a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1972 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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3 August 2007 Thursday, 3 August, 1972 London My dear Gurudasa and Yamuna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated July 30, 1972, along with letters from Satchidananda and Acyutananda, and I have noted the contents carefully. Do not be disturbed, now I understand everything. You and your husband live in Vrindaban permanently. I never took the accusations seriously because I did not believe it, therefore I enquired from you what is the situation. Now the matter is clear, so do not be disturbed. Now your husband and wife develop the Vrindaban scheme. Long ago you wanted to go to Vrindaban, so I think you are perfectly meant to remain there and look after the things. But live carefully, it is India, we must live according to the time, place and circumstances, that is intelligence. On the whole, except with your husband, you should not mix with anyone very intimately, just like Indian ladies do. So you may not be disturbed that Ksirodakasayi is coming back there, I shall ask him to remain here for developing London center. Today we are looking at a very nice place of 75 acres near London with Mr. George Harrison, who has found the place and wants to have our asrama there. He is coming to see me daily and he is a very nice boy and I like him very much. If we get this place, I shall make London my permanent world headquarters. Practically I am British by training, so I am also trying for dual Indian-British citizenship. I still remember that you both helped me very much by opening this London center, and it is the most important center in the world, so I am very much thankful always. Now go on and develop the Vrindaban centre with full enthusiasm and do not be discouraged by anything temporary setbacks but always work in the spirit of being completely dependent upon Krishna for everything. I shall be returning to India by October. I shall remain in London through the month of August for holding Bhagavata Sapta discourses in various quarters of the city in Hindi and English languages. Temporarily, I have postponed the Nairobi program, so you may reply me here. Hoping this will meet you both in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: George Harrison, itinerary, London, Vrindavan letters | 16:26 |2 August 2007 Wednesday, 2 August, 1972 London My dear daughters, Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Tulasi I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciples. I have duly chanted your beads, and they have been dispatched by separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows: Jan--Anuradha Devi Dasi Becky--Bhaktilata Devi Dasi Tina--Rama Tulasi Devi Dasi Now you please continue to strictly follow the regulative principles and rigidly observe the four principle restrictions, namely: no eating of meat, fish or eggs; no illicit sex life; no gambling; and no intoxication. And always without fail chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily, and be happy. If you stick to these principles with determination, you will be freed from all attachment to Maya, by Krishna's grace. The example is that when the sun is in the sky, then where is the question of darkness? Similarly, when Hare Krishna mantra is vibrating on your tongue, and you are hearing attentively, then your consciousness becomes clear, or Krishna consciousness, and there is no question of Maya or hazy consciousness. Just as when the darkness and the light come together, the darkness cannot remain before the light, so Maya cannot stay in the presence of Krishna. Always remember therefore to chant Hare Krishna, and that will save you in all circumstances without any doubt. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nkd Labels: Denver, initiation letters | 16:25 |August 2, 1972 London My dear Aksayananda Swami, Please accept my blessings. For some time now it has been my desire that our students in India shall have the advantage of one or two trucks or vans for spreading this Krsna consciousness movement there. I have just now got one letter from Gargamuni Maharaja, and he has had a very, very good success in Gujarat State by driving one van which he has borrowed for one month only. In that letter he has requested very urgently that one van be provided immediately from the European centers. So I wish that combinedly you may all pool your resources and purchase one nice van. Furthermore, a few men will be required to take that van by driving it to India. So I am placing this matter in the hands of Hamsaduta and he will do the needful. Now you all please cooperate with him as much as possible for procuring this dream of mine. Hoping this will find you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 16:25 | 2 August, 1972 London My dear Danavir, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter from Portland, undated, and I have noted the contents, along with the very nice newspaper article. I am very happy to hear that the programs there are becoming more and more improved, and that you are enthusiastic to understand the Krishna philosophy and to preach very boldly. So far financial matters are concerned, these are also important, and we should not neglect them. I sometimes remember that when I spoke in Portland there were many Christian people there, and they were very much favorable whenever we mentioned that we were also lovers of Christ. So you may preach in that way, that we are not canvassing for people to convert or criticize, we are canvassing people that they should simply utilize their time for loving God by engaging in his devotional service, either they are Christian, Catholic, Jew, whatever. We are after God, that's all, we are servants of God. So preach like this, very simply, and hold sankirtana widely all over the city, and distribute prasadam profusely, especially to the young people and the students, and everything will be increasingly successful more and more. We have observed in Amsterdam that there are many frustrated young people and they have become very much degraded in their way of life. They will not even listen to philosophy. So it is better to concentrate on the sankirtana and get them to chant with us. If they go on chanting, eventually they will become purified. And if someone wants to understand a little philosophy, he can purchase one of our books. We have got so many big, big books. So in this spirit carry on with great enthusiastic endeavor and this will please me very, very much. Hoping this will meet you in good health. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda/nkd Labels: Christians, Portland, sankirtan letters | 16:24 |1 August 2007 Tuesday, 1 August, 1972 London My dear Tulasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 18, 1972 and I have noted the contents. I have received reports from all over the world; from Calcutta, San Francisco, Tokyo, Melbourne, Pittsburgh, and here in London also, that Rathayatra festival was a very great success, and this has very much engladdened me. So you have many festivals like this, and engage the public in Krishna consciousness as much as possible. Upon your recommendation, I have consented to accept Jan, Becky and Tina as my duly initiated disciples, and also to give gayatri mantra to Pranaballavah, Mahasakti and Nandita Gokula. Enclosed please find a letter for those who are taking first initiation, and two sacred threads for Pranabalavah and Mahasakti. The beads are being sent by separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for all of them, and gayatri mantra to Pranaballavah, Mahasakti, and Nandita Gokula. Show them how to count on the finger divisions, and have them listen one by one to the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, repeating each vibration as I say it. You can get this tape from Karandhara in Los Angeles. Then hang the sacred thread over each boy's shoulder in the proper fashion. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear, and the function should be held amongst the devotees only. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nkd Labels: Denver, initiation, Ratha Yatra letters | 16:24 |1 August, 1972 London My dear Ranadhira, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your telegram dated July 28, 1972 and I am to inform you that we shall not advertise in this way because we have not yet received visas for Bangladesh. When we get Bangladesh visas and actually begin our preaching work there, then we shall be able to advertise and collect. So for the time being, do not advertise in this way. I shall be looking forward to seeing you by the end of August. Meanwhile, hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Bangladesh, Pittsburgh letters | 16:23 |1 August, 1972 London My dear Cyavana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter from Calcutta dated July 24, 1972 wherein you inform that you have obtained visas to travel to China, Vietnam, Korea, and other places in the far east. That is a very nice proposal. You can join our Sudama Vipra Swami in Manila and give him good assistance there and in other places like Hong Kong. Kindly keep me informed how you are getting on by your travelling and preaching work. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Australasia, Calcutta letters | 16:21 |1 August, 1972 London My dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 26, 1972 and I have noted the contents carefully. You mention that Ananda Prabhu has left us, why he has left? I am very glad to hear that things are going alright in Vrindaban and that the students are happy there. One thing is, I am very engladdened to hear that you are planning the second annual Delhi pandal festival for sometimes in November. I think it will be the best plan to do as we did last year, that is, I shall go to Calcutta first for holding one pandal festival in the last part of October, then I shall come to Delhi for the Delhi pandal program. Is that all right? Better we hold our annual ceremony as near the Connaught Circus as possible, as we did last year. Do not try so much or work for the land which was so-called given to us by the Delhi Government. We have got so many other things to develop. So if you arrange everything very nicely for the pandal festival in November, I shall be very happy to come there as before. Regarding the visa problem in Vrindaban, if you always remain very careful with the authorities there, then we shall have no problems in the future. But if there is even one incident or scandalous rumor, that may ruin everything. Another thing is, I do not know what is your final plan for the Vrindaban scheme, whether you have chosen Mr. Suri's plan, or whether Saurabha's plan. I understand from Ksirodakasayi that we must submit detailed plans to the municipal authorities in Vrindaban, so kindly arrange for that as quickly as possible so that we may get the permission. But first you should send me one copy of the final plan as selected by you. I have heard that Kenneth Keating has returned to your country, so why not take opportunity for requesting him to help us? If you can find out his address. I have informed Bhavananda and Tamala Krsna Goswami that they must try to increase the distribution of prasadam program in Mayapur, otherwise, as you have told me, the authorities of your country may revoke their foodstuff donation. Regarding Ksirodakasayi's statement that only Indian's have access to becoming pure devotees, I never said or supported such thing. That is not our philosophy. Lord Caitanya made the statement that anyone who knows Krsna science, he can become a pure devotee. So far Ksirodakasayi returning to Vrindaban, that has not yet been settled up. After I have discussed this matter thoroughly with Ksirodakasayi, I will let you know. But one thing is, why there should be disagreement between you? Our process is to work cooperatively, otherwise how the things will go on? And whether Acyutananda will stick there? If you and Acyutananda can manage, then there is no need of Ksirodakasayi coming there. The water with slightly iron taste is not bad, so you may construct the tank as before decided. One thing is, the 2 1/2% interest to be charged by the architect, Mr. Suri, that is too much. Why he should not donate his services? Sometimes in the past months you have told me that Mr. Suri would be donating his services. We shall not pay fees for such things. Now in Vrindaban the financial situation is being conducted nicely by Gargamuni Maharaja, but the work is not going on. In so many months, there is only one fence one small hut, and a well. So I think it will be to the advantage, on the whole, to invite our Tamala Krsna Goswami to come to Vrindaban and bring one of his qualified engineer friends from Calcutta to do the work in Vrindaban. He has got good experience, and he can organize everything and begin the work immediately. His visa was denied for Bangladesh, and he has trained up Yasodanandana Maharaja to lead this sankirtana party, so practically he is free to come to Vrindaban for some weeks to begin the work there. What do you think? Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda *n.b. Kindly deliver over to Gauracandra Goswami the sum of Rs. 751/. Only as settlement of all old due donation, and take receipt and send to me. ACBS. n.b. The Delhi deities have arrived safely. Presently we are looking for a large temple in London to install them, and I shall remain in London until we have got something. Labels: building, management, Vrindavan letters | 16:20 |1 August, 1972 London My dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 27, 1972 and I have noted the contents carefully. You have paid the bank $6250.00 and the balance remains $57250.00. I can pay you $56000.00 by advising the Bank of America, and the balance of $1250.00 you can find, and the escrow will be fully paid. Regarding the corner property, for which you have offered $73500.00, that is a nice proposal, if the book trust can purchase the whole building outright as an investment and collect the rents as dividends. I have just received the newscuttings from Calcutta, and the Rathayatra festival there was simply spectacular. In one day, we have captured the full attention of the Calcutta people and they are very much favorable. So in this way, if we perform many festivals in all of our centers around the world, many times during the year, then the general populous will become very much favorably inclined toward us and that will push on this sankirtana movement in the best way. Under separate post please find the copies of some important documents for your perusal. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Enclosures: -under sep. post. Labels: bank, festivals, Los Angeles, Ratha Yatra letters | 16:20 |1 August, 1972 London My dear Tamala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 25, 1972 and with great pleasure I have noted the contents. It is of course regrettable that we are stopped for the time being from entering into Bangladesh for spreading our propaganda there. So for the time being, Bangladesh may be left aside. I am trying in a different way to help you in this respect, and I shall let you know. Meanwhile suspend trying to push something which is not possible. Now there is a very important job for you to do. I have just now understood from Gurudasa that practically no one is able to carry on the construction work at Vrindaban with good results. So many months they have been there but there is nothing tangible begun. Practically you are the best man for giving them a good start. Now the Bangladesh business is postponed, and you have trained Yasodanandana Maharaja in leading the sankirtana party, so you will be free for a few weeks to help me in this way by taking one qualified engineer from Calcutta who has agreed to work with us and live with us without consideration of remuneration and go to Vrindaban and do some solid work. Kindly do the needful immediately and let me know. Gargamuni has collected funds for Vrindaban project very nicely, so if cooperatively you and Gargamuni Maharaja work together you can do something concrete, and this will please me very much. He will supply you with funds and you supervise the building work. In the same way that you have begun everything at Mayapur, just bring along one engineer and see that he is doing everything properly. That will relieve me of so much anxiety, as I want to display something very wonderful in Vrindaban, but as yet there is nothing to show. I am very, very much pleased to hear about the progress in Mayapur, and this working with one hundred men both day and night is the American style. If you do something wonderful at Mayapur that will be my credit and I can truly be called the guru of the Americans. But if you do not do anything there, then that will be a great discredit for me and I will not defeat my Godbrothers as I desire. So practically I am depending completely upon you in both these cases to finish up the Mayapur business in grand style and to get a good start in Vrindaban. That will be very much to your credit. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Bangladesh, building, Calcutta, Mayapur, Vrindavan letters | 16:19 |1 August, 1972 London My dear Bhavananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 24, 1972 and I have noted the contents carefully. I am so much pleased that your Rathayatra procession was so nicely received by the citizens of Calcutta. This news has engladdened me beyond words. Now take advantage for raising funds for Mayapur. Therefore I wanted this Rathayatra festival. I am enclosing some photos of our Rathayatra procession in other places and you can distribute these photos to the newspapers in Calcutta. In one day we have captured the citizens of Calcutta, and I am so much pleased. Yes, the Mullick family is one of the most important and aristocratic families in Calcutta. Practically once Calcutta was owned by the Mullicks, now the Marwaris are there. So you have done the perfect job of conducting the affairs in Calcutta and I am so much pleased upon you, may Krishna give you His all blessings. I had not written to you previously due to my extensive travelling program since the beginning of June. But I have written you one letter dated July 14, 1972, did you receive that letter? One thing is, I have just now heard from Gurudasa that the American Government agency which is providing us the foodstuffs for Mayapur is prepared to give us much, much more provided we fully utilize what they have already given. And I am informed by Gurudasa that the distribution program in Mayapur is not very widespread. Why you have neglected this very important program? I want that you shall distribute prasadam at least to hundreds of persons daily, and advertise very widely all over Nadia Province for people to come there and take prasadam daily without charge. Otherwise the whole thing is a farce. We have worked so hard for so long to get this foodstuff donated by your government and now we are neglecting? And if you expand this program to their satisfaction, they will give so much more of different varieties of foodstuffs and we can expand this program widely throughout India and become very much popular with the people as a whole. So try to expand this program as much as possible at Mayapur and let me know. Another thing is, I have received one letter from Tamala Krsna Goswami that his visa for Bangladesh is now postponed, therefore I would request him to take one qualified engineer friend from Calcutta, there are so many engineers we have interviewed who will work for us without charge, so he shall bring one engineer to Vrindaban to assist Gurudasa in construction of the house there. At least he can remain in Vrindaban for a few weeks to get the thing off on a solid basis. They have been there many months now and only one fence is there, one small hut, and one tube well. Otherwise, simply politics. But I am very much certain that Tamala Krsna has got the right idea for doing things, so he can go there immediately and begin the real construction work with the assistance of one qualified engineer who will live with us on the same basis as we are doing things at Mayapur. We have seen your note regarding Sarasvati Maharaja, and you may engage one Sanskrit teacher for Sarasvati so she shall become a very great scholar, just like Jiva Goswami was trained in Sanskrit language from early childhood and no one could surpass him in all of India. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda n.b. I am coming to India sometime in the month of October and I want to again hold Bhagavata Dharma Discourses and Hare Krishna Festival in Calcutta Maidan, I think by the last part of October. So you can begin preparing for that, and I shall be very glad to come there for speaking. Labels: Calcutta, prasadam distribution, Ratha Yatra, Vrindavan letters | 16:17 |1 August, 1972 London My dear Batu Gopala, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 24, 1972 and I have noted the contents. I have turned the matter of your temple management over to Sriman Bhagavan Das in Paris, as he has some knowledge of the situation there. All these questions should be directed to the GBC members, as my desire is to simply translate, and leave the management matters for them to decide. Anyway, you can correspond with him in this matter, and he can advise you. Upon your recommendation, I have gladly consented to accept Elaine as my duly initiated disciple, and to give sacred thread to Audolomy. Enclosed please find one letter to Elaine, and one sacred thread for Audolomy. Her beads are being sent by separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for both of them, and give gayatri mantra to Audolomy. Show him to count on the finger divisions, and have him listen to the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, repeating each vibration as I say it. You can get this tape from Bali Mardan Goswami in New York. Then hang the sacred thread over his shoulder in the proper fashion. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear, and the function should be held amongst the devotees only. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to all the others there. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nkd Labels: Cleveland, GBC, initiation letters | 16:16 |30 July 2007 Sunday, 30 July, 1972 Amsterdam My dear Arundhati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 19, 1972. I am simply surprised that you want to give up your child to some other persons, even they are also devotees. For you, child-worship is more important than deity-worship. If you cannot spend time with him, then stop the duties of pujari. At least you must take good care of your son until he is four years old, and if after that time you are unable any more to take care of him then I shall take care. These children are given to us by Krishna, they are Vaisnavas and we must be very careful to protect them. These are not ordinary children, they are Vaikuntha children, and we are very fortunate we can give them chance to advance further in Krishna Consciousness. That is very great responsibility, do not neglect it or be confused. Your duty is very clear. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda letters | 06:38 | 30 July, 1972 Amsterdam My Dear Giriraja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 19, 1972, and I have noted the contents. So far the Board of Trustees, you can add some men in Calcutta, Delhi--I think all of the big men in Calcutta are known to you, Birla, Bajoria, etc. It is nice that Mr. Nair is on the committee. He can keep the equitable mortgage, I have no objection. He can simply give us receipt, that's all. One thing is, we have sent you transfer for Rs. 70,000 and Rs. 29,000, so this has to be returned as far as possible. I have got one letter from Gargamuni wherein he complains he is not getting cooperation from Bombay for his travelling party. He is doing very well, I am very much in favor that his work shall not be hindered, so kindly extend to him every facility, any small thing he requires you supply. And I have advised him also to please work nicely with you and let whatever is done be finished and go on progressively in a cooperative manner. So far the school of Sumati Morarji, make the children into Vaisnavas through English medium of learning. We are not going to abide by the government schedule. They should be taught our books as soon as they can read and write. The idea is that those who will later on accept service, they cannot be accepted by us for schooling, we cannot help them. They must be the sons of rich and important men who will not be taking education simply to use it for eating and sleeping. They should be taught just to do like the elders, that is, rise early, cleanse, attend mangal arati, read our literatures, chant, go for sankirtana, like that, and besides that, a little ABC, mathematics, geography, history, that's all. And teach the small children to play Krishna games: one child is a cow, another is cowherd boy, they go to the forest, there are demons there, Krishna kills the demons, like that; in this way, let the children play Krishna games, then attend arati, then learn some ABC, then play some more, have kirtana, little ABC, and by keeping them always diversified they shall not lose interest and will keep their attention always focused around Krishna. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Bombay, gurukula, management letters | 06:37 |30 July, 1972 Amsterdam My dear Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 22, 1972, and I am very happy to hear the things are going nicely in Mayapur. I do not hear very often what is going on there, but from your description I can understand that it must be very nice there now in this monsoon season. I have not heard from Tamala Krishna at all in this connection, so I do not know if he is still taking part in the Mayapur work or what. If you make it a first-class temple, there will be no lack of visitors for preaching, you will never even have to leave that place for preaching. And if you serve nice prasadam, the whole of India will come. So stick to our principles very rigidly, and everyone will come to see these American Vaisnavas. I want that we shall excel the Caitanya Math. They have been struggling for the last 50 years, and we shall surpass them in two years. We are working two shifts of labor: that is American style of doing things. I am very pleased if you can continue in this manner of American style. But if you do not, then I shall remain on the same level, then it is a great discredit to the Americans. But if I defeat my godbrothers, then I am worthy to be called the guru of the Americans. Even there is competition in spiritual life. Regarding funds, we are supplying for building purposes from here, but if there is emergency, then Giriraja can help. But for the present we are sending whenever you have requested. But your form of requesting has not been as we had arranged, therefore there has been delay. I told you at least two must sign, but in the last request from Bhavananda, even he did not sign, the letter was not even signed by one person! Try to be very careful in these matters at all times, we are doing very responsible work. And so far the maintenance, Calcutta is taking care, so there is no problem. Yes, you are correct, all membership and book collections shall be sent to Bombay, donations for maintenance may be kept there and spent locally, unless they are very sizeable, then they can go to Bombay. Very soon you will be receiving many, many books. I shall instruct Giriraja to send you as many books as you shall require for selling there for raising fund for Mayapur project. I do not wish to send more funds from here, but we shall send you free of charge many books and the whole money collected from them may be spent in building. I am glad to hear that you are purchasing more land for expanding. What about our former land purchased from some Ghose that is on the left side of our land? From so many wonderful varieties of vegetables, you will get very soon full of vitamins. Keep a cow, then there will be no question of scarcity or relying upon somebody else for your maintenance. Now you have got a big hall on first floor, so keep rice stock there to protect from floods. I think the whole atmosphere in Mayapur must be now very, very nice and I shall be so much glad to return there sometimes in the month of September, so kindly finish up the work by that time. Malati has expressed desire to decorate my quarters there, so as soon as they are ready she may come there and prepare everything very nicely. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda cc: Giriraja/Bombay Labels: book distribution, building, Gaudiya Math, Mayapur letters | 06:37 |29 July 2007 Saturday, 29 July, 1972 Amsterdam My dear Acyutananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 18, 1972, and I have noted the contents. One thing is, Sriman Lalita Prasad Thakura has not fulfilled his promise to give us that place in Birnagar for our ISKCON Temple. So I don't want you to mix with him further. I have just got one letter from Acarya das, wherein he requests to live with Lalita Prasad Thakura for taking instruction from him. I do not like this idea, I don't know where these ideas are coming from. No one should go there any more. Let Yadubara take his photos as he has taken so much trouble and they may be valuable for the future, but besides Yadubara no one else should go there, and Acarya das should not go there either. Regarding your going to Vrindaban to assist Gurudasa, yes, if you like you can go. I have no objection. One thing is, I have got many tapes of my speaking in Bengali language, and if you and Satchidananda can co-operatively transcribe them for printing there? I do not want to send them to you unless I have got assurance from you that they will be done under your supervision. But if you are going to Vrindaban that will be a good opportunity to sit down and transcribe my Bengali tapes because there is Bengali typewriter in Vrindaban. You may also translate other things as you have mentioned, that is nice. I have received the tapes but have not had time to hear them yet, but I have not received the song books, they may be in New York. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Calcutta, Lalita Prasad, translating, Vrindavan letters | 06:35 |29 July, 1972 Amsterdam My dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 17, 1972, and I have noted the contents. I am very glad to hear from you after such long time that things are going on nicely in Tokyo, that you are registering the Society there, getting a new place in central location, and selling many books and magazines. I have seen the Japanese Easy Journey and it is very nice. Yes, the Life Membership program should be started up as soon as possible, and you can enroll so many of the Indians living in Japan for giving financial and other assistance. Regarding printing Bhagavad-gita in Japanese language, first you get it translated and ready for printing, then we shall do the needful. Now that Kaushika is there, keep him nicely and engage him as he likes, he has got good experience. Regarding your question, all should offer due respect to a Sannyasi. His position is always superior to all other inmates of the temple. He must always maintain that superior position by action & behavior. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: life members, publishing, sannyasa, Tokyo letters | 06:35 |29 July, 1972 Amsterdam My dear Citsukhananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter from Mexico City dated July 17, 1972, and I have noted the contents. I am also eager to come there but immediately I am in Europe. But I promise I will go again, and I will let you know when I can come. I also want that you take that place at Puerto Vallarta from our Daniel. I like that place very much. Everywhere wherever Krishna Katha is spoken, that is Vaikuntha. And wherever I go to my branches, you my good devotees turn it into Vaikuntha and I wish to be there where my disciples are. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: itinerary, Mexico City, Vaikuntha letters | 06:34 |29 July, 1972 Amsterdam My dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 19, 1972. One thing is, I have just received on July 25, 1972, the following telegram from Mohanananda; "Obeisances I am not offended mismanaging book fund Madhudvisa Swami is responsible why must I receive blame against my wishes." I do not know what is the meaning of this telegram, therefore kindly send me the full explanation. It does not sound well that there is quarreling. I am very glad to hear that there has been a very nice Rathayatra Festival in Melbourne, and that despite all obstacles many people joined and it was very successful. Similarly, in London we have already celebrated a very successful Rathayatra procession, and many thousands of persons joined in marching from Marble Arch to Trafalgar Square, and in Trafalgar Square I initiated nearly 30 new disciples and we had fire yajna and many, many thousands of persons observed it, mostly Englishmen. Regarding the dramas, my point is not to deviate from gravity and compromise or distract from the situation. Keep this point in vision and continue. That is a very good proposal to stage one play based upon Lord Caitanya. Read TLC on the stage, just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving instruction to Sanatana Goswami, and the actors may speak little philosophy, without need for special costumes or other things. Then kirtana. There must be always kirtana. Dialogue, kirtana; then again dialogue, again kirtana; again repeat; like that. No humor should be there, just philosophy and kirtana. If it is successful, then the same dialogue - kirtana may be followed by other sankirtana parties in Europe and America. All blessings of Krishna upon you. You have done so nicely. Keep always in your vision that our movement is so great and keep gravity. You are experienced devotee. I can see things are going nicely. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: disagreement, drama, sankirtan letters | 06:34 |29 July, 1972 Amsterdam My Dear Gargamuni, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter from Dvaraka dated July 17, 1972, and with great pleasure I have noted the contents. I am very glad to hear that your Sankirtana party is having such great success all over Gujarat province and I am very much pleased upon you. This is actually Lord Caitanya's movement, this Sankirtana party for preaching and chanting. So do it nicely, and I shall try to help you as much as possible. Hamsaduta has promised to arrange for getting one German van for your party in India, and he will send some men there by driving it to India very soon. If so many men are coming forth to offer you all cooperation, why not take collection from them for new slide projector? That is not very big thing, so I think you can manage. In Bombay they have got very big work to collect for their Juhu building scheme, so they may not be bothered ___ small thing of slide-projector, but I have requested Giriraja ___ give you all cooperation and whatever you want you give __ and I am enclosing one copy of that letter to Giriraja. __ likewise must also try to assist him and work together ___ for the success of our mission as a whole, not that ___ is more important than another - they are all important ____ work in that spirit and do the needful for pushing ____ all over the world progressively, you have got _____ The murti is already installed, and you ______ etc. I have already told you to do it. So ___ ____ to help you, why is this still going on? _______ But anyway I have written to Giriraja and we ________ prove. But one thing is, cooperation takes ___ ____ if we always see that it is my defect if no ________ me. In this spirit, try to woo Giriraja into ________ also help you both. Yes, start a center in Dvaraka immediately ____ achievement for us. Subala can join you immediately ___ not needed in Delhi. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Bombay, Dvaraka, management, sankirtan letters | 06:33 |29 July, 1972 Amsterdam My dear Yadubara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 19, 1972, and have noted the contents. Yes, that is nice, you may continue to photograph all of the manuscripts of Bhaktivinode Thakura and other great acaryas in our Vaisnava line, but for now do not photograph anything of Lalita Prasad's manuscripts. When I go there I shall see. First of all let us see Bhaktivinode Thakura's works, then we shall see further. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Bhaktivinode, Calcutta, Lalita Prasad letters | 06:33 |29 July, 1972 Amsterdam But one thing is, we are observing here in Europe many, many hippies have become so disgusted with material life but they are also now so much degraded that they will not hear our philosophy, simply mocking. So our devotees may become very much learned to remove their doubts and become very much fixed up in Krishna Consciousness. But so far preaching to the general public, especially the hippie class, it is better not to preach very much philosophy, just somehow or other get them to chant Hare Krishna mantra, and if some of them are curious to learn something they may purchase one of our books. Only if they chant with us, that will help them. Sannyasi must be independent and not rely upon temples to pay his expensive travelling costs, simply he must take Krishna's mercy whenever and wherever it is offered. [To Hrdayananda - Text missing] letters | 06:31 | |
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