Training of Umapati dasa (Letters, 1967 - 1973)

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Umapati -- Vrindaban 5 September, 1967:

I am so glad to receive your letter dated 28 August, through Acyutananda. You will be glad to know that he has safely arrived here via Delhi. He is a very intelligent boy, and has safely come without any difficulty.

Your letter is very much encouraging to me, that you are appreciating my humble service in spreading Krishna Consciousness in your great country. It was my ambition to begin my movement from New York; and by Krishna's Grace, I got good cooperation from some boys like you; and I felt too much aggrieved when some of you left me, but I was confident that all of your would come again, because Krishna Consciousness is not a material thing, and cannot be broken: it cannot be burned or wet or dried or stopped at any stage. When I received your letter, it appeared to me that I had received a letter from a lost child; so please continue your present attitude.

I have not heard anything from Harvey. Hope he is doing well. So far my health is concerned, I have improved considerably, and I hope to return by October next.

Kirtanananda is now a completely Krishna Conscious person as he has accepted sannyasa on the birthday of Lord Krishna with great success. He is the first sannyasa in my spiritual family, and I hope he will return back soon to begin preaching work with greater vigor and success. Please try to cooperate with the temple managers, because in my absence they might feel some difficulty. You are one of the old founders of N.Y. temple, and I hope you shall take some active part in improving the original center.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Delhi 27 September, 1967:

I understand also from Umapati's letter that he has already reached New York although I have not heard anything from him from New York.

Letter to Umapati -- Calcutta 22 October, 1967:

I thank you very much for your letter dated Oct. 15. It is so nice & enjoyable. Your appreciation of Krishna Consciousness is much improved by the grace of Krishna—because you are chanting Krishna's Holy names constantly. There are some truths which you have expressed as really sublime, especially the portion where you write to say "even though He Himself is unchanging, His glory will always increase." Krishna's name is Acyuta, unchanging, but He is Bliss although always full, still increases, to increase the blissful existence of the devotee. Please continue to think of Krishna & you will feel more & more the Blissful pleasure transcendental to all material contamination. I am very thankful to you for appreciating my humble service. You will be glad to know that I have already secured a visitor's visa to your country & have asked my travel agent to book my seat on the earliest possible date. I think I shall be in your midst by the middle of Nov. I went to your country with a mission & you all good souls were sent by Krishna to me. So let us cooperatively work together to vigorously spread Krishna Consciousness, to the suffering humanity at large. Your country is great & you are all good sons of America. Spread this knowledge so that America will be still greater in the eyes of the world. Keep this point of view in front of you & all your God-brothers combine together may execute this mission.

I am very glad to learn from Rayarama's letter that both you & Satyavrata (Moskowitz) are regularly attending class. So I thank you again.

Letter to Umapati -- Calcutta 23 November, 1967:

I am so glad to receive your letter dated 15th Nov. 1967. You're very anxious to see me back in New York and I may inform you that I had settled to be in San Francisco on the 24 of Nov. but due to a petty revolution in Calcutta I am not able to leave. Future arrangements are pending. I wish to go from San Francisco to the other two new branches and then return to New York. I am so glad to learn that you are now getting the fruit of chanting Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna is so nice that it clears the dirty things from the mind of the devotee and the more one is used to chant the Holy Name offenselessly, the more one develops love of God, forgetting the whole material nonsense. (It is my duty to deliver you the right thing in right earnestness and it is the duty of the receiver to act in the standard spiritual regulation. When you left us I simply prayed to Krishna for your return to Krishna Consciousness because that was my duty. Any good soul who approaches me once for spiritual enlightenment is supposed to be depending on my responsibility to get him back to Krishna, back to home. The disciple may misunderstand a bona fide spiritual master being obliged to do so under pressure of Maya's influence. But a bona fide spiritual master never lets go a devotee once accepted. When a disciple misunderstands a bona fide spiritual master, the master regrets for his inability to protect the disciple and sometimes he cries with tears in the eyes. We had an experience while my Guru Maharaja was alive. One of His disciples who accepted sannyasa was one day forcibly dragged by his wife. My Guru Maharaja lamented with tears in His eyes saying that He could not save the soul.) We should always, therefore, be careful in the matter of being attacked by Maya's influence and the only means of guarantee is to chant Hare Krishna offenselessly. The greatest offense is to defy the spiritual master and to act sinfully, thinking in the strength of chanting. If a man thinks that chanting will save him from all kinds of sinful reaction deliberately committee. by him, then he becomes the greatest offender. By chanting Hare Krishna certainly we become free from all sinful reactions, but that does not mean that we shall deliberately commit sins and counteract it by chanting. Your reference to Kirtanananda and Hayagriva is very nicely appreciated. We shall silently pray for them to Krishna and shed tears for them for our inability to save them. Let us honestly pray and go ahead with Krishna Consciousness. More when we meet.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 14 January, 1968:

Since you talked with me on the telephone, I received also your letter of Dec. 30, 1967, but I could not reply the same on account of my shifting to Los Angeles. I have come here last Saturday the 6th of January. I am feeling well here because the climate is warmer. I thank you very much for your acceptance of my guidance. My guidance means Krishna's guidance. I am very poor and therefore I can pray only to Krishna for your guidance. Krishna is Absolute and we are all under His guidance but the bona fide Spiritual Master is accepted as guidance because he is transparent via media between Krishna and the devotee. The devotee has no access to Krishna without the via media.

From your letter I can guess a first hand knowledge of Kirtanananda and Hayagriva. In the meantime I have received two letters from Hayagriva; one is already replied and the other is pending. Our line of action is simultaneous service to the Spiritual Master and Krishna. Without being favored by Krishna, nobody can have the association of a bona fide Spiritual Master and nobody can have the mercy of Krishna without being favored by the Spiritual Master. It is so intimately connected.

Kirtanananda's refusal to accept the Parampara system and authority of the scriptures is the cause of his misfortune. His version that the sun and the sunshine are one and the same is right, but when the sunshine is in the room it is not correct to say that the sun is in the room. His knowledge therefore is imperfect and therefore he cannot be a preacher. He is therefore contemplating for starting nightclub of the psychedelic type. His association is not desirable for the present neither I can think of his future correction. Hayagriva has fallen a victim and I am sorry for this.

Anyway, my dear boy, please remember that Maya is very strong. Any one of us can be arrested by her at any moment if we are not strongly attached to Krishna Consciousness. So my request to you and all others is to follow the principles of Krishna Consciousness adherently and there is no danger however the Maya may be strong.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1968:

Now it is understood from the letter of Umapati that Kirtanananda does not believe in parampara or in the necessity of scriptural authority.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 26 February, 1968:

Please inform Hamsaduta that I have received his encouraging letter: I am glad to learn that Sriman Umapati is coming to see me. He is heartily welcome.

Letter to Mukunda -- San Francisco 26 March, 1968:

How Umapati is feeling there? I have not heard anything from him.

Letter to Mukunda -- San Francisco 9 April, 1968:

How is Janaki? Please offer blessings to her as also to Baladeva. his family, Umapati and Sankarasan. shall be glad to hear from them

Letter to Mukunda -- Allston, Mass 6 May, 1968:

I know that Umapati is a very intelligent boy, and he tries in that way, he will come out a nice preacher in the future. If he has decided to remain a Brahmacari, and preaches our movement of Krishna Consciousness, it will be a great success for his life. Please inform him that his intimate friend, Hayagriva, came to see me in New York and we talked very frankly, and he is still my good disciple, and I have asked him to stay with me wherever I may be, and he has agreed.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Allston, Mass 23 May, 1968:

P.S. Sriman Umapati's doing very well in L.A.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Allston, Mass 30 May, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 25, 1968, and I have also received one letter signed by three of you, Mukunda, yourself and Umapati, recommending the new boy Stanley Broderick.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Allston, Mass 30 May, 1968:

Regarding your personal sentiments not being in agreement with Umapati: I am very sorry that this thing has happened. We are preaching Krishna Consciousness, the greatest platform of harmony, and if we dissent amongst ourselves, and disunite, it doesn't look very well.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Allston, Mass 30 May, 1968:

If you think that you cannot agree with Umapati, you can stop discussing with him, and if there is any point of judgment, you can refer to me.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Allston, Mass 30 May, 1968:

I am writing separately to Mukunda also, as well as to Umapati in this connection, and I wish to know why there is disagreement.

Letter to Mukunda -- Allston, Mass 30 May, 1968:

In the meantime, I have received another letter from Aniruddha that he is in disagreement with Umapati. I do now know what is the basis of this disagreement, but when you are there, I request you to see to the matter and try to mitigate their illusory disagreement. Even there is disagreement, the platform should be Krishna Consciousness, and in that platform if there is disagreement there is no inebriety.

Letter to Umapati -- Allston, Mass 30 May, 1968:

A few days ago I received a nice letter from you in which you wrote nice things, and I was so glad that now you are making progress positively towards Krishna Consciousness. It is understood that Aniruddha and yourself are sometimes not in agreement in subjects concerning Krishna Consciousness. Of course, disagreements may be there, but there should not be dissension. I shall be glad to hear from you what is the point of dissension, and if it isn't very serious, I think you should ask Aniruddha not to be affected by such flimsy disagreement.

I am very glad to learn that L.A. temple is improving day by day. Similarly, the temples in other places are also improving, especially Buffalo, Santa Fe, and Boston. I am starting for Montreal on the 3rd of June, 1968, and I shall be glad to hear from you at our Montreal address.

Letter to Mukunda -- Montreal 11 June, 1968:

As Umapati has decided to leave Los Angeles, I would like that he may go to Santa Fe and help Subala there, because he is struggling alone there.

Letter to Subala -- Montreal 23 June, 1968:

In the meantime, you try to become self sufficient. I have also advised Sriman Umapati Brahmacari to join you. He is now in San Francisco as in S.F. they will require his help during the Rathayatra Festival. I am advising him to join you just after the festival. I hope both of you will be good combination, because Woompati writes "Subala is my good friend and it will give me great joy to work with him in your divine service."

Letter to Umapati -- Montreal 13 July, 1968:

I understand that you have now gone to Santa Fe and trying to get a job there. And I hope Krishna will arrange for this. Do not be worried. Another boy, Christopher Fynn, may be going there very soon. So three together try to live peacefully and always discuss on the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, chant Hare Krishna in regular classes, and whenever the opportunity is there, go to the park as they are doing in Boston and New York, and getting good collection.

In this connection you can consult Hamsaduta in New York, and Satsvarupa in Boston how they are successfully carrying on. Here also the Brahmacaris are chanting in the Expo, and the arrangement is they will get some lump sum of money, and they have already gotten $300.00. Hamsaduta has also collected, by chanting, $150.00. So if there is no jobs at all, then you can fully engage yourself in Krishna's job by chanting in the parks and public places, and certainly Krishna will send you salaries. Krishna provides all living entities and why not his sincere devotees? Therefore, we have to become simply sincere in our Krishna Consciousness movement, and all other things will follow.

Letter to Subala -- Montreal 13 July, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter of July 11, 1968, and it appears that things are not very happy there, in spite of Umapati's presence. How is it that you do not get any work? Umapati knows some technical work. Is there only work in the restaurants, and there is no other work?

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 17 August, 1968:

At the present moment, many devotees from San Francisco, New York (specifically your intimate friend Umapati, is present here) have come here.

Letter to Umapati -- Montreal 28 August, 1968:

You will be glad to know that I am starting for New York on the 31st instant at 4:30 p.m., and reaching New York at 5:50. I wish to meet Satyavrata; if he does not like to come to our temple, then I wish to go there to his place. Please arrange for this sometimes on Sunday.

I hope you will remember my request to you about the press opening. The decision is now complete and now I am going to New York to arrange for it. Perhaps you have already known also about the land leasing for New Vrindaban attempted by Hayagriva Brahmacari and Kirtanananda Swami.

Letter to Umapati -- Seattle 18 October, 1968:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Oct. 11, 1968, and I am so glad to note your very nice sentiments. I am so pleased to note that you are getting attraction for Sri Gopalaji, and that will save you from all kinds of opposing elements. I am glad that Sacisuta is living with you and if both of you are feeling some inconvenience, then you are welcome to live with me for some days. I am going to Montreal on the 23rd October, and I shall again start from Montreal to Santa Fe. If you so desire, you can see me in Montreal on the 24th instant, and I shall be glad to know what is your particular difficulty. If Sacisuta is finding difficulty to cope with his God-brothers in the temple, he can travel with the Sankirtana party. That will be very nice. Anyway, both of you may not leave us. Each and everyone of you is very important assistant for me, so do not try to leave us, but try to adjust things as far as possible, but my last request to you both is that if you find such difficulty to live with your God-brothers, you can live with me.

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 11 November, 1968:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Nov. 1, 1968, and with pleasure I have noted the contents. When you were in Montreal I told you that you continue to work at present and give me $400.00 per month for my literary propaganda work. I require so much money for purchasing a printing press as well as paying the bill of Dai Nippon. So do not quit your job, but try to earn some money for feeding our missionary activities.

Regarding your proposal to open a center in Paris, it is very very nice idea. But for the present until we have opened two centers, one in Hamburg and one in London, I think it will be premature to think of opening a branch in Paris. So you can accumulate some money for this idea, or keep the money with me as I have already proposed, and as soon as there will be opportunity I shall ask you to go to Paris and open a center there.

It takes a little time to understand the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness but I am glad that now you are prepared to do anything for Krishna's sake, this is a great causeless mercy of Krishna upon you. Please continue your present attitude of serving Krishna and His cause, and certainly you will be successful in the matter of Krishna Consciousness even in this life. You know that your intimate friend, Hayagriva, is devoting his whole energy and money now. Similarly other students they are also doing that and the more we do so, it is better for us. Exactly if we supply nice nutritious foodstuff to the stomach, it is better for all the senses. Similarly, to serve Krishna more nicely is better for our own interests. Krishna is not in need of our service but if we sacrifice everything for Krishna, that is for our good. You should always remember this maxim.

Hope you are well,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. You can deposit your contribution in my a/c S/C 430K0131 with the First National City Bank, Grand St. Branch, Grand St. at Bowery. New York 13 N.Y.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 20 November, 1968:

Find out whether Umapati can translate Back To Godhead into French language. He knows French language.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda, Hayagriva, Tamala Krsna, Umapati, Dayananda -- Hawaii 21 March, 1969:

Enclosed you will find the copy of a letter received by me from the draft board. Please read over it and decide what is to be done. You can consult together on this matter and get whatever information is required by them. And let me know in your next letter about the matter.

Hope this meets you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

CC: New York, Los Angeles, New Vrindaban

P.S. I think I will have to reply to the Draft board by next week.

Letter to Umapati -- New Vrindaban 17 June, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated June 12, 1969, and I have noted the contents. You could not secure till now a good job, but that does not mean you shall return to New York. Keep yourself in San Francisco for some time more, and if there is no favorable response, then you may go to Paris where there is contemplation of opening a center. This will be settled up, say after a month. Till then you remain either in San Francisco or Los Angeles, and then decide. I think there is a great plan of Krishna that you should not get suitable service till now. It may be that you are required for preaching work 100%. So depend on Krishna, chant Hare Krishna, and everything will work out. I am leaving for Los Angeles on June 23rd, so I am sure I will see you before long.

Letter to Cidananda -- Los Angeles 3 July, 1969:

NB: Enclosed is one letter to be given to Umapati, along with German papers for Kartikeya and one note for Madhudvisa.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 12 August, 1969:

Regarding Dayala Nitai, I am instructing Umapati to send him from Los Angeles translated essays and articles for printing in French BTG, so Dayala Nitai will now have more time for going on Sankirtana Party.

Letter to Umapati -- London 18 November, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 8, 1969 with pictures enclosed. They are very nice. I understand the whole situation that you have not yet been able to find out a suitable place for living together, although Janardana is there. I think the same problem was experienced by the London devotees previously. Anyway, you will be pleased to learn that Tamala from Los Angeles has come here, and our Sankirtana Party has got some engagement in Hamburg from the 20th through the 24th of this month, so they will stay in the Hamburg temple for 4 or 5 days. Janardana wrote me in some letter a few days back asking if I can go there, but due to the climatic condition I do not wish to move further from here. So you consult amongst yourselves whether you require Tamala's and the Sankirtana Party's help. You can let them know immediately in Hamburg. The address is Internationalle Gesellschaft fur Krishna Bewusstein, 2 Hamburg 6, Bartelsstrasse 65, West Germany.

The sooner you find out a center of our own, the better it will be. Anyway, pull on as you are doing your best, and Krishna will help you in due course. Here the preaching work is going nicely. The London party has now a van for 13 people, and they are going to Germany in that car. If you are eager to receive them, you write to them in Germany immediately. Maybe it will be possible for them to go to Paris and do some propaganda work.

I am very pleased that you are finding your life becoming more and more beautiful. Krishna Conscious life is our natural life. Just like a diseased person, the more he comes back to his health it becomes pleasing more and more; similarly, the more we come to Krishna Consciousness, certainly it will be pleasing, because Krishna is the Reservoir of all pleasure.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 24 January, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 January, 1970, and I have conveyed your good suggestion to Suridas and Jotilla to go to Hamburg. As Tamala is already informed of this fact, I am sure he will take this practical suggestion and do the needful.

Regarding antiques: we do not require of them in our Temple. For the time being don't spend money on antiques, better to try to expand our cult as far as possible with strenuous effort.

So I am getting good reports from all our centers. Now I will be very much pleased to have our own center in Paris as soon as possible. I am so much thankful to you for your sincere endeavor to spread Krishna Consciousness in the European countries.

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 18 February, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14 February, 1970, and I am so much glad to note how nicely you are realizing the importance of Krsna Consciousness movement. This is Krsna's grace; so work sincerely and seriously, and thus Krsna from within will reveal everything confidential.

Actually the whole world problems can be solved by this movement, that is a fact, but people are so much involved in Maya's activities that it takes some time to come to the right conclusion. But, if our preaching method is carried on in order, certainly it will be very much effective. So you are intelligent and one of the oldest members in the Society, and gradually Krsna is giving you better intelligence also; and thus push on the missionary activities as fast as possible.

I came to your country completely in helpless condition and Krsna is so kind that He has picked up some serious students like you; and my only hope is that even if I die these missionary activities will go on. And to keep yourself on the standard spiritual strength, please do not neglect the sixteen rounds chanting and following the regulative principles. Try your best, and Krsna will help you in all respects.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 4 March, 1970:

Organization of the European centers and the World Sankirtana Party later on—for these two reasons I called you in London. Now Mukunda, Hamsaduta, yourself, Krsna das, Umapati, Janardana, Suridas, etc., all of you are tested devotees, now do everything nicely in full cooperation. Always remain engaged in Krsna's service, then there will be no misunderstanding.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 28 March, 1970:

It was also informed to me by Umapati that all of you along with George were in Paris for some television engagement.

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 30 March, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th March, 1970. I have also received the newspaper cutting in which the picture of George has come out and it appears to be very nice because he has taken to chanting Hare Krsna Mantra along with you. Actually he has done some service to the cause of Krsna Consciousness, therefore he must make progress in his spiritual advancement. The heading "An Anti-Alcoholic Beatle at Maxim's"—does it mean that George has given up alcohol? Anyway, I am pleased with his dealing with us and I pray to Krsna that he shall make more and more advancement in Krsna Consciousness.

You have written to say that French people are eager to understand Vaisnava philosophy, and the summary of Vaisnava philosophy is as follows:

God is a person like us, but He is all-powerful with all opulences in full. The living entities are His eternal servants. There are varieties of living entities that have inherited the opulences of God in different degrees. There are two kinds of nature, the spiritual nature and the material nature. The living entities belong to the spiritual nature and being part and parcel of God they have all the qualities of God in minute proportion.

There are innumerable living entities both in the spiritual world and in the material world. The spiritual world is far, far greater than the material world. As such, the number of living entities living in the spiritual world is many more times greater than the number of living entities living within the material world. The living entities, when they try to lord it over the God's property, forgetting their constitutional position to remain as eternal servant of God, they are given the material world to act according to their desires.

In such endless varieties of desires the living entities are seen in varieties of bodies beginning from Brahma, down to the most insignificant insect. In this way, when someone is fortunate, he, by the grace of Spiritual Master and Krsna, revives his Krsna Consciousness. And if he makes progress under the direction of the Spiritual Master, then he revives his original Krsna Consciousness in full and thus he regains his position in the eternal Kingdom of God.

So you know very well all these facts, and while preaching you have to explain all these things nicely. Then you become a good preacher. Now you try your best in this line of preaching work and be successful as you have taken birth as a human being. Our Vaisnava philosophy is in summary the Teachings of Lord Caitanya. You read them very carefully, word to word, and immediately begin translation into French language so they may be published in French BTG as well as in future they may be published in a book.

I think Janardana is very busy in preparation for his Ph.D. because I have also not heard from him for a long time. So let him continue his studies. There is no need of disturbing him at present. Better both you and Suridas take up this translation work seriously. I think there are some devotees in Montreal who can also translate into French language. Anyway, arrange for this work immediately, without waiting anymore.

You have not written anything whether you have been able to find out a suitable place for our Temple. It was understood that when George goes there, he would help us in this matter. So I shall be glad to know how far you have been successful in this connection. It is all Krsna's grace that you have been favored with some publicity and more people are coming weekly for Kirtana. It is very much satisfactory, and I hope Krsna will help you more and more.

Please keep me informed about your further progress and offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 26 April, 1970:

Always be in touch with Tamala, Mukunda, Umapati, Syamasundara., etc., and perform Rathayatra ceremony in London very gorgeously this year because all of you are there.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 26 April, 1970:

Umapati has already selected the French girl, Ilavati, as his wife, so I am sanctioning this marriage because it will be help for the French language work.

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 26 April, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 14th and 21st April, 1970, respectively, and I am very glad to receive good news that your Krishna work is going on nicely.

You have selected your bride, Ilavati, who I think is a French girl, so I think this marriage will be nice. But our all selection should be with a view to serve Krishna, that we must not forget in any circumstance!

The other point is that all my best students are now in Europe. Yourself, Tamala, Mukunda, Hamsaduta, Syamasundara.—all of you are in now double strength, so please do things very enthusiastically and organize the world Sankirtana Party because in India the people are already expecting us next year. Also open as many branches as possible.

So it is very good that now all the devotees can take Prasadam together. All the devotees must keep together, that will be an extra strength.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 1 May, 1970:

So if Suridas and Umapati engage themselves five hours for translating work, there will be no difficulty to publish our French language books immediately. So arrange for this.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 1 May, 1970:

All our selected students like yourself, Hamsaduta, Mukunda, Syamasundara., Umapati, etc. along with their wives, and some of the students from here may join, then we can go to India via Africa, and then after a few days in India, we can come back via Japan.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 1 May, 1970:

Please offer my blessings to Umapati and his new wife Ilavati Dasi, and to all the other boys and girls there in Paris center.

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

Bahulasva Berkeley Rshi Kumara New York

Satsvarupa Boston Umapati Paris

Harer Nama Boulder Subaladas Philadelphia

Rupanuga Buffalo Sridama Providence

Jaya Gopala Columbus Vamanadeva St. Louis

Bhagavan dasa Detroit Madhudvisa San Francisco

Hamsaduta Hamburg Citsukhananda San Jose

Gaurasundara Hawaii Revatinandana Santa Barbara

Durlabh Laguna Beach Gajendra Seattle

Gurudasa London Bali Mardan Sydney

Sripati Montreal Sudama Tokyo

Hayagriva New Vrndavana Jagadisa Toronto

Cidananda Vancouver Damodara Washington

My Dear Damodara,

Please accept my blessings. I hope everything is going on well in your center.

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

Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Arati, 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 that activities will be of the same standard.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 15 May, 1970:

Regarding Umapati and his wife moving very soon to Hamburg for composing on the new composing machine, that is very nice, the arrangement is good. Let them work hard for translating and composing, and his wife may also be engaged in this work.

Letter to Harivilasa -- Los Angeles 14 June, 1970:

Further assistance you should take from Tamala Krsna Das Adhikari, Suridas Das Adhikari and Umapati Das Adhikari. Follow their example, and whenever there is difficulty, try to understand from your Godbrothers.

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

Regarding the daily work on translation done by Umapati, Ilavati, Mandali Bhadra, and Hari Priya, Yes, that is our main business to translate all our literatures into German and French languages. When the matter is prepared, then we can get it printed anywhere to our satisfaction. Therefore, the most important thing is to get the composing and layout done.

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 19 July, 1970:

I thank you very much for your letter dated 12th July, 1970.

I understand that the new boy, Harivilasa, is very experienced, so if he is going to be president that is nice. We want a good administration—that is one side of our propaganda work.

I am very glad to hear about the apartment of the American boy, Lou, which you are utilizing as a base in Paris. That is nice. Anywhere we may live, our chanting process must go on.

Yes, the police and Government men will gradually understand us and naturally their harassment will diminish. The same thing is happening everywhere. So prepare excellent literatures, that will enhance our prestige.

I am very glad that you have made nice arrangements for carrying on our preaching work and maintaining everyone including the householders without necessity of an outside job. You are all very advanced and experienced, so do it nicely. That will give me pleasure.

Letter to Umapati -- Tokyo 23 August, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Hamburg August 19th, 1970, and I am pleased to learn that you are all engaged in the publication work. I shall be so much pleased to see the French and German BTG's published as soon as possible.

What you have heard about me that I have left the U.S. for the time being is more or less correct. I left L.A. on the 7th August. I lived for one day in Honolulu on my way to Japan and then I have come to Tokyo on Saturday the 8th August, 1970. I am starting for Calcutta on the 29th August to see if the World Sankirtana Party could be organized and to see if our Mayapur Temple could be constructed.

The Mayapur matter is lingering since a long time, so we are going to Calcutta, seven including one Japanese Brahmacari, to complete the transaction.

I am so pleased to note your Vaisnava attitude in your letter under reply. In this connection the incidence which occurred during Lord Caitanya's time may be remembered. One very intimate devotee of Lord Caitanya, most probably Vasudeva Dutta, requested Lord Caitanya to deliver all the conditioned souls in his presence. He said, "Let me suffer for their sinful actions, but my dear Lord You take them with You back to home, back to Godhead." So this attitude of offering facilities to others for going back to home, back to Godhead, and personally accepting their suffering thereof is perfect Vaisnava Attitude. Perhaps you know I have already formed a Governing Body Commission, so in my absence they will manage the affairs of the Society. I shall begin my 75th year from the Vyasa Puja Day and if you all combined together manage the affairs of the Society nicely, that will give me a great pleasure.

I shall try to do some work in India regarding the Krsna Consciousness Movement although my physical strength is diminishing. But still now if all you cooperate with me with your full young energy I am still competent to work with you with greater energy.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- Gorakhpur 19 February, 1971:

Similarly Umapati has also left Europe and gone back to the U.S.A. The wife is maya but at the same time a great friend. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu remarked that the wife is the goddess of fortune somewhere and somewhere she is a witch.

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

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 5th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. You write to say that you do not understand this movement, but if you do not understand this movement after so many years then when you will understand? You have been in this movement since the very beginning and you say that you don't understand. How is that? And you have so many questions. That is all right, but you will go on questioning throughout your whole life and never understand. So what is the use of asking questions?

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

So you are a grhastha. You should set an example. I do not know why you left Europe without consulting me. Who made you obliged to leave Europe? You were engaged in translating work and all of a sudden you left and now you are complaining about others. I was so much surprised when you left Europe. Anyone who is somehow or other engaged in the society's work, their position is higher.

GBC members are simply to see that things are going on. Other centers have got president, secretary, etc. and they are managing separately. That is the formula. So how is it that the GBC are the final authority? They are simply to examine that things are going on nicely, that is all.

And if you are unable to give 50% of your income, then who is pressing you? It is voluntary. If you have not got any means, then who is exacting you? So these things are specifically happening to you, not to others. There are so many grhasthas and they are not feeling any inconvenience. They have dedicated their lives to the service of the Lord. And most GBC members are householders. You also may be elected. The position is open to all grhasthas. But if you live separately with your wife and earn only for yourself and your wife, then how you expect to have a good position with the society? Everybody is earning for their wife and family, so if you are doing so also, then what is the difference between such endeavor and that of the karmi?

There are many grhasthas who are earning and spending for a particular center. Similarly you also can open a center, live separately as president and maintain the temple nicely. But if you don't do anything and simply remain grhastha, then what is the use of criticizing others? The whole movement is meant for rendering service.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Umapati -- London 26 November, 1973:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 30, 1973 and I have noted its contents carefully.

As far as your grhastha community committee, I have no objection as it has the approval of Karandhara prabhu and he is there for you all to take advice from. One thing is though that we should not take such meetings and committees too seriously, as in the ultimate capacity our chanting is the only thing that will save us. However, if sometimes devotees should like to come together and chant Hare Krsna and discuss, just as we instituted our Istagosthi program, then this of course I have no objection to.

Please offer my blessings to my beloved disciples there, and please extend my well-wisher to your good wife.

Page Title:	Training of Umapati dasa (Letters, 1967 - 1973)
Compiler:	Alakananda
Created:	31 of May, 2010
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=51
No. of Quotes:	51