a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
|
|
| Prabhupada Letters :: 1972 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
|
|
20 January 2007 20 January, 1972 Jaipur My dear Sri Govinda das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 31, 1971. With pleasure I have noted that you are rivalling the West Coast centers in the matter of selling books. But I do not think that anyone can do better than they are doing. But you may try very hard, and if you are sincere enough then you may be the biggest distributer of my books and then I shall surely come there to your Cleveland center to live there in that new house. When Krishna sees that His devotee is sincere, there is nothing He cannot do to help that sincere devotee to advance towards Him. So I am engladdened to understand from your words that you are serving Krishna very sincerely, and you may know it for certain that in this way you shall very soon go back to Home, back to Godhead. So far the meaning of Gayatri mantra, you may refer to Pradyumna and he will help you. Generally, best times for saying Gayatri mantra are when the sun rises and sets, and when it is noon. There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books--in fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Krishna Consciousness. All reading of outside books, except in certain authorized cases such as for example to read some philosopher like Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Krishna's philosophy--but otherwise all such outside reading should be stopped immediately. It is simply another botheration. If my students cannot even read my own books thoroughly, why they should read others? I have given you TLC, what need is there to read Caitanya Caritamrta translated by someone else. You are right to stop such reading. If you and your wife want to have children for raising them in Krishna Consciousness, and if you are prepared to take the full responsibility for delivering them from the clutches of birth and death, then I have no objection. I have allowed my disciples to marry as a concession for having household life, because you American boys and girls are accustomed to mix freely with one another, so what can I do? But brahmacari life or celibacy is better, because if the semina is saved it fertilizes the brain for sharpening the memory, and if there is good memory, our Krishna Consciousness becomes perfect: hearing, chanting, remembering--that is the process. Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: book distribution, children, grhasthas, outside books letters | 07:57 |Thursday, 20 January, 1972 Jaipur My Dear Mandali Bhadra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 28, 1971, and with pleasure I have noted that your translation work is going on. This I want, that you shall from now on be the Head of the translating department in German language for all ISKCON literatures. You translate yourself as it is comfortable, but all other translations in German language by other translators must be checked by you, edited, and corrected very strictly for grammar and proper use of German language. It is not our philosophy to print errors. Of course, our spiritual subject matter is transcendental and therefore it remains potent despite mistakes in grammar, spelling, etc. But this type of translation may only be allowed if there is no other way to correct it, then it is all right. But if you know the correct order, then you must make it perfect. That is our philosophy: everything perfect for Krishna. So far your telling me that some devotees consider that because there may be some grammatical discrepancies in my Srimad-Bhagavatam, first canto, then they may also be allowed to translate with errors accepted, that is just like imitating Raslila. When you do all other things like Krishna, they you can do Raslila. So if these other writers can do like me and spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world by becoming big Vedic scholars, then they can do. If one is too big, there is no mistake. Arsapreyaya means there may be discrepancies but it is all right. Just like Shakespeare, sometimes there are odd usages of language, but he is accepted as authority. I have explained all these things in my Preface to First Canto. My first concern is that my books shall be published and distributed profusely all over the world. Practically, books are the basis of our Movement. Without our books, our preaching will have no effect. So I am so much engladdened that you are enthusiastic to please me in this way, and that you are very determined to continue translating profusely. If you can increase translating more and more, that will advance you more and more in spiritual life. Krishna will give you all help. Why you should go to New York? Stay there and seriously edit all translation work as Chief Editor of German language. Your proposal to meet a Hamburg millionaire is very nice, go ahead. Your sincerity will be accepted by Krishna and He will give you intelligence from within. Simply we must be sincere, then everything else will follow automatically. Your statements by that big big scientist were very much appreciated by me. [PAGE MISSING] Labels: publishing, translating letters | 07:57 |20 January, 1972 Jaipur My Dear Hamsaduta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 7, 1972. With great pleasure I have noted your unbounded enthusiasm to carry out this great mission of spreading the light of love of Godhead in this hellish material world. That is the only requirement for successfully completing the perfection of the living condition, that you should always be enthusiastic to perform services unto the Lotus Feet of the Lord despite all obstacles. Then you can be assured that all of the other qualities or necessities for pure devotional service will be met, such as patience, determination, etc. and then without doubt you shall be delivered to the realm of unlimited bliss, freed from all anxieties. So far your proposals, I agree that by utilizing our knowledge of selling by selling for Krishna, that is approved by my Guru Maharaja, so it may be done very nicely. But we must always be careful to render firstly our routine devotional practices, and maintain always the highest standards of chanting, preaching, temple worship, rising early, cleansing, street sankirtana, etc.; business is secondary to our basic routine work. If the routine Krishna Consciousness program is neglected for other things, then everything else will fail. I am very much encouraged that you are anxious to engage in making money for Krishna with oil business and to print my books profusely. If this can all be managed and still the regular temple practices go on nicely, that is best. In every case, as with the question regarding whether prospectus or magazine is better, do the best needful. So far translating, I have made Mandali Bhadra as Chief of translating department. He shall translate comfortably and all other translations must be checked and edited and approved by him, with grammatical corrections. It is not that we may present anything crude translation and that is acceptable. No, even though the transcendental subject matter of Vedic literature is still spiritually potent despite the crudest translation, still, because we have got facility to make it perfect, that is our philosophy. When I translated Srimad-Bhagavatam I had not the facility so you may notice grammatical discrepancies. But because Mandali Bhadra is now Head of the translating department you have got all facility to translate our books in perfect German language. I am very glad you want to start your own press, but one thing is that you cannot close it once it is begun. When your own press is very sound and established beyond doubt, then you may call back Yogesvara. Your proposal for making records is very nice program. As for your essay on drugs and KC, do it. You may transcribe the Ajamila tapes and produce a very nice book. You may send the manuscript to Jayadvaita or Hayagriva for editing and printing with Dai Nippon. So far making tapes of Ajamila series, I have told Los Angeles tape-making operation that they should distribute to our devotees at cost price--to nondevotee that is another thing. We should not make exorbitant profit by exploiting each other in the matter of vital Krishna Consciousness paraphernalia such as books, tapes, etc. which are vital for our preaching work and for the devotees' personal advancement in Krishna Consciousness. But if you think it is a good idea to sell such tapes for profit I have no objection. Regarding salesmanship, it is a great art. It can be used for selling KC also. I am very much engladdened that you are so much enthusiastic, and you may know it that Krishna will help such enthusiastic devotees. May Krishna bless you all round. So far Krishna das is concerned, I have already told that he should stay there in Hamburg with you until the Germany centers are very solid and printing of literature has been made very regular and substantial. Then he may go to other places. If he wants to open other centers. I have no objection, but he should send other men to do it until things are very well established in Germany. Hoping this will meet you and your good wife Himavati in strong health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: management, media, publishing, purity, regulative principles, translating letters | 07:55 |20 January, 1972 Jaipur My dear Bhavananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 16, 1973, with list of programs. They are very nice. But one thing is, all of these arrangements, whether they are going to receive us at each place or if we are just taking the place to put on our own program? From their side we should be received, not just that we simply canvass to take their place for our own program. The Gaudiya Math invitation should not be accepted. We shall reach Calcutta on 23rd morning, Indian Airlines Flight No. 129, as I think Syamasundara. has already informed you by cable. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Gaudiya Math, Mayapur letters | 07:54 |20 January, 1972 Jaipur My dear Kirtanananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 2, 1972. I am very very pleased to hear from you again and to hear that your roving party is having great success and opening many temples. Actually that is the process, travelling, preaching, taking opportunity wherever Krishna offers it and leaving behind solid centers where propaganda will continue to go on nicely. You are doing very good work and I am very much pleased upon you for such sincere effort. Your program of speaking in colleges and other places and getting paid is very much liked by me; in this way, try to penetrate every school and college and introduce our books profusely. ___ is nice you are taking advantage of every opportunity for spreading Krishna Consciousness by speaking on radio, attending engagements, etc. That is the method recommended by my Guru Maharaja--now you are practically demonstrating this fact with good results. So go on like this, you have all of Krishna's blessings. It is very nice that even the Mayor was convinced by you to buy our Krsna Book. That is a very good sign. Yes, you may name your naughty boy Radha-Damodara because He is always being tied-up with ropes. Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda P.S. For the last one week we are having Festival in Jaipur (Rajasthan) Labels: preachers letters | 07:50 |19 January 2007 19 January, 1972 Jaipur My dear Ksirodakasayi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 12th January, 1972. I am very pleased to know that another Hindi BTG will be coming out shortly. Now just continue in this way to produce Hindi magazine regularly, and Krishna will give you all facility to print more and more literatures gradually and increase in every respect. Regarding distribution of magazines, you write each center and ask them how many copies they want. All collections from books and magazine sales should be sent to the Bombay Book Fund Account No. ISKCON Book Fund,* and if temples can pay for magazines in advance that is better, but they may also pay after receiving the magazines, within 30 days. All necessary expenditures will be paid by check from the Book Fund. For petty expenses, not exceeding Rs. 200/- may be kept with you always and everything should be accounted for with vouchers. No such items should be mentioned as miscellaneous. Anyone who takes money personally for miscellaneous expenditures must sign a voucher - this is accounting. The plain business is that the press is to be submitted the manuscript, they will print and deliver, and then for distributing our office will take necessary action. The magazines should be sent according to the order of the different centers and they should be responsible for the payment of the bill, and when bills are collected, money should be directly deposited in Book Fund Account. Rohininandana will return to Delhi by 25th this month or as soon as possible after finishing the Jaipur programme. I hope this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami *(Gwalior Tank Branch) Gwalior Tank Bombay, Central Bank of India P.S. One devotee Dharmavira is offering one apartment in his possession in Patel Nagar. Gurudasa is returning soon to occupy the place. I think you can live there and work cooperatively. ACBS/sda Labels: India, publishing letters | 07:54 |18 January 2007 Tuesday, 18 January, 1972 Bombay My dear Niranjana das Brahmacari, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters of January 6 and 10, 1972, and I have noted the contents. I am very pleased that you are trying very determinedly for following the regulative principles of Vaisnava way of life, despite lack of association with devotees. So I think you should very quickly join us and thus take advantage of your propensity to perfect your life by taking up very seriously and full-time this Krishna Consciousness process, which is the recommended and most effective means in this Age to reach the highest platform of life. This has been proven practically all over the world. I am going to Africa on the morning of 24th instant, and it is quite likely that I shall not be returning to India for some time, perhaps several months. So you can come here to Jaipur and meet me by the 21st latest for taking your initiation. Otherwise, it is also possible that I may return to Calcutta by mid-February provided the government allows my foreign disciples to enter Nadia District for celebrating Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day, and you can meet me there in mid-February if I come back. I hope this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: itinerary, regulative principles letters | 07:52 |18 January, 1972 Bombay My dear Cyavana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter and I am pleased about all the news. It sounds that you are doing well, and I'm so pleased to learn that Damji Devji, as well as Mr. Shah, they are helping you so much. So I am very much obliged to them. Please offer my sincere thanks to them. It will be a great pleasure for me to meet them again when I return to Nairobi. As you are so quickly managing the affairs of East African campaign, I am sure you have all blessings of Lord Krishna, so continue to work very hard for His pleasure and all of you will go back to Home, back to Godhead. Your Trial Balance is very good, and it should be an example to all the other centers. I am sending a copy of it to all the other centers. I shall be leaving here (Bombay) on 23rd instant, but we shall cable flight details later. If there is satisfactory program there, if you are getting that new place, then I may stay for some time in Africa as there is not much hope for Mayapur program here due to government ban on foreigners in Nadia District. Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Africa letters | 07:51 |17 January 2007 Monday, 17 January, 1972 Bombay My Dear Ranadhira, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 12-22-71, and I am very much pleased that you are making such nice advancement in Krishna Consciousness and that you are always thinking in so many ways how to best serve the Lord. By fixing your attention in this way, worrying how He will be pleased with me, you will naturally very soon reach the supreme highest perfection of life which is pure Krishna Consciousness. You should be very serious for trying for it, as I think that you are one of my senior disciples and I am very much relying on you now to carry on this mission with full responsibility. We must become so responsible for seriously practicing this art of of Krishna Consciousness, because this world is so full of degrading elements of life for dragging everyone down and down, and if just a few men can perfect the art, they can save the rest of all the people from the greatest dangers. So I count you and your godbrothers among those few men who are treading seriously on the path back to Home, back to Godhead, and now we must maintain such exalted position and not fall back by neglecting our highest standards of devotional practices. In this way, what I have introduced into your Western countries, the pure love for Godhead process of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, will go on increasing more and more to have effect by saving others; otherwise, it will gradually become mechanical and fade away like every other so-called religious movement. So you can understand that I am very much depending on you to become very much convinced yourself of our Krishna philosophy and to take full responsibility for teaching others purely. If you like you may join Kirtanananda's roving party for some time as manager, I have no objection. But if Hayagriva is requiring you to help manage New Vrindaban, and if you want to return there, you may also return there. In this matter you may consult Karandhara and the other GBC men. Your idea for video tape-recording of Krishna Consciousness activities is very nice, and if you are able to arrange for the equipment then it is very good proposal. I have accepted, upon your recommendation, Bill and Kathy Bowes as my duly initiated disciples, and their letter follows. I hope this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: initiation, management, media, purity letters | 07:48 |17 January, 1972 ISKCON Bombay My dear Son, Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Damodar I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual name of Anuttama Das. I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Damodar there in our Washington, D.C. center. I can understand that you are a very sincere boy and are a very eligible candidate for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtan, etc. In this way keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination. I hope this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: initiation letters | 07:48 |17 January, 1972 Bombay My dear Abhirama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 19, 1971. I am very pleased that you are serious to embark on such boating project, even though it will be a huge effort and expenditure to become successful. But never mind that, nothing is too much big if Krishna desires it. So if you are very determined that your boating idea will succeed, then Krishna will give you all encouragement and facility. The idea is good and has my approval, but now you should consult with the GBC members and then take it up seriously. You mention the sum of $9,000. That is not too much in your country, and I think that you can very easily manage that. As for maintenance, you have our books and literatures to distribute widely everywhere you go, so you should never lack for maintaining the boat. Upon your recommendation, I have accepted Jim and Michelle Conway as my duly initiated disciples, and their letter follows. I hope this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: GBC, initiation, preachers letters | 07:47 |17 January, 1972 Bombay My Dear Jayapataka and Bhavananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 5, Madhava, 485, and January 4, 1972. I am very pleased that all the programs are going on nicely, such as land purchase, Mayapur project, deity worship, etc. And I thank you very much for the Yellow Fever Certificate. I shall be leaving for Africa on the 24th morning, returning probably by February 1st. I have sent the airline ticket for Aravinda to return to USA. Make sure he gets it safely. Now that Gurudasa is there you try combinedly your best to get the permits for all the devotees in India to be allowed into Nadia district, and you can get the Governor to lay the foundation-stone. Then everything will be very successful and auspicious for our Mayapur scheme. I have received the plan from Bhavananda and it is nice. Please try very hard to get those permits, as we must be all assembled there for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day. So far Acyutananda's book is concerned, I have already written that you should try to collect at least 50% of the printing costs there, and all of the costs if you can, but the Book Fund, if absolutely necessary, will pay up to 50%. So far the other books in English which you mention, if you find a good printer you may order the plates to be sent here from Karandhara and they must be printed immediately. If such books are inexpensively available to all Indian people, that will give our preaching work a great boost, so try for it very seriously. I hope this will find you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami n.b. So far the house is concerned, don't worry. Stay where you are and continue to send him rent money. If he refuses to accept it, then lodge the money with the rent court. Even if he tries to take us to court it will take years, so there is no immediate danger. If you pay rent regularly on or before the 15th of succeeding month, then there is no law in the world which can move you an inch forever. So unless we have our own place in Calcutta we cannot vacate the house. ACB letters | 07:47 | 16 January 2007 Sunday, 16 January, 1972 Bombay My dear Bhakta das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated, along with requests for initiation by six persons. Upon your recommendation, I am gladly accepting them as my duly initiated disciples and their letter follows. Now you must take the full responsibility to give them all guidance and facility for perfecting their lives in Krishna Consciousness. The trick is to keep everyone always engaged happily in Krishna's service, then they will advance rapidly. Just you become very serious and thoughtful and learn this art how to engage everyone very nicely. I am very pleased to hear from you that book sales are increasing very fast. I am hearing such good news from all over the Society, and this pleases me more than anything. If Krishna is giving you the means, why not purchase that nice building for our temple? You may send me some pictures of that place, but I have no objection if you purchase as the terms seem very reasonable as well as the price. I hope this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: book distribution, building, initiation letters | 20:26 |16 January, 1972 Bombay My dear Sons and Daughters, Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Bhakta das, I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows: Harry Pettee/ PRATYAYA DAS Dennis Weatherman/ DURADHARSA DAS Sharon Robinson/ SARANAM DASI Marnie Watson/ AJA DASI Elaine Carnerie/ ATMAVANA DASI Norah Haas/ AHAH DASI I am so glad to learn that all of you have been such a great help to Bhakta das there in our San Diego center. I can understand that all of you are very sincere boys and girls and are very eligible candidates for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination. I hope this will meet all of you in good health and cheerful mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: initiation letters | 20:25 |16 January, 1972 Bombay My Dear Aksoja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of 14th December, 1971, and I am happy to accept you for Gayatri mantra. One copy of Gayatri mantra and one sacred thread duly chanted by me have been sent under separate post. Hold a fire yajna and your president, Dhananjaya, can give you Gayatri mantra. Hamsaduta and Dayananda have copies of tapes of me reciting Gayatri mantra, so you can get it from one of them. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. So the fire yajna can be held for all three devotees. It seems there has been some confusion about the spelling of your name. The above spelling is correct. [text missing] Labels: initiation letters | 20:24 |16 January, 1972 Bombay My Dear Sons, Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Dhananjaya I have gladly consented to accept both of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows: Georges Imbert/ KRITANGA DAS Gilles Minot/ KRITI DAS I am so glad to learn that both of you have been such a great help to Dhananjaya there in our Amsterdam center. I can understand that both of you are very sincere boys and are very eligible candidates for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination. I hope this will meet you both in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: initiation letters | 07:50 | |
|
|
