. Especially they have appreciated my strong injunctions on the point of following the four prohibitive regulations. So after describing our activities, the editor has remarked in one place that things are going certainly very nicely at present, but it is God only Who knows how it will continue in the future. This means that the Indians, or the rigid followers of Vedic principles, are doubtful about my American and European students about their sticking to all these principles. So it is a God sent warning for us so that we may not deviate from the above mentioned two lines of action and thus become subject to criticism by the opposing elements.

In India there is already a party who are prepared to criticize my activities in the matter of offering sacred thread to the so-called mlecchas according to their calculation. But actually whatever I am doing here, of course giving consideration to the local situation, all of them are strictly in the line of our predecessors and direction of Sanatana Goswami. Therefore my request is that all of you be determined to maintain this standard which is not very difficult to follow that I have introduced.

I am so glad to learn that you are trying to compose at least 800 pages per month. That will enliven me very much to write more and more books for you. I have received some photographs of London Sankirtana on the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so publish them in BTG.

I have already formed the Governing Body Commission and your good name is also in the Board. There is no time for creating a crack in our solid formation of Krsna Consciousness Society. Take it now with great responsibility and everyone of you may serve jointly for Krsna's satisfaction. That is my request to you all.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 31 July, 1970:

Regarding Bhagavad-gita, enlarged edition, the picture approved by me to Jadurani is all right. I am glad to learn that it is being serialized. Regarding Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, I am glad that manuscript is also being composed. Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto, improper title pages being rectified is good news. Please keep me informed about the progress of those manuscripts.

Our life is very short. The Krsna consciousness movement is not meant for fulfilling one's personal ambition, but it is a serious movement for the whole world. I am therefore going to the Eastern hemisphere, beginning from Japan. We are going four in a party and all of us are Sannyasis. In this old age I am going with this party just to set an example to my disciples who have taken recently the Sannyas order. I think Brahmananda Swami, Gargamuni Swami, Visnujana Swami, Kirtanananda Swami and Subala Swami, all of them, two in a party assisted by other Brahmacaris should form separate Sankirtana Parties and travel all over Europe, America and Canada.

Now we want very many Swamis to take up this job. The Grhasthas are to take care of the Temples as well as the general management. I have already formed the Governing Body Commission and your good name is also in the Board. There is no time for creating a crack in our solid formation of Krsna Consciousness Society. Take it now with great responsibility and everyone of you may serve jointly for Krsna's satisfaction. That is my request to you all.

I request you and all other members of ISKCON to flood the world with Krishna Conscious centers and realize the prediction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu "as many towns and villages there are, my name will be known."

Letter to Bhagavan -- Surat 18 December, 1970:

Yes, I have heard of your plan to open a branch in Trinidad. That will be very nice and the selected members are approved by me. The more we open branches, the more I feel encouraged. These branches are like the oasis in a vast desert. In the desert there is no water, but occasionally if one is fortunate he may come in contact with an oasis and he is saved. Similarly in this material world we are drying up due to lack of spiritual knowledge. Our ISKCON centers are meant to give relief to the dried up conditioned souls who are searching after the nectar of joyful life. So I request you and all other members of ISKCON to flood the world with Krishna Conscious centers and realize the prediction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu "as many towns and villages there are, my name will be known."

Yes, there is possibility of help from influential men to open a big branch in London.

Our literatures are unique in the world and we want to introduce our philosophy in learned circles, so your report of library distribution is good news for me. Keep trying to place my books in auspicious places such as libraries, universities, clubs, etc. and someday the world will realize and appreciate these transcendental literatures.

1971 Correspondence

My only request to you all is that the two tapes, regularly sent every day must be finished being transcribed, edited, composed, layed out and printed all in one week. In this way two tapes daily must be ready for printing.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 26 February, 1971:

So far as my translating of the rest of Srimad-Bhagavatam is concerned, that is my next program. After returning from India I shall be seriously engaged in translating work. I shall continue as before and shall record two tapes daily. Time is short and I am aging but I want to publish all of Srimad-Bhagavatam and as you are doing now. Publishing Srimad-Bhagavatam chapter-wise is very nice and it should be continued and as soon as all the chapters of a canto are finished, we make it into a book, either in Japan or U.S.A. as is suitable. But my only request to you all is that the two tapes, regularly sent every day must be finished being transcribed, edited, composed, layed out and printed all in one week. In this way two tapes daily must be ready for printing. Then it will be nice. So far I am concerned, although I am getting old, I guarantee I shall give you two tapes daily provided you guarantee to finish printing two tapes daily. That will encourage me more and more.

So far as securing $50.00 for each initiation into Hare Krishna Mantra, that is not compulsory. The system is that after initiations, each devotee should collect some alms to the best of his capacity either cash or something else and make a presentation to the Spiritual Master. This is called daksina. Without daksina the initiation ceremony is not perfect. The collection of alms is not necessarily to be $50. It may be $500.00 or $5.00; it doesn't matter. It depends on the capacity of the initiated person. But he should try and collect to the best of his capacity and try to collect and give to the Spiritual Master.

Unless we work cooperatively, how this movement will go on? So my request to you all is that you maintain that spirit of cooperation always and help me to deliver Lord Caitanya's message all over the globe.

Letter to Tribhuvanatha -- Brooklyn 17 July, 1971:

I am so glad to hear how successful our Rathayatra festival was, with nearly 10,000 people participating in the procession. And the police were very pleased with our cooperative spirit. Very good. I have received similar report from Nara Narayana Prabhu about the festival and I am so much appreciative to you all for your sincerely working to make this year's Rathayatra festival a grand success. Thank you very much.

I am also glad to note that a meeting of all the presidents was held just recently in order to unify the temples. That is the process. Unless we work cooperatively, how this movement will go on? So my request to you all is that you maintain that spirit of cooperation always and help me to deliver Lord Caitanya's message all over the globe.

You say in your letter that you have arranged a press conference for our arrival there in London on 1st August; I think Syamasundara. Prabhu has written you that we are scheduled to be in N.Y. for one engagement on the 1st August. So keep the date for the press conference open and when the final date has been fixed up I will let you know. Probably it will be on the 2nd or 3d of August.

So you should all work cooperatively to push on this movement there in Texas and make our Austin center a grand success. That is my request to you all.

Letter to Sankarasana (Stephen Bridge), Parasara (Ron), Pulasta (Chris Pinkard) -- London 12 August, 1971:

Visnujana Maharaja tells me that in his absence, while he is opening one center in San Antonio, you three boys are maintaining nicely there in Austin. So you are all very qualified and you have been trained up under the expert guidance of Visnujana Swami. So you should all work cooperatively to push on this movement there in Texas and make our Austin center a grand success. That is my request to you all. Always be engaged in Krishna's business and stay fit in spiritual life by strictly following the regulative principle, by chanting at least 16 rounds of beads daily and without fail, by studying all our books and by regularly going for street Sankirtana. These make for our very strength in spiritual life and if you will follow them faithfully then your going back to home back to Godhead will be certain.

I request all my disciples to work cooperatively and I am sure our mission will advance without any doubt.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- London 14 August, 1971:

Please offer my Vyasa puja blessings to everyone of you. I am so much pleased with the book put together by you. It will be read tomorrow in the meeting. Similar publication was done by ISKCON Press. So I thank you very much, all of you, for appreciating my humble service which I am trying to render as a matter of duty ordered by my Guru Maharaja. I request all my disciples to work cooperatively and I am sure our mission will advance without any doubt.

Regarding Ramananda at Gorakhpur, he is very important hand as Hindi translator. So I do not find any reason why Chopra or other members in Gorakhpur should complain against him. So things should be handled very carefully because everyone engaged in Krishna's service should be given a chance to exercise this transcendental business very nicely. I am getting older and the 76th anniversary of my birth observed by my disciples means that I am getting older. Naturally my health does not allow me to work very hard but still I am working as hard as possible to advance this mission and I request all my disciples to give their full cooperation in this great task.

Students from all over the world will come and we shall revolutionize the atheistic and communistic tendency of rascal philosophers. So we must be responsible for this great task. Not for a single moment shall we be without ISKCON thought. That is my request to you all.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- London 1 September, 1971:

Regarding collections, all this collection must go to the building fund. Now we have got good beginning. R.D. Birla has given Rs 25,000/; B.M. Birla another Rs 25,000/ and Bajoria will contribute also. In this way if you simply catch 100 contributors each paying Rs 25,000/ then immediately our Mayapur scheme is successful. To find out such 100 men will not be at all difficult because it is headed by Birla and others will follow. So we have to pick them out throughout India—Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi and Madras. If we spend 25 to 30 lakhs Rupees then our Mayapur program will be a great success. So we have to do it. It will be a world center for teaching spiritual life. Students from all over the world will come and we shall revolutionize the atheistic and communistic tendency of rascal philosophers. So we must be responsible for this great task. Not for a single moment shall we be without ISKCON thought. That is my request to you all.

So far maintenance, we should make some monthly subscribers of cash or goods. Just like Goenka is giving foodstuffs, so many others can do the same. A little pocket expenditure can be collected by holding meetings. All the Gaudiya math people collect rice from house to house. Actually the temple should be provided by the local contribution of cash and kind.

My one request to you all is that you become fully happy by conducting your lives in Krishna Consciousness, and you can know it for sure that in this way you will come with me back to Home, back to Godhead.

Letter to Karandhara -- Delhi 3 December, 1971:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your kind letter on November 12, 1971, and I have appreciated the contents with great pleasure. Radha and Krishna have been so much merciful upon me to have given me so many nice spiritual sons and daughters as yourselves. I can see by the photos of your Los Angeles Temple that you are all very good servants of Radha and Krishna, and that They are very much pleased by your service. Thank you very much for assisting me in this way.

Now my one request to you all is that you become fully happy by conducting your lives in Krishna Consciousness, and you can know it for sure that in this way you will come with me back to Home, back to Godhead.

1972 Correspondence

I am requesting all of my students to read my books very seriously every day without fail. In this way, if your mind becomes absorbed at least one or two hours daily in the transcendental subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and other books then very easily you will make your advancement in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Bhargava -- Los Angeles 13 June, 1972:

Our advancement in Krishna Consciousness is made possible in two ways, by Knowledge and renunciation, jnana and tyaga or tapasya. The more we become renounced from this material world, the more we advance in Krishna Consciousness. But we are only able to make such sacrifices and perform tapasya if we have got knowledge. So first thing is to become knowledgeable in Krishna Consciousness, then the tapasya or voluntary life of austerity will result automatically. So I am requesting all of my students to read my books very seriously every day without fail. In this way, if your mind becomes absorbed at least one or two hours daily in the transcendental subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and other books then very easily you will make your advancement in Krishna Consciousness. It is not a matter of changing our engagement, adjusting this or that material condition, in order to find our real happiness. Krishna Consciousness is not like that. It is able to be performed under any variety of material conditions or with any type of engagement. Therefore if your duty as a photographer is very much helpful to our propanganda work and for improving our BTG then there is very much need for your remaining in that occupation and doing it to your best capacity. It is a fallacy to say that my present engagement with the press is not the best for my spiritual advancement, and if we think in this way we may go on trying out one engagement after another and always say the same excuse. This restlessness or agitation of the mind cannot be rectified by altering the material circumstances. If we are Krishna Conscious, any type of occupation will suit me and we shall always be satisfied. Therefore, I recommend you to read books more and more and try to understand the subject matter from different angles of vision and be always discussing it with your godbrothers even while you are working at the press, and when you are working and you cannot read, then listen to the tapes of my lectures and hear in that way. And never neglect to chant your 16 rounds of beads daily, rise early without fail, attend mangal arati, take bath, and follow the other regulative principles, and everything will come out very successfully, you can rest assured of that.

My request to you all is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service, observing strictly the four basic restrictions, and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.

Letter to Atendriya (Andy Wiernsz), Bahusira (Bill Oliverson), Jitamitra (Judy Jones), Maharha (Mary St. John), Omkara (Oksana Olenczuk), Vajasana (Vicky Burt) -- Bombay 23 December, 1972:

Now my request to you all is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service, observing strictly the four basic restrictions, and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.

If you practice these basic principles successfully, not forgetting your duty even for a moment, automatically your love for Krishna will come out and you will keep yourselves always enthusiastic to serve Krishna. So you have now got the golden opportunity of this human form of life, and it is not by chance that you have met your spiritual master, so if you are intelligent you will conclude that, whatever else I may do, I must accomplish the supreme goal of my life in this very lifetime and go back to home, back to Godhead. Otherwise, maya is always looking for an opportunity to drag us down, and especially she may attack those devotees who are trying to go away from here. But if you keep yourselves always engaged 24 hours in Krishna's business, and help me spread this Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world, however you are best able to do it in your own way, then you will be freed from all attachment to maya, by Krishna's grace. Just as when the darkness and the light come together, the darkness cannot stand before the light, so maya cannot remain in the presence of Krishna. Always remember therefore to chant Hare Krishna, and that will save you in all circumstances, without any doubt.

My request to all of you is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service, following especially the four principle restrictions, and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.

Letter to Janajanmadhih (Jeffrey Balawajder), Anadi (Alann Hayes), Araudra (Auda Gen) -- Bombay 27 December, 1972:

Now my request to all of you is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service, following especially the four principle restrictions, and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.

You have got now the golden opportunity of this human form of life, and it is not accident that you have got your spiritual master, so take advantage by following always in his footsteps and very quickly you will attain the supreme perfection of your life. That is done by trying always to please your spiritual master, being engaged 24 hours in Krishna's business of spreading this Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world, helping me however best you are able to do it according to your individual capacity. Then you will be freed from maya's clutches and go with me back to home, back to Godhead.

1973 Correspondence

If you the elder disciples cannot manage things, then what is the future of the society? My business now is to sit down and write my books, and I am requesting you all to please cooperate with me in this endeavor.

Letter to Amarendra -- Los Angeles 19 April, 1973:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4.17.73. You are asking me to advise what should be your program, but now I wanting to leave these matters in the hands of my disciples. I have created GBC specifically for this purpose. If you the elder disciples cannot manage things, then what is the future of the society? My business now is to sit down and write my books, and I am requesting you all to please cooperate with me in this endeavor. So I think you can take advice from Rupanuga Maharaja, as he is my authorized agent. So I am sending him your letter and a copy of this letter in this regard.

Both you and your wife are nice Krishna conscious devotees. You have all good talents to use in Krishna's service. My request is that you simply remember Krishna always and I will pray for your ever increasing advancement in Krishna consciousness.

1974 Correspondence

My only request to my disciples all over the world on this day is to go on pushing on this movement with determination and sincerity, rigidly following the principles I have given you.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Vrndavana 18 August, 1974:

I beg to thank you for your kind appreciations on the Vyasa Puja Day. Your sentiments are appreciated by me. It is stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura it is only by pleasing the Spiritual Master that one can be assured of pleasing Krishna. So my only request to my disciples all over the world on this day is to go on pushing on this movement with determination and sincerity, rigidly following the principles I have given you.

My only request is that you all remain enthusiastic and pure by strictly following all the rules and regulations and the devotional practices of chanting 16 rounds.

Letter to Devotees -- Calcutta 24 September, 1974:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter received at Vrindaban and your prayers for my health. By your prayers and by your chanting Hare Krishna, and by the grace of Lord Nrsimhadeva I am recovered from the serious illness.

So let us go on with the spreading of this sublime cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. My only request is that you all remain enthusiastic and pure by strictly following all the rules and regulations and the devotional practices of chanting 16 rounds.

I request you all to follow strictly the regulative principles, especially the chanting on the beads. GBC means to be a practical example to all residents of temples and devotees.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Mayapur 5 October, 1974:

So I request you all to follow strictly the regulative principles, especially the chanting on the beads. GBC means to be a practical example to all residents of temples and devotees. If all of us follow this principle of purity, our spiritual position will remain sound, and maya will not touch us. mayam etam tarantite. A fully surrendered soul always remains untouched by the hand of maya. Otherwise it is not possible.

Recently there has been some provocation in our Society regarding Bali Mardan and his wife. Jayatirtha has received a bunch of complaints. Similarly Brahmananda Maharaja has also received, so far so that his wife is eating chicken in the temple. This has hampered me very much, so I wish to form an investigation committee. of three members, namely Tamala Krishna Goswami, Rupanuga Prabhu, and yourself. I am informing them also in this connection with a copy of this letter. So you combine together and investigate about the charges against Bali Mardan and his wife made by the following devotees: 1. Tosana Krishna, 2. Cindy Liston, 3. Kirtiraja, 4. Omkara Dasi, 5. Navadvipa 6. Ramesvara das, 7. Sudama Swami, 8. Jaya Ram das, 9. Sunita devi, 10. Gopala Krishna, 11. Atreya Rsi, 12. Anonymous. Kindly try your best to stop this provocation in our Society and I shall be much obliged to you all. Please submit your combined report as soon as possible.

Whatever is done is done. I shall request you all not to be personally ambitious. I shall do everything in my power to fulfill your personal ambitions, but that will be done in due course of time when you are fully trained up and following the regulative principles and chanting 16 rounds.

Letter to Karandhara -- Mayapur 8 October, 1974:

As alleged by you I have received complaints against Bali Mardan and his wife, so seriously so much so that the girl has declared that Bali Mardan is an incarnation of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura on my name. In India some of the important members they have collected huge amounts in the name of the Society and spent it luxuriously. I wanted you all my experienced disciples should manage the whole institution very cleverly without any personal ambition like ordinary materialistic men. The Gaudiya Math institution has become smashed, at least stopped its program of preaching work on account of personal ambitions.

So whatever is done is done. I shall request you all not to be personally ambitious. I shall do everything in my power to fulfill your personal ambitions, but that will be done in due course of time when you are fully trained up and following the regulative principles and chanting 16 rounds.

So complaints against Bali Mardan is very serious, and I have appointed an enquiry committee, consisting of three men. Let us know the report. So far yourself is concerned, you know I had full faith in you, and whatever you did I never objected. But, in the meantime twice thrice you resigned. That has given me a little agitation. So kindly follow the regulative principles regularly chant 16 rounds and make up the deficit in Spiritual Sky, and gradually everything will come to its right position, and I hope Krishna will help us to adjust the present situation very peacefully.

1975 Correspondence

My general request is that you all distribute as many books as possible and at the same time be very careful in dealings with others so that they may not become irritated with us.

Letter to Tripurari -- Bombay 16 January, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated Jan. 1st and 5th, 1975 and have noted the contents. My general request is that you all distribute as many books as possible and at the same time be very careful in dealings with others so that they may not become irritated with us. Your book sale statistics are astounding. I am so much pleased. Please continue distributing such nice quantities and try to enthuse others more and more. You are sincere, so Krishna will give you all intelligence, strength and everything else you may need to distribute millions and millions of books.

I have written letters to Ramesvara and Rupanuga in regards to the recent controversies about book distribution methods to be used by our men. You may refer to those letters if you like.

Regarding the two boys you mentioned, they can receive initiation in Mayapur as long as they are recommended by the temple president or GBC.

1976 Correspondence

I am getting older and older and it is getting difficult for me, therefore I am requesting all my younger disciples to preach all over the world. Otherwise, you are always welcome in Vrndavana. I have no objection.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Vrindaban 18 November, 1976:

There are many sahajiyas who imitate Rupa Goswami not to go out of Vrndavana, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu remained always outside Vrndavana for preaching purposes, although He is is the master of Vrndavana personally. I have no objection to your coming to Vrndavana, but as you have accepted the sannyasa order, it is more important to preach about Vrndavana rather than to come to Vrndavana. I am getting older and older and it is getting difficult for me, therefore I am requesting all my younger disciples to preach all over the world. Otherwise, you are always welcome in Vrndavana. I have no objection.

I am a little hopeful that if we preach in the communist countries, they will like it. According to our Vaisnava philosophy even a snake or lizard is in the house shall not go without eating, what to speak of other living entities. The communists have an idea for feeding human society, but our idea is expanding. We want to see even a snake not fasting.