Expressions researched:
"Account"
|"Activities"
|"BBF"
|"BBFD"
|"BBT"
|"BKF"
|"BTG"
|"Back to Godhead"
|"Bhaktivedanta Book Trust"
|"Book Fund"
|"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"
|"Sankirtana"
|"Satsvarup"
|"Satsvarupa"
|"Satsvarupa's"
|"Temple"
|"Temples"
|"The society"
|"Translate"
|"Translated"
|"Translating"
|"Translation"
|"Translations"
|"Zonal"
|"Zone"
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9 February, 1970, and I have also received the two tapes sent by separate mail.
I have sent a few tapes to Bhagavan das. He sends to you his edited copies and they may be made final. I want two editings only, just to see if there is any grammatical or spelling mistake. Your present program of two editions first by yourself and then by Jayadvaita is a nice arrangement. Jayadvaita has good knowledge.
Please do not be disturbed by second-hand information. Just continue your editing as you have been doing nicely.
I hope you have been receiving the transcriptions and edited versions of Krsna tapes which I have sent to Bhagavan das. I have not received any copies from him, still I have continued to send him tapes, and I have sent some to you also.
I am now delivering some lectures every Sunday at the L.A. Temple and the series may be called "Sinful Activities and Their Resultant Reactions." They will be transcribed here weekly, and sent to you for editing.
Please study very carefully all our books and learn our philosophy with the help of our many experienced students there in Boston, and remain happy in Krsna Consciousness under the care and guidance of Sriman Satsvarupa and Sriman Brahmananda as you are their younger sister.
Please inform Satsvarupa that I have received his letter. I have consulted with Brahmananda, and I think things are going on nicely.
I am just now in receipt of five tapes collected from Detroit. So I think all the tapes that were sent to Detroit and Boston are now within your jurisdiction. In the meantime, I also sent you L.A. Tapes #12, 13, and 16, and today I am sending #17. This means all the tapes recorded in L.A. are now in your custody. So instead of sending tapes anywhere else, the tapes will go regularly to Boston.
Now what I want is that one tape in two days must be finished for being composed. This does not mean that one tape has to be finished so quickly, but the arrangement should be made in such a way that after some time the process will produce at least fifteen tapes completely in one month or 30 days. The process should be in the same way as I have suggested for painting of the pictures. The process is like this:
Suppose on Monday you receive the tape number 17, let it be transcribed in two days by someone "A." Then in the next two days (days 3 and 4) someone "B" edits it. Then in the next two days (days 5 and 6) another "C" edits it for the second time. Then Mr. "D" gives it the diacritical marks, and then it is ready for composing.
With diacritical marks, one copy should come to me for my record. The idea is that this #17 tape takes 7 days to the point of composition. In the meantime, tape #18 is coming into the process just in the same order. So I receive the final copy of tape #18 just 2 days after receiving tape #17 copy. If you follow this process, then ultimately we shall be finishing one tape in two days.
Now, if we finish 15 tapes in a month, it comes to near about 300 pages per month. Therefore, very safely we can calculate that every 2 months we produce a book. Or, in other words, in every year we produce 6 books. We wish to print at least sixty books, so it will take ten years. So if you go on under this process, then at least we can hope to finish 60 books by that time. And the time allowed is quite reasonable.
I have talked already about this with Brahmananda, and he says that it will be done. Anyway try to process the work in the above way and let me know how far it is feasible.
So far I have not received the final copies of the tapes returned by you. So think over this matter and make the process complete, and let me know what you have done in this connection.
Hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
P.S. My address ____ for my Spiritual Master, may be all printed in the BTG.
ACBS:db
I like your editing very much, you have done it very nicely. I have also received the tapes which you sent to Satsvarupa for re-recording, that is a good program.
I thank you very much for sending me the transcribed copies of two tapes #17 and #18, and I see it is well done. Although there are some minor mistakes in spelling of the proper names, that is not a problem. In my next letter I will point them out and give the correct spelling.
So offer my thanks to all the boys and girls who are working so hard for my Guru Maharaja's sake. Certainly He will be very pleased and bless you all for making your Krsna Consciousness life very successful.
I have already written to Candanacarya to come back and help in the matter of layout. Brahmananda is already there; and please see that everything is managed nicely and at least one book is published every two months. We do not need to publish a large number at a time, but what I want is that all the manuscripts which are ready for printing may be published without further delay. That will give me much satisfaction.
Your article published in the college newspaper is very nice regarding the eclipse. If we stick to our principle, certainly very soon we shall be recognized as a bona fide institution; and who can give better information than us in the matter of Spiritual understanding?
The first volume of KRSNA may be delivered with pictures to Dai Nippon. I do not know whether it shall go directly to Japan or through their N.Y. office, that is up to Brahmananda. So as soon as possible, please deliver to them—it is already delayed.
Regarding missing tapes, Devananda has written to both Detroit and Buffalo and he has sent you a letter also in this connection. So very soon you should be receiving the delinquent tapes from Detroit and Buffalo and then see if any are actually missing. If they are missing, I shall have to record them over again.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of the edited copy of tape #19. I shall reply the points listed by Pradyumna in a separate letter.
I have received information from the Scindia Steam Navigation Co., Ltd. that the pair of Deities, 24 inches high, weighing about 50 kilograms the pair, will be arriving in Boston sometimes by the end of May 1970. They will be delivered by the New York Agents of the company. The Deities will be carried by the vessel "Jalapalaka." So you may note this, and you have to prepare a bigger throne for accommodating the larger Deities.
When the large Deities are installed, the small Deities should be worshiped as Vijaya Vigraha which means this pair of Deities may go outside the Temple in a small car as they have made in L.A. This car was made by Nara Narayana, so he can give the idea. This Vijaya Vigraha may be taken out with Sankirtana Party, not always, but conveniently. In due course of time, I shall let you know the details.
Your Temple will save about $400, including price and freight of the Deities from Vrindaban, India. This money may be contributed to my book fund.
Hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
P.S. I am enclosing a note for Pradyumna herewith, please find, and also a poem to be published in BTG. Your tapes have daily been received.
ACBS:db
Regarding your question about the art department, for the present we should finish the pictures for KRSNA first. Then, if there is opportunity, they can print pictures for Nectar of Devotion. Both are required, but most important is KRSNA. It is better to have pictures in all our books, as many as possible.
I have received two copies of Easy Journey, and Advaita has done this picture cover and it is very much advanced. So he can print pictures in NOD. The printing of Easy Journey is very encouraging. I think that the second part of KRSNA should be printed in our own press.
Yes, be engaged always in Krishna's duties, and you all members, husband and wife, family, friends, brothers, and sisters, all combined will feel transcendental bliss.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26th March, 1970, along with transcription of tape #23.
Regarding opening of a branch in Providence, Rhode Island, it is very encouraging. Both Nandakisora and Sri Dhama are nice devotees and I am sure they will be successful in conducting the new center. It is a good news for me. To open a center for us is not very difficult job. Simply the devotees who volunteer their service must be very serious and sincere.
Both Sri Dhama and Nandakisora are good administrators of Prasadam which is our peak medicine for driving away Maya; so I have all blessings for them. Let them chant Hare Krsna and distribute Prasadam, and things will come very quickly.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1st April, 1970. I am very glad to know that you are busy now in the press assembling the new book Krishna Consciousness the Topmost Yoga, that is very nice. I am sending $2,400 next week as Advaita has requested.
Regarding the proposed marriage of Manmohini and Sridama, Yes, I have already sent Sridama sanctioning this marriage and offering my blessings. Subala has already got practical experience, he has performed two marriage ceremonies and he has sent me a xeroxed copy of the procedure which I have approved. I am enclosing herewith one copy and you can perform the wedding in your temple. Everyone, at least all the presidents, should be experienced in performing marriage ceremonies.
I am also glad to learn that you are engaging Visvakarma to construct an enlarged altar for the new Deities. That is very nice. Then when the Deities arrive you can send the $400 to me here for my book fund. Regarding the pictures from the first volume of KRSNA, they should be all sent here and I have advised Brahmananda in that connection.
Regarding your first question, there is no difference of the svayamvara ceremonies of Draupadi and Laksmana, they were almost alike. The only difference was that the fish was covered with a cloth in the case of Laksmana, but the fish was naked in the case of Draupadi.
Regarding your second question, when blood stands for some time it coagulates and the coagulum subsides leaving the serum or water. So the lakes then become full with water.
Regarding the third question, generally these airplanes are constructed in the shape of a swan with wings and beak and tail, etc. and on the back they put a dome like on a chariot for sitting and driving. I have drawn you one picture to convey the idea, please find it enclosed herewith. You are at liberty to make many questions like that. So long I can, I must make answers to your questions, but when I fail, I shall ask you to excuse me.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 14th April, 1970, along with the transcription of tape #30 KRSNA. Thank you very much.
Regarding permission to marry Manmohini and Sridama, I have sent you one letter dated 11th April which I hope you have received by now. So in that letter I have already informed you that I have written to Sridama sanctioning his marriage and offering my blessings. I also enclosed one copy of procedure for the marriage ceremony to be performed by yourself in your temple. If you have still not received the letter and copy, ask Subala to send you one by air post. His instructions for performing the ceremony are personally approved by me.
Please offer my blessings to Srimati Jadurani and to all the other boys and girls there.
I am glad to know that you are about to enlarge your altar and throne to accommodate the new Deities. However, you should not put the Vyasasana in the rear as they are doing in L.A. L.A. has got a different arrangement than you have got in Boston temple. So you can put the Vyasasana along the side of the Temple room and that will be nice. I also think that you cannot make the same arrangement as L.A. for separate doors for each of the three altars, so simply expand your present altars to fit the new Deities on the basis of the old style.
Regarding organization of the artists, there is no need of wasting time for learning the art from study of texts. We should always remember that our time is very short. I think our artists should be satisfied with whatever they have learned already, that is sufficient. They should be simply be engaged in painting pictures always, and that will teach them the art sufficiently.
In the beginning I was seriously corresponding with Indian friends to get some good mrdanga players, but when I found it too difficult to get a man from India some of my students were given the rudimentary lessons in playing and simply by practice they are putting on Sankirtana Party everywhere. My Guru Maharaja used to say that in a foreign land where you cannot speak the language with the natives very nicely, what do you do when there is a fire in your house just to get their help? In such emergency one has to express himself somehow or other to his foreign friends and get their help to extinguish the fire. But if he wants to learn the language first and then talk with the foreign friends to get help, then everything in the meantime would be finished. Similarly if we have to learn and then paint, it will be a long-term affair. But immediately we want so many pictures for all of our books, so all the artists may always be engaged in painting works and that painting itself will gradually teach them how to make things nice.
Regarding how the art department should be organized, that is to be managed amongst themselves. I do not know the technical details, I want only that they may be always engaged. Now it is up to them how to manage these things. As you have suggested, you may make any suitable arrangement and that is approved by me however you make it fit. The only thing is the artists must be always engaged fulltime in their painting work.
You may inform Devahuti and the others that I am always satisfied with their work. I am satisfied only to see that everyone of us is always engaged in his respective duties. As the teacher wants to see that the students are engaged in their handwriting work. Who is writing good hand, that is a secondary question. The teacher's duty is to see that everyone is engaged in handwriting work. So if all the artists are always engaged in painting, that will satisfy me, and that will gradually make them experienced for making good paintings.
Yes, publish the Bengali poem which I am sending herewith. Get it transliterated by Pradyumna. The meaning is as follows:
My Dear Lord Krsna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me. 1
But I can guess that You have got some business here, otherwise why should You call me here which is demoniac. 2
Most of the population here is covered by ignorance and passion modes of nature, and I do not know how they will be able to understand the transcendental message of Vasudeva. 3
But I know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible because You are the most expert mystic. 4
Therefore, I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I can be able to convince them about Your message. 5
All living entities have become under control of the illusory energy by Your will, and therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of illusion. 6
If You so desire, I wish that You may deliver them, and only by Your such desire all of them will be able to understand Your message. 7
The words of Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation, and if they receive it in submissive aural reception, repeatedly, then they will be able to understand your message. 8
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, verses 17 through 21, it is said
Anyone who gives aural reception to the transcendental message about You, which are always auspicious, by hearing and chanting, for him You become special well-wisher, and thus remaining within his heart You clear up all inauspicious understanding. When such inauspicious understandings are almost clear, at that time one realizes the importance of devotional service. In that stage of understanding, the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion becomes almost nil, and the resultant action of passion and ignorance cannot anymore attack the heart, and thus he becomes joyful being situated on the platform of goodness. When he thus becomes jubilant on account of awakening the modes of goodness by dint of devotional service, at that time he becomes liberated from material contamination and is able to understand the science of God. In this stage of liberation all misgivings in the heart, or bondage of material network, becomes cut into pieces, and he is elevated from all sorts of doubts in the science of God. At this stage the result of past activities becomes vanquished because of his realization of the Supreme Lord. 9-13
This is the process of becoming liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion, and thus they can become freed from all inauspicious things accumulated in the heart. 14
But because I am very unfortunate, unqualified, and the most fallen, therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I may be able to convince them about this (Krsna Consciousness). 15
Somehow or other, You have brought me here to speak about You. Now it is up to You to make me a success or failure as You like. 16
You are the Lord of the whole creation, so if You like You can make my power of speaking as suitable as they can understand. 17
By Your causeless mercy only my words may become transcendentally pure, and I am sure when such transcendental message is penetrated in their hearts certainly they will feel engladdened, and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life. 18
I am just like a puppet in Your hands, and You have brought me here, now You can make me dance as You like. 19
I have no devotion, nor I have any knowledge, but still I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, now if You like You can just fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta. 20
The most unfortunate, insignificant beggar, Bhaktivedanta Swami, on board the ship "Jaladuta," Commonwealth Pier, Boston, Massachusetts (U.S.A.), dated 18th September, 1965.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28th April, 1970, along with a note from a boy in Spain. I have replied the boy, and the letter is enclosed herewith, please forward it to him.
I am very glad to learn that you have the Prahlada pictures in your safe custody because I want to print up many small books with text accompanied by illustrations, and the first one may be of Prahlada Maharaja. Sometime ago you wrote me that you wanted some new topics for writing subjects, so I think you can begin by compiling information from my past lectures on Prahlada Maharaja, then add the pictures and print it. Then you can do many other such books like this. Some other books may be about Dhruva Maharaja, Ajamila, etc., and I am sure these stories with their very significant purports will make very successful books, and they can be very easily sold. So if you can begin on this project and arrange everything carefully, that will be very nice.
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.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of Krsna tape transcriptions #13, 32, and 33, and 34, along with your note from the art department.
Regarding the Vedas personified, they should be drawn just like you have seen some pictures of great sages. They are young in appearance like perfect Vaisnavas, and they may be shown with tilak and Vaisnava markings in that way.
So such pictures are definitely required and please have them execute the subjects appropriately as they have so nicely done thus far.
In the meantime, I hope you have by now received my last letter inviting you to visit L.A. Temple at your earliest convenience, and I shall be very glad to see you then.
I understand from Devananda that you are in immediate need of the Sony machine, therefore I am sending it through Satsvarupa. You can take it from him, and when you have finished your business or you have got a similar or better machine, you can return it to me.
So Satsvarupa is returning to Boston today (Tuesday), and you can get the machine from him as soon as you go there. I understand that you are also expected there within a few days.
I am so pleased to learn that you are satisfied to see the Los Angeles Temple situation. Actually it is very, very nice to our purpose, and if we can maintain the standard of the Temple atmosphere certainly anyone who will come here will be influenced by the spiritual effect.
As I have already said many times that we have to maintain two lines parallel; namely the path of Srimad-Bhagavatam and the path of Pancaratriki. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the path for Paramahamsas, ansd Pancaratra path is for the neophytes. So the Temple worship is necessary for the beginners so that by following the regulative principles such devotees become more and more purified and thus gradually come on the platform to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. So we shall always keep these principles in view and maintain our centers on this standard.
Recently I have received one "Kalyana" magazine in which our activities in the Western world have been very much appreciated. Especially they have appreciated my strong injunctions on the point of following the four prohibitive regulations. So after describing our activities, the editor has remarked in one place that things are going certainly very nicely at present, but it is God only Who knows how it will continue in the future. This means that the Indians, or the rigid followers of Vedic principles, are doubtful about my American and European students about their sticking to all these principles. So it is a God sent warning for us so that we may not deviate from the above mentioned two lines of action and thus become subject to criticism by the opposing elements.
In India there is already a party who are prepared to criticize my activities in the matter of offering sacred thread to the so-called mlecchas according to their calculation. But actually whatever I am doing here, of course giving consideration to the local situation, all of them are strictly in the line of our predecessors and direction of Sanatana Goswami. Therefore my request is that all of you be determined to maintain this standard which is not very difficult to follow that I have introduced.
I am so glad to learn that you are trying to compose at least 800 pages per month. That will enliven me very much to write more and more books for you. I have received some photographs of London Sankirtana on the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so publish them in BTG.
The copies of the police commissioner's letter are very much encouraging, so this will be documentary evidence for executing our missionary activities. If you quote the actual wordings of the specific laws mentioned in the letter, then it will be helpful to other centers also. Actually we do not want to disturb the law and order of the state, that is not our business, but the Vedic principle to receive contribution from the devotees has to be allowed. Properly speaking, we preachers are not supposed to work, therefore we have got the right to take contribution for executing our activities.
The tape recorder which you have taken for Dinesh—whether he has taken delivery? He wanted it very urgently, so if he has not taken it yet, you can inform him by telephone.
Hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
N.B. With further reference to question five, in both the Bible and the Koran it is always recommended to be engaged always in kirtana or glorifying the Supreme Lord. Kirtana means to glorify the Lord by your vibration. In the churches there is always singing of praise and glories of the Lord and there is preaching naturally also. Mohammedans actually have singing kirtana publicly. This I have seen in India that they were holding kirtana with drum accompaniment.
I have received your informative letter dated 2nd June, 1970. Thank you very much.
Try to deliver the tape recorder to Dinesh who is now in Washington again. So try to make some arrangement for this.
Hope this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there.
I am very glad also to know that Satsvarupa is becoming more and more responsible for the Boston temple. That is nice. That I want. I have received his letter of 19th June 1970.
Regarding the letter which you wish to send to inquiring persons, yes, if you have the return address to Boston and if Svarupa das can write replies nicely that will be better. But if there is some intricate question he must consult with Satsvarupa. Svarupa can reply in consultation with Satsvarupa, and some of the copies may be sent here so I will see how he is replying.
Regarding the picture of King Paundraka, Yes, he may be colored blue. Because he was imitating Vasudeva, he had two artificial extra hands attached also. So he might have painted himself blue also.
Your question from chapter 89 KRSNA is answered in the beginning of the 90th chapter.
I am very glad to learn about Giriraja's tricks for the imitation God. Just like expert business men make profit both ways, namely when the merchandise goes down by price or goes up by price. An experienced merchant makes profit both ways—when the price goes down, he purchases, and when the price goes up, he sells. So our Krsna conscious men should be transcendental business men, and Krsna gives the right intelligence how to deal with all classes of men.
The title for the Second Chapter of Second Canto, "The Lord in the Heart", is alright. In the cover picture, the footmark on the chest of the Lord should not be painted.
Regarding the Deities, although we were formerly advised that they were to be dispatched, we have just received news that they have been delayed in India pending some Government sanction. So you will be informed of Their arrival in due course.
Yes, you all must read Nectar of Devotion in your spare time. I am very glad to learn that your Boston Sankirtana Movement is very successful. If you are getting enough money now, you can send some extra money to me. I have given a loan to the BTG Department for $3000, so inform this matter to Satsvarupa and if he has got extra money he may return it. All books in soft cover which we have printed should be bound each one copy and sent to me for my library.
So far it is fixed up that I go to New Vrindaban for Janmastami day by the 20th August. So if you like I can go for a few days before to Boston to see your temple and press. You can fix up this program by talking with Hayagriva and let me know. I think everything is going nicely in Boston.
You are all my children and I love my American boys and girls who are sent to me by my spiritual master and I have accepted them as my disciples. Before coming to your country I took sannyasa in 1959. I was publishing BTG since 1944. After taking sannyasa I was more engaged in writing my books without any attempt to construct temples or to make disciples like my other Godbrothers in India. I was not very much interested in these matters because my Guru Maharaja liked very much publication of books than constructing big, big temples and creating some neophyte disciples. As soon as he saw that His neophyte disciples were increasing in number, He immediately decided to leave this world. To accept disciples means to take up the responsibility of absorbing the sinful reaction of life of the disciple.
At the present moment in our ISKCON campus politics and diplomacy has entered. Some of my beloved students on whom I counted very, very much have been involved in this matter influenced by Maya. As such there has been some activity which I consider as disrespectful. So I have decided to retire and divert attention to book writing and nothing more.
The ISKCON Press was specifically established exclusively for printing my books. Please therefore give me an idea how you can help me in getting all my manuscripts printed as soon a possible. Whenever Advaita is submitting an estimate for printing my books, I am supplying the money immediately. So far the finance is concerned, Krsna is supplying. Therefore if you simply print my books in the Press incessantly, that will give me great delight.
Please therefore let me know how far you can all help me in this connection and what are the manuscripts ready for printing. I think I shall now stop all other activities except publishing of my books. Kindly enlighten me per return mail.
I am in due receipt of your two nice letters along with xerox copy of press meeting. Satsvarupa has sent me the original signed copy and I have replied him separately.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27th July, 1970 regarding the manuscript.
I understand that all the pictures of KRSNA, Vol. II, are not prepared, so I shall request you to complete these pictures as soon as possible. There is no hurry because now I am going with a small Sankirtana Party to the Eastern countries. I wish to remain in Japan at least for two months. Therefore if you send me the complete manuscript and pictures, then I can personally get the book, Second Volume, printed in my presence.
I have duly received the press meeting report of July 25th, signed by you, Uddhava, Advaita, Brahmananda Swami, and Gargamuni Swami. It has given me much pleasure, so I shall be more pleased when they are done according to the writings.
Regarding Bhagavad-gita, enlarged edition, the picture approved by me to Jadurani is all right. I am glad to learn that it is being serialized. Regarding Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, I am glad that manuscript is also being composed. Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto, improper title pages being rectified is good news. Please keep me informed about the progress of those manuscripts.
Our life is very short. The Krsna consciousness movement is not meant for fulfilling one's personal ambition, but it is a serious movement for the whole world. I am therefore going to the Eastern hemisphere, beginning from Japan. We are going four in a party and all of us are Sannyasis. In this old age I am going with this party just to set an example to my disciples who have taken recently the Sannyas order. I think Brahmananda Swami, Gargamuni Swami, Visnujana Swami, Kirtanananda Swami and Subala Swami, all of them, two in a party assisted by other Brahmacaris should form separate Sankirtana Parties and travel all over Europe, America and Canada.
Now we want very many Swamis to take up this job. The Grhasthas are to take care of the Temples as well as the general management. I have already formed the Governing Body Commission and your good name is also in the Board. There is no time for creating a crack in our solid formation of Krsna Consciousness Society. Take it now with great responsibility and everyone of you may serve jointly for Krsna's satisfaction. That is my request to you all.
I think you may reply this letter to me care of ISKCON, Tokyo, Japan.
Whatever mistakes that have been done in the past may be rectified. That is my request.
Now that I have formed this Governing Board Commission, the twelve members should each act as my zonal secretaries. So kindly keep me informed of your zone's activities at least once a week or once fortnightly. In this way I will be encouraged and can give you direction and inspiration.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th August, 1970, along with a list of schedule for Temple activities. It is very nice program. If you simply follow this program, then the spell of Maya will not be able to enter into your constitution. All Questions and answers are practically given in our books.
I have received two Bhagavatam chapters, "Pure devotional Service" the arcan program is very nicely described in verse number 22 specifically. So these books are so valuable for public reading, but some way or other they are not being introduced in proper channel namely the school and college for reading.
I have nominated you as one of the members of the Governing Body because I know you are a very good soul and I shall be very pleased if the mistake which has already crept in our society can be rectified by your combined effort. I have not heard anything about the activities of the four Sannyasis, neither I have received any letter from them.
I have not yet received any letter from Rupanauga about the press questions, but as you know as I have several times mentioned that the press is my heart and soul and it should work constantly to produce literature for wide distribution. Similarly I am trying to engage the Dia Nippon Press for printing our works. Yesterday I have placed with them $32,000 worth business. We have now stock of NOD's 5,000 at $4 a piece, similarly KRSNA at $8, so by book estimation you have got more than $100,000 worth books in stock. So if we collect only one fourth of it and pay to Dia Nippon then we got another $100,000 worth books. Of course, it is not business proposal, but it is a scheme for distributing widely our literatures. That is my program.
So I hope you are all meeting in New Vrndavana and try to make a strong program how our missionary activities can be pushed on with great stride.
I have advised Karandhar to collect all book funds and send to Dia Nippon wherein I have opened an account "Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit". The more they receive amounts, the more we print books for distribution.
In the Third Chapter the black border underneath my name does not look very well.
Herewith please find four pages of poems written by Tirthapada dasa Brahmacari who is working at Sydney very diligently. If our Vyasa Puja pamphlet is not yet finished, you may add them there or conveniently they may be published in BTG. He is a good worker in Sydney; he should be encouraged.
Tirthapada is your very sincere devotee and combined with him the activities there will be very much exemplary. I have sent the poetry written by Tirthapada to Satsvarupa for publication in BTG.
Since I have left L.A. I have received many letters from many centers, but I have not received any letter from New York nor a letter from Brahmananda Swami nor Gargamuni Swami. I have already sent a circular letter requesting the Zonal Secretary Governing Body Commissioners to send me at least twice in a month the reports of the activities in the respective zones. So I shall be glad to know how the new building in New York is being worked out.
When I was in L.A. I heard that a good many visitors were coming there (N.Y.) It was very much encouraging. I think Bhavananda is president of the New York center so I shall be glad to hear from him.
The KRSNA manuscript Vol II has already been received by Dai Nippon, but the Hindi BTG is not received. Most probably it will reach them today and then I shall talk to Dai Nippon.
Regarding shipment of books, you need not send Sri Isopanisad because I have already ordered from Dai Nippon 10,000 copies. I think you have already received a list of books which are to be dispatched from Boston. So you can send the balance that is without Sri Isopanisad.
Go on painting the pictures for II Canto as many as possible. Regarding other pictures, Tamala Krsna is arranging for them being painted in Germany and France. But if Jadurani has spare time she can also go on painting the same pictures of Spiritual Masters and Pancatattva. I think the cover of First Step in God Realization is not to the point. There is a picture in Gita Press Bhagavata where Sukadeva Gosvami has been offered a nice raised throne and the king Pariksit along with the sages sitting on the floor on the bank of the Ganges and it is very nice. The king Pariksit has no beard. His face should be very nice looking, young king between 30-40 years age.
I have already approved of the schedule which you have sent me. If you follow this new schedule very strictly there will be no chance of Maya penetrating our camp. And try to introduce the same schedule in New York and other centers.
According to your report of the July 25th, 1970 Press meeting you are going to issue a booklet for Vyasa Puja, but as yet no such booklet has been received by us.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated August 30th and September 4th 1970 and it appears that the arrangement for distributing books in the libraries of schools, colleges and universities as well as public libraries is very satisfactory. Do everything conscientiously and Krsna will give you all necessary intelligence.
In India our preaching work is going on. Practically everyday we have got an outside nice meeting. There is regular newspaper coverage, but the difficulty is that the whole country is now communist infected. People are in very much perturbed condition. All of them are expecting me to do something for ameliorating the situation, but I am simply advising them to chant Hare Krsna because this transcendental sound is the only panacea for all material diseases.
I am receiving many astounding letters regarding the new propaganda work by our four Sannyasis. I do not know why these boys are doing such nonsense and wasting their time. I received their letter from Detroit about a week ago and I have replied them duly intimating therein that instead of wasting time in that way let them work constructively. Please advise them on my behalf not to waste time in such fruitless endeavor. I hope I shall receive their reply by the grace of Krsna in the meantime.
Now I have invested the GBC for maintaining the standard of our Krsna Consciousness Society, so keep the GBC very vigilant. I have already given you full directions in my books. Please counteract this contamination which has been spread throughout our Society.
Regarding the printing of the serialized chapter by chapter books of the Second Canto, why stop it. Let it go on as it is, do not stop it. We may suspend the Japanese printing for now. You have written to say that it seems in general that ISKCON Press is being taken over by Dai Nippon as far as satisfaction of our needs, but there is no such question at all. ISKCON Press must continue and expand also. So far the 5,000 copies of Nectar of Devotion are concerned, there is no sufficient money just now, so this may be stopped for the time being.
I am very glad to know that you are not affected by the propaganda of the Sannyasis that I am displeased with all the members of the society—I am never displeased with any member.
I hope this will meet you in good health and please offer my blessings to Srimati Jadurani whom I am so glad to hear is well and working on the paintings for Bhagavatam.
I have received Karandhara's letter and Satsvarupa's letter and I am so glad to receive their encouraging reports. So the Portland temple is now established and you try together to open as many other branches in suitable places as possible. Please try to improve our Vrndavana scheme at New Vrndavana with the cooperation of all parties.
I have received your letter of 23 September, 1970, along with the note from your good wife, and have read them with attention. The sentiments which you have expressed are very much encouraging to me, that I have got such disciples as yourself who are more anxious to serve me than my own children. You are one of my oldest and best-qualified students, so now you may, along with the other men of GBC, take over from me management of ISKCON affairs and work combinedly to open as many centers as possible all over the world. If you simply carry out the instructions which I have given you Krsna will reward you with all success.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that this chanting of the Hare Krsna Mantra will be heard in every nook and cranny of this globe. He is God, so there is no doubt about it. So if we are intelligent we will take advantage of this opportunity and get the credit. If we do not, someone else will.
So far your management of Southern USA centers as Zonal secretary, I have instructed Brahmananda Maharaja, Gargamuni Maharaja and Visnujana Maharaja to open one center in Coconut Grove, near Miami, Florida. Now you must open correspondence with them in this regard and encourage them.
Your plan to increase our propaganda activities in the colleges and high schools is very nice, and it is my desire that every American boy and girl will receive a Krsna Conscious education through our books. You have a very great responsibility to print and distribute these books. So far printing is concerned, if you are able to print books why not do it? I am prepared to give up dealing with Dai Nippon if ISKCON Press can print my books. What is being done with the manuscript of the unabridged Bhagavad-gita As It Is? It should be printed as soon as possible.
My European disciples have written that there are no books available in Europe. I want that each and every one of my centers should be fully stocked with all of my books, never mind if they can pay or not. The principle is that every center must pay for whatever books they order, but if for some financial difficulty a center is not able to pay for books still we should supply them whatever they need.
You will be pleased to know that I am resuming my translating work here in the peaceful surroundings of a Sita-Ram Temple in the suburbs of Bombay.
I think that is you feel too much inconvenience just now by remaining in Boston with Satsvarupa, then you may go to some other center for some time with the art department and carry on your work there. Sometimes such separation for a time is beneficial for husband and wife both, but there is never any question of divorce.
I am very glad that you are trying with all the other GBC members to maintain all the various functions of our very large organization up to the standard as I have set for you. This is most important. So please always work cooperatively for this end. I know that there has been a great disturbance amongst the devotees caused recently, but now things are being rectified. You are right to say that the example and kindly guidance of our elder members in the Society is the most profound force for motivating our students both new and old towards advanced Krsna Consciousness. Neglect of following the regulative activities and so-called advancement on the basis of self-motivation are both offensive. One should sincerely try to bring himself to the stage of devotional service motivated by pure love of Krsna, and our personal example must set a guide for them.
You have written, and several others have written to me intimations that you are establishing a membership program in the U.S. That is very good idea. However, I have already advised Rupanuga how the Membership fees are to be fixed. Please see that this business is done consistently by all our centers, otherwise there will be a confusion. Regarding means for increasing the income of the temples, I have asked Tamala Krsna to give you some hints how to do it. I am waiting further reports on the endeavors of our Sannyasis in establishing new centers in Houston, New Orleans and Coconut Grove. I have written Brahmananda how they are to manage their own establishment program. Every Temple must work independently so far as maintenance is concerned.
I was so much anxious about Advaita and I am very much concerned lest he become further victim of maya. I am anxiously waiting for a letter from him. In the meantime, I have asked that as far as possible, all unpublished manuscripts be printed by him on ISKCON Press. I have also requested Kulasekhara to go to Boston to assist Advaita and I am confident that the tense situation will be relieved.
Yes. You have the right attitude towards disturbing comments of fellow devotees. Lord Caitanya has advised us to always remain more humble than the grasses and more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer respects to all persons. It is not our policy to reject someone on any personal grounds. Rather it is our duty to encourage him on the common platform of devotional service to Krsna.
I have received very nice reports from all our centers how they are very much appreciating my books and they are understanding association with the Spiritual Master is the same as association with His vani or teachings. This is a transcendental fact.
I am very glad that Krsna has saved you from "financial crises". In any case we shall not evade our natural dependency upon the Lord. Neither it can be done in any way. The materialists foolishly play that they are independent, but such false independence is vanquished at every instance by the superiority of the material nature. Devotees are never subject to such kinds of illusory thinking and its subsequent frustration because they keep themselves always engaged in their natural dependent position as sincere servants of the Lord.
Regarding book binding, if you can produce only ten hardbound books per day that will suffice for our own purposes. For large quantities of hardbound books we shall have to depend either on Dai Nippon or some outside binder. But the softcover books are very good. Simply they must be sewn. I know these paperbound books are very popular with the college set in your country, so we should encourage them to take our books in that way also. I do not know why there should be such a lack of money for ISKCON Press. Every Temple reports very good books sales, but where is the money going? Anyway, your rectification program by the GBC in the matter of right payment of bills for literatures is good. So now please bring things under the right order. I fully approve of your idea to prepare every available manuscript up to the stage of printing, even if they remain in the layout stage for a while. I may tell you that I am not so much encouraged to work on translations unless I see that the literature is being printed or at least being prepared for printing. I have done some translating recently, but it is not yet decided whether to send you the tapes or to transcribe them here and send you a copy of the manuscript. Very soon you will know about this. I will be encouraged if you keep on with the work of readying my manuscripts and printing them.
I have not heard in a long time from New York. I am confident that things are going on there alright, but still I would like to hear from you or Bhavananda report of our Temple in New York. Next time I return, I shall go first to New York. I am glad that many new centers are being opened in different places. I have had several encouraging letters from Mohanananda in Dallas and in all our centers things seem to be improving and the public reception is also improving.
You write to say that you have asked Karandhara to send some money received for the bookfund to pay for paper. That is alright provided that Karandhara can also continue making payments to Dai Nippon. The problem is that book money isn't being properly collected. Big books like KRSNA and NOD: NOD, 5,000 books printed @ $4.00 = $20,000.; KRSNA - 10,000 printed at $8.00 = $80,000. for a total of $100,000. $70,000. or $80,000. should have been collected, but Karandhara has only collected $24,000. So where is the rest of the money? This means that the money is not being collected properly. What can be done? Also there were so many small booklets printed. Where is the collection for them also? If collections are not being made properly, then there will be a shortage of money. So how to adjust things?
Arrangements should be made so that book collection can be made properly. Also how the books are collected, how accounts are kept, how books are distributed. Then there will be no scarcity of money. Even if you take $5,000. to $10,000., that's all right so long as Karandhara can send to Dai Nippon at least $50,000. So what will be the cost of printing and folding 5,000 NODs? If Karandhara can't pay, I will see how to get it from here. (You can print and fold there and send here for collating and binding.)
So far as minimizing the use of Sanskrit words in BTG, that is very nice. There is no need for so much Sanskrit. Therefore I object to the Brahma-Samhita edition. I use Sanskrit, but the purport I give immediately.
I just want to see that these books be printed, whether it be on our own press or by Dai Nippon; that is my ambition. I have become slackened in my dictaphone work because the manuscripts already there are not being pushed ahead. So far as books like KRSNA, NOD, TLC, I am sure that they'll be accepted everywhere—all over the world, so we should keep sufficient stock of them, and Bhagavad-gita also. So you should arrange for reprinting and folding of 5,000 NODs and send them here as soon as possible. Also please arrange for reprinting of TLC.
Pradyumna has to create another assistant locally. It is not possible at the present time to send a man from here, at least for the present moment. So he has to work a little hard. He should have created by now another assistant. I think his wife can become the best assistant.
I know that Satsvarupa has got too much other engagement to be able to devote the requisite time for managing the press department. I had never considered either closing down our ISKCON Press or removing your responsibility for managing the press affairs. You may immediately resume your former activities and work the press according to your best ability because I am very eager to see our own press printing the majority of our publications.
I am writing to Satsvarupa to help you as I have suggested.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated November 30th, December 3rd and 8th, 1970, along with a correspondence with one E. Michael Kelly. I have read your reply to Mr. Kelly and I find it very nice. Such important persons shou be carefully instructed so they may aid us in spreading Krsna consciousness.
I have seen the layout proposal for the first pages of our new edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is and it is fully approved by me. I shall immediately write one preface to the enlarged edition as you have requested and send it as soon as possible. I have written to Karandhara that the money for printing according to Advaita's estimate of $17,000 should be realized from London. London book sales have nothing to do with my book fund. They have got 2,500 copies of KRSNA or in other words $20,000 worth of books, so they can send $17,000 for printing of Bhagavad-gita, immediately. It is a good proposal to print 10,000 copies; 5,000 for India and 5,000 for U.S.A.
I am very much pleased with the two latest chapters from Srimad-Bhagavatam—The Process of Creation and The Cause of all Causes. They are so much satisfactory and I am very eager that they should be produced by ISKCON Press at a regular pace.
I have written one letter to Advaita requesting him to take up his duty again unflinchingly and print our books especially the enlarged edition of Bhagavad-gita at this moment. I have great hopes that our ISKCON Press will continue and expand by the grace of Krsna. I have advised him that he must attend daily classes regularly, but there is no need of his attending other functions like Aratis etc. I have given him this special permission in this case, so you also please let him do anything, but let him be always engaged in printing our books and other required literatures. It is my opinion that he should remain as individual manager of ISKCON Press because of his experience and ability in the matter practically. I do not think that you are able to be the manager because you have got too many other very important duties. So the management may be returned to Advaita and the GBC may cooperate in this way for the continued uninterrupted function of our press department.
The pictures on the Srimad-Bhagavatam Chapters are very nice. My sincere blessings are to Jadurani and the art department. If our books are printed in this standard, that will be very, very good. I do not aspire to any more efficiency in printing, but simply the printing must go on regularly. Offer my blessings to all the workers of ISKCON Press because that is my life. Next time when I go there, I shall first go to Boston. In future, if we get some nice place, some of the workers may come and start our own press here also.
You may inform Jadurani that the picture she has sent is alright with necessary adjustments. Krsna is of course to be pictured in the same dress in all the scenes of the Kuruksetra delivery of Bhagavad-gita because the episode took place all within about one half hour. Some ideas are: 1) Duryodhana and Dronacarya conferring in a tent just before the battle. 2) A ratha with four horses drawn before the ranks of soldiers and akshouhini carrying Krsna and Arjuna. 3) Arjuna morose; leaving weapons aside he is almost crying. 4) A man pictured dead and also living. Krsna says to Arjuna, "the wise mourn not for the dead or the living." 5) pictures of an individual from babyhood to youthhood, in manhood and in old age and death. The figure of the soul in each different body remains the same indicating that the body changes, not the soul. 6) Krsna instructing the Sun-god; Vivasvan instructing Manu (his son). I will send you more ideas later if required by you.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 23rd, 1970, Along with a press letter. I am very glad that Advaita has come back to his position, but I am very much concerned that there is a Mayavadi Sannyasi among yourselves. According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, anything spoken by the Mayavadis is very, very dangerous. If the Sannyasi who has come to our shelter becomes clean shaved and keeps a sikha with beads on his neck and chants Hare Krsna Mantra 16 rounds at least and changes his dress, then he can be allowed to stay with us. Until six months pass he cannot lecture in the meetings. On these conditions, he can render us service in the matter of Sanskrit composition, otherwise there is no need of him. Please take immediate steps in this connection and let me know what you have done in this matter.
The $28,000 plus $800 contributed by Sai may not be touched for any other purpose until you hear from me. Dai Nippon's debt regarding BTG should be liquidated by the Department of BTG. Why the debt should be cleared with a contribution which Krsna has sent for another purpose? I can understand that from London the payment is not regularly coming from the very beginning, so in order to counteract this anomaly I shall be sending someone out of the four important members to check out the condition of London. Most probably Hamsaduta will very soon go there.
At present I am at Surat, which is very nice city in India. People are very responsive and we are getting practically every day a Life Member. There is an important meeting in Calcutta on the sixth of January, so I may be going there on the 5th of January, 1971. I am writing you this letter in great haste on account of being concerned about a Mayavadi Sannyasi being present among you. Therefore, if he completely surrenders to our principles and lives as other newcomers live, then he can be allowed. Otherwise there is no need of his staying with us.
My next letter will follow very soon. You can offer my thanks to Advaita. The dummy Bhagavad-gita sent by him is approved by me. If it is possible it may be improved further.
I am also glad that you are continuing to send money into the "Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit" with Dai Nippon. I am very eager to begin printing of new books and the first thing is clearing our bills to date. So the matter of proceeds from distribution of Books should be carefully done so that the returns may be immediately sent off to Dai Nippon. I have also written to Satsvarupa and Advaita that the plan for printing our Bhagavad-gita As It Is in enlarged edition should go on as soon as possible.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your several letters and ISKCON Press Newsletters dated 13, 16 and 27th December, 1970, and noted the contents. I have been travelling considerably and the preaching work is taking up all of our time; so our tour in India is very much welcomed by the people, but I have not the opportunity to write my correspondence very often.
I am hoping that the Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Nectar of Devotion shall be printed soon. If you require the funds for NOD and TLC, I shall send it conveniently. But I have just received a letter from Karandhara that the needed money is already arranged and the printing should begin soon. I am very anxious to see that ISKCON Press is operating effectively. Regarding the Preface to Bhagavad-gita, I shall send that as soon as I have got some time to write one. In the meantime you can go ahead with the remainder of layout work.
It is very good news that Advaita is back with you. Please see that he is given all facilities to operate the press to fullest advantage. Kulasekhara should be a great assistance also in this connection; but Advaita is expert.
Regarding funds for ISKCON Press, this has been very much mismanaged in the past, so now you are suffering. The right thing is that the temples have got to pay the book bills to ISKCON Press very promptly. We have got so many literatures and therefore it is not very good that there is a shortage of money realized from their distribution.
I am still awaiting the shipment of books to India. Please let me know if they are dispatched or not.
I hear from all our centers that they have instituted regular classes for writing articles and still you say they do not contribute sufficiently to Back to Godhead. How is that? I want all our students to write articles for our transcendental magazine. That is practical. Karandhara has also written that my long desired scheme of a Krsna Conscious daily newspaper is being implemented. Please do this work very nicely. It will be a very great step in the history of ISKCON movement.
Regarding your proposal to approach important persons to help us in this work, I am sorry to note a consideration of some false "Trust Fund." Such false things have no value either for us or anyone else.
I am awaiting your next letters of progress and newsletters also. Hope this will meet you in good health.
Some improvements in the format of the magazine can be made though. For our English edition I have instructed Satsvarupa that there should only be one article by myself no more than four pages in length and that the remainder of the magazine should be made up of articles by our students. Also, so far as the order of presentation, first my Guru Maharaja or senior acaryas, then myself, then our sannyasis, and then other students. In this way you can present our French BTG and that will be very nice.
am in due receipt of your letter dated 7th January, 1971 along with the enclosed articles, as well as the ISKCON Press newsletter dated 5th January, 1971.
I beg to thank you very much for the magazine interview. You have so rightly said, "It's a hellish life without Krsna." These words of yours have pleased me so much. Actually it is a fact and one who has become so disgusted with material life is actually advanced in Krsna Consciousness. This is first class propaganda and it will be a hammer-blow to the proponents of materialism and atheism. I am so glad that you are feeling and speaking like this and I thank you very much. The article appears to be in a nice magazine, so if you can get further articles and interviews published in the magazines, that will be a great boon to our Movement.
It is nice to hear that the sannyasi staying there is sacrificing his Mayavadi philosophy and willing to accept the regulative principles of devotional service. I have received his letter and will reply it separately.
So far as ISKCON Press moving to N.Y. is concerned, if Advaita feels it will benefit the press, then why not? From your description it appears that Advaita has found a better place and if he is taking on the responsibility of expanding the Press, then he should definitely go there. For technical matters, let Advaita go on working independently. He is certainly competent. So far as decision making regarding contents of publications, etc., that can be done conjointly.
It appears from the press report that progress is going on with Gita and 2nd Canto, but slowly. It will be nice if you please accelerate it.
In answer to the artists questions:
1) Simply paint the Visnu Murti in the heart. You can make the individual soul a very small spark, or spark-like.
2) Visnu has more than thousands of arms but for this picture of the tortoise avatara. where Visnu is sitting on top of the hill, he should be shown with four hands only. We should only paint four-handed Visnus and not consult Kalayana-Kalpataru, which is not always authorized.
3) Yes, if you would like to send the painting of my Guru Maharaja here to India, why not.
4) Yes, Krishna can be shown seated next to Arjuna on the chariot when universal form is displayed.
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I hope that everything is going on well there with the production of Bhagavad-gita. In this regards please make the following addition to the text:
Chapter IX, The Most Confidential Knowledge, in the purport of the 34th verse you will read "Krishna is not an ordinary human being; He is the Absolute Truth, His Body, Mind and He Himself are One and Absolute". Immediately therefore you can add the following: In the Kurma Purana, as it is quoted by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami in his Anubhasya comments of Caitanya Caritamrta, 5th chapter Ādi lila, verses 41-48, "deha dehi bibhedo 'yang nesvare vidyate kvacit" which means that there is no difference in Krishna, the Supreme Lord, between Himself and His body.
This evidence is given here to show that there is no distinction between Krishna's body and Himself since such commentators as Dr. Radhakrishnan make such distinction.
I am so glad to hear that you have just returned from a successful touring of the temples in Southern U.S.A. and had an occasion to meet and speak with our sannyasis also. The sannyasis are trying their best. So let them go on as they have been doing and let them do in their own way. There is no trouble.
So far as my translating of the rest of Srimad-Bhagavatam is concerned, that is my next program. After returning from India I shall be seriously engaged in translating work. I shall continue as before and shall record two tapes daily. Time is short and I am aging but I want to publish all of Srimad-Bhagavatam and as you are doing now. Publishing Srimad-Bhagavatam chapter-wise is very nice and it should be continued and as soon as all the chapters of a canto are finished, we make it into a book, either in Japan or U.S.A. as is suitable. But my only request to you all is that the two tapes, regularly sent every day must be finished being transcribed, edited, composed, layed out and printed all in one week. In this way two tapes daily must be ready for printing. Then it will be nice. So far I am concerned, although I am getting old, I guarantee I shall give you two tapes daily provided you guarantee to finish printing two tapes daily. That will encourage me more and more.
So far as securing $50.00 for each initiation into Hare Krishna Mantra, that is not compulsory. The system is that after initiations, each devotee should collect some alms to the best of his capacity either cash or something else and make a presentation to the Spiritual Master. This is called daksina. Without daksina the initiation ceremony is not perfect. The collection of alms is not necessarily to be $50. It may be $500.00 or $5.00; it doesn't matter. It depends on the capacity of the initiated person. But he should try and collect to the best of his capacity and try to collect and give to the Spiritual Master.
I have given further instruction to Gargamuni Maharaja concerning the Pakistan affair today. A copy of that letter is enclosed herein. So far as your being replaced as President of Boston temple, I have no objection. For better management of the whole institution, the governing body commission is responsible. So I shall be simply pleased to see that things are going on very nicely.
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Yes, I have already received a copy of your book "Krsna, the Cowherd Boy" and also given suggestions for the same. So you can present it to Satsvarupa and the editors and if they approve, then I approve and the book may be printed by our Press.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 21st and 23rd February, 1971, respectively. I have also received the newspaper clipping showing Hrdayananda's wedding and it is very nice. So far as him taking over the management of Boston temple, that is all right. All department heads should train an assistant so that in their absence, work may not suffer but go on continuously. However, why do you want to divorce yourself entirely from management of Boston temple? Do you think that is necessary?
Our new publication "The Modern Mission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness" sounds very nice and you may send me some copies as soon as they are printed up. So far as your suggestion for a booklet of operational principles, you may go ahead as planned. For this book so many points have been explained in the Nectar of Devotion. So why don't you refer to it? Last year's handbook was not bad. There was sufficient stock of information there but if you can improve upon it still further, that will be very nice. Also very soon I shall send you one complete set of instructions on worshiping the Deity and you can print in English and distribute. This book shall be named "Method of Worship".
So far as life membership is concerned, what is this time and circumstance of U.S.A.? To become a life member means a person has become sympathetic. They should simply be convinced of the importance of our movement, and that according to your activity. In some newspaper clippings I have read, about our devotees. "These are good men and we want more men like this in our community." That is certainly good impression. They are sympathetic and so for them to become our life member is not difficult. There are four divisions of members; life member, donor member, subscriber member, and common member. So any membership will make the people sympathetic to our movement and it will be a stride toward our progressive march.
Yes, it is my desire that Isana and his wife and child stay there in Boston temple and Isana may continue as cook there. He should always be kept engaged. He is a bit crazy but he is a very good soul. Please give him my blessings and let me know how he is doing there.
So far as helping youth cases, they should live with us. We cannot devote separate time for them. That is not possible. If anyone desires to be treated, he must live with us. Before admitting him, we must see that he is not a mad man and will not create a disturbance. If he lives with us and sees how
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So who is now in charge of Tallahassee center? If there are any questions which may arise, you may correspond with Satsvarupa, the governing body representative for Southern U.S.A. and he will be able to help you.
It is very encouraging news to hear that we have one new center in Amherst, Mass. amidst so many prominent colleges. So the devotees there should be very actively engaged in preaching at these schools and especially introducing our literatures, as well as teaching any classes, if that is possible. We have got so many centers. Now we should concentrate on developing the existing centers nicely rather than randomly opening new ones. If a temple has to close down it is a great discredit. So we should work in such a way that all our centers may prosper.
According to your letter, you should have received the new Deities by now. These big Dieties should be installed in a big throne and then the small Deities may be transferred to a smaller temple if you wish. I shall be going to _____ and if you want I shall go to Boston, also. Why not? In the meantime you can have several sets of very nice dresses prepared, ornaments, etc. and keep them ready.
So far as Citsukhananda going to replace Brahmananda Maharaja (whose last report was from London, where he is raising funds for going to Karachi), I have just received one letter from him dated 3rd March, 1971 saying that he is in L.A. making final arrangements for opening Mexico City branch. So who shall go to Tallahassee?
You write to say that you are relocating in N.Y. but I have received a letter from Satsvarupa saying that he cannot leave because of some financial difficulties. This complaint is practically coming from every temple. Why there is financial difficulty?
One of our life members here in India, and our good patron as well, has requested some back issues of BTG. So please send him as many back issues as are available, and if there are none there, then you may instruct Karandhara to do the same. Otherwise just you send some; not that both send. His name and address is as follows:
My program here is not yet fixed up so it is uncertain when I shall be returning to U.S.A. Presently arrangements are being made for me to go to Australia, Malaysia and Moscow, Russia as well. I have received one invitation to speak at the university there. So we shall see what Krishna desires.
I am in due receipt of your letters dated 1st and 7th May, 1971, respectively and have noted the contents carefully. So far as "Back To Godhead" is concerned, the answers to your questions are as follows: Recipes are all right if you think that there is such a public demand. But just recipes, no pictures; Yes, parts of my letters may be reprinted as a second article by me; no drawings should appear in the magazine; Yes, a question and answer article is very nice, and letters from interested persons may also be published. On other matters you can use your own discretion.
As of yet, I have not received the check for $50 for ten tulasi beads. Yes, if you feel that she is qualified, the girl Carol may receive Gayatri initiation also so that she can take up pujari business full time.
So far as aleviating financial difficulty by dispersing spiritual sky incense profits, whatever the GBC members think is proper is all right by me. Your specific task is to regularly compile BTG and arrange editorials, etc. These are your business. On the whole, the report submitted by you for the Southern U.S.A. centers appears very favorable. Encourage them more and more. It is encouraging to note that the court case was won in New Orleans. Requirements for Jagannatha worship is that four qualified Brahmins must be on hand to tend to Lord Jagannatha's needs. Unless there are sufficient men and Brahmins, how can such worship go on?
Regarding the proposed book "Method of Worship", I have not had time to prepare it here. So when I return to U.S.A. and again begin to write my books, my first business will be this. Enclosed please find some poetry by some of the devotees here. If you think that they are suitable for publication, then you may do so.
Regarding Satsvarupa's engagement, his main business is editorial and to improve the condition of the Boston temple also. There is a vast amount of editing work. It is not an easy job. We have to print so many books and if he becomes an expert editor it will be a great asset to our mission, and he has got the capacity. Very soon I am returning and I shall overburden him with dictaphone tapes. He will have more than enough engagement.
You should know that you are always with me. I am always thinking of you and your service. So there is no question of you being separated from me at any time. And you will be glad to know that very soon I am coming to Boston for installing the Deities. Recently I am in Bombay and will be leaving for Moscow on the 20th instant. I shall remain there for five days and from there go Paris and London, where I will participate in the Rathayatra festival.
Yes, Dr. Bigelow has appreciated my article and admitted in his letter that "You people in India are so much further ahead in matters of this kind then those of us in the Western world." (letter dated 16th February, 1971) There has been no further correspondence with him in this regards. So if you wish you may publish my letter and his short reply is given above.
So far as publishing songs in BTG, I have translated two or three songs of Narottama Dasa Thakura only but if you like, I can send you more songs and ideas. I have sent some poems by our disciples here along the line of Narottama Dasa Thakura's songs. Do you like them enough to publish?
I have not received any check for beads for the ten devotees recommended by you for initiation, but they may be initiated when I go there personally.
Concerning Brahmananda, I have received one telegram from Karachi and he has asked my permission to come here and I have consented. So he should be coming to Bombay very soon.
Just recently I have received one letter from Jadurani and she is doing nicely. I have seen the pictures printed by her and her assistants and they are very nice. She is serious about you being fully engaged in Krishna Consciousness and I have given her advice in this connection.
I am enclosing one letter from a new boy in Japan. He was going to commit suicide but came to Krishna instead. This may make an interesting topic for BTG in the new type of article you described in your last letter.
Just recently I have received one very interesting letter from Damari Toshio Inove and the reply to his letter is enclosed herewith. His letter I am sending to Satsvarupa and he may publish it in Back To Godhead. Here is a boy who was about to commit suicide, but he came to Krishna instead and now he is perfecting his life. That is most encouraging news.
The preface to the enlarged edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is was sent to you long ago, from Australia. It was sent on 12th May, 1971 and you should have received it by now. I do not know why it is missing. So I am enclosing a second copy herewith.
Regarding press matters, whatever you GBC men decide amongst yourselves I have no objection, but economically the press operation must be sound. Formerly it was contemplated that the press would charge 10% of the total costs for maintenance of the press. Maintenance cost is $1,500 per month. So that means $15,000 worth of books must be produced each month. And this $15,000 is our cost, not the face value of the books. So if you can produce books in this manner, then it is all right. But past experience has proved otherwise.
It appears that Dai Nippon quoted for Bhagavad-gita $23,000. and ISKCON Press quoted $20,000. So $3000 difference. But if the book fund has to maintain the press expenditure by $1,500 per month and the printing takes two years, then what becomes the total cost of Bhagavad-gita As It Is?
I think the book fund can maintain only 10% of the books produced. That will be economical. Otherwise, whatever GBC members decide, I have nothing to disagree with. But economically the existing proposal is not very sound. Books must be produced to the extent of $15,000 per month and then it is all right.
Just yesterday I arrived in Moscow, and we are staying in a very nice hotel. On the whole, this is a very nice city (the best in Europe); it is very neat and clean. We are trying to arrange, through the embassy some talks on our philosophy, and I will let you know what happens. On the 25th instant I will go to Paris, stay for one day, and fly directly to San Francisco for Rathayatra. Then I will go to London for their Rathayatra on 4th July. Shortly thereafter, I will return to N.Y.C. All mail can go to L.A.
It is very nice if we can get other magazines than BTG to print articles about our society, so try for it. Also, for BTG, I am enclosing one poem by Dravida for publishing. And so far the annual GBC meeting is concerned, it is my wish that this meeting be held in Mayapur on Vyasa Puja Day. So you arrange for this, we can go at least 100 visitors and arrange for the founding stone in Mayapur. We are trying to get Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India, for laying the foundation stone.
Yes, my order still stands. Please organize BTG distribution and do it nicely. Sankirtana Party and distribution of our magazines and books is our real program. Other things are secondary. So during the summer time you should utilize this program of Sankirtana and book distribution vigorously. Attention diverted to incense business is not a very good sign. We should give all our energy for distributing BTG.
You will be pleased to know than I have again begun my translating work. Enclosed please find tape no. 1 from L.A. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4th canto, 8th chapter). Please acknowledge receipt and date of receipt also.
Presently I am in L.A. where I just returned from the very successful festival, Rathayatra festival, in San Francisco. From here I will be going to London to participate in their Rathayatra festival on 4th July. Shortly thereafter I may be going to N.Y.
Formerly, in 1966, I was dictating two tapes daily, but after becoming ill, I reduced. But very soon I will be sending you so many tapes that you will be over-burdened with work.
Enclosed please find tape no. 2 from L.A., 4th Canto, 8th chapter. Kindly acknowledge date of receipt.
I hope that by now you have got the throne, etc. all ready for installation ceremony. By the middle of July I shall be going to N.Y. and at that time you can send us tickets for going to Boston also. We are three; Syamasundara. (Samuel Speerstra); Aravinda (Arthur J. Friedman), and myself. From Boston I shall go to New Vrindaban, come again to N.Y. and then go to London. So please arrange for Kirtanananda Swami to send tickets, round trip, to Pittsburgh.
Your report on the progress of Srimad-Bhagavatam, first four cantos, is very much encouraging, so continue this work very seriously. I have again begun translating work and have so far sent Satsvarupa Prabhu three tapes from 4th Canto, 8th chapter, and will be sending many more.
Enclosed please find tape no. 3. Kindly acknowledge receipt, and date of receipt also. After finishing with these tapes, they should be sent directly to Pradyumna in N.Y. for sanskrit, along with a copy of the finished transcript. He can forward the tapes to me.
Also please find a poem presented to me in Bombay by one French boy, Darsha. If you like, you can publish it in Back to Godhead.
I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 21st June, 1971 and have noted the contents. So far Moscow is concerned, there was only one substantial meeting, with one Professor Kotovsky and the tape of that conversation is being transcribed. Also I have written an introduction to the three lectures I had proposed to deliver in Moscow: 1) Vedic conception of Socialism and Communism, 2) Scientific values of a classless society; and 3) Knowledge by Authoritative Tradition. These are yet to be written. Photographs have been taken also. So I will collect all the material available and send it all to you in the very near future for publication in BTG.
I have seen the newsletter and it is nicely written, but the idea itself is not so good. If you post such newsletter to big businessmen and politicians, etc., their secretaries will throw it away. It is not so easy to approach such big people by letter. An attempt to see them personally is better. Otherwise it is a waste of time. Thousands of advertisements are going in the mail. Who cares for them?
Yes, we are above all religious work. Krishna Consciousness is post-graduate to all these religions and any religion can take lesson from us. Therefore we are not on the mundane plane. Other religions are trying to understand God vaguely and we are on the platform where God is really understood and we are associating with Him directly also.
You will be glad to know that I have again begun my translating work and have sent five tapes to Satsvarupa thus far.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 7th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. I am glad to note that you have received tapes no. 2-4 and you are appreciating the narration of Dhruva Maharaja also. I have just received the transcription and laid-out pages for tapes no. 1 & 2. It has been done very nicely.
One point though is that Jayadvaita writes that the synonyms for the last 18 chapters of 3d canto and the first seven chapters of fourth canto are not there. Where have they gone? I do not understand. Anyway, I have begun dictating the synonyms, and tape no. 6 was sent directly to Pradyumna. To finish these synonyms will take at least one month.
Arrangements are being made for us to leave for Detroit on the 16th morning. We will stay there for two days and then come to Boston for a few days also. Then we will go to N.Y. so I don't think there will be time for going to New Vrindaban just now. So Kirtanananda Maharaja needn't send tickets.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 25th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. The arrangement you have made in Boston for me was very nice. There is no need of nice apartment. A sannyasi shouldn't live in a very nice place but because your country is so much opulent, even a poor man is offered a nice place. So whatever is offered in devotion and love is all right. It is our duty to offer the very best to Krishna and the Spiritual Master. That is reciprocal love.
Enclosed herewith, some poems and articles for publication in BTG upon your approval. So far my writing is concerned, yes I want to settle down somewhere and write my books. That is my aim. So most probably it will be done by Krishna's grace.
The subject matter of BTG should be very grave. It should not be made a joking, comical literature. The subject matter is that everyone should know who is Krishna. So present it in philosophical way but with simple language. The next subject matter is our relationship with Krishna. Then how we fulfill our life's ambition in Krishna Consciousness. So all these subject matters should be made understandable by the people in general, but we should be very grave in our presentation.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated nil and have noted the contents. So far the marriage of Shakuntala and Ajamita is concerned, I have no objection but you must brief them thoroughly on married life in Krishna Consciousness, how serious business it is, and that separation is not allowed under any circumstances. At one marriage ceremony in N.Y. Rupanuga had the boy and girl both sign documents saying that they promised never to separate under any circumstances. So you can correspond with him and do likewise.
I have sent you tape no. 13 along with some poetry by separate post. I hope that you have received the package by now.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 28th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far your question is concerned you should understand that a devotee is never under any karmic reaction. Whatever is happening is the mercy of Krishna. That should be the view point of the devotee. Once surrendered to Krishna, karmic reaction is immediately gone, but if he acts again independently, then he is again in the clutches of maya. That marginal state is always there but for a pure devotee who has actually surrendered to Krishna, he has no karmic reaction. The same example of the fan switched off; it is still running some rounds, but that will be stopped very soon. That is his position. Therefore a pure devotee who is having some adverse reaction, he doesn't take ill of it. He knows that the karmic reaction is already stopped but what is happening is the residual turning of the fan, even after the switch is off. A pure devotee therefore takes it as the mercy of the Lord because the Lord is finishing his karmic reaction by summary punishment. ___. To the devotee such adverse condition is seen as the benediction of the Lord and more enthusiastically he engages himself in the Lord's transcendental service. He is never hampered by such reaction, neither his Krishna Consciousness is hampered by the least degree. In the presence of such adverse conditions of karmic reaction, the Lord advises to tolerate; tams titiksasva bharata. My dear Arjuna, please tolerate these things without being perplexed. They come and go like seasonal changes of summer and winter. They have nothing to do with the pure soul engaged in devotional service. So the reaction is stopped, but the momentum is still there. Simply one has to tolerate.
Upon his recommendation and the recommendation of Satsvarupa Prabhu I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple and have given you the spiritual name Sukhada Devi Dasi.
I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 8th August, 1971 as well as your Vyasa Puja offering, so nicely composed. I am sending it off to Satsvarupa for future publication.
Enclosed please find tape no. 14; S.B. 4th canto, 11th chapter continued. This is the third tape sent from London. Also please find one poetry enclosed for publication.
I have just now received your presentation of slippers as an offering for Vyasa puja day. They are certainly very attractive. Thank you very much for them and offer my thanks and blessings to all the nice boys and girls there in Boston.
There is a story about one man, a cook, who bought a nice new pair of shoes. But all morning long he was in the kitchen cooking and so he couldn't wear his shoes. Similarly, all afternoon he was cooking. So what did he do? At night, when he went to sleep he wore the shoes. So these shoes are so nice, but I don't know when I shall be able to wear them. So when taking rest at night I shall wear them.
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.
You happen to be a member of the GBC. So whatever you want to do or whatever ideas you want to introduce in the management of our society, please write in a letter and distribute the copies to all the GBC members along with one copy to me also. Then collect the opinions of each and every GBC member and if the majority supports the idea then it should be taken as a fact for being carried out in our society. The majority vote and my opinion should be taken. When the majority opinion is present, my opinion will be yes or no. In most cases it will be yes unless it is grievously against our principles.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 19th August, 1971 and have noted the contents. So far the "tracts" or booklets are concerned, that is a nice idea, Jayadvaita has already asked about this and I have agreed. But these small works may be done on our own press. Dai Nippon should be given the big jobs. Otherwise it will be too costly.
So far the marriage proposed for 29th August, I have no objection provided they are firmly in agreement never to separate and are willing to sign such a statement. This was done recently by Rupanuga Prabhu and you can get the wording from him.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 16th August, 1971 and have noted the contents. Also I have received your tape recording and have listened to the marriage institution very nicely. So far your questions:
In the vedic ceremony the paraphernalia required for the sacrificial ceremony includes five kinds of powder, five kinds of leaves, five kinds of cow products, five kinds of grains and five kinds of jewels. So these are required for offering to the sacrifice: Five items of five kinds. So because we cannot collect all these things conveniently, we simply are satisfied with five kinds of powders. In the vedic system also when eatables are offered to somebody, five varieties of dishes are offered. Another significance of the vedic system is that arbitration is also made of five men. So this "five" is mentioned in many places. Just like in devotional service. Narada has written also five kinds of literatures; They are called Narada pancaratra. So it is traditional vedic system. What for they were made in routine in terms of "five" that is very difficult to find out but traditionally it is followed by vedic disciples as far as possible.
The criss-cross pattern is simply decoration. After mopping the floor nicely, this kind of painting with colored rice powder is still prevailing in Hindu families of S. India. It is called alipna, or in other words after cleansing the rooms and floors such kind of auspicious paintings are done every morning or in every ceremony. In Bhagavad-gita is is said that they are part and parcel of religious life. In most cases these engagements are meant for the women. Women must be engaged otherwise they will be inclined to think of sex only. They are called kamini. Unless there is sufficient engagement their only thoughts will be concentrated on sex. As men are engaged in devotional service, similarly women are engaged in ritualistic engagements so that household life becomes very auspicious. These things are at the present moment impossible to perform regularly. Lord Caitanya therefore recommended Harer nama iva kevalam. Practically also we see our students being engaged in chanting Hare Krishna Mantra keeping free of all contamination. The vedic system takes especially care of women from illicit sex life. Illicit sex life is so dangerous that it produces unwanted children who create hellish life as described in Bhagavad-gita. In this age, all over the world, the sex indulgence is being unrestricted and religious principles are not being followed. The population is increasing with unwanted children like hippies. So these systems are very scientific but it is very
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This Sankirtana and BTG distribution is our main business and you should give as much energy in this direction as possible. Also your travelling Sankirtana party to various universities in the Southern cities is wholly approved by me. So do it nicely and in conjunction with Satsvarupa Prabhu. He is guiding you all.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 24th August, 1971 and have noted the contents. So far your travelling throughout the south, particularly Atlanta center, I have no objection. Just so long there is someone competent to look after Boston temple. If you think Harer Nama can manage all right, that is nice.
Yes, you should try and develop a headquarters there in the Southern zone, just like L.A. in the West or N.Y. in the East. That will be very nice. I have just received one letter from Mohanananda in Dallas and he wants to purchase a very large property very much suitable for our purpose. He also proposes to have an acredited school there for the society children. All this he wants to develop in conjunction with the country asrama there. He is very enthusiastic for it. So you should encourage him and if his plans are feasible then perhaps Dallas would be the most suitable headquarters for the Southern zone. So you can discuss the matter with Mohanananda, Karandhara and the others and do the needful.
You are such a sincere and intelligent girl and if you will just stick to our principles you are sure to make rapid advancement in this Krishna Consciousness. So work cooperatively with Satsvarupa and the others and help to make all of Boston city Krishna Conscious.
With further reference to my letter dated 31st August, 1971, I have already asked you to consult with the GBC members before purchasing the boat. So do not purchase this boat unless all the GBC members agree. I understand that some of the GBC members are not favorably disposed to this proposal of purchasing a boat. In one letter I have read "Otherwise there is so much chance of misuse. For example I have heard from Satsvarupa that the President of Baltimore Temple has $10,000.00 with which he wants to purchase a boat to go to South America. Obviously this is misappropriation and could be avoided if all these kinds of funds were immediately centralized". So in this regards do not purchase this boat without unanimous consent of the GBC members.
I have not heard from you in a long time. I hope you are well and things are going on nicely there at our Dallas center. How are the property transactions going on?
Enclosed you will find one letter from Samkarsan das brahmachary of Austin temple. So that is in your zone. He has so many questions, and these types of enquiries should be answered locally. So you can reply this letter and send me a copy also so that I can see how you are answering.
Things are going on very nicely here in Nairobi and the response by the Africans to this Sankirtan movement is very much encouraging. From here I will be going to Bombay, by the middle of the month.
I am very glad to know that you are trying your best to organize a school in Dallas and purchase a building in this connection, and that you are very much anxious to get a $15,000 loan from me. So I have advised Karandhara to give you this sum as a loan for six months because this money is kept to meet emergency demand from Dai Nippon. We have to keep our credit nicely with Dai Nippon. Twice I paid $20,000 each time. so they are convinced that we are a solid party. So this $15,000 loan to your school scheme may be returned as soon as possible, not later than six months. So you can immediately complete negotiation and take the money from Karandhara.
Regarding your teacher problem, I have advised Pradyumna to go there and teach students primary Sanskrit lessons at least to learn the alphabet, so that in the future when they go to India they may learn Sanskrit very easily. The students should be taught Sanskrit both in Devanagari and Bengali alphabets. Satyabhama in New Vrindaban has written a nice book for elementary lessons in English. I think this book may be printed immediately. If not the manuscript may be used to teach the students. The important matter is that the children are taken care of nicely. Bhavananda was talking with me that in New Vrindaban students were very much neglected. Therefore they were immediately transferred to New York. Every parent wants to see that their children are taken care of very nicely. That is the first duty. If they are not healthy then how they can prosecute their education? If they are undernourished it is not good for their future activities. They must have sufficient quantity of milk and then dhal, capatis, vegetables, and a little fruit will keep them always fit. There is no need of luxurious fatty foods but milk is essential. A big building is also very good for the children's health. They can move freely and run and jump.
Yes, Visnujana Maharaja is personally a nice devotee so he has created nice devotees. Apani achari prabhu jivare sikhaya, which means that Lord Caitanya used to behave personally and then he used to teach others. So every one of us should follow this principle of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
The prose and appreciations are very nice. Thank you very much. It is all being sent to Satsvarupa for future publication after examination. Please offer my blessings to the others there.
Upon the recommendation of Satsvarupa I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted on by me and they are sent under separate post.
I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Satsvarupa there in our Boston centre. I can understand that all of you are very sincere and are very eligible candidates for going back to home, back to Godhead.
I have sent under separate cover the initiation beads for Andrew Day, Martin Lewis and Jill Lewis, duly chanted on. Their new names shall be Mathuresh (The Lord of Mathura), Raghavendu (The moon in the Raghu dynasty), and Vijay Laksmi dasi, respectively. I am happy to accept them as my sincere disciples, now you give them all good advice how to push on this Krishna Consciousness Movement. Let them know it for certain, that something given to Krishna is never lost or wasted, and if they are determined they may go back to Godhead, very soon. If they like, you may perform a Krishna Consciousness wedding ceremony for the married couple.
I am very much encouraged that the school building may be purchased in the near future. But one thing, how the $30,000 is to be paid and wherefrom you have got so much money? I am very much anxious to open schools for educating children of responsible leaders in our Krishna Consciousness way of life, especially also in India. If these leaders simply become a little convinced about the real purpose of human life, there is tremendous potency for improving the world. Last night the topic of my lecture at our Delhi pandal was the necessity for teaching Krishna Consciousness in all our schools and colleges. This is a revolutionary thought. But we have seen that the practical outcome of so much hippies, one after another. What is the use of their skyscraper buildings if their sons will not maintain them? The old system of gurukula should be revived as the perfect example of a system designed to produce great men, sober and responsible leaders, who know what is the real welfare of the citizens. Just as in former days, all big big personalities were trained in this way. Now you have got the responsibility to inject this idea in your country. Please do it with a cool head, and very soon we shall see the practical benefit for your countrymen.
Yes, preaching is more important than managing. Just because you are preaching nicely and distributing so much prasadam, the management will follow like a shadow and Krishna will send you no end of help.
I am glad that you are writing essays, and that all of our students are contributing their work. I think that if we simply improve the contents of our BTG magazine that so many changes are not required. I have written to Karandhara on this point, so you may write him for my opinion. What is the use of instituting many changes? For something worthwhile people
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Enclosed please find one letter for the initiates.
I am in due receipt of your letter of November 17, 1971, and I am especially pleased that the church owners in Dallas have accepted our offer of $26,000 down payment. I have seen one copy of the contract sent to me by Karandhara. It seems all right. One thing: What are the monthly payments? Now you organize our KC school very nicely on the basis of a kindergarten school and primary school for children up to 15 years old. That is a good proposal, that parents should not accompany their children. Actually that is the gurukula system. The children should take complete protection of the Spiritual Master, and serve him and learn from him nicely. Just see how nicely your brahmacaris are working. They will go out in early morning and beg all day on the order of the guru. At night they will come home with a little rice and sleep without cover on the floor. And they think this work is very pleasant. If they are not spoiled by an artificial standard of sense gratification at an early age, children will turn out very nicely as sober citizens, because they have learned the real meaning of life. If they are trained to accept that austerity is very enjoyable then they will not be spoiled. So you organize everything in such a way that we can deliver these souls back to Krishna—this is our real work. Some of our girls may be trained in colleges and take teacher exams, and their husbands also. As you develop our program there I shall give you more hints.
As for the extra room, that may be utilized in future as classrooms as our school program expands. But for the time being why not open a hostel for the hippies? I want that all the hippies should come to me and I shall solve their problems. Actually all these hippies should join us. I am seeing that in this Delhi city many hippies from your country are coming, but they are simply hungry and dirty and being cheated. During our pandal program some of them came to me and became my disciples. So we must look out for them and take interest that they should be delivered from this miserable condition. They are our best customers. If we give them place to sleep comfortably and nice prasadam, and if they agree to follow the four rules and attend our aratis and classes, why not invite the hippies to live with us? Gradually they will become devotees. The American Ambassador to India, Mr. Kenneth Keating, is very much in favor of our Movement, especially on this point of giving you people the right advice and saving them from intoxication and being hippies. If your government would give us some help I can save all of them. That would be a great blessing for your country. Otherwise this hippie class will simply spoil everything they have worked so hard for.
You will be pleased to note that I am taking a party of devotees to Vrindaban tomorrow for parikrama. We shall remain there for a few days,
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As soon as the Jagannatha deities are finished, you may install them nicely. Satsvarupa will give you direction how to do it. He is in Dallas now.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 6, 1971, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. I am especially pleased that your Gurukula project is going forward nicely. I consider that this is one of our most important projects, because people in general are only suffering due to poor fund of knowledge. So if we have facility to give them the right knowledge of how to make an end to suffering condition of life, then we shall be performing the highest type of welfare work. So you can try on this point to convince rich businessmen, educators, politicians, etc. to help us push forward this gurukula system for guiding their young children on the right path to becoming sober, upright citizens. You can inform them that if they give me proper facilities that I can save all the young people of your country from the worst danger. People are always willing to give anything for educational purpose. They think that if their children get the right knowledge then they will become very successful in life, and that is their concern, so they sacrifice everything for good educational cause. Now their children are all becoming hippies, and they do not want so much technology and knowledge which gives them no real satisfaction, so they are losing all interest in education and only they want to enjoy life, that's all. But if such children are given practical guidance on the transcendental platform, above the bodily and mental conception of life, then they will develop into perfect citizens—moral, honest, hard-working, law-abiding, clean, faithful to home and country, like that. That is the unmatched success of our Krishna Consciousness schooling system, so you introduce it nicely, so that your country's leaders will see something very nice and come to our assistance.
That is all right if Mohanananda wants to go to Sydney, provided you GBC men agree and if there is suitable replacement.
Regarding children without spiritual names, whatever name is there, if it is a boy, then add Bhakta first. Or if it is a girl, add Bhaktin before the child's name. For example, if somebody is named Robert, his new name may be Bhakta Robert. In general, if he is not initiated, a devotee adds Bhakta or Bhaktin, before the other name until they are initiated later.
Your idea for 5 different articles in BTG monthly is very nice. I like your "topical articles" also. Keep them simple and Krishna Conscious, avoiding too much bending to the public taste, but if they are appropriate to current problems, then it is nice proposal. Rayarama tried this too, but his style was not very appealing to me. Actually, people are seeking after transcendental reading matter more and more, so if we stick to our standard, as I have given you, then there is no doubt they will come to read our magazines in great numbers. Now make it very attractive, with our KC subject matter as you have outlined, and our BTG will be very much in demand, without further changes. I have seen one Christian newspaper which is trying to attract the readers by resort to fashionable phrases and materialistic themes of mass public interest—simply because they have not got any real substance for attracting, they offer what they think the public might like, such as sex, crimes, amusements, like that. That is not our method. We have got such stock of real substance that alone it is sufficient to capture the readers, without such ordinary tricks and commercial formulas.
I am very pleased that you are all working so nicely for Krishna in USA, and I shall be very glad to see you all again when I come there by springtime.
We should always be enthusiastic to try for shooting the rhinoceros. That way, if we fail, everybody will say Never mind, nobody can shoot a rhinoceros anyway, and if we succeed, then everyone will say, Just see, what a wonderful thing they have done. So if you are determined in this way to expand the Atlanta Temple, then you can try for it by begging for the protection of Krishna. Consult Satsvarupa your GBC man in this regard.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 16, 1971, and I am very glad you are sincere to make an effort for managing our ISKCON Press. But what is that management? Simply taking money and no production. So I approve of Karandhara's plan not to give more money to the Press until all debts and books owed are cleared and settled up. If you think that by lowering the prices of our books that things will improve, I have no objection. But always work in consultation on these matters with Rupanuga, Karandhara, Bhagavan, Satsvarupa, and Jayadvaita. I think that you six men are a very favorable combination for successfully managing book business. Now do it very thoughtfully, with agreement among yourselves, and I'm sure there will no difficulty. Practically our Society means books, so if there are no books, how can we preach?
| Page Title: | Training of Satsvarupa dasa (Letters, 1970 - 1971) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Visnu Murti |
| Created: | 24 of May, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=96 |
| No. of Quotes: | 96 |