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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 |
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28 November 2008 Thursday, 28 November, 1974 Bombay Spanga, Sweden My Dear Ajita dasa: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 16/11/74 and have noted the contents. Upon your recommendation I accept Dvarakesa das Brahmacari for second initiation as twice born brahmana. Enclosed is the sacred thread duly sanctified by me, and the mantra sheet. Now hold a fire sacrifice and he may hear the gayatri mantra through the right ear from my tape recording. The mantra must be recited three times daily. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: initiation, Sweden letters | 02:20 |28 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Jagannatha dasa: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 13, 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding your joining the travelling party for Sanskrit work, I have no objection, but these things have to be decided amongst yourselves. I do not know how the Press is managed for doing this work. Who will do your work if you leave? These things you all have to manage. My business is to write the books, and it is your responsibility to publish them. If you are talented to work on the Sanskrit department, then you should do that. This is important work. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: New Vrindavan, sanskrit letters | 02:19 |28 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Jayatirtha das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated October 25 and November 9, 1974 with enclosed receipts from the bank. The business card of Mr. Thomas Orr was not enclosed however. I have also received your cable reading as follows: $13,000 GIVEN BY GURU-KRPA TO ME IN JAPAN LAST MONTH DEPOSITED IN BANK OF AMERICA SAVINGS ACCOUNT NOT TRANSFERRED TO INDIA REFER MY LETTER OCTOBER 25 -JAYATIRTHA. Now enclosed please find one letter to Bank of America. Please see that this letter is executed properly. The Punjab National Bank is taking too long to credit the transfers. You have sent on November 7th and they have credited on November 20th, so we have lost interest for 13 days. So the Bank of America account is now opened. We have also opened an account with First National City Bank in Bombay, and Brahmananda has cabled the account number to Ramesvara, as it is understood he was to transfer Dollars 60,000.00 given by Gurukrpa. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. From your description of the Hawaii estate, it sounds very attractive. The tickets are received here, and I shall inform you when we plan to go. ACBS ACBS/bs Labels: bank, Los Angeles letters | 02:19 |28 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Jayapataka Swami: Please accept my blessings. Enclosed please find the copy of the letter to Gaura Govindas das asking him to come to Bombay. Why he has not yet come? I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Mayapur letters | 02:18 |28 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Satsvarupa das Goswami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 20, 1974 from New York. I am very glad to hear of the continued success of the Library distribution program. You know it that I also was selling my books in this way to the schools and colleges and libraries. I would write, then publish, and then distribute without any help. So how much pleased I am with you that you are helping me in this mission. So you go on with your work. Krishna will help you. You are sincere in your purpose. This is very important engagement of visiting the professors, and the colleges and libraries, and getting the standing orders. This is the most important engagement. Do not doubt this. It is also good that you are trying for the teaching course. What do the others know. Yes, simply they have written nonsense books. There in America is very good field. Regarding Franklin and Marshall College that was a misunderstanding. I am prepared to take the class. So you write the professor. You had told me it was very cold there, otherwise I was ready. It is very good that the New York temple life is now much improved. What is very pleasing to me is that they have confronted the nonsense. They are sound devotees, otherwise they would have been carried away by this wrong propaganda. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: college preaching, library party, Los Angeles letters | 02:17 |28 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Gopala Krishna das: Please accept my blessings. I have read your letter dated November 21, 1974 addressed to Brahmananda Swami with enclosed picture from Back to Godhead. Even they have changed her face, still it was not possible to hide the fact that she is old, like great grandmother. Because you are a devotee you could not tolerate the nonsense. You are a very good boy. I know that whatever money you have left over from maintaining your family, you give that to the Society. You do not even keep anything for yourself. This is very good. It is very good that you are still trying for a new building. It is long overdue. Why not the same Park Avenue building if it is available? I think that if you all try, it will not be difficult to obtain the required money to obtain it. You have marked that she bought a Toyota car with temple funds, so how could she be a Toyota. You have used your common sense. She wanted to hide herself in so many ways, just like this picture, but she could not. Bali Mardan says that taking milk is also the same as eating meat, therefore you can eat meat. Therefore does it mean that because what I eat all turns to stool, then I should eat stool? If everything I eat turns to stool, does it mean I should eat stool? Is this sound logic? He was a sincere boy, but he has fallen down by bad association. Still I can rectify both of them, provided they agree. If possible send me his address. I want to write to him. I asked him to correct himself, not to leave. Anyway if he agrees he can be corrected. Jagai agreed to the terms of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and was corrected by the Lord. I Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 02:16 | 26 November 2008 Tuesday, 26 November, 1974 Bombay, India My Dear Damodara das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 12, 1974 with enclosed photograph. The photo is nice. Thank you. Yes, it is all right that you retire from the president post to do preaching. You are one of the elder students, so you should be careful to always set good example for the others. Maya is undoubtedly very strong, and we have to be very vigilant like soldiers in a fortress. We should not let maya enter into our activities, but keep all of our activities Krishna conscious. I have faith in you, so always try your best to serve Krishna and your spiritual master, and you will be all successful. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Mayapur, retire, Washington letters | 02:14 |26 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Saurabha das: Please accept my blessings. I may inform you that the Governor of U.P. has accepted the invitation to become Chief Guest at our temple opening. Now many big men will come. So we have to arrange very nicely for their accommodation. The Governor will require a special apartment for his staying. It is all Krishna's grace. Bon Maharaja had to go several times to get the Governor, but with one letter he has accepted our invitation. Our movement is being accepted. They are saying that Swamiji is doing nice things. So it is up to you Europeans and Americans to push it all over the world, and one day you will be the leaders of the world. It is not difficult. You just have to work sincerely and intelligently. Krishna will do everything. Enclosed is a copy of the Governor's letter. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs cc: Tejiyas, Jayatirtha, Gargamuni Labels: Governor, opening, Vrindavana letters | 02:14 |25 November 2008 Monday, 25 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Sarada devi dasi: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 17, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am very glad to hear that you are engaged in the service of tulsi devi. Tulsi leaves are very important for satisfying Lord Krishna. But tulsi devi is not pleased by the nice tune of singing but by the nice devotion. So you continue to your best, and you will automatically advance more and more in Krishna consciousness. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 02:13 | 25 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Annada devi dasi: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 20, 1974 and am pleased to hear that you are well. When I was in Delhi I was sorry to learn that you were ill, so I immediately informed your husband that you must be cared for. Anyway we have to depend upon Krishna in all circumstances. As long as the body is there there will be different degrees of health and unhealth. We have to tolerate these things just as we have to tolerate the seasonal changes of sometimes hot sometimes cold. You are a devotee, and so Krishna will protect you. Always think that Krishna is with you. He is present in His name, so you are always associating with Him. I Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Ahmedabad, health, tolerant letters | 02:12 |25 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Mahamsa Swami: Please accept my blessings. If you have got a copy of Bhavan's Journal, Diwali Number, No. 8 November, 10, 1974, you can see on page 197 under the heading, Our Reader's Page, there is a question: "Should non-Hindus who have adopted the Hindu way of life e.g. the followers of the Hare Krishna movement, be allowed to enter Hindu temples?" So immediately you reply to the Editor of Bhavan's Journal, Dr. K.M. Munshi Marg, Bombay, enclosing the letter of Swami Cinmayananda's letter about the approval of learned panditas and sannyasis about the Hare Krishna movement members entering into Hindu temples. You can mention also that we are allowed to enter into the biggest temple in India, Tirupati, as well as Nathadwar where the head of the temple received us very well and presented some gifts. Except the Jagannatha temple in Puri no where have we been checked admission. This time we wish to go to the Jagannatha temple again, and let us see what they do. The Hindu Vishva Parishad approves us as rigid Hindus as it it will be clear from the letter of Swami Cinmayananda. So immediately write a letter and send me a copy of your letter as well as Swami Cinmayananda's letter. We shall request them to publish the letter of Swami Cinmayananda in this connection as well. Last night your mother came to the temple and talked with me. Sometimes you can send her some news of your health, but not very much correspondence, after all she is mother. Lord Caitanya used to also please His mother by sending prasada and men with news. I Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Hindus, Hyderabad, sannyasa letters | 02:11 |25 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Subaladas Swami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 13, 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding your registration, it should be clearly stated that no property can be sold or mortgaged without my express sanction. I am glad to note that you have got three brahmacaris there. Train them up nicely. Yes I am pleased by your attempt there, and Krishna will bless you undoubtedly. I am always for that purpose. Kindly ask me your problem and I shall try to give you advice. Krishna consciousness can only be increased by chanting, reading our books regularly, and strictly following the rules and regulations. Krishna is in His name, so He is always present with you. Never think that you are without the association of Krishna. Yes, guru and Krishna are always with you. So far your health is concerned, so far the body is there the question of health and unhealth will always be there. Sometimes there will be complaints, and sometimes not. In the Gita Krishna says these things come and go like the seasonal changes. So we have to tolerate. Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. We must be tolerant like the tree and humble like the blade of grass. Such persons can chant the Hare Krishna mantra and preach. In Bombay we are undergoing so many tribulations. What can be done? I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 02:10 | 25 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Ramesvara das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 6, 1974 and have noted the contents. No, we cannot loan BBT money for any other purpose than what is mentioned in the BBT Agreement. These other loans for cows, equipment, and restaurants must all be re-paid, and no other loans other than for publishing and temple construction can be granted. Yes, you can advise Kingsport Press to supply a superior paper. Regarding the technical problems you are having in producing the books and magazines, how can I advise all these things. I have no experience. Better you consult amongst yourselves and do the needful. Dai Nippon should be charged for the inferior paper used in the new Bhagavatam volumes. Regarding Jayadvaita it is good for him to avoid controversy. It is a paltry matter, so why he should be disturbed? It was already discovered it was meat, so he said it was by mistake. So it is a good thing that you have distributed books to the son and daughter of the President. This is another example how the book distribution is better than the Street Sankirtana alone. Now the books are in the President's house, but by your chanting you could never approach the President's house. That the body guards allowed our devotee to sell them the books, means that they accept us as good people who do not cause harm. Most probably when entering the house and seeing the father, the daughter would say see what I have purchased today. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: BBT, book distribution, Los Angeles, US President letters | 02:09 |24 November 2008 Sunday, 24 November, 1974 Bombay Industry House, Bombay My Dear Sri S.P. Mandelia: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 16, 1974. I thank you very much for your invitation to the wedding of your son. I shall be very pleased to attend if I will be in Bombay during that time. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 02:06 | 24 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Sukadeva das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter undated and have noted the contents. I am glad to learn that you are having nice college programs. Regarding there going to be depression and atomic war, who said that? This is all false propaganda. I never said this. Regarding free will and pre-destination, yes, materially everything is decided. Spiritually you can make advancement despite all material destiny. Materially you cannot change things as they are but spiritually it is possible. No, devotees are not allowed more than one wife. Devotees should have no wife if possible, but those who cannot maintain celibacy, they can marry one wife. At the present moment people are so unfortunate they cannot maintain even one wife. First of all at the present moment they are not married and remain mostly unmarried. So for such persons even one wife is a great burden. Under the circumstances how one can think of more than one wife? Regarding your fifth question, that I shall think over. Regarding the sannyasi, therefore I have stopped sannyasa. No Vaisnava says that he is advanced. Please send me the name of the sannyasi, and I shall do the needful. Regarding the cooking, a non-brahmana may assist but he cannot cook. I Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: marriage, sannyasa, Seattle, wife letters | 02:06 |24 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Pancadravida Swami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 19, 1974 and am glad to read the contents. Never mind if you do not get the visa for India. We can preach anywhere. We have to preach both in heaven and hell. There is a Bengali saying that a husking machine will husk the rice whether in heaven or in hell. So where-ever Krishna desires we will preach this movement. Try your best to establish a center in Bangkok, and the men here who have to leave India for visa difficulty, they can go to Bangkok and remain there and get the visas from there. Here now there is visa difficulty, so a center in Bangkok will be good. Manasvi can go to Bangkok to assist you. He speaks Hindi and can be valuable. He has already told Brahmananda that he will go. So take this as Krishna's desire, and we are servants of Krishna, so our only business is to try to satisfy Him. You are a sannyasi and I have got full confidence in you that you can do very nicely there. Everywhere this movement is accepted, so please keep me informed what is the progress there. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Bangkok, preaching, visas letters | 02:05 |24 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Bhakta dasa: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 10, 1974 with enclosed photographs of the Hare Krishna Restaurant. It is very nice. I had been there to Stanford University. So you can get Mr. Malkani in New York to help you in the restaurant. He went there to start a restaurant, but now he is cooking in the New York temple, so you arrange for him to help you. Are books being sold also in the restaurant? Regarding the Ratha Yatra Festival, keep it always gorgeously alive, but do not change the principle. The principle should go on as usual. Yes, it is all right to make something in the park as you have suggested. Why you want to change the wheels? This is unnecessary. Don't do this. Keep the old system strong, and if necessary repair it. Don't change from this to that. That is your American disease. This is very serious that you always want to change everything. Spoked wheels will never be as strong and hard as the old way. Never do this. Neither there should be any separate float as you have suggested for me. Regarding having the crowds come forward to touch Lord Jagannatha's feet, that will also be impossible to manage. So for the time being this program may not be taken. Regarding the devotees you have recommended, I am pleased to accept them as my disciples and their names are as follows: Marilyn--Manini devi; Jamie--Janjapukandhi devi; Carol Hansen--Kelilalita devi; Carol Tungate--Kalpalatika devi; Huber--Hanumatpresaka dasa; Steve--Satkrta dasa; Lou--Lankesa das; Kirk--Kalanidhi dasa. Also I accept the following as twice born initiated brahmanas: Vatsala dasa; Sasikhala devi; and Vaisesikha dasa. The sanctified threads and the mantra sheets are enclosed. Hold a fire sacrifice, and the gayatri mantra should be heard through the right ear from my tape recording. I am glad to see that you are taking these initiations seriously. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: initiation, Rathayatra, San Francisco letters | 02:02 |23 November 2008 Saturday, 23 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Madam Surati Morarji: Thank you very much for your kind reception. The present immediate problem is that we require the Police Commissioner's consent to construct a temple. The papers are already there in his possession, and it is understood that if some important Minister recommends immediately the matter will be solved. So you kindly give immediately a note to the Finance Minister Mr. Choudhury so that Giriraja will go tomorrow morning early to see the Minister. So kindly give your note immediately to Giriraja because the time is very short. We have to get it done before this Tuesday next. So give a strongly recommended note and oblige. Thanking you. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Bombay, politicians letters | 02:04 |23 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Saurabha das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 15/11/74 and the account. I had wanted an account of the last Rs. 5,10,000/- that was sent to you. Please give me that account, how it was spent for the construction. Now we have sent you Rs. 1,25,000/- and I am sending another Rs. 1,75,000/-. Now Bhugarbha reports that you say the asrama will not be completed for the opening festival. The program was already postponed because the asrama was not finished. Therefore everything must be cent per cent completed by the end of March. Is the contractor cheating? That means it will never be finished. Simply we have to put money. From the photos I have seen, there is not very much progress. What to do? I want no explanations. I want to see everything finished. If there is still doubt, please tell me frankly. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: construction, Krishna Balarama, Vrindavana letters | 02:04 |23 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Mukunda das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 16/11/74 from Germany with enclosed documents. Do not sign these documents. Let Bali Mardan explain to me what is the idea. No, without removing shoes nobody can visit the temple. Where are the arrangements for a ramp? Neither you should make it. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor letters | 02:02 |23 November, 1974 Bombay Taunus, West Germany My Dear Hamsaduta das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 12, 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding the grazing land at Bhaktivedanta Manor, it is not very clear from your letter whether you have got the sales document or not. Whether it is at the Manor or not? How are these documents being kept? Mukunda cannot do this work of seeing George and negotiating with him. If possible you try to meet George and settle. You meet him, and neither Mukunda or anyone else should do it. Regarding your saying that Satsvarupa said I spoke something about some plan for distributing books in Russia, I never said anything. Regarding saligrama sila, forget it. There is no need of installing. Kirtana is most important thing and book distribution. Regarding my saying that Atreya Rsi is GBC of material affairs, yes, I said that. Regarding Bali Mardan, he came here, and I have asked him to live with me for some time. He will inform me at the end of December. So we have to wait to decide at the end of December. Regarding the initiations, upon your recommendations I have accepted the following as my disciples and their names are as follows: Ulrike--Amsumala devi dasi; Sabine--Snata devi dasi; Joachim--Jalandhara dasa; Achim--Haraka dasa; Thomas--Taponidhi dasa; Beth--Visoka devi; Detlinde--Dinasarana devi; Ceamack--Candravalipati dasa; Marco--Mahakarta dasa. I also accept the following as twice born initiated brahmanas: Udvargha dasa; Ravinari dasa: Manidhara dasa; Modananlasa devi; Manimanjari devi; Manda devi; Ramburu devi; Silpakarini devi. The sanctified threads and mantra sheets are enclosed. Now hold a fire sacrifice, and the brahmanas may hear the gayatri mantra through the right ear from my recording tape. You are authorized to chant on the beads. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami cc: ISKCON New York ACBS/bs N.B. Please do the needful regarding the enclosed letter from Mr. Patel. Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor, George Harrison, initiation letters | 02:01 |23 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Kirtanananda Swami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 6, 1974 with the enclosed investigation report. In your letter you mention a recent letter relating to Bali Mardan's plan to infiltrate East Coast temples. What is that letter? Regarding the prasadam, I never approved Mr. Malkani cooking in the temple. He is not initiated. Of course he is Hindu, but he went there to start his business. But, he is not initiated to cook in the temple. Any paid cook is not desirable. Who was cooking formally? He wanted to start his business, not to be engaged by us. The independent cooking done in the temple kitchen is not good.* Why Taittiriya should have a servant? Godbrothers are not meant for being servants. Without the spiritual master's order, nobody can utilize the service of a godbrother as one's personal servant. We address each-other as prabhu, so how can we engage our godbrother as servant? Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu engaged Govindadas who was His god brother as His servant, but that was only on the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's spiritual master. So the best thing is that Bali Mardan live with me. This is the only solution. Regarding ghee for India, what is the price? Australia is also sending in exchange of books. We have received from Australia ghee for Rs. 10-per kg. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami *The right thing is that only twice initiated brahmana disciples cook in the temple. ACBS/bs Labels: New York, paid cook, spiritual master's order letters | 02:01 | |
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