a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
|
|
| Prabhupada Letters :: 1972 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
|
|
24 February 2007 Thursday, 24 February, 1972 Calcutta My Dear Krishna das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of February 11, 1972. I am very much pleased that you are going on with your work in Krishna Consciousness despite so many obstacles which Maya has placed in your path just to try to deviate you from going back to Home, back to Godhead. So I am very glad that you are trying something there, I have heard Sweden is a very good field. So I have informed Hamsaduta that you may stay there and work for opening a branch if there is good response. And so far money and books, I have informed Karandhara what is the position and he shall be sending you some money for immediately renting one place for temple, as well as sufficient stock of literatures. Without such books and magazines, our preaching work has no authorized basis, so there must be always books. Now you develop there very nicely, it is Krishna's grace you are there, so just as you practically developed first the Hamburg center, so you will be getting the extra credit for starting Sweden branch. I think that if you go on in this way and spend your whole time preaching and engaging others to hear you and become themselves engaged in Krishna's service, that will cure you of all misgivings and miserable conditions. Follow this simple formula of chanting regularly with full attention, reading at least one hour, and balance time preaching and speaking and managing one center, and then everything will be all right. For my part, there is no question of dissatisfaction, I am very much pleased with your sincere service and humble attitude of Krishna Consciousness devotee. And I am also aware that sometimes Hamsaduta will be very stubborn, but he is also doing something there, so why not let him go on, and you take charge of opening branches in those northern European countries like Sweden, and that will be very much appreciated by me. If you require some more help in any way, just inform and I shall do the needful, do not worry. Also, Syamasundara is writing to Dayananda to send you books, whatever they can, from London, and they can send some men to help also if you require. Hoping this meets you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda n.b. I have heard that the Nobel Prize Institution is in Sweden. Why don't you present them our books? Find out what to do if we can win Nobel Prize. Labels: book distribution, spiritual master, Sweden letters | 06:47 |24 February, 1972 Calcutta Ambhabhai and Diwanji Attorneys-at-law, Fort Bombay-1 My dear Diwanji, Please accept my greetings. I have heard from my disciples in Bombay that Mr. A. B. Nair is a little anxious to settle the financial side of our Sales Agreement for the Juhu property. So I am enclosing in his wife's name a check no. CT/A-T 492829 drawn on the Central Bank of India, Head Office, Fort, Bombay-1, for the sum of Rs. 50,000/- (Rupees Fifty-thousand only), to bring to one lakh of rupees the amount we have paid Mrs. Nair to date as per our Sales Agreement. Now you may please hand over the check to Mrs. Nair, and you can assure Mr. Nair that the balance one lakh I shall pay him immediately upon my return to Bombay during the first week of March. Meanwhile, I shall be very grateful to you if you will have finished your clearing of the deeds and other matters, so that the conveyance deed will be ready to sign by both parties. The Deed of Conveyance should be made in the name of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Again, you may assure the vendors that I shall transfer the balance sum of Rs. 100,000 immediately as the conveyance deed is completed, during the first week of March. Thanking you once again, I beg to remain Yours in the service of Krishna, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami cc. Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Nair/Theosophical Colony/Juhu/Bombay. Gargamuni Swami/ISKCON Bombay. ACBS/sda letters | 06:46 | 22 February 2007 Tuesday, 22 February, 1972 Calcutta My dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 9, 1972, along with two copies of the MacMillan Co. contract. As per your instructions, I have initialled same, wherever your own initials have appeared. I noticed that on the carbon-copy contract you neglected to initial the last clause (b) of Section XX Special Provisions, although you had done so on the original copy. In addition, I have added the phrase to XII. Competitive Material as follows: "as well as the 48 pages of illustrations for which the Author reserves the right to publish for any purpose he may determine,'' as per your instructions in the letter to Syamasundara dated February 15, 1972. Also, because I received advanced royalties from MacMillan Co. for my first edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is of $1,000.00, and that was before they were convinced of our ability to sell books. So under I. Rights and Royalties, please note that I have added the clause "an advance of $2,000.00 against the Author's earnings under this agreement,'' duly initialled, which you will also please put your initials, as also to the addition to XII., and then I think you are signing on behalf of International Society for Krishna Consciousness, so when this is completed, and when the Vice-President of MacMillan Co. has also duly signed, then the thing is done, I am satisfied. But one thing, kindly request them to publish this important book with all haste at their disposal, taking advantage of our Japanese contacts, because there is so much worldwide demand for this books that I think 40,000 copies will be sold within a few months' time. Karandhara reports that practically 5 centers have distributed 8,000 Krishna Books in only two months, so what to speak of such famous book as Bhagavad-gita. And Karandhara may publish that picture-book Bhagavad-gita with Dai Nippon right away, that will be very nice. Upon your recommendation, I am glad to accept as my duly initiated disciples both of the girls you mention. I shall be sending their beads duly chanted by me under separate post, and also I shall be writing to them separately (please find enclosed). Also, I am including three sacred threads duly chanted herewith, so you may hold a fire yajna and give Gayatri mantra to Ravindra Svarupa, Brahmavitta, and Pancaratra, in the usual manner, with tape heard through the right ear. The fire yajna can be held for all five devotees. You are waking up your new deities too early! Best time is between 4:30 and 5 am, with Mangala Aratik at 5 am. Although Krishna is the Master of Sleep, still, we must allow Him sufficient rest for herding cows all day and playing with His cowherd friends. Regarding your question, this surrender to Supersoul is in the advanced stage of Krishna Consciousness. So long one is not advanced, he has to take information and direction from the representative of Supersoul or the Spiritual Master. The spiritual master is external manifestation of the Supersoul. Thus the Lord helps the living entity, helps both from inside & outside. I am very, very pleased with your program to infiltrate the schools and colleges, especially by introducing our books and classes in Krishna Yoga. I say one thing, if you can somehow or other turn all of these students and hippies, or even a portion of them to Krishna Consciousness, then this Movement will sweep across the world and save it from the present-day precarious condition when everything has become so much degraded. If many of their student class take up this Movement, your country's government will help, and if they help, there is immense potency for spreading to all other places. Now you push very cool-headedly and tactfully on this program of reaching and convincing the student-class with our books and philosophy, and that will be your success of life and for that Krishna will very quickly reveal Himself to such sincere worker face-to-face, you may know it for certain. You keep one copy of this contract with you, or if there is a third copy, you may send me also. On the whole I am very much pleased upon you for helping me in this way, now see it that the book is printed in very short order, they are one of the world's biggest companies, they can do it nicely, and also advertise. Our branches may help them advertise if they supply the materials and if they pay for helping us cooperatively advertise and promote this book very widely. I am enclosing one picture which you may please pass on to the art department for panting it, or you may include it as it is in our new Bhagavad-gita. It is very nice, the Krishna's face. Hoping this will meet you in very good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Bhagavad-gita, Brooklyn, deities, initiation, MacMillan, publishing, spiritual master letters | 06:52 |21 February 2007 Monday, 21 February, 1972 Calcutta My dear Vaikunthanatha, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 3, 1972, and I have noted with pleasure that you are pushing on with this Krishna Consciousness movement there with full enthusiasm. As for your shortage of literature, that seems to be the general story throughout the Society, but just recently Karandhara as gone to Japan and ordered nearly $200,000 worth of our books to be delivered by April 1st, so you may place your order now with New York or with Miami or whoever supplies you with books, and soon you shall have plenty. Meanwhile, you may send to ISKCON Press for any small literatures which are available, such as Easy Journey and Topmost Yoga. I am told that ISKCON Press has recently printed a large stock of these two books. Why these have not been sent to you? Or at least why you have not heard about them being available? I think if you are suffering for a shortage of literature you may write to Karandhara and he will take action. At least I think he has a large stock of small brochures which I like very much and which are very interesting. If the big centers on the east coast of your country are not cooperating by sending books, then you may deal directly with Karandhara as he is very reliable boy. Regarding your proposal to incorporate under the title Trinidad and Tobago Society for Krishna Consciousness, that's all right. I am very much pleased that you have been given nearly one acre of land, and even though it is not in the most populous neighborhood, still, we can utilize it in the manner you suggest by first building up a smaller place there and keep it as an asrama. Later on, if we get many devotees and friends, we may develop there like we are presently doing in Bombay. There we have just purchased a large 20,000 sq. yd. plot for putting up the first Hare Krishna City, which will be a cooperative housing society wherein businessmen and professional people, or other substantial people, who are also devotees of Krishna, may purchase flats or apartments in a multi-story apartment house and may live there whenever they like. Below we are having in Bombay a very, very nice temple, with continuous bhoga being offered throughout the day so that dwellers in the apartments can take prasada whenever they want and they will be offered all varieties to please everyone. I have heard that Americans like to go to the Caribbean islands in the winter where it is very warm, so if they are devotees also, as we may gradually recruit them, they may want to have their apartments there to take advantage of the climate and the pure devotional atmosphere at the same time. So let us see what develops. As soon as the Deed is signed and you have collected local funds, please start immediately as per your plan, and I am very much engladdened by the news that you are establishing something nice there. If it is not difficult, I can come there when I visit Dallas later this year. They have also just got a nice building for our Gurukula school for children in Krishna Consciousness. Similarly, Miami has just got a big church and they have invited me also, so let us see what will happen by Krishna's desire. Hope this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: book distribution, land, legal, publishing, Trinidad letters | 05:56 |21 February, 1972 Calcutta There is a Bengali proverb "When you pay the price it becomes purified'', just like if I purchase something and it is unclean in so many ways, but, because I have paid, it becomes purified. I hope this will find you both in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda letters | 05:55 | 21 February, 1972 Calcutta My dear Bhakta das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 28, 1972, and I am pleased to note that everything is progressing nicely in San Diego center. I especially appreciate your attitude toward increasing more and more the distribution of our books, that will sanctify all other activities of preaching because preaching means selling books. Please inform me of the result of your spending $500 for advertising for our Krishna Book. If such expenditure proves successful, then we may spend thousands of dollars and make Krishna Book very famous all over your country, that is, if the money invested comes back manyfold in the form of amount of books sold, by making these radio advertisements. I am also encouraged by your going to that small town near San Diego and getting such a good result from your preaching work there. Similarly, why not go from town to town throughout your entire area, even they may be small villages only, and hold such programs. This is real Sankirtana. Also you may inform the other centers of this process of going out to the surrounding small towns on preaching missions, how to do it nicely. Because you are making so many new devotees and distributing so many books and magazines, therefore I can understand that your routine work is being kept to the highest standard and that preaching work is going on well. This I can very much appreciate. Now never let it slacken or neglect our regular program, and always you will be successful in spreading this sublime movement of Lord Caitanya's, and very soon you will yourself approach the supreme perfection of life. I Hope this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: book distribution, preachers, San Diego letters | 05:55 |20 February 2007 Sunday, 20 February, 1972 Calcutta Mr. Gerald J. Gross, Sr. Vice President, MacMillan Co., 866 Third Ave., New York, N.Y. USA 10022 Dear Mr. Gross, I have received your letter dated December 30, 1971, addressed to me to my Madras residence. I thank you very much for the same. The Japanese quotation for printing my Bhagavad-gita complete edition is already there, and I think nobody can compete with their price in any part of the world. The best advice I an give you is therefore to get the book printed in Japan immediately. In the meantime I am very much pleased to inform you that there is very good demand in India for the small edition of my Bhagavad-gita published by you. Unfortunately, stocks are not available here in India. I understand that you have got your appointed agents here in india, namely India Book House. They have got their office in Warden Road, a few blocks from our Temple in Bombay on the same road. I went there personally to inquire whether they have got the book in stock, but they had no stock. So I shall request you to immediately send stock of my Bhagavad-gita already published in sufficient numbers so that we can inform our thousands of devotees and Indian customers to take supply from your agents here. I shall be very much glad to hear from you in this connection, both to my Calcutta address (as above) and Bombay address (as above), as early as possible. I shall remain in Calcutta until 1st March, and from there I shall go to Bombay for another two weeks or so. Kindly treat this matter as urgent and do the needful. Yours sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: book distribution, printing, publishing letters | 19:49 |20 February, 1972 Calcutta My Dear Rudra das and Radhika devi dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters of January 7, 1972, and I am very much pleased that you have opened a very nice center in Madison, Wisconsin. Thank you very much. Now develop it very nicely, and especially make certain that the daily routine program is held nicely and to the regular highest ISKCON standard, that is, you should see that our rising early, holding mangala arati, chanting 16 rounds, reading books, having classes, street sankirtana, etc., go on just to the highest standard and are never for any reason neglected. In this way your success is assured, but if we neglect even for a moment our routine, work, if we allow the regular program to become slack then everything else we may try will fail. I think you have understood these things and you are doing things very nicely, and because your number one concern is distributing my books and preaching, I think Krishna will give you all facility to increase more and more and make advancement in Krishna Consciousness. I am very glad to hear that Louise Bourassa has joined us. Thank her for understanding our philosophy. She is PhD., so she may translate all of my books into French language in cooperation with Yogesvara at ISKCON Press in New York, who is in charge of the foreign languages printing of my books. She may also write article for BTG why she came to KC and comparing our philosophy to others. You have described how you once fell down because you saw discrepancies in our philosophy. Actually, our philosophy is perfect, but because there were discrepancies in your mind at that time you may have thought something wrongly about our philosophy--that is one of Maya's favorite tricks for convincing us to stop our Spiritual life and enjoy her. So if ever you have questions or serious doubts about philosophy you may ask the GBC or myself. And so far your telling me that some other devotees discouraged you in the past, I also had trouble with some of my Godbrothers, but I never let it affect my service, because when one becomes fixed-up in devotional service he never allows anyone else or any condition at all to hamper his service to Krishna or discourage him in any way. So you must become convinced like this too, by preaching constantly and having Sankirtana, and you will very quickly attain the supreme perfection of life. As for your question about celibacy, if you want to remain celibate for life, I have no objection. Also, I have no objection if you purchase cars for serving Krishna, as they appear to be required for distributing books and incense, so why not have them? And when you are more developed, you may install deities and worship them very opulently. My only point is that simultaneously we must increase our literature production and build Mayapur Temple, But it is not that we have to stop everything else for one thing. The art of managing is to do all things at once in a nice manner, and the guiding principle is to do whatever is practical for preaching KC and at the same time maintaining our high standards of routine KC practices for making ourselves progress on the Spiritual path. Regarding the teacher Miss Wilson, you may engage her in translating, if she can read Bengali type. She can try Jiva Goswamis Sandarbhas - that will be a great contribution. So far Radhika's work, I am very pleased you are continuing translating into Russian language my books and essays. This book business is the most important of all, so kindly continue giving it your full attention. Work in Russia is going on slowly, and we have got a plan to send French devotee girl there to marry our Russian boy devotee in Moscow, and then the work will go much faster. I shall inform you when we are ready for BTG in Russian language, meanwhile go on with the work. Krishna das is in Europe, you may write him c/o Hamburg center. If you have honey, why not use instead of sugar but I think it is too expensive to be practical. [PAGE MISSING] Labels: GBC, management, publishing, translating letters | 19:49 |20 February, 1972 Calcutta My Dear Tosana, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 4 and I have noted the contents. I am glad to hear that you are always keeping engaged in Krishna's service and chanting Hare Krishna. As you chant, try to hear each word very carefully and always complete your sixteen rounds. Regular and attentive chanting, along with following the four regulative principles will keep one pure. Simply by following these principles and chanting Hare Krishna one can make his life successful and perfect. So far your two lost beads are concerned, you can simply add two more beads, and because I have already chanted on all the others, they will be sanctified also. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: regulative principles letters | 19:48 |20 February, 1972 Calcutta My dear Satadhanya, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 29 and I have noted the contents. Thank you very much for your sincere endeavor and faith in your Spiritual Master. The key to success in spiritual life is to always endeavor to please the Spiritual Master, and follow his instructions. One who is determined in this effort will advance very quickly in Krishna consciousness. So far personal association with the Guru is concerned, I was only with my Guru Maharaja four or five times, but I have never left his association, not even for a moment. Because I am following his instructions, I have never felt any separation. There are some of my Godbrothers here in India who had constant personal association with Guru Maharaja, but who are neglecting his orders. This is just like the bug who is sitting on the lap of the king. He may be very puffed-up by his position, but all he can succeed in doing is biting the king. Personal association is not so important as association through service. We have just had a very successful program in Madras, with many prominent men, including the Chief Justice of Madras, taking an active part in this sankirtana movement. We are proceeding to Mayapur to celebrate Lord Caitanya's appearance day, and then to Bombay. From there I will go to Australia, Hong Kong, and I plan to arrive in Japan sometime in May. Please offer my blessings to the others. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nkd Labels: itinerary, spiritual master letters | 19:47 |20 February, 1972 Calcutta My dear Mangalamaya dasa and Madhupuri dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 30, 1972, along with the very nice poem entitled "Birth of Lord Krsna." I am very pleased to hear that you are feeling yourselves very much satisfied in Krsna Consciousness. One thing, in Nairobi, I went there with Madhudvisa Swami who is not my normal secretary, and because of that by mistake he has recommended to initiate Tom and Carol Woolfe from Philadelphia Temple, but he did not know that I had already initiated them from India a few weeks before. Because some of my disciples are sending two or three copies of the same letter to various places where I might be, he found their request-letter in Nairobi and the mistake was made. So you can disregard the second initiation and the beads may be kept by you, because I have chanted on them, and at the appropriate time I will inform you where to send them to some new initiates. I am glad to hear that along with your incense business you are also finding opportunity to preach. Without preaching, and if we only do business, there is certain fall-down. Regarding your question whether grhastha couples can live together in the temple, no, they may not, that is a strict regulation. They can live in the temple, that's all right, but they must live separately men and women. So I am encouraging the grhastha devotees who want to live together to start householder asrama outside the temple in a nearby house, just like in Los Angeles there is one such householder asrama. There, the grhasthas, men and women, work sometimes in the incense factory and get paid $1 per hour, and in this way they pay the rent and meet other expenditures. So if you can arrange a similar house in Philadelphia center, that will be nice. The householders may sell my books and incense and make some small salary to pay rent, take prasada at the temple, and live very happily. So far the GBC is concerned, they are my chosen experts and they are supposed to know everything, so there is rule of separate living, that should be followed. If GBC man requests in this way, you should try to oblige, what is the difficulty? So far your deity-worship of Lord Jagannatha, don't bother with it for the time being, that is my opinion. Householders can have small altars, and Guru-Gauranga and Jagannatha may be worshipped, but you should not spend a lot of time in this way to try to make the worship first-class as you say. You cannot make it first-class. That requires much time and money and men, so better to leave the worshipping of deities very nicely to the temples, and you may go there and worship. A small Guru-Gauranga altar, offer incense and flowers in morning, offer all home-prepared foodstuffs there--that's enough for the time being. Better to spend time chanting and following the other regulative principles and preaching and selling books. It is not necessary to be a Brahmin to have home altar, but better not to get too much involved in it for now, as one begun, there is no question of decrease, and for two persons to manage this is taking too much time from other important work. As for your suggestion to open one store, I have no objection as long as the regulative principles are strictly followed. But there must be a solid basis for such business venture, not that once started we lose everything and close. No, profit must be there, at least enough to help support the temple, or it is waste of time. In my opinion, it is better to travel and preach than open business. I had a nice business, one of the best in India, and Krishna took it all away, and now I am very much thankful, because business means entanglement with wife, children, house, money, like that, and then where is the question of our spiritual advancement? Try to avoid such entanglements as far as possible, but if you are on a solid basis and you can do it very nicely, I have no objection. Hoping this will meet you both in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: deities, grhasthas, initiation letters | 18:50 |19 February 2007 Saturday, 19 February, 1972 Calcutta My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of February 2, 1972, and I shall answer your questions as follows: (1) Panjika is a calendar. (2) As for your question about Santa Rasa and the opinions of Rupa Goswami and Sridhara Swami, I don't remember. You can send me the appropriate passages. There is no reason why Acaryas cannot differ on certain points. (3) Dhoop arati may be performed in the morning if there is unusually great complaining, but it is better to hold full arati, but quietly, as in Bombay they play a tape-recording of myself singing arati softly and hold full arati. We should not try to diminish our standard of deity worship once it has reached a certain program, and it is especially nice to wake up Radha and Krishna with full arati with everyone dancing, but quietly. (4) You may wait until I arrive there before installing deities. (5) So far foodstuffs offered do the needful. Whatever is available and also very nice, that is offerable, as long as no meat, fish, eggs, garlic, onions, or other very objectionable foodstuffs are there. Salads are all right, and there is no condition on which type of rice, the best available under the circumstances, that's all. What matters is that everything is very nicely prepared and offered with great loving devotion, that is wanted. (6) Yes, I have already informed Upananda (above) that I shall be coming to Australia about end of March or before, so you can expect an exact date very soon. (7) Psychiatrists are humbug, all humbug. They cannot help. Best thing is to be engaged in continuously chanting and hearing Sankirtana, that will cure anyone of mental disease. (8) Although there is no GBC man for Far East for addressing your questions, still, as I am now old man and inclined for philosophy and translating, I am asking my disciples to kindly give me some relief from so much administrative work and asking questions. I have appointed this GBC for that purpose, and you are also senior member, and I have given you already everything, so you please consult among yourselves if you have questions. It is said sevon mukha hi jihbado, sayam eva sphurat adah, or "By engaging one's tongue in chanting and taking prasada, simultaneously following the regulative principles, the Lord reveals Himself upon this." In other words, if you are sincere to serve continuously and always chanting, all such questions become answered automatically. I never asked my Spiritual Master one question except one: "How shall I serve you?'' So in this way, kindly inform the others that I may be relieved to give you so many more nice books--that is my real desire. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: questions letters | 19:46 |19 February, 1972 Calcutta My Dear Upananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 11, 1972, and I have noted with pleasure that you are increasing your book distribution and that you have "struck at the very heart of the city of Melbourne." You have understood our philosophy rightly, that we boldly challenge anyone - philosopher, scientist, educationist - to understand our philosophy, and for that we enter without hesitation into the heart of the biggest cities and preach to anyone and everyone the message of Lord Caitanya, who himself was like the lion in strength. If Mohanananda is advising, that's nice for the time being because Bali Mardan is in New York with ISKCON Press. I have asked the GBC to settle this matter of a replacement for Bali Mardan. I will be coming to Australia by end of March, or perhaps sooner, because it is more economical than to go first to Hong Kong. When I have fixed the date, I shall inform you to fix up tickets for two persons from Bombay to either Sydney or Melbourne. You consult with Sydney Temple and Upendra and others and fix up your programme in Australia for at least two weeks. Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: book distribution, GBC, itinerary letters | 19:46 |19 February, 1972 Calcutta My dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of February 1, 1972 and I thank you very much for the news that many cassette-tapes you have sent for continuing the taping process of my lectures and translating. Otherwise they are either unobtainable or very costly here in India, so it is a very nice service. I am also very encouraged to hear that Japanese language translations of some of my books will be brought out soon. That is very important step forward for our preaching work there, because without books and magazines, what authority or what basis have we got for preaching? By end of March I shall be going to Australia, at least for two weeks, and after that Hong Kong, similarly, for about two weeks and then I shall be coming to Tokyo, so perhaps by early May I may arrive in Tokyo. You are correct to be very tolerant with Karatieya, and if you also preach very strongly and with full conviction, and if you are always kind and gentle with him, then he will take the hint and give up his nonsense attraction for Maya and want to make himself perfect as the firm devotee of the Lord. I have received the letters from Shayatyadanya, and they are under reply. He shall receive it soon. I'm glad to hear that despite so many language difficulties, still Trivikrama Maharaja and the others are increasing sales of BTG. That is good sign. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: itinerary, Japan, translating letters | 19:45 |18 February 2007 Friday, 18 February, 1972 Calcutta My dear Locana das, Nalinikanta, and all the boys and girls at Berkeley Center, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your many invitations to come there to enjoy with you the Lord Caitanya Day parade and festival at Berkeley. I am always thinking of that beautiful, quiet neighborhood in Berkeley, and of all my wonderful disciples there, so when I return to USA I shall certainly come there for some time. We shall be celebrating the Appearance Day in Mayapur this year form 25th to 29th February, and then I shall be returning to Bombay for the month of March to initiate construction of our first "Hare Krishna City'' on a large plot of land we have purchased there. However, if for some reason I shall return to USA before then, I shall with great pleasure come to your festival at Berkeley. At least I will be present there with you all in spirit, as always, you may know that for certain. I like very much your idea for putting eight banners across the main road with the eight Sikshastak prayers written boldly. If the students and other people study these eight prayers carefully, they will be delivered to the highest perfection of life. Also, I thank Nalinikanta for his enclosure of $15 daksina. I hope this will find you all in good health and transcendentally happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: festivals letters | 08:28 |18 February, 1972 Calcutta My Dear Ksirodakasayi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of 10th February, 1972, and have noted the contents. One thing is, I left on February 11th from Bombay and still there was neither intimation nor waybill for the 2000 BTG's, and you say "receipt no.'' and then there is blank, so I am curious how you are doing things, when you say everything was dispatched on the 5th. In 6 days mail cannot travel between Delhi and Bombay? Also, I understand that you were requested to send the magazines immediately upon returning to Delhi from Jaipur, which ended on the 23rd. Why you delayed so long? Now we have no Hindi magazines to distribute, either in Madras or Visakhapatnam, so I think things are not being managed very well. Even there may be now 2000 magazines in Bombay, there is no one there now to distribute them, nor will anyone be there until March. So you must take all these things into account, because unless the magazines are distributed nicely, what is the use of printing them? Also, I note that only Rs. 850/- was collected from Jaipur, but I was told by you and by others that more than 1000 magazines were sold. Kindly clear up this matter. And why no magazines (by 10th February) have been sent to Calcutta. There are many Hindi-speaking people there, practically the business community is all Hindi-speaking, so why they have not received any BTG's? Another thing is, it was stipulated that you would print ten thousand copies each issue, and, as per your letter of 30th December, 1971, you have given me quote from Radha Press at Rs. 7984/- for 10,000 copies, why this is broken? If it is better to order less, still, we are not able to enhance the price so much under the circumstances. For 5,000 copies you have paid nearly Rs. 1/- each copy, so why such huge discrepancy between 80 paise per copy and 1 rupee per copy? For this first issue, because it cost you a rupee to produce, and because the temples are selling at one rupee, therefore you can only charge them one rupee and we shall take no profit this time. From now on, if you are printing 10,000 copies at 80 paise each, then you may bill 85 paise and they can sell at one rupee. Each center should send their magazine money directly to my BKF Account in Bombay Central Bank of India. I shall advise each center that as soon as they get the magazines they should advance the money via inter-bank mail transfer to my BKF Account. I have received your telegram advising me of the Saraf promise, and I have duly replied by cable: "Offer accepted, finalize legal matters, bring papers plot dimensions to Mayapur by 22nd.'' So I have nothing to add to this except that Rohininandan is also coming there and we shall chalk out a plan how to do everything nicely concerning both the printing and Vrindaban land. Your son Caturbhuja is coming out a very good devotee. I am in receipt of his letters and he is asking very intelligent questions, so I have instructed London center to take special care of him. I am thinking he will come out a very good devotee. You are so fortunate to have such a nice son. Now you encourage him also, and he will be your great gift to Krishna. So you may come to Mayapur, and I have also invited Ramananda and all my disciples in India, and I think we shall number at least 50 heads, because we are being joined from here by Puri Maharaja and some of his close assistants. We shall leave for Calcutta on Tuesday, the 22nd, and are supposed to arrive in Mayapur by 25th latest. So you come too, and if you have finished the latest Hindi BTG you may bring some of those as well. Regarding the law suit I am making against the three defendants, if you can give Gargamuni Maharaja some assistance in this matter, and see to it that it rests in the hands of a competent lawyer before Gargamuni must go to Bombay, that will give me great relief. I am always counting on your senior experience and good advice in these matters, and I am especially pleased upon you that you have secured that Saraf land for Krishna. Now let us cooperate to build up a wonderful center there in Vrindaban. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: India, land, legal, management, publishing letters | 08:27 |18 February, 1972 Calcutta My Dear Balavanta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 25, 1972. I have no objection if the date for celebration of Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day be moved up to April 15. The program sounds very transcendentally satisfactory, and if I am in USA by that time I shall certainly come to see it. I am very pleased that you are running for Mayor of such important city as Atlanta. Now you present to the populace the perfect example of Krishna Conscious person, and always be very clean and neat. You may present the simple program to the citizens for becoming purified and regaining their lost happiness by meeting together frequently to chant Hare Krishna, that's all. We have no complicated political platform. Politicians today are simply pick-pockets, tricking the voters to pick their pockets. They make promises to gratify the public's senses, but then they only gratify their own senses and the public throws them out, repeatedly. So we can promise perfect peace and happiness, and we can fulfill our promise very easily. You and the other devotees are the practical demonstration, and whenever you speak in public they may be also present and hold kirtana and give speeches also. Actually, this world is like a hospital. We are all like sons of rich men running mad in the streets. Our Father, Krishna or God, is the wealthiest father, and we are all His sons gone mad. Someone is thinking, Oh, give him food, that will help, or give him house, or clothes, this or that--but the madness is still there.* So this kind of bodily welfare work will not help. The world is supposed to be a place for curing men of their varieties of diseases of madness and sending them back home, like a hospital. But men have now got the mistaken idea to make a permanent settlement in this madhouse! Just like the hog is eating stool and he is thinking, Oh, I am enjoying like anything, and when I am finished, then sex with any she-hog--wife, daughter, sister, it doesn't matter--and for so many children I shall have to have big house, and on and on like this, all because of his madness that he thinks ``I am enjoying.'' So preach like this, and I think many people will appreciate our philosophy and gain respect for this Krishna Consciousness movement. Do everything very cleanly and nicely. Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami *Actually, they have got sufficient of everything from their Father, but they have run off mad. Labels: philosophy, politicians, preachers letters | 08:27 |18 February, 1972 Calcutta My Dear Jadurani dasi, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of February 4, 1972, and I shall answer your questions as follows: (1) Varaha and Hiranyaksa were fighting on the water. Brahma was observing from the sky. The earth planet is being rescued from Garbhodaka sea, and from the earthly planet many rocks are coming while being balanced on the tusks of Varaha. Yes, the demigods are present in the sky around. (2) Lord Brahma throwing off bodies is just like if there is some dirt on my body and I throw it off, a little disgustedly. Just like if our body becomes dirty many insects gather, and we remove these insects with one hand and throw them away. (3) The demigods were in the clouds, and they were throwing down flowers just like water pours down from clouds. (4) Kapiladeva's mother was questioning in the palatial house. (5) This cosmic manifestation is different and nondifferent from the Lord, because it is coming out from His bodily effulgence; for example, from sunlight all the planets are being created, similarly, the effulgence emanating from the body of the Lord is creating so many universes. (6) When S. Manu & his family attended arati many people and servants were there, because he was emperor or king. (7) 1st Boar Incarnation is not different from Varaha. Lord Brahma was seeing from his plane. (8) In Ch. 31, the progress from subtle to gross elements is just like sometimes a rocket is thrown in the sky, bursts, and so many lights & illuminations come. Exactly how, that is artist's work. (9) Baby in the womb prays to 4-handed Narayana. Actually, the baby remains with hands folded as if praying until he is born. Narayana is inside. (10) Time mixes with the material energy just like a flower bud: in due course of time the bud fructifies and comes into flower, or like a time bomb: in due course it bursts out. (11) Greed is potential, lust is an active outburst. (12) Agitation of time is just like a water pot put on the fire, and after some time becomes boiled; when it comes to this boiling point, that is agitation. Or, with chemicals, if alkaline and acid mixed, there is effervescence or agitation. (13) Devahuti's house is the palace or flying city that Kardama Muni created by mystic powers. (14) Garbhodakasayi Visnu lays on the water. (15) Krishna had a chariot driver. Thank you for helping me in this way. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: questions letters | 08:26 |18 February, 1972 Calcutta My Dear Jayadvaita, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of February 5, 1972, and have noted the contents. Yes, because no one else can do them, I shall do the sanskrit synonyms. You simply send me now the manuscripts as required by you, and I shall send back either dictaphone tapes or tape-recorder cassettes. There is presently shortage of tape-recorder cassettes here in India, so if you can send a few that would be a help. One thing is you must send them in small packets of a few tapes each, clearly marked "unsolicited gift, value less than $5, no commercial value,'' like that. You may send to Calcutta ISKCON before 29th this month, otherwise send to Bombay. I think Pradyumna is feeling morose about his wife, that is not good so he will not be able to work. Therefore better let him come and live with me here in India and I shall train him properly in sanskrit language. He may come immediately, in time for Mayapur festival beginning by 25th this month. In this way, he can fly directly from New York to Calcutta and live with me. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: festivals, translating, wife letters | 08:26 | |
|
|
