Training of Govardhana dasa (Letters, 1969 - 1976)

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Govardhana -- Boston 25 December, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 9, 1969 along with your prayer beads. I have duly chanted upon these beads and thereby have accepted you as an initiated disciple. Your spiritual name is Govardhana das Brahmacari. Govardhana is the name of the hill which Krishna lifted up to protect the inhabitants of Vrindaban from the heavy rainfalls which were being sent down by Indra. This Govardhana Hill is still there in Vrindaban, and it is worshiped by the devotees of Krishna just as Krishna Himself is worshiped. You have a very nice opportunity to quickly advance in spiritual perfection because you have the good association of the devotees in Hawaii. This association with devotees of Krishna is recommended by Lord Caitanya Himself as the most important factor for developing Krishna Consciousness. This is because our dormant love for Krishna is covered up by the material contamination, but it is quickly aroused when the association of a pure devotee is there. The example is given that when an iron rod is put into a blazing fire, the rod soon takes on the qualities of the fire; namely light and heat. But if the same rod is put amidst some ice, then it will remain simply dark and cold. In the same way, a devotee should associate with fellow devotees, and in relationship to others the devotee should try to elevate them also onto the spiritual platform. So please follow this principle and surely you will mark great strides in the matter of your spiritual advancement. The four basic regulative restrictions we observe are 1) no illicit sex connections, 2) no intoxication, 3) no meat-eating, and 4) no gambling. You must try to chant at least 16 rounds on you beads daily, and avoid the ten offenses to chanting which Gaurasundara Prabhu will instruct you about. When you are having questions to ask, you inquire from Gaurasundara and I also will be happy to help you in any way possible. I hope this will meet you in good health.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Govardhan -- Paris 21 July, 1972:

Upon the recommendation of Sriman Bhagavan das, I have consented to accept as my duly initiated disciples both Srimati Jayaradhe Devi Dasi and Srimati Krsnamayi Devi Dasi, and I have also consented to give Gayatri mantra to Srimati Trisakti Devi Dasi and Srimati Krpamayi Devi Dasi. Enclosed please find two copies of gayatri mantra. The beads have been sent under separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for all four students, and give Gayatri mantra to Trisakti and Krpamayi. There is a tape of me reciting gayatri mantra there in Detroit, so you can play it for these two girls, through earphones into the right ear.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Sriman Govardhan Das Adhikary

ISKCON Detroit

ACBS/nkd

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Sons and daughters -- Los Angeles 8 May, 1973:

I am in due receipt of your very nice letters and daksina of $650.00.

Upon the recommendation of Govardhan I am pleased to accept you as my disciples. You new names are:

James Ferris - Yamunatatacara das

Charles Wilkoit - Carurupa das

Tina Chojnacki - Taijasatmika dasi

Donald Chojnacki - Dosavarajita das

Lynne Davis - Daksayani dasi

Christine Stein - Krodhasamani dasi

Gregory Stein - Gopalbhatta dasa

Now you must all carefully follow these four regulative principles (1) No meat eating, (2) No illicit sex life, (3) No intoxication, (4) No gambling. Always be sure to chant minimum sixteen rounds daily. Study my books carefully, go for sankirtana and engage in Deity worship in the temple. You are all very sincere boys and girls and now I request you to make your life successful for going back to home, back to Godhead.

Letter to Govardhan 2 -- Los Angeles 8 May, 1973:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 3, 1973.

Upon your recommendation I am glad to accept these devotees as my initiated disciples. So now you may hold a fire yajna and send their beads to Kirtanananda Swami for chanting. Also I give approval for the one brahminical initiation. Please find one Gayatri mantra enclosed. After the fire yajna you may play the tape of me chanting Gayatri mantra into the right ear in private. Teach how to count on the finger divisions.

I am enclosing a letter to all the new initiates.

Please preach this Krsna Consciousness very strongly so that we may give people real light for seeing the way out of the darkness of Kali Yuga. The modern scientists are confusing everyone with their false propaganda and it is our duty to expose them and kill the demoniac tendency to forget Krsna.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Sriman Govardhan dasa Adhikary

ISKCON Detroit

8311 E. Jefferson Street

Detroit, Michigan 48214

ACBS/jda

Letter to Govardhan 3 -- Detroit 24 September, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 7, 1973 and am pleased to accept the following students as my initiated disciples: Triyogi dasa (Mike Slockman); Udayananda dasa (Randy Cieslak); Yajnavalkya dasa (James Schwartz); Visalaksa dasa (Robert Richardson); Nistraigunya dasa (Steven Forbes); and Madhyma dasi (Marsha Farmer). The sacred trread for the second initiation of Indrabarta dasa is also enclosed. So you please inform Satsvarupa Maharaja to do the needful for chanting on the beads and hold a nice sacrifice. Thank you for the nice letters from the students, and I am glad that you are appreciating this Krishna Consciousness Movement.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 4 October, 1973:

I am very glad to learn that Govardhana dasa has become a leader in the deity worship, due to his inspired service. That is the real thing—one who has inspiration of life, he can do anything. Rupa Goswami explains this as "utsaha", enthusiasm.

Letter to Govardhan Das -- Bombay 18 October, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 12, 1973 and have noted the contents. So far the new disciples are concerned, I am accepting on your recommendation the following as my initiated disciples:

Maharani Dasi - Shirley Daniels

Dhenumati Dasi - Coleen Handlon

Krsnakathananda Das Adhikari - Richard Marcolini and Sarvashaktimati das - Angeline Marcolini

Also enclosed find one sacred thread chanted upon for Phatikcandra dasa brahmacari. Let Satsvarupa Maharaj chant on the beads and hold a fire sacrifice amongst the devotees. Take care of the new disciples and please see that they are always engaged in Krsna's service, chanting Hare Krsna.

Regarding your successful book distribution, you should know that this is the greater preaching. I am very much pleased. the conch shells as you have described may be kept on the altar as decoration, but they must be kept clean. Everything on the altar must always be clean.

Who is that rascal sannyasi who has recommended to chant Pancha Tattwa mantra on the japa beads? First, send me his name.

Letter to Govardhan -- LOS ANGELES December 15, 1973:

I hereby accept the devotees you have recommended for first and second initiation. Enclosed are three threads and six gayatri sheets for the second initiates. Hold a fire yajna, after which they may listen to the mantra once through the right ear from the cassette tape I have made.

The spiritual names of the first initiates are as follows:

Patrick - Khandaparasu dasa

Donale - Daruna dasa

Don Pearson - Dravinaprada dasa

Chuck - Caturbhava dasa

Judy - Rangavati dasi

All the devotees should collect Guru-daksina and send it to Karandhar in Los Angeles.

I hope this meets you well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS: Kda

Iskcon

Detroit

Enclosures - 9

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Dinadayadri -- Rome 26 May, 1974:

There is no question of your returning to Nara-Narayana. He has remarried, and I also informed him when I was in L.A. last time, that he should keep his one wife, living peacefully in L.A. You have got one child, so now make Krsna your husband and take shelter of our temple. The Detroit temple where you are now is very suitable I think, and you say you are much inspired by devotees like Govardhana and the others. So take spiritual instructions from your elder Godbrothers and sisters, forget the past, and make all progress in Krsna Consciousness without any material lamentation or hankering.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Melbourne 25 June, 1974:

As of your writing, Govardhana Prabhu, the Detroit president had left his post and was living in the Chicago temple, because he was not chanting his sixteen rounds. I hope by now he has taken your advice and has returned to his post and is following the chanting with full knowledge. In your previous letter you stated that the deity worship in Detroit was superexcellent and that all programs were being expertly managed by govardhana. Why should he leave therefore? You write he is chanting 14 rounds daily; so you are experienced and know what to do in this case, simply encourage him to chant 16 rounds. The injunction is kirtaniya sada hari, one should always be chanting all day. The 16 rounds is just a minimum 1 set for my disciples so they will chant at least that much. Actually chanting should always be going on. So I will be anxious to hear that Govardhana has returned and is chanting more seriously, aware that he must do so to remain free from the clutches of maya.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Govardhana -- Mexico City 15 February, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Feb. 8th, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for the photo of Sri Sri Radha Kunja-Bihari. It is very nice photo. They are looking very beautiful. I have accepted the following for 1st initiation: Bruce—Brajendralala, Miriam—Mukhya, Jeff—Jayavamana, Robin—Rajendranatha, Kim—Kaviraja, Karl—Kapiladeva, Sue—Sukti. Their beads may be chanted on by Satsvarupa Maharaja. Be sure and help them become first class devotees by following all the rules and regulations, very carefully, especially, they must rise early for mangala arati, chant at least 16 rounds and attend class.

Your list of qualifications for choosing candidates for 2nd initiation is very good. Regarding Rudra dasa, he can worship Gaura-Nitai in his home. The most important element for their worship is the chanting of the Hare Krishna Mantra. They can have at least one arati and whatever foodstuffs are prepared can be offered. Regarding my books, everyone should read. I am also reading. Everyone should be engaged 24 hours. That is the sum and substance. How much you should read and how much you should do other types of service, that has to be decided by each individual devotee. Eating and sleeping should be minimized—not a single moment should be misused.

Letter to Naveen Khurana, Margaret Khurana -- Bombay 18 March, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 9th, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for your kind sentiments and the 100 dollar daksina. Upon the recommendation of Sriman Govardhana Prabhu, I have accepted you both as my duly initiated disciples and your names are as follows: Navina-Krsna dasa and Mahanandini devi dasi. Please continue to chant 16 rounds and to follow the four regulative principles as you have promised in your letter and your life will be perfect. Your beads will be sent along with Govardhana dasa.

Letter to Supriya -- Bombay 18 March, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 9, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you very much for your kind sentiments and the $100 daksina. Upon the recommendation of your temple president Govardhana dasa, I am accepting you as my initiated disciple. Your name can be Sukrta dasa. I am hoping that you will fulfill your promise to chant at least 16 good rounds a day and to follow all of the four regulative principles. These things are of the utmost importance. Your beads will be sent along with Govardhana dasa.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 9 November, 1975:

I am glad to hear that Govardhana Prabhu is doing nicely now. I am very happy. If there is any discrepancy, we have to request them to correct, not changing or dismissing. Our whole process is to humbly request, sometimes falling down on the feet and flattering. The vivid example is Nityananda Prabhu converting Jagai and Madhai.

Letter to Govardhana -- Bombay 18 November, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 7, 1975. It is a very good achievement that you have gotten this new building in Detroit. It is very aristocratic and prestigious. Do everything very nicely there now. You now have very good facility for broadcasting our Krsna consciousness propaganda. Just do everything very carefully and soberly. As soon as everything is set up, I will go there. You can call the new Detroit temple Devasadhan, meaning celestial.

Upon your recommendation, I accept as twice-born initiated brahmanas Ramananda Raya das and Visvatomukha das. Enclosed are their brahminical threads, duly sanctified and the mantra sheet. Hold a fire sacrifice and impress upon them the importance of following the rules and regulations so that they may not be affected by the influence of maya. There is two things: there's Krsna and there's sex life. So if you want to have Krsna, one must be above illicit sex life. That requires some strength. So you have to impress upon them that following these rules and regulations, especially by chanting Hare Krsna, one will become strong. Unfortunately, we have no taste for this chanting. This is our misfortune.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa Goswami -- New Vrndavana 30 June, 1976:

We are concerned with service. What is the meaning of the post, that is, president, secretary, etc., etc. I am glad to see that Govardhana is doing nicely. I have confidence that things will go on nicely there, but he should be encouraged to faithfully follow the rules and regulations and chant 16 rounds daily.

Page Title:	Training of Govardhana dasa (Letters, 1969 - 1976)
Compiler:	MadhuGopaldas
Created:	06 of Jun, 2010
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=16
No. of Quotes:	16