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Spend time (Letters)

Correspondence

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Sir Padampat Singhania -- New York 20 January, 1966:

I will have to find out some sponsor for him otherwise no P form will be issued. So pending the sanction let us be prepared for all these paraphernalia. In the future if circumstances changes, and we get the opportunity for spending more money, at that time we can sell of this or keep it as the circumstances allow. For the present let us begin in this small scale and let be grown up in the natural way. Your honour is a great business magnet and you know better than me. J.K Organization started by your grand father was increased by your father and under your management it has grown more than expectation by the Grace of Dvarakadhisa Maharaja. As the Pandavas were all devotees of Lord Krishna and thus in fields of activities they were victorious in spite much difficulties were put forward before them by the Kurus, similarly you are also always glorious because you and your family all are devotees of Lord Dvarakadhisa. Your good mother is just like Kuntideve.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Stinson Beach, Calif 8 July, 1967:

You have asked me how many hours you should work. Our life is dedicated to Krishna, and you should work for Him 24 hours. We have different varieties of service. For you, you should work on painting as long as you think yourself fit; don't overwork. Balance time should be spent for chanting and reading S.B. So far remembering me and Krishna, it should be simultaneous. I am your Spiritual Father, and Krishna is your Spiritual Husband. A girl can never forget either her father or her husband. In the Sastras it is said that Spiritual advance of life is achieved thru the combined mercy of the Spiritual Master and Krishna. Those who are sincere souls, Krishna helps them to have a bona fide Spiritual Master, and the bona fide Spiritual Master helps the disciple to approach Krishna. This is the process. I know you are a sincere devotee of Krishna and He will give you proper intelligence how to prosecute your present activities. I can simply pray to Krishna that He may bless you with all energy for serving Him. I am very much appreciative of your work, which you are doing for the society, and I wish you may continue to do like that.

Letter to Subala -- San Francisco 16 December, 1967:

I have explained tonight in the temple meeting that Krishna does not live in Vaikuntha nor does He live in the hearts of the yogi. But He lives there where His pure devotees chant His glories. You need not go to India spending money. When time will be mature I shall ask you to go to Vrndavana and Krishna will give you some money on December 29 for Krishna's service. It is a great opportunity. Organize the temple to your best capacity assisted by your sincere devotee wife. Krishna will bless you and make you happy in all respects. As soon as you call me I shall go to your place.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Krishna Pandit -- Los Angeles 20 January, 1968:

So far your coming here I think at the present moment it is impossible for the reason that the government of India will not allow anyone to go to foreign countries by spending Indian money. This time when I was coming back to the U.S. I had a great deal of trouble. Though when I went to the U.S. Consul General my visa was granted in 1/2 hours. The gentleman in charge was an Indian and as soon as he saw me he told me, "Swamiji, I'll give you your visa; simply wait here for half an hour." So it was Lord Krishna's Grace. My granting of the P-form was also delayed. My travelling agents had so many difficulties in getting my P-form. The form was sent to the chief controller in Bombay and returned after a month after several telephone conversations from Calcutta to Bombay. Then he sent instructions that if I had money from America I could go. So with great difficulty I had to convince him.

Letter to Karunamayi -- Los Angeles 25 February, 1968:

There are no such distinctions of higher and lower on the transcendental platform. The important thing is that we are engaging our time and energy in the service of the Lord. After all, we are so tiny, what can we do? Krishna sees simply that this time is being spent in His service. Please continue to help Gargamuni in his efforts to spread Krishna Consciousness, and chant, and continue your duties, and in this way you will be happy and successful in Krishna Consciousness. I am happy to hear you are so much anxious in helping to start a new temple. Your enthusiasm is very encouraging to me; there is great need for the spreading of Krishna Consciousness, and we need so many enthusiastic boys and girls for carrying on this great mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. My Guru Maharaja wanted that this Krishna Consciousness be spread all over the Western countries especially, and now in my old age, I am leaving this great responsibility in the hands of all you my students.

Letter to Hamsaduta, Himavati -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968:

Please continue your very good service, and do not feel any feeling of uselessness. It is true that Krishna has given some the opportunity to serve Him by nice writing, some by good business ability, some by nice cooking, and so on, but these various services are all accepted equally by Krishna. On the transcendental plane, one service is as good as another. There is no question of higher or lower. We are very tiny, and so we cannot really do very much. Simply we can engage our time and energy, and that is all Krishna sees. He sees this boy or girl is spending his time in My Service, and He is pleased. I hope you are both well.

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

I want to sit down tightly with some assistants, and spend the rest of my time translating Srimad-Bhagavatam, and other books. And train students to do preaching work on the outside. So, from now on, I would like to speak only at very important engagements, and for most engagements, have my students preach. All of you must learn to preach; and for me, my most important preaching work is to finish up the Srimad-Bhagavatam. So, please try to make arrangement like this, as it is very important that my books be finished, as soon as possible.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Los Angeles 27 November, 1968:

This gift is very much appreciated by me as the weather in Los Angeles is little bit cold lately and I had need of just such a sweater. Also please thank Satyabhama for her good taste of selection. I am pleased to learn how you are spending your time in meditation with Lord Krishna and I request that continue to chant Hare Krishna so that Krishna will surely bestow all blessings upon yourself.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Tittenhurst 2 November, 1969:

These scriptures of the Buddhists and the Christians may be the words of God, but still the are not always applicable to us. It is just like a king may give some rules and regulations for some criminals in prison; but for the good citizens out of the prison these rules are not necessarily applicable. So these Christian and Buddhist scriptures were delivered for a different class of men, and we needn't spend our time in studying their doctrines. You should read our own books over and over again and as far as possible do not try to enter into controversy. We do not concern ourselves with any other religion. Our religion is to become the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna (CC Madhya 13.80).

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 24 January, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 January, 1970, and I have conveyed your good suggestion to Suridas and Jotilla to go to Hamburg. As Tamala is already informed of this fact, I am sure he will take this practical suggestion and do the needful.

Regarding antiques: we do not require of them in our Temple. For the time being don't spend money on antiques, better to try to expand our cult as far as possible with strenuous effort.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 20 March, 1970:

Our first business is this preaching work, especially to organize centers, and you write to say that now this spreading potency will be utilized, so you should join wholeheartedly in this program. If you think that the time spent for studying 2 1/2 years more can be better used immediately to push our Krishna Consciousness movement, then you can turn your efforts in this direction. That will be very nice.

Thank you very much for sending the article, which appears to be very nice. Unfortunately, none of us is able to read it. And thank you also for the enclosure of $15 as contribution to my maintenance fund.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 16 April, 1970:

BTG is my life and soul. Please therefore try to distribute BTG as many as it is possible. I started this magazine in 1947 in my householder life. I was spending Rs. 300 to 400 at the time ($300 to 400 in your exchange), and I was distributing this magazine without any consideration how much I was getting in return. Practically the whole money was spent without any return. But ten years after, from 1954 to 1959, the struggle was very hard because at that time I had no money and alone I was editing, publishing, and securing money for publication. So it was a great struggle. My ambition was that I would publish BTG in huge quantity so that people may understand transcendental blessings of Lord Caitanya.

Letter to Bahulasva -- Los Angeles 18 April, 1970:

Regarding Paramatma Das, I think he should simply push on with his school work as much as it may be necessary and the remainder of the time he may spend with the devotees in our Krsna Conscious activities. Certainly he is feeling some inconvenience due to the poor association at the karmi school but this is not a permanent situation. In the past many of our devotees like Lilasukha, Kancanbala, Indira, etc. in New York, Saradia in Boston, some others in Buffalo, and in other places also have finished up their required education in the public schools in spite of continuous feeling of disturbance by the nondevotee students and faculty. So if he finishes up his education in this way remaining under your care at the temple, then the unwanted association will not be harmful, just see that he is strictly executing his prescribed duties and that will keep him strong in spiritual life.

Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970:

So on the whole if anyone accepts that God is greater than everyone and nobody is equal to Him, then we welcome such statement. And if he is sober and intelligent then he will try to learn from Vedic literature how God is greater than everyone and nobody is equal to Him. This knowledge is very clearly defined beginning from the Bhagavad-gita. So if you meet such persons who are staunch Christians you can humbly put this argument before them for consideration. But if somebody is dogmatic and blind follower, then avoid to discuss with him. Better spend that time for enlightening a person who is innocent. Do not try to enter into the details of New Testament, but simply say that we agree on the principle that God is great.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1970:

You have written that your temple is like an oasis in a desert. Yes, it is a fact that our temples are providing shelter from the burning forest fires of material existence. It does not matter poor quarter or richer quarter, our temples are nothing to do with any material situation. They are situated in the Spiritual sky and as such they are the only alternative offering relief from the miseries of all kinds of material conditions of life. So encourage people to come and spend time with us in the temple and become purified from all contaminations and anxieties. Everyone is suffering from thirst for spiritual life or Krsna consciousness and it is the temple which can offer them Krsna Consciousness to satisfy their thirsting.

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 4 November, 1970:

That is what I wish to see from the GBC members; that they work combinedly to open as many centers as possible all over the world. I am very hopeful for this GBC that you will work in such a way that I may be completely relieved from all management of this society. Now I want to simply begin translating. Here I am situated in a temple of Sita-Ram in a nearby suburb of Bombay. The atmosphere is very relaxing, such as I have not found anywhere else in India thus far. So in every way it is very conducive to my translating work and beginning today I will spend all my time translating. Tamala Krsna and Syamasundara are here with me as my liaison officers and the rest of the GBC members are spread all over the world. So please work closely together and do everything in cooperation.

Letter to Upendra -- Bombay 21 November, 1970:

I have seen your leaflet and it is very nice. Regarding Hindi BTG, several hundred copies will be sent to you as soon as they are received by us. Yes. As you have noted the youth are our most potential source of converts to Krsna Consciousness. I do not think it is necessary for you to spend time unnecessarily at this time of your life to learn some foreign languages, but the program as we have followed with good success is to find out some local boy who is well acquainted with the English language and train him to preach to the general less educated public. This is the best system and do not be hopeless because you are sure to find such a helper very soon.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 24 November, 1970:

You had mentioned going next to Singapore from Hong Kong. Singapore is also a nice place for organizing a center. There are many Indians and they will support the Movement there. Yes. The several cities you mention are all important cities in the Far East portion. Originally they all had Indian culture. But I do not think you should spend your time at this stage of life in trying to learn so many different local languages. That is not practical for us. Our most successful program is to begin preaching with the help of an interpreter from the local people and later train up some intelligent men who speak English. When they are conversant with our philosophy, they can preach to the general public. The Hare Krsna Mantra is international mantra. Simply try to induce people to chant and they will understand everything. Externally, English language is understood everywhere.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Vamanadeva -- Bombay 30 May, 1971:

Thank you for your decision. Please go on preaching and improve your Krishna Consciousness. There is no necessity of attending a university. We have got enough of a university educational program in our Krishna Consciousness movement. There are so many books to study and they have to be introduced also by preaching. So engage yourself in this way. If we have to spend time learning something, then where is the time for service? So utilize what talents you have already in Krishna's service and He will give you the intelligence to increase more and more.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Nairobi 8 October, 1971:

So let Mandali Bhadra be seriously engaged in translating work and recruit some German devotees to help him so that we can print all our books in German language and you can develop the Hamburg center very nicely. You know very well that I went to India this time empty handed but we spent there not less than five lakhs Rupees during my 10 month stay and all the money was collected simply on the strength of our books and literatures. So when you have got literature and books, there is no question of poverty in our society. Simply we have to organize things nicely and manage carefully. I hope henceforward you will not feel at all discouraged. All of you there push on this movement in Germany which is the best country in Europe. The most intelligent class of men are there. Try to convince them about our philosophy. The German scholars are especially inclined toward Indian philosophy. There are many learned scholars well versed in Sanskrit. So our books with diacritic marks and original Sanskrit verses must be very much appreciated by all schools, colleges, libraries and the general public. So develop the press there very nicely. The press already has been declared as the greater mrdanga.

Letter to Sridama -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 10, 1971, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. I am especially very very pleased that you are getting that large church for our Miami center. All over the world we are getting more respectable and we are getting big big houses for our Radha Krishna Temples, but if yours is the biggest, then I must certainly come there and see it. If the weather is good, then why I should come there and spend some time for my translating work? I think this will be my last tour—now let me go on translating, that is my real work. I am so much encouraged by reports everywhere that our Movement is getting good results, especially that MacMillan Co. has agreed to print our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, so I think my work is now finished, let me write. I have built the skyscraper skeleton, now you all intelligent American and European boys and girls fill in the spaces nicely in good taste. Do not deviate from our high standard. That will mean great dishonor to me. Push on in your preaching work as I have shown you, remain pure, enthusiastic, and optimistic, and Krishna will favor you with all good results and benedictions.

Letter to Yogesvara -- Bombay 28 December, 1971:

So if somehow or other you can produce profuse books for these places, spend your all time translating, organizing, printing and distributing such books in foreign languages, then I think you will be able to improve the situation there. If there are amply books, everything else will succeed. Practically our Society is built on books. One book is not very impressive. Still, a blind uncle is better than no uncle at all, so it is very nice that one book has appeared, and that BTG is appearing at least several issues in other languages. But now try to produce at least four or five new books per year in several languages, plus regularly BTG every month. That will be your success. You are very sincere and hard-working boy—now just take good direction from your senior godbrothers and apply yourself fully to this very great responsibility of producing numerous books in foreign languages.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Radhavallabha -- Bombay 6 January, 1972:

Chanting japa should be done early in the morning with full concentration preferably during the Brahma Muhurta time. Concentrate fully on the sound vibration of the mantra, pronouncing each name distinctly and gradually your speed in chanting will increase naturally. Do not worry so much about chanting fast, most important is the hearing. A devotee should always be grave and silent which means that he only discusses topics relating to Krishna Consciousness. Yes, spend your time chanting and reading and taking Krishna Prasadam and automatically your tongue will come under control. If you sincerely engage 24 hours daily in devotional service according to the instructions of the Spiritual Master, chant daily 16 rounds, attend the arati ceremony of Lord Krishna, associate with the devotees and adhere strictly to the regulative principles then Krishna will reveal Himself personally to you.

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 4 February, 1972:

Without books, how can our preaching go on? I will be very glad if you can print Bhagavad-gita As It Is in Japanese version, and that will be sufficient to convince many Japanese boys and girls to become devotees of Krishna. You are learning Japanese language, that's all right, but it will be better for our preaching and translating work if the local boys and girls can perform such work, instead of us wasting so much time by learning difficult languages. So if you spend your time to engage many native persons to translate for us, and train them up in our Krishna philosophy at the same time, that will be a better use of our time; but if you think it is necessary in order to establish this Movement that you learn Japanese language, then it is all right, but generally I do not think it is absolutely necessary. If you can find some boys who speak English, and if you can engage them for translating and teach them our philosophy by holding classes, then that is better. We cannot become very good preachers in such difficult language, even if we spend years to learn, but if we take a few weeks to train some local men in Krishna Consciousness philosophy, then they can preach like anything, leaving us free time to organize and manage everything properly. In this way, we shall expand very rapidly.

Letter to Mangalamaya, Madhupuri -- Calcutta 20 February, 1972:

So far your deity-worship of Lord Jagannatha, don't bother with it for the time being, that is my opinion. Householders can have small altars, and Guru-Gauranga and Jagannatha may be worshiped, but you should not spend a lot of time in this way to try to make the worship "first-class" as you say. You cannot make it first-class. That requires much time and money and men, so better to leave the worshiping of deities very nicely to the temples, and you may go there and worship. A small Guru-Gauranga altar, offer incense and flowers in morning, offer all home-prepared foodstuffs there—that's enough for the time being. Better to spend time chanting and following the other regulative principles and preaching and selling books.

It is not necessary to be a Brahmin to have home altar, but better not to get too much involved in it for now, as one begun, there is no question of decrease, and for two persons to manage this is taking too much time from other important work.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Calcutta 24 February, 1972:

I think that if you go on in this way and spend your whole time preaching and engaging others to hear you and become themselves engaged in Krishna's service, that will cure you of all misgivings and miserable conditions. Follow this simple formula of chanting regularly with full attention, reading at least one hour, and balance time preaching and speaking and managing one center, and then everything will be all right. For my part, there is no question of dissatisfaction, I am very much pleased with your sincere service and humble attitude of Krishna Consciousness devotee. And I am also aware that sometimes Hamsaduta will be very stubborn, but he is also doing something there, so why not let him go on, and you take charge of opening branches in those northern European countries like Sweden, and that will be very much appreciated by me. If you require some more help in any way, just inform and I shall do the needful, do not worry. Also, Syamasundara is writing to Dayananda to send you books, whatever they can, from London, and they can send some men to help also if you require.

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

I am very much thankful for the letter of Yamuna. Now you two work cooperatively for making our Vrindaban a dazzling success, along with others you work nicely, and I think Ksirodakasayi may spend more time on laying out the Hindi BTG and doing that printing and translating work and you take mostly charge of supervising building work. I have requested Saurabha, our new Holland devotee in Bombay, who is an excellent designer, to send you plans for the Vrindaban scheme, but meanwhile you should concentrate on collecting as much cement, sand, stone chips, and steel as possible and stockpile them, along with bricks, etc. Meanwhile Gargamuni is collecting very nicely in Bombay for Vrindaban scheme, so you have not to worry about money as he will be in charge of that department, so you may correspond with him frequently and work together all of you for making this Vrindaban project a heaven on earth.

Letter to Arundhati -- Amsterdam 30 July, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 19, 1972, and I am simply surprised that you want to give up your child to some other persons, even they are also devotees. For you, child-worship is more important than deity-worship. If you cannot spend time with him, then stop the duties of pujari. At least you must take good care of your son until he is four years old, and if after that time you are unable any more to take care of him then I shall take care. These children are given to us by Krishna, they are Vaisnavas and we must be very careful to protect them. These are not ordinary children, they are Vaikuntha children, and we are very fortunate we can give them chance to advance further in Krishna Consciousness. That is very great responsibility, do not neglect it or be confused. Your duty is very clear.

Letter to Damodara -- London 6 August, 1972:

Washington D.C. is the capital of your country, and therefore it is a very strategic location for preaching amongst the nations leaders. Concentrate on this work, and the sankirtana and book distribution activities, and if you wait until there is solid financial basis before purchasing, what is the harm? But if we spend our whole time simply to earn money to pay for big, big buildings and decorations, what is the value? I am more interested in preachers than builders and decorators. But if you think you are able, and there is good opportunity, you may purchase, I have no objection. When I come there in September I can install the Jagannatha Deities if you invite me. If you can find eucalyptus twigs, you can send them to me wherever I am in the world, and I shall always have nice toothbrushes thanks to you. Eucalyptus is the best.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- London 8 August, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated July 30 and August 4, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to hear that those boys have joined you, and I have also received one happy report from Daniel that he is living with you and he has no complaints, he is very happy. So you give Daniel all cooperation for expanding this movement in Mexico, he has got good energy and he is a very good soul. So far his asrama in Puerto Vallarta, we are not taking that place on lease or rent, only if he gives it to us can we manage. It is very nice place, and I want to come there for spending some time, but he has told me it is our ISKCON place so he should make good his promise and give it to Krishna, otherwise we shall not take it.

Letter to Sankarasana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

So you should think like this, that I have promised my spiritual master this, now I must obey him without any exception, otherwise I have no business calling myself his disciple. That will be your austerity or tapasya for forcing you to make very rapid advancement in Krsna conscious understanding. Without tapasya there is no question of making advancement. So if still the material nature is so much attractive to you that you are unable to sacrifice things in this way, then better you give up the whole thing and do as you like outside. But if you want to call yourself devotee and serve Krsna in that capacity, then you must avoid these four basic principle restrictions under all circumstances, without any exceptions. Of course once, twice, Krsna may excuse, that is not very difficult, but more than that it will become very difficult for Krsna to excuse you and there is great risk that everything will be lost despite all of your time and effort spent.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Ravindra Svarupa -- Bombay 5 January, 1973:

So preach in this way, whatever is palatable to the student class, and give them factual Krsna Consciousness. In this way, try to recruit some men from the student class of men for joining us as future leaders of our Society. If we simply go on expanding and there are no qualified men to lead, then everything will be spoiled eventually. So you have got the best opportunity for this great service to Krsna, and I think that Krsna will send you some very qualified men to take instruction from you. But one thing is, do not spend much time for topics that are not concerned with Krsna Consciousness, neither try to speculate about history and other things. But the way you have described it, your program is nice. So if anyone students are serious to learn Krsna Consciousness from you, give them all help and facility, let them accept gradually by their intelligence. Do not force, but if gradually they understand, they will voluntarily accept the life of tapasya or austerity of Krsna Consciousness movement. In this way, by their voluntary agreement to join and follow strictly, they will assist me in the leading posts to spread on Lord Caitanya's message all over the world.

Letter to Damodara -- Bombay, India 9 January, 1973:

So life that, we must get the support of the mass of men, and if the leading men can be induced by you to preach on our behalf, then you will be able to speed up the process and actually that is a very great service for Krsna. Spending so much time with upper class citizens to get funds must be judged on this idea, whether their appreciating our movement will have any practical effect in terms of widespread spreading of Krsna Consciousness and preaching to the mass of men? The program, as you have mentioned it, of approaching the professors to introduce our books in their classrooms, that is the right idea. In that way the leading class, just like the professors, if they can be induced to preach on our behalf, just like introducing the books to their students is one form of preaching, if they will do like that, then spending time with them is very, very desirable and effective.

Letter to Sukadeva 2 -- Calcutta 29 January, 1973:

Yes, the spiritual master is also present in his picture, though more importantly he is present in his teachings. I think this is explained in one letter that has already been distributed. If you have further questions try to get them resolved by your GBC man, Karandhar, because now I wish to spend all of my time for translating my books like Srimad-Bhagavatam, so I may give them to you.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Calcutta 31 January, 1973:

I am desiring now to stay six months of the year in Los Angeles and six months in Mayapur, spending my time solely for the translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam and other books so that I may give them to you, my sincere disciples. So it will be better arrangement now if my disciples can take up the management and active preaching. For this purpose I have created so many sannyasis. So as far as possible, try to arrange preaching programs with them as I prefer to remain now in the background translating my books.

Letter to Karandhara -- Melbourne 10 February, 1973:

So you GBC men now decide how to manage things so nicely so that I may spend my time solely for translating my books. This I desire. Each GBC man can act as my secretary for one month at a time as I originally planned. In this way you will all be trained up nicely. Syamasundara Prabhu will returning to London in order to get that building.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Melbourne 10 February, 1973:

If I go to the physician and ask him will you please tell me all about medicine and I will write it down is that possible? No. You must take to the process. You must enter the medical school, take your internship and do so many things. Like this if you want spiritual knowledge you must take to the process and follow the principles. So therefore if you are spending so much time with individuals they must first admit that they do not know who they are and they do not know who is God. These two things are completely lacking in modern educational systems. And then after admitting these things they must be willing to take to the process. Then they can obtain spiritual knowledge.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Bhumata -- Los Angeles 2 January, 1974:

There is no other scripture which can compare to the Vedic scriptures so we should study these scriptures exclusively. When one becomes an initiated disciple although he has respect for the Christian Bible, nevertheless he must understand the Bhagavad-gita and must apply all study there and not spend time unnecessarily with other literatures. Therefore if you can chant and follow the four regulative principles and read our books only I am sure you will find a relief from all difficulties. Regarding marriage matters and second initiations, these things should be taken up with GBC representative for that zone. More and more I wish to not be involved in management affairs and want to devote me time to translating books so please have some trust in those representatives I have placed as Temple presidents and GBC members. They know the standard procedures in these matters and they can advise you.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 8 January, 1974:

Regarding Spiritual sky incense business in Canada, the best thing is if you can find some competent managers to handle this so all your time is not spent in selling incense. I understand that you have taken it on because you wish all the centers to be financially sound. So now that you have been managing the business for four months, you should find a suitable manager to take it over.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1974:

He has now become married and Kirtanananda Maharaja asked him to go to New Vrindaban but he said he doesn't like farm life. People are now accustomed to live in the city and if all of a sudden he is transferred to the village then certainly he feels difficulty. Especially in the western countries, gradually even farmers are leaving their professional business and going to the city to enjoy facilities there. If you get local men to work at this agricultural attempt that will be better. Otherwise, don't spend time and money in distributing this newsletter.

Letter to Satyahit -- Vrindaban 16 March, 1974:

You write that members of the Gujarat community would like to contribute $10,000.00 toward a temple there, but at this time I think the money could be better spent by contributing to shipping grains to India for distribution. If they wish to donate for this noble project they can send money directly to the following account: "ISKCON Mayapur-Vrindaban Trust," account no 668, the Punjab National Bank, Vrindaban, Mathura, U.P., India.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Bombay 1 April, 1974:

I am sure I have good assistants like you and if you all cooperate with me I am sure of success. So far you are personally concerned, I repeat, if the business in which you have spent so much time is actually profitable, then stick to it and do the needful. Otherwise, I request you to reture and devote your own work in Krsna Conscious activities. I am glad you are now ready to return the money. You can deposit in Lloyds Bank, Southampton Row Branch number 30-97-81 in London in my account 8006334. (Saving Bank)

For the time being I can stay in London utmost two weeks then I have to go to France and spend some time, say a month in Geneva, Rome, Sweden, Germany etc. Then if need be I shall come back to London or back to India. So you can think over this matter and do the needful. But if there is important program in London I may not come back to India immediately.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Tirupati 28 April, 1974:

Then, next year meet and see how far things are being done and if necessary make changes for responsible GBC and presidents etc. The meeting is very valuable and must be carried out regularly every year. But one thing is that at Mayapur last time most of the time was spent discussing but no program was made firm for the year. For example, our Tamala Krsna Goswami never proposed to go to the USA at the meeting but now he has decided to go back to the U.S.A. Of course you can go back, but if the matter is discussed at the meeting, then a GBC vote could be taken and they could have selected a replacement. Now this replacement I have to bother. It is not difficult for me, but why wasn't their discussion of the meeting. Now Karandhara has written asking to come back and I have called him to come to Bombay and if possible he can be engaged as GBC for India.

Letter to Mahatma -- Bombay 1 May, 1974:

Regarding your wanting to give up household life for vanaprastha you may do it and spend your time positively by going on traveling sankirtana, provided it is recommended by the temple president and there is facility for taking such a party. Taking of sannyasa order is in one sense only a formality. I was preaching and writing for eight or nine years as Vanaprastha and then in 1959 I took sannyasa. So if after a few years as Vanaprastha your behavior is ideal sannyasa can be considered. If you actually are serious about taking out a travelling party your main activity should be to distribute books. By this most powerful preaching we are becoming very influential in your country and people are seriously reading the books and considering the importance of Krsna Consciousness. It does not require that you be sannyasi to take a travelling sankirtana party, nor do you have to be vanaprastha for that matter.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Bombay 4 May, 1974:

Please find the enclosed copy of a letter I have sent to Bhurijan. He has written me that he has stepped down from his duties as president of Hong Kong and has given them to Devaprastha. I think Bhurijana was doing nicely preaching to the Chinese boys but he has written that he is uninspired and feeling incapable and wants to spend more time with his wife. This sudden turn of events is a surprise to me. Moreover he admits that the boy who is taking over, Devaprastha has been very unsteady in the past. So whether you want to send someone there who is more steady and will stay there and develop. There is definite potential there and it is a wealthy city. If you can enlighten me more on the subject of why Bhurijana is leaving I would appreciate it.

Letter to Visala, Visalini -- Bombay, India 9 May, 1974:

Thank you very much for your gift of Rs 500/. So you are both exemplary Vaisnavas and I want that you, husband and wife, preach together. So you are part of our Vrindaban center. When you can return there spend your time always studying my books, chanting and preaching to the people of Vrindaban, with real understanding of this science of Krishna consciousness.

Letter to Lilavati -- Bombay 13 May, 1974:

So I understand you are recuperating from an operation. So spend this extra time reading all our books, chanting as many rounds as possible, and if you can go on doing my tapes.

Letter to Mahesvari -- Rome 26 May, 1974:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 11. I am very sorry that your husband Mahatma das has taken my letter to him in the wrong way and has told you to get married to another man although you are only 20 years old and have a 7 month old son. This is a most irresponsible and nonsensical proposal on his part. I never wrote or intended that he should leave you. He can stay out and distribute books on sankirtana, but for that he can remain grhastha, nor does it means he perpetually remains on sankirtana party forgetting his responsibilities. You write that you badly need your husbands instruction and security, therefore, this is natural, so he may go on sankirtana but he must also spend time with you as you require, not in the mood of sense gratification but for cooperation in Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Yadunandana -- Melbourne 25 June, 1974:

Yes there are example of Krsna Conscious persons whose worship was solitary life, and the greatest example is Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura used to live only in a cave sometimes and would spend his whole time chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra. Similarly Gaura Keshore das Babaji the spiritual master of my guru maharaj would chant alone in a solitary place so as not to be bothered by anyone in his meditation on Krsna. But these great personalities are not to be imitated. If we artificially imitate, out of some negative feeling or out of desire for adoration as a saintly person, it will not be very beneficial.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Vrindaban 4 September, 1974:

Regarding the Buffalo project, New Vrindaban is the example. You should develop in a similar way. Have milk, vegetables, simple living, and chanting Hare Krsna. The whole world is engaged in unnecessary hard labor with their factories. It is a brain killing civilization. Let them come to free life. Spend time chanting Hare Krsna, reading books and making their lives successful. This is very essential propaganda. People must be informed.

Letter to Durgesh -- Bombay 27 December, 1974:

It has been recommended to me by the leaders in London that you should move into our temple as a permanent brahmacari and that your father will allow it if I also recommend. After studying your letter carefully and seeing the devotion and sincerity that you possess I am also very much in favor of your staying at our temple as a brahmacari. In my previous letter I had said that you could go to school during the week and live in the temple on the weekends. But I did not know how serious and determined you were to become Krsna Conscious. Someone as determined as you should be given facilities to spend cent percent of his time in Krsna Consciousness. Therefore I would be very happy to see you living in the temple, following all of our principles of pure life and becoming an expert scholar in Vedic knowledge, through studying my books diligently. This is real education. The so-called education that they are teaching in the schools and universities today is simply useless knowledge which is all based on atheistic and speculative theories.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Ravindra Svarupa -- Honolulu 2 February, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 26, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for distributing my books there very nicely. Try to increase it more and more. You mentioned in your letter that you are doing a lot of deity worship and cooking due to lack of sufficient brahmanas. So why don't you ask your GBC man for some brahmanas (at least one) to come and releive you of this service so that you can spend more of your time preaching and distributing books. A temple president should have more time for preaching. That is important.

Letter to Vahna -- Honolulu 26 May, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 12, 1975 and have read the Cintamani poetry book. It is indirect, impersonal and useless. Who will read these things? Krishna's name is only mentioned in two poems in the whole book. What is this? There are so many poems written by great acaryas. Why do you try to concoct something like this? It is not in our line. How is that our Kirtanananda Swami is there and he has approved printing this? It is a waste of time, paper, money, ink, and labor. There is so much work to do for spreading this Krishna Consciousness. Who will become attracted by such things as this. You should all spend more time reading my books very carefully and stop all this unnecessary manufacturing.

Letter to Mr. Morris Lapidus -- Denver 1 July, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 21, 1975. Actually we are not fond of having businesses. Although for spreading Krsna consciousness we can use millions of dollars, yet we do not like to employ many of our men at great endeavor in the competitive business world. In order to manufacture and market your own inventions it would be a great struggle and too much time and energy would have to be spent, as you have stated. It also requires great business expertise to succeed and not be cheated.

Letter to Ameyatma -- Philadelphia 12 July, 1975:

As far as your writing additional poetry is concerned, do not spend very much time in this way. It is not very important. There are already so many prayers written by great acaryas. What will you add to this? However if you have got some spare time and the inclination, you can read the chapters of Krsna Book and put them into verse.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Ramesvara -- Mayapur 26 January, 1976:

There is no question of discounting them ore money than is needed in India, because we require crores and crores of unlimited funds. America has the money, so this is co-operation between the blind men and lame men. This will be a good name to your country, that Americans are building such nice buildings. It will make good relations between India and America. The next chance I have for meeting with Indira Gandhi I shall inform her about how much foreign exchange we are sending. After receiving your encouraging assurance that as book distribution increases the amount BBT sends will also increase, we are now going to attempt the Kuruksetra project and the Jagannatha Puri project. For the time being we are spending in India, but eventually we will spend everywhere. This will greatly enhance the American's spiritual position.

Letter to Akshayananda Swami -- Vrndavana 10 February, 1976:

Regarding the program in Kanpur: If the local men are anxious for me to come, then they can spend for my passage. At that time I can go. You should not make me a cheap man simply appearing with others. As I have already said, they can spend for passage for six men going and coming.

Letter to M. N. De -- Bombay 20 December, 1976:

Regarding Bhuvaneśvara temple, whatever you have said is alright, but we have received estimate much less than that of yours. It is almost 50% less than what you have said. Besides that we are not prepared to spend so much for this project. So, for the time drop this matter. But, I am going to Bhuvaneśvara by the first week of January 1977. So, as proposed, you can accept the other responsibility as proposed by Govinda. He is not pestering, but he is your real well-wisher to give you a good chance. If you desire you can see me at Bombay between 21st to 31st December 1976 and do the needful.

Letter to Mahamsa -- Bombay 29 December, 1976:

Kindly make this farm project successful so that the majority of my time I can spend there. I like this place. You should work with full energy and endeavor to make this program successful. There will be no scarcity of financial help. Chant Hare Krishna and there will be good rainfall.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Swami Sri Radhey Baba -- Bombay 30 March, 1977:

I was expecting to come to Vrndavana to be with my disciples during the Gaura Purnima time but I was suddenly forced to change my plans due to illness. Now, by the grace of Krishna, I am gradually recovering. Sooner or later we have to give up this body, but a Vaisnava may live or die for in either case he is always serving his Lord Krishna. So whatever Krishna's desire is, we are quite agreeable to it. As you are eager to see me, I am also eager to see you, but as to when I shall be returning to Vrndavana I cannot say. You can take information from time to time from my disciples as to when I shall be expected to be there, and when I come we shall be able to spend time together.

Page Title:Spend time (Letters)
Compiler:Mayapur
Created:28 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=60
No. of Quotes:60