You have requested to send you my photograph and personal history and thank you for this. I am sending herewith some cuttings of photograph (Present) which appeared in the press. If these are not suitable for your purpose, then you can get a fresh promo-copy from the original negative which also is being sent herewith. Regarding my personal history I beg to state it shortly as follows: I was born 1st September 1896 in Calcutta as the third son of my father Late Gaura Mohon Dev and mother late Rajani Devi in the family of one of very respectable Gold merchant aristocracy of Calcutta. I was educated in the Scottish Churches College (B.A. 1920) and Netaji Subhas Candra was my college mate. I left education influenced by Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 and joined for some time in the national liberation and other social service movements.
Photograph (Letters)
Expressions researched:
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Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
This evening we had very successful performances of Kirtana and discourses for two hours (7-9 P.M.) at the Himalayan Academy the Christian Yoga Church and there were about 100 respectable gatherings. All the ladies and gentlemen were cultured and decent and all of them appreciated our Kirtana and lectures. They profusely garlanded me and exposed me for photo snaps.
All sorts of press cuttings 5 copies each (New York Times, East Village Voice with my pictures)
My picture with Photo of Prime Minister Shastri
Bhagavatam colored Radhakrishna Pictures
The letter of appreciation by the Mayor (which Garga Muni used for the Cart license) or any other things that are used for our propaganda. I require this immediately for presenting to the Naturalization and Immigration office here where I have to be present on the 2nd March 1967.
Composition; By the printer in 10 and 12 pt. and italics
Press work: Black ink two sides and one tricolor photo.
Cover: Title engraved and gold stamp on backbone.
With reference to our telephone conversation, I beg to enclose herewith three photo-offset copies of certificates.
I have come to the seashore in N.J. and am progressing well. Today I have taken a shower bath by myself for the first time since getting ill.
I am enclosing two offset copies, one from N.Y.U. and one from Slippery Rock State College, also one from Saint Fidelis College and Seminary. So far my certificates are concerned, if the originals are required I can send them, but I hope that these offset duplicates are as good as the original and I hope you will make proper use of them.
Most probably I may be able to come to S.F. by the 25th of this month.
I am very glad that you are gradually realizing these truths. I very much appreciate your attempt for a photo book of the Sankirtana movement. I have cent percent support for your noble attempt, and I am sure Hayagriva will be able to help you in this respect as he has so many facts at his disposal. I shall try to send some photo.
I am pleased to learn that you are teaching Spanish people English to help the mission. And you are worthy to become V.P. of our S.F. branch. Regarding Yamuna, your wife, I've got a very great regard, because she is very sincere girl. I'm sure you should feel fortunate to have such a wife. Please offer my blessings to her, and always cooperate with your wife in the service of the Lord. You'll be happy eternally.
I may inform you in this connection that photo offset copies of the following testimonials are lying in my apartment in New York. Namely
1. Certificate from Sri Caitanya Matha Mayapur,
2. Certificate Institute of Oriental Philosophy Vrindaban
3. Certificate Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha, Mathura.
4. Certificate Gaudiya Samghasram, Calcutta.
5. Certificate New York University
1968 Correspondence
This gentleman appears to be a disciple of my German god-brother Sadananda Swami. He appears to be very much interested in our movement and very shortly he is visiting Montreal. Perhaps I may meet him in June when I shall go there and there is every possibility of opening two centers. One in Sweden and another in Austria. Regarding glossy photo, I am writing to Guru das but I think Rayarama has got many specimens of my photograph. If you so desire, you can select one of them. I am also writing to Gurudasa in this connection. I understand that you have ordered some books from Gaudiya Math and Mr. Kalman is cooperating.
I have received one letter from Brahmananda asking for a very nice glossy photo portrait of me so if you can arrange to send such a glossy photo it will be very nice. He asked to receive the photo as soon as possible. He has also advised me to take help of a professional photographer if your assistance is not available immediately because I am away from your place. Please let me know if you can send such glossy photo from many negatives which you have got in your possession. I understand also that Rayarama has taken some of the negatives from you in New York so if you like you can advise him to do the needful. Anyway the matter is urgent and I ask you to do the needful. I am expected to return to San Francisco by the 10th of March and I shall let you know the exact time and date later on.
So far the picture is concerned, Gurudasa has recently taken some very nice photographs, and I shall ask him to send some copies to you. Yes, to make posters as you suggest will be very nice, please do it.
Please continue to help all the young girls, both in N.Y., and S.F. as well. If they take to following your example of sincere service, they will all be advanced in Krishna Consciousness very rapidly. Your example is very nice, using your artistic abilities to serve Krishna, and they may all follow in your footsteps. I think there is no need for coming to S.F., as most of the girls are there, and recently Anapurna dasi has left for Boston, also. She is very nice young girl, and with artistic abilities, so you please help her as she arrives there.
So far the order of photos in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya is concerned, they should go like this: My photo, Guru Maharaja's photo, Srila Gaura Kisora, Srila Bhaktivinode, Lord Caitanya, and lastly, Lord Caitanya's Birthplace. For Lord Caitanya's photo, you may use a photograph of one of Jadurani's recent paintings of Panca-tattva. The other five pictures will be with the reading matter.
I have written the preface, title page, dedication, and photo captions for Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and am sending herewith. Please take care of it as need be. The photos will appear at the front on the book. And the illustrations will appear at various intervals throughout the book, according to the text. Please inform me if still you do not understand about this.
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. There is a great need for this. And I wish sincerely that except for husband and wife, everyone should live separately, man separate from woman, and woman separate from man. I shall be glad to hear from you about further developments. But one thing can be very nicely utilized, if the Brahmacarinis learn typographic machine. That will be a great help because printing is one of our most important line of activities. And if the Brahmacarinis help us in the making of letter printing sheets for photo offset printing, that will be a great help.
You have carved so many Jagannatha Murtis, and the car also, so Krishna must have been very much satisfied with your service. Srimad-Bhagavatam says that the highest perfectional stage of everyone's talent is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, by his craftsmanship, scientific knowledge, philosophical research, or similar any other energy. Please continue this attitude of service and success of life is assured for you. I have learned the description of the Rathayatra festival verbally from so many persons who came to see me from San Francisco, and I have received the photo album from Gurudasa. But I have not received any newspaper clippings, which I am very much anxious to see.
Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your letter (undated), and I am so glad to see the photo album sent by you. But I have not received any newspaper clippings regarding the procession—neither I have received the 2 slides which you mentioned in your letter under reply. (you mentioned 2 slides, one of Lord Jagannatha and one of the car) You write to say that there was one article in the San Francisco Examiner on July 1, 1968, but I have received none till now. Please try to send one copy as soon as possible. you will know about my plan about London-yatra from the letter which I am addressing today of the Rathayatra festival. I understand that Mukunda and Janaki are now living with you, but I have not received any letter from them. Anyway, I understand that Mukunda is leading now a nice Kirtana party in the streets, and there is good response. The time is fast approaching when we will have to perform such public Kirtana in all the important cities of the world. Here also, in the Expo, they have performed Kirtana. for two days, and it is wonderfully successful.
Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your letter (undated), and I am so glad to see he photo album sent by you. But I have not received any newspaper clippings regarding the procession-neither I have received the 2 slides which you mentioned in your letter under reply. (you mentioned 2 slides, one of Lord Jagannatha and one of the car) You write to say that there was one article in the San Francisco Examiner on July 1, 1968, but I have received none till now. Please try to send one copy as soon as possible. You will know about my plan about London-yatra from the letter which I am addressing today to Shyamsundar.
So far your work is concerned, now I am serious about starting a press as soon as possible, and because there is no other alternative, we must have a good press. So I have already advised about these things to Uddhava, and he will inform you. And I have also advised Purusottama that he trains somewhat in taking photographs, and some of the girl students, especially Annapurna, she knows how to use typographic machine, and her future husband, Ananda, he has also some idea of press work. So, and your wife Balai dasi, she has also some knowledge in typewriting, so I do not think there is any difficulty for conducting a press, and we must do it as soon as possible.
As such, I have already instructed Uddhava about these things, and so far photography work is concerned, you have got some experience and you can learn about it sufficiently in the meantime. As soon as Advaita and Uddhava says the press can be started now, we must start our own press. That I have decided. And here, Anapurna, she has agreed and her future husband, Ananda, he has also agreed to work on the typographic machine. You can inquire the price of the typographic machine also. Last time we inquired from IBM about the typographic machine, or vari-type machine, so I do not know whether Rayarama has already purchased it, but our printing process should be on the typographic machine and vari-type machine, and get the photo of the prints. That will be the process of our printing. So you can inquire in the meantime.
Actually we the Krishna Conscious people are soldiers of the Lord, or Arms of the Lord, and because we are energy at the same time, because all living entities are energy of the Lord, so energy is always kept on the left side. As you have seen, Radharani is also on the left side of the Lord, and similarly, Laksmiji is also kept on the left side of the Lord, so we are also marginal energy, not exactly like Radharani or Laksmiji, but we are superior energy than matter, or material energy, so we should keep ourself always on the left side of the Lord, and let us act as His Arms, or army. I've also noted with pleasure this description of the jacket for the hardbound edition, and I understand that my photo will be there and it will be sold at $6.95. And you are expecting advance copies by the end of October.
If by suitable arrangement, this property is handed over to my society, I can very nicely organize its activities as follows: 1. Establishing a press to publish books and magazines. Many of my books are already published, and one Bhagavad-gita as it is is being published by Mssrs. MacMillan and Co., and is scheduled to appear by the end of October, 1968. Please see also enclosed photo of the late President L.B. Shastri of India accepting my Srimad-Bhagavatam. 2. Chanting, dancing, playing devotional music. 3. Feasting and distributing spiritually prepared food. 4. Training preachers. 5. Holding classes in the philosophy of God realization.
I am subjoining herewith the letters which I have received from Sivananda, who is now in Amsterdam, and he is proceeding to Berlin. You will be pleased that his little activities for a few days, is now published in a local paper with his photo. And although he is alone, I think his journey to Europe is a successful one by this time. And similarly wherever we go, we must not come back defeated. That is my idea. So I think Sivananda's enclosed copy of letter will encourage you.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated August 24, 1968, with 2 pictures, photographs of our temple in Buffalo. You have written to say that Buffalo is doing well, but I think Buffalo is doing well because you are doing well. Every place is expansion of Krishna's material energy, and material energy being expansion of Krishna, in one sense there is no difference between Krishna and the material energy. The only defect of material energy is that it is something like the prison department of the government.
Regarding my going to Los Angeles: I can go at any time, but I think if you are serious to call me you can do so by the middle of October. I think that will be nice. Now, my plan is that personally I shall try to retire from active participation, but I want a place where I can live with at least 15 devotees engaged in editorial work, recording work, photographic work, painting work, etc., so that I may prepare materials for the preaching party who will go with all these paraphernalia and preach Krishna Consciousness all over the world. If you think that you can help me in this respect then it may be I can make Hollywood as my headquarters. In the meantime, I have received letter from Hawaii, and it appears that a good center can be opened there. So let us organize all the centers which are already opened. And until we are fully organized, all these places are fully organized, we shall not make any more attempts.
Regarding yourself and Jadurani: You are both very sincere servitors to the cause of Krishna, and Krishna will give you necessary intelligence how to behave with one another. I am glad to learn that the girls under the guidance of Jadurani are doing nice painting work, and I am very much inclined to have many many Sankirtana pictures painted like the one which was in your Boston temple, on the wall, while I was there. I have one photograph of this picture and it is so nice that I feel my joys unlimited. (See enclosed sketch for identifying the exact painting I am speaking of). Our Madhavilata is also a good artist. She is painting a very nice picture of Radha Krishna seated on a swing. But she is a little independent spirited, and wants to wander with me. Anyway, she is a sincere good soul, and let her do the work in her own way. But it is a good asset for her that she has attraction to hear me. That will make her all right in the due course of time, and it may be that she will also come out a great painting assistant in our society.
The drawings for the certificate are enclosed herewith, and you can place them in proper position, as they look best. These recommendations may also help you: "Best use a 15x20 or similar proportion paper (hopefully you probably already have used similar size) Be sure that after pasting in each corner, that the edges are kept clean, so that they do not show when photographed. For printing they can be reduced some, to about an inch or two larger than a piece of typewriting paper (with whatever exact proportions are convenient to use in the reduction)." Muralidhara das has drawn these pictures, and they are very nicely done.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 3, 1968, and I am so pleased to learn that you are now going to be photographic expert also for our press. It is all Krishna's arrangement. Please learn the art very nicely. So far financial assistance for starting our press, I am sure Krishna will help us. Don't worry about it. Simply just become expert in conducting the press.
Regarding the picture, Panca-tattva, I do not think there is necessity of putting them in perspective. Actually they are standing on the same line. Just like a group photo is taken and nobody looks smaller or greater. That is the system. But the thing is that if you make Lord Caitanya smaller, that would not be nice. He should be larger, and actually he was very large and broad shouldered. So better to paint as you have been doing, and with Lord Caitanya a little larger.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter of Dec. 4, 1968, and I have noted the contents very carefully. I have looked at the two small pictures you sent, and I approve of both of them. This is called Rajasthan style, and it is very nice. These two pictures, if nicely painted, will look very good in our temples. Also, there is one very nice photograph of my Guru Maharaja which I want you to paint, and I will send it to you there. It was found by Gurudasa in London and he has sent me two copies of it. It was taken just after His acceptance of sannyasa, and with the Srimad-Bhagavatam opened before Him. So I shall send it. So far Los Angeles temple is concerned, we have just now leased a very big church, with large meeting hall and various compartments, so here we shall need many very large paintings for making the hall attractive. If it is possible, you can paint very large ones, as large or even larger than the one you sent to Montreal of the Gopis. Regarding the gesso sizing of the canvases: If they last for 20 years that is fine and plenty long enough. The other process sounds too complicated, and this plastic sounds to be very nice.
So please do these pictures very beautifully. I am enclosing a photograph of a painting which is in a very nice style that you should also paint your paintings. When you are almost finished with these five paintings then inform me so we may assign you further.
. Whatever irregularities you have and with chanting your rounds or with Gayatri Mantra, that you coordinate now and Krishna will forgive you. I am praying to Krishna for steadiness of your mind. I am very encouraged by your work in the Hamburg streets which you sent me a photograph of. This picture was reprinted here and I have shown your example to many friends and temples here. I am sure that if you keep to that spirit you will be a great preacher in the future.
1969 Correspondence
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 6, 1969, and I have noted with pleasure that you are almost done with the first five Krishna pictures which I have suggested to you. I think that you may immediately send these pictures to me in Los Angeles. So far as photographing these pictures for the book, I think that it is essential that these pictures be with bright attractive colors, so please do them in this way.
The photographs you sent me appear very nice, but the house photograph is covered with snow. I have seen this house from the outside, and sometimes I was thinking that this is a nice house for a temple. So I shall be glad to hear from you how and when you are going situate a temple in this house. That is the most essential point. Hope this finds you in good health.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated February 25, 1969, and I thank you so much for it. Regarding the pictures in Back To Godhead which you are learning to photograph, they will be of all kinds. When possible we will have nice paintings published, and other times there will be photographs of our devotees and their activities.
Krishna will surely give you all facilities and encouragement if you work for Him very sincerely because everything belongs to Krishna. It does not take Him even a second to offer anything we desire provided such thing is engaged in the service of the Lord. So you simply desire to serve Krishna best and there will be no scarcity of anything. Know it certain from me. I think that you may inform Nara Narayana that he can go immediately to New Vrindaban for construction work if he has no business in New York.
I can see from your photographs that you are preparing such big Iskcon Bullets. It is very attractive, and unfortunately I cannot share them with you. But I am very satisfied that you are enjoying such thing as the prasadam of Jagannatha Swami.
There are many unauthorized pictures painted by so-called called imaginative artists, but we don’t want such pictures in our temples. So you kindly send me a sketch of the picture, and I shall see whether it is authorized. I am very glad that Devahuti has finished a picture of Radha-Krishna, and that she is working also on Lord Caitanya and Sankirtan. I am also glad that you combinedly want to paint a picture of my photograph. I prefer the picture which was published in our Back To Godhead #18, page 32. It is written there "Your ever well-wisher,". Another thing is please send me the reproduction of the picture which you made for Bhagavat cover. The Macmillan Company is going to publish our Bhagavatam, and I shall give them the picture for the dust cover.
Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to hear that you are successfully carrying on the Sankirtana Movement, and Krishna is giving you encouragement by mercifully giving some money also. So rest assured that Sankirtana Movement is specifically benedicted by Lord Caitanya for achieving all kinds of success. Stick to the principles seriously and faithfully, and there will be no difficulty. Now you may please send as many nice photographs of your Sankirtana activities as possible to Brahmananda for publication in Back To Godhead. In each issue of Back To Godhead there shall be sufficient pictures of our Sankirtana Movement with descriptions. I have advised to follow this policy rigidly.
Please accept my blessings. I thank you so much for your encouraging letter, and I am so pleased to learn that the center is doing very nice propaganda work in Hawaii. Now you send to Brahmananda as many photographs as possible of the parading and the other chanting engagements. It will be the policy of our paper now to print as many as possible photos and articles of our own activities. I understand from Gaurasundara's letter that there is now inconvenience in having so many people living in the house there, so I think you may immediately return to Satsvarupa in Boston.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 12, 1969, and I have noted the contents. I have also seen your Krishna-Balarama picture and it is very nice. These pictures you are drawing for our Festivals in Los Angeles may be nicely colored and photographed and sent to Brahmananda for publication in BTG. The Bhagavatam picture you have already done is already arranged for publication on the front page, and in the absence of Jadurani's paintings, I shall require your work for so many pictures in BTG.
I am very pleased to learn that you are planning for a nice Rathayatra Festival in Boston. Please do it nicely, and take many nice photographs for publication in BTG. Yesterday I received one telegram from London to send them by cable $1,025.00. They require this for their house there. This money was to be for a down payment on purchasing an IBM machine for our books, and therefore I now need some money. If you have got some extra money, you can help me. You have encouraged my writing books, and for printing each book will require not less than 6 or 8 thousand dollars. Under the circumstances, I request all centers that as soon as they have extra money, it should be sent to me. Immediately I wish to publish Nectar of Devotion second edition of First Canto, and first edition of Second Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. So if you will help me in this matter, it will be very nice. After this, I wish to publish Krishna. In this way I want to prolong the publication work. I am going to Los Angeles to collect some money, and similarly I am requesting you also to help in this matter.
I am so glad to learn that Kirtana is going on, and by Krishna's Grace you are getting some collections. This is very good news. If during Rathayatra, you cannot keep on the seaside, then you take the car in procession to the riverside, and come back the same day. For the eight days, as far as possible distribute prasadam, especially kitcherie. Then on the 8th day you also hold the ceremony in the same way. Please arrange to take nice photographs of your Festival activities as well as of your other kirtana activities. We wish to print many such photographs in our Back To Godhead, so take many pictures, and send them to Brahmananda in New York.
I remember that when you were in New Vrindaban with me you took some photographs with your camera. Please send these pictures to Brahmananda in New York for our Back To Godhead. In future issues we will be featuring many such photographs of our activities. I hope this will meet you in good health.
Please accept my blessings: I thank you very much for your letter dated July 23, 1969 and the photographs of your little daughter. These photographs were so nice, and I was very much engladdened to see how jolly Subhadra is. You write that she is already very enthusiastic about Sankirtana Party, so train her up very nicely. If such a pious child is trained properly as you and Murari are doing, then surely she will play a very worthy role in our society and in helping to improve the world condition by the propagation of Krishna Consciousness. It is not unusual that a little child is often very jolly, but in the material situation this jolliness passes very quickly.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letters dated July 16th, 22nd and 27th, and I have noted all of the contents carefully. I have also received some photographs of your Rathayatra Day ceremony, sent to me by Sri Govinda. It appears to be very, very nice, and I am having these photographs reprinted together on one page so I may show the others how nicely you have done it. I have already told Gurudasa something of the glorious affair that was arranged here, and enclosed please find reprinted news articles from the San Francisco papers.
I am pleased to learn that you now have Radha-Krishna Murtis given to you by Mataji Syamadevi. For the time being you should keep Them covered, and when I go there I shall install Them and teach you how to do everything nicely. In the meantime you should not tend these Deities, but a nice throne should be constructed in the same fashion as the picture which was sent to you recently. In Los Angeles temple they have constructed a beautiful throne, just on the measurements and colors as depicted on the picture sent to you, and it has come very successful.
In the photographs sent by Sri Govinda I have seen the nice brahmacaris of our London Yatra. I hope that by now they have received their beads, duly chanted upon by me. Please offer my blessings to the others. I hope this will meet you all in good health.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 5th, 1969 and have noted the contents. When I first heard that the wheels of the car collapsed it was so great a shock to me that the whole day I was sick and morose, and now after receiving this letter and your pictures I am very much enlivened. The car was on the road and the photo is taken with a multitude of people. That is your success and as a result of this collapse you have got now the sympathy of the Indian community as well as all the people of London—so much so that next year you can timely and conveniently erect three cars like that.
I think you have already got the design of the throne and the measurements also. It should be 40" x 40", and the height is 57", including the canopy. The front pillars are three on each side, and the whole throne is supported by four lion claws. I shall send you very soon a real photo of the Los Angeles throne, Jagannatha altar and Vyasasana. They have done it very nicely and perfectly. So I wish that in every center similar arrangements may be done.
Regarding your judgment in court, it appears that the judge is a learned man, and he has given the right judgment, being graced by Krishna. We have to work sincerely, and because Krishna is in everyone's heart, there will be no difficulty to have the necessary facilities. I hope by this time you have received the three Krishna tapes that were sent to you from Germany, and there will be more coming soon. I am enclosing a picture of the Los Angeles throne which Murari may hold as the standard for constructing the throne there. The throne should be 40 x 40 inches square, and 45 inches up to the canopy. Above that, up to the dome, it is another 12 inches. There should be three pillars as shown on the photograph, and they should be silver colored or silver-plated.
I am pleased to note that you will be giving four classes in Los Angeles universities this year, and everyone is welcome to appear in the Bhakti-sastri examination and take the title. But one must be acquainted with Krishna philosophy at least for one year. So the students may attend class for one year as you have already arranged, and if they learn this philosophy, even if they don't become initiated students, it will be a pleasure for us. Regarding the tests you are holding there in Los Angeles, keep them there, and when I return I shall see them personally. I am encouraged to learn that you now have a very nice place for photography work, and you can send me photographs of the size of TLC of pictures for the Krishna book and Nectar of Devotion. For Krishna you have the pictures by Jadurani, Jahnava and Murlidhara. Then there is the Radha-Krishna picture by Devahuti, the Radha-Krishna picture which was kept in my room on the wall just to my righthand side, and the Radha-Krishna picture which was kept on my altar while I was there on Formosa Avenue.
I have seen the pictures of your kirtana sent by Sacisuta, and they are all marvelous. Please print them in BTG. All Sankirtana photographs should be collected, and one after another they should be printed in BTG. So far as printing part of the Krishna book in BTG, that is also very nice. Regarding my account with First National City Bank, I have already sent you the Pass Book, so if it is convenient to move to the branch where the society has got account, that is all right. There is no difficulty in changing the branch, but I wish to keep the account with the First National City Bank. When I receive the forms from you, I shall sign it.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 11th, and I have noted the contents. Enclosed please find one photograph of the Radha-Krishna throne, so you may begin constructing it as soon as possible. When the Radha-Krishna Deities are installed, you may turn your main attention to Them, rather than to the Lord Jagannatha Deities. You continue to keep Jagannatha nicely though, and sometimes change His dress. So far as your having already ordered instruments from India, that is all right. Regarding your question about the verse in the prayers to the Spiritual Master, the Spiritual Master is one of the associates of Krishna. The prayers offered by Visvanatha Cakravarti to his Spiritual Master have a special significance. His Spiritual Master was one of the assistant gopis, so the prayer was offered like that.
Regarding the photographs of the pictures I have asked you to take, yes, these should be of very fine quality for being published in our Nectar of Devotion and Krishna book. So far as the size is concerned, this you must consult with Brahmananda, because he is in charge of setting up the books. The picture by Devahuti which was in my room will be printed on the cover of Nectar of Devotion, so Brahmananda must decide if this picture will cover the entire front cover, with the title printed on top of it, or if there will be some space allowed for the title on an upper margin, as was done in TLC. You may keep the photographs there in LA, and some of them may be published in BTG on the cover. Relationship between Godbrothers must be very genuine and pleasing. Otherwise, the future of our institution will not be very hopeful. After all, very soon you have to manage. As I am getting old, I wish to retire from an active part. Of course, I shall be behind the scene, but I am thinking of writing a constitutional will on my return from Europe. Enclosed please find the proclamation you have requested. I hope this will meet you all in good health.
Please convey my blessings to Sudama and keep me informed of your activities regularly. I am sending herewith a copy of a photograph recently taken by Gurudas, and I hope you will like it.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated October 3, 1969. and I have noted the contents carefully. Regarding the questions you have asked about the Radha-Krishna throne, I am enclosing herewith a diagram by Shyamsunder which should help you. If you have further questions about constructing the throne, you may consult with the Los Angeles temple. They will be able to give you the information. Try to make the set-up in your temple like the photograph I have sent you of the Los Angeles temple.
You have sent me one plan for constructing a dais for the Deities in which you have placed Radha-Krishna under Lord Jagannatha. Instead of putting it like this, you put Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana picture underneath Lord Jagannatha, and make a separate throne for Radha-Krishna exactly on the pattern of Los Angeles temple. Regarding Melvani, I am glad that he has come to you from Montreal, but his photo shows he is not in the standard dress; and the tilak is not correctly made. Anyway, you welcome him. He is a very nice gentleman. But try to convince him to follow all of our principles. That will be very nice. Please offer my obeisances to your good wife, Himavati. I hope this will meet you both in good health.
NB: Enclosed please find photographs of the Los Angeles altar. You may construct your altar in the exact same way. For any further construction information you may consult the devotees there, and when the throne is prepared you shall get the Deities also. Perhaps Naranarayana is there & he can help you.
Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated November 2, 1969 and the booklet of essays. There are improvements to be made because the essays are not adjusted on the right side. Besides that, it is being printed not on glazed paper. The photograph has not come out very distinctly. Also the cost is not very satisfactory. The Dai Nippon company is printing our BTG at 10 cents, but the size is bigger, the papers are more, there are color pictures and glazed paper. In that comparison, 6 cents cost is not very favorable. You have also printed 20,000. Anyway, it is printed in our press. If the cost is equal or little more, we do not mind. But from business point of view you should note down the points.
y Dear Nara Narayana,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated November 5, 1969 and I am so pleased to learn of the nice service you have been rendering to Radha-Krishna in Los Angeles. The cart you have constructed sounds very nice from your description, and when you are able please send me photographs of this cart. I have all approval of your plan to travel from temple to temple in order to give them the benefits of your carpentry skill. Do it nicely. It is very important service and Krishna will be pleased to bestow upon you His blessings for it.
The Deity worship should be done very nicely and cleanly, as advised by Yamuna and Tamala Krishna. I thank you very much for your nice presentation of the photographs of my Guru Maharaja and Bhaktivinode Thakura fit in a nice powder case. So I see my Guru Maharaja everyday, whenever necessary. It is kept on my table. I thank you very much for this. Please dress the Deities in your temple as nicely as possible. Also decorate Them with some jewelry. I have received one letter form Mandali Bhadra, and he has told me that he is feeling some disturbances. Under the circumstances it is better that he may live in the temple.
Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated December 17, 1969, and I can understand from the spirit of your letter that Krishna is fixing you in a particular type of duty which you may welcome for your benefit, for the movement's benefit, and for the benefit of the people in general. Yes, you secure an IBM composer and utilize it fully. Let Mandali Bhadra translate our magazines and books, and in the IBM machine you compose it, ready for being photographed and printed. You send the ready matters to Boston, and they will print the magazine without any price from you. The cost of the printing will be balanced by keeping some magazines here for sale; so in that way your center will not have any botheration for paying the price.
1970 Correspondence
Regarding titles of the pictures, I think Jadurani will be a nice judge. Otherwise, unless I see the pictures, how can I give titles for them? The pictures which I have got here I can give titles, or if I get photographs of the pictures which are being painted there, then I can give titles for all the pictures.
In London, however, we get some income by sales of "Hare Krishna Mantra" record and similarly in the U.S.A. we get some income by selling "Govinda" records and other similar records. From London the "Hare Krishna Mantra" record has worldwide sales. This is managed by Mr. George Harrison, the famous English musician, who is my uninitiated devotee. This boy has paid me recently $19,000 for publishing my Krishna book. The whole amount will be required for publishing the book in Japan.
The names of places where our centers are already established is given above. The photographs of our various daily activities—Kirtans, etc.—are also enclosed herewith.
I have received the photograph of the Deities and it is very nice. Decorate the throne with as many flowers as possible, and the columns of the throne may be wrapped with flowers and leaves if possible.
Lord Caitanya's Appearance day falls on March 22, that is on a Sunday. The devotees should fast until evening, when there is a ceremony and offering of a small amount of Ekadasi preparations. The next day, the devotees should celebrate amongst themselves with a small scale feast. You may hold the celebration open to the public on the following Sunday. The preparation to be offered specially on this occasion is bhuni kichri: Fry equal parts dal and rice in ghee and massala. Add two times water as dal and rice, and add vegetables (if you use more ghee, use less water). Cook it until it is dried and the rice is soft.
By the by, I may inform you that we require many pairs of Deities, but the Vrindaban manufacturer, Ramnath murtikar, is very slow. Under the circumstances, I would prefer ready made marble Murtis from Jaipur. One gentleman, Mr. Goyl, donated our London Deities—42 inches high Krsna and Radharani proportionately shorter. The photograph of London Murti is sent herewith. Will you kindly take the trouble to find out someone in Jaipur who can supply us such Murtis regularly.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 20 February, 1970, along with an enclosed photograph of one painting of the Spiritual Master rendered by you. In the meantime, I have received also one painting of my Guru Maharaja Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Both these paintings are very, very good, and I am therefore requesting that you be able to devote yourself full time in developing this great talent of yours. There are many paintings required not only for our Temples, but for illustrating our books also. So I think this work will be more than ample and you will be happy in this work.
Yes, I am going to the newly purchased church Temple and when I go there by Sunday next, I shall try to teach the local boys in the way of performing Sankirtana in a circle. I shall send to you the sound production with photographs if possible, and instructions also.
Please accept my blessings. I have just made arrangements for marble Deities to be made for our centers. They will be manufactured just to the standard of our London Deities. I have opened negotiations with one Jaipur Murti maker, and in this connection he has requested a photograph accurate for his manufacturing purpose.
So please send a full size photograph without any dress up to:
Sri Surajnarain Natha
Mool Chand Ram Chand Natha
Marble Quarries, Factory Owners and Contractors
Khazanewalon Ka Rasta
Jaipur-1, (Rajasthan)
India
Please take this photograph of the Deities without Their clothes on and send it immediately by airmail to the manufacturers. Please treat this matter as urgent. Thank you very much.
In my last letter to Bali Mardan I have already written that I was very much anxious to hear from you. Now this letter has given me much relief. Thank you very much that you are working so hard for this movement, and surely Krsna will reward sufficiently for your transcendental labor. Be blessed and preach.
I shall send you very soon detailed photographs of our new temple room and I think you will very much appreciate it.
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.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4th June, 1970, along with the enclosed photostat of the new masthead for "Back to Godhead." Thank you very much for this. It is very nice.
One of our friends, Sri Sarafji, Chief Editor of the "Godarsana" magazine, has requested some photographs for an article which is to be published in the "Godarsana."
Please accept my blessings. I have not heard from you since a long time, and I think you are now very busy on account of Rathayatra festival. I hope you are all well with your good wife, Malati, and daughter, Sarasvati. Your good daughter's photograph catching my hand is published in our Handbook of Krsna Consciousness which is to be printed very shortly containing the calendar and important information of our activities.
The program of work given by you is very satisfactory. And it is good that you have got an opportunity to teach a course in the John Hopkins Free University. I have seen the photograph and the cutting from the university catalog. They are very encouraging. I am glad that Subala also came to assist you.
P.S. Can you send some negatives of some very nice color and black and white photographs of our Tokyo center—Sankirtana on the plaza, etc. for propaganda purposes?
The former Ambassador of U.S.A., Sri B. K. Nehru, who may be at present moment Governor in Assam, knows me very well and about my movement and Sri Apa B. Pant, the High Commissioner of India in England, knows me very well and about my movement also. Within the magazine I am sending you one photograph of my meeting with Sri Apa Pant.
Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good wife, Srimati Kasturika Dasi. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 2nd July, and I am very glad to learn that you are now happily married. I beg to thank you also for the check of your contribution for my book fund, it is very welcome at this time and for the nice photographs of your wedding ceremony.
Our press owned and operated by the Society is housed in our Boston temple buildings. Presently we are printing books regularly and our monthly magazine BTG is being printed in English, French, German and Japanese editions with Spanish, Hindi, Bengali, Dutch and Danish forthcoming. The English edition is understocked at 125,000 copies per month and the other editions are printed at the rate of 10,000 per month. The public demand for our literatures is international and so much greatly increasing that although printing department (editing, transcribing, composing, layout, photography, printing and binding as well as sales) is full-time engaged and the press is kept running almost 24 hours daily we are unable to meet the demands for literatures and so we must also go to outside printers like Japan.
I will enclose in the accompanying air packet the several photographs you have desired as well as several other items which you may find helpful in preparing your article. If there is any further questionnaire which you may need, please drop my a line and I will be very glad to supply the required information.
Please accept my blessings. Sometimes I am asked for my glossy photo by some friends, but I have none here. Therefore I shall be glad if you kindly send the following glossy by return mail. (These photos will also be used for printing in various Indian papers and magazines as they are requesting. So they must be of good propaganda quality.)
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter dated 20th July, 1970, along with the blueprint for chapter 4 Second Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam. I have gone through the blueprint and I am also sending the necessary Sanskrit corrections to Pradyumna. So when these corrections are made then you can print immediately.
Yes, I am awaiting for the propaganda photographs which you are sending.
1971 Correspondence
Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 29th December and the nice sentiments expressed therein. I am very glad to inform you that I have seen your photograph and from your features it appears that you have improved very much spiritually.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your encouraging letter dated 12th December, 1970. I have carefully noted the enclosed photographs as well, and I am so glad to see how you are nicely conducting Sankirtana activities in important places in your nation's capital city.
I am very glad to see the photographs and news articles sent by you. I am receiving similar photographs from Subala Maharaja in Europe and it is very encouraging. I have not heard from Brahmananda Maharaja and Visnujana Maharaja* since a long time. I hope I shall hear from them very soon. Hope you are in good health.
The newspaper clipping sent by you was written in a different language. I could not follow it. What is the language? But I see there one name, Mr. Sri Dhar Maharaja. I'm sending back the clipping, keeping your photograph because I do not know the language, but I shall be very much pleased if you send me an English translation of the statement.
So far as TLC, in India we have got sufficient stock of this book, but if there is a demand in U.S.A. or if the stock of TLC is already finished, then you can print one book, not five small books. Another suggestion is if this can be reduced to small pages like penguin books and printed at very cheap price. What will be the cost for such a book? If you reduce the size of the page, then it has to be photographed. So there would be no need of recomposing.
The new BTG logo is very nice. It is accepted. The original idea is improved in this logo. I am very glad. So far as the new BTGs sent by you, all of them are very nice.
The power of attorney will follow by express mail. Whether you have dispatched the money from Calcutta to the book fund and building fund and the membership statement also? That is urgent. Enclosed please find a photo copy of Birla's letter, as well as a letter from Karandhara addressed to you. We shall send the marble deities as soon as they can be packed.
Yes, Revatinandana and Madhudvisa Swami will go there just as soon as you send money for their passage, and they will take the marble Deities with them also. And I shall be going there also by the 13rd May via Kuala Lumpur and Sydney. For the throne design you will have to write Gurudasa in Delhi (c/o S.K. Joshi; 4-A Kamala Nagar) about it. There is no such photo here. You have got idea of the length and breadth of the throne already. It should be as you have done in Gorakhpur.
Yes, at least once daily the Deity's clothes must be changed, in the morning. If the Deities are small, as they appear to be from the photograph, then they can be laid down in a bed at night. And they can be given nightgowns to wear before taking rest. That is nice. If there is time and facility then these things can be implemented. So far as bathing is concerned, it requires two hands and one tongue. In your left hand be ringing a bell and simultaneously with your right hand pour water. Chant Hare Krishna, Cintamani, Govinda Jaya Jaya, etc., like that.
So far as touching the Deity, this is possible only in a big temple with big Deities, not in a small temple. In big temples like Jagannatha Puri the devotees circumambulate and sometimes touch the Lotus Feet of the Lord, but in a small temple that is not possible. If you need help in caring for Tulsi devi, you can write Govinda Dasi in Hawaii for instruction.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated 30th May and 1st June and have noted the contents carefully. I have received all the photographs of the paintings for the enlarged edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and they are so very beautiful. Everyone here is so much appreciative of all you artists. All of you have my full blessings and your godbrothers' congratulations. Krishna will surely bless you all. Thank you very much.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 21st June, 1971 and have noted the contents. So far Moscow is concerned, there was only one substantial meeting, with one Professor Kotovsky and the tape of that conversation is being transcribed. Also I have written an introduction to the three lectures I had proposed to deliver in Moscow: 1) Vedic conception of Socialism and Communism, 2) Scientific values of a classless society; and 3) Knowledge by Authoritative Tradition. These are yet to be written. Photographs have been taken also. So I will collect all the material available and send it all to you in the very near future for publication in BTG.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 10th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far as black and white photographs of paintings, I don't like that idea. How expensive they are doesn't matter but colored photographs should be there only.
Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good husband Vamanadeva Prabhu. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 22nd June, 1971 and just now received by me here in London. I have noted the contents with great interest and especially the very encouraging photographs of your Tulasi Devi garden.
I can see also that you are a very sincere and enthusiastic boy and are anxious for spreading this movement. Those are first class qualifications for making advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So continue enthusiastically as you are doing and Krishna will surely bless you. Follow the regulative principles strictly, chant your 16 rounds faithfully, study our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. All these activities will make you fixed up in Krishna's service and eligible for going back to home, back to Godhead.
You can tell Bill and Hayden to send me some photographs just as soon as the Deities have been carved.
Please accept my blessings. Enclosed you will find one photograph of the Deities there in L.A. recently sent to me. Why is Krishna without a flute? What is the difficulty to make for Krishna a flute? You can take a twig and wrap it in golden lace with a pearl drop hanging. That is a flute; how long it takes to make? Nothing should be concocted; not that a flower in place of a flute.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 29th September, and previous to this I had received one letter from you also. Now I may inform you that Nara Narayana has already gone to Calcutta especially for the purpose of making a model of Mayapur construction work. So immediately you can contact him. Regarding the other models like New Vrindaban, L.A., N.Y., Dallas, he can make models provided there are photographs of different buildings. So you contact him and do the needful.
You will be interested to know that here Giriraja with the help of one Bengali professor and John Greisser the photographer have published a very nice edition of Bengali BTG. The price also is not very high; almost on the level of Dai Nippon. Ordinarily Dai Nippon charges 10 cents, so it is almost on the same level. It will be published regularly henceforward, so if they require any help from you, you should give them all assistance.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 7, 1971, and I am encouraged to note that things are going on nicely at Austin center under your supervision. I have seen the photo-slides sent by Hayden Larson and William Walsh and they are first-class. Please give them all facilities to finish this work nicely. If Bill Prabhu holds a university post, then that is a very important position for spreading Krishna Consciousness and he should try to keep it as long as it will be beneficial in that way. My Guru Maharaja used to say that anything material, if it is used in the service of Krishna, it is a mistake to give it up.
The photography exhibit for Delhi pandal arrived, but the exorbitant price of $240 plus shipping costs was too much for 70 photos, so I have advised them to pay only the actual cost price as will be determined by Gurudasa. I have seen the photo price list from Uddhava and the prices quoted are very high. He is simply taking advantage of our devotees' sentiment to make money, and this is not a very good position.
One very popular feature was our "Question and Answer booth," wherein one of our elderly devotees would sit on a very high vyasasana and answer questions put by the visitors. This item became so controversial and popular that it was open at least until midnight daily to accommodate all the curious public. Everyone delights in lively debates and discussions of philosophy. Also there were many booths showing photo-displays of our worldwide activities and one exhibit of a large model of our Mayapur scheme. These things may also be included in your New York festival.
I have got good news from Rupanuga that MacMillan Co. will be printing our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, so why not they should print our Srimad-Bhagavatam as well? These color illustrations are not found so nicely in any other publications but ours, so we are unique in this way. Now go on producing them profusely, along with all kinds of nice photo displays, slide shows, advertisements, etc., for public propaganda, and the public will note that Krishna Consciousness, yes, it must be very nice thing. I am very much pleased by your wonderful cooperation in spreading this Krishna Consciousness Movement. Actually, this Movement is full with wonderful form, color, activities, everything. So now you go on in this way, and simply by your desiring to paint and photograph His attractive features, Krishna will give you all benedictions, please know it for certain. Thank you very much for assisting me in this way.
1972 Correspondence
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 3, 1972, and I am very glad to hear from you that you have got a nice new temple there, which is also large, and that in general everything at New Orleans Center is progressing well under your supervision. I am very much satisfied. I am also pleased to hear something about Kirtanananda's party, and if you have them, kindly send me one photo of these painted busses, how they look, so I may be inspired by seeing them.
Also, you ideas for travelling SKP are very much liked by me. Here in Australia they have got one double-decker bus, like you have seen in London streets, and they have painted it very brightly, and as it moves there is kirtana party chanting very loudly inside, and on top floor there is sleeping space and kitchen. On the whole, it is so nice that I am suggesting Dayananda that he supply you and Krishna das with information, how you may purchase such busses in London and drive them all over European continent, and these "Hare Krishna Movement" busses will make us famous all over the world. I am enclosing one photo of their Australia bus in Sydney.
Why you are asking me for photos? The photo business Gurudasa knows, he will supply you.
Regarding Gauracand Goswami, the Rs. 10/- is our monthly contribution towards seva puja. You can continue that, it has nothing to do with rent. Simply give and take a receipt, that's all.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 16, 1972, along with sketches and plans, etc. Thank you very much. The report is quite encouraging to me, and I think that the way you are proceding is nice. But one thing is, I have included one photograph of our proposed skyscraper to be built up in Los Angeles at ISKCON World Headquarters, and so I want that our skyscraper in Juhu should also be looking like this. I do not like the round towers you have proposed, it is too fanciful. Simply add Govindaji's temple, as you and Saurabha have drawn it, add it onto this skyscraper in the enclosed photo, then you will have per Juhu plan. Monsoon in Bombay begins in middle of June, and last year it was early, in May, so how you can get all drawings finish approved by city council and begin the foundations before monsoon. I do not think it is possible, but you can try for it, that is right.
The plans are very nice. I have sent already one photo to Giriraja of our skyscraper in Los Angeles, so I want that this square building, whether as one bigger building or two square towers as you have proposed, that this type of square building be added to Govindaji's temple. Then it will be perfect. Otherwise, the round towers are too fanciful, and not so much practical because square building gives us more space to utilize.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of the photographs of Mayapur project. You have sent pictures of building materials, but I want pictures of buildings. There will be no scarcity of money for the work, so you try to raise fund locally as far as possible. But whenever there is scarcity of money, you will have it in the usual way as you have already got it. So do everything very nicely and quickly, so that next autumn when I go I can enter into my house. Do not destroy that cottage where I stayed last time, that is very dear to me.
Regarding your questions, Kasyapa Muni is inside his hut, or hermitage, which is just a garden cottage or like our Mayapur cottage if you have got one photo. Sri Hari met the Four Kumaras. The seven walls surround Vaikuntha, with seven gates, just like a building may be located there, but you have to pass through seven gates and courtyards, with walls surrounding, to reach there. Gardens, houses, everything is there between the walls.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 17, 1972 and I have noted the contents. I have appreciated very much the photographs which you have enclosed of the Hamburg deities. They are very very nice. Yes, your husband is expert in everything and also you are expert in everything. So do not think in this way that you are not very important devotees, because I am always thinking of you both and how much service you are rendering to Lord Krishna. Since a long time I have known both of you and I consider that you are among my very dearest disciples. Now do not worry that your husband will take sannyasa. I think I have told you before that I will not give him sannyasa at this point. He may travel very widely throughout the Germany zone and still remain Grhastha. He is more than Sannyas.
Form the committee and whatever is needed, you do it. It doesn't matter if the Hindi translation is perfectly the same length as the English original, translate any issue of BTG or any book and send the manuscript after composing to Japan for printing, that is the best plan. For our English BTG's they have got the original photographs and negatives in Japan, so if you translate some issue of English BTG you can send there for printing and the cost will be cheaper because they have already got the photos, etc. In Benares there are many presses and they supply very cheaply. So you take quotations from Benares and find out the lowest quotation for soft binding, first-class paper, and printing in the size of our present Bhagavatam booklets, Easy Journey To Other Planets, like that. In Delhi and Mathura also there is very good facility for Hindi printing. So in this way cooperate with the others to find out either some printer there in India who will print our books in good quality and also very cheaply, or translate and compose the work there and send to Japan. Either way the work must go on and increasingly our literatures should be profusely distributed in India.
I am very glad to hear that you are using your talents very nicely to do artwork and photographic designs to make brochures. It is very important to have such brochures for presenting to important men of the Indian society, so make them very elegantly and just to the points of interest.
Tell him to bring the Bengali typewriter with him and type everything on good paper. But best thing is, I have asked Yadubara to come there to Birnagar from Bombay for photographing all of the manuscripts in the possession of Lalita Prashad Thakura page by page very completely before it is too late. The pages are in very decrepit condition, so best thing is to request Lalita Prashad if we may take care of them by treating them against insects and storing them in a tight, dry storage place where they may be preserved for future generations of Vaisnavas to see the actual handwriting and words of such great saintly persons. Treat this matter very seriously and thoroughly, and take all precautions to protect this wonderful boon of literatures forever. Yadubara may photograph every page, never mind Bengali or English or any other language, and later we shall see where to send the copies to different places. You also write to Yadubara at Bombay in this connection and request him to join you in Birnagar immediately. I have also written him. These items are very, very priceless and are a great treasure house of Vaisnava lore, so be very careful in the matter and take all precautions to guard them.
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.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter dated May 29, 1972, from Mayapur and I have noted the contents. You have described the building progress there, but if you can send me photo then I can understand the situation as it is.
N.B. I have just now got one letter from Acyutananda Maharaja from Mayapur, and his plan is to photograph all of the original manuscripts of Bhaktivinode Thakura which are held by his son, Lalita Prasad Thakura, in Birnagar. This is a very, very important work, so I think you are just the right man for going there with Acyutananda to make photos of each and every page of the old manuscripts as they are in very bad condition. After taking the photos, we ___ shall be going to London on ___ 2, 1972, so send reply accordingly.
The other songs that you mention are all right. Regarding the manuscripts, you may photograph all of the pages, then we shall type them later. If there is shortage of film, I have instructed Karandhara to send you a large supply of the appropriate films for photographing the pages. Or you may purchase there and we shall pay from Book Fund. These are important works and they must be preserved forever, so what is that expense?
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 19, 1972, and have noted the contents. Yes, that is nice, you may continue to photograph all of the manuscripts of Bhaktivinode Thakura and other great acaryas in our Vaisnava line, but for now do not photograph anything of Lalita Prasad's manuscripts. When I go there I shall see. First of all let us see Bhaktivinode Thakura's works, then we shall see further.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 23 and I have noted the contents with care. Yes, I shall be very glad to hear that you have installed these Lord Jagannatha deities in your New Orleans temple, and I can see from the photo that they are very nicely made. Now hold the ceremony as per the enclosed instructions. During the fire ceremony you can also give the sacred thread and Gayatri mantra to Bhudara, which I am enclosing also herewith. Teach him to chant on the finger divisions and play the copy of the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra into his right ear. Also I am sending the beads for Michael Lightfoot, duly chanted by me, under separate post. So you may hold the fire yajna, install deities, and give initiation to these two boys.
1973 Correspondence
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated the 20th February and have examined the contents with care. I am glad to hear of your successful engagements and the photographs are very nice. It is good that you have invited the other devotees for such a program. Let them come, and combine together in cooperation, not to be aloof. There are always some factions, everywhere in this world we find so many factions. But we must, in Krsna consciousness, do the needful and cooperate. So, I am very glad to see your activities and you please continue to keep up the good work.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 29, 1973 and I have noted the contents. I have received also the photograph of Radha-Kalachandji and they are looking transcendentally beautiful. Always keep to this high standard of Deity worship, never become neglectful. Everything must be done very timely, and the temple must be immaculately cleansed daily. These things, cleanliness and promptness, are the most important points for Deity worship, so be very vigilant in this way.
We want to display doll exhibitions in every center of our society depicting some narration from Bhagavatam, Mahabharata, Caitanya Caritamrta, Bhagavad-gita like that. Just like the picture that Arjuna's chariot is placed by Krsna between the groups of 2 soldiers. The Pictures are already there in our books and they are to be demonstrated by doll exhibition. The Krsna-Balarama Deities if it is very successful you can send one photograph to Yamuna in Vrndavana and if needed they may be sent to Jaipur as a model for carving our Krsna-Balarama Deities to be installed at Vrndavana. If possible you can send me some photographs of the dolls already manufactured and I shall give you further suggestions in this connection. To learn how to prepare mrdanga shell is very essential.
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.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter and enclosed check for daksina. In the meantime, I have also received a package of photographs. Your festival appears to be just like Jagannatha Puri, it is so encouraging to me to see how very enthusiastic you are working there. Yes! I shall certainly come to your Ratha Yatra Festival next year.
Regarding selling books in Karmic clothes; yes, it may be done, there is no harm. This book distribution and Ratha Yatra Festivals should go on all over the world. I want to introduce this Ratha Yatra Festival programme all over the world.
If you can actually supply the society with Gaura Nitai deities it will be a great achievement. But one thing is that you should try to find out some strong wood. In India they use Neem wood because this wood is not attacked by termites, if you can find out a similar wood there that will be best, or you may see if you can import this wood from India if it is not too expensive. When you have finished something, then send me a photograph.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter and enclosed photographs of the Ratha Yatra Festival. If we introduce this Festival in all big cities of the world along side with book distribution then in no time we will conquer the whole world. Yes! certainly I shall come to your festival next year, thank you.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 19, 1973. Yes, why not get Devahuti to paint, she's a good painter. Now I want for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day one book of Ādi lila published, 400 pages at least, hardbound, for being distributed at Mayapur. Regarding the enclosed photo, the Yamadutas are all right. Yes, it is all right to show the subtle body looking just like the gross body. Regarding Lord Caitanya's danda, it was broken for good. So after Puri, He never took danda. So for painting Him as sannyasa, it depends on the time as to whether He had danda or not. The eka danda is all right, as in the Sadbhujah picture I sent. Do not be concerned with how the Mayavadi sannyasi dandas are wrapped because we are not following them.
Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated December 11, 1973. Yes, I received the photo album and it was very nice. Thank you very much.
I hereby accept the two devotees you recommended for second initiation and enclosed find two sacred threads and two gayatri mantras.
1974 Correspondence
As for Italian marble, if it is cheaper there, why not? Italian marble is known to be very good. I am sending you a photo of the L.A. deities. Ask a cost estimation for deities 40" high and then we can consider. Krsna may be black or white, Radharani is always white.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of January 5, 1974, and the wonderful photograph of Radha Gokulananda, which arrived here safely.
You are the president there so you must be very conversant with our philosophy. The other picture was objectionable because the photo of our temple is advertised as Gokula Vrindaban. It has, however, already been advertised as Bhaktivedanta Manor, Headquarters of European ISKCON. I am pleased that you stopped issuing the literature. But people will not be induced to come by issuing some literature. In the temple there must be activities which will attract people to come.
Regarding a photographic exhibit in Mayapur. This is an important part of our Caitanya Festival in Mayapur. Bali Mardan is here and he has agreed that the photographers at ISKCON Press can blow up photographs of our propaganda work and men can take them who are going to Mayapur. As for mounting them, however, that you can do there, and arrange them into an exhibit.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 1974. Yes there is no objection to your casting clay forms of Deities into plaster. I understand you are a nice artist in this medium, so make Deities of Gaura-Nitai and send me photographs of the forms. We can discuss this further when I come to Paris.
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.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 17, 1974 with enclosed photographs of Lord Jagannatha. I can see that you are very nicely taking care of the Deities, and this is much appreciated by me. Now you stick to this process of worship of the Deity and you will advance more and more in Krishna consciousness. I very much enjoyed my stay in New Vrindaban, and was glad to see everything going on very nicely. So now just cooperate with the leaders there and expand it more and more.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5/8/74 with enclosed photographs of the house. This house is so nice. It is better than the other one. So you can purchase it.
Enclosed is one letter from one person in Portugal which I am forwarding to you for necessary action.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your invitation for August 17, 1974 to attend the installation of Radha Krishna in your temple. I was not able to attend due to being here in India for the opening of our temple here in Vrindaban. Anyway that program has been postponed until the construction work is completed. So I will be glad to know from you how you have installed Their Lordships in your temple. If possible send me photographs.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 21, with enclosed photographs. So Kirtanananda Maharaja has installed Deities. But without twenty devotees how you can have Deities? Your men are coming and going so why you are having Deity installation? You must have twenty devotees. Kirtanananda Maharaja, he should supply those devotees since he has authorized the installation. You can name the Deities, Radha-Muralidhara.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 10, 1974 forwarded from Bombay. The photo you have sent is a nice picture. I am getting it framed. So in Germany when I was there I was very, very hopeful. There is good scope for preaching Krsna consciousness there. The people there are very intelligent. They are prepared to accept the real truth. Germany was always famous for its intelligent population. You are also appropriately fit to push on this cult in Germany. It will be a great success. 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.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 20th. Please accept my blessings. I have also received the enclosed photographs which are very nice. Regarding taking the Deities out on travelling sankirtana, I think you can take guidance from Visnujana Maharaja and Tamala Krishna Goswami who are giving you the example in this connection.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 3, 1974. The advertisement proposals for BTG are approved by me. Yes, you use your American ingenuity in this way to spread Krsna Consciousness. I also thank you very much for the photograph of the sannyasis taken in Mayapur. I have had it framed and it is hanging here in my room in Vrindaban, amongst the large paintings of the Disciplic succession. It is by their kindness, of the previous acaryas that they let us sit between them just like a father calls for a child to sit down next to him. Actually we are unqualified but by their kindness they let us sit next to them.
Please accept my greetings. I hope this meets you in good health. I am writing after a long time. I used to send you Hindi composed papers, photo ready, adding to it some colored pictures. The cover types were also turned into Hindi reading. I would like to know if it is possible to print this Hindi magazine from your good press.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 26, 1974 with enclosed draft of your article. Regarding the Tax Commission Notice, I understand from Mr. Sethi that at time land in the vicinity of his house was selling for Rs. 60/-, so we have not paid less. The most important point is that Mr. Nair wanted to give us the land at a concessional rate because we are a charitable institution. I have already sent under separate post (Registered), the photocopy of a land donated to us in Orissa, Bhuvaneśvara, and I have asked Mahamsa Swami to also send the photocopy of his gift deed. So we get so many donations of land, due to the charitable nature of our organization.
The three month tourist visas of Sruti Kirti, Nitai, and myself expire within three weeks time. Could you please send down the necessary forms that we can fill out along with other requirements such as how many photographs are required for an extention of the tourist visa. We of course would prefer not having for all three of us having to go into Calcutta to the immigration office personally. Can we get an extension of more than three months?
I hope this meets you in good health.
Did you receive the copy of the Bhubaneswar gift deed? I sent a photo copy to you. This should be returned to me. Please acknowledge receipt. Let me know if it is necessary for a document form form Geeta Devi Saraf.
Regarding the new Life Membership fee. I understand you compromised with Gargamuni Swami by creating a Patron Membership for Rs. 2222/=, but what are the additional benefits of a Patron Membership? Tejiyas das writes that he is also getting 90% success with the increased fee.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 26, 1974 with enclosed photograph of your Krishna. Krishna is so kind that although he is ajit, unconquerable, He can be possessed by the devotee. From love He allows this. This is the great position of the devotee.
So we should not be confused in the matter of violating the orders given by Lord Krishna. bhagavad-bhakti-hinasya/ jatih sastram janas tanah/ apranasyaiva dehasya/ mandanam loka-ranjanam. A big nation, a big worker, a big ascetic, and all similar big attempts, if they are devoid of bhagavad-bhakti, or devotional service, then such high qualities are exactly like the decoration of the dead body.
Your ever sincerely,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS:bs wanted by you, enclosed is my photo.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due reciept of your letter dated September 27th, 1974 from San Diego. I have also received the photograph of your new son Mahaprabhu Das and he appears to be very nice so keep him carefully and raise him in Krishna Consciousness and your life will be successful. I am forwarding your letter to Hrdayananda Swami. The contents of your letter are very complicated and I hope that he can settle this matter peacefully. It appears that you do not have to pay back these debts, anyway you should all work this out amongst yourselves.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 10, 1974 with enclosed photographs of the Hare Krishna Restaurant. It is very nice. I had been there to Stanford University. So you can get Mr. Malkani in New York to help you in the restaurant. He went there to start a restaurant, but now he is cooking in the New York temple, so you arrange for him to help you.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 12, 1974 with enclosed photograph. The photo is nice. Thank you. Yes, it is all right that you retire from the president post to do preaching. You are one of the elder students, so you should be careful to always set good example for the others. Maya is undoubtedly very strong, and we have to be very vigilant like soldiers in a fortress. We should not let maya enter into our activities, but keep all of our activities Krishna conscious. I have faith in you, so always try your best to serve Krishna and your spiritual master, and you will be all successful.
Trivikrama Swami has published one Chinese literature, On the Way to Krishna. I have not read it of course, but it appears very nice, with my photo on the cover. I have asked him to organize the center there. So try to help him even by correspondence, and sometimes try to visit there because you are experienced in Hong Kong affairs.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 24, 1974 with enclosed photograph of tulsi devi. They are growing very nicely.
Please accept my greetings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter in Bengali dated 10.12.74 and have noted the contents with care. Regarding your proposal for preparing a film on the life and precepts of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I am ready to help with my men but it is not possible for me to make the financial help. If you can arrange with some film studio men for direction and photographic handling etc., my men are ready to help you in this connection, at any time. Also I shall be glad to give direction.
At the present moment there is nothing but great calamity but by injecting Krsna Consciousness into the masses we can change this situation greatly. 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.
Thank you very much for installing the very nice Radha-Krsna Deities in Denver which I have named Sri Sri Radha-Govinda. The photographs which I received from the installation where very, very beautiful. I appreciated them very much. So do like that in every village and town. The matter is in the American hands. It must go on very nicely. That is my desire.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 12, 1974 and have noted the contents carefully, along with the photographs and installation souvenir. I thank you very much for your kind donation of $100.00. Your report is very encouraging and I was very, very happy to see the wonderful photographs of your installation ceremony there. That installation was very, very auspicious. From the photographs it appeared so nice and Vedic. I was looking at those photographs again and again. Such a wonderful ceremony. So now you must see that the service to your Deities will go on very nicely.
He has sent some nice photos, and they can be exhibited. I am sending the photos to Bhadraj, so he can take care to do it nicely. You also instruct him. I also want one new book of Caitanya Caritamrita be published for the Lord's Appearance Day. At least one volume must be ready for distribution of 400 pages, hardbound edition. You can also have photo exhibits of all the Ratha Yatras we hold in London, San Francisco, Melbourne, Toronto, and Philadelphia.
1975 Correspondence
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted the Bharata-bhumi, but at least one person from Bharata-bhumi has accepted this cult and handed it over to you so, see that this desire takes practical shape.
Your photo is very nice. I'll keep it to show others. Very encouraging. I want to organize such a program in India.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Feb. 8th, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for the photo of Sri Sri Radha Kunja-Bihari. It is very nice photo. They are looking very beautiful. I have accepted the following for 1st initiation: Bruce—Brajendralala, Miriam—Mukhya, Jeff—Jayavamana, Robin—Rajendranatha, Kim—Kaviraja, Karl—Kapiladeva, Sue—Sukti. Their beads may be chanted on by Satsvarupa Maharaja. Be sure and help them become first class devotees by following all the rules and regulations, very carefully, especially, they must rise early for mangala arati, chant at least 16 rounds and attend class.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 15-3-75 and have noted the contents. Thank you for the interesting Photographs that you sent. I am very glad to hear report of your programs going on there, especially with the young boys. Please continue these programs with added enthusiasm. They are very important. You should be very careful to follow all of the principles very rigidly. You must rise early (before 4:00 AM), attend the mangala arati, attend the classes, chant at least 16 good rounds daily, and observe the four basic principles. These things you must do without fail otherwise, there is no question of spiritual life.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Trivikrama 1,489 and have noted the contents. Thank you for the nice photos. I saw one photo there of Bharadraja's doll studio along with the others. You can tell him that we want many Panca-tattva Deities made out of cement or plaster paris. They can be made the same size as the L.A. Gaura-Nitai Deities.
Please accept my humble greeting and blessings of Lord Krishna. Since I have come to Honolulu from Melbourne, I got the opportunity to read your nice book "Hare Krishna and the Counterculture" with profound interest. I am also very much obliged to you as you have shown to me so much mercy, even by illustrating my photograph instead of your goodness. The presentation has been done just fit for ready by all scholars and educationists. If you so permit I can ask my assistants to publish some important extracts from your work in our magazine BTG for benefit of all our readers. Besides that we can sell your book also along with our other books by arrangement. I don't know what is exactly your address and therefore I am dispatching this letter through my disciple Sriman Jayananda Adhikari. I shall be very glad to meet you again when I go to the mainland. You have taken so much pain for writing this book and I thank you very much again & again. May Lord Krishna bless you more & more.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 21, 1975 with enclosed photo. Generally it is not good for the women with babies to worship the Deity, because a baby means uncleanliness. You have to touch the baby and there is so many dirtiness, so how can you remain sanctified? But if you are doing it nicely, then it is okay. But, if you have to take care of the baby, then it is not good.
Please accept my blessings. Enclosed are some photographs of a lake here where I take morning walk. Now I want that our lake in Mayapur should be like this. You can make the stone stairway on four sides, one at each end and one at the middle of each side.
Please accept my blessings. I have seen a photo of the dolls you have made of Krishna lifting Govardhana Hill and also Balarama. Your son has sent the photo. So you have done it very nicely. Go on with this work.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 2, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. The photographs show that the Nellore land is very nice and that a nice center can be constructed there. Yes, you did the right thing in getting the Gift Deed registered. I am sending herewith the Power of Attorney in this connection that you have asked for. Gopala Krishna informed me that you plan to build the temple in Nellore with the help of local life members. This is a very good idea. You may construct a library and a meditation hall to please the donors, but as far as possible the library should carry our books and books of other Vaisnava acaryas. The meditation hall you may put pictures of Krishna on all four sides. The construction may start as soon as you have raised enough money to local help. If the climate there is nice, then I may also come there.
Anyway, after all we have got the permission. I am also sending you a copy of the corrspondence with Raj Kapoor. This should also be discussed in your meeting how prominent people are giving us respect, why are others making false propaganda? This correspondence can be published by you along with his photograph. I think you have one publication of Member Lists. It can go in there.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 6, 1975 with enclosed photo of the Gaura Nitai Deities. It is very nice how you are worshiping the Deities. Our movement of Krishna consciousness is not dry. Your letter was pleasing to me. I am glad that you have keen interest in the Institute program. Be ready, as I am negotiating. As soon as it is complete, I shall send a telegram for you to come. In the meantime request all GBC's to send lists of all our disciples who have B.A., M.A. or Ph.D. degrees.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 22, 1975 with enclosed copies of your new Swedish Back To Godhead magazine. It is very nicely done. The printing and paper are very good. You have published on the first page the first photograph of my preaching in America. It is an historical photograph. Even though I was alone completely in a foreign country, still I was not appearing forlorn. I was confident, that can be seen in my photograph.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 19, 1975 and the two copies of the three other parts of Caitanya Caritamrta. Yes, I am very pleased with how you have done it. I have ordered you in two months to do it, and you have done it. I know you have worked very hard. The art paintings are very, very good. Everyone likes them, and I know they have worked especially hard. You should know that I am very pleased that you have fulfilled my request without any hesitation. This is your success in spiritual life. The photographs are all also wonderful. He has done nicely, the boy Bhargava.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 19, 1975 with enclosed photographs and map. The property is very nice. You should take it immediately. Make some bargain as far as possible to get the best price, and take it. We shall try to get the money. Ask Ramesvara. He is now getting money from book distribution, so money is coming. I do not know if the centers can contribute. 40 centers would have to contribute U.S. 5,000 each to raise U.S. 200,000. As far as taxing the centers for the maintenance, that should be considered amongst the GBC.
N.B. You have published the photo of Krishna Balarama Mandir in Caitanya Caritamrta. I want that this picture should be printed and 1000 copies may be sent to %Vrindaban and they can paste it on some boards, and people will purchase.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your card dated October 25, 1975 along with the beautiful photographs of Sri Sri Rukmini-Dvarakadhisa of New Dvaraka. So do it nicely. I have invited Krsna and He may not be insulted by disrespectful behavior. I have introduced this system of Deity worship amongst the non-believers, the atheists, the mlecchas, the yavanas and I pray to Krsna that I am inviting You to come, so please, because You are seated in their hearts, please give them the intelligence how to serve you so that You may not be inconvenienced. I have introduced this system to the mlecchas, the yavanas and the lowest and the fallen, but still it is successful. I think that you are doing nicely.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 16, 1975 together with the nice photographs and the professor's review. From the photo it appears that everything is very nice. I am very glad. In Melbourne, Australia who dreamt that there would be such a nice temple, Radha-Krsna, and that local men would be worshiping. And still anyone who is sincerely serving, he will get inspiration how to do it nicely. Krsna is there in his heart.
The dresses are made very nicely. It appears from the photographs. Some of the dressmakers may come here to India, one or two of them. Krsna is supplying the ideas for you to take photos like this, so you will be recognized by Krsna. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistho/ mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca (BG 15.15).
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 1, 1975 with enclosures and thank you very much. From the photographs I see that the work you have done is superexcellent. It is very, very nice. I very much appreciate it. The dolls of Lord Damodara are very nicely done. The face is so nice.
Your plans for including restaurant and bookshop in the museum is very good. So far your future plans are concerned, you should understand that at every center there should be such doll exhibitions. So wherever it is suitable, you should take up in that place first. We want that at every center there should be this doll exhibition. In the new New York building, one flat should be for this exhibition.
The name of your exhibition is approved by me and it is a very good idea that you want to get federal funding. So far the Garuda Stambha is concerned, from the photograph, yes, it is approved what you have done. It can be placed in the Los Angeles temple in front of the Deity underneath the balcony. It must be underneath the balcony, otherwise how can it be done. It is better if it is not underneath, but if there is no other space for where to do it, then you will have to do it like that.
Regarding my head for the statue, that will appear in the museum, all of them, they are perfectly done. Locana has done very, very well. Yes, it is good if you prepare a mold so that these life-sized murtis can be available. I am sending these photographs with Saurabha to Jaipur for their making the murtis here for the Bombay temple.
Regarding the fruit decorations, it is not proper for them to be on the head of the throne. This should not be done.
Regarding the Gaura-Nitai Deities, yes, they can be installed, but let me see the photographs first. That is very good that you are growing your own flowers at the Melbourne mandir. This is very important.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 12, 1975 with enclosed photographs and also your letter of November 8th. I note that starting December 15th there will be a monthly deposit in the amount of $1,900 in the Mayapur-Vrndavana fund account. You have got a good business brain and you worship the Deity very nicely. Therefore I like you.
I have seen the photograph you sent of the Houston temple. It is very impressive building. It looks like a secretariat building. I want that our Mayapur festival there should be booths showing our activities. There should be one booth showing all the photographs of our temple buildings. This will be very impressive. Even big, big businessmen, they haven't got such branches all over the world as we have got. And our business is with honor. Why not purchase the Houston temple? And I am glad to note the successful program in Gainesville temple.
Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated December 8, 1975. The Deities may be carved without hair or dhoties, and then later they can be dressed.
I will be anxious to see the photographs of your work.
1976 Correspondence
That so many people are purchasing our literature in Los Angeles indicated that it is being advertised: Oh, I have got a very nice book. Then their acquaintances want the book also. The books distribution in Los Angeles during the six day period is transcendental samadhi. They are working in trance, not on the material platform. No common man can work so hard, it is not possible. Working without sleep means no death. Sleeping is dead condition. "Jiv jago, jiva jago, gauracanda bole, kota nidra yao maya-pisacira kole." Your book distribution is really intoxication.
Please thank Jagannatha suta for the 10 copies of BTG. Thank you for printing the photo of the Mauritius meeting.
The church proposal in Houston is a good offer. I think somehow or other the BBT must give you loan for it is a worthy cause. The photographs of the St. Louis farm appear very nice. There seems to be ample grazing ground. In India you can't get such nice land, but there is enough good land in America. Just introduce this new type of Krishna Conscious civilization and the whole world will thank you.
Regarding the Government trying to acquire our land, I have already told you to finish the Temple immediately. So far paying for Bombay construction, what is the wrong if I issue cheques as per your advice? Bank of America should send credit advices whenever they receive funds. You make a photocopy of the advice and against it I will send cheques. ECC only has to paid after 30 days, so what is the hurry?
Haridasa told me he was going to Bombay. If he can't be trusted then let him work in Bombay under supervision.
You say you have enclosed copies of the land deeds from Nellore, but I did not receive them.
Please also inform Ramesvara that in future any transfers to Bank of America, Bombay, he should send me a photocopy of the bank advice to wherever I am.
The photograph of the Gaura Nitai deities is very nice and I have having the picture of the Geneva temple framed and placed on my wall.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your kind letter dated April 2, 1976 and I have noted the contents with care. Concerning the Chitra Studio, I very much appreciate your offering and I am sending Gopala Krishna das Adhikari along with one of our experienced photographers and filmmakers, Yadubara das Adhikari. They will surely arrive within the next couple of days and do the needful in this connection on my behalf. Thank you very much.
I am sending this letter to you, and you can make photocopies of it and send to our other Ph.D.'s and begin serious research into the matter in detail. But one thing, I am convinced that the universe is just like a great tree as described therein.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 29, 1976, along with photocopy of your letter concerning the organization of Gurukula. You have some experience now with Gurukula, so your full-time engagement should now be how to organize the Gurukulas all over the world. Do it very nicely and thoughtfully. So far your plans are concerned for the same, you can have them conjointly approved with the other GBC. In this way, you may make the Gurukula program your portfolio and organize it throughout the world.
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.
I am very pleased to know that you are doing something solid there. What should be the objection on the part of Gurukrpa Maharaja that you cannot stay there several weeks until you get your missionary visa? There is no cooperative spirit. So you are actually doing preaching work in South Korea, and our mission is one, so why there is objection that you stay in Japan for receiving visa for Korea?
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters with photographs enclosed of Sri Sri Radha-Vanabehari, dated May 10, 1976. I am very glad to see how nicely you are caring for the Deities. I am scheduled to be in Los Angeles from June 1 to June 11. I am even contemplating coming to see you there on your farm if you are unable to come to see me. Please continue to develop things there for women devotees as previously instructed.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 10, 1976 with enclosed photographs; especially the one taken in Bangalore of the Bar Association members taking my books was best of all.
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.
Among all commentaries, Sridhara Svami's is given the first position. This parampara has existed for a very long time. It was also accepted during Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's time, but Sri Vallabhacarya violated the system. Instead of acknowledging Sridhara Svami's pre-eminent position, he wanted to take it himself. I am enclosing herewith some photocopies of the important verses from the original book Caitanya Caritamrta that specifically deal with the subject matter. These verses are from Antya lila, Chapter 7, entitled "Lord Caitanya meets Vallabha Bhatta". I would like to draw your attention to verse 113 on page 55 where Vallabha Bhatta says:
"In my commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam," he said, "I have refuted the explanations of Sridhara Svami. I cannot accept his explanations."
I have received the photocopy of the August transfer to Bank of America, Bombay. I think that the reprinted books should have a list of the numbers on the first page. The totals listed will be very good publicity.
I am in receipt of your letter dated October 13, 1976, along with photographs of your farm. It appears very nice.
As far as the farm being authorized, you discuss with Kuladri and Kirtanananda Maharaja. Whatever they say I agree. Kuladri is an experienced man so you may organize things there taking his advice. Please just work sincerely and Krsna will bless you.
1977 Correspondence
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 6th along with photographs and have noted the contents. Yes take this house at any cost. It is very nice from the photographs, just suitable for our purposes. You should purchase it at once. If required, you can have a loan from BBT for the renovation.
As far as you are able to adjust to a natural way of life, do it immediately. Our principle is that we are against nothing and for nothing. Only for Krishna. We want whatever is favorable for Krishna.
I am returning one Deity photo to you. This dressing style is not authorized. But the other photos are very nice. Please go on very enthusiastically developing your farming community. I hope this meets you in the best of health.
On the map of Vrndavana it is still called Chattikara Road. Also still on the letterhead. If the municipality has decided to rename the road in my name, why it is not yet changed?
In my room at Radha Damodara Temple you should keep one photo of me and offer to it Prasadam of Sri Radha Damodara.
There is no need to pay Gaurachand. I have already advised the bank, and they will pay him directly. You need not. As you have described the placing of my photograph and offering to it Prasadam, that is good. In consultation with Aksayananda Maharaja, just find out some responsible men to stay there. Everything should be kept neat and clean as if I am staying there. It is very good if someone daily sells books from there.
Please accept my blessings. 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.
of these good souls that Krsna is sending you. By your own exemplary behavior, train them all as ideal Vaisnavas. This will greatly please me, and if it is possible for me to come to Kenya, I shall be very glad to meet all of them. The photographs which you have sent are also very good and we are going to display them here for all visitors to see. The program which you are now conducting should be expanded more and more. By prasadam distribution and kirtana everyone will become attracted to Krsna consciousness. I am also enclosing a letter to Jayanta which I hope will encourage him.
Recently I have received some photographs of the Doll Exhibit which they have prepared in Los Angeles. From the photographs it appears that they have done everything very nicely. This idea of doll exhibitions to demonstrate our philosophy has long been proposed, and my Guru Maharaja was very keen to execute this idea. Therefore I am just trying to give some shape to what my Guru Maharaja wanted.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 1st, 1977 along with all of the photographs and drawings.
From the photographs of the new construction I can see that in L.A. things are improving. Lord Dvarakadhisa is sitting there overseeing everything. He will give you all facility, simply you must cooperatively work together, faithfully following in the footsteps of the acaryas. You have written that the rent will pay back the loan and mortgages on the new building, but who will pay the rent if there are all brahmacaris living there?
The picture of Yamaraja and Skanda is all right. But generally Yamaraja is portrayed in a fearful way and so is often pictured as black. That is all right. But actually he is a demigod and must be fair complexion. He is a mahajana and a Vaisnava as well and he is also very good looking. Skanda is Kartikeya. He is very beautiful and is situated on a peacock's back with bows and arrows and two hands. From the photograph, he appears to have many heads. But that is not correct. He only has one head. And he is considered the most beautiful personality next to Cupid. In India if a person is very beautiful, he is compared with Kartikeya.
| Page Title: | Photograph (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 09 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=200 |
| No. of Quotes: | 200 |