May 11, 1972
Bombay
My dear Gargamuni,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5/8/72, and I have noted the contents. Your idea for helping Vrindaban by sending money upon their sending you invoices will be very nice. But there is no need to keep all the money in Bombay, as suggested by Giriraja to Gurudasa. They have made a very nice plan for Vrindaban, more gorgeous than Bombay plan but also quite costly, but they are also collecting nicely and I have requested them to go ahead as they see fit. The present construction of fencing, etc., they have paid for collecting locally. Ksirodakasayi has promised me: "I am planning to make a very big program to collect at least 25,000 rupees per month average for our project." So they are doing something enthusiastically, so let them do it. What is there in occupying a post, we simply want to serve Krishna, and if you also can collect this amount then combinedly the construction can go on very nicely and quickly.
If you leave Bombay, make sure the school is in very capable hands such as yours, because this program is very, very important, not that you shall go away and things will stop.
Yes, you can go to Madras and South India. In Madras we wanted to start a center and it was almost settled that the Chief Justice would give us a place. So actually, if it is possible to open a center in Madras that would be very nice. Regarding the letter published in "Swarajya", I do not think it is a very important paper, but still I am enclosing* my reply and I would like it to be signed by Giriraja and he can send it to his friend on the Hindu paper and one copy to Swarajya for printing. Meanwhile, I have sent one copy to Gaudiya Math in Madras.
Regarding the second initiation for Paramahamsa das, I approve and his thread and copy of mantra have been sent under separate post. Now you hold a fire yajna, and there have been several other threads recently sent to Bombay, so you hold yajna and give them all threads. I think Dayananda can send you copy of tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, and this can be heard through the right ear by earphones during the yajna.
Hoping this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/sda
n.b. There is one request for 2nd initiation from Yadavacarya das, but I have not received any recommendation from the temple president or a sannyasi.
- under separate cover