Training of Gurudasa (Letters, 1970 - 1971)

Correspondence

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1970:

Ask Gurudasa to send me some pictures of the Installation Ceremony and some of them may be directly sent to Boston for publication in BTG.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 27 January, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 19 January, 1970.

Yes. By the grace of Krishna, Gargamuni and others here are taking particular care of me and I am very much indebted to you all; not only here, where ever I go the same care is taken of me. Gargamuni is paying very exorbitant rent for the house where I am living now. It is $600 although the house is very comfortable and silent. But still so much rent I consider a luxury for me.

I am so much pleased to learn that your London Yatra activities are expanding and that Ksirodakasayi is very sincerely cooperating. Please offer my thanks and blessings for such cooperation.

Next year he has a proposal that he will take 40 of our select devotees from London to India in February, 1971. I am very much anxious for that trip. In that trip we shall travel all over India with Sankirtana Party and thereby we will recruit many Indian sympathizers for this movement.

I think at that time we will make our program in such a way that in the month of March we shall lay down the foundation stone of our center at the birthsite of Lord Caitanya. So along with your other activities, you should prepare yourself for that purpose.

In the meantime, I am trying to purchase a plot of land there at the cost of somewhere near $3000. We have got about 22 branches and on the average everyone should contribute $150 for this purpose immediately. Big branches should contribute at least $200.

It is so satisfactory to understand that you are preaching from house to house recruiting members for our London center. This was the procedure of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda when they began preaching. I think the charity box system will be very nice success especially from the Indian store owners.

The manager of the airplane company offered us some place in Bombay, but you have not written anything about it. Is he serious about this?

You prepare now all kinds of nice films as far as possible and ask L.A. also to do this and other centers if possible, so when we go to India they will be very much appreciated.

I am so glad to learn that Cintamani song is going to be recorded in cooperation with George. Regarding George's money for my Krishna Book, I have not received any news from Brahmananda.*

Please send me Mr. Benarse's address in India.

The Krishna Consciousness Society will never experience any poverty stricken life because the members are so rich being constantly in association with Krishna; that while others may feel the pinching scarcity enforced by Maya, Krishna Conscious persons will feel the whole world full of enjoyment.

I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

*Yes thanks we have received the check Brahmananda phoned.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Los Angeles 29 January, 1970:

I am so glad that you are also looking after the accounts department. The five point plan: do it by consulting amongst yourselves, and I have already written to Gurudasa about this. Someway or other, if you can secure that building worth L80,000, that will be a crowned success. In my next letter to Tamala I will write to him about the building fund.

Letter to Yamuna, Mandakini, Ilavati, Jyotirmayi, Dhananjaya, Digvijaya, Jotilla, Prithadevi, Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1970:

I have offered the handkerchief and dhupa to Radha Krishna, and placed the picture on the wall. Please organize this Sankirtana Movement under the leadership of Tamala, Mukunda, Syamasundara., and Gurudasa and be happy.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1970:

From Krishna das' letter it appears that in Germany there is good prospect for opening many centers. When you last went to Germany it was very effective. Why not first of all start a center in Paris and a few other centers in Germany and then think of the World Sankirtana Party on the basis of starting a center wherever you go. Both Tamala and yourself, Gurudasa and Syamasundara. think over this idea, and in the meantime, as you are yourself a musical instructor, you can teach the newcomers in the Kirtana performances for future program.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 February, 1970, along with Mukunda's, Gurudasa', and Syamasundara.'s letters. I am replying all of them separately within this envelope.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 February, 1970, along with Mukunda's, Gurudasa', and Syamasundara.'s letters. I am replying all of them separately within this envelope.

Regarding Visnujana, that is a common factor of all your letters, but you must know that the development of L.A. Temple was practically done by you four; namely yourself, Madhudvisa, Visnujana, and Jayananda. Last year when I was in Hayworth Street, there was no Temple and sometimes we were chanting in the garage. Then gradually this Temple was secured and at that time I asked how much you could help out of the $400 rent and with great difficulty you promised to help only $100 from the Sankirtana Party. Now by the Grace of Krishna they are collecting more than $100 daily. You know that the expenses of the Temple have gone up to $2,000 per month. There are at least 30 devotees, and practically all old boys like you, Jayananda, Madhudvisa, etc. are not here. Besides that, Visnujana is training all the new devotees who are coming. So Visnujana himself also thinks his absence will be hampering in the Temple procedure. I am enclosing herewith Visnujana's letter in this connection which will speak for itself.

You have written to say that you cannot go to Hamburg or Paris to organize their activities, but actually you were left in London for the purpose of organizing these three centers. If you stick only to London Temple then our former scheme will not be executed. I think, it is proper that you should devote your time for all these three centers and train the local management for being self-supporting. As you are helping London Temple, similarly you should help the Hamburg and Paris Temples also. I think that was our original plan, and you should not change the same.

I have received one letter from Krishna das that there is good potency for opening many branches in Germany. I think, therefore, you should go to Germany at least for one or two months and see how things can be managed for opening more branches. I have therefore asked Hamsaduta to go to Germany for this purpose. He has also got organizing power as he has well done in Berkeley. So with your cooperation I think in your absence he may be a great help in the German center. I have asked him to go via London. So these are the things for practical solution.

You have written to say that no one can deal with the devotees except Visnujana; that is not a good proposal. There are so many old and experienced devotees in London; but for management of other devotees, if there is no one to look after them, that does not sound very good. For musical training I think Mukunda has sufficient knowledge. Anyway, for the time being, Hamsaduta is going and Mukunda is there and you are also there. See if the Worldwide Sankirtana Party can be organized without Visnujana. For the present Visnujana cannot be freed from the Los Angeles engagements, but in future if somebody is trained up to take his place then I shall recommend him to go to London.

Regarding the court case of our Sankirtana Movement, there was a similar case in Detroit and the charges were creating disturbances, but the case was dismissed. I have asked Bhagavan das to send you the copy of the newspaper report, and I hope this will help you. The newspaper report heading was "Religious Group Wins Day in Court."

Regarding the six months contract for L250 per week from engagements in halls, colleges, clubs, etc., it is very good news. But one thing we must remember that we are not professional musicians or concert party. Our main business is to vibrate the Holy Name of Krishna everywhere so that the people will be benefited by hearing the transcendental sound. The musical training is not so important as it is to keep ourselves spiritually fit in spiritual strength, that we should not forget. If we are in spiritual strength, there will be no scarcity of money; and the spiritual strength is that each and every one of us must chant the sixteen rounds of beads and follow the rules and regulations with great adherence.

In the meantime, I have received one box containing sweets, balusai, a handkerchief, a flower, simply wonderful, a sacred thread, gopicandana, dhupa, and a painting, and three sets of beads from Monique, Evelyne, and Joelle. Later on I received their respective letters and recommendations of initiation from Yamuna devi, and I am sending the beads by separate mail duly chanted.

The information and date for Bhakti-vaibhava examination will be forwarded in due course.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 10 February, 1970:

I have seen the list of "Hare Krishna Mantra" record distribution and I am surprised to see that Germany alone has taken 57,000 records. Therefore we should open more branches in Germany immediately. So Krishna das has also written me about this prospect and I have asked Hamsaduta to go to Germany via London immediately for this purpose and I have written to Tamala about this. For you this engagement of press propaganda, I think, is the best occupation, assisted by Gurudasa.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 11 February, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4 February, 1970. Regarding Visnujana's call to London, he has already replied in Tamala & Mukunda's letter with statement of Visnujana himself. For the time being Visnujana cannot be spared from Los Angeles. There are four experienced workers here, out of whom Visnujana is one, and three have already gone outside. Under the circumstances, he can't go to London immediately, but I have advised Hamsaduta to go there and if his service can be utilized in London, because in sankirtana he is as good as Visnujana, then it is alright. Otherwise he will go to Germany. I can follow that Visnujana's service is very much needed in London but he is as much needed in Los Angeles also. So how he can be spared for London at the cost of Los Angeles business? So far brahmacaris are concerned, majorities of advanced students are in London, so why they should be lacking in training to enthuse these new brahmacaris?

In the meantime I received one letter from Balmukund Parikh. The copy of the letter and the copy of the reply also is enclosed herewith for your careful consideration. From the spirit of the letter it appears that the Indian community in London will hesitate to cooperate with our movement because they are under the impression that our members are not working outside for earning their bread, but they have taken to this sankirtana movement as means of livelihood. That will be a bad impression and will go against our movement. The court case is pending, and if somebody says against us, that here is a party begging in the street for livelihood, that will be great blot. So as suggested by Mr. Parikh, why some of the new members may not take this work? Anyway, I do not know what is the actual situation. You consider this letter of Mr. Parikh very seriously and try to convince Mr. Parikh and other Indian members that we are not begging for livelihood, but it is for expansion of the Krishna Consciousness Movement, and members who are free are working outside and giving the result of their work for Krishna Consciousness Movement. So you kindly reply this letter what you are doing in this connection. I hope this finds you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Please secure the address in Jaipur (India) of the Sri murti manufacturers. You will get it from Mr. Goyil who donated the Radha Krishna deity in London Temple. Tamala and Mukunda knows the address of Mr. Goyil or you may have it in your office file. I want such murtis for other centers. Please therefore send the address immediately.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge reciept of your two letters dated 20 and 26 February, 1970, respectively, and I am so glad to learn that you have been elected president for this year. In India, when there was congress election among the executive members, each year a person was elected president. I think this system may be followed in our institutions also. Of course it will depend on the local situation, but in a round if each person is given the chance of managing the whole affairs, that means everyone becomes responsible officer.

Another thing is that so long I have been receiving different questions from the students, now I think all these questions should be answered by the presidents locally. So you study all our books very nicely, and all the doubts and questions may be answered by you locally. In case of difficult questions, it may be referred to me. That will give all the presidents the chance of being skillful in solving the doubts and problems of the local students. I hope you will like this idea.

Regarding the three boys whose letters accompany yours, and whom you have recommended for initiation, I am sending their beads duly chanted by separate post. The initiation requires some Guru daksina, so during the time of initiation, the disciple must collect some alms and present it to the Spiritual Master. That is the system.

I have received the slides formerly when you wrote that there were four slides, but I received only two. This time there are seven slides. They are very beautiful, and I thank you very much.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 15 March, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 8 March, 1970.

At first, I must thank you very much for your slides and the viewer, which I enjoy whenever I find some time. The pictures of London Temple immediately get me there, and I enjoy your company. So I can understand that everything is going on well in London Temple. The service of the Lord should be so nicely executed that Radharani will bestow upon you blessings, raising Her right hand palm. You have got a very nice wife, a devotee and intelligent. So both husband and wife combined together please see that the Temple service is being executed regularly and nicely, and thus make your lives happy and successful.

Side by side, both of you should train your junior brothers and sisters in the service of the Lord, so that in case both of you go for preaching work, the scheduled program of the Temple may not be hampered. We should follow two important lines, namely the Pancaratriki Bidhi as well as Bhagavata Bidhi. The Bhagavata Bidhi is preaching work, and Sankirtana, and Pancaratriki Bidhi is Temple worship of the Deities. The Temple worship will keep us sanctified, and when we shall preach in sanctified, pure heart, the preaching will be immediately effective. So we have to follow the two parallel lines simultaneously for successful execution of Devotional service.

Regarding George Harrison, I am sure he will improve now in Krishna Consciousness. Krishna Consciousness is developed only by service. So he has very willingly and gladly served Krishna in many ways. The recent "Govinda" record, which your good wife has sung along with you, is certainly super-excellent, and it has become so nice because of George's attention upon it. So whenever this nice boy comes to our Temple, please receive him very nicely. Give him Prasadam and if possible talk with him about Krishna, and thus he will advance more and more in Krishna Consciousness.

When I remember all of you in London, as well as George Harrison, I become very happy because the combination is very much hopeful. I am so glad to learn that George has said, "I don't want to make nonsense records any more." This version of George I consider very valuable. His popularity and his great talent can be very nicely utilized by producing such nice records as "Govinda," instead of producing something nonsense. In our Vaisnava literature there are hundreds and thousands of nice purportful songs, and if those songs, under George's supervision, are recorded, I think it will bring a great revolution in the record making business.

So when he says that he does not wish to produce nonsense this does not mean that he has to close his business. On the other hand, he will get greater opportunity for producing finest transcendental records which are still unknown to the world. When you meet him again, you can talk with him what I am speaking to you in this letter. My special thanks are due to your good wife, Srimati Yamuna devi. Her singing songs of Krishna Consciousness, and Krishna will certainly bless her and you all.

Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls, and be happy. You will be pleased to know that Acyutananda is also doing very nicely in Calcutta. He is moving in very enlightened circles of Calcutta, and somebody is giving us a plot of land worth Rs. 80,000 for constructing a Temple there. When the Temple is constructed, I shall ask you to go there with your wife and preach Krishna Consciousness amongst the Indian community. Sometimes you desired to go to India, and Krishna will fulfill your desire to a greater extent. Krishna's service is so nice. Keep this faith always in mind and serve regularly—your life will be sublime.

Letter to Suridas -- Los Angeles 17 March, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15 March 1970, and noted the contents with great satisfaction. In the meantime, I have also received one copy of your first Parisian BTG. So while we are waiting for regular edition of French BTG, you may try to improve this small publication and sell it as far as possible. That is very nice. I have also received one similar letter from London, and I have sent the reply to Gurudasa, and the copy is enclosed herewith so that all of you may follow the same instructions and open hundreds of Temples in Europe combinedly.

Mukunda, Tamala, yourself, Syamasundara., Gurudasa, and if possible, George, as well as Hamsaduta and all your better halves just make a very rigid plan for opening centers in every nook and corner of the European countries. I am arranging with Indian sympathizers to get some nice Deities like those in London. So try to install Deities and centers as many as possible.

Actually the modern human society is in need of Krishna relationship, so as soon as they will come in touch with our movement, surely they will feel very happy. So kindly execute this responsibility to your best capacity, and Krishna will be very happy upon you.

Your combination with your good wife, Jotilla, is very good, and now with greater enthusiasm execute Krishna activities as I have advised Gurudasa also.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 17 March, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13 March, 1970, and noted the contents with great satisfaction. I received one similar letter from London, and I have sent the reply to Gurudasa, and the copy is enclosed herewith so that all of you may follow the same instructions and open hundreds of Temples in Europe combinedly.

Mukunda, yourself, Syamasundara., Gurudasa, and if possible, along with George, as well as Hamsaduta and all your better halves just make a very rigid plan for opening centers in every nook and corner of the European countries. I am arranging with Indian sympathizers to get nice Deities like those in London. So try to install Deities and centers as many as possible.

Actually, the modern human society is in need of Krishna relationship, so as soon as they will come in touch with our movement, surely they will feel very happy. So kindly execute this responsibility to your best capacity, and Krishna will be very happy upon you.

Your marriage with Madri Dasi is a good news, and now with greater enthusiasm execute Krishna activities as I have advised Gurudasa also.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 1 April, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 24th March, 1970. I understand that the Lord Caitanya's Birthday procession was very, very nice and similarly in San Francisco also they took out a procession in the street, and it is understood that 4000 to 5000 people participated. So this is another introduction to our Krsna Consciousness Movement.

Regarding the court case, such kinds of case will come and go. We have to go on with our transcendental business. It is very encouraging that Sankirtana Party is going twice daily, that should be continued. Other things will be adjusted by the grace of Krsna.

I talked with Gargamuni, you can immediately begin the incense business. It is not very difficult and you can do very nice business in London. From Holland you can get very good scents. Holland is a great center of manufacturing essential oils.

One thing, all other centers print the Acarya's name on the letterhead of their stationary—you should also do that. And every center contributes $15 monthly towards my maintenance fund, so you also try to contribute this monthly. Besides that, in your book list I don't find the name of Srimad-Bhagavatam. You should have all the books in stock always. If you have not got any Srimad-Bhagavatams in stock, just order them from Brahmananda. Also, I have not heard anything from Ksirodakasayi in some time. So let me know how he is doing.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 14 April, 1970:

Recently I have drained out of my book fund $14,000, so Hamsaduta wanted to pay me another $1,500. If he sends me the money it will be a great help to my book fund. Another point is that three couples from our London temple are living in George Harrison's place, but is far away from our temple. If they cannot join regularly with the temple activities, then there might be some disturbance within. I learn that Murari and Lilavati are feeling like that. Have you any correspondence recently with London? Or you may have correspondence with Gurudasa to adjust these things. As far as possible all the devotees should live together. To live in the association of devotees is a great strength. So you try to adjust things in that way as far as possible so the devotees may live together.

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

I beg to acknowledge reciept of your letter dated 6th April, 1970, and the information therein are all very encouraging. It appears that under your management everything is going on systematically. So by the grace of Krsna both your wife and yourself are endowed with great responsibility. Kindly manage things very intelligently and always feel yourself completely dependent on Krsna's protection.

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

Now, since I have come to your country, I have entrusted the matter to my beloved American boys and girls, and I wish to see that this magazine is published and distributed in the American way like "Readers Digest", "Life" etc., published in millions and distributed all over the world. Actually the position of BTG should be more important than any mundane magazine because it contains the quintessence of human necessities.

You can immediately transfer my maintenance fund to Pico-La Cienega Branch (308), Bank of America, 8501 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90035; account No. 3081-61625 (Checking).

So far incense business is concerned, you can do very nicely as they are doing it here. Gargamuni will cooperate fully in this connection, and both Jivananda and Mukunda are very intelligent boys. So do it nicely.

Regarding Sanskrit class, it is very encouraging that Mr. Parikh is helping you in this connection, but the chief aim for learning Sanskrit would be how to pronounce the Sanskrit verses especially in our published books just like you have already chanted the Govinda verses in the record. Similarly all the verses you have to chant combinedly and melodiously along with musical instruments, and it will be a great charm to the people of the world. When we shall lead our World Sankirtana Party at that time if we can demonstrate the chanting of the mantras as they are stated in Isopanisad, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Brahma Samhita, that will be our unique position. Therefore the main aim of this Sanskrit class should be how you can learn this chanting in the proper accent. It is not our aim to become a Sanskrit scholar.

Regarding the three couples staying with George, I think if there is no contemplation of starting a new Radha Krsna temple there, simply to take advantage of staying there is no good. Temporarily we may take advantage of it, but as soon as possible the devotees must live together and execute our Krishna Conscious business in right earnest. So I hope you shall altogether consult and do the needful. Not a single moment should be wasted—that is very important thing. We shall not act anything which has no connection directly with Krishna Consciousness business.

Regarding Digvijaya and Pritha, if you have decided to get them married as fit match, then I have all my blessings and sanction.

When Trivikrama comes to this side, my books which I have left in my room may be sent along with him.

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

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11th April, 1970.

You were very much anxious to worship Radha Krsna Deity and you took one pair from Mataji. At that time I advised you to wait. Now when the pair of Deities were taken by Mataji again and you were little bit sorry, but Krsna is so kind upon you that He has come to you again in a better position and now you can engage yourself in His service heart and soul.

Both mangal aratrik and sundar aratrik can be changed according with sunrise and sunset. We are not concerned with the time, but with the sun's movement. Sundar aratrik may be performed one half to one hour after sunset. So the decoration of the temple room and offering Bhoga to the Deities should be done as nicely as possible as it is within our capacity. This is the sign of love. So I am confident of your love for Krsna and do everything nicely for His pleasure. Whenever it is necessary you are quite at liberty to ask me for direction.

These classes of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam as you are now holding must be continued very rigidly. About holding Sanskrit classes, the special stress should be given to chanting the mantras in our books. I have given specific instructions in this connection to your husband, and if Sanskrit class is to be held, it should be mainly for this purpose. We should simply expend our time for development of Krishna Consciousness. To become a scholar of Sanskrit is not our business. You say that 15 to 40 students are attending. Are they outsiders? My point is anyone who will attend the Sanskrit class must be interested for chanting the mantras (in our books Isopanisad, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam) and not for any other purpose. And before and after the class there must be Mahamantra chanting.

I am arranging how the Gayatri mantra should be given to the advanced students. You can simply let me know how many of our students are fit for this purpose. Unless one is strictly following the first initiation process and following the regulative principles, one should not be recommended for the Gayatri mantra.

Yes, I agree with your point, unless we have fixed up our preaching work in London very nicely, we should not attempt for going a long distance outside London. Regarding the prospected opening of a temple in Amsterdam very soon, do it, that is my desire. Also, I have already informed Tamala about these things.

It is very encouraging that you are receiving 10 to 30 letters of inquiry and they should be properly replied. Who is doing this work? This is very important business to enlighten so many people when there are so many inquiries. All informative literature should be supplied to them and request them to read our publications especially BTG. One xerox copy of such letter was sent to me by Gurudasa and I have replied the same, the copy of which is sent herewith. I think this copy will help you in answering similar other letters.

I have already instructed Gurudasa about the couples staying at George's place. Please see to it.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 21 April, 1970:

I have just made arrangements for marble Deities to be made for our centers. They will be manufactured just to the standard of our London Deities. I have opened negotiations with one Jaipur Murti maker, and in this connection he has requested a photograph accurate for his manufacturing purpose.

So please send a full size photograph without any dress up to:

Sri Surajnarain Natha

Mool Chand Ram Chand Natha

Marble Quarries, Factory Owners and Contractors

Khazanewalon Ka Rasta

Jaipur-1, (Rajasthan)

India

Please take this photograph of the Deities without Their clothes on and send it immediately by airmail to the manufacturers. Please treat this matter as urgent. Thank you very much.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:db

P.S. You can send the negatives and one print here to me also.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 4 May, 1970:

I hope everything is going on well in your center.

As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple—chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Sankirtana Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books.

Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 6 May, 1970:

I beg to thank you for your letter dated 30th April, 1970, and I have noted the contents carefully. I have also received the list of all the cities and towns in England, and thank you very much. It is my desire that you open a center in each and every one of these places, and that will help to fulfill the prophecy of Lord Caitanya that His Holy Name will be sung in every city and town all over the globe.

I am so glad to learn that things are going on nicely in our London Temple. The most important point in this letter is second time initiation of some of the devotees, specifically Jaya Hari Das Brahmacari, Jyotirmayidevi Dasi, and Mandakinidevi Dasi. So I am sending herewith the sanctified Gayatri Mantra Tape and papers for holding the ceremony, as well as a sacred thread and special instructions for the devotees with the Gayatri Mantra.

Now what we have to do is to hold the Gayatri Mantra ceremony according to the instruction paper, then at the end teach Jaya Hari personally how to count on the finger divisions. Then play the Gayatri Mantra tape for him, and let him repeat the Mantras along with my vibration, word-to-word, and then hang the Sacred Thread on his neck as usual. The girls don't require Sacred Thread, as you know, but they simply can responsively chant the Gayatri Mantras. In each individual case the instruction should be given and the mantra replayed.

This Gayatri Mantra function should be held amongst the devotees only.

While Trivikrama is coming here, the books which I have left in London—one large Bhagavatam, one small Bhakti-Rasamrta Sindhu, and maybe other books—he may bring here. So I am awaiting his arrival along with the books very soon.

Please offer my blessings to Srimati Yamuna Dasi, and to all the other devotees there in London.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 9 May, 1970:

I hope by this time you have received my letter dated 6th May, 1970, along with papers, tapes, etc.

I have received one letter from Balmukund Parikh, the copy of which is enclosed herewith. It is understood that he is introducing something new in the name of teaching Devanagari script. The prayer of the Spiritual Master as he has quoted has no use for us, it is completely impersonal. This prayer immediately must be stopped.

Another thing is he asked me about Aurobindo's estimation. This means that he gradually wants to introduce Aurobindo philosophy. All these things do not sound very nice.

Please let me know what is the necessity of learning Devanagari script. We are transliterating all our books—Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Brahma Samhita, etc.—in Roman type, So why you should waste your time in learning Devanagari script?

So I am very much anxious to know what is the actual situation because I can scent that Mr. Parikh wants to introduce something in my absence which is completely against Krsna Consciousness. I hope you will understand me right and reply this letter by return mail what is the actual situation.

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

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated May 8th and 14th, 1970, respectively. Previous to this I received one letter from Yamuna dated 8th May, 1970.

Regarding the letter dated 8th May, you write therein "the enclosed are humble offerings from all of your disciples here," but I have not received any enclosures.

I am very glad that Trivikrama is helping you there, and he may stay as long as he likes. Rather I would like him to stay there to assist you. So regarding my books, you may keep them packed, and when he comes back he can bring them, or if I require them urgently I will write you, for the present there is no haste.

It is very good news that you have now received permission for the Rathayatra festival and Murari and Syamasundara. are constructing the Ratha. But I do not know if you are preparing three Rathas. In San Francisco they are preparing three Rathas this year.

If Mr. Dindayal is impressed, and he wants to start a nice Temple of Radha-Krsna in the British Guinea, certainly we will be very much pleased, but the Temple should be on the principle of our London Temple which is not for any particular sect of persons but for all human beings. Anyone who takes to Krsna Consciousness is welcome—that is our mission.

Regarding the proposed trip to Kenya, the next step I have already advised to Tamala in this connection. I understand he is coming to London very soon, and you can discuss with him. But one thing is that Mr. Parikh was talking of this Sankirtana Party to Africa since a very long time. There is no direct correspondence with us. It is difficult to say how it will be a fact in future.

Regarding requirements and recommendations in the Vedic system of selecting partners for marriage, there is a Vedic system, but that cannot be done here. It should be made under the guidance of the guardians and the selection should be made on the basis of astrological equilibrium. So it is not possible to introduce such system in the present age. The only selection is that both the boy and the girl should be Krsna conscious, and the boy may be older than the girl at least by 2 to 5 years.

Your first question about the jiva's form with particular reference to Bhagavad-gita 8/18 purport "during the nighttime they have no form." "During the nightime they have no form" means there is no material form. The simple understanding is as we are transmigrating from one material form to another, so actually in this material world we have no fixed form. Similarly when we are spiritually perfect we develop the spiritual form to live eternally in the spiritual world. In the spiritual world there are exactly the same things as we see here; namely the land, water, trees, birds, beasts, human beings, etc., and all of them are spiritual as all the varieties here are material.

So these things can be understood when one is advanced in self-realization. The real form of the living entity is eternal servant of Krsna. Now this spiritual form is developed when he enters into the spiritual world.

Regarding your second question, "Where in our scriptures is there mention of Lord Jesus Christ as recognized and what is the purport?"—We do not find in the scriptures Lord Jesus Christ's name. There is mention of Lord Buddha's name which is described in our Srimad-Bhagavatam. So far we are concerned, we have all our obeisances for Lord Jesus Christ because His whole life was devoted to the service of the Lord.

With reference to your letter dated 14th May, I am surprised how you allowed Mr. Parikh to sit on the Vyasasana. You know that Vyasasana is meant for the representative of Vyasadeva, the Spiritual Master, but Mr. Parikh does not come in the Parampara to become the representative of Vyasa, neither he has any sound knowledge of Vaisnava principles. I understand from your letter that sometimes discussions on Aurobindo philosophy are done by Mr. Parikh from the Vyasasana, so I am a little surprised how did you allow like this. I think you should rectify immediately all these mistakes as stated by you in the last two lines of your letter, "I think the best thing to do is stop his class. Nonsense ought not to be tolerated."

Letter to Yogesvara, Gurudasa, Digvijaya, Lesley, Yvonne, Jyotirmayi, Paul, Prithadevi, Purnananda, Tom, Lena, Dhananjaya, Inga, Mandakini, Tirthapada, Trivikrama, Yamuna, Jaya Hari -- Los Angeles 21 May, 1970:

I thank you all very much for your Aksoy Treetiya card. This is the new years day of the appearance of Satya Yuga. Satya Yuga means the age when people did not know anything except the Absolute Truth or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In Srimad-Bhagavatam we begin our reading by offering of obeisances to the Supreme Truth Satyam Param Dhimahi (SB 1.1.1), so those who are strictly on the Bhagavat line or in Krsna consciousness actually they are living in Satya Yuga age.

Our London Temple is replica of Vaikuntha, so live there peacefully, chant the regular beads, and follow the regulative principles.

I am so much thankful to you for your respective presentations—they are as follows: one golden cup, mysore sandal soap, some scent in snuff box, one picture of London Radha-Krsna Deities and one xeroxed interview report. So I shall be glad to know what is the contents and its formula in the box, then I can use it as snuff.

I beg to thank you once again for these gifts. Hope this will meet you all in very good health in Krsna Consciousness.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Where is Mukunda & Janaki please inform.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 4 June, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters both dated 26th May, 1970.

So I was sure that you could not allow anyone to sit on the Vyasasana, and therefore when I read your statement I was little surprised. Anyway, that is alright.

I hope your arrangements for Rathayatra festival are going on and Yamuna devi is taking nice care of the Deities. I can understand from the record album that your devotional feelings have improved. So keep this standard intact. In India the "Kalyana" magazine has published a nice description of our movement, and they have very much appreciated about my regulative principles. So keep this standard rigidly intact so the Indians may not be able to criticize in the matter of managing our temples. I am sure if you simply follow the instructions I have already given there will be no difficulty.

Sometimes back I wrote you if the government can give us land in the Regent Park for constructing a big temple on the Indian style. I have not received any information about it. If possible try and get the information.

I have not heard from Mukunda for a long time. Please keep me informed at least once in a fortnight about the good progress of your temple. KRSNA book will be ready by Rathayatra festival. When you take the procession on the street, always keep our books and magazines ready for distribution.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1970:

Regarding the invitation from Africa, I have not heard anything about this from Gurudasa until now, but I have just asked him for the information.

Regarding your question how to carry your Deities to different places with you, you should of course always carry them personally if at all possible in a small box or cabinet for the purpose. Then when you come to another temple you may place Them on the altar with the other Deities. That is nice.

Regarding your second question: what determines whether a devotee goes to a Vaikuntha planet or to Goloka Vrndavana?—Those devotees who are following viddhi marg are meant for going to Vaikuntha planets and those who are following raga marg are meant for going to Krsnaloka. It is generally that the followers of Lord Caitanya are going to Goloka Vrndavana. There is no difference between the Vaikuntha planets and Krsnaloka, it is a matter of personal taste only.

I have heard that the Ratha is almost completed in London and it is expected that the Rathayatra Festival will be very, very magnificent. So as you have suggested, this will also be the best opportunity for the several programs to be established by mutual consultation amongst yourselves, yourself, Gurudasa, Syamasundara., Hamsaduta, Mukunda, etc. So please manage everything very nicely and Krsna will provide all opportunities for expanding His movement throughout the European countries. So see that everything is done cooperatively. Then it will be very nice.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 22 June, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th June, 1970. The boy to be initiated (Thomas Hegerty) has not yet sent the beads, so I am expecting his beads as well as diksa (Some donation).

Yes, if the Regent Park land is available, then we can try to raise funds to construct a nice temple.

I am so glad to hear that many new boys are coming to London temple and they are of good calibre intelligence and seriousness. Yes, this is a nice sign. If some intelligent persons join us, then our movement may advance swiftly. This is encouraging. But intelligence or no intelligence, if some way or other somebody comes and sticks to the principles automatically he becomes intelligent.

I have received one letter from Tamala that there is invitation from Africa. I will be glad to know about this. I shall send 25 copies of KRSNA on or before the Rathayatra. I wish that the selling of this important book be begun on this auspicious day. I have not heard for a long time either from Syamasundara. or Mukunda, neither from their wives. But I am pleased that everything is going on nicely. That is alright.

I have informed Hamsaduta that the five students in Hamburg who are now ready to receive Gayatri may do so when they visit your London temple during Rathayatra celebration. So I think you know all the procedures by now and you may give them the Gayatri as I have already prescribed by using the tape record of the mantras and performing the fire sacrifice.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 22 June, 1970:

Regarding the devotees who are ready for receiving sacred thread, they may do so you have asked permission for Kulasekhara, Vrndadevi, Ilavati, Sucandra, and Vasudeva. You are going to London, so I shall send the sacred threads duly sanctified and the mantras may be heard in London. The arrangement is there and Gurudasa has already done it, so you can get them initiated as brahmanas get them initiated as brahmanas during Rathayatra days from 5th to 13rd of July.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 29 June, 1970:

I hope everything is going on well in your center.

I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. It is natural that such distribution of literatures should increase as the people hear more about Krsna Consciousness Movement, so distribution of our books and literatures is our major propaganda program.

But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice.

Please see that the prescribed routine of temple activities is followed according to schedule and all the members are chanting rounds daily sixteen. Please offer my blessings to all the Prabhus there.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Los Angeles 29 June, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17th May, 1970. I hope everything is going well with your family and the temple, and perhaps you are already in touch with the Rathayatra festival arrangement.

Regarding disposing of your business in order to join our business fully, I am simply thinking of your wife and children. Do you think that without conducting your business there will be sufficient provision for upkeep of your family? We require personalities like you to join this movement wholeheartedly, but because you have got wife and children I am hesitating to ask you to close your business. As a responsible head of a family you should consider this point seriously.

I have already asked Gurudasa and Mukunda to inquire if some land is available in the vicinity of Regent Park. I have heard that the Government allots free gift land for religious temples. If such land is available, then we can immediately take up the project of constructing a very gorgeous style Indian temple.

Regarding our prospective Indian tour in February of 1971, we must now settle up the things during the Rathayatra festival because all important European devotees will collect together in London. The program is to go to India with forty heads, male and female. One local Indian chemist, Dr. Ravidra Pratap Rao, is here and most probably he is going to be our disciple. He is ready to receive our party at Gorakhpur and arrange for our visiting different important places. So the best thing will be to purchase our ticket up to Lucknow if it is possible and then from Lucknow they will receive us by train to Gorakhpur. This is the idea here. Now you should consider what is to be done. So on hearing from you definitely I shall ask Dr. Rao for our proper reception in India. The itinerary is not yet fixed up, but on hearing from you definitely I shall send you.

Since "Kalyana" magazine has published one article about us which perhaps you have seen also we have received many sympathetic letters, and there is possibility of opening at least one dozen centers in India at different places. I am forwarding a copy of this letter to Gurudasa, so during Rathayatra festival you must meet together and make a decision of this World Sankirtana Party.

So far we have received sympathetic letters from the following places: Calcutta Bombay, Madras, Lucknow, Gorakhpur Nainital, Almora, Ambala, Ajmere, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Vrndavana, etc.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:db

L.A. July 17, 1970

P.S. This letter was written to you but by mistake it was not posted. A copy of this letter was sent to Gurudasa and probably you had some discussion with him for our Indian tour next year. I shall be glad to hear from you. Hope you are well.

I am enclosing herewith two pictures of Rathayatra at S.F. this year.

Letter to Yamuna, Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 7 July, 1970:

Note to Gurudasa:

My dear Gurudasa: Please accept blessings. I have duly received your recent letter. Reply will follow. In the meantime I have written one letter to Ksirodakasayi about visiting India next year. Please let me know what arrangement is being made for this.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 26 July, 1970:

I am very glad to learn that your training program is going on and the result is that now men are trained for opening and maintaining new branches. This is very much encouraging to me. So there are many things to be trained up and I am sure both yourself and Gurudasa are competent to execute them. So your program of study is very nice and regulated. Try to chant the mantras. It will not be difficult because the transliterations are there. In Los Angeles temple they are doing it very nicely every morning.

Letter to Yamuna -- Calcutta 16 September, 1970:

I understand that Syamasundara. and Gurudasa are appointed to oversee the European centers in the absence of Tamala Krsna, so ask them to send reports once in a fortnight. I am very anxious to see our "Back to Godhead" printed in French and German languages just like our English language edition.

Letter to Aditi -- India 29 September, 1970:

I have duly chanted the beads sent by you and I am glad to accept you as my initiated disciple on the recommendation of Sriman Gurudasa. Your initiated name is Aditi devi Dasi. Aditi is the name of the mother of the demigods. Please try to learn this Krsna science perfectly well and that will give ultimate meaning and perfection in your life.

Letter to Sri Bajoriaji -- Calcutta 5 October, 1970:

In continuance of my telegram dated October 2nd, 1970, and letter dated October 3rd, 1970, I beg to inform you that although my party from London has reached there in Bombay, I am unable to join you there in Bombay because there was no arrangement for my passage. Therefore, if my disciples there can do the work, then I do not require to go to Bombay leaving aside my important engagements here.

Yours sincerely,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:ds

c.c. Sriman Gurudasa Adhikari, leader of ISKCON Sankirtana Party from London.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Calcutta 5 October, 1970:

You are welcome in India. Now my going to Bombay is postponed and my enclosed letter to Sri Bajoriaji will speak for itself.

Now if your preaching work in Bombay is going nicely, then you can stay there for some time and do preaching work as they are doing here in Calcutta. Otherwise, you can immediately come here and work jointly. We are expecting to have our own place by the end of this month. When you come, you should send a telegram with the details of your arrival.

If you interested to open a branch in Bombay, you can see the following gentleman and he will help you.

Letter to Tamala Krsna, Syamasundara -- Amritsar 23 October, 1970:

There was one manual typewriter left at Seksaria's house which was used for typing up the letters for inviting the press to the conference—please see that this machine is with you or ask Mr. Seksaria for it. Gurudasa has left the Movie projector with you at Mr. Lalan's house and also there were several silver bowls and one set of clothes for the Deities as well as their jewelry which was not packed up by Malati when I left Lalan's with Gurudasa. Please be sure that all these things are with you.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 1 November, 1970:

I have safely reached Bombay and there was a nice reception. I am now staying at Chembur at the above address. I hope everything is progressing well with you in Delhi. Please let me know how things are going on there.

I am enclosing herewith one letter from Atma Ram and Sons, Booksellers; please take it with you to see them and show them our books and literatures and make some arrangement for their taking some of them for distribution.

When you inform me what is your estimation of Delhi and how people are reacting to our Movement, I shall instruct you how to proceed.

Hope this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to Srimati Yamuna Devi and all the other devotees. Enclosed also please find one letter for Sriman Bruce.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 4 November, 1970:

I have received reports from my European centers that there has been some disturbance. I think that London is the most important center in Europe and the leadership must be very strong there, so I am asking Gurudasa and his wife Yamuna to return there. They are now in Delhi with some brahmacaris and, since they have come so far, they may remain in India for some time, but in time they will return to the London Temple. I have received one letter from Bali Mardan Das Brahmacari and he has expressed enthusiasm for his GBC post, so he shall continue in that capacity.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 7 November, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 2nd, 1970. Perhaps you have received my letter sent to you earlier.

Please see Atma Ram & Sons book distributers on Kashmere Gate, New Delhi (Isha Kumar-proprietor). Isha Kumar as always been very respectful towards me. You can show him all our books and if he is interested, he may become the sole selling agent in India for my books and he will get a 40% discount, but he must order at least 200 copies of each book.

Instead of engaging in Sankirtana if you, husband and wife try to see so many government members and ministers and other important men, that will be nice. You may try and see Indira Gandhi. And perhaps you can meet with this president Giri shown in the enclosed news clipping. I think because your pictures are shown together with his, he will meet you.

There is an old friend of mine named D. R. Gupta on 4 University Rd. You should make arrangements to see him by telephoning him. If he is favorably impressed, he will certainly become a life member. That is what I want you to do while you are there—to try to make as many life members as you can.

You should certainly see J. Dalmia for Scindia House, New Delhi. He will become a life member and he can suggest others who may also become life members. He is a relative and very close to Ram Das Dandaria. Also you can see his big brother Ram Krishna Dalmia and make him a life member. His daughter came to London, Ascot to see me. If there is any difficulty in staying where you are, you can ask J. Dalmia to provide accommodation in Birla's dharmasala. That dharmasala is a very good place with lecture hall. You can speak in the lecture hall in English and you can advertise for members and they will appreciate it very much.

I've received a letter from Bali Mardan and he is very eager to carry on with his GBC activities. So he will not be resigning from his post and will continue in his position.

Also I've received some other letters and things in London are not as they should be. It seems that Murari has now become president of London temple. This is all right for a while but you will have to go back to the London temple. London temple is one of the most important centers in our society and it should not suffer for lack of good management. Under you and your wife's good care, things have gone very nicely there. So I want you and Yamuna to both be prepared to go back to London in the near future. You have come all the way to India, so for the time being you should remain here and see what can be done in Delhi.

I just received one letter from Radha Madhava Sharan and he has informed me that a big temple and compound belonging to the Maharaja of Bharatapur on the bank of the Yamuna at Kesighat is for sale. Therefore I would like you to go immediately to see Radha Madhava Sharan in Vrindaban (Address: 2/157, Radha Raman; Vrindaban; U.P.). You can go and see the sight and find out exactly from him the terms of negotiation of purchasing the temple and property. When you have understood the terms, you can go to Bharatapur along with Radha Madhava Sharan, taking him at our expense, and find out the exact person with whom the negotiations should be finalized. If everything is in order and the property can be purchased, then remain in Bharatapur. If the transaction is to be done there, you stay in Bharatapur and telegram me immediately. I will come myself and complete the purchase. We would like to get this temple and land at all costs, as it is very nicely situated on the Yamuna River. I know of this temple. I used to live next to it before living in the Radha-Damodara temple. It is a very palatial building. The remainder of your party, including your wife, may remain in Delhi under the leadership of Giriraja Das Brahmacari and see the men whom I've mentioned above.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:adb

P.S. My dear Yamuna, please accept my blessings. Practically you are the leader of the party. Please let me know how things are going. Hope you are all well.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Bombay 8 November, 1970:

Kirtanananda Swami is with Ramananda in Gorakhpur and Gurudasa and Yamuna with some other devotees are in Delhi.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 13 November, 1970:

Regarding Bali Mardan, he has not resigned and until he or some other member does so there shall not be any change in the members of the GBC. If there is such resignation the candidates will be Gaurasundara, Mukunda and Gurudasa for replacement by vote of the remaining members of the GBC. But why have you taken information on this important matter from Gurudasa? You should not "understand" from Gurudasa; you should understand from me.

Letter to Murari -- 74, Marine Drive, Bombay 20 Nov. 17, 1970:

I consider that London Temple is one of our most important centers for the propagation of this Krishna Consciousness movement, therefore I am always concerned that it is running smoothly. So far I have received reports you have taken on such great responsibility nicely and this is very encouraging to me. I had considered to send Gurudas and Jamuna back to London to assist you but now I think that this will not be necessary as they are nicely engaged in preaching work in Delhi. Rather I have suggested to Rupanuga and Bhagawan Das that one of them must go to Europe to see what is the situation and report to me, and then we shall see what is to be done.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 18 November, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated from Vrndavana as well as two previous letters dated November 10th, 1970 and two letters carried here by Mr. H. S. Gupta. I have met Mr. Gupta last evening and his idea was to advertise so that people may know that if they go travelling in foreign countries they may stay in Temples there. But we cannot advertise like that. When someone becomes a life member, we can inform him that he may stay at our foreign Temples as privilege of a life member, but we are not inviting anyone and everyone to stay as if we are in the hotel business.

I am glad that you are enthusiastic about prospects in Delhi, and if you like to work there, do it. We have initiated a system for making life members, that daily three members must be made in Bombay, daily two in Calcutta, and daily one in Delhi. In this way of six Life members daily, we shall very quickly expand our Society in India. This Life Membership is the support of our Movement here, so you must stress this program especially. That will be our success.

Your report from Vrndavana is good. I think you should negotiate for the first palace near Kesighat, called Laksmikunj, from the Maharaja of Bharatapur. That place is just suitable for us. It should be easier to come to terms for this place also because it is vacant. If you can establish one nice palatial Temple for our Society in Vrndavana, that will be a great credit for you. I am awaiting your telegram or telephone call in this connection.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Regarding Atma Ram and Sons, you can inform them that we are expecting our shipment to arrive soon. In the meantime, the old dust jackets may be distributed for our advertising purposes to Calcutta, Delhi and Bombay. At least half the quantity should be sent immediately to me here in Bombay.

Letter to Yamuna -- Bombay 18 November, 1970:

I have already written to Gurudasa to try for one very nice Temple in Vrndavana which is in good repair. If we can establish one center there it will be very, very nice. Our foreign devotees must have one very nice place in Vrndavana where they may stay while visiting there and I think this palace of the Maharaja of Bharatapur is just right for us. So you both together work very strenuously in Delhi for making Life Members. That will provide the means for establishing our branches.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Bombay 24 November, 1970:

In your letter you refer to Gurudasa as GBC member, but I think there is some misunderstanding because he has not yet been appointed by me as GBC member, because there is no vacancy.

Letter to Mukunda -- Bombay 25 November, 1970:

Hamsaduta, Syamasundara. and Tamala Krsna are detained here because we are trying to establish a center in Bombay. In the meantime, if you and your wife, Janaki, may take the place of Yamuna and Gurudasa and see that things are going on nicely there. London Temple is very important and things may not be neglected there.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 25 November, 1970:

I have not heard from you in a long time. Please let me know how many life members you are making, if any and what is the situation concerning the negotiation for the Vrindaban house. If it is favorable, then you can remain in Delhi for some time and send back to Bombay the three Brahmacari boys who are staying with you. If there is no possibility of getting that house, then all of you can immediately return to Bombay.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 26 November, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Nov. 24th with enclosures and checks and have gone over them carefully. In the meantime, if there is no very important business in Delhi, you may accept the invitation from Indore and go there. Most probably I shall also go there.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

N.B. It appears that the collection is about Rs 6000.00. But you have not sent all the money. ACB

Letter to Gurudasa -- Indore 5 December, 1970:

Please accept my blessings, I have come to Indore on the 3rd December and we are five here altogether. I am expecting your wife and others to arrive this evening. I have received your telegram from Vrndavana and am awaiting your letter with details to be forwarded. I am planning to reach Surat on the 12th instant and my address at that time will be as follows:

c/o Bhagubhai Jariwala

Jekisondas Nathaubhai Jariwala

Motorcycle Building

Begumpura, Surat

We shall remain in Surat up until about the 20th December.

In the meantime one gentleman has come to me here in Indore and he has offered us one small Krsna Temple in Vrndavana with room for about 20-25 men. He has written to the man there to receive you when you go. So you may go immediately as soon as possible go there for the purpose of seeing the Temple whether it is suitable for us. The name is as follows:

Chhatrabihariji's Temple; Gopinatha Bazar; Vrndavana. It is in care of our friend Sri N. C. Zamindar, of Indore. So please go there and see it and do the needful. Let me know how things are going on.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. You might have received by this time a letter from Tamala. So you must go immediately to see the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports and make the necessary arrangements for getting the clearance permission for our shipment of books.

Letter to Tamala Krsna, Syamasundara -- Indore 9 December, 1970:

I have advised Gurudasa to print the numbers of the receipts which were lost in Delhi in the public papers with a note that any monies collected with these receipts are not received by ISKCON, neither ISKCON is responsible for such false representation. Please send the numbers of the missing receipts immediately to Gurudasa so he can do the needful. Giriraja says that you now have the only copy of the missing numbers. So please send them without delay.

Letter to Tamala Krsna, Syamasundara -- Indore 13 December, 1970:

I have received one telegram from Gurudasa in Delhi reading as follows:

CCP granted also official letter clearing books waiving demurrage sent to all ports trying Indian 18th—Gurudasa

So I am very anxious to know what you have been able to do in the matter of receiving the books.

Because of the proposed meeting with Indira Gandhi on the 18th instant, our Gorakhpur program is not fixed up. If you have already purchased tickets in the meantime, you may go there as planned, but our arrival from this end is not yet ascertained.

Please keep me informed by daily letters as you promised before my leaving for Indore.

Letter to Murari -- Surat 31 December, 1970:

Also I have received one letter from Janaki, and she should be engaged fully in assisting her husband. In this way husband and wife can work together cooperatively and make rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness, just as in the case of Gurudasa and Yamuna who have rendered such nice service together.

1971 Correspondence

Telegram to Gurudas -- ALLAHABAD GURUDAS C/O LALPAGRI BOMBAY:

ALLAHABAD

GURUDAS C/O LALPAGRI BOMBAY

LT_710100_A1

COME WITH PARTY ALLAHABAD IMMDETLY

Letter to Mukunda -- Allahabad 4 February, 1971:

In regard of Regent's Park land we are taking steps to contact Sri Karan Singh, who is already known to Gurudasa and that way of obtaining royal favor is very good. I think Sri Singh will like to help us in this matter, so let us see what Krsna desires. In the meantime continue to work from your end as far as possible.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bombay 19 April, 1971:

As requested by you, I have arranged to send Gurudasa as soon as possible. It is understood that our devotees have got some difficulty in the matter of extensions of visas. Now you can consult our lawyer friends that I want my foreign disciples to remain here to assist me in my activities of Sankirtana Movement, so whether the Government can ask them to go away? Our Society is registered, our activities are bona fide, I am a preacher and if I maintain my disciples and assistants properly, how can the Government ask them to go? Please consult about this legal implication and if they are refused to stay in India, by visa, I wish to take legal action in this connection.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Bombay 21 April, 1971:

For visiting Vrindaban on press affairs, I have sent you already one letter of introduction so you can go and see the place. I think your program in Delhi is going on nicely and things are coming along by the grace of Krishna for our purpose. So just handle thing very carefully and everything will be very successful. When going to Vrindaban, Subaladas Maharaja may also go. Today Gurudasa and his wife Yamuna are going there. You wanted some married couple. They are the best pair and if required they can remain in Delhi to organize things nicely. I am so glad you have already got order for importing papers from Japan and America. That is a great success. Now find suitable place to print our magazine, both English and Hindi.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bombay 22 April, 1971:

Gurudasa & his wife have already gone to Delhi & from there they will go to Calcutta.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bombay 25 April, 1971:

Yes, Revatinandana and Madhudvisa Swami will go there just as soon as you send money for their passage, and they will take the marble Deities with them also. And I shall be going there also by the 13rd May via Kuala Lumpur and Sydney. For the throne design you will have to write Gurudasa in Delhi (c/o S.K. Joshi; 4-A Kamala Nagar) about it. There is no such photo here. You have got idea of the length and breadth of the throne already. It should be as you have done in Gorakhpur.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 27 April, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your two letters dated nil and 24th April, 1971 respectively. Yes, so far as the visas are concerned, from Delhi arrangements must be made that at least 400 of my foreign disciples must remain in India to propagate the Krishna Consciousness Movement. They are my good assistants and they are missionaries also. So many Christian missionaries are working in this country. Why not Krishna Conscious missionaries? They should be given special consideration. As a missionary I was given special consideration in your country, similarly you all should be given special consideration here.

I am so glad to hear that the Educational Department will take our books. They should take at least 50 copies of each book. They took our Bhagavatam, 50 sets. Similarly big men of Delhi and parliament members should be approached to take our books and become life members. I am also glad to note that Ksirodakasayi has made nice living accommodations. That is first consideration, otherwise it is difficult to do our work. So it appears that everything is very favorable in Delhi and if we can get the land, then we must make serious program in Delhi.

Ksirodakasayi hasn't got to go to Russia. Let him concentrate his business in Delhi as leader. And if your presence in Delhi is no longer required, then you are required in Calcutta. So after finishing your important business in Delhi, you should go to Delhi for at least one month.

It is encouraging that you are enthusiastic for making engagements there, so do it nicely. And so far as foreigners coming to India for spiritual learning, we are the only institution which can receive foreigners and train them nicely in spiritual life. So Dr. Karan Singh and the government should help to get a nice place for such work to go on. Try to convince him in this way.

Yes, we are contemplating Indira Gandhi's presence while laying down the foundation stone in Mayapur. So you arrange like that. My going to Delhi is not so important now since we have secured land in Mayapur. Be in correspondence with Tamala Krishna in this regard.

Please offer my blessings to your good wife Yamuna Devi. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Bombay 30 April, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letters dated 26th April, 1971 and have noted the contents. Regarding Vrindaban, perhaps by now you have seen the place. Presently Mahantaji wants to transfer the property to us and wants to go there to Vrindaban on the 8th or the 15th May. So now you can decide when to go there so that he can transfer the property to us and at the same time have Sankirtana, preferably for two or three days. So decide amongst yourselves which of the two days is more convenient and write Mahantaji. His address is as follows: Mahanta Dhinabandhudas; Char Samprada temple; Panchavati; Nasik.

When the date is fixed up, you can write both Hamsaduta and Madhudvisa so that some men can come and join you there in Vrindaban. Perhaps you know that Hamsaduta is now in Ahmedabad. His address is as follows: c/o Chimanlal M. Soni; Manekchawk Sankdhishere; Kehjdapol Vithal Niwas; Ahmedabad-1, Gujarat. Probably I will not be able to join you since I am going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and then on to Sydney Australia, and will be starting Monday morning.

Letter to Central Bank of India -- Calcutta 26 May, 1971:

Central Bank of India,

Calcutta

RESOLVED

At a meeting of the executive officers of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, held yesterday the 25th May, 1971 at their office at 3A, Albert Road, Calcutta-17, the following was agreed:

An account would be opened under the name INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS BUILDING FUND and that it would be operated jointly by the Founder-Acarya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami and the Zonal Secretary for India Tamala Krishna Das Adhikari. Checks will be signed by both jointly. The account would be a current account, with the Central Bank of India, Camac Street Branch. Those present at the meeting were:

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami—Founder Acarya

Tamala Krishna Das Adhikari—Zonal Secretary for India

Jayapataka Swami

Hamsaduta das Adhikari

Bali Mardan das Adhikari

Gurudasa Adhikari

Yours faithfully,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami,

Founder-Acarya

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 11 June, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 31st May; and 2nd June respectively and have noted the contents. So far as Gorakhpur business is concerned, I think that you are in touch with Tamala about this matter. Anyway, Dr. Rao has agreed to give up his administrative position. So Adipurusa (Govinda Banka) or Durdaivanasana (Mr. Chopra) may be given charge of the administrative business to develop that center. Dr. Rao should be given wholly for translating work.

The Vrindaban press affair does not sound very encouraging so you should not try to open press in Vrindaban; it is a losing concern. Better try to open a center in Delhi because the dharmasala is already open to us and can be permanently gotten if we open a center there. Sada Jiwat Lal saw me the other day and he said that on some nominal condition of say Rs 1/- per year, they will give the dharmasala for a Radha Krishna temple. Hansaraj Gupta, the mayor of Delhi, is friendly and he can help also, so take this dharmasala and open a center there.

Also I heard that Dalmia is willing to give us his place in Vrindaban. Take it. Recently I have asked Karandhara to send another 50 to 60 men here, under the leadership of Dayananda. So we want to keep at least 100 men here in India for preaching. The people are appreciating our movement, so there is great potential.

Bombay life membership program is very encouraging. Just yesterday they made eight life members and are averaging three daily. So if we make all over India the example that the leading persons in Bombay are becoming our life members, then all the influential and important people will become our life members, all over the country. Millions of life members can be made. And they are liking our books. So it is a good program. Besides that, these festivals are also very good programs. So if we do so in every city and distribute our books also, this movement will be top in India. So consider the fact and do the needful.

Regarding Dr. Sharma's point that the books are not for sale in India, the reply is that we brought thousands of books here and they have already been distributed to our members and it is still going on. So the excess can be sold to government institutions for helping our movement here in India. If necessary, you may take permission for this.

So far as Indira Gandhi attending the function, we shall accept a day according to her convenience and we shall hold the function on her arrival. That is my desire. I think your wife and Giriraja have already gone to Delhi to help you in this connection.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 17 June, 1971:

Delhi

(To Gurudasa)

STOPPING TWO HOURS DELHI EN ROUTE MOSCOW ALL DEVOTEES MEET AIRPORT SUNDAY MORNING 20TH 730 AI 515 TRY BRING KARAN SINGH OTHER VIPS TO MEET ME NOTIFY SUBAL DAS—BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- London 28 June, 1971:

The ceremony for laying down the corner stone on Vyasa puja day or some days after must be performed. If Indira Gandhi can not attend, then the governor of Bengal, Mr. Bhawan, should attend the function. I think Syamasundara. has written Gurudasa in this connection and so you should take serious concern of this fact.

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1971:

You have complained about those devotees who have mistreated their wives and children, but that is not the example. Those who have deserted this movement are not the example. So why are you citing them as example? There are so many devotees like Dayananda, Syamasundara., Hayagriva and others who are living with their wife and children very peacefully. There are so many. So why take bad examples; there are so many good examples to be taken. I have gotten married so many of my disciples. Gurudasa, Tamala, there are so many living peacefully. If someone has deserted, then he is wrong and not the example.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 13 July, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 31st June, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. Yes, we were in Moscow for five days. The city is very clean but the socialistic government is not very good. Only you can take what the state supplies. There is very little freedom there. Anyway, there is hope for opening a center in the future; we have made some friends there. From Moscow I came to Paris, L.A. and then attended the very successful Rathayatra festival. Now I am again in L.A. and will begin making my way back to Calcutta beginning in the 16th instant. So I hope things are going on nicely for the Mayapur festival. I have had no letter from Tamala since I have come here. So you mentioned in your letter about an appointment with S. S. Dhawan. What is the result? No one has informed me. Whether the appointment actually took place? In this connection, Syamasundara. already sent one letter to Tamala to let us know and do the needful. Unless some big man lays down the corner stone, our whole attempt will be frustrated. Actually the function in Mayapur will be held for this purpose.

Yes, it is not a bad idea to have Sankirtana as you have described because Lord Nityananda Prabhu, he personally went to troubled area of Jagai and Madhai and he conquered them. They became devotees. Nityananda Prabhu was injured also. So when Sankirtana is in a troubled area, do it very carefully. It is a good idea, but you must be very careful at the same time. It is not contradictory to our principles. Rather it is a great service. But the difficulty is that you cannot speak in the local language. So under the circumstances simply Sankirtana party chanting will do.

Please offer my blessings to the others and let me know very soon what are the new developments. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 14 July, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated after such a long time and I have noted the contents carefully.

I have handed your letter over to Syamasundara for a point by point reply, but one thing is that if it is not possible to get Indira Gandhi or the Governor or the American Ambassador for the festival at Mayapur, then what is the use? In that case, the program should be cancelled until some later date. My going there depends on whether such meeting can be arranged; otherwise there is no need in my going. I have got so much engagement here and have resumed my translating work also. So do your best to see that one of these big officials comes to Mayapur for the cornerstone ceremony and let me know as soon as possible what arrangements have been made.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. (1) By the 20th July I will be in N.Y. at least for a week.

(2) By the 1st August I will be in London.

(3) (?) please find one letter from Mr. Mukherji(?) & do the needful.

(4) If Bombay(?) management is going well, then Gurudasa may go there (?). Send me one letter weekly.

Letter to Mukunda -- Brooklyn 27 July, 1971:

I was so pleased to know that since Gurudasa had left London you had taken charge of our temple there, but later on you again left, so what can I do? I shall always pray that wherever you remain, you will continue your Krishna Consciousness and follow the rules and regulations. Now I am going to London very soon and after coming back I will be going to L.A. So you can come and see me at that time along with your wife and stay for some time. That will be very nice.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Brooklyn 27 July, 1971:

Also I have received one letter from Gurudasa Prabhu dated 21st July, 1971 and have noted the contents. I have received report from Bombay that things are going on very nicely there, so there is no need for him to go there at the present time.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Brooklyn 28 July, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 21st July, 1971 and have noted the contents. The handwritten postscript was "is Not". You are right. But I have received one letter from Madhudvisa Maharaja that things are going on nicely in Bombay. So you need not go there. Better if you also form a party to recruite life members. From Giriraja's letter, and Tamala's also, I understand that only Giriraja is collecting money. So why not you do something in this connection? I suggest, since Jayapataka is engaged in temple work, that both you and Tamala find some time and recruit some members.

So far the chief guest is concerned, I have written Tamala that if Indira Gandhi or some nice donor is not available, then forget this function. I was in Calcutta when there was an attempt to post one literature in which it was falsely declared that Indira Gandhi was to perform the corner stone ceremony, and I objected. Everything should be done very carefully. We are increasing in volume and we have got some prestige. Nothing should be done irresponsibly.

I have learned from Giriraja that it is not possible to get any big donation. We have to construct the temple at Mayapur by collecting membership fees. So far I understand, the collection rate is at one member per day. So even it is so, then keeping this standard, we may collect 25,000 to 30,000 Rs. per month. Four months means one lakh. One year means three lakhs. So if we want to spend 25 lakhs at Mayapur, it will take 8 to 10 years. Do you think that is a practical proposal? So we should not imagine some big project unless we have got insurance from our admirers. This life membership program has proved a little successful, so continue it and form 3 or 4 parties to collect membership fees. As Giriraja and Revatinandana have formed one party, so you and Tamala form a party to approach respectable gentlemen to become life members.

If there are sufficient men in Calcutta, then why not send some and try to develop Delhi? Subala Maharaja sometimes says that he will conduct the Vrindaban press and sometimes he says that there is no need. He is not fixed up. It was the program in Delhi that BTG in Hindi would be published. There was so much enthusiasm for this Hindi work in Delhi and now nothing is done. We are making members on the condition that there will be a Hindi BTG but no arrangement has been made to date; simply words. Ksirodakasayi left India all of a sudden. Dr. Rao is competent to translate but I do not know why he is silent. I first went to India some time last year at the end of August. So you are all in India for at least one year but still you cannot publish a second issue of Hindi BTG. So immediately arrangement should be made. We have to publish from India BTG in different languages. Whatever prestige we have got is due to our magazines and books. So in this connection, no attention is being drawn and, as Tamala is in charge of Indian affairs, I wish to draw his serious attention in this matter. What arrangements are there for printing our magazine in different Indian languages? Some Bengali man, Mr. Chaterjee's son-in-law, wanted to translate. What happened to that?

So far I know, the Delhi dharmasala room can be had for our permanent office, and at least for printing our books and magazines in Hindi. So we should maintain the Delhi center.

Letter to Gurudasa -- London 11 August, 1971:

I beg to draw your attention to my last letter to you dated 28th July in which I pointed out that so many things are undone in India. Therefore it is not advisable that you go outside India at this time. So many matters are pending and how to get our books and BTG printed in Hindi also. I understand that sometimes you are going to Delhi with Tamala in a plane for visiting some officers but that is of no use.

So my request to you now is that yourself and Tamala Krishna go to Delhi to organize a center there and make arrangements for printing our books and magazine in Hindi and recruit life members there also.

I understand that you have been invited by Syama Dasi in Africa. I don't advise that you associate with her because she is sahajiya. To associate with her will hamper pure devotional service. Besides that you are going there for only one month after taking so much labor. What will be the profit? Will they contribute money for our Mayapur project? Unless our Mayapur project is finalized, I don't think any one of you can go outside of India. My advise is that Tamala and yourself immediately make arrangements for going to Delhi and organize that center nicely.

Letter to Yamuna -- ENGLAND 11th August, 1971:

So far going to Africa is concerned, I have answered that point in the enclosed letter to Gurudas. It is not advisable at this time.

Letter to Giriraja -- London 12 August, 1971:

Gurudasa and Yamuna shouldn't go to Africa. I have already advised them. Rather Gurudasa and Tamala Krishna should go to Delhi and organize that center. There is much business there so I have advised them to go. The small Deity which Yamuna is receiving may be taken to Delhi in order to make the dharmasala a permanent center. Wherever we go, our Deities must be installed. So they may not go to Africa and waste time. Brahmananda has already gone there. We have got enough business in India. So it is better that Tamala and Gurudasa exert their energy for recruiting members in Delhi. That is still an open field. In Calcutta you are working very nicely so stick to Calcutta and do your best.

Letter to Giriraja -- London 12 August, 1971:

Too many cooks spoil the broth. I have therefore asked Tamala and Gurudasa to go to Delhi for organizing a center there. Jayapataka can take care of the accounts and you and Revatinandana Maharaja along with other assistants be engaged in collecting funds. That will be nice. Tamala wants our accounts audited but I have asked for the trial balance and balance sheet, but Tamala is silent on this point. How things will be audited unless accounts are kept systematically according to the scientific accounting system? Scientific keeping of accounts is tested by the trial balance and balance sheet.

Letter to Acyutananda -- London 14 August, 1971:

I have received information from Tamala's letter that Gurudasa is going to Delhi and also that you want to go to Delhi. That is not good. Stay at Mayapur as the leader there and in my opinion you should not leave Mayapur until the construction work is finished. Very soon I am returning to India and I shall live with you in that cottage for some time. That is my idea. Anyway, I don't wish that you should go to Delhi.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- London 14 August, 1971:

Regarding Delhi, I was sending Ksirodakasayi Das to take charge because Subala Swami was not fixed up and I also requested both you and Gurudasa to go there. From Ksirodakasayi Prabhu I understand that the proprietor of the dharmasala has given in writing that we can stay in that dharmasala indefinitely provided we go on holding our classes, kirtana, etc. So it is very good that you have decided to go there. Ksirodakasayi may reach Delhi by the middle of September. In Delhi so long Ksirodakasayi does not reach, you remain there and organize the center very nicely with the help of Gurudasa, Subala Maharaja and others. As soon as he goes there you may return. It may be that your personal presence will be needed at the GBC meeting. I have no objection for Gurudasa becoming president. Our main business is to preach this Krishna Consciousness Movement. When American boys and girls push on this Krishna Consciousness movement, everyone is interested with this movement, not with what office he holds. So if Gurudasa becomes president, let him become so. Then the post of secretary and treasurer may be divided between Subala Swami and Ksirodakasayi. That you can settle up when he reaches. In the meantime you organize that center very nicely. Regarding Acyutananda, he may not come to Delhi because I think his presence in Mayapur is necessary. I understand from his letter that he has already ordered some bricks for the toilet room. So for the time he may not come to Delhi.

Letter to ISKCON Calcutta, Subala and others -- London 15 August, 1971:

I beg to thank you very much for your kind feelings of appreciation of my humble service unto you. You are all helping me in pushing forward this mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, coming down by disciplic succession to my Guru Maharaja. So whatever you have spoken, it is simply due to them. I am simply the via media to receive them, on behalf of my Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada.

Letter to Gurudasa -- London 17 August, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 10th August, 1971 and have noted the contents. Yes, I received your Vyasa Puja offerings and the booklet was so nice. Thank you very much.

It is very encouraging that you are getting prominent men of Calcutta to sign the invitation to Indira Gandhi. In the meantime I have induced the high commissioner in London to request her in the same way. So try to induce Indira Gandhi your best to attend the cornerstone ceremony.

Why Acyutananda Swami should go to Delhi? He is supposed to be in charge of Mayapur affairs. Besides that he is purchasing some 10,000 bricks for constructing toilet rooms. He is supposed to remain in Mayapur and nowhere else. I have already written him in this connection. Rather Tamala should go with you. I have written Tamala also in this connection. So if you are not already started for Delhi, then make this alteration. Tamala should go for some time, not Acyutananda, to see to organizing Delhi center.

Hamsaduta is in Hamburg and Syamasundara. is here with me in London. So far that money from Bangladesh program, I have no definite information. But don't be in a dream about it. Be practical and depend on Krishna.

Letter to Tamala Krsna, Gurudasa -- London 23 August, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letters dated 19th and 17th August, 1971 respectively as well as Yamuna's letter dated the 15th August. Regarding Indira Gandhi there is no hope. The high commissioner has informed. So it is Krishna's desire that she should not lay down the foundation stone. The program will be executed by some good Vaisnava which I am thinking of. Otherwise I shall personally do it. On the whole it is Lord Caitanya's desire that a Vaisnava shall lay down the cornerstone instead of asking some material man or woman to perform the holy work. So don't try for Indira Gandhi any more.

Do your business and try to establish Delhi center solidly and secure members for financing the Mayapura scheme. I have received one letter from Brahmananda Swami in Africa and he is doing very well there. There is good prospect for establishing a center there and most probably I may go there on my way back to India.

Regarding the Bengali translation by S. Ganguli, it is almost perfect; 90%. But 10% incorrect is not his fault. He is a new man. Therefore there are little discrepancies with our thoughts. Besides that there are some mistakes in spelling as Sanskrit verses. On the whole we can immediately start the Bengali paper but there is not one qualified man who can check over the correctness of the papers. Even it is 99% all right, still that 1% must be corrected. So far I am concerned, I cannot give my time to this. The best thing would have been if this Mr. Ganguli would come and be our student and learn our philosophy carefully and then he would be most suitable man for becoming editor of our Bengali paper. Do you think that Amrtananda will be able to check as the second Bengali man? Ask him if he is able to check the papers. Then jointly with the endeavor of Amrtananda and Ganguli you can start the Bengali paper as well as publish books.

Dr. Bali has been making a program since a very long time but what is the exact program in S. India? Formerly it was settled before Vijantimalla and Dr. Bali that we shall hold a similar pandal festival in Madras in October. Unless 20 or 25 men perform this function it will not be successful. But at present if we haven't got sufficient men how we can take up this program? Men will be going there to India gradually.

We are making a very gorgeous plan at Mayapur and if you altogether can give shape to this plan, it will be unique if not in the whole world then at least in all of India. I am giving instruction to all the workers here and they are doing nicely, I think when Bhavananda and Nara Narayana go to India they will carry the plans with them.

This membership program is so nice that you can make members all over the world. So this temple should be subscribed by money raised all over the world and it must be very unique. The aim is to make it an international institute for taking perfect spiritual order of life; we shall give titles like bachelor of divinity, master of divinity, doctor of divinity. Besides that as I have already told you all several times in India, respectable gentlemen want to educate their children through the English medium. If we can organize such an institution such as St. Xavier's college in Calcutta and Bombay and we can give them instruction through the English medium and raise them in a Krishna Conscious culture we shall get unlimited number of students from respectable families of India. Such institution will be very much welcome especially in Bombay and Delhi. So think over this matter how best to organize such an institution as St. Xavier's college. Our mission is solid. Our philosophy is not utopian. Our men are being trained for exemplary character. So we shall have a unique position all over the world provided we stick to the principles, namely unflinching faith in Spiritual Master and Krishna, chanting not less than 16 rounds regularly and following the regulative principles. Then our men will conquer all over the world.

Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S.: While posting this letter, one letter came from Calcutta in which it is said "As for accounts, at least the trial balance sheet has shown great discrepancies. For example, I have collected Rs. 70,000/- from the Maidan advertisers, but only Rs. 55,000/- has been recorded, and after being informed I was able to account for a possible Rs. 5,600/- of the difference, but still Rs 9,400/- is unaccounted for. Also a profit of Rs. 15,000/- was supposed to have been made due to the Maidan program, and that profit was to have paid off a previous Calcutta debt to the building fund, but now that Rs 15,000/- has been spent for maintenance, and an additional Rs 8,000/- of membership money collected since the program has also been spent, so the Calcutta debit is now Rs 23,000/- and is increasing."

Now who will be responsible for this Rs 23,000/-

Jayapataka - Please give account for the Rs. 9,400.00

Letter to Gurudasa -- London 27 August, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 23d August, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. Anyway you have got some shelter in the dharmasala. In the meantime if you can find some good place in Delhi that will be nice. But you should organize Delhi center very nicely. Do not bother about Indira Gandhi. I think that for some political reason she cannot join our movement. I have already written Tamala that I shall find some nice Vaisnava to do it, or else myself. So now your duty is to organize Delhi center and if possible hold a meeting there like in Bombay and Calcutta at the Gandhi maidan.

So far London temple is concerned, things are going on here very nicely under the supervision of Dayananda Prabhu who is appointed treasurer and Tribhuvanatha as president. I may go to Africa and then come back to India. You are in India so do not think of coming back here. Also there will be no GBC meeting. It is not necessary. So stay there and develop things nicely. Tamala said that there is so much potential for preaching in India and that is a fact. Later on we can send more men there also. So you remain as president of Delhi and Ksirodakasayi when he goes there, can be the treasurer and Subala Maharaja as secretary. When Ksirodakasayi goes there I shall send one letter with him to you and you can do accordingly. So work combinedly to push on this movement.

At the present please see Dalmia about the two pairs of Deities that are long overdue from them. The fact is that Birla from Calcutta donated four pair brass Deities and Dalmia one pair brass Deity. Out of that, three pair we have received and two are still due. So these Deities should be immediately collected and delivered to Bombay for dispatching to Paris and other places.

Letter to Gurudasa -- London 1 September, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26th August, 1971 and have noted the contents. So far Indira Gandhi is concerned, I have replied that point in Tamala's letter enclosed. If you can arrange one meeting between her and myself that will be very nice.

Regarding Regent's Park, if Dr. K. Singh is a friend of Lord Mountbatten, he should write him one letter that we are a bona fide society, etc. and that we shall be calling upon him in the near future to help us in locating some land in London, and that he should please assist us in every way possible. His address is as follows:

Admiral of the Fleet

Earl Mountbatten of Burma;

c/o Mrs. Bachmann;

Broadlands; Romsey;

Hampshire 505 920/England

Ksirodakasayi will be reaching there by the middle of September. Your attempt for a pandal program sounds very encouraging. You are experienced now so I know that you will do it expertly. Thank you very much. Radio and television appearances are very nice. Also you can arrange for local house to house meetings for all your party. That will be nice program.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Mombassa, Kenya 16 September, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letters dated 30th August and 6th September, 1971, respectively and have noted the contents carefully. Also enclosed was a copy of the letter to Hans Roy Gupta from K. C. Pant. Thank you for securing this nice letter. You should send a copy of this letter to all our centers in India so that if there is any harassment of the security police, we can utilize it. I think that in Bombay since they have received this letter, our devotees are not complaining about police harassment. Also it is understood that Bhatliwalla that most disturbing element, is now a days also silent. So all this is a great help done by Hans Roy Gupta. He is a very nice man. So keep good relationship with him. He can be a great help in the future also provided he keeps a good impression of our society. If he keeps a good impression he will be able to help in all respects.

Yes, when you will give me a complete list of the chief guests and on what dates they will come, then I shall give you the subject matter on which I will speak. I shall make the subject matter according to the guests. Perhaps you remember in London when I spoke in Conway hall. Similarly I shall give you a list.

Yes, take the recommendation of the Mayor, J. Dalmia and others. That will be a very great help. Make a copy of the letter to show to individuals that our service is approved by the government and the mayor also. That will be most beneficial.

President Giri must be chief guest (preside) one day at least. If Giri can attend one day then why not Indira Gandhi? If Indira Gandhi says that she cannot attend such a function then how the president will attend? Is there any difference between the president and the prime minister? There is no need to invite Dr. Radhakrishnan. He is a retired man. So your selection is already nice. We want all influential men to sympathize with our movement. That is our aim, because if these big men are sympathetic then all the common people will follow.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Nairobi 5 October, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 29th September, and previous to this I had received one letter from you also. Now I may inform you that Nara Narayana has already gone to Calcutta especially for the purpose of making a model of Mayapur construction work. So immediately you can contact him. Regarding the other models like New Vrindaban, L.A., N.Y., Dallas, he can make models provided there are photographs of different buildings. So you contact him and do the needful.

I am glad to know that Ksirodakasayi has gone there already to take charge of his respective duties. So do everything nicely and combinedly because we have got a heavy task before us. This Krishna Conscious movement is a revolutionary process for making the godless world drop back to their original consciousness, although it is not expected that we shall be able to turn everyone to Krishna Consciousness. But if some of the leading men only can take to this understanding, tremendous good will follow for the people in general. I am glad to know that you are contacting some of the leading men in Delhi. So deal with them very cautiously because these men are not Krishna Conscious and are very much brittle like china clay dishes. Once broken it cannot be joined together. That means spoiled. So as we handle the china clay dishes with little care, similarly try to handle them carefully and try to induce them gradually to the platform of Krishna Consciousness. You are all very intelligent boys and girls and I have full faith in you for pushing on this movement all over the world.

Regarding money matters I am very glad to know that you are not using book funds and building funds any more. It is very encouraging. The bumblebee project is very nice and I am so engladdened to note your encouraging writing "I will take responsibility to make sure this centre, Mayapur Project and all of ISKCON as a whole becomes purified, and it is my wish that you are relieved of any management burdens."

So please keep me informed regularly but one thing I note is that formerly I was informed that the Calcutta function will take place from 21st October, but I have received one letter from Jayapataka Maharaja in which it is said that the function will take place from 28th October. So which one is correct? I am puzzled. Let me know definitely and the different programs.

Along with the other names I see Nanda Kumar. Does it mean that he has left Bombay? Then who is taking care of the Deity? And why he has left Bombay?

Activities are going on here nicely. There are TV engagements and a very large meeting is scheduled at the university of Nairobi for tomorrow. Many respectful Hindus are inviting us and I am staying in everyone's house for four to five days. Most probably our center here in Nairobi will be a strong one, as strong as any of our other centers. Two black devotees have come here today from N.Y. to make propoganda and the local Africans also are becoming very much interested. Also the life membership program is going on very happily. Already we have collected more than 30,000 shillings.

You can give the title for the pandal program as "World Sankirtana Movement". Please offer my blessings to all the others there.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Nairobi 13 October, 1971:

P.S. Please offer Gurudasa my blessings. I have received his letter of 7th October, 1971 and noted the contents.

While posting I received one letter from Ksirodakasayi and the program presented by him appears to be very nice. So kindly cooperate with him and make things nice. We have got great responsibility. Further talks when we meet.

Letter to Yamuna, Gurudasa -- Nairobi 17 October, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your descriptive letter dated 10th October, 1971 and have noted the contents with interest. I am so glad to know that you are seeing all the MPs and officials in the government service and if you can make each of them a member of our society it will be a great service. Try to do it to your best capacity. I am also very much pleased that Indira Gandhi is now personally well known to you. For your presence only she has given special order for our devotees stay in Delhi. Certainly this is a good achievement. The selected men, namely the MPs who are there, are supposed to be the leaders of the country, are all there. If they can be convinced of our important movement then in India we shall have a very good holding. Actually our movement is so important that without taking to it, no other method, political, social, religious, or cultural, can give relief to the present chaotic status of the worldly situation. The leaders of the society must try to understand this point, that godlessness cannot give any relief to the human society. The whole world is so made that the living entity must serve Krishna; otherwise he has to serve maya. It is the same example that the citizen of the state has to render service to the government in order to become a good citizen. If one does not abide by the government laws then he is put into prison walls and forced to serve the government more tediously. So if we do not perform sacrifice, yajna, which means method of activities for pleasing the lord; as you know it is stated in Bhagavad-gita that any work not done for the satisfaction of the Lord must entangle the doer in the complication of the stringent laws of material nature.

Regarding the Deity worship and how to take care of the marble forms, now you have got practical experience from Jaipur and you can issue a statement to all the centers where such Deities are there. We may require many marble Dieties from Jaipur also. So it is good that you have secured the name and address of a good supplier. The Deities meant for the temple in Delhi may be installed during the Delhi function as we did for our Calcutta Deity. In the meantime somebody may donate a throne like Calcutta or Bombay for the Deities. And in the future we shall see about Jaipur. It is a city of devotees. We can get many vacated temples there in Jaipur just like there are some churches vacated in London also.

On the night of the 19th I am going to Bombay, reaching the next morning at 8:15 am. From there, after four days, I will be going to Calcutta sometime on the 24th instant. (8/30 am)

Letter to Jadurani -- Calcutta 4 November, 1971:

Acyutananda is preparing those prayer booklets from here. You needn't divert your attention in that way. So far the painting of Bhismadeva.., you can show flowers actually falling from the sky. That is nice. And Lord Rama's arms should be kept in the original position, as is depicted in the print sent by Gurudasa. The arms must remain symmetrical.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Vrindaban 30 November, 1971:

The photography exhibit for Delhi pandal arrived, but the exorbitant price of $240 plus shipping costs was too much for 70 photos, so I have advised them to pay only the actual cost price as will be determined by Gurudasa. I have seen the photo price list from Uddhava and the prices quoted are very high. He is simply taking advantage of our devotees' sentiment to make money, and this is not a very good position.

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Delhi 12 December, 1971:

I shall pass on the information you have sent regarding help from Indian government to Gurudasa, who is working here in Delhi with many officials. Now they are engaged in war with Pakistan, the government may not be too willing to help us, but we shall try.

Letter to Yamuna, Palika -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:

I think that Palika dasi may join her husband, Bhavananda, in Calcutta as soon as she recovers her health, & she may help him there organize things very nicely for celebrating our festival in Mayapur from middle Feb. to end Feb, & she may help organize Calcutta center as nicely as they have done in New York. As for Yamuna, she may rejoin her good husband, Gurudasa, in Delhi for pushing on our program there & making many life-members. I shall be very pleased to hear that you have gotten well & that you have both returned to your duties. It is only because Krishna has somehow or other given me such assistants as yourselves that I have got any success I appreciate your helping me in this way, you are more dear to me than my own daughters.

Page Title:	Training of Gurudasa (Letters, 1970 - 1971)
Compiler:	MadhuGopaldas
Created:	28 of May, 2010
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=89
No. of Quotes:	89