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Training of Rsabhadeva dasa (Letters, 1970 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"Account" |"Activities" |"BBF" |"BBFD" |"BBT" |"BKF" |"BTG" |"Back to Godhead" |"Bhaktivedanta Book Trust" |"Book Fund" |"Book Trust" |"Book Trust," |"Book" |"Books" |"Branch" |"Branches" |"Business" |"Center" |"Centers" |"Check" |"Checks" |"Consult" |"Consulting" |"Cooperate" |"Cooperated" |"Cooperation" |"Cooperatively" |"Dai Nippon" |"Debt" |"Debts" |"Deities" |"Deity" |"Deposit" |"Distribute" |"Distributed" |"Distributing" |"Distribution" |"Duty" |"Festival" |"Finances" |"Financial" |"Funds" |"GBC members" |"GBC" |"Governing Board Commission" |"Governing Board Commissioners" |"Governing Body Commission" |"Governing Body Commissioners" |"ISKCON" |"Initiate" |"Initiated" |"Initiates" |"Initiating" |"Initiation" |"Initiations" |"Iskcon" |"Kirtana" |"Language" |"Leader" |"Leaders" |"Leadership" |"Leading" |"Literature" |"Literatures" |"M-V trust" |"M-V" |"M.V trust" |"Macmillan" |"Magazine" |"Magazines" |"Manage" |"Managed" |"Management" |"Managers" |"Managing" |"Manuscript" |"Manuscripts" |"Mayapur-Vrndavana Trust" |"Mayapura-Vrndavana Trust" |"Meeting" |"Mission" |"Missionary" |"Money" |"Movement" |"Organize" |"Our society" |"Preach" |"Preacher" |"Preaching" |"Press" |"Print" |"Printing" |"Program" |"Programs" |"Publication" |"Publications" |"Publish" |"Publishing" |"Rathayatra" |"Report" |"Reports" |"Rsabhadeva" |"Sankirtana" |"Temple" |"Temples" |"The society" |"Translate" |"Translated" |"Translating" |"Translation" |"Translations" |"Zonal" |"Zone"

Correspondence

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Tulasi -- Los Angeles 15 June, 1970:

I was so pleased to read your letter that I have taken some xerox copies and sent them to some centers putting before them an example.

So offer my blessings to the boys: Bhaskara das, Vanamali das, Rsabhadeva das and Ezekiel, and go on with your work thinking always of Krsna by chanting His Holy Name. And keep me informed about your future progress.

Letter to Tulsidas -- Tokyo 28 August, 1970:

Please keep your lives absorbed in transcendental loving service to the Lord and be happy. Your increased Temple activities chanting two hours before the altar, three hours of studying scriptures, etc., is very nice. Please continue this program and spread Krsna Consciousness vigorously.

Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there, Rsabhadeva, Vanamali, Bhaktadasa, Ezekiel, etc.

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Bombay 16 November, 1970:

I beg to thank you for your encouraging letter dated October 1st, 1970, and your appreciations of devotional service in Krsna Consciousness are very nice.

Now you are placed in a responsible post, so I may request you to very carefully execute the regular program as you have learned it in Los Angeles. If the regulative principles are strictly followed there is no chance of maya's dangerous influence to come in and cause some havoc. Maya is always peeping, ready to take advantage of our any lapse from devotional standard, so everyone should be continuously engaged in either chanting, studying or working and preaching. This full schedule will save you from engagement elsewhere. Maya and Krsna are always side by side. Either one is serving Krsna or he is serving Maya. Please manage the affairs of your temple in close cooperation with Karandhara and your Godbrothers and Krsna will give you the good intelligence to progress nicely.

You have remarked how the students on campus receive our devotees and Krsna philosophy so well. It is a fact that they are eagerly looking for some real meaning in life and that reality is Krsna. So you must carry on work on the campuses very diligently and try to impress them with the importance of Krsna Consciousness. I am very pleased to know that Sriman Singh is helping by speaking to campus authorities and students Krsna consciously at UCI. That is a very large University and many highly intelligent boys, girls and faculty can be approached there fore joining our program.

I am especially happy when you write how each devotee is executing his particular task with enthusiasm and they are chanting at least the required sixteen rounds daily. Everyone should think that he has been assigned this particular task to do by Krsna and he should be satisfied with that and do his best to accomplish the work as nicely as possible for the pleasure of Krsna only. By this cultivation of service attitude one swiftly advances in devotional service.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Bombay 25 March, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9th February, 1971 and have noted the contents. I am so glad to note how nicely your Sankirtana activities are going on there in Laguna Beach center. You write to say that you are considering the possibility of celebrating feast days with festivals on the street. That is very good program, so do it nicely. Aratik ceremony may be done also, if possible. Otherwise, it is not necessary. So long as there is Guru-Gauranga worship, Yamuna Prabhu may act as pujari. Otherwise, one must be initiated to tend the Deity.

It is also encouraging to note how you are arranging formal parties at professional people's homes and presenting our life membership program. That has been our program in India and it has been met with great success. So continue this program with enthusiasm and determination. We want to distribute our books as far as possible to all classes of men, because anyone who reads them is sure to become Krishna Conscious, they are so nice. Also you should distribute the books to schools, colleges, libraries, bookstores, and wherever else you can imagine that they will be received. Also continue your program of door-to-door Sankirtana. That is certainly Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement and he will bestow upon you all blessings.

Please offer my blessings to Yamuna,* Kapiladeva, Madhumangala, Austin, and Robbie Prabhus as well as all the other boys and girls there in Laguna Beach. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

*When & how she was given this name? Send my maintenance checks regularly. ACB

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Bombay 7 June, 1971:

I thank you very much for your letter post dated 13rd May, 1971 and have noted the contents. So far as your getting yourself married, I have no objection and if after referring the matter to Karandhara Prabhu, he agrees, then all my blessings are there. And you may inform Yamuna that I am glad to accept her as my disciple and just as soon as I go there, she can be initiated. Presently I am in Bombay and very soon I shall be going to London and perhaps to Moscow. From there I shall be going to N.Y. and on to Los Angeles, perhaps for Rathayatra on June 27th, 1971. At that time, if she is qualified, then she may take over pujari duties there in Laguna Beach. That will be very nice. And you can help her in Deity worship also.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. I have just received your letters dated 20th and 24th May, 1971 respectively along with a check for $10.00. I am so glad to accept both Yamuna and Sanaka as my duly initiated disciples. Their beads and letters follow. You have my full blessings for marriage to Yamuna.

Letter to ISKCON Laguna Beach, Rsabhadeva, Sivani, Indumati, Kalyanai, Kapiladev, Richard, Suruci, Tajh, Dru, David, Vaidyanatha, others -- London 15 August, 1971:

TO ISKCON LAGUNA BEACH:

My Dear Rsabhadeva, Sivani devi, Indumati, Kalyanai, Kapiladev, Richard, Suruchi, Tajh, Dru, David, Vaidyanath, etc.

Please accept my blessings. 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 Rsabhadeva -- Bombay 28 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 7, 1971, along with letters from the four persons requesting initiation. Upon your recommendation, I have consented to accept all of them as my duly initiated disciples, and I am replying them below. I am very pleased to learn from you that all programs are going nicely there in Laguna Beach center under your supervision. Especially I am glad that you are infiltrating the schools and colleges. These are our most important customers for KC, because they are inquisitive and serious to learn. So continue in this way giving them all opportunity to get the real education and knowledge or Krishna Consciousness.

So far the action taken by city officials, it is not good to disturb them unduly or cause unwanted agitation or anger with such people. They are demons so they will not change. Civil disobedience movement can be led by Lord Caitanya, but we are not so strongly organized and influential to be able to perform successfully such civil disobedience movement. It is good if the newspapers take our side and public opinion is against the authorities viewpoint, but it will be better if we use all goodwill and tact to avoid such violent confrontation in public and simply take another place with required parking space. Regarding your question about deities, what is the use of such temple if nonresidents cannot come? For ourselves, we do not require temple for serving Krishna. But, because the public must have a comfortable place to sit down and chant Hare Krishna, therefore we get a nice house, install deity, decorate nicely and invite everyone. So if no one can come due to law, I do not think you should keep such place. Better to find a more suitable place, then install Lord Jagannatha. Consult Karandhara in this matter.

I am pleased to hear that Ksudi's mother is attending regularly. She is a very nice lady, so give her all facility to advance nicely in Krishna Consciousness.

I am also encouraged to hear that you are distributing many of our books and magazines. Continue to increase this activity, as I consider it the most important preaching work.

Letter to Saci Dulal (Richard), Bilvamangala (David), Avhinava (Don La Douce), Novina (Sally) -- Bombay 28 December, 1971:

Upon the recommendation of Rsabhadeva I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Richard/ Saci Dulal Das

David/ Vilvamangal Das

Don La Douce/ Avhinava Das

Sally/ Novina Dasi

I am so glad to learn that all of you have been such a great help to Rsabhadeva there in our Laguna Beach center. I can understand that all of you are very sincere boys and girl and are very eligible candidates for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Honolulu 5 May, 1972:

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

Letter to Jayananda, Trai, Rsabhadeva -- Honolulu 14 May, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated May 9, 1972, and have noted the contents carefully. I have no objection to any of the points mentioned therein by you. Only thing is, we must try to avoid becoming too much overly organized like the material businessmen. Our business is to ourselves become Krishna conscious, advance in spiritual life, and to preach to others how they can also take advantage and come to the perfectional stage of life. Too much business or paperwork, vouchers, plans, these things become too much cumbersome for our spiritual growth, they take us away from our real emphasis of work, namely, to go back to Home, back to Godhead. But I think your plan is not like that, so far I can see. It is practical and to the point. But now you must do it very nicely and complete it. Not that we make some plan, change things, then do not complete it, again change, this way, that way—no. There was some plan by Kesava to purchase a new San Francisco temple in a better part of the city. What happened to that plan?

I shall be coming to Los Angeles by Thursday, May 18th. So we shall discuss later. When I shall come there, I shall be glad to give sannyasa order to Jayananda, as Kesava has recommmended.

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- London 14 July, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge your letter from Berkeley dated nil, and I am very much pleased to learn that you are trying to find out some place where I can give two or three times a week lecture-class to university students in the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness or Bhagavata Dharma. But one thing is, the sannyasi has no such thing as teaching credentials or "academic vitae." So they can simply decide on the basis of my books and teachings. But I am not an ordinary teacher, I can do it only if I am a guest lecturer. Otherwise they will not take me very seriously. But I should be honored as a guest lecturer and paid well, as well as they should give me a nice house, not very big, but nice. And I will speak twice or thrice in a week to as many students who will come, intelligent boys and girls, and they will get regular instruction in our Vedic knowledge as it is.

I have heard from Bhakti das that that University in San Diego where I spoke is willing to have me there, so unless you are able to arrange something there at Berkeley or San Francisco, I shall probably teach at San Diego. Accredited or not accredited, it doesn't matter, I simply want to present this great philosophy to serious students who will understand it and deliver the world from the present-day ignorance of misinformation, so if you can help me in this way I shall very much appreciate.

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Dallas 10 September, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter from Berkeley, dated August 28, 1972, and I thank you very much for your kind sentiments. I am very happy to hear that you have got a son for dedicating for Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement. Yes, his name of Gauranga das is very nice and I have no objection for calling him like that. Now we are at the Dallas school and it is very nice place and just suitable for educating your son here when he becomes old enough, at least four or five years old. Now give him all facilities to become conscious of Krsna from very birth, and this will be the greatest service for Krsna if you can deliver Him one pure devotee.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Calcutta 21 March, 1973:

Please accept my blessings and I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated the 7th of March. Yes, your Temple is always gathering nice devotees and I accept Brian, Leslie and Caroline as my duly initiated disciples and you can send the beads for chanting to Kirtanananda Swami, along with a copy of this letter.

Their new names are: Bhojadeva das, Taraka dasi and Mukhara dasi respectively. Now it will please me very much if you all can work together nicely and recruit many more young people to join our movement, it is their only future hope.

Letter to Doug Russell -- Los Angeles 18 April, 1973:

Upon the recommendation of Rsabhadeva Das I am accepting you as my initiated disciple. Your spiritual name is now Asurakula Nasana Dasa, the servant of the killer of the descendants of the asuras.

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Bombay 27 September, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 8, 1973. Regarding the initiations I am accepting the following devotees as my initiated disciples: Bhayahari das (Glen,) Visvamitra das (Vern,) Sanka Das (Jim,) Sarvani dasi (Sharon,) and Nirupadi Dasi (Judy). Please see that they all strictly follow our rules and regulations and that they chant 16 rounds minimum on the beads Hare Krishna mantra.

Also enclosed is a sacred thread for Diradarsa dasa duly sanctified by me. So you can hold a fire sacrifice amongst the devotees and let him hear the mantra from the tape in the right ear.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Paris 9 June, 1974:

I am in due receipt of your letter of May 4, 1974, just received here in Paris.

I have accepted as my disciples the devotees recommended by you and their spiritual names are as follows:

Gary—Gopta dasa

Joe—Jyotirganesvara dasa

Peter—Padmagarbha dasa

Steve—Stavapriya dasa

Paya—Papaharinidevi

Rebecca—Rangavalli devi

Jayatirtha prabhu may chant on their beads and you may hold a fire yajna. Initiation means to begin so now these devotees, under your supervision must take the vow with utmost seriousness to chant everyday at least 16 rounds on beads and to refrain from the four sinful activities.

I have also accepted Bhojadeva dasa and Hrsikesa dasa for second initiation trusting that you have carefully examined their devotional behavior for the past year and that they have not deviated from the regulative principles. It is not that automatically we have to award a devotee second initiation after he has been with us for a certain time, but the qualifications have to be there. Enclosed find their threads duly chanted on by me and gayatri mantra. Have them hear the mantra in the right ear with the tape I have made.

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Vrindaban 3 September, 1974:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16/8/74 and have noted the contents. Upon your recommendation I am accepting the following as my initiated disciples and their names are as follows:

1. David Bowmar—Dhanviganesa das

2. Kenneth Venezia—Kalanka das

3. James Sullivan—Jagattraya das

4. Walter Parry—Vrndapati das

5. Michael Matlock—Mangaladata das

6. Christina Wroth—Kriyasakti devi

Please see that they strictly follow all the principles, chanting 16 rounds daily. This is also for the older disciples as well.

Yes, as you have suggested Dr. Wolf-Rotkay can write to me requesting initiation.

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Bombay 16 December, 1974:

I am in due receipt of you letter dated Dec. 7, 1974 and have noted the contents carefully. If we sincerely desire to spread Krsna Consciousness then Krsna provides all facility. So now Krsna has provided the $20,000.00 needed for the down payment for your building. That man who has given us the money, he is a very good man and he should be encouraged in every way to become more and more connected with our movement. Give him good association with Vaisnavas and nice Krsna prasadam and he will develop love for Krsna. I am very happy to hear of the large number of new devotees you are recruiting there in Laguna Beach. That is the real fruit of our preaching work, when people come and join and help us to spread this Krsna Consciousness movement. So I am very pleased with your efforts there. Upon your recommendation I have accepted the following for second initiation; Asurakulanasana dasa brahmachari, Satangati dasa brahmachari, Ratnanabha dasa Adhikari, Khandabhasi dasi, Dhatreyi dasi. Their threads are enclosed herein.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Denver 27 June, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 22, 1975 and have noted the contents. I am accepting the following for second initiation as twice born brahmana and their threads are enclosed duly sanctified: Anatacharya das, Gupta das, and Rasatoonga dasi.

I also accept the following as my disciples and their spiritual names are as follows: Arthur Davis—Arka dasa; Ken Kilmer—Kumunda dasa; Kim Kilmer—Kundara dasa; Racy Niciu—Rucirangada dasa; Robert Queen—Rama Sriyah dasa; Russel Noles—Radhapati dasa.

Please see that they are all chanting 16 rounds on their beads and following the rules and regulations. We have to become very strict in this matter. To go back home, back to Godhead is not an easy thing. It requires great discipline of body and mind, and performance of pure devotional service.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Ramesvara -- Vrndavana 8 September, 1976:

Let the restaurant go on. This is a very nice plan and I have discussed this with Rsabhadeva das. He may show you some communications on the subject. The householders who cannot sell books should be encouraged to work honestly on this restaurant project.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Alex, Bob, Drdhavrata, Gupta, Rsabhadeva, Stan -- Bhuvanesvara 24 January, 1977:

I have received your invitation to the opening of Prasadam Distributing International Inc., and I found it nicely presented. Krsna will give you intelligence how to engage in honest, brilliant, glorious work on His behalf. There is no need to engage in anything dishonest. Krsna has given enough money, now earn by honest means.

I have also heard that you are making plans for a very large order of my books from the BBT to be sold on a door to door basis on the style of the encyclopedia sales. If you can do this it will revolutionize our book distribution and afford greater spreading of Krsna Consciousness than any book distribution thus far. I want that every respectable person has a full set of Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrta in his home. I have given some suggestions how this book distribution in the homes can be done to one of my secretaries, Satsvarupa das Goswami and you can consult further with him as well as with Ramesvara and Tamala Krsna Maharajas. Hoping this finds you all in good health.

Page Title:Training of Rsabhadeva dasa (Letters, 1970 - 1977)
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas, Visnu Murti
Created:07 of Jun, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=21
No. of Quotes:21