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Recent (Letters 1949 - 1969)

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sir -- Calcutta May 1949:

On the conclusion of the All Religious Conference held at Bombay very recently, I may submit that nothing practical has come out of it for uniting the different faiths of the world. The practical solution is lying in the transcendental message of Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead as given by Him lately in the Bhagavad-gita.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 7 July, 1953:

Sir—With reference to the letter of Sri Satish Asthana published in your columns of the 2nd instant, I have the honour to inform all concerned through your esteemed paper, that an association for missionary activities under the name and style "The League of Devotees" has already been established recently with the same aims and objects as suggested by Sri Asthana and Sri Sitaram.

The registered office of the above League is situated at the big spacious building "Bharati Bhawan" at Sipri Road, Jhansi. Gentlemen interested in such cultural activities may ask from the Founder Secretary, the prospectus of the mission (in Hindi or in English) with details of the institution.

Letter to Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd -- Delhi 31 March, 1961:

Kindly refer to your letter No. OPD/FREE/369 dated 30/12/58 and I beg to inform you that you agreed to give me 50% concession from India to U.S.A. and I had to postpone my journey for not being able to pay you even 50% charges. I am a Sannyasi and my expenses for propagting the transcendental message is borne by the philanthrophist every where. Recently I have been invited by the Japanese friends to attend an international Congress for Cultivating Human spirit and the copy of the invitation certificate will speak for itself.

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- New York 27 October, 1965:

The American public also give reception to the Indian art and music. So many of them come and every one of them is given good reception. Recently one dancer from Madras came here (Balasaraswati) and just to see the mode of reception, I went to see the dance with a friend although for the last forty years I have never attended such dance ceremony. The dancer was successful in her demonstration. The music was in Indian classical tune mostly in sanskrit language and the American public appreciated them. So I was encouraged to see the favorable circumstances about my future preaching work.

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- New York 23 November, 1965:

The basement can be used as cooking and dining department, the store as the lecture hall and mezzanine for installing the Sri Vigraha and personal apartment. The building is quite suitable and once started it will be possible to raise fund by lectures and membership fees etc by suitable arrangement. So the immediate investment is about $25,000 and I think this amount you can arrange immediately and just start a branch of your Sri Caitanya Math or designate the branch as New York Gaudiya Math. The idea is very nice to think of and it will be a nice reply to the local Ramakrishna Mission who indirectly denied to allow me lecturing in their hall. You will be glad to know that my lecturing propaganda is going on and so long I remain here it will go on without any hamper. Recently one lecture of mine is arranged in our Indian Government House (New India House) organized by the Tagore Society of New York who organize such meeting only for the most distinguished persons. The consul and other officers of the New India House are impressed with my book and practically the 2nd officer (consul) is arranging the meeting inviting all distinguished gentlemen both Indian and American with Tea Party. The copy of the invitation letter is also subjoined herewith. "The Tagore Society of New York Inc. Cordially Invites You to a lecture "GOD CONSCIOUSNESS" by A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI Date: Sunday, November 28,1965. Time: Lecture, 3:30 P.M. Tea, 4:30 P.M. Place: New India House, 3, East 64th Street.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Madhava Maharaja -- New York 1 August, 1966:

I have therefore very recently incorporated one organization very recently (within a fortnight past) under the name of INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS (Incorporated in U.S.A.) The Trustees of this organization are all American gentlemen headed by one of the leading lawyers of New York Mr. Steven J. Goldsmith B.Sc. M.A.B.L. who comes regularly in my weekly classes and chants the Mahamantra very devoutly.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 15 February, 1967:

I have advised Brahmananda to transfer $6200.00 to my savings account and please see that it is immediately done. I have sent him the letter of transfer simply he has to sign it or you may sign it and forward it to the Bank. I allowed you to deal with the Bank for two reasons. 1. That I may be free from monetary dealings 2. That you may learn also how to deal with. But recent indiscriminate issues of checks have perturbed my mind. By indiscriminate issues of checks $1000.00 of society's money have been put into risk.

Letter to Nandarani -- New York 9 June, 1967:

I am very glad to receive your recent letter. I am also glad to inform you that I am improving my health by the Grace of Krishna. I don't believe in medicine or doctors, but I am practically perceiving that the massaging is helping me beyond expectation. Today I have taken a shower bath by myself, and I am reciting from Srimad Bhagavatam, and am enjoying the seashore here in N. J. I believe that within a fortnight I shall recoup my health sufficiently and be able to start for San Francisco and meet you all there.

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- New York 27 June, 1967:

I thank you very much for your letter dated June 20, 1967. As stated by you, my missionary work is really a great challenge to the western way of life. But Krishna is so attractive that He is accepted even by the Westerners when the consciousness is presented in the right disciplic succession. The challenge is to the maya, or in other words it is a fight with the maya, and I may inform you that the maya has given me a great stroke very recently. Due to my incessant hard work for the last two years, my health has been shattered. On the 25th May I had a heavy stroke between the heart and stomach. The boys here took all cares possible, and I am getting well day by day. At present I am on the seashore in New Jersey for recouping my health, but I am thinking of going back to India as soon as I get sufficient strength. I am now considerably old; I will be 72 years next September. But the work which I have begun in the western world is not yet finished, and I require to train some of the American boys to preach this cult all over the western world.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 29 August, 1967:

Thank you for your recent letter. I am glad to know that you are comfortable in Boston, and that you are engaging your energy there in making nice Krishna prasadam. I am also very pleased to know that Himavati is definitely going to have a baby. It is a very wonderful thing, and surely Krishna will bless your home with His presence, as both you and your wife and His sincere servants; The best preparation for the coming of the child is just for the parents to remain perfectly Krishna Conscious, and of course, the best means for that is by chanting the holy Names and listening to Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. I very much appreciate that you enjoy helping to open various centers, and that is certainly laudable on your part.

Letter to Mukunda -- Delhi 16 September, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter of Sept. 1, I could not write you because I was busy for coming to Delhi. I am very happy to learn that Janmashtami was performed with great pomp at our temple. A similar report comes from Montreal. Regarding Vinode Kumar, I think it will be difficult for us to take him to the States. The difficulty is that Scindia Lines has recently refused to give free passage to anyone except myself. So if we want to take him there we have to spend some thousands of dollars for his passage. I don't think the society can take the risk for a person who is not very expert. I have of course a mind to see the managing director in Bombay and unless a definite arrangement is made we can drop the idea of getting Vinode Kumar in the states. So far your requisition for musical instruments is concerned you can let me know your definite proposal, how many sitars and other things you require monthly. I think your friend or Mr. Kallman in N.Y. can invest some money in this connection. I've also written Mr. Kallman separately so you can let me know your definite ideas. One sitar manufacturer is prepared to go there and manufacture sitars locally for us, but I don't think, for the present moment it is a practical program. My health is improving slowly but undoubtedly there is improvement.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Delhi 6 October, 1967:

Kirtanananda may be eager to address in the Harvard university but recently he has lost his link on account of disobedience. You sing every day morning that by the mercy of the Spiritual master one can please the Lord and one who has not pleased the spiritual master cannot have any access in the realm of Krishna Consciousness. Very recently Kirtanananda has developed a different consciousness of Maya which is called misuse of one's minute independence offered by Krishna. By misuse of one's independence one at once becomes a victim of Maya and thus he loses all importance in Krishna Consciousness. So it is my definite opinion that his lecture anywhere now will bear no spiritual sequence. He must rectify his mistake before he can play in our Society any important role. By lips he says that he is a surrendered soul but by action he is thinking differently.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Delhi 6 October, 1967:

Regarding Manuscripts you can hold on till my arrival or next letter in this connection. The thing is that there is regular negotiation with M/s MacMillan Co for taking up the publication. Brahmananda in his recent letter has informed that the sanction is awaiting the President's signature. So let us wait a few days more for the final word.

I can understand that you have secured a very nice place in Boston and there is very good possibility of pushing our movement amongst the students community there. Our movement is certainly very much appealing to the younger section of your country and if we are successful in the matter of attracting the students community in your country certainly this movement will scatter all over the world and the foretelling of Lord Caitanya that in every village and every town of the world the ___ will be famous for His glorious Sankirtana movement. Please try for this your heart and soul and your life will be a successful mission.

Letter to Rayarama -- Calcutta 11 October, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter. Yes you try to make successful BTG as you have recently planned and then you may proceed to London. And because you are so engaged I asked Kirtanananda to go to London on his way back but he did not like the idea and has gone back to New York directly without any reason. Please send me some stationery and copies of Back to Godhead to my Calcutta address by Air mail immediately.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Calcutta 17 October, 1967:

Regarding Kirtanananda, he is undoubtedly a good soul, but lately he has been attacked by maya; he thinks too much of himself—even at the risk of disobeying his spiritual master & talking nonsense about Krishna. As a man haunted by a ghost talks so much nonsense, so also when a man is overpowered by the illusory energy—maya, also talks all sorts of nonsense. The last attack of maya upon the conditioned souls is impersonalism. There are 4 stages of attack of maya; viz.: 1) stage is that a man wants to be a protagonist of religion, 2) is that man neglects religiosity and tries to improve his economic development, 3) is to be protagonist of sense enjoyment & when a man is frustrated in all the above mentioned stages he comes to, 4) which is impersonalism, and thinks himself one with the Supreme. This last attack is very serious and fatal. Kirtanananda has very recently developed the 4th stage malady on account of his negligence & disobedience to his spiritual master. Sometimes a foolish patient when he is out of feverish attack by the grace of the physician, thinks that he is cured and does not take precaution against relapse.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Calcutta 19 October, 1967:

I was very glad to receive your letter dated Oct. 13. I congratulate you for your successful dealing with your good brother, Sriman Brahmananda, against His falling back a prey to Kirtanananda's recent propaganda. To save a man from impersonal calamity is the greatest service to humanity. I also thank Rupanuga & Rayarama for helping you in your very laudable action. Brahmananda is very pure at heart. He might have been misled by Kirtanananda for the time being but Krishna did not allow him to fall back. According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord is full in six opulences & the rascal impersonalists says that the Lord has no form & the most dangerous accusation for the Lord that He assumes a material form when he descends. The Impersonalist is of the opinion that the absolute has no form & He appears in a particular type of form according to the whim of nonsense; The impersonalist presents any form nonsensical by his imagination & worships it as God. This accusation of the Lord is the greatest offense of the nonsense impersonalist.

Letter to Jadurani -- Navadvipa 26 October, 1967:

When I am there I shall see if your presence is actually required there. In the meantime you can continue with your painting as usual & enjoy the spiritual life. In the Scriptures it is said that a woman is just like fire & a man is just like a butter pot. The butter melts in the pot while in contact with fire. In your country association of man and woman is very common without restriction; thus the result is known to you better than I am able to explain. In spiritual life attraction of man & woman in the understanding of material body hampers very much, therefore, some sort of restrictions are necessary to check this hampering problem. In spiritual life there is no allowance of association of man and woman without being married. I have already secured my visitors visa & have advised my travel agent to purchase my ticket via the pacific route, & I have already secured my passage money. So on any day I can start for your country, but recently I've received from Mukunda stating that he is arranging for my permanent visa which will enable me to move freely. I've already asked him to let me know whether I should wait or start on the visitors visa.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Calcutta 18 November, 1967:

Replying your letter of Nov. 9, I beg to inform you that Kirtanananda and Hayagriva's recent standing is being directly dealt by me; at least Hayagriva is not as fanatic as Kirtanananda. His latest letter reveals that he is not out of Krishna Consciousness as we understand. The whole episode was generated by personal grudge. This personal grudge is not inhuman and as I have told many times, that individualism is the cause of personal misunderstanding. When such individualism is employed in the center of Krishna there is no harm even if there is personal misunderstanding. Personal misunderstanding exists even in the higher levels. There is competition of loving Krishna even in the party of Srimati Radharani. It is a kind of rasa to compete in loving affection centering around Krishna. We shall, therefore, try to bring back Hayagriva and Kirtanananda to their senses. After all we must understand that we are dealing with persons affected by Maya. Every one of us is under the influence of the external energy, Maya.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Calcutta 18 November, 1967:

Regarding BTG, it is understood that Rayarama is in some difficulty financially. The recent editions of BTG is very much encouraging to me. The standard should be maintained and improved so that one day it may come on the level of such magazines as Life, Time etc. If he is in difficulty financially I think you can give him loan of $500.00 to be paid in monthly installments of $100.00. As he is now engaged in finishing Gita Upanisad, it is understood that he cannot work. The editing of Gita Upanisad is already much delayed. I think it was in this month of November last year my compilation of Gita Upanisad was finished. The editing work was first entrusted with Rayarama, but as he could not finish it the work was transferred to Hayagriva. In this way even within one year the editing work could not be finished. This is not very encouraging. Now it must be finished within three weeks and hand it over to MacMillan Co. Today I shall go to the travel agent's office for booking my seat and may start by next Monday or Tuesday. In my next letter I shall let you and Mukunda know of my journey from Calcutta to San Francisco, via Bangkok, Hong Kong etc. Hope you are well.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 11 January, 1968:

Recently I received one unsolicited letter from Sri Hanuman Prasad Poddar, a copy of which is sent herewith for your reference.

Just yesterday Subala came here and he was saying that your N.Y. center is going on very nicely and attractively. I am so glad to have this report and I thank you very much for conducting the center so nicely. I have also received one letter from Rayram, the reply of which is enclosed here. Please hand it over to him.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 11 January, 1968:

I am very sorry that Satyavrata has left us on some petty sentimental thing. Please ask him to come back and excuse me if I have struck his sentiment. I think he should be permanently on the editorial board and you can give him any serious engagement as you please. He may be replaced in the place of Hayagriva if he is not going to join us. Recently I received one letter from Hayagriva and I replied it promptly. The thing is, everyone of us should think as servant of Krishna. In the service of Krishna there may be sometimes transcendental competition but there cannot be any disruption. Please call Satyavrata and give him serious engagement as he likes to take. He is a good soul and he must be satisfied.

Letter to Andrea Temple -- Los Angeles 13 January, 1968:

Recently I have come to Los Angeles where the warmer climate is better for my health than in San Francisco. I am told the Bahama Islands are very warm year round, and I am very interested to come there. If you can find an appropriate storefront, and decorate it nicely for a Temple, with altar, pictures, candles, incense, etc., and begin holding Kirtana there, then I will come there in February to the Bahama Islands, and give lectures there in the Temple. You will be doing very good service to Krishna, and it is not very difficult to do. People will come, you will see. However, if it is not possible to do this, then I will be very happy to meet you when I go to New York in April, and to Montreal afterward.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1968:

Rayarama may not be as qualified as you are, but his one qualification that he is fully surrendered to Krishna and his Spiritual Master is the first class recommendation for his editing any one of our literatures, because editing of Vedic literatures does not depend on academic education. It is clearly stated in the Upanisads that one who has implicit faith in God as well as in the Spiritual Master, to him only the import of Vedic literature is revealed. I think Rayarama is doing work in that spirit and his recent publication of several booklets and Back to Godhead and a calendar are all first class proof of his sincerity of service. Anyway, when I started Back to Godhead, it was my intention that your academic career and Rayarama's sincere service would be a good combination; unfortunately, I do not know why, you do not agree with one another. To me, English language is undoubtedly a foreign language, and I thought your combination of editorship will help me a great deal. Anyway, whatever is done is done. I wish that the misunderstanding created at the present moment may be mitigated by mutual cooperation and we can start fresh with renewed energy for service of the Supreme Lord. I think you will agree with me.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1968:

He agreed, and I gave him letter of introduction, and required money for immediate expenses, but he had no desire to stop at London and he directly reached you. He was also very eager to take sannyasa and I awarded him the sannyasa order; and I do not know, he wanted a certificate of his sannyasa. We never took any certificate of our Spiritual Master or anyone, but he told me that it was required for facility of preaching, so I gave him the certificate, but unfortunately the whole thing was smashed by different doctrine. Now it is understood from the letter of Umapati that Kirtanananda does not believe in parampara or in the necessity of scriptural authority. He seems to feel that this is a sort of tyranny. That means, after taking sannyasa and understanding the philosophy for more than a year, he has changed the whole view, and I do not understand how you would like this recent doctrine.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1968:

In Krishna Consciousness, if you stick to the principles of Bhagavad-gita, there is no question of disharmony; disharmony is created by some rascals of the Impersonalist class who try to comment upon the Gita differently. Doctor Radhakrishnan and company are of the same class. This class of men have no right to touch Bhagavad-gita because they do not come through the parampara system. I shall be glad to hear from you; if you are prepared, to go with me when I next return to India maybe within the next 4-6 months.

I shall be glad to hear from you how Kirtanananda is recovering from injuries of recent fall. And I hope you are well.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 23 January, 1968:

I thank you for your nice long letter of 1/19/68, and of 1/17/68, and have noted contents carefully. We will phone Ravi Sankara and make some arrangements with him as is possible. Regarding Hanuman Prasad Poddar, he is not so formidable rascal, but you can read his literature. He is a sincere worker in Krishna Consciousness. His defect is that he is Impersonalist, but he can not remain long an Impersonalist because he is devoted to Radha and Krishna. Recently he has sent me one letter of appreciation for my activities here. There is no objection to reading his books. Regarding the other books; keep them very nicely, and I shall see when I go there to New York. You might have received another book perhaps, by Bhaktisaranga Goswami. This book by mistake was sent, perhaps: it has to be returned.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 23 January, 1968:

It is my desire that you may not change your present program for going to Washington. I have advised Brahmananda to send Purusottama to Buffalo. In the meantime, I am also writing one letter to Mr. Goel; the copy of my recent speech on Krishna Consciousness I will send to him. Also, I am sending you one copy of said speech, and it may be published in Back to Godhead. I have also sent this speech to West Germany. Find herewith enclosed copy of letter to Mr. Goel, and speech. Hope you are well.

Letter to Krsna Devi -- Los Angeles 26 January, 1968:

Thank you very much for your letter postdated Jan 25, 1968, and I thank you very much for your proposal to come here and see me. I shall be so glad to see you and Danny personally as soon as possible. I requested you take charge of the Santa Fe Center because you were doing the job very nicely, and I still hope that your presence there will solve all the problems recently created. Mistakes there may be in our life, but if we stick to Krsna Consciousness, Krsna will surely put us on the right path. Your husband Sriman Subala das is living with me very peacefully, and he is carving Radha and Krsna, from hard wood. So this life of material existence is just like hard wood and if we can carve Krsna out of it, that is the success of our life.

Letter to Uddhava -- Los Angeles 16 February, 1968:

I thank you very much for your nice letter, and have noted the contents. I have already sent copy of the instructions for celebrating my Guru Maharaja's Advent Day, to Syamasundara, as of yesterday, and you can read it to all the devotees at Istagosthi. Similarly, Malati has just recently asked about the 8 witnesses, and I have replied in her letter the question you may ask of Rayarama. I have written Upendra recently regarding the Sampradaya, and disciplic succession, and you may have gotten the information from him by now.

Letter to Mr. David J. Exley -- Los Angeles 21 February, 1968:

With further reference to your letter dated Feb. 16, 1968, I may inform you that this Krishna Consciousness movement is not a recent movement, started a few months or a few years ago, but this movement has been existing for a very long time, dating back to the Vedic Age. Without tracing the history of this movement, we can safely say that at least 5000 years ago, this movement was started from the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. Later on, it was organizedly recorded in the great voluminous literature, known world over as the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the very famous Bhagavad-gita, by the original author of Vedic literature, Sri Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa. Since that time, this movement is current in India, supported by great Acaryas like Ramanuja, Madhva, and Visnu Swami, and Nimbarka. Later on, about 500 years ago, it received great impetus from Lord Caitanya, and since that time, there are millions of supporters for Krishna Consciousness in India. This Krishna Consciousness movement is still supported by conferences, seminars, and so forth, in several parts of India. Recently, we have started this movement in America, making New York as our center, with a view that we shall be able to attract the attention of the United Nations for spreading this important movement throughout the whole world for actual benefit of the human race.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 24 February, 1968:

So, I have advised him not to open a center at Kanpur at present. So, you may not be hasty immediately for starting to India. In the meantime, I am negotiating also with Hitsaranji. He is a little busy now a days on account of two marriage ceremonies. His boss is a big industrialist and he is going to get his son and grandson married very recently. He is writing a letter that he is going to write me details after he is free from the responsibility of the marriage. Regarding buying a small printing shop, I am not very much optimistic. If you can organize a regular press for printing all our magazines and books and engage all our boys and girls in the press work that will be nice proposal, but if you purchase a small printing work where I understand even Back to Godhead cannot be published, what is the use of that press. Better we are negotiating with Hitsaranji and if we are able to open a nice center in India we shall purchase some machine from America and start a press there. In India the labor is cheaper extensively than in America. My idea is that if we are able to have a nice branch in India we can do the printing works nicely under your supervision.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 26 February, 1968:

Regarding Purusottama Brahmacari's letter from Vrindaban: if you think you are able to purchase 340 copies at 40% discount, then you can send one letter to Narayana Maharaja asking if he will take the responsibility of receiving the books from him, and pack them and send to Calcutta to our shipping agent. If he wants to take the responsibility and the trouble to do this, then you can send him bank draft being the price of the books, and he will do the needful. In the meantime, I am surprised you have not received the documents from United Shipping Corporation. I have sent you copy of their last letter in which it is said the goods have been shipped by S.S. Flying Enterprise on the 14th of January, 1968. As such, the ship should have reached by now New York, so please take information immediately whether the ship has arrived and also send immediately one letter to the United Shipping Corp. I think nowadays it takes a long time to arrive in New York from Calcutta on account of the Suez Canal being closed. Anyway, you should find out the list of arriving ships from the port information and do the needful. If the ship is arrived recently, send them a telegram why the documents not received.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 4 March, 1968:

I think you can see the manager of this carrying company and try to get some concessional rates for things we import from India. Here in San Francisco, there is one carrying company, American Mail Lines, and they have agreed to give us 10% concession on the freight. When I go to S.F., I shall see that they may grant some more concession. You have to convince the carrying company that our this world wide Krishna Consciousness movement, so everything required is for the help of this society. Government gives us all facility of exemptions from the tax, and as we have got to import so many articles from India, and maybe we may export also so many things from America to India for maintaining the status of the institution, they may give us some concessional rates. You may mention that Scindia Steam Navigation Co. of Bombay was giving us concession all free, but recently, might be due to their internal dissension, they have stopped this concession. So we can claim some concessional rate from everyone because our society is for public welfare activities. Hope you are well.

Letter to Andrea Temple -- Los Angeles 6 March, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter post-dated March 4, 1968, and I thank you very much for it. Your work in spreading Krishna Consciousness there is very much pleasing to me, and I am always glad to hear more from you. As I said in my last letter to you, I shall come there whenever you like; simply you must send me plane tickets, and I shall come. If you could arrange for speaking engagements that is very nice. I am leaving this place for San Francisco on the 8th of March, and as you like, I can fly from S.F. to Bahama Islands sometimes in March or April; we can make further arrangements as to the exact day after I return to S.F. You may show the woman in charge of the club our recent article in Life magazine if you like, which was published on Feb. 9, 1968, page 56.

Letter to Jadurani -- San Francisco 16 March, 1968:

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.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 21 March, 1968:

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.

Letter to Mahapurusa -- San Francisco 28 March, 1968:

I am in receipt of your recent letter, and I am so glad to receive notes of your different Kirtana functions. So far preaching work is concerned, I am expecting both you and Janardana to be very powerful preachers in the near future. Both of you are sincere souls, sincere servitors of Lord Krishna, and He will be very kind to bestow His Blessings upon you. As you go on preaching you will become expert. In every sphere of activity the more a man becomes active, he becomes more and more expert. Your humble attitude is very praiseworthy. You keep yourself in that very humble mentality and Krishna will be very pleased upon you. All three of you are very sincere servitors, and you all should become very good preachers, Janardana, yourself, and Sivananda, so that this Krishna Consciousness movement will be spread all over the world.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 6 April, 1968:

So far the quotation by the late minister Shastri is concerned, that statement is printed up in the leaflet with picture on it; you know the one, where he is receiving the Bhagavatam from me. He was very much respectful, and met me three times. He was to help me in so many ways, but he died; he was my friend. In the beginning on the Srimad-Bhagavatam volumes there are some different appreciations written by some influential Indian gentlemen. Hanuman Prasad Poddar also has written several letters. I will enclose one copy for you of a more recent letter, and also some other letters.

Letter to Aniruddha -- New York 29 April, 1968:

Regarding the Radha Krishna statues, for the time being, suspend it. Keep Them dressed nicely, as Janaki is doing. I have received the second transcribing set. On Wednesday, May 1, I am going to Boston, where there are so many nice college engagements arranged. Just recently we went to Philadelphia, to Temple University, where we held kirtana and lecture very nicely. And for our transportation and lecture they paid us $150.00; similarly, tomorrow we have got engagement at New York University at Stoney Brook, Long Island, and they are paying us $200.00 for our coming there. So we are spreading this Sankirtana very nicely here also. Please keep me informed of all your activities there, and hoping you are well.

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 10 June, 1968:

I think you can do this service conjointly, Acyutananda, and Jaya Govinda and yourself. And then gradually you can develop two or three centers in India, one in Vrindaban, one in Hrsikesa, and one in Bombay. I do not bother about Calcutta because there are many centers of my God-brothers there. Recently I have received one letter from one of our senior God-brothers, he is living in Bombay. I have suggested him to open a branch of our society and if he agrees then I shall ask some of you to go there. Many other students are ready to go to India, and if you work conjointly, without quarreling amongst yourselves, a tremendous service can be done towards the expansion of our mission. Please therefore try to execute this program peacefully for the sake of Lord Krishna, to Whom you have all dedicated your lives.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Montreal 18 June, 1968:

Regarding the press, recently I have received one letter from Rayarama which I am enclosing herewith for your perusal. You can open correspondence with him about the press, and give him the details of the press materials. I think they are asking $5000.00 to make a bargain; if we can purchase a press for $1000.00 as informed by Rayarama, why should we spend $5000.00. Anyway, you can open correspondence with Rayarama in this connection, and certainly as we need a press for printing our books and magazines, I think Krishna is presenting us with the opportunity to purchase one press of our own. Here also in Montreal the temple space is very great, and part of it we can very easily spare for running on a nice press. And Mr. Kallman is ready to invest money. So far manpower is concerned, I think we shall be able to get it. There will be no scarcity of manpower. So considering all these different angles, if we can have our own press, it will serve the greatest purpose of our mission. Please therefore send the details of the press to Rayarama and if possible, send me a copy of the details. But I guess they are demanding not very reasonably. It cannot be so much high priced. Hoping you are well.

Letter to Saradia -- Montreal 19 June, 1968:

I am so glad to receive your letter dated May 30, 1968, and I was just awaiting another letter from your intimate friend Ali Krishna. I am so glad to learn that Ali Krishna and you are all living with Malati and Syamasundara. We have recently got a newcomer baby, Srimati Sarasvati devi, and pleased to learn that they are taking all care for you. I am also very glad that your mother is also taking part in Krishna Conscious activities. I have received one letter from Lilavati also, and I have replied her. I am very glad to know also that the injury in your hand is now cured.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Montreal 15 July, 1968:

Regarding London-yatra: (like Rathayatra—yatra means travel.) I am contemplating of forming the following party: yourself and your wife, Mukunda and his wife, Gaurasundara and his wife, Hamsaduta and his wife, Pradyumna and Upendra. Maybe we may have to change later on a little bit, but this is my contemplation. Now, I do not know how to make this program fruitful. Here I have gotten some encouragement by recent Kirtana performances in the Expo. For two days they have paid us $300.00, and maybe they will be required to perform Kirtana for a few days more. Similarly I have got one encouraging letter from San Francisco written by Tamala Krishna, that there is good collection in the Kirtana performances led by Mukunda. I have asked Hamsaduta to open correspondence with you to make plans how to go to London. I understand that he has got already 15 to 16 hundred dollars in this account. The thing is that 12 to 15 heads will have to go there. First of all we have to accommodate ourselves in a nice place.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Montreal 24 August, 1968:

Really, devotional service means that we have to employ our energies for the purpose of Krishna Consciousness, and it does not matter what is the volume of such energy, because different persons have got different type of energies, but the best means is that one has to apply his energy as far as possible, that is the secret of success in Krishna Consciousness. It does not mean that one has to acquire the energy of an elephant or one has to become very learned or intelligent man, simply one has to become sincere and employ whatever energy he has in his possession in the service of the Lord. That is the secret of success in Krishna Consciousness.

Hope this will meet you in good health, and I shall be glad to hear more from you about the progress of your Sankirtana movement recently adopted.

Letter to Roland Michener (Governor-General of Canada) -- Montreal 24 August, 1968:

We are following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya to invoke the dormant love of Godhead. The sum and substance of this teaching is that the living entity is eternally the subordinate servant of God, but unfortunately, being sophisticated by illusion, everyone in the human society is trying to predominate over others without accepting the Supreme Predominator. A case in point is the recent Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Letter to Jadurani -- Montreal 30 August, 1968:

The San Francisco devotees especially some of the Indian residents, who have taken interest in our temple, since the Rathayatra festival was performed, they are very much anxious to see me, and they have proposed to cooperate fully with our movement. So I think I should go there and encourage them. So I am going there by the end of the first week of September. I have noted down the description of the paintings that you have recently done, and I hope in the meantime Saradia has reached under your care. This girl is very innocent, and nice student; please try to keep her under your care, at least for one year. Then I shall get her married with Vaikunthanatha das Brahmacari. She is also good typist, and if possible she can help the typewriting work and assist Satsvarupa. And I hope everything is going there well, and shall be glad to hear from you at the New York address.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- San Francisco 19 September, 1968:

I am glad that Kulasekhara has come back. I think he cannot go from our society because he has already rendered some service to Krishna. So Krishna is not going to leave him at any cost. So treat him nicely so that he can be fixed up there. And his attention should be in the matter of painting. That's a very nice idea. Please offer my blessings to him, and treat him very well. So far Mrigendra das is concerned, he will also come back; don't worry. Recently I have received letter from Sivananda; the prospect in Berlin is very bright. And two students from San Francisco are going on the 28th to Berlin, and I am asking Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda to come back and join him in Berlin. Similarly I have received report from London; they are having regular kirtanas and feasts, although not in our own temple, but in different places.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 20 September, 1968:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 8 and 17, 1968, and I am so happy to learn that you are proud of being husband of Jadurani. Yes, you should be proud of having a nice wife like that. And I have handed over my daughter unto you, because I knew it that you will be the perfect boy to take care of her. Recently she was deteriorating in her health, so I was very much anxious about her, therefore, I decided to give her in your charge. Of course, even when you were not married, you were taking care of her always, but when the relationship is there as husband and wife, there is the question of responsibility. So I wanted you to take that responsibility. Anyway, everyone in our society thinks that your combination is very much appropriate. So be happy with your nice wife and take care of her properly.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Seattle 6 October, 1968:

The next point is what about Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda? I have not heard from them since a very long time. You should immediately write to them why they have become silent all of a sudden. It is not good for them to remain in India as guests of this person or that person, without doing something tangible for our society. Acyutananda wanted to come back, so it was very welcome suggestion. But I think he might have changed his decision again. I do not know what to do with this boy. And if they want to remain in India, they must do something tangible work for our society. If not, they may come back. There is vast work here. And recently I have received letter from Mukunda that from South America, Guyana, it was under the possession of British, one Mr. Dindayal is very much anxious to get us there. So we have to open so many branches all over the world. So why they are sitting idly in India? Please write to them also.

Letter to B. N. Jariwala -- Seattle 16 October, 1968:

I thank you very much for your kind letter, dated October 14, 1968, and I have noted the contents carefully. The humble service which I am rendering to the American people, in the matter of Krishna Consciousness, is undoubtedly being responded nicely by the American younger generation, and recently we are getting from educational circles also, from the college students and professors good response, so there is good potency for spreading Krishna Consciousness in the western world. And you know that we have got already fifteen branches as follows: New York City; Boston; San Francisco; Vancouver, B.C.; Canada; Honolulu, Hawaii; New Vrindaban, an ideal Krishna Consciousness community; and London, England; and Berlin, Germany. The London branch and the Berlin branch are doing very substantial work, and most probably I shall be going there from America to the European countries.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Seattle 16 October, 1968:

Regarding Hayagriva: I think you can open direct correspondence with him in the matter of his willingness to marry, and I think he is serious about rendering service to the society. Recently he has sent me one press cutting that is very nice, and I am enclosing herewith the press cutting. If possible, you can get some copies photostatted. And send me some copies.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 8 November, 1968:

There are 42,000 students in your university, and if 5% of them purchased our Gita, then we can sell at least 2000 copies there. So I hope you will try for this, as far as possible, and it will be both propaganda as well as income for the New Vrindaban scheme. When you order to Brahmananda you can mention this statement of mine, and in the meantime when I write to him again I shall also inform him about that discount. In the meantime, recently I have received 40 complete sets of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and if you so desire you can order some sets immediately. I have not heard from Kirtanananda for many days and I have received from Pradyumna one letter and I have replied him. I am anxious to know also when I shall get the 1st canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam completely revised. Then we shall begin our 2nd canto. The New York boys are very much anxious to start our own press immediately and we must have sufficient matter to print in the press continually.

Letter to Kris -- Los Angeles 13 November, 1968:

Regarding your question about Yogananda, you write to say that you "received the impression from his autobiography that he was a genuine saint who dedicated his life to serving God." But the thing is that you do not actually know what is a genuine saint, and what can you understand about saintly life from reading his autobiography. I may inform you that just recently I visited his so-called asrama retreat, and it was simply a hodge-podge of all nonsense. There was a Buddha statue, a Christ statue, a Gandhi's memorium labeled as "World Peace Memorium"—and what world peace he has brought? None. And what does Gandhi have to do with spiritual realization anyway? Gandhi was simply interested to get the Britishers out of India—what has this to do with self-realization, the prime goal of life? And here and there, there were signs of all sorts, like "Be still and realize I am God"—what is this, by becoming silent and still one becomes God?! The stone is silent for millions of years, does that mean it has become God? This is all conglomeration of nonsense ideas. Practically, this Yogananda has no philosophy or authority, he simply drags in Buddha, Jesus Christ, Gandhi, and whoever else he can think to put, so that whatever you like it is in his shop. He is just a good shop keeper.

Letter to Hrsikesa -- Los Angeles 26 November, 1968:

I have read with pleasure your recent letter (undated). From it I can understand that you are advancing very nicely in Krishna Consciousness. You are correct in your estimation that all activities, even so-called frustrations, become a great joy when is working for Krishna. This is the clue to successful work which is revealed in Bhagavad-gita, that we should concern ourselves only with giving everything to Krishna and all the frustrations of sinful reactions will be no more. The reason men are suffering and frustrated is because they are accepting the sinful reactions from their sinful activities, so in Krishna Consciousness we are free from all such botheration because we have donated all of our fruits and reactions to the service of the Lord. When we keep our association with Krishna every activity is proper and liberating but if we should dissociate ourselves from the Lord's Mercy then like a hand which is severed from the body we become ugly and useless. Please continue your efforts to improve New Vrindaban along with your god-brothers there and no doubt Krishna will help you to make further progress in perfecting your life in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 2 December, 1968:

I have just today received your most recent letter of November 30th, 1968 and have noted the contents with pleasure. We have registered the Hawaii address given by you.

I am pleased with the progress that you, Mahapurusa, and Murari are making in establishing our Hawaii temple and also I have noted that you are making arrangements for accommodating me in January. You are making arrangements for me but also I think you should make arrangements for calling your wife. The husband and wife must live together for helping one another in developing Krishna Consciousness. So I think that you may write to your wife and request that she join you in your temple at Hawaii.

Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 4 December, 1968:

I have received your most recent letter (undated) and have noted the contents. I am so happy that by next week you will move into our new temple site and that you and Krishna das shall both be working so there will be no difficulty in financing. It is all Krishna's Grace.

So far as Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda, yes one of you may write to invite them to your temple in Hamburg. In this connection I have already dispatched one letter to them and I am still awaiting their reply.

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 5 December, 1968:

I was happy to read your recent letter (undated) and to see how you are working hard and now you are sending your finished paintings to our various centers to be appreciated. You will be pleased to know that our London center has managed to have one local newspaper devote a two-page spread to a comic book feature of the story of Prahlada Maharaja as depicted by Gaurasundara and Govinda Dasi. This is very nice propaganda so as much as possible we should try for overflooding publications with similar of our stories. We have so many artists now in Boston and also New York so if someone can work on this idea it will be very nice.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 10 December, 1968:

Regarding my plans for January I can not as yet give a definite answer because I have recently been invited to visit the South American country, Guyana at the beginning of the new year. So this too is undefinite and I will have to see whether they provide for our visit or whether will not before I can decide if I may go to Hawaii in January. I am sending the letter out today asking for confirmation of this invitation and just as soon as I hear word, I will let you now so you may make your arrangements. I have included a copy of my letter to Mr. Dindayal who is the person who has extended our invitation.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 11 December, 1968:

I have seen the recent dummy you have sent of Teachings of Lord Caitanya and it is very much approved by me. I think that all of the devotees should purchase one copy of all of our books for study and future preaching activities.

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

I am in due receipt of your recent letter and I have noted the contents with pleasure. Your kind thoughts which you expressed are very nice and encouraging to me. Also you have asked some intelligent questions and I am answering them here.

You have asked how Krishna is with the spirit soul in the spiritual world and the answer is that Krishna is the heart of the spirit soul, or spiritual body, So Krishna is never apart from us. Either He remains in the heart of the material body, or He remains in the heart of the spiritual body. This is Krishna's Causeless Mercy to all of His beloved children, or living entities.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 24 December, 1968:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your recent letter (undated) along with copies of the syndicate contact inviting for newspaper reproduction of the Royal Albert Hall chanting and they are all very encouraging.

I am sure that Krishna is helping you all around for your honest and sincere endeavors. Just previous to your letter I received one very encouraging letter from Syamasundara, reporting of his meeting with George Harrison who I understand has promised to give us a 5-story building in one of the busiest quarters of London. You have arranged for the convocation and I have seen the list of invitees. It is very encouraging. Please conduct this convocation carefully and try to recruit some sympathizers for our nice London center. I am dispatching one tape by separate register air mail in which you'll find my speech for this occasion. It begins with "Ladies and Gentlemen." I think this speech will be nice and it is recorded on speed 3 3/4.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Madhavi Lata -- Los Angeles 13 January, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your recent letter (undated) and I have noted the contents.

You have tried to explain the reasons for your recent traveling excursions, but there is no need to explain; the reason is that you are restless. I wanted you to concentrate your mind on painting and utilizing your talents for Krishna's service, but you do not hear me. Any place that you want to live, that is all right, but why don't you use your talents? That you cannot do, and it is your misfortune. Here are listed some suggestions for you to begin making beautiful paintings with. If you can prosecute all five of these suggestions without wasting your valuable time it will be very satisfactory.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1969:

I was very much anxious to receive your letter since I did not hear from you for a long period. But I always know that you are doing your duty nicely. Recently, Hayagriva came from Columbus, and he remained with me for more than a fortnight. He was assisting me in editing Srimad-Bhagavatam. Now he is married with Syama Dasi and has returned to New Vrindaban with his many responsibilities.

I am glad to learn that you have been helping this boy, Kenneth, and he is now eager to be initiated. So, as recommended by you, I have agreed to initiate him and call him Kanupriya das Brahmacari. Please take care of him and give him impetus to rise more and more in Krishna Consciousness.

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

I understand from a letter of Upendra Brahmacari in Seattle that you have inquired about me from him after your return from Vrindaban. I welcome your suggestion to open a branch of our Iskcon society in Bombay, and you want to help me in this connection. There are two of my disciples in Vrindaban. I do not know if you met them while you were there, and I am awaiting for their letters because one of them was recently advised to go to our German center in Hamburg. Please, therefore, let me know of your suggestions how to open a branch of our Iskcon society in Bombay. If it is possible to get a place free of charge for holding kirtana and discussing on the Bhagavad-gita in some quarter where there are mostly English-speaking people, that will be very much convenient. So if you can find out some suitable place for holding English classes along with short kirtanas please let me know immediately. While expecting your good suggestions of what to do in this matter I am also thinking of it and will let you know in my next letter.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 6, 1969 and your letters of January 10th and 11th, 1969. From your recent letters I can understand that you are keeping yourself busily engaged and are improving nicely. This is our process, that you do not let even one minute go by without doing some sort of service for Krishna. Because as soon as there is a little gap of Krishna Consciousness, immediately maya makes an attack to grab us again. So keep up with your kirtanas and outside engagements and always think of Krishna so that maya will not have a second's opportunity to try to conquer you. And Krishna gives all assurance that the sincere devotee will never know defeat, so if you simply try to propagate our movement in the Seattle area, you will be successful, rest assured.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 26 January, 1969:

Concerning Vamanadeva's trouble with the draft, I think that if properly utilized, my certificate of acceptance of a person as student of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam may be very helpful in avoiding the draft because recently one Lieutenant Colonel, Mr. Davis, from the Selective Service came to see me about our activities, and he is fairly impressed. So I think that if Vamanadeva presents himself as a serious student of this institution he may not be called. I have a very nicely made certificate which can be sent to Vamanadeva if he would like to try for this. Regarding Muralidhara, he is now working here, and he is helping to meet the huge expenditures of the Los Angeles temple. But I shall see if he cannot be spared after a few weeks. Let me see how he is doing here. If he is not very much needed, which I shall know after a few weeks, then I shall ask him to join you in Hawaii.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1969:

Regarding my teaching in different universities, you will be pleased to know that recently I got one letter from Cultural Integration Fellowship President, Dr. Haridasa Chaudhuri. He has appreciated my book, and he remarks as follows: "The book is without doubt the best presentation so far to the western public of the teachings of Lord Krishna from the standpoint of Vaisnava tradition and devotional Hindu mysticism." So actually this is the correct position of our Krishna Consciousness movement. There are religious classes held in almost every university of your country, and they are eager also to study different kinds of religions. So far as Bhagavad-gita is concerned, there is no doubt about it that I am the only authority in your country in this matter. Nobody can speak on the Bhagavad-gita so authoritatively as I can do. That is a fact. So if the university wants to take advantage of this opportunity, even in this old age I can go from one university to another, and I am sure they can learn from me only the true teachings of the Bhagavad-gita; from me and from my students who are already trained up in this connection. So, if something can be done in this connection, it will help our missionary propaganda, and the students shall get new light from our book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

Letter to Angelo Cummings -- Los Angeles 11 February, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your recent letter (undated), and I was pleased to learn that you are able and willing to help us in our construction plans in New Vrindaban. The construction of the houses is already under way because Nara Narayana has already submitted to me some plans along with an estimate of the needed finances.* Hayagriva is ready to invest the required money, so your cooperation and help will further make easier our attempt. Please therefore cooperate in consultation with Hayagriva who is the chief man in this matter. I shall also be in New York as well as New Vrindaban in the month of April. So if I am present there, I think that your help will be of great value. Actually we want such houses as you have submitted plans for. Nara Narayana is in New York already, so you may consult with him and help him in this attempt by mutual cooperation.

Letter to Mrs. Cline -- Los Angeles 22 February, 1969:

I thank you very much for your kind letter dated February 18, 1969, and I am so glad to go through it. Certainly you are blessed by Krishna, otherwise you could not write such nice things although your connection with our movement is very recent. When you write to say "what was once 'our' home, we recognize now as Krishna's," it appears that from the past you were already advanced in Krishna Consciousness. Somehow or other the path became obstructed, and now again you have come to your consciousness. Please therefore do not miss this opportunity and continue your present state of consciousness in association with Pradyumna. For the time being, Pradyumna is alone there, and your cooperation with him will give him strength, and I shall be very much obliged to you.

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

If somebody does not accept Caitanya Mahaprabhu for want of archeological evidence, it will not hamper our movement. There is sufficient archeological evidence in this connection, and it can be supplied from various sources which are in India. There is even archeological evidence of Vyasadeva which was recently propounded by one Dr. Cakravarti. I personally saw this in a monthly magazine of Calcutta of the name Mother in which I was giving my articles. If you like, you can inquire from them or such institutes as Caitanya Research Institute, started by my godbrother, Tirtha Maharaja. That is not a very difficult task.

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

If a Christian believes in God let him love God prominently rather than loving matter. If we wish to criticize Christian faith we can do so, and we can prove that hardly there are any sincere Christians. In the ten commandments we see Lord Jesus Christ advised "Thou shalt not kill," but this killing process is still prominent among Christians as well as any other religious group. So much so that it is simply horrible. Recently, the head of the Christian people, the Pope, declined to sanction the killing process in the embryo, namely contraceptive methods. We can see that so many Christians revolted. Apart from this killing process within the embryo, there is also killing process in the slaughterhouse and in so many ways. I do not know how a Christian can violate this important commandment of the Bible, "Thou shalt not kill." So in this way, if we want to criticize we can, but it will simply increase our enemies. Better let us try to invoke the dormant transcendental emotion by chanting and dancing.

Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

Our religious principle is as old as 5000 years and the whole thing is explained in our recent publication of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, published by MacMillan, of New York and London. If required, a copy of this book may be secured and the whole idea may be grasped. And this is a missionary society for enlightening the people about God-consciousness, which we are preaching as Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Hawaii 16 March, 1969:

I am just trying to open some temples in the Western countries because there is none. So far India is concerned, still there are millions of temples, but gradually the number of temple worshippers is diminishing. Perhaps you know that recently within 50 years, our capital New Delhi has developed tremendously, but the constructor of the New Delhi city has not erected even a single temple. So this is the tendency. Neither it is recommended in the scriptures to give more stress on temple building. The best thing is in this age to propagate this Sankirtana movement. So I shall be very glad to utilize your energy in this Krishna Consciousness movement as you are willing volunteer.

Letter to Brahmananda -- The Macmillan Company A SUBSIDIARY OF CROWELL COLLIER AND MACMILLAN, INC. 866 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022 March 19, 1969:

Shortly before his tragic and recent death Father Merton asked us to assign copyright for his "appreciation" to him in order to clear the way for a possible and future edition of his uniform collected works and essays. We promised to do so.

I would appreciate it very much if you would have Swami sign both assignment copies, with you as witness, and return them to us. This does not detract in any substantial way from the Swami's copyright and is, I think, a generous gesture made to the memory of Thomas Merton.

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

I am glad to learn that you are trying to work out things with Hayagriva. I have advised him that he may come also as co-editor. In your previous letter you wanted that the final words in the management of Back To Godhead will rest on one person, either on you or on Hayagriva. I think that for management it is better to have two heads than one. But even there will be two heads, I still wish that you shall continue as the managing editor as you are doing now. Naturally, the final decisions will rest upon you. And if there is actually any controversy, I think there will not be, then I am always at your service. In a recent letter from Hayagriva, I understand that he is feeling little disappointment because there was no invitation from your side. I think now you shall invite him and work jointly as you were doing before. I am still sanguine that my decision in the beginning about you and Hayagriva working as editors for Back To Godhead was very appropriate. I wish to see that both of you, being so intelligent and sincere devotees, shall work together, and then Krishna will help us to propagate this Sankirtana Movement magazine so nicely.

Letter to Hayagriva, Pradyumna -- Allston, Mass 3 May, 1969:

So I do not know how many devotees are there or how many mrdangas are there, but we will require four mrdangas. If this is deficient now in men or mrdangas, then you should arrange for that by calling New York men and Buffalo men. Recently I have made one record in Los Angeles, so in trying to train our men in that rhythm is not difficult. Just arrange for sixteen men; four mrdangas, harmonium, tamboura, and the rest playing karatalas. If we can perform kirtana following the recently made recording, it will be marvelous. The summary is that you should make the above preparations for when the advertised meeting is held.

Letter to Sivananda -- Allston, Mass 4 May, 1969:

Regarding your desire to improve your singing voice, by singing you will become an expert singer. Anything you practice regularly you become expert in. There is every chance of my going to London in June, and certainly if I go there I must also go to your place also. Very soon two German souls who were recently initiated, Mandali Bhadra and Vrindabaneshvari, will be starting for Hamburg to give you all sorts of translations of Back To Godhead and other literatures.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Allston, Mass 5 May, 1969:

Now immediately you have to send some papers to Syamasundara in London as follows: the picture of Vaikuntha Loka on one side, and an advertisement of Srimad-Bhagavatam on the other side. Send a few copies of this cover as well as the picture of the Prime Minister meeting me with the Bhagavatam, the recent dust cover of Teachings of Lord Caitanya and Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Syamasundara requires to prove our bonafideness, and from here I am sending the copies of our certificate. He is expecting something big, so let us hope for his success, although up till now we have been satisfied simply by promises. His address is as follows: 11 Walham Park Road, London S.W. 12, England. As I have mentioned to Uddhava, Murari may stay in New York to help Gargamuni at least till I go to New Vrindaban.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Allston, Mass 6 May, 1969:

As you are increasing your Sankirtana Movement to cover a great distance of 150 mile-radius it is still more encouraging. I am sure that because you are in serious and sincere attitude of service to Krishna, He is giving you all good counsel to propagate these transcendental activities. I am also so glad to know that the recent plan of observing various kinds of festivals is drawing wonderful results. I wish I would have been present there to see things so nicely going on. Your idea that when I am in Los Angeles I shall simply lecture on Sundays, and on the weekdays the boys will lecture so I shall be free to go on with my translating work is very stimulating. I am also glad to learn that you are going to San Francisco to adjust things there. By the 12th instant, when you are there you should help arrange for the Rathayatra Festival. This is to take place some time after the 15th of July, and you can fix up the days from the 20th of July to the 27th of July.

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

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

Letter to Vrndavanesvari -- New Vrindaban 25 May, 1969:

Recently when I was in Columbus there was a big meeting, and more than one thousand students attended. Poet Allan Ginsberg was there with me for chanting, and all the students were responsive immediately. Therefore I advise you that we are working on a different platform. We are working neither on the sensual platform, nor on the mental platform, nor on the intellectual platform. We are working completely on the spiritual platform. The concept of European, American, or Indian is based on the bodily platform. So long one is under the impression that he is this body, he cannot make much progress in this movement. Lord Caitanya says that factually all living entities are the servants of Krishna. This servitorship cannot be rendered from the material platform, because Krishna is not matter. He is Sat-Cit-Ananda Vigraha. Anyone trying to serve Krishna from the material platform of body, mind and intelligence cannot appreciate this fact.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- New Vrindaban 25 May, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 14, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Now I am staying in New Vrindaban and it is a very nice spot for developing our community project. There is sufficient land for building great temples and houses for devotees. There is pasturing land, and sufficient grass and vegetables for the grazing of cows. I am glad to learn that you have already translated the foreword of Bhagavad-gita, and you have already sent it to Hamburg. The boys there are working very hard, and recently they have sent me some newspaper cuttings describing about their Sankirtana activities. They are expecting your arrival there at any moment. Jaya Govinda has got some experience of layout work, and when you go there you should do it jointly. Until then there is no need of corresponding with him about layout, and thus delay matters. I have already informed them that when you are there you will be the chief editor, and your name should be mentioned as editor of the paper. The boys there are very submissive, and I am sure when you go there everything will be done in nice cooperation.

Letter to Syamasundara -- New Vrindaban 26 May, 1969:

I am so glad to note that you are tackling very consistently a great personality like George Harrison, and he is becoming gradually inclined to our movement. I am very satisfied to learn that he has recently made one record along with you of Hare Krishna. If possible, send me one tape recording of it so I shall play it here.

Regarding Rathayatra, this must be done at any cost. I may go or not go; that is not important. But Rathayatra Festival, as you have already made program, somehow or other it must be done. A grand program is being made in San Francisco, organized by Tamala Krishna, and with the full cooperation of all Western Coast centers. They are inviting public from all the neighboring places, and they expect a big assembly of people. If I do not go to London to take part in the Rathayatra Festival there, then I shall go to San Francisco to take part in that Festival. But if you want me to go there and invite me, then I am prepared for that also. Mataji Syamadevi has invited me to go to London and she says that she has fulfilled my desire by starting an asrama in Leicester and the Deity has arrived. She stresses that I must go there and wants me to inform her when I shall be able to go. So you can let her know that I am expecting to go to London by the middle of July.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Moundsville 31 May, 1969:

Regarding the manuscripts which Pradyumna requested you to send him, first of all let Pradyumna get the machine. Then I shall advise. For the time being you keep it as you have been doing. I shall let you know in due course. Two Krishna tapes have been recently sent to you, so you shall receive them soon, if you have not done so already. I hope this will meet you in very good health.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 1 June, 1969:

The program with Allan Ginsberg sounds very nice, because when Mr. Ginsberg and myself were present in the Ohio State University, it was a grand success. The assembly was more than one thousand people, but you say that you will take a place which can accommodate five thousand people, so it will be a great grand success. I have seen the pictures of your recent Festival, and it is very, very nice. I have enjoyed the pictures so nicely that I am looking always to them; although I have seen three, four times, still I am not satisfied. It is very nice. In all Festivals, if you make such puppet show, then you will be able to attract so many people. Anyway, I can understand things are going very nicely in your temple, and Krishna is giving you good intelligence. So I wish that you will live for hundred years and execute this Krishna Movement so that in this very life you shall enter into the abode of Krishna. As soon as one's service is recognized by Krishna, he is immediately called, "Please come here." That is the verdict of the Vedic literature. So we should work in such a nice way that we can draw the attention of Krishna to call us. You will find in Bhagavad-gita that anyone who takes the task of preaching Krishna Consciousness is the dearmost devotee of the Lord.

Letter to Vibhavati -- New Vrindaban 12 June, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated June 7, along with your article published in the Montreal Star on the same day. Everything appears to be very nice, and your service in this connection is recognized. You have done a great service by meeting with Mr. John Lennon. He is an influential man, and at least you have been able to publicize our Krishna Consciousness Movement in a way that the people will understand that the Beatles are interested. In London, Mr. George Harrison is also inclined to this movement and to our disciples, and recently a letter from Syamasundara conveyed Mr. Harrison's respectful obeisances unto me. Mr. John Lennon is anxious for peace in the world, so also is everyone anxious for peace in the world, but it should be known how that peace can be attained. If we keep the human society as it is, there is no possibility of peace. It is not a question of simply accepting God as the center of everything and peace will be achieved, but the question is how to live in God.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 12 June, 1969:

So far as a seal is concerned, you can make your own seal exactly like the one we have got in New York. Simply you make the seal replacing the word New York for Los Angeles. That will be nice. I have got full faith in you, so by Krishna's blessing try to improve all the four or five branches there. Trivikrama das Brahmacari from Buffalo wanted to open a branch in Sacramento or Santa Monica, but I have advised him to go to London because recently I received a letter from Syamasundara that they have secured a nice house. It is not yet all settled up, but he wants the help of some brahmacaris. So I shall be glad to know if you can spare some brahmacaris for London. They are of course planning something very gorgeous, but till now it has not been tangible. But because they are working very seriously and sincerely it will be successful. At present my plan is that by the 10th of July either I go to London or to Los Angeles. That is certain. So even if I do not go to Los Angeles, the Festival will be nicely performed there. If I go to London I shall see that the Rathayatra Festival is also performed there, and I have written to Syamasundara expressing my great desire like this. But everything depends on Krishna's disposal.

Letter to Sivananda -- New Vrindaban 15 June, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your most recent letter (undated), and I have noted the contents carefully. I am so much encouraged to learn that one very nice German boy has come to live in your temple. This is clear evidence that you are all working sincerely to serve Krishna, and now one sincere soul has been so attracted by this, that he is also coming to join you. Actually, if one true Vaisnava goes any place in the world, then the spiritual instincts of the more advanced souls he comes into contact with will be awakened, and they will automatically be attracted. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna informs Arjuna that if in previous lifetimes one has begun the path of spiritual perfection but was unable to complete it for one reason or another, then in future lifetimes he will automatically become attracted again to spiritual life, and he will begin his progress from the point where he had previously left off.

Letter to Rupanuga -- New Vrindaban 16 June, 1969:

I am enclosing list of Holy Days for the coming months, and also enclosed is a very nice letter I received recently from Sudama in Hawaii. Please convey my blessings to your wife and child. I shall be very pleased to see you again when you come to visit in New Vrindaban. Hope you are well.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- New Vrindaban 17 June, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 13, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I am very glad to hear about your recent Sankirtana success, and as long as this is going on, everything will come out nicely. I can understand that you are now forced to reduce your number living at the house, so for the time being you keep five or six men there. This landlady is increasing rent simply to take advantage, but as you have no other place to live you have to make some compromise. Jadurani may immediately return to Boston, and Sudama may immediately go to London. Sudama is much required in London, but because I thought he was needed in your center I did not ask him to go before. Under the circumstances, I think he may go to London immediately. In this way adjust things. Be confident that Krishna will save you from the present inconvenience, and take these steps immediately. You have spoken about Govinda Dasi's expertness on Sankirtana, and I know very well about her qualifications. I am 100% confident about her competence, and she can be very useful to your activities there.

Letter to Gurudasa -- New Vrindaban 21 June, 1969:

After hard labor, you are getting a nice house just suitable for your purposes. Now decorate it nicely, and go ahead with new vigor and energy to push on the Krishna Consciousness Movement in London. You have already created an impression in the greatest city in the world, and I hope in the future there will be even greater hope for this movement. I am glad to learn that the Beatles have showed guarantee for payment of the rent. It is a nice, friendly gesture. Recently Mr. John Lennon had an interview with one of our disciples, Vibhavati, and it appears that he is also sympathetic with our movement. Another point is that in BTG we shall now publish as many pictures of our Sankirtana Movement in different cities as possible. So get good snaps of your kirtanas and engagement in London, and send the photos on to New York.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- New Vrindaban 21 June, 1969:

If you want me to go to Hamburg, then you can arrange for it after the second week of July, because I am going to Los Angeles on the 23rd of June. Tamala Krishna wants me there immediately because some of the devotees are very much eager for my presence there, and probably I will also frame our future program for opening sub-branches in the Los Angeles area. In neighboring places, such as Laguna Beach, there is good prospects for a center. I understand that you are in correspondence with London for some financial arrangement, but recently, just the day before yesterday, I received one cable from Mukunda asking me to give them a loan for $1,025.00, so I have asked Gargamuni to send them this money. Under the circumstances, I do not think they will be able to arrange financially to receive me there immediately. But there is no need of hurrying the matter. You can arrange for my reception conveniently, although I am always ready to go to Europe at any moment. I think that when London will be ready to receive me, at that time my going to Germany will be the most profitable. But if you think that you can manage to receive me directly in Hamburg, I have no objection. But anything you arrange must be after the second week in July, in which time London may also expect to receive me. In their last letter I was informed that I shall not be required there before the 20th of July. So on the whole, there is no question of hurrying. Do everything carefully and by mutual consent.

Letter to Bhurijana -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 27, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I can understand that you are in need of some more brahmacaris there, and I have already told Tamala Krishna to send some devotees there. You may correspond with him immediately to make definite arrangements for this. You will be glad to learn that another center has recently been opened in Philadelphia, and another is to be opened very soon in Laguna Beach, 50 miles from Los Angeles. Our policy should be to open branches as many as possible, but not to close a single one. That would be a degradation. I think you have got enough potential opportunity in your center, so go on chanting and things will come out successful.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1969:

You are correct that Tamala Krishna's endeavor is very successful, and we should cooperate with him fully, and other centers should follow the same principles to make it successful. Recently, Tamala Krishna has sent Madhudvisa to San Francisco to organize the temple there, and as soon as he had gone there, the Sankirtana collection has become raised from $17 to $70. So in this way we should help all the centers, and in the future both you and Tamala Krishna, assisted by the others, should be the main guiding stars of the society. You have written that you have given $350 to India, but I do not know why. Do not send any money to the United Shipping Corporation, because last time we advanced $500, and it has become a pinprick to realize it. I think you have sent a letter of credit, but no direct payment should be sent to them.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 11 July, 1969:

This is one hindrance. I shall consult with Tamala Krishna to see if there are any boys available from the Los Angeles temple who may go there, but I do not think that these American boys will be able to hold jobs in Montreal. I am anxious to know what is the position of the French Back To Godhead. I received issue #3 several months ago, but since then there has been no further word about this very important publication. So please inform me what is the situation regarding French BTG. In Germany they are now printing a very beautiful German edition of BTG, and this is very, very pleasing to my Guru Maharaja because He wanted that peoples of all languages may understand this philosophy of Krishna Consciousness. Regarding further tapes of Vedanta Sutra, this has been suspended for the time being, but when I begin again I shall send the tapes to you. Recently we have finished our book, Nectar of Devotion, and now the book, Krishna, is in the process of being written. So when the project of Vedanta Sutra is again taken up I shall inform you.

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

I am in due receipt of your recent letter, and I have noted the contents. Regarding Festivals in Boston, you may hold as many as possible. If you can hold such festivals daily, that is also nice. Our movement is for ananda, simply bliss, and the method of pushing this movement is chanting, dancing, feasting and philosophizing. So in our almanac there are many festivals in every month. I am enclosing some festivals which were already held in Los Angeles, and if you perform them, I will give you a long list of others. But don't embarrass yourself at present with greater plans than you can handle. The more you get devotees the more you will be able to perform nice festivals.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 28 July, 1969:

I am very much obliged to you for your nice appreciation of our humble activities. When I think of you, a little boy, but you write so nicely, as if you are my little father. So I wish Krishna will give you more and more understanding about this Krishna Consciousness Movement, and you will be able to serve more and more beautifully. I quite appreciate that you four there; namely yourself, Jaya Govinda, Sivananda, Mandali Bhadra, assisted by his wife, Vrndavanesvari, will be a very very good combination to spread our movement in Germany. Our first important business is to hold Sankirtana as many times as possible. The next important business is publication work. Recently I received one letter from Sivananda that he is also thinking nicely to improve our press work. I hope in the future you shall be able to start a regular press in Germany for printing our books and literatures. I have heard that in Germany the press machine are very good and cheap. So if you jointly can think of starting a press there, that will be a great success. So far as doing business by importing Indian goods, that is a nice idea, but it is secondary.

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

I have recently received news from New York that their last week Sankirtana collection was $1,000, and they have already sold out 3,000 copies of BTG in the past few weeks, so now they are ordering more copies from the West Coast. This is very, very encouraging, and I have asked my Guru Maharaja to just see how nicely these nice young boys and girls are taking to His Divine Mission. I have also received report that your BTG sales are not very encouraging. I am not very sorry for this at all because I know that you are now engaged for Rathayatra Festival and for fixing up the temple. But I hope that soon you will fulfill your quota of selling 5,000 copies in London. In the issues #25 and #26 you will find very, very nice articles. So execute your duties faithfully and sincerely. I am sure that you are doing this, but still it is my duty to remind you the same thing repeatedly as I am your Spiritual Master.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 5 August, 1969:

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.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 9 August, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5 August, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. Enclosed please find one stereo tape of "Sri Krishna Caitanya Prabhu," song and purport. We have played a non-stereo tape on one recorder, and dubbed over it the sound of karatalas on a stereo tape recorder; so now the result is stereo. I do not know if this tape is suitable for your broadcast purposes, but if it is all right, please inform me. I am so pleased to read about your most recent chanting where thousands of people have heard you. It is very encouraging. Regarding your taking on an outside job, I do not think that will be nice. In Boston they have decided to purchase a large house with 16 rooms plus two halls, for the price of $70,000. The major source of payment for this house will be sales of BTG. So if you can organize sales of BTG and our literature very nicely in Hawaii, there will be no financial strain.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 12 August, 1969:

I am enclosing some copies of a recent book review which was printed in a Hawaii newspaper. You should approach the local papers there and try to induce them to similarly review our books. Also you approach the local bookstores with this review and try to arrange for them to carry our Krishna Consciousness literature.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 15 August, 1969:

A little sample of Krishna Consciousness exhibited in San Francisco during the Ratha yatra Festival was very much appreciated by the public. I think in the San Francisco Examiner it was said that people followed the Ratha and experienced so much joy as they had never enjoyed at any time within recent memory. The reason is that we are giving people direct contact with Krishna, the Reservoir of all pleasure. Our administration may be not very perfect, but that fact is that as soon as one is in contact with Krishna he will be happy. So you have got a very nice thing, Krishna Consciousness, for distributing to the suffering humanity, and do it nicely, combinedly. It is so nice thing that anyone who distributes it and anyone who takes it, both are benefited; and Krishna also becomes very happy when all His children are benefited in this way. There is no doubt about it that our philosophy is the supermost perfect presentation. We can challenge any other philosophy and establish that this Krishna Consciousness is the panacea for all material problems.

Letter to Arundhati -- Hamburg 9 September, 1969:

I beg to thank you for your most recent letter (undated), and I have noted the contents. I hope by this time your health has improved, and as you are doing such important work for Krishna, you must be careful to take proper care of your health. You are an intelligent girl, so conjointly with your husband, Pradyumna, you can determine what are the best measures to be taken in this connection. I understand that you have quickly learned how to operate the Composer machine, and I am anxious to learn how things are progressing in this connection. Have you begun yet to compose Nectar of Devotion? Several days ago more pages of this book were sent to you, up to page 233, and as you finish work on these pages, I shall be sending you more.

Letter to Giriraja -- Tittenhurst 19 September, 1969:

So combinedly you try to spread this movement, follow the rules and regulations, chant Hare Krishna, and gradually you will see your life is perfect. So with all my good wishes, offer my blessings to the others. Here in London they had a very nice reception, and the press cutting in one of the papers is sent herewith. The BBC television station very much appreciated our movement, and we were interviewed on one very popular show last Tuesday evening. So things are progressing nicely, and our movement is gradually becoming popular. You will be also glad to know that we have recently opened centers in Tokyo, Denver, and Laguna Beach. Most probably very soon there will be another branch in Chicago. So let us work sincerely, and the requisite money and men will be supplied by Krishna for His service. I think Jadurani is very much busy in painting pictures, otherwise she should have written me some letter by this time.

Letter to Madhusudana -- Tittenhurst 19 September, 1969:

Here in England there is very good potency for spreading Krishna Consciousness. When I arrived on September 11th, there was a nice reception at the airport, and one article reporting on the event is enclosed herewith. Last Tuesday evening we appeared for 40 minutes on a popular interview show on the BBC television station. This Monday there is to be shown another one hour long documentary program on our activities in England. Perhaps you have heard by now that there are three new centers opened recently; Tokyo, Laguna Beach and Colorado. So Lord Caitanya is being very merciful to many of the boys and girls of the present day Western world by giving them the intelligence to understand the importance of developing Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Tittenhurst 3 October, 1969:

So we may wait the transfer of the property till the stipulated lease amount is paid in full in the above way. Then the property may be transferred to the society's name. This is one thing. Another thing is that just at the present moment I do not think the society can invest any money in New Vrindaban, for the reason that we are starting this press, and until this press is all established I do not wish to divert my attention to New Vrindaban. Another difficulty is that nobody is staying in New Vrindaban. Even the boy Hrsikesa has left, and recently I received on letter from Ranadhira that Hayagriva and Kirtanananda are also not there. New Vrindaban is now in charge of Ranadhira, so on the whole people are not being attracted. In your next president's meeting you can consider these points. Tamala is trying to purchase some very nice property in Beverly Hills. The project is to establish there a nice Iskcon library to attract the richer class of men in that area. I do not know how far we shall be successful in this attempt, but if we are successful in purchasing a property there, it will be a great stride for our propaganda work. It is understood that the most selected persons of the Western world, both Europeans and Americans, they live in that quarter of Los Angeles. So why not a center there? That is the contemplation.

Letter to Bali Mardan -- Tittenhurst Park, Tittenhurst House Ascot, Berkshire, England October 4th, 1969:
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.
Letter to Gaurasundara -- Tittenhurst 6 October, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1 October, 1969, and I am so glad to hear from you. You write that you have sent me some letters recently and also the examination papers, but I have received no such letters or papers. I have asked Tamala Krishna to keep the test papers that were sent to him in Los Angeles there with him to save postage, so if you have sent the papers there, I shall see them when I return to the USA. Otherwise, I do not know where these papers are; perhaps it is lost in the mail. In that case you should notify the bank to stop the check for $75.08. I am very pleased to learn that you have now moved to Honolulu into a very good section. Now if you can purchase a house as you have described your plan to do so, that will be very, very good. In Boston they have purchased one house, and the monthly payments of $1,000 are depending upon their sales of BTG. So if you can arrange for sales of BTG and our other literatures, that will be of great assistance for you in purchasing the house. The best news you have written is that Govinda Dasi is improving in health now. She is a very nice girl, and I want that in the Name of Lord Krishna both of you work together for propagating Krishna Consciousness. Krishna will always help you in this and bestow His all blessings upon you. Please ask Govinda Dasi to write to me sometime, because I have not heard from her for many days now.

Letter to Dr. Sham Sundarji -- Tittenhurst 8 October, 1969:

I shall remind Brahmananda about your "True Conception of Religion", and you will be pleased to know that we are starting our own press in Boston in our own house. The house has cost $70,000, and the press will cost $20,00, which in Indian exchange comes to 9 lacs of rupees. So things are gradually improving. We have already opened our German center and are publishing our German Back To Godhead. From Montreal we are printing a French edition of Back To Godhead, and recently our men have gone to Japan. We have taken a house near Tokyo and our men are working there. There will be a great World Fair in Japan in 1970, and at that time we shall formally open our temple and probably issue our Back To Godhead in Japanese language. So at present moment we have got temples in six important countries: USA, England, France, Germany, Japan and Canada. All together there are 22 branches. Recently in our Detroit branch the son and daughter-in-law of Sriman J. Dalmia, one of the big industrialists of India, visited, and the daughter-in-law presented many saris to the devotees there.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Tittenhurst 15 October, 1969:

P.S. Ask Dayananda to write me. He is so nice boy and I want to hear from him. Recently I got one letter from Nandarani. She is so nice as her husband.

Letter to Cidananda -- Tittenhurst 16 October, 1969:

Here in London progress is going on nicely, and they have recently received authorization from the city authorities to establish our temple at 7 Bury Place in the heart of London. Last evening we held a very successful meeting at Conway Hall, and several hundred young boys and girls, as well as many Indian people, were chanting and dancing in transcendental ecstasy with us. Next week, and once every week for the next ten weeks, we have scheduled more such engagements. I am very much encouraged to see the nice reaction that the English people are having to our Krishna Consciousness Movement. It is all the Grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Letter to Hayagriva -- London 7 November, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 29, 1969 and noted the contents. Things are going on nicely in every department, and it is very encouraging. But as I have already told you, your first business is to see about the publication of my books. I have already advised Satsvarupa and Brahmananda in this connection, and they will take the necessary care for it. I want to know if Nectar of Devotion is coming along at proper pace. So you will kindly manage in Columbus that the printing matters are substantially ready for the press. The press may not sit idly for want of printing matter. Then it will be very nice from all sides. Pradyumna is in charge of making the diacritic marks nicely, so I shall be glad to know if he is doing that work according to plan. Recently I received one letter from Arundhati that she wants to work very hard. So Syama Dasi should also do this as it was previously programmed. The main point is that the press should not sit down for want of printing matter. That you will kindly manage.

Letter to Gargamuni -- London 11 November, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 6, 1969, and I thank you very much for your bank deposit receipt. Practically you are the only hope who is filling up the gap in my Book Fund deposit account. Recently I have issued one check for $4,000 from my Book Fund to the Iskcon Press account. Out of that, you have already fulfilled the amount of $2,500. So I thank you very much. Regarding your business, Krishna will surely help you, and He is already helping you. We want to show the world that Krishna's service is not stereotyped, one-sided. Krishna can be served from any position, provided one is willing to serve Him. Krishna can be served and approached by businessmen, by lawyers, by scientists, by artists, by musicians, by philosophers, even by thieves and rogues; everyone. He is so kind.

Letter to Gargamuni -- London 11 November, 1969:

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

Letter to Brahmananda -- London 25 November, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 21, 1969 and noted the contents. The dummy BTG #30 Special Rathayatra Issue is very, very nice. Regarding the printing order, I think henceforward you should publish 50,000 at least and they may be distributed as follows: 20,000 to the East Coast, 10,000 to the West Coast, and 20,000 to the others (Middle States and other countries). The idea is that BTG is our backbone of Krishna Consciousness propaganda, and since you have taken charge from Rayarama's hand, certainly it has improved in so many ways. Recently I have received one letter from Rayarama which he has signed his name to as "Raymond". That means he has drifted from our society completely and his letter is very discouraging. He has accused everyone save himself. So I do not know what can be done with him. In the Bhagavad-gita we understand from the 16th Chapter that when a living entity becomes envious of Krishna, he is put into the darkest region of material existence, exactly in the same way as when a citizen is disobedient, lawbreaker, he is put into the prison cells. So this is nature's way beginning from Krishna, and one has to undergo such stringent regulative principles of material nature in such disobedient position. So I have not replied that letter; I have got it in the file. When I return to Boston, if you like, you can see it.

Letter to Aniruddha -- London 26 November, 1969:

So it is very nice program. Just get yourself married, and as you propose to go to Argentina with Citsukhananda to open a branch there, I have all approval. So you accept some girl who will marry you, either Sacidevi or anyone else. In our Indian way there is no question of acceptance or rejection. The parents arrange for marriage and whatever boy or girl they select for their son or daughter, that is accepted. Even there is some disagreement at times, that is not taken very seriously. In this way, in mature life they become happy. I want to introduce this system in the Western countries, amongst my disciples at least. Their primary business should be Krishna Consciousness. Other relationships are mundane and therefore not very important. So please try to open a branch in Argentina, and it is not very difficult. Recently Vamanadeva who was in Columbus, now has married and has ventured on my advice to open a center in St. Louis. I have received his report several days ago, and it is very encouraging.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- London 2 December, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your recent letter along with the posters and Sankirtana Party card. They are very nice. But this poster should never be distributed in hand. They may simple be distributed on walls. I am very pleased to learn that you are confident of obtaining the new house. It is good credit for you that since you have gone there the San Francisco branch is going to purchase one house. You nicely arrange for that. Krishna will be very much pleased upon you. Please endeavor in that way for Krishna's service. I am glad to learn that you have collected $1,400 on the Peace March there. The New York temple and all the other East Coast temples had a similar Peace March in Washington D.C. where they collected very nicely and gave to my Book Fund a contribution of $3,000. Regarding your scheme for holding a dance for collecting money, that is nice. But the devotees should not remain there after the chanting, if this is possible. Some may remain if required, but the majority may go away. I have received Jayananda's letter explaining the mistake by the bank. Please thank him for this letter. There are so many nice Vaisnavas in our San Francisco temple, so surely Krishna will bestow His blessings upon you all.

Page Title:Recent (Letters 1949 - 1969)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:26 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=117
No. of Quotes:117