a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1972 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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13 December 2007 13 December, 1972 Ahmedabad My dear Balavanta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 13, 1972, and I have noted the contents with great care. I have had a good laugh and enjoyed your tricking the opponent candidates in election race, especially in front of the college students. That is a very good sign. Now I want that we shall recruit more and more our men amongst the intelligent class of men. They, because they are little educated or they have got some wealth or fame or ability, so they will be sometimes little puffed-up, but that is all right, they deserve it. Now we shall have to learn the art how to approach such higher-class of men and attract them to apply themselves to this Krishna Consciousness process of self-realization. That requires much tact, and we shall have to expect to meet all challenges by sharp minds. But if we remain always absorbed in remembering Lord Caitanya, how He converted so many intelligent men, even sitting for three days and nights to hear them speak without Himself speaking anything, and if we remember how Krishna was so much patient to explain everything to Arjuna, even Arjuna was speaking like a fool - in this way, being always tolerant of others and appreciating their points-of-view, it will be easy matter for us to convince them gradually to join us. So you have got a very great opportunity for this kind of preaching work. You want to place yourself for public office, that is nice. But that will require your best brain how to do it. Try to win, why not? Of course we may utilize the situation to expose our philosophy and ideas, but if there is also competition spirit, that will increase our enthusiasm to preach and try to convince the citizens. So if there is again occasion for voting race, why not invite and organize some of the other devotees in your country who have got some experience to advertise, canvass, make propaganda, like that, and they may come there for few weeks at a time to help you. In this way, make big, big propaganda. Attract the public to hear our views and plans for practical welfare for the common men. You are American boys and girls, you have got the best brains, now cooperate to place this Krishna Consciousness movement at the front of all others, that is my request. You are having difficulty with police-force, that is to be expected. This material world is so full of danger, even from our so-called "protectors." But we have got the best Protector, Krishna, so do not worry about anything police or other envious persons. In one stroke Krishna can finish them all. But you may get some relief in this connection if you can approach very carefully some leading members of the city government, or big, big men of the town. Convince them by your words and behavior that our devotees are not in any way unworthy persons, that in fact they have left their lives of criminals to try to turn others away from being criminals, and that if simply we get a little facility we can render immense service to the cause of law and order. Like that, if you are sincere and cool-headed, they will appreciate after some time - and if only one of such big, big leaders understands the real fact, that is sufficient to stop all further cases of police attacks. But one thing is, we have not got anything to gain by "fighting the demons in the streets and courts." No, our process of solving the matter is simple, why should we unnecessarily take botheration for fighting? Only after exhausting every possibility of peaceful solution shall we fight anyone. Just like Krishna. He did not call for fighting until after every chance for settlement failed. So we shall try to overcome our opponents by, first, our words and our behavior, and all means of friendly approach we shall attempt by sober planning, and only later, all else failing, shall we actually fight. That is our philosophy. And if we stick to these lines of politics and diplomacy as set out for us by Krishna, we shall expect always victory, without any doubt: vatra yogesvarah krsno yatra partho dhanur-dharah tatra srir vijaya bhutir dhruva nitir matir mama [BG 18:78] Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Atlanta, college preaching, politicians letters | 13:03 |13 December, 1972 Ahmedabad My dear Jayadharma, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 10, 1972, and I have noted the contents, along with the drama-script from Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is very nice. This kind of play-acting is wanted. Now introduce it to your country-men very nicely presented. Emphasis should be given to the words of Bhagavat, they are spiritual and will have powerful effect if someone only hears them with attention, do not be very much enamoured by fancy costumes and stage-decorations, they will only distract. Real acting art is to know how to speak. The greatest dramas, even in your western culture, they can be played without any extra equipment. Just like your Shakespeare - sometime I saw they were playing one drama, I think Hamlet or something like that, and only two men were there on the bare stage and everyone was praising. So the art is catching their ears. Now in that spirit go on with your work and try to do something wonderful. So far your question, how far should the orders of my duly appointed officers like GBC, etc., be obeyed and followed, the answer is that they must always be followed exactly as he says. Have you not heard me on this point? Why these questions are repeated again and again? This individual begging must be stopped. So many questions, it's not good at all. This question-begging is going on, even some of the important men are doing like that, that I know. So how I can say your question from here? I do not know what you are trying to do by such question. Of course, my authorities and so-called officers, they sometimes also order in such a way that everything becomes topsy-turvy. So you may write to me your grievance - what can I do? - but meanwhile you must follow him exactly whatever he says. If there is complaint, I can make adjustment later. But first of all you must without hesitation obey. It is something like the appealing to the higher court if one is not satisfied by decision of the lower court. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sda Labels: Atlanta, disagreement, drama, questions letters | 13:02 |23 November 2007 23 November, 1972 Hyderabad Especially I am so much pleased to hear that you are travelling with a few men to each and every college campus to preach. That is wonderful news. Now try to build up and develop that programme to perfection, so that simply by hearing and seeing you the students will want to come forward to join this great movement. And distribute books, as many as you can--and I think you can distribute many millions of books alone, that Krishna will help you do. [To Hrdayananda - text missing] Labels: Atlanta, college preaching letters | 20:04 |24 October 2007 Tuesday, 24 October, 1972 Vrindaban My dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter and with great pleasure I have read also the enclosed brochure "Who Will lead Us?" That is a new chapter for Krishna Consciousness movement. Now we shall begin to educate the politicians gradually. But they are so much corrupted by their sense gratification that we shall find it a difficult task. But if gradually we may present our philosophy in public places as you are doing in Atlanta, that will be appreciated by the intelligent class of men, and it will become well known that our philosophy of political leadership is of the highest standard and morality, and if anyone wants to advertise himself that he has made programme for the welfare of the people, he must be forced to compare his programme with ours so the citizens may judge which is better. Continue increasing this political activity, it is very pleasing to me. But so far recommendation of the Indian government is concerned, they will not help us, that is to be expected. They are the most corrupt of all, simply levying taxes, living nicely at the public expense, plotting how to get votes, and if anyone approaches "please help us spread God-consciousness" they say "No" and make some excuse, that's all. Never mind, we do not rely upon Indian government or any government, we shall take our strength from Lord Caitanya and He has said that His Name shall be heard in every town and village, and He is God and we are doing His business, so what some government officials can do? But because we want to engage everyone in the service of Lord Caitanya, therefore we approach these rascals, just to engage them. So you may continue in this way to canvass government leaders, the Indian Tourist __ Kenneth Keating, and anyone and everyone to help us, there is no harm. Regarding the KLM Airlines, Syamasundara is corresponding with them in this connection and he shall write to you separately. We are trying to get one very huge and beautiful Palace of the Maharaja of Bharatapur, just on the Kesighat by Yamuna River in Vrindaban, and our devotees are living there now. He has promised to donate, so we shall know very soon if he is sincere. If we get this place, many many foreign tourists and devotees can be accommodated, it is so nice. So try to assist Syamasundara from your side to attract many foreign tourists to stay with us in India. I can understand from your letter that you are doing very nicely and everything is going well. But you did not inform me what is the progress on our new building in New York, whether there is any new proposal? You have loaned London the $30,000 for deposit on their new place, and they shall repay you, but if you require some money for deposit on some new place in New York I can immediately help you. Now go on collecting very vigorously and distribute books as many as possible, I think New York is the best field in the world for collecting money, and very soon Krishna will give you suitable place. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Atlanta, building, New York, politicians letters | 18:32 |17 June 2007 Saturday, 17 June, 1972 Los Angeles My dear Balavanta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated June 12, 1972 and I have noted the contents. I thank you very much for the nice flower garland you have sent, and the nice fragrance is very pleasing. Beautiful flowers are compared to Krishna smiling. I am very glad to hear that you are keeping active in the political arena, and if we are able to establish Krishna conscious leaders throughout the country in important posts, we will be able to save everyone from the present dangerous position of the world. People in general are being guided into hellish condition of life by the rascal leaders, so we must establish qualified brahmanas at the head of the society, and widely distribute Krishna conscious principles. So you continue in this way, and Krishna will give you the needed strength and intelligence. Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nkd Labels: Atlanta, politicians letters | 04:45 |28 May 2007 28 May, 1972 Los Angeles My Dear Balavanta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 25th, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, that is a good policy, that you shall run for public office of state representative for Georgia state. That will be a good platform for preaching. Your speeches must be very effective because you will be always in the public eye and your behavior and words will reflect our whole society. But one thing is, because it is political election, you can criticize openly. When there is election you can severly criticize, and in that way it is nice proposal. At least this will give our movement good publicity and you will be able to enlighten in general by pointing out the bad state of affairs of present day society. At present moment, our leaders are simply misleading people, and the people in general are innocently following them to their ruin. So it is very much our duty to come to their aide and point out exactly how this sinful living, namely, slaughtering animals, intoxication, illicit sex life, and gambling, how these sinful activities are so much degrading to the human kind and how they are only producing hippies, wars, and endless suffering as a result. So we want to give the citizens the positive value of Krishna consciousness way of life, so for that activity we must always be preaching very strongly in the public. Therefore I approve your plan to run for public office, now you do it with full confidence and conviction, never mind there may be some opposition, that is to be expected. If you want to devote fully time for this political campaign, I have no objection if you turn over your office of president to someone else. Your plan for bringing Lord Jagannatha to Atlanta is also approved by me, provided there are sufficient Brahmans and other suitable arrangements. Upon your recommendation I am enclosing one sacred thread and two copies of Gayatri Mantra for Surendra and his wife Kali, duly chanted by me. Now you hold a fire yajna and give second initiation to them. I think by now you are familiar with the process of playing the tape through earphones through the right ear, etc. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Atlanta, politicians, preachers, regulative principles letters | 16:15 |14 May 2007 May 14, 1972 Los Angeles (after the 18th) My dear son, Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Balavanta I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. Your spiritual name is Radha Mohan das Brahmacary. I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Balavanta there in our Atlanta center. I can understand that you are a very sincere boy and that you 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 you will reach the Supreme destination. Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nkd Labels: Atlanta, initiation letters | 20:53 |25 April 2007 Tuesday, 25 April, 1972 Tokyo My dear Balavanta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your invitation dated April 8, 1972, inviting me to come there for Lord Caitanya's Festival, and I thank you very much for it. Unfortunately, I got the invitation quite late, in New Zealand, and by then our program had been fixed to go to Japan. So we shall be here until 6th May, then we are going to Honolulu until 20th May, then to Los Angeles. I have heard that the meeting in Atlanta was a very great success, and that many people attended, but I have not heard from you the details, and also how your political campaign as mayor of Atlanta is running. According to our vedic civilization, this Krishna Consciousness Movement is supported by the state. We are already explaining these things in the chapters of Srimad-Bhagavatam regarding Prthu Maharaja. Unfortunately, people have taken religion as a fictitious faith, therefore the modern state they are not interested in fictitious faiths, and as such, they declare secularism. Actually, it is the necessity of the human society to become Krishna Conscious and each state has to take it seriously to implement the idea among the citizens. So we expect to push on our movement to that extent, that is our objective. Hoping this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Atlanta, itinerary, politicians, preachers letters | 13:09 |22 April 2007 22 April, 1972 Tokyo My dear Labangalatika, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 4 and I have noted the contents. Upon inquiring from Hayagriva prabhu regarding the deity worship program at New Vrindaban, I have been assured that everything is going on nicely now, and that Radha and Krishna are receiving proper care and service. It is very good that you are feeling so much responsibility for the welfare of Their Lordships, and I hope that you will very enthusiastically engage yourself in tending to Their needs. Always remember that cleanliness and promptness are two very important requirements in Deity worship. Hoping this will meet you in good health and a happy mood. Your ever well-wisher A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nkd letters | 10:12 | |
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