Training of Nayanabhirama dasa (Letters, 1968 - 1977)

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Los Angeles 23 November, 1968:

Regarding your article in Back To Godhead about Ayurvedic Medicine, I do not think this is very worthwhile endeavor. You have shown nice ability for writing so it will be more appreciated if you continue to study Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita and express the same by your assimilation. We have enough Krishna Consciousness matters to discuss so there is no need of wasting time with such topics as Ayurvedic Medicine.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 28 January, 1969:

Regarding your need for more manpower, I have already asked Arabinda to go there, and he will be writing to you soon about this. Regarding the securing of advertisements, this responsibility should be divided among three centers, namely New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Purusottama has already gotten some advertisements for you, and he is teaching Sudama to help him also in Los Angeles. In San Francisco, both Cidananda and Dindayal will be trying for this also. In New York, Gargamuni and Nayana Bhirama should work in this way also. Nayana Bhirama did nicely in securing advertisements for this last issue, so I think he is skillful enough to be very helpful for the next issue also. If advertisements are sold in many different cities, it will add prestige to the magazine, because people will see that we are getting advertisements from all over.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Allston, Mass 6 May, 1969:

Regarding Teachings of Lord Caitanya, I am very glad to know that you are hopeful for great success. The stores demand of 40% for at least 4 copies is all right. There are about 1,000 stores in new York at least. So if they take 3 copies each, we immediately distribute 3,000 copies. Similarly in other big cities we can distribute at least 1,000 in each city. There are at least 25 important cities in your country, so in each city, if we distribute at least 1,000 copies, there is potency of distributing 25,000 copies in your country only, and what to speak of other countries, like England or any other part of the world where English is spoken. So it requires only organization; and now that we have a special "Iskcon Books" department simply for the promotion and publication of our literatures, and you also have the help of Nayana Bhirama and Bali Mardan, so the future looks very hopeful.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 22 July, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 18, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am pleased to note that under your direction Bali Mardan, Jayadvaita, Rsi Kumar, Candanacarya, Nayana Bhirama and Joel Chalson are all working very nicely. It is a good combination, so make this combination stronger and improve it.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Los Angeles 1 August, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 30th July, 1970, and noted the contents.

I have duly initiated the new student Elaine Marberger and her spiritual name is Daivisakti devi Dasi. I have sent her beads back by separate air post and her letter is enclosed herewith. I beg to thank you also for the check of $50 contribution to my book fund, it is very welcome.

Regarding your proposed marriage with Srimati Daivisakti, she appears to be a very nice intelligent devotee, so if she is agreeable to your proposal I have all blessings for your marriage. Now please work combinedly in Krsna's service with your new wife when you are married and make your lives perfect in Krsna consciousness. That is my desire. You should be very careful to always set the highest example of householder life in Krsna consciousness and that will automatically benefit all persons with whom you come in contact. So you live and work together in Krsna consciousness and be happy chanting Hare Krsna mantra.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Tokyo 28 August, 1970:

I have just received one unaccompanied cheque for $100 return addressed to your Philadelphia center. So I beg to thank you very much for this contribution which I think must be a gift for Vyasa Puja Day presentation and I have deposited it with Dai Nippon for publication of our literatures.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Calcutta September 24, 1970:

I have just received one letter from Nayanabhirama and he has met one Indian gentleman who lives in Taiwan and would like us to open a center there. His address is as follows:

Navin Gajjar, Mgr. Du Pont Far East Inc.

703, Chia Hsin Bldg, Taipei, Taiwan

You should immediately contact Nayanabhirama about this prospect. Anyone who goes to Fiji must contact Mr. Sharma and amongst others he will be a nice friend.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Calcutta 26 September, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Sept. 10th, 1970 and noted the contents. I have not yet received the bead bag sewn by your good wife, but I beg to thank you for the check of $100 forwarded to my book fund. I am so glad that you are now together, husband and wife, engaged in serving Krsna as an ideal Krsna Conscious householder couple.

Do not be discouraged that you are only four devotees at present moment in Philadelphia. Simply you very strictly follow the routine schedule of devotional service and chanting Hare Krsna and do your best to spread this Movement amongst the local people. Krsna will send you many more sincere souls very soon to help you. So go on with your work with new efforts of increased enthusiasm and Krsna will bless you more and more in Krsna consciousness. Please increase your program of distribution to the public as well as trying to place our books and magazines in the libraries. This is very successful in libraries in other centers.

I am very glad to know that Mr. Gajjar is continuing his interest in our Movement, so please encourage him in this way. It is very good that is brother, Mr. Navin Gajjar, from Taiwan, is also interested in a center there. Please contact Bali Mardan immediately in this connection. He has got great eagerness to open branches in that part of the world and he has got already invitation from Hong Kong and Fiji. So this will be added impetus to his work if you kindly give him further information regarding our friend in Taiwan.

I am very happy to know that Mrs. Max, the proprietor of Paragon Bookstore has remembered me and I have written her one note which I have sent in care of you for forwarding to the proper address in New York.

Letter to Daivisakti, Nayanabhirama -- Calcutta 4 October, 1970:

I beg to thank you both so very much for your card dated September 15, 1970, and I am so happy that you are finding your combination for working forward in the transcendental loving service of the Lord to be very fortunate by the grace of the Lord. I beg to thank you for your gift to me of a handsewn bead bag which is very skillfully done. I shall be utilizing it very soon for my beads.

I hope everything is going on well with you at your center in Philadelphia. Please set the example of our ideal householder life in Krsna Consciousness. This will be very highly appreciated by all persons who will come in your contact and you will also be benefited. So please see that you all stick to the regulative lines of our devotional practices and keep up the standard of purity as it has thus far been established in our progressive functions in Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Amritsar 26 October, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 11th, 1970, and noted the contents with satisfaction. It is most important if you arrange lectures and kirtanas at the schools and colleges because the more intelligent young boys and girls of your country are very much eager to understand this Krishna Consciousness Movement. They are frustrated in so many ways and they are looking for something new kind of happiness which they will find in this Krsna Consciousness Movement.

Please also try to introduce our books in the colleges and schools as well as local libraries. I have received word from other centers that our literatures are very well received and often they are being used as course textbooks in the schools and colleges. You are already preaching on the university campuses, so you add this book distribution to your program and make it complete with preaching, chanting of Hare Krsna Mahamantra, distribution of Prasadam and literatures. I know how well this program is received by the students because they are very intelligent. You are also very intelligent boy and devotee of Krsna and Krsna will give you even more intelligence in proportion to your endeavor to serve Him faithfully.

Please offer my blessings to your good wife, whose picture in the news clipping is showing nice Krsna Consciousness, and all the other devotees there in our Philadelphia Temple.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Bombay 1 December, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 21st November, 1970 and have noted the contents carefully.

Yes, I am so glad to learn that you are distributing our books in colleges and schools so nicely. Actually this Krishna Consciousness Movement is a novel proposition to the world. The world is suffering on account of atheistic conviction of life, so our theistic proposition presenting Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is certainly a great relief to the agnostics, atheists, impersonalists and voidists. In all our books we have very scientifically covered all such demons and if these books are introduced in the schools and colleges, so many beautiful souls will be saved. Your are doing a great service to humanity to introduce our books to the people in general. So far as preaching through television the mantras of Isopanisad is concerned, that will be a great success to do so.

So far as moving the temple to a new location, that is very good news. When I return to your country, I must visit your temple, either from New York or from New Vrindaban. Formerly, when I first came to the U.S. I saw this Philadelphia city. It is a nice small city almost representing New York. In the Philadelphia University there is one professor of Sanskrit. His first name is Norman, and the last name is, I believe, Brown. Dr. Norman Brown. He invited me to speak in his class, so we are acquainted. If possible, try to introduce our books there. This university is in the Walnut district.

If you can keep cows, it is very good. You'll get fresh milk. That's a great benefit. To take care of the cow is a religious function for the Hindus but actually if care is taken for cows, it delivers us the miracle food—cow's milk, which is so valuable. And because we drink cow's milk, we should accept the cow as our mother. That is etiquette.

Someday when the opportunity comes for film-making you can do so. If you can make bona fide films it is welcome. Then I can help you by directing. So far as exporting films that is not possible.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Allahabad 9 January, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 27th December, 1970 and have noted the contents carefully.

I am glad to hear that Philadelphia is such a good place for pushing on our Sankirtana movement and it is also very encouraging to hear that BTG distribution is increasing. Also, now that you've moved into your new temple, you should also enthusiastically resume the placing of our literatures in the schools and libraries. Then so many people will be given the opportunity of being exposed to our Krishna Consciousness philosophy, and I am very eager for this. So far as meeting with the college professors mentioned by you, I shall be very glad to do so when I visit your temple.

That your "TV sermonette" was so successful is also very good news. This also goes to show how much people will be attracted to our books such as KRSNA book if they are properly displayed, and so propoganda should be made in this way. The mass media can become such an important instrument in spreading our Krishna Consciousness movement and I am glad to see that you are endeavoring to explore how this can be done.

Yes, I have received your contribution of $15.00 (by money order) for my maintenance fund and I thank you very much for this. Please offer my blessings to the others there.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Allahabad 4 February, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 14th January, 1971. Also I have received the two American express money orders one for $65.00 and one for $1.00 enclosed therein as well as a $15.00 maintenance fund check sent by your good self some weeks before and received by me on 29th December, 1970.

I am pleased to note that Karen Anderson has been endorsed by you for initiation and certainly I will accept her as my disciple. Presently I am inquiring into purchasing a quantity of tulasi beads here. When I secure them, then I shall duly chant on one set for Karen and dispatch them forthwith. The $50.00 initiation donation was duly received and you can thank Karen very much for her contribution to my book fund. Actually that is the parampara system. The newly initiated disciple is immediately supposed to beg alms and make a presentation to the spiritual master. If such presentation is not made, if they do not follow the system, how the effect will be there? So far as Bhaktijana getting himself married, I have already written him about this.

Also I have received the newspaper clippings enclosed by you. The program there in Philadelphia is always so much encouraging. Continue in this way and distribute our books nicely and Krishna will be pleased upon you to give you more and more facility for service.

Letter to Anandini (Karen Anderson) -- Bombay 30 March, 1971:

I am so glad to hear how nicely you are engaged in devotional service there in our Philadelphia temple, under the expert guidance of Nayana Bhirama. I have received so many favorable reports about the activities there in Philadelphia and am so glad that you are there also and helping out. As the temple is growing more and more, so can your service expend also. So stay strong in Krishna's service by strictly following the regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds daily, without fail, reading all our literatures, and engaging whole-heartedly in devotional service, 24 hours. Then you will be happy and Krishna will be pleased.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Bombay 4 April, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28th February and 17th March, 1971 respectively and have noted the contents carefully. Also I have received the two articles enclosed and I am so glad that they were well received by respectable persons. They are fine publicity for our society.

So far as posting articles in the state prison and corresponding with the inmates, that is nice program. If you can make good propoganda then everyone will become attracted to Krishna Consciousness. That is our mission. Yes, if the prisoners can give up their sinful activities, we can allow them to live with us. Otherwise, how it is possible? Our policy is to have shaven head, wear robes, chant 16 rounds of beads, follow the regulative principles, take prasadam only, etc. If they can follow all these principles then only it is all right. If a doctor prescribes a medicine and a diet and if the patient follows both, he will get well. If he just follows in part, then he may not. So all these principles must be followed in order to derive spiritual benefit. That is our method.

For the time being you can go to the jail and lecture about Krishna Consciousness and the values of life. You can give this lecture simply by repeating different chapters from our books. And the same can be done in the mental hospital as well. Distribute prasadam there also. Preaching at these and other big institutions is solid work, so try to increase this activity.

The suggested ceremonial gifts for the Spiritual Master are as follows: grains; fruits; spices; ghee; flowers; clothings and garments; bedding, shoes, umbrella; asana; sacred thread; utensils; lamp; bead bag; kunti (neck) beads; incense; ornaments; money. No, the third floor is not too high for my quarters. When I was in Montreal I was on the fourth floor.

So far as arranging for one engagement in the art gallery, I shall be glad to accept this invitation when I return. Let him be in contact with our temple and when I go there I shall accept this invitation.

It is interesting to hear how you received last month's rent money. Just see how Krishna is helping you. Just work sincerely and follow the regulative principles and Krishna will help us always. And now there are so many devotees there in Philadelphia. Please take care of them. Teach them how to remain neat and clean. They should be engaged always in cleansing the temple. Cleansing is urgently required. As far as possible, non-initiated devotees may not enter the kitchen or Deity area. They can help from outside. Just take care of them so that they may become pure devotees. That is your duty. We are respected everywhere on our purity platform. This should be maintained. That the graduate student and family has also joined our movement is very good news. Take care of him also. Let him read and study all our books.

The color slides have been given to Syamasundara. Also I have received your maintenance checks for the months of February and March, 1971. Thank you very much. So far as "Krishna catering service," unless you have got sufficient time to accept such engagements don't take it because everything must be done nicely. Try also and make the parents of our devotees into life members. That will help our movement; so will going on radio and TV shows. So continue such engagements as much as possible.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Bombay 30 April, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 20th April, 1971 with enclosed clippings as well as your check for $15.00 for my maintenance fund. Thank you very much.

Cleansing oneself as well as teaching others to be clean; these two things must be there simultaneously. None of us have perfect desires but we are trying to be perfect and teach others to be perfect as far as possible. They cannot be separated but must go together as parallel lines. Siksa and diksa. Siksa means learning. diksa, or initiation, means the beginning of spiritual realization. So every disciple must make his own spiritual progress positively and help others to do so.

You can correspond with the inmates of the prison, but why become involved with the prisoner's rights council? That is not our business, so you should withdraw immediately. Prisoners are dependent on the government. So you should not interfere; it will only complicate things. Also, there is no need of studying Manu. Don't divert your attention in that way. We have got so many books. Those you should study. You may write of our principles to the U.S. Attorney General. Of that I have no objection.

Your newspaper and magazine clippings are very nice. They arrived on a day when our life members were meeting and they were appreciated by all. Your ideas for new dramas sound nice, so you can put them into action. And Princeton sounds like an ideal place for our temple, so why not open it immediately?

So far as the Finnish film student arranging for engagements, etc. in Helsinki, you may inform her that by the end of June I may very well be in London, so she can contact me there. And all your parents are becoming members. That is very encouraging. That means that they are appreciating their sons' career as spiritual students.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Los Angeles 4 July, 1971:

I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 1st July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. I am so glad to hear how nicely you performed Rathayatra festival. Next year you can perform the regular ceremony with a cart, as we are doing in San Francisco and London. That will be very nice. It doesn't matter if you construct a small cart, but you can hold such a festival.

So far your leaving Philadelphia center, that is not advisable at the present moment. Better to wait until Philadelphia temple is very firmly established and then if you wish you can go to Morocco to open a center. Whatever center you open, it must be well organized. There is no use to open a center if the management is not proper. So far as learning the film industry, that is out of the question. Krishna industry is good engagement for us.

Very soon, by the middle of this month, I will be going to N.Y., and if you like, then you can come and see me at that time and we can discuss further on these points.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Brooklyn 25 July, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 22nd July, 1971 and have noted the contents. Also I have received your clippings. So far your American Express Money Order, sent to Bombay, I have not received it as of yet. Perhaps you should trace it, because it should have been forwarded to me by now.

I was very glad to see both you and your good wife Daivisakti here in N.Y. for the initiation ceremonies. You are both doing so nicely in Krishna Consciousness. Thank you very much. And please offer my blessings to all the other boys and girls there in Philadelphia. Their presentations were so very nice, and they showed so much devotion also. You are all so very nice to me and I am so grateful.

On Thursday next, 29th July, I am going to Gainesville, Florida, to lecture in the university there and then I will be going to London. So it will not be possible for me to visit New Vrindaban at this time. Perhaps in the future, when I return to U.S.A.

The fig tree is not worshipable by us. Try to worship tulasi instead. That will include all tree worship.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- London 22 August, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16th August, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. Also I have received your check for $25.00 and I thank you very much for the same. Yes, if it is approved by the GBC then I have no objection if you and your wife go to Israel to help out there. Philadelphia temple has improved nicely under your supervision. So for the time being continue to develop it nicely. Nothing should be done hastily or haphazardly. Then when the temple is very firmly situated I have no objection for your going. So do the needful and ask Krishna to help you.

Because there is some similarity of the word Jew and Yadu so some historian or scholar, so called, created this notion. I have read it also in some paper. But even it is true, we have nothing to do with it. Lord Krishna killed his own dynasty under His personal supervision. So certainly Krishna didn't like the idea that future dynasties would be able to identify having Krishna's blood. Krishna has no material blood; neither He is different from His body. The example is given that Malayan sandalwood is famous as grown in Malaya but the fact is that sandalwood can grow anywhere. Nowadays in Malaya there are only rubber trees but still in the market the sandalwood is known as Malayan sandalwood. Similarly a family may become famous for Krishna taking birth in that family but Krishna is independent and can appear anywhere and everywhere, where His devotees are.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 8, 1971, and I have noted the contents with pleasure. I am especially pleased to hear that our KC drama program is being developed by you nicely. We have got unlimited stock for such dramas, so go on in this way, improving more and more, and Krishna will give you direction so that one day, very soon, your all dreams will come true and you will be acting our KC dramas on the Broadway.

Everyone enjoys play-acting, only there is at present a dearth of proper material for elevating the general mass of people to the proper standards. Practically, the whole world is going to hell. There is no decency, no gentleman anywhere. So we have to portray to the people of this fallen Age of Kali-yuga what is the right standard for their behavior. When they see that, Oh, here is such nice activity, such nice people, they will automatically become changed, simply we have to engage their senses in the right taste. So this drama-playing is very good presentation for attracting their attention and displaying Krishna Consciousness very beautifully. Make everything very simple, without too much fancy costumes, and the real message will come out very nicely.

I am encouraged to hear from you that our Delhi pandal festival was seen on TV in America and other places. We can become famous for such shows, and at the same time utilize them for giving people good information about what is the real goal of life and how to achieve it. So in combination with the others you go on thinking how to improve these KC plays and dramas and how to give the public more and more of Krishna Consciousness. That is real preaching work.

1972 Correspondence

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

I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 4, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, I did not see your drama in New Vrndavana about the advent of Lord Krsna. But I have heard from others that it was done very nicely, so I am very much pleased. These kinds of dramas about Krsna, Krsna's pastimes, and also Lord Caitanya's pastimes, are very much desirable for presenting to the public widely. So if you can organize your traveling party to present such dramas all over your country and other places that will be very much appreciated. Perhaps you can work together with Visnujana for presenting our road show opera to the public also. I had opportunity to see that opera in Pittsburgh and it was very well done, with a lot of drama and dancing as well. You may keep me informed from time to time what is the progress of your play-acting group, Vaikuntha Players.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Calcutta 28 January, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1/1/73 and have noted the contents with great pleasure. It is so nice to hear how your wife Daivisakti Devi Dasi is distributing so many books and collecting big big donations for the Lord. This is very very pleasing to me, as our book distribution and collecting of funds is so much important for pushing on this movement. So if all of the devotees in New York can collect like that, at least $100 daily, then very shortly you will have enough funds for getting that big skyscraper for use as the world headquarters of our Krsna Consciousness movement.

Regarding the activities of the Vaikuntha Players, it is very nice to hear that you are taking information from our Srimad-Bhagavatam and Krsna Book for presenting everything very authoritatively, without any deviation from the sastras. Yes, one or two of the girls may learn this Indian dance technique, but we cannot take too much endeavor for such things. If they can do it without too much trouble that is all right. Now you continue executing your Krsna Conscious activities, chanting 16 rounds, studying our books, going on sankirtana, worshiping the deity, etc., and in this way you will become advanced more and more. Also as you are senior devotee you must set a nice example for the others to follow. Here also in India we are making drama, and at our Bombay Pandal on the last evening we had one drama about Krsna and the gopis in which the gopis gave the dust of their feet for curing Krsna's headache. This was very much appreciated by the audience. So in this way we can present the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness very nicely for everyone to relish.

I will now be going to Australia for one month and shall be returning to Mayapur for the occasion of Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day. So there in New York you may make some nice program for glorifying Lord Caitanya and His Associates on that auspicious occasion.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Vrindaban 18 August, 1974:

I beg to thank you for your kind appreciation on the Vyasa Puja Day. Your sentiments are appreciated by me. It is stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura it is only by pleasing the Spiritual Master that one can be assured of pleasing Krishna. So my only request to my disciples all over the world on this day is to go on pushing on this movement with determination and sincerity, rigidly following the principles I have given you.

Letter to Giriraja -- Mayapur 20 October, 1974:

Now I am sending Nayana Bhirama and his wife to Bombay for distributing books. They are enthusiastic for clearing up the book stock there. Give them all facilities for selling the books, as well as their maintenance and travel, and let us see how they can do.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Calcutta 16 January, 1977:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 4th. Yes, you are welcome to come to India if you like, to work in Bombay.

Page Title:	Training of Nayanabhirama dasa (Letters, 1968 - 1977)
Compiler:	MadhuGopaldas
Created:	03 of Jun, 2010
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=25
No. of Quotes:	25