a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1972 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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31 December 2007 31 December, 1972 Bombay My dear Dhananjaya, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 28 December 1972 delivered by Latika from London, and I am very happy to hear of all the good news in English and Scottish temples in general. I have heard also from Revatinandana Svami how the things are going there, and his report is also very much encouraging to me. I am especially glad to note that everyone is feeling so much enthusiasm to work very hard in this preaching mission. That enthusiasm must be maintained under all circumstance. That is our price forentering into Krsna's kingdom. And maya is always trying to take away our enthusiasm to serve Krsna, because without enthusiasm everything else is finished. Therefore Rupa Gosvami has introduced this system of regulative principles which I have taught to you also. These regulative principles, such as rising before 4 a.m. for mangala aratrika, chanting 16 rounds minimum on beads daily, reading books, going for the street sankirtana, preaching to anyone and everyone, offering the prasadam, like that, these principles of devotional service are there to safeguard us from maya's attack by keeping us always enthusiastic. If we strictly observe these principles, we shall remain always enthusiastic. These are the sources and the maintainers of our enthusiasm to serve Krsna. As soon as someone is not following them regularly, it may be certain that his enthusiasm will gradually disappear. Therefore, my request to you is that under any and all circumstances that you yourself shall without fail stick to these principles and make certain that all of the devotees in your charge are also following them strictly. If new students are coming and they want to live with us in the temple, they must agree before living with us to follow these principles without any exception. Otherwise, it is better for them to live outside and attend the class, aratrika, prasadam, like that, and gradually as they become convinced by their intelligence, they will voluntarily agree to perform the austerity or tapasya of living in the temple. But anyone who lives in the temple must follow all these principles without exception, otherwise they may be asked to live outside. Of course we work very very hard just to get someone to come to the platform of devotee of Krsna, so we shall not be too much hasty to drive anyone out. Therefore we may forgive once, twice, but more than that we must take other steps. So if any new candidate for devotee comes forward you may test him very thoroughly to understand from him if he is ready to fully accept our strict standard of temple living. Let him understand that it is not an arbitrary or whimsical decision on our parts to become like military camp, rather we are strictly adhering to our devotional principles only so that we may make advancement in Krsna consciousness and be protected from the attack of maya consciousness. They may be thinking that these people are slaves of their strict principles, but we are thinking that the strict principles are slaves to us. Of course, the devotee is always very liberal-minded and tolerant towards everyone, seeing everyone as the part and parcel of Krsna and the pure devotee of Krsna, only seeing that due to maya they have temporarily forgotten their real position. So a devotee is always very understanding if there is some discrepancy behavior on the part of nondevotees, and even some devotees misbehave, he is always very tolerant and understanding. The point is that no one is actually qualified in this material world to approach Krsna, but if he makes the attempt through our inducing him gradually to give his energy to Krsna, by that attempt Krsna will extend his mercy and deliver the fallen soul despite his so many disqualifications. And such person or aspiring devotee, he is to be considered the most exalted of men because he has given his life to Krsna. bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah "After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders to Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." [BG 7.19] So you are the leader of London temple, one of the most important temples in the world, so your responsibility is very very immense. But it is also Krsna's blessing upon you. So try to please Him always by understanding the instructions of Krsna as He is giving in Bhagavad-gita, and by that understanding you will be able to manage everything without any difficulty at all. But I think you must be already very much advanced in your understanding of Krsna consciousness, otherwise how so many nice devotees are coming and how there is always such good report from London temple? And I am especially pleased by the newspaper clipping from Edinburgh, they have given very good write-up, just to the points. So far painting of the deity, it will not be necessary to bring Muralidhara from New York just for that purpose. We should not be so hasty to make such drastic programs. Radha and Krsna are transcendental to such artistic work, they do not depend upon our painting of them for their beauty. But they should be painted as nicely as possible if there is at present some deterioration of the painting. But I think someone is there, either in London or some other place in Europe, who can do the work perfectly well. Now our first business in London will be to get that new place. I have been informed from Syamasundara that you are expecting to hear about that Priory at any moment, whether they have accepted our bid or not. But this place or that place, we must get sufficient new place in London to give facility to the preaching work there. I can understand that it is Krsna's desire that we have got that place at Bury Place, it has become world famous due to that location, so try to keep that place also as long as possible. But in order to expand properly all over British Isles we shall require a big big headquarters as you are contemplating. But if there is no solid program for getting the place, simply we are depending upon agents and George to do everything, then we may not be favored by Krsna to get a place very quickly. Better to take the upper hand and begin very energetically attempting to get some place. By our expending energy for Krsna, that is appreciated, not the actual result of our energy. But if there is lack of energy being devoted for some purpose, then everything will be delayed and possibly stopped. Better to seize the iron while the fire is hot, that my Guru Maharaja used to tell me. So George is now convinced of our movement, he will pay, so why the delay and difficulty? I think you should very seriously and with a cool head apply yourself to getting that place or some other place as soon as possible, at least by springtime. Otherwise Krsna may take away this golden opportunity, being disappointed by our lack of enthusiasm and labor. You may inform me from time to time how your search for the new place is progressing more and more. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: George Harrison, land, London, regulative principles letters | 07:36 |19 December 2007 19 December, 1972 Bombay My dear Jayapataka, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 29, 1972, and I have noted the contents with pleasure. I am so much happy to hear from you all the good news of our Mayapur centre! No, your liking of engagement there is not at all an inappropriate attachment, rather it is your qualification for pleasing your spiritual master. Attachment must be there, for Krishna or for maya. So you have become attached to developing the Mayapur centre, that is Krishna's work, so Krishna appreciates very much when His devotee becomes attached to Him in this way. Yes, the cooperative spirit of working together without any argument is especially prominent in Mayapur, more than other places in India. Therefore you are successful, and the work is going on quickly to completion. That is because all of you working there have become very much attached to the dust from Lord Caitanya's Lotus Feet, and because you have got such deep personal interest with that engagement of work, you want to see that it is done nicely without any hindrance of selfish motivation, never mind all kinds of conditions of the material nature. That idea has become prominent for all of you, it is bigger than maya's idea, therefore maya cannot interfere to make you quarrel or other things. But you especially are to take the credit. From the very beginning you wanted that place, and you got the land, got money from me, and now you have built the place by your concentration of energy. That is wanted. If there is some discrepancy anywhere, some non-cooperation, fighting, or if the work is slow or not to the standard, it is to be supposed that the person or persons in charge are not very much attached to Krishna. That means they will discriminate: my engagement is not good, other's engagement is good, like that. They do not know the secret of surrendering to Krishna. Such surrendered devotee sees that everything is part of Krishna's plan, that whatever is meant to be, I am doing that, so let me do it with my full attention to every detail, let me become absorbed in such service, never mind what it is, but let all other considerations be forgotten and only my desire to do the thing best for Krishna's alone pleasure be my motive. That is advanced stage of understanding devotional service or Krishna Consciousness. Thank you very much for your kindly coming to the point. Now I want to officially open the building on Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day. So please try to finish it by that time. What is the use to buy more land like Damodara Maharaja's land? And why his house is so special it is worth Rs. 11,000? So far Sridhara Swami's land, if we can use it then we may purchase, but we cannot pay such a high price for it.* In these things you decide as you think best, I cannot tax my brain. Do everything consulting Bhavananda and Tamala Krishna. Now we are holding a very grand pandal function in the Cross Maidan at Bombay, so it may be that we shall have to bring the Radha-Madhava deities there from there to Bombay for the occasion. We are trying to get new deities from Jaipur, but that may not be possible. Let us see. But at least be prepared to bring them at any time. Acyutananda may bring them with him to Bombay. You may inform Acyutananda that I want that he shall come here for the pandal programme, to lead the kirtana and preach in the 'Questions and Answers' tent. He should remain prepared, and if I call to bring deities, he can bring. Otherwise he may reach here by first of January, in any case. Others may also come from that side, especially Gargamuni may come if he likes, he is first-class preacher to preach to many thousands who will attend the Questions and Answers tents, so you may inform like that. And whoever shall come must bring with them as many mrdangas and karatalas as possible, at least four drums are required and ten sets of karatalas. Otherwise there are no instruments here for the kirtana, and that will be a great dishonor for displaying the sankirtana movement to people of Bombay. Kindly inform the others these things.* Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda *As we are not in need of Sridhara Maharaja's land why should we take it? Better wait until my arrival. *Our Ahmedabad programme was highly successful. Labels: land, Mayapur, philosophy, sankirtan letters | 17:20 |15 December 2007 Friday, 15 December, 1972 Ahmedabad My dear Nirmala, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil and thank you very much for the nice sentiments expressed therein. We have neither changed our plan nor have we any intention of changing our plan of developing Hare Krishna Land in Bombay. We shall stick to the place to the last moment and we require your cooperation very much. I am coming to Bombay on Monday the 18th instant by 11:30 a.m. by flight No.461 and shall be glad to see you at the following address: c/o Karttikeya Mahadevia Mafatlal Park Warden Road, Bombay Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pda letters | 13:08 | 15 December, 1972 Ahmedabad My dear Capt. Singhal, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter and have noted the contents carefully. I shall be the last man to give up the Hare Krishna Land to the rogue Mr. Nair. He has taken our money but tactfullly has not given us the conveyance. He wanted to take farther Rs. 300,000 by similar tactics, but we have saved the situation for the time being. Now I am going to Bombay on Monday and shall be staying at the following address: C/o Karttikeye Mahadevia. Your suggestion to hold a meeting of the Life members is very much welcomed. I wish that a meeting as suggested by you may take place on the Hare Krishna Land immediately. Please come and see me on Monday conveniently after 4:30 pm and we shall talk about it. The land is still in our possession and we are not going to leave this land so easily. More when we meet. Hope this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Bombay, land, life members letters | 13:07 |7 December 2007 Thursday, 7 December, 1972 Ahmedabad My dear Syamasundara and Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I am very much surprised not to hear from you about the Nair affair. I have tried to contact you by phone, but it is understood that you have left Mr. Valia's place and they could not say where you are. We have sent a telegram today reading as follows: "Anxious to know progress with Nair. Call urgent 83260." So my definite order is as follows: if the conveyance is not yet signed or there is difficulty, then immediately take back the money from the attorneys (3 lakhs), and make a fixed deposit with the bank for six months. Hope you are in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pda letters | 12:32 | 7 November 2007 7 November, 1972 Vrindaban Bombay [To Tamala Krishna] WE MUST HAVE LAND ACCORDING PURCHASE AGREEMENT. LETTER FOLLOWS--BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI Labels: Bombay, land, telegram letters | 05:04 |7 November, 1972 Vrindaban My dear Tamala Krishna, Giriraja, and Manusvi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 4th November, 1972, and in reply I have sent one telegram, as follows: "We must have land according to purchase agreement. Letter follows. Bhaktivedanta Swami." So further to telegram, if Mr. Nair pays back all our money, total of Rs. 2,77,500/-, if this is returned immediately, then we don't take any action and we vacate immediately and peacefully. But if he does not repay and we do not vacate, then we must have that land at any cost on the purchase agreement. You only want to file criminal suit. No, we shall take civil steps also. Our point is to try to get the land according to the original agreement. Even the land is not bargain, that doesn't matter. Don't change. If we have to pay two lakhs rupees a year, what is that? My position from the very beginning has been, give us our money back, we vacate, otherwise we take legal steps for acquiring the land according to the purchase agreement, as well as steps for insuring our protection, that's all. So work according to this plan and keep me informed. What have you done regarding the permission from Charity Commissioner? That is essential, take that permission immediately. What is the programme for Hyderabad? Bhavananda has not yet sent the tickets for train or plane-fare, neither anything definite has been informed us. Whether there will be nice arrangement for deities there, and which deities they are putting there? Please inform. Hoping this meets you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda letters | 05:02 | 3 November 2007 3 November, 1972 Vrindaban My dear Tamala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your express delivery letter, and I am glad that you have chosen the right course of action to sue Nair and finish the business once and for all. We are prepared to take back the money and cancel the whole thing. Why doesn't he return? Now stick to the principles of the original agreement to file suit. Don't change your decision. It appears that from the building fund Rs. 29,000/- was transferred to International Society general account, it is not yet returned, neither the Rs. 70,000/-. Anyway, the cheques given to you must be torn-up immediately. A letter should be issued to the bank to stop payment for cheques #CHT/A-T 492833 from Building Fund and #GT/HS 306873 from Book Fund, both in favor of Ambhubhai and Diwanji, Solicitors, Bombay, but I shall do it. We shall make no compromise with Nair unless we come to the court. Enclosed please find the copy of one notice drafted by a lawyer friend visiting Vrindaban, so if you are able to utilize it. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda n.b. Unless the conveyance is made, don't make any settlement with Rathaneparke. If there are any incidents, the men responsible should be taken to the police. letters | 09:09 | 1 November 2007 1 November, 1972 Vrindaban My Dear Giriraja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 22, 1972, regarding the supply of deity for Chicago centre. I am told that the Bharatapur deity is more than 200 years old and is made of solid silver, and therefore it will be very difficult to get government permission to export it from India. It will be too much trouble, so if nice deities can be gotten from Jaipur as we have done before, that is better. Now first business is to get the permission of Charity Commissioner. One MP from Assam has forwarded his letter to Chief Minister Naik urging him to help us get that permission. If we cannot settle, then get the Charity Permission and sue in the court. Our position is strong. We can sue even without Charity Commission permission. You and Tamala Krishna arrange the pandal programme in Bombay to be the first-class presentation, and inform me of the dates. I think Tamala told me once from December 20 to January 10th. From Bombay I shall go to Calcutta, and after the 20th January I have been invited by Madhudvisa to go to Australia for about one month or six weeks, and then I shall return to Mayapur. Before coming to Bombay, I may go to Ahmedabad for some time, as Dinanatha has gone there to arrange the programme. So long the regulative principles are followed, everything else will follow, and at least we shall command the respect of the public. People may not have the impression that they are the same hippies under different dress. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: Bombay, deities, itinerary, land, legal, regulative principles letters | 18:34 |24 October 2007 24 October, 1972 Vrindaban My Dear Karandhara, Tamala Krishna, Giriraja, and Bhavananda, Please accept my blessings. I am just now in receipt of your letter dated October 20, 1972, and Visakha dasi has just arrived and has told that you have not received any letter from me, and that you have sent several telegrams and letters. I have not received all of them I think. I received one express letter from the four of you dated Oct. 16th on Oct. 20th, four days from posting. Your letter dated Oct. 19th was received by me however on Oct. 21st, and just now I have received the letter of Oct. 20th. Enclosed find the copy of my letter of 20th. If the title is all right I have no objection to your proposal to finish the deal with Nair by paying him personally Rs. 5,50,000 and to Mr. Shah Rs. 6,50,000 30 days from completion of an appropriate conveyance, the Rs. 6,50,000 to be handed over to Nair upon his settling of the Chhanganlal suit, and provided Nair provided us the necessary tax certificate for registration before we pay. The title must be there, otherwise we cannot complete. How there can be conveyance without title? Otherwise go to court, he is afraid of going to court, you have marked it? Our advantage if we go to court is that we shall not have to pay anything until one year from the execution of the conveyance deed. We shall only have to pay according to the original purchase agreement. If we pay 12 lakhs, that will take everything, there will be no money to build, and you shall have to repay the 8 lakhs, so whether we shall risk so much under these circumstances? And why you are giving limit 30 days to find title? You say 30 days after conveyance is signed, so that gives you much more time to find it out. Title can be cleared in time, that is not very difficult business. You think your position is rather hopeless. But I say that our position is very strong, just the opposite. Why you say hopeless? When Nair accepted two lakhs rupees of ours, the terms of purchase are finished, simply he has delayed to give us the papers. The transaction is finished when he accepts the money, so by tricks he is delaying. So why you are delaying to make case, there is no question of searching out the title. The point is when he accepted the money he accepted the conveyance. So immediately make a criminal case. After the case is decided, he shall be forced to give us the conveyance, and within one year after we shall give him the next installment of two lakhs. Because the transaction is finished, so we can legally occupy all the land, it is not trespass when the transaction has been completed and Nair has accepted the terms of sale by accepting money. If you are thinking hopeless, then how I can make you hopeful? Our point is, he has accepted the money, that means he has agreed to terms of SALE. Take police precaution if he is threatening violence. We are in possession according to the terms of the agreement, simply he has delayed the conveyance. Therefore I say that you boys cannot deal very well in these matters, because you are too timid. Now whatever you like you may do. Immediately criminal case should be taken, that you are not doing because he is bluffing you. He says big words and makes threat and you believe him foolishly and do like he says. That I shall not do. When we have paid money that means he has accepted. Whatever it is, do not mention title search. That will come later, after the case is settled by the court. But one thing is, if he returns immediately our two lakhs, plus Rs. 70,000 stamp tax money, we shall vacate, that's all. There is no question of damages. Either this plan, that he pays us back our money and we vacate immediately, or we go to court immediately. One way or the other. Otherwise we are already in possession legally, we have paid according to the terms of the agreement, and he accepted the money. So just to rid ourselves of this headache we will accept back the Rs. 2,70,000 and vacate immediately. Otherwise, immediately take him to court. Our position is very strong. Do not think think weak and timid, he is bluffing. You have not read the purchase agreement carefully. Immediately an application should be submitted to the magistrate that he has accepted the money and has willfully delayed the conveyance on tricks, and he has threatened to drive away even by violence, what is this? You could not find out a good lawyer even? This must all be heard before a magistrate. The transaction is finished, he has illegally delayed to give us the conveyance. Now through the courts we can force him to give. We shall stick to the purchase agreement, nothing else. And take police precaution that he is threatening us. Go to the magistrate and tell him we gave Nair money and now he is threatening violence to drive us away. We shall go to the court, there is no other way. Criminal court means complaint that we have given money, he has not given conveyance, he is threatening by force to drive us from the place. This is the only settlement possible, that he returns our Rs. 2,70,000 immediately and we vacate, or immediately file criminal case. There is no other alternative. We have finished the business. He is entrapped because he has received the money. Our boys do not understand. Anything, as soon as you receive money the transaction is finished. And even it is six months passed, it is our option to rescind, not his. Charity Commissioner has delayed, that is not very serious for disqualifying us. There is no time limit mentioned for getting permission from Charity Commissioner. Still, try for the permission from Charity Commissioner as quickly as possible, then we shall go on with the terms of the original agreement, either voluntarily or we shall have to force him through the courts. One thing is, you have said that we shall have to pay "entire additional Rs. 70,000 stamp duty," so does this mean we must pay only an additional 5% of Rs. 70,000 or Rs. 3,500 extra, or again pay Rs. 70,000 plus 5%? That is not clear. In my opinion if you apply a petition before the magistrate that Nair has taken the money, that he is not giving the conveyance, playing tricks, and that now he is threatening by violence, such petition will clear everything. He is afraid of going to court, that is our favorable point. My clear-cut view is simply to present a petition to the magistrate. It costs only 12 annas. This complaint should be submitted, take a good criminal lawyer and file, then everything will be clear. Hoping this meets you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda letters | 18:30 | 20 October 2007 20 October, 1972 Vrindaban My Dear Karandhara, Tamala Krishna, Bhavananda and Giriraja, Please accept my blessings. Further to my letter of yesterday, I have thought the matter over thoroughly, and without any doubt our position in the matter is very strong. Nair is bluffing. One of my godbrothers who is expert in these things has advised me, and I also know it from experience, that once the agreement of sale is signed that is final, and it will not be very easy, in fact, it will be impossible for Nair to defeat us in the courts if it comes to that. Now the thing is that Nair has accepted from us two lakhs of rupees, as follows: On February 8, 1972, cheque #GT/HS 306871 for Rs. 50,000; on February 25, 1972, cheque CHT/A-T492829 for Rs. 50,000; and on March 28, 1972, cheque # CHT/A-T492831 for Rs. 1,00,000. Now according to our agreement, that last one lakh of rupees was not to be accepted by him until the conveyance was completed. So he has taken, that means he accepts that the conveyance has been completed! Now you may go to the bank or somehow or other determine the exact date on which Mr. Nair accepted the cheque as above mentioned for Rs. 1,00,000, and that will serve as legal proof he has finalized the conveyance terms. Our position is very strong. Now you purchase that house on the south border-line, repair it nicely and you can live there for years if we have to. I think he will take Rs. 15,000 cash if you can persuade him, or if he will not yield you can pay him Rs. 20,000 and finish the business. Possession is nine-tenths of the law. Why you should be afraid of him? We can satisfy any court of law. He has given us possession according to the terms of the agreement of sale, and we have paid him Rs. 50,000 to take possession, and he has acknowledged receipt, that means the transaction is finished. If I have something and I sell you, and you give me money and I give you that thing, the transaction is finished, never mind there is no receipt. So with Nair our transaction is finished. We have paid him money, he has given us possession, and we have agreed to terms for paying the rest of the money, that's all. He is simply planning tricks because there is no receipt and he does not want to give us receipt. Take information from the bank when he took the money. One year from that time according to the terms of the purchase agreement we are supposed to pay further two lakhs, that is, one year from the execution of the conveyance. So we have paid Rs. 50,000 as earnest money, according to the agreement, and the agreement then states that we must pay Rs. 1,50,000 "upon the execution of the conveyance." So he has accepted that means conveyance transaction is complete, he may give me receipt or not, that doesn't matter. It is a case of misappropriation, he did not deliver the goods. Once when I was in business I took money from one man for an order of goods and I was bit late in delivering them, so he wanted to sue me in the court for misappropriation. It is the same thing. We have paid Nair, taken possession, and now he doesn't want to deliver the goods. According to the clauses 14 and 15 in the purchase agreement, it is our option to rescind the contract within six months, not the vendor's. But he has accepted the cheque for Rs. 1,00,000 before six months, therefore we consider that he has completed the conveyance and we do not want to rescind but we shall close the deal immediately, finished, that's all. He is trying to avoid this issue by tricks, and he has dominated you and you are little afraid of him, and he has fooled you to think he is in superior legal position so that you will give him some money. But this is cheating. We shall not give him any more money. Don't pay him any more. First of all bring a criminal case against him. Deewanji cannot say he was not our lawyer, because he has executed this agreement. He should be brought to the notice of the Bar Association and humiliated. So make criminal case by consulting lawyer. It will not take much time. It is simple case of his cheating, that any reasonable man can see. So immediately you can file criminal case. He has taken money but he has not executed. So why you should be disappointed and afraid of him? Our position is very, very strong. We have paid money and we are in possession, so what remains for conveyance? As soon as you take money the transaction is finished, you may take receipt or not, otherwise it is simply cheating. So find out a first-class lawyer and apply in the court that the purchase agreement is already done and get it done, that's all. He is simply bluffing. Enclosed find the copy of one letter I have forwarded to Mr. and Mrs. Nair. You may further request them to come and see me here. It will be too much difficult for me to come to Bombay at this time. Otherwise I am coming to Bombay in December if he wants to wait so long. Another thing is, I do not think it is necessary for Bhavananda to remain in Bombay for this business. Better if Karandhara and Tamala Krishna tackle the matter co-operatively by applying their full attention, and Bhavananda may return to Calcutta for taking charge there as soon as possible. Hoping this meets all of you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda letters | 18:26 | 19 October 2007 Thursday, 19 October, 1972 Vrindaban My dear Karandhara, Tamala Krishna, Bhavananda and Giriraja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of October 18, 1972, jointly signed by all of you and delivered to me by Syamasundara. If the Charity Commissioner refuses us the permission then there is no point continuing, and in that case we shall try to get the two lakhs we have paid back and go away. But it appears the Charity Commissioner permission is delayed and not refused, it is not a very grand mistake, and we can chastise for that the lawyers. I have read the clause 11, in the original Agreement for Sale and I do not find any mention of there being any six month time limit for obtaining the Charity Commissioner's approval, as you have told Syamasundara. So there is only some delay, that's all. That will not be sufficient grounds for him to rescind the contract. Rather, our position is very strong so long we are in possession and we have paid him the earnest money and more. So best thing is to consult Mulla and Mulla and proceed accordingly. If there is need to pay off the twelve lakhs, we can do it by giving him four lakhs immediately and the balance eight lakhs we shall arrange with Mr. Jayan very soon. But Mulla and Mulla have said it is suicidal unless there is settlement of the Chhaganlal business first. So we shall not be willing to pay the twelve lakhs unless this matter of Chhaganlal's lawsuit and the registration of the conveyance deed and payment of capital gains tax by Mr. Nair are peacefully settled without any risk to us. Try to fix up some arrangement acceptable to Mr. Nair for paying him, but we shall not risk that we may lose everything to Chhaganlal or some other of Mr. Nair's cheating dealings. So best thing is to follow the advise of Mulla and Mulla and stick to our position very securely. If there is no possibility of settling with Mr. Nair without any risk to ourselves, then we shall stick to the terms of the original agreement and take the matter to court. How he can say we have defaulted? He has purposefully delayed, so if we take the matter to court he must reply to these charges. One thing is, that the whole trouble is due to Deewanji's misdealings. He should be brought before the Bar Association and exposed. We shall deal with him later. Hoping this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda letters | 17:34 | 11 October 2007 11 October, 1972 Manila My dear Tamala Krishna and Giriraja, Please accept my Blessings. I am writing this letter aboard the airship from Hawaii to Manila. I am reaching Manila in the morning 7:00 A.M. on the 11th October 1972. As scheduled I am reaching Delhi on the night of the 14th, so if need be you can see me at Vrndavana on the 15th or 16th, but my definite instruction is this: 1. We have fulfilled all the conditions as purchaser. 2. Mr. Nair has purposefully delayed with a motive to cheat us as he had done with some others in this connection. 3. But this time he cannot cheat us because we are in possession of the land and our deity Radha-Krsna is installed there. 4. Therefore we must immediately go to the court for enforcing him to execute the conveyance immediately. 5. Even the court case goes on for a long time, still our business there cannot be stopped. 6. Without going to the court, we cannot make any compromise with him. 7. But I think we can arrange the full amount of 14 lacs to get out this rascal out of the scene. 8. But we cannot do it without going to the court otherwise we shall become a party for breaking the purchase agreement. Therefore we have to go to the court before making any compromise. 9. In the meantime, take definite information from the bank whether they can loan us 50% of the whole value. 10. The whole value is 14 lacs. We have already paid 2 lacs. We can arrange to pay farther 5 lacs. That means we pay 7 lacs, the bank may pay the balance 7 lacs. 11. Actually the bank may not have to pay even 7 lacs because according to the purchase agreement, the last payment of 4 lacs has to be paid upon the decision on the court case pending about Chiman lal and company. So you have to act according to this program on the advice of suitable lawyers. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdb cc. Sriman Karandhara in London Labels: Bombay, itinerary, land, legal letters | 10:18 |8 October 2007 8 October, 1972 San Francisco Bombay [To Giriraja] --IMMEDIATELY CONTACT TAMALA AND BHAVANANDA AND ARRANGE TO TAKE REQUIRED KRSNA BOOKS FROM JAIN. SEND COPY OF CONVEYANCE. --BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI letters | 10:10 | 4 October 2007 Wednesday, 4 October, 1972 Los Angeles My dear Giriraja, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated September 27, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am greatly relieved to hear from you that the bank is likely willing to loan us Rs. 5 lakhs or Rs. 10 lakhs. That is the ideal solution. Best thing is to take loan. We have paid two lakhs, so take twelve lakhs from bank and finish the business. That will be nice. Otherwise, we shall go to the court with lawyer and get out a criminal case against him. That is the lawyers business. Take loan and give him, that is the best solution. We want to keep that land, we do not want to break the agreement, therefore I have formed this committee. Actually we are in possession of the land, and we shall remain there. Now if we have to take Mr. Nair to criminal court, and supposing it will take years to settle, still, we can occupy and carry on as we are doing. But if you can prove to the municipal officers that we are legally in possession of the land according to sales agreement, why they shall not give permission to build? We must have that land, and on the terms of the purchase agreement. Otherwise we shall bring him to the criminal court. We are in possession of the land in legal terms, so even the government cannot take it. We can give Mr. Nair this much concession, the five lakhs worth, but it must be deducted from the purchase price. Otherwise, we shall not give any concession we shall go to the courts. You consult the lawyers. The committee. is there, I want that the land should be purchased, that's all. Hoping this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami n.b. Syamasundara is in London now for settling up the London house, and he will fly to Bombay very soon on his way to meet me in Delhi, so why not take his help to finish this business? ACBS/sda letters | 19:56 | 30 September 2007 30 September, 1972 Los Angeles My dear Tamala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated September 23, 1972, jointly signed by yourself, Subala Swami, Gurudasa and Bhavananda and I am very happy to hear especially that the work is going on in Vrndavana and that you will soon begin to dig the foundation for our Vrndavana temple. I have just recently sent you one letter regarding the Bombay situation. The Bombay sales purchase agreement draft was made by you. At that time, because Madhudvisa Maharaja denied to take charge, and you also did not like to take charge, therefore I had to postpone the signing of the sales purchase agreement. In Africa Brahmananda and Cyavana encouraged me that I would take up the Bombay project and they would help me. So upon return immediately I signed the purchase contract. Now Mr. Nair is not making the conveyance complete and I do not know why our lawyer, Mr. Deewanjee is also silent. About a fortnight ago both of them were sent telegram asking why the matter is being delayed, but I received no reply from either of them. So you have been informed already by copies of letters the situation in Bombay. The summary of the Bombay situation is this: Nair says he has to pay 5 lacs of rupees to the government as a tax. This 5 lacs of rupees he is unwilling to pay from his pocket, so Giriraja, with the help of Sumati Morarji-Ben, is trying to take loan of 5 lacs from the bank, but it is not yet completed. A copy of Giriraja's letter is already sent to you and I have requested you to go there along with Bhavananda if possible or you go alone and save the situation. If money is required from here it can be arranged in the same way as with Mayapur. But it is better to arrange for the money locally through the bank, as Sumati Morarji-Ben has promised. If money is not available in that way, then arrange money from Mr. Jayan and we shall arrange for the necessary action as it is done. But in any case we must not deviate from the terms of the purchase agreement. But as a matter of concession we can pay further 5 lacs of rupees, to be deducted from the total price of 14 lacs. We have already paid 2 lacs, and if we pay further 5 lacs, taking loan from others, then it is to be understood that we have paid 7 lacs on the total, and the further 7 lacs will be paid, either taking loan from the bank, failing which, in terms of the original purchase agreement as already devised there, we shall take the remaining 7 lacs as mortgage from Mr. Nair. All of this appears to be very complicated, and Giriraja is finding difficulty, from his letter I can understand. So I think you have to revive your position as GBC again and look after all the business of India affairs nicely. May Krsna bless you with all good sense. Your program submitted by you all jointly is tentatively accepted by me. Our meeting time in New Delhi will be informed very soon by letter and telegram both. Regarding the Bharatapur house, try to convince the present king that everything will be in his name, that is, we shall name it ISKCON Bharatapur Temple or ISKCON Bharatapur House and we shall fix up a marble plaque in the front. For renovating we shall spend for all the three or four houses and they will be used for the same purpose, as a Radha-Krsna Temple and for accommodating foreign visitors and devotees. This movement is so great and ISKCON is propagating Krsna Consciousness all over the world, so why not Bharatapur Maharaja donate the building for this great purpose? They have lost their kingdom but still they have these buildings, so if they are given in our hand it will perpetually commemorate their nice gift to the ISKCON institution and thus to the world. We are purchasing a very palatial building in London and the Maharaja will be welcome to stay there as long as he wishes, or in any one of our places, especially in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, London, Bombay, etc. In this way try to induce him. Hoping this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda n.b. Enclosed please find the copy of my letter to that Swami in Haridwar, who has invited our party in April. Kindly contact him and make all arrangements. His address is Sri Swami Mahesawardev Shastri Gopala Dham, Jessa Ram Road, Haridwar (U.P.), phone 114. A. C. B.S. Labels: Bombay, land, legal, Vrindavan letters | 06:03 |29 September 2007 29 September, 1972 Los Angeles My dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. By now I think Syamasundara. will have telephoned you with this information and instructions. First, regarding the business in London, it is best if you can finish it up yourself, remaining up to one week if necessary, then be prepared to go to India. Regarding London affairs, whether George will stand as guarantor on the mortgage, or whether Syamasundara's presence required. If George is agreeable to be the guarantor, that is not a very big thing, only a small favor and he hasn't got to pay anything. We shall pay whatever money we have got and the rest monthly for so many years, the longest period we can get. The situation in Bombay is that five lakhs rupees are required for executing the conveyance. This is being arranged through bank and Sumati Morarji. If this is done, then everything will be all right. But if they are not able to get the bank loan, you go there and make everything complete and the money will be supplied by Mr. Jayan. You can say it is a loan from a friend. As soon as you get money from Jayan via Tamala Krishna and Bhavananda, then you all three sign jointly the letter of order and we will transfer the money from here. One thing is, the money should not be given directly to Nair. Rather you go with him to the tax officer and pay in his presence as witness, or the money should be paid in the registrar's office while registering the conveyance. This way or that way, but do not pay the money directly to Nair. I want to sell those bonds, so what is the process? Have you got some broker? I shall require to know his name and address and other details. If you are remaining in London for a few days, we shall contact you further what is the next step. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami cc: Iskcon Hamburg ACBS/sda Labels: Bombay, George Harrison, land, London letters | 06:00 |29 September, 1972 Los Angeles My Dear Giriraja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 25, 1972. I am very much distressed that this conveyance business is still going on and it cannot be settled. You have formed a big committee. with Sumati Morarji, so what use is such committee? Why they cannot help you finish this business? If the money is still not available, what is the use of this big sound? Although by law Mr. Nair must give us the conveyance, and we are not legally bound to pay the 5 lakhs conveyance tax, still, we shall pay it and subtract form the purchase price, as he suggests. But one thing is, you must secure document in proper legal from which will insure that the five lakhs will be subtracted from the fourteen lakhs purchase price, not that again we shall have to pay according to Mr. Nair's whims. Try to get that bank loan of five lakhs, and Sumati-ben will stand as guarantor, try for that and somehow or other get the bank to loan us. But if you are unable to get the bank loan, we shall pay. If it is not possible to get the bank loan, you send telegram to Los Angeles and we shall make necessary arrangements from this side. But somehow or other this business must be settled up immediately, so complete the conveyance on this understanding. You can give public notice in the Public Notices column in the newspaper and send one copy to Mr. Nair, as follows: "The International Society for Krishna Consciousness has purchased the land in Juhu, Bombay-54, known as Nairwadi, plot __, under purchase agreement dated __, and we have advanced the requisite money under the Sales Agreement. The other party, Mrs. A. B. Nair, has not, however, completed the business under some pretext. Under the circumstances, if someone attempts to purchase the land, he does so at his own risk as we are already in possession of the purchase agreement signed by Mrs. A. B. Nair." We shall be leaving Los Angeles by the 6th October for San Francisco, thereafter we shall leave for India, arriving in Delhi by 16th October. Kindly keep me informed daily what is the progress in this connection. Karandhara is in Germany and London on some business, so if it is required he can come there immediately to assist you. I want that this conveyance business be finished up immediately. I am sending also Tamala Krishna and Bhavananda there to help you do the needful. You may inform me by cable if you have got the bank loan or not, or if you require Karandhara to come. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda letters | 05:58 | 29 September, 1972 Los Angeles My dear Tamala Krishna and Bhavananda, Please accept my blessings. I have received one letter from Giriraja, copy enclosed, and I am very much distressed why this conveyance business is not yet settled up. I sent Bhavananda there to Bombay to do the needful, and he was silent and went away. Enclosed also find my reply to Giriraja's letter. Now I want that both of you shall go to Bombay immediately for finishing up this conveyance matter immediately. Try to get bank loan, and if you cannot, make arrangements for taking five lakhs from Mr. Jayan and we shall transfer from here as per his order, duly signed by both of you, double signature. Keep me informed daily in this connection. Hoping this meets you both in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami cc: Giriraja ACBS/sda Labels: Bombay, land, Vrindavan letters | 05:58 |23 September 2007 Saturday, 23 September, 1972 Los Angeles My Dear Kirtanananda, Please accept my blessings. Thank you very much for your letter from New Vrndavana dated 19 September 1972 along with the box of sandesh. The sandesh was the first class sandesh I have tasted in your country, you have mastered the art perfectly well, thank you very much. I am happy to hear that your program in New Vrndavana has been very successful, and for my part I was very much pleased to attend this year. Now I can understand that this Bhagavata-dharma discourse can be held anywhere all over the world and people will come in large numbers such great distance and under all kinds of hardships just to hear our discourse. That is very encouraging to me. Now you sannyasis and GBC men, I leave it to you to hold this Bhagavata-dharma discourse and Hare Krsna festival all over your country widely, and this will be the success of our movement. You are experienced devotee, and you know how to do things well, so kindly train the others and distribute your experience widely, and organize. If such festivals can be held in different places continuously then my dream will be fulfilled. Your program for traveling to the colleges is nice, try to sell as many of our books and literatures as possible and lecture to all the students what is the real purpose of their education of life. If students become interested, they may come to New Vrndavana and stay with you for some time, and you can instruct them in our philosophy. Gradually try to develop that place, there is immense potential and immense land for development. I saw so much land, but there were no men working the land or raising crops. That is our purpose for keeping so much land, to utilize it in the service of Krsna. So next year you can raise so many kinds of fruits and vegetables there and keep cows, and that will be the ideal Krsna Conscious community of living. Srutakirti is doing very nicely as my servant, he is a very good boy and I thank you for recommending him to me. So far purchasing the Allen farm is concerned, that you must decide in conjunction with Rupanuga, Hayagriva, and the others. But one thing is, we have not yet developed what we have got, so what is the point of expanding further? However if there is a good bargain and you think it is wise, I have no objection if you purchase the Allen farm, provided everyone agrees and there is sufficient money available. Upon your recommendation I am enclosing two sacred threads, duly chanted by me, and three copies of Gayatri mantra. Now you may hold the fire yajna for Murari Gupta das, Ambarisa das, and Vijayadevi. Teach them how to count on the finger divisions and play the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra into their right ear. This ceremony should be held only in the company of devotees. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: college preaching, initiation, land, New Vrindaban letters | 10:15 | |
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