Successful (Letters 1972)

Expressions researched:
"succesful" |"successful" |"successfully"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: succesful or successful or successfully not "successful life" not "never be successful" not "never successful" not "not be successful" not "not successful" not "cannot be successful" not "life is successful" not "life successful"

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Visvanatha Babu -- Bombay 3 January, 1972:

At present I am here in India till the time of Lord Caitanya's birthday and then I shall again return to the United States or a South East Asian countries.

If you so desire I can go to Bhuvaneśvara for holding Sankirtana festivals along with my foreign students maximum for ten days continually as we have already held in other large cities like Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Allahabad, etc. We last held this festival in Delhi in Connaught Place from 12th November to 21st November and it was very, very successful as you may know it from the newspapers.

Recently I had been in Vrindaban and the whole Vrindaban city appreciated my service in the foreign countries. Both the Municipality Chairman officially as well as the Vrajavasi public gave me address of welcome in great meetings. But I had some difficulty in staying in my rooms at Radha Damodara Temple. They want me to go away and are now picking up some quarrel with me to get me out of my possession. A copy of a registered letter from one of the Sevaits Madan Mohan Goswami is enclosed and he has already taken possession in my absence of the verandah of my entrance door. You know very well and all residents of Vrindaban know it that my residence is there at Radha Damodara Temple but they are now trying to get me out, although I am paying the rent regularly and there is some advance payment also.

Will you kindly ask the local District Magistrate to give me protection in this connection? When you visited two or three times Radha Damodara Temple as Governor of U.P. at my request, at that time Mr. Tewary was the District Magistrate but I don't know if he is still there. Anyway kindly help me in this connection and oblige. Copy of the recent letter received from Madan Mohan Goswami is enclosed herewith.

Letter to Abhirama -- Bombay 17 January, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 19, 1971, and I am very pleased that you are serious to embark on such boating project, even though it will be a huge effort and expenditure to become successful. But never mind that, nothing is too much big if Krishna desires it. So if you are very determined that your boating idea will succeed, then Krishna will give you all encouragement and facility. The idea is good and has my approval, but now you should consult with the GBC members and then take it up seriously. You mention the sum of $9,000. That is not too much in your country, and I think that you can very easily manage that. As for maintenance, you have our books and literatures to distribute widely everywhere you go, so you should never lack for maintaining the boat.

Upon your recommendation, I have accepted Jim and Michelle Conway as my duly initiated disciples, and their letter follows.

Letter to Jayapataka, Bhavananda -- Bombay 17 January, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 5, Madhava, 485, and January 4, 1972, and I am very pleased that all the programs are going on nicely, such as land purchase, Mayapur project, deity worship, etc. And I thank you very much for the Yellow Fever Certificate. I shall be leaving for Africa on the 24th morning, returning probably by February 1st. I have sent the airline ticket for Aravinda to return to USA. Make sure he gets it safely.

Now that Gurudasa is there you try combinedly your best to get the permits for all the devotees in India to be allowed into Nadia district, and you can get the Governor to lay the foundation-stone. Then everything will be very successful and auspicious for our Mayapur scheme. I have received the plan from Bhavananda and it is nice. Please try very hard to get those permits, as we must be all assembled there for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day.

So far Acyutananda's book is concerned, I have already written that you should try to collect at least 50% of the printing costs there, and all of the costs if you can, but the Book Fund, if absolutely necessary, will pay up to 50%. So far the other books in English which you mention, if you find a good printer you may order the plates to be sent here from Karandhara and they must be printed immediately. If such books are inexpensively available to all Indian people, that will give our preaching work a great boost, so try for it very seriously.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Jaipur 20 January, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 7, 1972, and with great pleasure I have noted your unbounded enthusiasm to carry out this great mission of spreading the light of love of Godhead in this hellish material world. That is the only requirement for successfully completing the perfection of the living condition, that you should always be enthusiastic to perform services unto the Lotus Feet of the Lord despite all obstacles, and then you can be assured that all of the other qualities or necessities for pure devotional service will be met, such as patience, determination, etc. and then without doubt you shall be delivered to the realm of unlimited bliss, freed from all anxieties.

So far your proposals, I agree that by utilizing our knowledge of selling by selling for Krishna, that is approved by my Guru Maharaja, so it may be done very nicely. But we must always be careful to render firstly our routine devotional practices, and maintain always the highest standards of chanting, preaching, temple worship, rising early, cleansing, street sankirtana, etc.; business is secondary to our basic routine work. If the routine Krishna Consciousness program is neglected for other things, then everything else will fail. I am very much encouraged that you are anxious to engage in making money for Krishna with oil business and to print my books profusely. If this can all be managed and still the regular temple practices go on nicely, that is best. In every case, as with the question regarding whether prospectus or magazine is better, do the best needful.

Letter to Chaturbhus -- Bombay 21 January, 1972:

If it is practical to grow hairs out, that can be done. But it is not that we may imitate Lord Caitanya by growing big hairs.

Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your father is serving nicely in Delhi by printing our books and magazines in Hindi language, and I am very much pleased with him also. Now you protect your good mother and brothers and sisters, help them to advance more and more in Krishna Consciousness by holding chanting in your house regularly daily and by having altar. If you become very serious to have the ultimate satisfaction of life, then I think that you will practice this KC process very enthusiastically and be successful in all respects.

Letter to Madhucara -- Bombay 4 February, 1972:

I am very pleased that you have been appointed as President for Phoenix, Arizona, center. Now you are being forced by Krishna to advance in Krishna Consciousness, because you must set the perfect example for all others to follow and be always very responsible and sober. I think you will have no difficulty, as long as our routine work is attended to nicely and the highest standards are maintained. Routine work means rising early, cleansing, chanting minimum 16 rounds, having kirtana, reading scriptures, deity worship, like that. Simply always keep yourselves engaged in these matters of regular activity as sincerely as possible, and do not neglect them for a moment, then your all other activities will come out successful, and you can be very certain that very soon you will find yourselves situated on the highest platform of perfectional stage.

I am very much encouraged to hear from you that you are teaching KC in the schools. This is our best field for making demons into devotees, so if you give intelligent presentation of our Krishna philosophy in all the schools and colleges, there will be no end of devotees to push this movement on all over the world. Simply demonstrate chanting and dancing, and induce them to participate, then give them nice philosophy talk, with questions and answers, distribute prasadam profusely, ask them to buy our books and magazines and study them closely—that's all. Try for this program, and that will help me very much. Thank you, for helping me in this way.

Letter to Vaikunthanatha, Patita Pavana -- Bombay 4 February, 1972:

If you are living in an old Hindu Temple, that is very nice. Yes, actually this Hindu religion is a dead religion. In India, too, and in Africa, we have been offered many empty Hindu temples to take-over and manage. This Hindu religion has no philosophy, therefore it has died because in this age people have become very much hardened by material living and they are not much interested in sentimental religions like Hinduism. Sentiments are temporary and they always dry up. But what the people really want is a philosophy to give their life meaning and guide it under all changing circumstances—and the only philosophy available nowadays is profit, where is profit for sense gratification, or Marxism, or this -ism or that -ism. But none of these so-called philosophies have proven very successful in satisfying the people. Therefore, there is trouble all over the world, dissatisfaction, and people are taking to the only philosophy left or hopelessness philosophy. But our Krishna philosophy is bringing real meaning and hope to the modern people, we are opening up the dead churches and temples, so we may be certain that because our philosophy offers the substantial basis for everyone's life and the solution to all kinds of problems of miserable material life, that very soon the prediction of Lord Caitanya will come true and all men of the world will find shelter at the Lotus Feet of Krishna.

So I am very glad that you nice boys are helping me to revive the sleeping souls, in all parts of the world, and if we simply go on in this way, preaching very sincerely, following our routine work very strictly and maintaining always the highest standards of Krishna Consciousness, and by distributing more and more of books and literatures, then there is no doubt about it, that very soon we shall go back to Home, back to Godhead.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Madras 14 February, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 29 January, 1972, and I am very pleased to note that you are so enthusiastic to push on Krishna Consciousness and follow yourself very faithfully the regulative principles chalked out by our great predecessors. If you simply go on in this way, everything will come out successful, that we are seeing practically. So as GBC you must see to it that the highest standards of routine work are maintained throughout all the centers, and that chanting, rising early, cleansing, and all other aspects of our regular program may not be neglected. That is our first business. GBC men should not dictate very much, simply supervise and see that the standards are maintained. The individual presidents should be more managerial, more individual, and you can supervise, and if some defect is detected, you can make suggestions how to correct it. But if we lose individuality and simply become mechanical, what is the point?

With reference to your point that it may be too difficult to drive with van to India, if it is not practical then we should not attempt. But I see so many world tourists here in such vans, how they can do it and we cannot?

Regarding Krishna Das, I have heard that Sweden is a very good field, so if he is doing something tangible there, that is to his credit and why not he should remain there for some time—but why he does not writ

Letter to Satadhanya -- Calcutta 20 February, 1972:

So far personal association with the Guru is concerned, I was only with my Guru Maharaja four or five times, but I have never left his association, not even for a moment. Because I am following his instructions, I have never felt any separation. There are some of my Godbrothers here in India who had constant personal association with Guru Maharaja, but who are neglecting his orders. This is just like the bug who is sitting on the lap of the king. He may be very puffed-up by his position, but all he can succeed in doing is biting the king. Personal association is not so important as association through service.

We have just had a very successful program in Madras, with many prominent men, including the Chief Justice of Madras, taking an active part in this sankirtana movement. We are proceeding to Mayapur to celebrate Lord Caitanya's appearance day, and then to Bombay. From there I will go to Australia, Hong Kong, and I plan to arrive in Japan sometime in May.

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- Calcutta 21 February, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 28, 1972, and I am pleased to note that everything is progressing nicely in San Diego center. I especially appreciate your attitude toward increasing more and more the sales of our books, that will sanctify all other activities of preaching because preaching means selling books.

Please inform me of the result of your spending $500 for advertising for our Krishna Book. If such expenditure proves successful, then we may spend thousands of dollars and make Krishna Book very famous all over your country, that is, if the money invested comes back manyfold in the form of amount of books sold, by making these radio advertisements.

I am also encouraged by your going to that small town near San Diego and getting such a good result from your preaching work there. Similarly, why not go from town to town throughout your entire area, even they may be small villages only, and hold such programs. This is real Sankirtana. Also you may inform the other centers of this process of going out to the surrounding small towns on preaching missions, how to do it nicely.

Because you are making so many new devotees and distributing so many books and magazines, therefore I can understand that your routine work is being kept to the highest standard and that preaching work is going on well. This I can very much appreciate. Now never let it slacken or neglect our regular program, and always you will be successful in spreading this sublime movement of Lord Caitanya's, and very soon you will yourself approach the supreme perfection of life.

Letter to Sudama -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:

My idea in the beginning was that instead of learning yourself the Japanese language, if you could convert one Japanese man that would be better for him to head up the preaching after learning from you and then you would be free to organize everything. But if you think it is better to learn yourself Japanese language, then I have no objection.

Thank you very much for the tapes which we have duly received. You can tell Bhanu that I have received his letter of February 16, 1972, and I am very glad that he has arrived there to help you. He is a very good boy, and very intelligent also, so now you engage him full-time in translating my books, and he may train other Japanese-speaking boys also to translate and preach, then everything will be successful.

Letter to Trai -- Sridhama Mayapur 1 March, 1972:

That is one of our most important branches especially because it is located just in a very large university area, well known in your country as a famous seat of learning. So now it will be very important to flood Berkeley city with our books and literatures, because if we can convince the intelligent class of men of our Krishna philosophy then our success for changing the position of your country and the rest of the world from a very dangerous condition is assured. Just see that our routine programme such as rising early, cleansing, reading books chanting, street Sankirtana, deity worship, and so on, if these items of regular programme are maintained to the highest standard and not neglected for anything, then everything else we try for will come out successful without fail. So you are now big officer, and I think Krishna has favored you by this position, because now you will be forced to always be the best example of KC person and be very very responsible, because you must make sure that all the devotees in your temple are always satisfied as far as possible by being happy in spiritual life.

As you have recommended him, I am glad to accept Karnamrta das for second initiation. Enclosed find one sacred thread duly chanted by me, and you may hold a fire yagna and give him gayatri mantra. I think you or Kesava may be having a copy of tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, so he can hear it through earphones into the right ear so the public may not hear it. Instruct him in the principles of brahminical life, namely, to be always pure or suci. One's actions are not pure until the body is pure. So in this way, by stressing all kinds of cleanliness habits, eventually one can be purified completely, and thus qualify himself to meet god face to face.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 22 March, 1972:

I am so much thankful to you for your letter dated nil, and for the telegram wherein you have requested that I shall return to Los Angeles immediately if possible, and all blessings to you for Lord Krishna that you are endeavoring to propagate the message of Krishna Consciousness so widely and diligently. This television program is very much encouraging to me, and I wish to take part in it immediately. I wanted to cancel all other engagements and go direct to Los Angeles, but if I go in that way my promised visit to Sydney and to Japan especially will be frustrated.

So take little patience at least for one month, I'm sure that by end April I shall reach Los Angeles.

One thing more, if we are successful in this program then my dreamt mission of life to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world will be fulfilled. I wish to speak on the great philosophy of Bhagavata Dharma at least once in a week on Television, so if arrangement is made by you for this, then you will be doing the highest service for Krishna.

Letter to Bhavananda -- Bombay 25 March, 1972:

The newspaper clipping sent by you is very much encouraging. I am starting for Australia on the morning of March 31, and I wanted to see Giriraja before my starting. So kindly send him upon receipt of this letter if he has not already started. The report that Hindus and Muslims are taking prasadam together is very encouraging. Please continue this program. All the Muslims in Mayapur have now become very friendly towards us. For the last 50 years our Godbrothers were there but they could not make arrangements for the Hindus and Muslims to take prasadam together. The picture is very attractive, and is fitting ___ devotees. I am so pleased that Tamala Krishna Goswami is working so ___ hard, so combinedly you do the project together quite successfully. That will please my Guru Maharaja and me also.

Kindly send the reports at least twice in a month to whatever center I may be staying.

We have gotten an invitation from Bangladesh from my Godbrother, His Holiness Bhakti Sambandha Turya Swami Maharaja, Sri Gaudiya Math, P.O. Bordia, District Jessore. If possible you can make some program for Tamala Krishna Goswami's party to go there at our own expense. He is now a ruined man so if possible we can utilize his center as our branch.

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

So I am very much encouraged by our program in Vrindaban, especially the plan to cooperate with Cox and King's and have guided tours for foreigners, to be led by you. The main point is to acquaint by explaining them about Krishna and trying to sell them Krishna Book. So receive them nicely, and do same work as the pandas do. We have got our panda there, so you can take help from him. you can take help from Purusottama Brahmacari also. Whenever you go out with the tourists, take one known panda with you. but sight-seeing is secondary. We may advertise sightseeing to attract them, but main thing is to give them nice prasadam and instruction, then try to sell them our Krishna book. Then you will be successful with this program. We are now propagandising Krishna consciousness, so that many here will be interested to come to Vrindaban. So just like there is Dalmia dharmasala for foreigners, so we shall now have also such place, and we may eventually get bus and offer all facilities to them.

So I very much approve of your itinerary, and you may do whatever you think best in the matter.

So far the foodstuffs donated by your government, you must secure it and send to Mayapur and Bombay and we shall distribute widely to the poor. I am very much pleased by this program, so kindly expedite.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Sydney 2 April, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 17, 1972, forwarded to me in India from Nairobi. Now we have finished our business in India for the time being, so I am stopping here in Australia for some time and then I shall return to Los Angeles for my translating work.

I am very much pleased to hear from Mandali Bhadra that so many BTG's in German language are being printed and distributed by you, and also that you have opened so many centers in Germany. You are the right person to control over Germany, so Krishna will give you strength, and I'm sure you will be successful. Your German blood injected with KC drug will do tremendous good to the German people. So I think that you shall remain in charge of German-speaking centers of Europe, and let us keep Krishna das in charge of Scandinavian zone, for developing Sweden and other places in the far northern part. Now you develop Germany very nicely, perfectly, and turn the whole nation into devotees, that is your task, and later we shall see, but I am thinking to appoint other qualified men to supervise as GBC members for Mediterranean, Near East and African countries, as these areas also need to be developed, but you are so much necessary and important there in Germany, and practically Germany is the most progressive country in Europe, so I cannot think of your being absent from there.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Sydney 10 April, 1972:

From now on, the temples will operate independently and try to improve their spiritual life more carefully, so there is no more need for such financial arrangement of centralization, as you have proposed. Better you concentrate your time on improving Gurukula school, that is a huge task. You are responsible to train so many children in the highest knowledge of life, so that cannot be neglected in any way. You are also doing editing work, so I think that in these two ways you can remain yourself always busy in devotional service, without more work of management of many other temples required.

So far your statement, "Our final success will be when you actually sit tight and translate books and let us manage successfully," yes, that is my desire, but if you can do it or not, that has again disturbed me very much. Now I have given you everything, but I do not see that even the basic principles of advancement in spiritual life are always there, and sometimes there is tendency to neglect what is our real purpose of life, namely, to become mad after Krishna, and instead we become carried away by big big talk. So I am still thinking how things will go on.

Letter to Bhavananda -- Auckland 14 April, 1972:

Our girls can be engaged for teaching as well as temple worship.

Mr. Bajoria will be a very good example; if the leading men of every city takes this example of installing Radha-Krishna deities in the home exactly as in our temple, then our preaching will be very successful. But they must learn the art of worshiping and following the regulative principles from us. As soon as they employ hired priests, the whole thing will be spoiled. Members of the household should learn to worship the deity as we are doing, following the regulative principles, then it will be successful. We want every house to be a temple, not that our place should be the only place for the people to come. No, this should be the process: that they learn at our place, then establish the same thing at home. So this Bajoria program should be considered as one of our successful points of preaching, so he should be encouraged, but he should be requested at the same time to have no hired priests, then it will spoil.

Your ideas for Rathayatra are nice, so do it like that. If you want any suggestions or points, I shall give you. I suggested to make a smaller ratha of wood finely-carved with silver plating if possible; if not, you can have a nice ratha in the normal way. In childhood, my ratha used to go to this temple, so if this is again introduced, it will be again very much appreciated by Radha-Govinda.

Letter to Gunagrahi -- Tokyo 22 April, 1972:

Upon your recommendation, I am glad to accept Sriman Larry Kelly as my duly initiated disciple, and I am enclosing a separate letter to him. The extra set of beads that were mistakenly sent to Ayodhyapati Das may be given to him. Ayodhyapati may keep that name and disregard the second one.

In every college and university all over the world, there are so many different courses available to help the student become more entangled in the material world and to forget his real occupation. But none of them offer any instruction on the nature of the spirit soul and his relation with the Supreme Soul. So our program at these colleges is so important, because we are giving all these young people an opportunity to develop real knowledge and make their lives successful. I am so pleased to know that all of you are very enthusiastic for pushing on this program. Always keep this enthusiasm, and increase it more and more, and Krishna will give you all help and guidance.

Letter to All Temple Presidents -- Tokyo 22 April, 1972:

The Book Trust shall see to the printing and distribution to Centers of books and magazines and it will be the serious responsibility of each Temple President to see that the billed amounts for these are paid to the BTG and Book Funds regularly. The billings and collections shall come from and to Los Angeles where Karandhara dasa will collect and keep accounts. We request that everyone will take these formulas to heart and execute them very conscientiously. In this way we shall certainly be successful in pushing on this movement.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Tokyo 24 April, 1972:

I have received one report from Bombay that things are going on nicely, so unless there is urgent necessity I shall not want you to go back to India. Rsi Kumar was anxious to go to S. Africa. I have already advised him to go to South Africa and if he's still willing I wish that he may be helped in that respect. My desire is that you be in charge of East Africa and he may be in charge of South Africa, and this way you both organize the African program very nicely.

Just now I am on the plane towards Hong Kong (Apr. 19th), where I shall stay overnight, and tomorrow I shall go to Japan. Our preaching in Australia and New Zealand was very successful, and in New Zealand we shall very soon have our own temple, as our new disciple there, Gaura Krishna das, has already given 3 acres of land in Auckland.

I am very glad to note that you are increasing always by enrolling many Life Members. That is the heart of our expanding progress in Africa, making Life Members, so go on like this and make many many hundreds and thousands of Life Members in Africa.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Tokyo 24 April, 1972:

All your news is very good and I thank you very much. This Krishna consciousness is so nice, the more one works and renders service, the more he becomes enthusiastic. This is the secret of spiritual life. The test of spiritual life is when one can work all day long and not be tired. In the material world, we do a little work and become exhausted. 24 hours we should be engaged in some service to our capacity. That is real spiritual life.

Sivananda is a good soul, and you should try to encourage him. He is just like your younger brother. So far your apologies what is done is done, it doesn't matter. Just go on doing your work. You have got immense field for working in Germany, so with the help of Sivananda and Mandali Bhadra, organize Germany very successfully, and Krishna will be pleased. I have received one copy of the German BTG from ISKCON Press, and it is done very nicely. Sivananda can be given sannyasa, and when I go to Los Angeles, I shall let you know regarding this. I must know who the other boy is and then I can consider his case. Actually, all of you are more than sannyasis. Anyone who has dedicated his life to Krishna, he is sannyasi, yogi, and everything. That is the statement of Bhagavad-gita—one who does not work for his personal benefit is a sannyasi. It doesn't matter what is his dress. So all our devotees are more than sannyasis. We are members of Krishna's family. Our aim is not to become a Mayavadi sannyasi, but to become family members of Krishna's devotees. Krishna maintains 16,000 families, and if you get a chance to serve in one of the families, then your life is a success. Real sannyasa means no more interest in material activities, but simply dedicated to Krishna's service. That is real sannyasa. So you are greater than a sannyasi. You train all these boys to be practical sannyasis in the service of Krishna.

If it is possible to make the London Rathayatra more gorgeous by your all going, than do it. Cooperate with Dayananda. Last year in San Francisco, there were three chariots, and it was very successful, so you can do the same there. I may come also, if Lord Jagannatha attracts me.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Tokyo 25 April, 1972:

We want to unite everyone culturally. Without this, every society is imperfect, but with it, society is perfect. All intelligent leaders of society should try to understand in depth this fact. So take the help of Sri Bhakti Turyasrami and implant one center there at Jessore. He has land but no money, so we should invest a little money and open one center. Have a huge prasadam program. Gurudasa has secured foodstuffs from the American government, and I think he has acquired an excessive amount, so balance can be distributed, part to Jessore, part to Bombay, where they are also having a successful prasadam distribution program. Now there are many devotees coming from London and USA, so utilize them for vigorous propaganda in India and Bangladesh. All these reports are very much encouraging to me. Thank you very, very much.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Tokyo 2 May, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 21 April, 1972, along with photos of busses. I do not know about these things, but I think a double-decker bus may not pass all the road obstacles such as bridges and tunnels between Germany and India, so I think a single-decker bus may be more practical for driving there. So far Germany, you can purchase one bus and let us develop that program gradually, if we see it is successful. You can report to me how the bus is running, and you may correspond with Kirtanananda Maharaja in Boston as he has got many such busses. He can give you best advice.

Letter to Karandhara -- Tokyo 2 May, 1972:

I am also very much pleased to hear from you that you have sold 100 sets of paperback Krishna Book in one day, and that you have re-ordered from Dai Nippon. Gradually, we shall replace the literatures which are currently popular with our own style of transcendental literature. I have tried it: any page you open, that is wonderful reading matter. My ambition is to spread these books far and wide all over the world so that everyone shall read at least one of our books and that will change his life. If only 1% become devotees, that will change the world. I think that eventually we can print TLC in paperback also.

In the skyscraper building, that can be a guest house for receiving tourists, so they can see how practical spiritual life is developing. If just 1% of these tourists become devotees, if they adopt this process, then our effort is successful.

So far moving the Press to Los Angeles, that is for you to consult with Bali Mardan. You are Book Trust now, you discuss with him and do the needful, that's all.

Letter to Trai -- Hawaii 5 May, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 19, 1972 and I have noted the contents. I am pleased to know that all of you are enthusiastically engaged in distributing our books. In this modern Godless civilization, everyone is greatly suffering due to lack of the real knowledge of Krishna consciousness, and our task is very great and very important. We must deliver this pure science of God to everyone and give them the chance to make their lives successful. So you continue this book distribution program very nicely, and at the same time take advantage of these books yourselves. Not that you just distribute but neglect reading them yourself. Always read them, especially Krsna book. Every time you have a spare moment, you should read. This will help you to advance in Krishna consciousness, and will give you the ability to convince others also.

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Honolulu 5 May, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 26, 1972 and I have noted the contents. I am glad to know that you are now managing the activities of our San Francisco temple. Kesava has done a very nice job there, so you try to continue with the same enthusiastic spirit and Krishna will give you unlimited opportunities for serving Him. Thank you very much for your invitation to the Rathayatra Festival. Perhaps I can come, but I may go to London this year as I have not yet seen it there, and I have promised since one year. In India, we had many pandal programs and they were very successful, so you try to have one there also.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Honolulu 16 May, 1972:

I have read the letter from Turya ___, so he is anxious to get our papers, so arrange to send him our English and Bengali literature and advise he should regularly get all our papers. When you go there, on cooperation with him you can establish a center in Bangladesh by mutual arrangement, and that will be very suitable for your preaching. If the Americans can take up this movement seriously, why not the Bangladesh people? Try to meet with this educated public, and if you can convince them, it will be a great service. We are trying to unify the whole population of this globe by this cultural movement. There are blessings of Lord Caitanya in this connection, and if we try sincerely it will be successful.

Now many devotees have come from U.S.A. You wanted 100 men and so now there are about 100 men, and many have come to Bombay, so engage all of them in book distribution specifically, and take with you some kirtana party, as many as you like.

Letter to Dayananda -- Los Angeles 20 May, 1972:

So I thing that some mothers of our children should go to Dallas and take charge of teaching the children, especially how to play nicely the pastimes of young Krishna. If you ask one child to be a tree, he will immediately hold out his arms "Just see I am a tree." If you ask him to be a cow he will walk on his hands and knees immediately and you can hit him with a stick and say "hut, hut." And if they will not take prasadam you can say "Now you are a cow and you must eat the grass" and immediately they will stand on hands and legs and eat prasadam like cow eating grass. So in this way our children in Dallas school should be trained because I want that a new generation of devotees shall carry on this great mission successfully.

I have received notice from Mandakini that her Russia trip was very much successful and that she will be returning to marry Anatole as soon as she can get proper visa. So you please give her all assistance to get proper visa so that she may continue her work. She is very very nice devotee.

Letter to Niranjana -- Los Angeles 26 May, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 18th, 1972, and have noted the contents carefully. Regarding Hindi literatures, I am very much encouraged that yourself along with Ramananda and Ksirodakasayi Prabhus are anxious to do some solid work. you form a committee. along with Guru das, Giriraja and Bhavananda and altogether you work cooperatively both to publish and to distribute our Hindi literatures very widely throughout India. The committee. must be also organized for distributing the books and magazines, otherwise what is the use of publishing? First make certain that our distribution is very nice organized. So after your exams you may plunge into this task whole-heartedly and try to enlist the help of all the others and make the project come out very successfully. Form the committee. and whatever is needed, you do it. It doesn't matter if the Hindi translation is perfectly the same length as the English original, translate any issue of BTG or any book and send the manuscript after composing to Japan for printing, that is the best plan. For our English BTG's they have got the original photographs and negatives in Japan, so if you translate some issue of English BTG you can send there for printing and the cost will be cheaper because they have already got the photos, etc. In Benares there are many presses and they supply very cheaply. So you take quotations from Benares and find out the lowest quotation for soft binding, first-class paper, and printing in the size of our present Bhagavatam booklets, Easy Journey To Other Planets, like that. In Delhi and Mathura also there is very good facility for Hindi printing. So in this way cooperate with the others to find out either some printer there in India who will print our books in good quality and also very cheaply, or translate and compose the work there and send to Japan. Either way the work must go on and increasingly our literatures should be profusely distributed in India.

Letter to Sudama -- Los Angeles 26 May, 1972:

And any money that Trivikrama has collected he can turn over to you for getting that new temple in Tokyo city center.

That is a good idea, to invite many Indians and other influential Japanese men to visit our country asrama in Tokyo. There are many Indians in Tokyo and if you canvass them one by one gradually all of them will become our life members and support our activities for expanding widely in Japan. If we have got solid financial base there from the Hindu community, then we can go to all parts of Japan and open up centers and distribute our literature in Japanese language. So, try for this and I am fully convinced that you are all very sincere boys there and that your work will come out very very successful.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Los Angeles 8 June, 1972:

Our business is to chant, so the time that Indian __ to come to hear our chanting and arati and take prasada __ that your preaching work is actually successful. For the __ we should be satisfied with that. And if they become __ that is very nice. The only difficulty is the Indians __ we have to learn from the Americans? So the best thing is to __ or other make them members and raise funds for our activities. When someone pays it means he is converted. Somehow or other __ has to render some service, so if you can collect money from ___ that means practically they are becoming our disciples. So do not become spiritual depressed, actually these things are going forward very progressively there in India and I am very much thankful to you all my sincere disciples, especially the elder disciples and Sannyasis like your good self, for assisting me in this great mission of reviving the original Krishna Consciousness atmosphere in India. Do not worry, in time we shall be completely successful.

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 8 June, 1972:

I have received your letter from Bombay dated May 30th, 1972, and noted all the contents. Yes, by Krishna's Grace we have a very responsible task before us, so combinedly we should do it nicely so that everything goes on systematically. Rupa Goswami says that the things are enthusiasm, patience, conviction, acting exactly to the order of the Sastra and Guru, and always keeping oneself in the society of devotees, and this makes our devotional service successful. So our serious students should follow Rupa Goswami's advice.

Mr. Pandiya's suggestion for the housing society is very much appreciated by me, and it is very good proposal. We cannot give the control of the house to anyone and everyone. So your idea is all right, the housing society should be registered in the society's (ISKCON) name and we should pay the tax 70,000/.

Thank you for sending the books to Brahmananda, so you should also send him bill, collect, and deposit in the book fund. If you have paid 100% of BTG money into the book fund account already, that is all right, you haven't got to pay twice. You should inform Ksirodakasayi what you have already paid into the BTG Book fund account. Did Ksirodakasayi send any bill? According to that bill you must pay, then the account will be nice. But if he has not sent you a bill, and you have paid the rest into the book fund, you haven't got to pay him. But in future he should always send bill and you should settle up with him accordingly. Now Gurudasa has gotten the import license, so whatever books are sent from here, the whole amount should be spent for building. Books sent from here should be considered as a contribution to the building work in India. Now we are printing many small, attractive booklets at ISKCON Press and I think they will sell like anything in India also. So in the future we shall see about getting these small books printed in Japan and send them in profuse quantities to India.

Letter to Tejiyas -- Los Angeles 12 June, 1972:

I am in due reciept of your letter dated June 2, 1972, and I have noted the contents. I am very pleased to hear from you and from Guru das that your preaching work in Delhi is continuing on very nicely and that you are meeting with very good success by making many life members. Actually, this making life members is the certain sign that our preaching work is successful. If somebody pays us, that is almost the same as converting him. So the more life members that you make in Delhi, the more I can understand that your preaching work is very pleasing to Krishna. Krishna is most pleased by His servant who preaches by canvassing others on His behalf.

So far Mr. Iswar Puri of Atmaram Book Store, let him make a concrete contract to publish our MacMillan version of Bhagavad-gita in cheap edition. You can send one copy of the contract to me and one copy to Bali Mardan at ISKCON Press in New York. I do not know if we are covered by copyright in India or not. You may inquire into this matter.*

I am very pleased to hear that the collecting work for Vrndavana project is going on by cooperative endeavor amongst yourselves there. ___ to interest the life members and richer class of men to purchase rooms in our Vrndavana Temple on the Bhetnama system for staying with us on weekends. Many high class gentlemen in Delhi who are also devotees would relish the chance to live with us on weekends and it will be for them just like Vaikuntha. I very much appreciate your courageous preaching work and I can understand that Krishna is giving you all facilities for making your spiritual advancement.

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

Therefore, I recommend you to read books more and more and try to understand the subject matter from different angles of vision and be always discussing it with your godbrothers even while you are working at the press, and when you are working and you cannot read, then listen to the tapes of my lectures and hear in that way. And never neglect to chant your 16 rounds of beads daily, rise early without fail, attend mangal arati, take bath, and follow the other regulative principles, and everything will come out very successfully, you can rest assured of that.

I am feeling the tendency more and more to retire behind the scenes for translating work, and I want to turn over the management of everything to the GBC and other senior leaders amongst my disciples, so if you have in future any more matters for discussing you may assist me in training these leaders and managers by placing your questions before them. I think Rupanuga will be able to answer all of your questions satisfactorily, so you can be confident that he is giving you all good advice.

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

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated June 5, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, the proof of your teaching method shall be seen in the spiritual improvement and fresh enthusiasm exhibited by the children. If they are allowed to worship the Deity by practicing performing aratrika very seriously, plus always be engaged in different various activities centered around Krsna, then their education will be completely successful. The children should always be instructed by taking advantage of their playful mood and teaching them to play Krsna games like become cowherd boys, cows, peacocks, demons and in this way if they always think of Krsna by playing just like they are actually present in association with Krsna then they will become Krsna Conscious very quickly. In addition, there should be a little ABC, then prasadam, then worshiping the Deity, then more playing Krsna games, some kirtana, a little more ABC, like that. In this way, always keep their minds and bodies engaged in different activities because children are restless by nature so they will want to change often.

I am feeling more and more the urge to retire behind the scenes and translate these Vedic literatures for the greatest benefit for mankind in general. So I have given you my all senior disciples and leaders everything so if you will kindly take this matter very seriously and do my work for me I shall be very much thankful to you always. Of course, if there are some questions which are of extreme importance and cannot be answered by the GBC men then I am always very glad to advise and hear from my beloved disciples. So for future questions about the Gurukula activities or any other matters you may refer them all to Satsvarupa and he is able to give you all the proper answers.

Letter to Prajapati -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

Our preaching must be based upon the subject matter from books and nothing outside of them. The actual fact is that worshiping the Deity and chanting the glories of the Lord are both within the nine processes of devotional service recommended by Rupa Goswami. Besides chanting and hearing and remembering there are six other recommended activities in devotional service. So if we are able to practice even only one of these activities perfectly, the result will be the same. Or we may execute more than one, we may execute several or even all nine activities in devotional service, but even if we execute one perfectly we shall be completely successful in devotional service. So there is no question that one activity is more important than another or that Deity worship is more important than Sankirtana, but one individual may be able to perform one activity more satisfactorily than another, so to him that activity will be more important. But in general we cannot say that any of the nine processes is more important than the others, except that if hearing, chanting and remembering are there, that is the most vital consideration for the general class of men in this age. Service to the Deities, as you are asking me, begins whenever you remember Them and offer all your services by remembering at the same time. All activities, words, everything should be offered as service to the Deities, and this offering with remembering will gradually increase as you practice it.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

I am very much concerned that the devotees should be given all good instruction and knowledge of Krishna Consciousness, that is the duty of the GBC man. (?) better to utilize time and train the devotees, especially the responsible officers, and they can go out for preaching to non-devotees and making new devotees. But if they do not have any knowledge, how can they go out and preach? So you GBC men are my selected few for insuring that what I am doing will be carried on very nicely for the pleasure of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So now you must all my senior disciples and leaders become very, very much aware of your grave responsibility to the human society for delivering them from the clutches of catastrophe, and be always cool-headed and utilize every moment in the best manner possible. I am successful only because I am following strictly the orders of my Guru Maharaja, and I do not deviate. Therefore people respect what I am saying and they listen because I do not say one thing and do another. So now you are doing my work and you shall be like me and be yourselves the worthy representatives of our disciplic succession.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

And then we discuss the subject matter very minutely and inspect it from all angles of approach and savor the new understandings. So you introduce this system in all of the centers in your zone, and you will discover that everyone becomes very much enlivened by these daily classes. Read one sloka and discuss and then go on to the next sloka on the next day, and so on, and even you discuss one verse each day it will take you 50 years to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam in this way. So we have got ample stock for acquiring knowledge. And if the students get knowledge more and more, they will automatically become convinced and very easily perform their duties for tapasya or renunciation of the material bondage, and that will be their successful advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So I want that advancement amongst all of my students, so your are responsible that the standard will be maintained.

If Tusta Krsna is so much anxious to acquire a press for New Zealand, there is no harm. I have written to him to use his better judgement in the matter. If you wish to take the small 12-inch Radha Krsna Deities in the parade, that is all right.

Letter to Gargamuni, Mahamsa, Naranaraya, Giriraja -- Los Angeles 19 June, 1972:

Mahamsa and Cyavana may act by the decisions of Giriraja, so Cyavana may transfer his building supervision work to somebody else, according to Giriraja. I have heard the building work is not going on satisfactorily, but that is our main business there, so if it is not being done nicely, the proper experienced man must be put in charge of the construction work.

So in conclusion, it is my request even you do not agree on some points, Giriraja is in charge so please follow his direction and that will please me. I am very much anxious to see the progress at Bombay center, and I want it shall become the first-class preaching center in the world. Please help me in this ambition. If we can manage successfully, we will be attractive for the whole of India. Our task is very heavy, do not neglect by paltry disagreement. I hope Krishna will bless you to understand my heart and oblige.

Letter to Yadubara -- Los Angeles 20 June, 1972:

This is not at all a pleasant situation for anyone. I am entrusting this huge task to all of you for working together cooperatively for doing something wonderful. I can understand that you are responsible and cool-headed along with the others, so you take the hand in reconciling all differences.

I have just now written to Gargamuni, Mahamsa, Nara Narayana, Giriraja as follows: "It is my request even you do not agree on some points, Giriraja is in charge so please follow his direction and that will please me. I am very much anxious to see the progress at Bombay Center, and I want it shall become the first class preaching center in the world. Please help me in this ambition. If we can manage successfully, we will be attractive for the whole of India. Our task is very heavy, do not neglect by paltry disagreement. I hope Krishna will bless you to understand my heart and oblige."

You state in your letter that everything is going on nicely there in Bombay, and I suppose that in general things are all right, but this todays news disturbs me and so I have ordered that Gargamuni shall immediately leave Bombay for his Gujarat tour and that Nara Narayana be given full assistance for extending the garden to all vacant areas of our property. Kindly assist me for seeing that these plans are carried out immediately and that our main task, namely, the construction work, shall not be neglected. This is very important matter.

You say that the Clairidge Press owned by Susheel Somani has offered to print our Gujarati magazine free of charge, and then you say that the cost will be not more than Rupees 3,000/-. How it is costing so much when the work is being done without any charge?

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1972:

Sometimes before, Ksirodakasayi has made promises many, but then he goes away. So Gargamuni is a little aspiring to be the president of Vrndavana, and he was sorry when he was refused the post because I wanted to give Ksirodakasayi chance. But Ksirodakasayi is not very responsible, so why not make Gargamuni president of the Vrndavana temple to be responsible for collecting the money and making certain that the job gets done on time? If he is given a big task to do, Gargamuni has got determination and he always comes out successful in this matter of raising money and doing some big work with it, just like when he purchased our Los Angeles temple. Main thing is, don't waste any time. Finish it on time.

There is one saying that one should cut the coat according to the pocket. So even we cannot afford the proposed temple project as we have got the plans drawn by Saurabha and that architect, Mr. Suri, still, if we have not got sufficient funds and if there is long delay to get them, better to go ahead and build something little cheaper and very simple. The temple can be made with ordinary bricks if there is no money available, as I have drawn the plan before in the beginning. Unless someone comes forward with money, this structure as you have drawn it will be too much expensive. According to our means and strength we can construct a simple temple of bricks only. But one thing is, you must have somebody who can look after the work who has got some experience or you will be cheated. Jayapataka has got good experience in Mayapur, so he can sometimes go to Vrndavana, give instructions, and go back, like that. So you may write him in this connection and make the proposal. Singhania will not give anything, rest assured. Don't go after him, he is like that, very difficult to deal with. Regarding the revised plans that you have sent me, the side-supports or slabs vertical can be made of stone slabs which are easily available.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 28 June, 1972:

Your touring party has done a very excellent job of spreading Krishna Consciousness in Bihar state as I have seen from the newsclippings and other enclosures which you have sent. One thing, our Subala Maharaja is preaching alone in Kanpur and I do not very much approve of alone preaching, so if you like you can request him to join with your party.* Also, Gargamuni Maharaja has left Bombay with his party for touring in Gujarat state and other places. Your touring and the publicity is a tremendous service. Krsna will be very much pleased. This touring and preaching, along with sankirtana party, this is our actual mission. And if you go to Bangladesh and do the same work there, it will be a great achievement for you and all of the world if you are successful. So I will pleased to learn if you have got the visas in Delhi, and if you go to Bangladesh make certain first to get the money from Mr. Jayan and sent the requisition order with signatures duly.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1970:

Therefore, I am especially appealing to the GBC men to take this mission of Krishna Consciousness movement very, very soberly and without any inebrieties for advancing the knowledge of how to inject Krishna Consciousness into the dead body of material nature. And I am especially convinced that your government of your country must come forward to assist us. We may approach our government leaders with our simple formula and show to them by the practical result that we are accomplishing the reform work that they are trying to do by spending millions of dollars but not very successfully. We, on the other hand, are rescuing the most fallen members of society among the young people and giving them new life of spiritual or highly desirable qualities, such as honesty, cleanliness, truthfulness, morality, like that. Now you approach the government leaders and convince them in this way, and that will be the greatest achievement. They have got so much money for spending for human welfare activities, and practically we are demonstrating that they have given us foodstuffs in India and we are distributing them daily to not less than 500 men, and if they would give us more we could also increase more and more. Your government has got inclination to assist the unfortunate people of the world, and that is very nice idea, now they should understand also that we are very much anxious and capable to assist them in their great and noble endeavor by rendering our services amongst the unfortunate citizens. If they give us financial help in this matter of human welfare activities, we are prepared to save or rescue their entire population from the clutches of ruin and degradation of all sorts.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1972:

Otherwise, the children of your country and other countries, they are simply growing up to be sophisticated animals, so what good will their education do? But if they will agree to try to understand our Krishna Consciousness education or way of life and allow their children to be educated by us, they will see them come out as the topmost citizens with all good qualities such as honesty, cleanliness, truthfulness, loyalty, etc. So that is a very important work and you are especially responsible to make it successful. All other GBC men should give you all assistance for building up the standard there.

You mention that you are no longer much occupied with seeing that the rent and mortgage is paid and that the incense is sold, but GBC means to be occupied with everything in the zone. It is not that now we are preachers we can neglect all other points. No, the GBC member is supposed to know everything and anything about the condition and situation of all matters within his jurisdiction. That is the meaning of secretary. So because we are engaged in many fields of activity I am especially relying upon that knowledge of my GBC assistants and secretaries to manage everything properly. But if we do not take time to understand how the financial matters are going on, then at any moment we may experience some calamity due to our inattention to these matters. Therefore, you should try to keep yourself always informed how the financial matters are improving and keep your watchful eye on every feature of our Krishna Consciousness activity. That is also part of preaching work. I am also preaching daily.

Letter to Shyamsundar Mallik -- London 13 July, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your kind letter dated 7/7/72 in Bengali, and you will excuse I am writing in English because I am in London. I hope you are making the Ratha-yatra Festival very successful, along with my disciples headed by Bhavananda and Acyutananda Swami. In my childhood I used to take my ratha with my little friends, about 60 years ago. Again I am reviving the same attempt with my young disciples. I have become old, and you are also old, although not so old as I am. We may pass away, but my disciples will carry on this festival yearly, and so it will be remembered forever our eternal relationship with Sri Sri Jagannathaji and Sri Sri Radha-Govindaji. Ask your sons also to cooperate so that in future this festival will be continued for good.

I am presently engaged here in London for celebrating the Ratha-yatra Festival also. A huge festival will begin at Marble Arch and proceed to Trafalgar Square, where I shall speak to at least 10,000 persons. Similarly, my disciples are holding Ratha-yatra festival at San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York, Tokyo, Melbourne (Australia), Calcutta, and other places. So what was my childhood play 65 years ago is now a worldwide event. The same Radha-Govindaji worship and Jagannatha worship is going on all over the world.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Amsterdam 29 July, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 19, 1972. One thing is, I have just received on July 25, 1972, the following telegram from Mohanananda; "Obeisances I am not offended mismanaging book fund Madhudvisa Swami is responsible why must I receive blame against my wishes." I do not know what is the meaning of this telegram, therefore kindly send me the full explanation. It does not sound well that there is quarreling.

I am very glad to hear that there has been a very nice Rathayatra Festival in Melbourne, and that despite all obstacles many people joined and it was very successful. Similarly, in London we have already celebrated a very successful Rathayatra procession, and many thousands of persons joined in marching from Marble Arch to Trafalgar Square, and in Trafalgar Square I initiated nearly 30 new disciples and we had fire yajna and many, many thousands of persons observed it, mostly Englishmen.

Regarding the dramas, my point is not to deviate from gravity and compromise or distract from the situation. Keep this point in vision and continue. That is a very good proposal to stage one play based upon Lord Caitanya. Read TLC on the stage, just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving instruction to Sanatana Goswami, and the actors may speak little philosophy, without need for special costumes or other things. Then kirtana. There must be always kirtana. Dialogue, kirtana; then again dialogue, again kirtana; again repeat; like that. No humor should be there, just philosophy and kirtana. If it is successful, then the same dialogue-kirtana may be followed by other sankirtana parties in Europe and America.

Letter to Danavir -- London 2 August, 1972:

I sometimes remember that when I spoke in Portland there were many Christian people there, and they were very much favorable whenever we mentioned that we were also lovers of Christ. So you may preach in that way, that we are not canvassing for people to convert or criticize, we are canvassing people that they should simply utilize their time for loving God by engaging in his devotional service, either they are Christian, Catholic, Jew, whatever. We are after God, that's all, we are servants of God. So preach like this, very simply, and hold sankirtana widely all over the city, and distribute prasadam profusely, especially to the young people and the students, and everything will be increasingly successful more and more. We have observed in Amsterdam that there are many frustrated young people and they have become very much degraded in their way of life. They will not even listen to philosophy. So it is better to concentrate on the sankirtana and get them to chant with us. If they go on chanting, eventually they will become purified. And if someone wants to understand a little philosophy, he can purchase one of our books. We have got so many big, big books. So in this spirit carry on with great enthusiastic endeavor and this will please me very, very much.

Letter to Tejiyas, Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 16 August, 1972:

I have received your joint letter dated 6th August, from Vrindaban and I am very glad to hear that everything is going nicely there. Regarding the questions by Tejiyas, unless there are local men in Delhi who are interested and who will do the work, then it is all right to attempt to expand there by renting building, etc. But on our own attempt that is not good. And this also applies to the pandal program. It will be expensive, so local persons must come forward to cooperate. Last time Dalmia and others were there, and they gave us all assistance. Therefore the program was very successful. So if such men are willing to come forward again to help us and organize everything, then we should try for it, otherwise, it is too much endeavor. My plan is to come to Vrindaban sometimes near the 12th or 15th of October for the Karati Varta and I want to sit down there in the Sri Radha Damodara Temple until some time near the end of November. I will lecture daily in the courtyard on the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, especially for the benefit of the devotees. So you can make arrangements in that way.

Regarding your questions about the marble tablets, in 1955 I went to Vrindaban and stayed at Nathagaon temple. In 1961 I moved to Radha Damodara temple and I am still living there.

Letter to Gaura Sakti -- Los Angeles 22 August, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 22, 1972 requesting initiation, and upon the recommendation of Madhudvisa Swami, I have gladly consented to give you Gayatri mantra. This second initiation is very, very serious business, and you must become very strong and firmly situated in devotional service, and stick rigidly to chanting at least 16 rounds daily, without fail, and following the regulative principles without any deviation. This things will insure that you will be protected from Maya, and that your life will be successful and in the end you will go back to home, back to Godhead. I was very pleased with the Deities when I was there. So I request you to continue, along with Dipak, to render sincere, regular, loving service to Their Lordships, and They will give you all blessings. I have given you the spiritual name Gaura Sakti das Brahmacari. Now you continue, as you have been, to give Madhudvisa and the others all help, and spread this great movement all over Australia.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Los Angeles 22 August, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 18, 1972 and I have noted the contents. So far the fire yajna is concerned, you can wait until Janmastami celebrations in New Vrindaban, and they can take part in that yajna. I am very much pleased to hear how nicely you are presenting Krishna consciousness through your radio program, and I think if you just carry on as you are it will be very successful.

By remaining steady in your chanting, always completing at least 16 rounds on your beads, and studying our books carefully, along with chanting of the Sanskrit mantras in Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, automatically you will become freed from the modes of passion and ignorance, and gravity and steadiness will come. You can use your lust for the service of Krishna, and then you will be transcendentally situated.

You get the seed of devotion, and the Hare Krishna mantra through the mercy of the spiritual master and Krishna. Similarly, upon your surrender, the spiritual master and Krishna take responsibility for your sins. So if you commit sin again, the spiritual master becomes responsible for your sinful reaction. Therefore, it is the disciple's duty not to commit sin again. Not only Gayatri mantra, but all mantras cleanse one from sinful reactions, but we should not chant these mantras and then commit sin again.

Letter to Brahmananda -- New Vrindaban 2 September, 1972:

Thank you very much for your letter from Tanzania dated August 24, 1972, and with great satisfaction I have noted the contents. Yes, the preaching work is giving you new life. My Guru Maharaja Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati used to say pran acche var sehetu pracar, "one can preach who has got life." So one who is preaching this Krishna Consciousness Movement means he has got real life.

I am very glad to hear that your programmes in Tanzania and other places are coming out very successful and everyone is becoming satisfied by your presesnce in their towns and villages. That is a very good plan for making twice on the magazine and books by selling once to the Hindus and again to the Africans. You and your brother Gargamuni Maharaja are always good brain for making some money, but I think that he is little better than you for making money, but I like your plan very much. Yes, now go on in this way making tour all over Africa, following the same plan you have chalked out of making Life Members, selling books and magazines, holding kirtana, distributing prasadam, dancing, like that. One thing is, I have recently got one letter from Mr. Shah wherein he mentions there are many temples beng offered to us in Uganda by the Indians who must leave there. So I understand you are going there soon, so why not take them if they are offering freely? We shall have to send you many Americans for managing them.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 7 September, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 31, 1972 from Calcutta, and immediately on receipt of the letter, I have sent you a telegram to the Vrindaban address as advised by you, confirming your proposal for the Hyderabad program from November 17 to December 10. My immediate program is that I shall remain in Vrindaban from October 15 to November 15, and after that it will be possible for me to go to Hyderabad. Your preaching in Hyderabad has become very successful along with your other colleagues, Sriman Subala das Maharaja and others, and I thank you very much for your great success in this respect. As it is our motto on the head of Back to Godhead, "Godhead is light, nescience is darkness. Where there is Godhead there is no darkness." The whole world is full of darkness. The so-called yogis, swamis, mayavadis, scientists, philosophers, political leaders, all are different types of glowworms, so in the darkness of cloudy night during the rainy season, the croaking of the frogs and glitterings of the glowworms are supposed to be very prominent. But as soon as there is clear sunlight or moonlight, all these insignificant glowing and croaking disappear. So our movement is Krishna. The Krishna Consciousness Movement is nondifferent from Krishna. If we therefore present the Krishna Consciousness in right earnestness, then certainly all these insignificant glowworms and frogs will have no more importance.

Letter to Yadubara -- Los Angeles 13 September, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 28, 1972, and I have appreciated the contents carefully. I am glad to hear that all the departments of business are going on successfully, now I am anxious to hear if the conveyance deed has been signed and what are the contents. Kindly send me the copy duly signed as quickly as possible. this will give me great relief. As soon as the conveyance has been signed you may begin the building work immediately. I am coming to India soon, at east by October, and I want to see that the building projects in Bombay, Mayapur and Vrndavana are going on nicely. This Bombay project is one of our most important projects in the whole world and I am looking to you and the others there in Bombay to see that it is done very magnificently. I have been very much encouraged to see some advertisement booklet printed by Air India wherein the theme is exclusively dedicated to Krsna and Vrndavana. With this idea the Air India Company is enticing tourists to come to India simply to experience the spiritual life around Krsna. So in future I expect that our Bombay project will be one of the most important show-pieces in the world for foreign tourists to actually come and get actual experience of Krsna Consciousness or the real Vedic culture. So with this idea in mind work very vigorously and with renewed spirit to do the work very gorgeously and raise up first our temple and later on the apartment houses as you have planned.

Letter to Niranjana -- Los Angeles 18 September, 1972:

I thank you very much for your letter from Benares dated 9 September 1972, and I have very much appreciated the contents. Yes, if you can come to Vrndavana in October to see me, that will be very nice. I shall be arriving there approximately the 15th and can remain for about three weeks before going to Delhi, where we will hold our second annual Hare Krsna Festival and Bhagavata-dharma Discourses. I am very glad to hear that all of your activities are going on successfully, that you have finished your exams in good order and you have increased your chanting also of rounds. And most of all I am happy to hear that you have begun some translating work. Now you work conjointly with Ramananda in Gorakhpur for producing all of my books in Hindi language, that will be your great contribution. You are a learned scholar, so is Ramananda, so the both of you together should head up this program of translating and publishing my books in Hindi language. If you require to have anything sent you from this country, I can arrange. You should be given all facilities to carry on this work with all expediency. Thank you very much for helping me in this way, may Krsna bless you more and more.

Letter to Bhaktijana -- Los Angeles 21 September, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter, undated, and I have read the contents carefully. Yes, that is a good program that you are doing in New York by going from place to place and holding classes, having kirtana in the street, and generally recruiting devotees for sending to the Brooklyn Temple. If you do like that, going from one part of New York to another, New York is the biggest city in the world and there are innumerable places where you can hold chanting and classes, so if you go on like you are doing, I have no objection. But at all times, give your kind cooperation to Bali Mardan for working together on your program. He is GBC and President of Brooklyn Temple and he can give you all advice and facilities for your work. So kindly cooperate with him as much as possible, and that will please me very much. So far going to Puerto Rico, I have no objection if you go there, but if your program in New York is successful, better to develop that. But if someone goes to Puerto Rico in the future, that also sounds like a good adventure. But I think it is better to develop what we have got for now, and later on we shall see if someone can go to Puerto Rico.

You do not require to worry as I shall never leave you, you are my disciple and I am your spiritual master, so there is no question, as long as you follow my instructions, that I shall ever leave you. Just remember under all circumstances to chant sixteen rounds of japa daily, offer your prasadam to Krsna, and do all of the things which you already know, as you are senior disciple. These things will protect you under all conditions, without any doubt.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 23 September, 1972:

Thank you very much for your letter from New Vrndavana dated 19 September 1972 along with the box of sandesh. The sandesh was the first class sandesh I have tasted in your country, you have mastered the art perfectly well, thank you very much. I am happy to hear that your program in New Vrndavana has been very successful, and for my part I was very much pleased to attend this year. Now I can understand that this Bhagavata-dharma discourse can be held anywhere all over the world and people will come in large numbers such great distance and under all kinds of hardships just to hear our discourse. That is very encouraging to me, now you are sannyasis and GBC men and I leave it to you to hold this Bhagavata-dharma discourse and Hare Krsna festival all over your country widely, and this will be the success of our movement. You are experienced devotee, and you know how to do things well, so kindly train the others and distribute your experience widely, and organize. If such festivals can be held in different places continuously then my dream will be fulfilled. Your program for traveling to the colleges is nice, try to sell as many of our books and literatures as possible and lecture to all the students what is the real purpose of their education of life. If students become interested, they may come to New Vrndavana and stay with you for some time, and you can instruct them in our philosophy. Gradually try to develop that place, there is immense potential and immense land for development. I saw so much land, but there were no men working the land or raising crops. That is our purpose for keeping so much land, to utilize it in the service of Krsna. So next year you can raise so many kinds of fruits and vegetables there and keep cows, and that will be the ideal Krsna Conscious community of living.

Letter to Revatinandana -- Los Angeles 25 September, 1972:

Thank you very much for your letter from London dated 20 September 1972, and I have very much enjoyed hearing your description of the programs in England. I am so very much pleased to hear about your successfully preaching widely in the youth clubs and halls and colleges, this is my dream coming true. I wanted that many sannyasis would travel widely in the Western countries and preach to the young people, especially in the schools and colleges, and spread our Krsna philosophy in these places. Now Krsna has given you all facilities for this work, and I can understand that you are very intelligent boy and you have got good enthusiasm, so I am taking encouragement from your progress. One thing is, now you have got many many books and we require to raise huge sum for purchasing our new place in London, s my senior disciple and experienced man you should take lead in supervising the distribution of books widely all over Great Britain. You say that the sankirtana party in London requires more push, so you do the needful for organizing them and enthusing them to sell books and literatures more and more. Karandhara is coming there in a few days and he will see how everything is going on, because Syamasundara. must remain with me. But if Syamasundara.'s presence is also required for getting that new place, he can also come there. Meanwhile, you satisfy yourself that the sankirtana parties are distributing our literatures as much as possible and depositing in the building fund. Everything above expenses should be put into the building fund and saved for the new place.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles 30 September, 1972:

Regarding the question you have raised about traveling sankirtana parties and selling of books, yes, we want money. So that is the real preaching, selling books. Who can speak better than the books? At least whoever buys, he will look over. If you have to sell books, do it by hook or by crook. The real preaching is selling books. You should know the tactic how to sell without irritating. What your lecture will do for three minutes, but if he reads one page his life may be turned. We don't want to irritate anyone, however. If he goes away by your agressive tactics, then you are nonsense and it is your failure. Neither you could sell a book, neither he would remain. But if he buys a book that is the real successful preaching. That is the certificate of my Guru Maharaja, if someone, brahmacari, would sell a one paise magazine, if one of our brahmacaris would go and sell a few copies, he would be very very glad and say "Oh, you are so nice!" So distribution of literature is our real preaching. Now if you cannot handle the matter nicely, that is your fault. But the success of your preaching will be substantiated by how many books are sold. Anything you want to sell, you have to a little canvass, so he gives some money for the service of Krsna. That is his good luck and he gets the chance to read some transcendental knowledge. But if you only irritate and he goes away, that is your less intelligence.

The fact is that we have to adopt the same tactics as ordinary salesmen adopt, but the difference is we do it for the satisfaction of Krsna, they do it for sense gratification. Actually we have experienced that sometimes out of sentiment someone gives to ISKCON and then laments and wants it back, but that does not mean we should give it back. Our policy is that his money which would have been used for purchasing cigarettes, liquor, sex literature, meat, will give him the opportunity to gradually become purified. So if by tactics we save that money from being spent on cigarette packets, that is good. If we can take some money and give some literature, that is a good service. So far irritation is concerned, a child is also irritated when he is given instructions, but that does not mean that we should stop. Invite them in our feast, that is a better indication.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles 30 September, 1972:

So if the sankirtana parties in Satsvarupa's zone are irritating the public for selling so many books, that is one thing, but by their selling books they are doing the greatest service. What your one hour of preaching will do, they will hear and go away, but if they have one book at home, they will read, their friends will read, and something solid work is done. So the art is to sell many many books and not to irritate the public, so you may instruct all the others how to do this successfully. That is sannyasa. That is GBC. There are so many places to go, so why there should be business competition sankirtana parties in New York? This problem should be adjusted between the GBC men.

Letter to Pusta Krsna -- Vrindaban 8 November, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 1, 1972, and I am very much engladdened to hear that you have arrived to Europe and that you have enthusiastically begun your work there, opening one centre in France. Yes, such opening of temples, holding daily street sankirtana, distributing books, preaching in the schools and colleges, this is our standard programme for injecting Krishna Consciousness in the world. And if we simply stick to this programme we shall be successful, without any doubt. Now you are sannyasi, sannyasi means responsible, you must be responsible for the spiritual progress of the devotees, to see that the right standard is being observed in all departments. Just as I am doing. Sometimes I go to the bank, sometimes keep accounts, sometimes preach, hold the class, write books, sometimes cook—sannyasi should be expert in all departments, and he should distribute his experience to others, that's all. So I think you are the right man for assisting me in this way in European continent, and Krishna has brought you to the right place, so with great enthusiasm go forward. Thank you very much.

Yes, everyone of you should write something, so if you have completed any small booklets, you may send them to me and I shall see them and send to Hayagriva for possibly printing.

Letter to Madhumangala -- Hyderabad 18 November, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated, and I have noted the contents with care. So far your question is concerned, should the Jagannatha deity be bathed with water, that is not necessary. They should be washed once in a year, that is sufficient, 15 days before Rathayatra. That is called "sananyatra" ceremony. Otherwise if you bathe, that will damage the wood.

Regarding general state of affairs at Amsterdam temple, I can understand there is some disturbance among you, but that is not to be taken very seriously. Real business is preaching work, and if there is full attention on this matter only, all other businesses will be automatically successful. Fighting amongst ourselves is not at all good, but if our preaching work is neglected, or if we fall down in following the regulative principles such as rising before four, chanting 16 rounds, like that, if these things are not strictly observed then maya will enter and spoil everything. So my best advice to you is to strictly observe these things yourself and be the example so that all others may follow. We should not criticize each other, as Vaisnavas, because there is fault in everyone and we may be ourselves subject to criticism. Best thing is to be above suspicion ourselves, then if we see discrepancies and make suggestion the others will automatically respect and take action to rectify the matters. That is cooperation. And we must exist on such cooperation, otherwise the whole thing is doomed if we simply go on fighting over some small thing. So try to organize things and preach together in this spirit, and that will please me very, very much.

Letter to Rupa Vilasa -- Hyderabad 18 November, 1972:

And what is that training? Simply they should be engaged in such a way that they are somehow or other remembering Krishna at every moment, that's all. It is not something mechanical process, if we force in such a way they will come out like this, no. We are persons, and Krishna is a Person, and our relationship with Krishna He leaves open as a voluntary agreement always, and that voluntary attitude—Yes, Krishna, I shall gladly co-operate whatever you say—that ready willingness to obey is only possible if there is love. Forcing will not make me agree. But if there is love, oh, I shall gladly do it. That is bhakti, that is Krishna Consciousness. So similarly, if we train children by developing and encouraging their propensity to love Krishna, then we shall be successful in educating them to the topmost standard. Then they shall always very happily agree to do whatever you ask them. So I have heard that there as been some beating with sticks on the children. Of course I do not know, but that should not be. You may show the stick, threaten, but better art is to somehow or other, even by tricking them, avoid this matter of force and induce them to obey out of loving spirit. That is success of disciplinary method.

Letter to Kurusrestha -- Hyderabad 23 November, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 13, 1972, and I can well appreciate how the things are going on nicely in your Denver center. I am very glad to hear all the good news, especially that you want to sell books more and more. That is the best preaching work; each book sold means there is some practical effect of preaching, there is some tangible progress. So try to sell books as many as possible in your country, and in this way, so long you remain active but not for your personal sense-gratification, so long you remain active only satisfying Krishna's senses, then this movement will be successful without any doubt. As soon as someone wants to satisfy his own senses, then he fails at everything. We are the only movement in the world which is preaching the real fact or secret to success, and outside our movement everything else will fail. So try to convince people to join us and be successful in their life, that will be your credit.

Now you are the leader of so many men, so you have got the blessings of Krishna's favoring you, because now He is forcing you to be responsible for becoming yourself perfectly example of Krishna Conscious devotee and making yourself perfectly example of Krishna Conscious devotee and making others Krishna Consciousness. Now become always attentive to all the aspects of your temple's activities, especially to the regulative spiritual life and preaching work. If this standard of devotional practices is maintained at the highest level, everything else you do will become automatically successful. And that will please me very much.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Ahmedabad 10 December, 1972:

Even I was there in summer, still I had to go to England—it was so much cold in Hamburg. But never mind there is any discomfort of the body. We shall not be very much concerned for that. Devotee means he is able to tolerate all kinds of discomfort and whims of the material nature, and because he is so much absorbed in serving Krishna, he takes no time to become angry or take offense with others or find out some fault, no. Devotee means very liberal and kind to everyone, always gentleman under all kinds of conditions of life. So now you have practically become inseparable from Germany temples, and you have introduced this strict brahminical standard in those countries and it is coming out successful. So I am always appreciating you and your good wife, Himavati, for your kindly helping me in this way. May Krishna shower you with His all blessings.

Regarding the new initiates, I am sending their letter along with beads duly chanted by me under separate posting. So far the Hindi typewriter is concerned, keep it with you for the time being and we shall see later, I will let you know.

Letter to Revatinandana -- Ahmedabad 10 December, 1972:

I am too much proud of you on account of seeing the newspaper items. Yes, if there is good response for purchasing our books and asking intelligent questions, that is the test of your preaching capacity. I can well remember that Woodstock Hall or Woodside Hall in Glasgow, so I can very well appreciate how nice these Scottish people listen to our discourse. Now develop this field very carefully, it is one of the best places in the world for our preaching work to take hold and convince the population gradually.

So far I am concerned, we have just completed our pandal programme in Hyderabad and it was very, very successful. In that portion there was no rain for two years, but due to our Sankirtana yagna the rain came and everyone was happy that we came to make it rain, and besides that they gave us some nice land in the most central marketplace of the city and we are raising up a gorgeous temple with the help of the local devotees. In the pandal programme sometimes I am thinking of you, how you are always playing the drum and singing. You are a very nice singer, that much I recall. Now give all the new brahmacaris your best instruction for making spiritual advancement, you are one of my senior disciples, so that much, if you do, that will be the best service.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Ahmedabad 11 December, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 17, 1972, and I have noted with pleasure that you want to go to Caracas, South America, to join Hanuman for opening centre and preaching work there. That will be very, very nice. I know that you are the right man because I saw for myself how nice you have created the Mexico City temple of ISKCON, and I was very much inclined to those devotees. Only I had some difficulty with language difficulty to preach, but still I could see how pious they were and eager to listen anyway. That is the only qualification, if someone is eager for spiritual improvement. So I think because Hanuman is always sending me successful reports of preaching meetings, so many newspaper articles and photos, that this Krishna Consciousness movement will be very famous there and you will find many interested persons to become devotees, just like at Mexico. Now you go there, along with your good wife and family. But one nice thing is, before you had told me you thought it was best if first you had got one nice place and made all arrangements before your wife and child joined you, then they will not have to suffer unduly nor shall you be hampered in the beginning to work very hard without good facilities at first. Later they may come when there is sufficient place.

I think Gaurasundara in Hawaii is the GBC man for South American Zone, so you should also write to him in this connection and take his advice and make report to him, along with Hanuman, at least once in a month what you are doing. I have recently got one letter from Hanuman, and his address is: c/o Agencia Wallis C. A. Edificio Karam, PO Box 1826, Caracas, Venezuela. I am sending one copy of this letter to Caracas, as you have mentioned that you are leaving New York first week in December. If there is good possibility to arrange nice programmes, and if you have got a very nice place by then, why not I shall stop there in Caracas while returning to your country sometimes next year?

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Bombay 19 December, 1972:

Now you are requesting money for supplies, that's all right, but I have not seen the accounts for the money you have spent to date. That you should also supply. But I think Mr. Sarkar is inspired to cooperate with us, and he is very expert, so I do not worry on that account. But record of expenditures must be there, that is standrd procedure. I was informed that the party of Yasodanandana and Mahamsa will forward all collections to Vrindaban, but I do not know if they have done it. Mahamsa is coming to Bombay in a few days time and I shall request him to do immediately. We have completed our pandal programme of Hare Krishna Festival in Ahmedabad and it was very, very successful. On the last night the huge pandal was filled completely, at least 10,000 or 15,000 attendance.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 19 December, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 29, 1972, and I have noted the contents with pleasure. I am so much happy to hear from you all the good news of our Mayapur centre! No, your liking of engagement there is not at all an inappropriate attachment, rather it is your qualification for pleasing your spiritual master. Attachment must be there, for Krishna or for maya. So you have become attached to developing the Mayapur centre, that is Krishna's work, so Krishna appreciates very much when His devotee becomes attached to Him in this way. Yes, the cooperative spirit of working together without any argument is especially prominent in Mayapur, more than other places in India. Therefore you are successful, and the work is going on quickly to completion. That is because all of you working there have become very much attached to the dust from Lord Caitanya's Lotus Feet, and because you have got such deep personal interest with that engagement of work, you want to see that it is done nicely without any hindrance of selfish motivation, never mind all kinds of conditions of the material nature. That idea has become prominent for all of you, it is bigger than maya's idea, therefore maya cannot interfere to make you quarrel or other things. But you especially are to take the credit. From the very beginning you wanted that place, and you got the land, got money from me, and now you have built the place by your concentration of energy. That is wanted. If there is some discrepancy anywhere, some non-cooperation, fighting, or if the work is slow or not to the standard, it is to be supposed that the person or persons in charge are not very much attached to Krishna. That means they will discriminate: my engagement is not good, other's engagement is good, like that.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 19 December, 1972:

*As we are not in need of Sridhara Maharaja's land why should we take it? Better wait until my arrival.

*Our Ahmedabad programme was highly successful.

Letter to Hariprasada -- Bombay 23 December, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 14, 1972, and I am so much encouraged by your report of the Hyderabad activities, and I think that that place will be most important preaching centre for India, because I have noted that you are all so much eager and enthusiastic to serve Krishna. That is the first qualification to attain the supreme perfection of your life: enthusiasm. If there is always keen enthusiasm for serving Krishna, and if there is also patience and determination, then everything will be successful. So try to every day chant as much as possible Hare Krishna Mantra, read our books regularly, and engage your energy for this business of building temple, making Life Members, like that, and then you will always remain enthusiastic, and gradually more and more you will feel yourself advance in Krishna Consciousness. In this way, you may know it for certain that you will meet Krishna face-to-face very soon.

Now I am in Bombay until about 23rd of January, at the above address, and we are preparing a very gorgeous Hare Krishna Festival for the Cross Maidan from January 12th to 21st instant. So I am free up to 10th January, so if in the meantime everything is settled up then I can go to Hyderabad and lay down the foundation-stone. So far books are concerned, I have told Tamala to send as many as possible so he will see to it. There is shipment of 10,000 BTG's in Bombay harbor, and we are waiting for CCP license to clear them, then part of that shipment may be sent you, immediately. Meanwhile, I have ordered 5,000 to 10,000 each of each of our books for India, so in future there will be sufficient supply. This distributing of books is our most important business.

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

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

Letter to Mukunda -- Bombay 27 December, 1972:

If you can send me the copy of that Supreme Court Judge's letter? If you simply inform them something, by way of the line of our preaching logic and authority, gradually they may come to know about us and help us. But one thing is, our experience is that such big men will not help us—except if there is some rare soul like Mr. George Harrison, and they must be guided also by our personally contacting them again and again and slowly build-up the relationship. We are more interested that the mass of men shall support us—what good a handful of high-class supporters will do? Just like in your country, there was election, and the opponent of Mr. Nixon, he was supported by all high-class men, but because Mr. Nixon had help of the common men he was successful and won the fight. But, if even one such high-class man becomes preacher on our behalf, if he actually becomes converted to Krishna Consciousness preaching work, then that is the best contribution of your preaching also. Just like George, now he is practically converted and he is only preaching about Krishna, and he has done that from the beginning—I think you knew him in London also, so you know how he is helping us push on the preaching—so that type of big personality, if you can catch one or two such men for preaching contribution, oh, that will be wonderful achievement for you. We want that the mass shall support us, but we want that the class shall preach for us, that is the distinction. Is it clear? Please inform me from time to time how that programme, of inducing influential men to preach somehow or other our Krishna philosophy is progressing. I know that you have got good ability to do that work, I remember how you used to bring so many big men to see me in London, at that John Lennon's house. So if you sincerely desire to serve Him in that way, Krishna will give you every opportunity and intelligence how to seize it up, that He says:

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:

So you may do the needful and send the three airline tickets for myself, Srutakirti, and Syamasundara. here to my above-mentioned Bombay address, or wire them to the airlines office directly in Bombay city. The airlines office in Bombay may notify Syamasundara. at 362963. My plan is to remain here in Bombay until January 23rd for holding our second Hare Krishna Festival in the Cross Maidan. I think last time you were one of the leaders of that first Hare Krsna Festival, so you know how much important occasion that will be. Already there are many banners all over the city advertising this movement as the world's greatest spiritual culture movement. We had just completed our pandal program at Ahmedabad, and it was also very very successful. From Bombay we shall fly to Calcutta for about nine days' time and we may give some programs there also. So I want to proceed from Calcutta to Australia or wherever you suggest on that side. We shall be able to leave on February 1st morning. And you may arrange the program in Australia and New Zealand for the duration of February month. Around the 1st March I shall have to return to Mayapur for holding our celebration of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance day in early March. So you may plan in that way.

Letter to Cyavana -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 15, 1972, and I note that you have returned from another successful preaching mission in distant parts of Africa. I am always so much pleased to hear such good news how the traveling preachers are spreading this Krsna Consciousness movement to every nook and corner of the world. Such traveling and preaching activity is the most highly favored by Krsna and He will bless you more and more with the highest understanding and realization of Himself.

Yes, that is correct proposal, you must have a program for getting income which will not depend upon anyone outside of our camp. Of course ultimately we must depend only on Krsna. If He gives us something we shall accept and offer it in His service, if we have nothing, what is the harm, we shall sit under a tree and chant Hare Krsna. But in any case, I do not want you to leave that temple and move to a smaller place. We must keep at least one nice temple of large size in that part of Africa. If we reduce in that way, that will not be good. Rather increase in all ways, that is our program. The moving and preaching work will be your most important business in Africa. There is not much population and the distances are great, so there is, no doubt, great need for several traveling parties to be working simultaneously. But if you keep that place in Nairobi as your base, sending all of the new recruits as you are able to convert them back to the Nairobi temple for getting themselves trained up, what is wrong with that? I think we need at least one big place for training up the new devotees just to the proper highest standard, just as we are doing in Los Angeles, New York, London, and other places. So also in Africa you require one such model center.

Letter to Vaikunthanatha -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:

There may not be always the facility for regulative practice of devotional principles as you have found them in your country, therefore since you are adjusted in that way, you have lost your enthusiasm due to irregular habits. Of course, in the more mature stage of Krsna consciousness one is not affected by such conditions of material nature, being always fixed in his idea and determined to push on on Krsna's behalf despite all kinds of unfavorable circumstances, but that stage of mature realization will come later. For the time being, you are having little difficulty, so I think you will require the regulated household life as you are suggesting. But unless the basic determination to become successful in Krsna consciousness is there, any type of occupation or any place where you are serving Krsna will similarly become a source of restlessness and troubling of your mind. Therefore, my advice to you is simply this: that you search out in yourself whether that basic determination and faith in our Krsna consciousness program is strong in you, and whether if, by going here or going there or doing this or doing that, this determination and faith will be enhanced. Sometimes Krsna may put us into some difficulty just to purify us and force us to advance in Krsna consciousness. The devotee should always see his difficulty in this light, that Krsna is so kind upon me for creating this condition of struggling, thus He is relieving me of so many billions of lifetime of sinful reactions by this very insignificant and temporary condition of suffering something. Or if our attachment for Krsna is not yet developed, and there is still attraction for the ordinary life of householder life, together with friends, family, children, working, like that, that is all right, by that process if one contributes something of his income to the preaching work and attends himself with family the temple for the class and kirtana, gradually he will get some enthusiasm and develop his attachment for Krsna.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

We may spend anything and everything for the deity, as long as there is no scarcity, and by that lavish spending to glorify Radha and Krsna, they will become very much pleased upon you and bless you more and more.

So far the Macmillan business, as soon as you have got any information, you may send me. Yes, if it is enhancing our distribution of books to wear warm clothes like coat-pants in winter, I have no objection, you may wear them. Of course we may take money for Krsna using any method of beg, borrow and steal, but more advanced understanding of Krsna consciousness process is that by telling the truth in a very palatable way, that is the most successful system. Your mentioning Bangladesh feeding of refugees, of course we are feeding sometimes the local inhabitants, up to 1,000 persons on some occasions, but there is no organized program of feeding the refugees at Mayapur. In fact, so far I have seen, all the refugees from Nadia District have gone back to Bangladesh, there are no more refugee camps. So it will not be the truth to say to people like that, but I have no objection if they give more hearing such thing. Let them say, who will check us? We may tell any damn thing to induce people to give us money on Krsna's behalf, that is not the point. The point is that by saying lies, the less advanced neophyte devotees may become entangled or disturbed in their minds by it. Of course by their collecting more money and giving to Krsna, He will relieve them of all anxiety of telling lies. But not everyone is able to catch the big fish without themselves becoming wet. I am convinced that if you simply glorify Krsna and our books in the best descriptive manner, that anyone and everyone, no matter even atheist or otherwise, they can be convinced to purchase.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

Regarding that building in Manhattan, of course we are not very much mad after big buildings, so long there is enough space for our devotees so they may be able to carry on their preaching work, but if you can get such building as you are describing in the midtown area costing between $1-1.6 million, oh, that will be your greatest achievement in Krsna consciousness. Such building being our world headquarters of ISKCON, would facilitate our preaching expansion work all over the world. So far money is concerned, you are saving roundabout $30,000 per month, so go on saving like this, and even it takes a few more months to raise the down payment for such expensive building, never mind, a few months' delay is not much. But the point is that Krsna is now giving freely so much money, why He can't increase that amount more and more? I don't think there will be any difficulty to raise the money for down payment, you will be successful under any circumstance, of that I am certain. But I want to keep my bond of $80,000 to be spent for books for India, that is my final decision.