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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 |
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6 December 2008 Friday, 6 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Dennis: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 22, 1974 and have noted the contents. So regarding the situation that if you leave your wife and your son, she will be broken hearted, therefore I asked you to stay. It is better for you to remain with your wife and son and chant Hare Krishna as much as possible, and Krishna will personally give you direction. It may be that Krishna will make your wife agreeable to your line of action. And if your wife agrees, and your son he is already doing, that will make your life very happy in Krishna consciousness. The best policy is to chant Hare Krishna all together husband, wife, and son at least a half hour daily. If your wife joins with you in chanting, then the whole problem will be solved. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 09:36 | 6 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Sri Govinda das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter undated together with clippings and photos, and thank you very much. I think the article about the book distribution at the airport is indirectly an advertisement. People will come to know about our books and our movement. Here in Bombay they also have the complaint that we are nuisance. What can be done? The writer of the article calls us Hare Krishnas. He calls us this over and over again. He does not know that by doing this he is chanting the holy name and will be benefited. Just like during Lord Caitanya's time, the Muhammadans used to joke how the devotees were chanting Hare Krishna. One of the officers said to his subordinate that it was all right that they were chanting, but why was he chanting. And the man had to admit that yes he was also chanting and that he did not know why he was doing it. So by writing this article, this man is chanting. They say that you are all my disciples. So the guru is not on the scene. He has fled away and nobody knows where he is, but the Krishna consciousness program is going on. That was also going on during the time of Lord Caitanya. In South India He used to travel, and in a village He would meet some man and induce him to chant, and the man would become a devotee, and Lord Caitanya would go away, but still the man would continue to chant. So, I am not personally present, but still things are going on, and it is increasing. So the books are selling and we are expanding. This book distribution is the brihat mrdangam. It is the greater preaching. Anyway, you have replied properly to the article that this may be some isolated incident. Yes, as you have said in your reply they must see what kind of life our men are living. Our books are better than the nonsense books. You have written them to the point. And, even if there is some complaint, they are getting the real thing from our books. they are forgetting the aim of life. Somehow or other, we have to give them the real thing. Why this one man should be envious? In the history of the world, especially the Western countries, there is no record of selling religious books so many daily. It is unique in the history. Our men are doing good, that they do not see. They are so blind. But, the end justifies the means. We have to give them even if they do not want it. That is our duty. Actually what is our aim? Our aim is to create men of ideal character. And, if our men are distributing books on this account, they are doing the best service to the society. Because someone has said something in the airport, that is not very important. What we are doing that they must see. See their sacrifice, what is behind their life, how they are living; how they have sacrificed everything for the welfare of society. In our society there is no distinction between black or white, Hindu or Muslim. Every living being is welcome to take to this cult, and make his life a successful affair. Regarding your question, actually it is a fact that ultimately everyone should preach and distribute books if they want to please me in the best way. Book distribution must be given stress always. He has spoken the right thing. If you do this sincerely, it is a fact that Krishna will supply everything else required. So you say that your men are like the four Kumaras disobeying Lord Brahma. Does it mean you are Brahma? But, it is a fact. Here in India we are arranging for publishing Hindi books and other languages for profuse distribution in India. That is my immediate program. I blindly follow my Guru Maharaj. I do not know what is the result. So I am stressing on this point of book distribution. He told me this personally. Book distribution is bhagavata marga and temple worship is pancaratriki viddhi. Both are important for cultivating Vaisnavism but comparatively speaking bhagavata marga is more important than pancaratriki viddhi. As far as possible both should go on in parallel lines but still bhagavata marga is more important than the other. So you are all intelligent boys, so you should judge the desire of my Guru Maharaj and help me in that way. Regarding the temple management, one man can be left behind, while the others go out, to take care of the Deity. And, you can come home at night and take prasadam sumptuously. Once eating sumptuously is enough to maintain body and soul together. In the daytime you may not take, and at night you can take. As a matter of fact, a devotee may take only once in a day either in the day or night, and whenever you eat, you must first offer. But I do not mean you should neglect temple life. Do not misunderstand this. But, one man can remain, and so far the other devotees are concerned, they can eat once in the day or night, after having kirtana, then six hours of sound sleep, and this will maintain their health properly. So on the above statements you must make some compromise. Both Tripurari and yourself are intelligent. Sometimes we may differ, but Krishna is the center. Just like in Vrindaban there is Radharani's party and there is Candravali's party. So Krishna is the center of both parties. So even there there is competition between the parties, but they coincide in Krishna. Regarding the seminar, that is very good. April or May will be good, but May will be very good. I can come at that time. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: bhagavata marga, book distribution, Chicago, pancaratriki viddhi letters | 09:35 |6 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Pusta Krishna Swami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 12, 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding my traveling, no, I have not stopped traveling. I am trying to go on like a young man, but sometimes the health does not allow. That is beyond my jurisdiction. So you have finally gotten the visa for South Africa. So we are trying to get the endorsement on my passport for going to Africa here in Bombay. I will come to South Africa. Brahmananda Swami suggests that we come after going to Australia. We shall remain in Australia up to end of February, and will be able to spare two weeks in South Africa, because I must be in India by mid March. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs N.B. We were not able to get the S.A. endorsement in Bombay in time, so we shall try for it in Australia. Labels: itinerary, Johannesburg letters | 09:35 |4 December 2008 Wednesday, 4 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Atreya Rsi das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 18, 1974 with enclosed letter about the restaurant. Why you could not come to India? I had wanted you to come to discuss some matters. Bhagavan dasa also wanted you to come. Anyway I know the people of Tehran they like hatha yoga very much. I understand Parivrajakacarya Swami is teaching a course combining both hatha and bhakti yoga to attract the people. This is a very good idea. Somehow or other inject the bhakti yoga. That will save them from the degradations of sense gratification. Regarding the restaurant, what kind of restaurant it will be? The people of Iran are very rich and they can supply money for this purpose. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: restaurant, Tehran, Yoga Club letters | 06:58 |4 December, 1974 Bombay Teton Village, Wyoming My Dear Alfred: Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your kind letter dated November 9, 1974 and have noted the contents. Most probably I am going to Hawaii by the middle of this month of December, and I shall let you know as soon as I reach there. I shall be glad to see you in Hawaii for making some project for improving the land there. I shall pray to Krishna for your ever increasing advancement in Krishna consciousness. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Alfred Ford letters | 06:57 |4 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Pranava das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 29, 1974 with enclosures and have noted the contents carefully. In a letter from Tejiyas to Brahmananda Swami dated November 12, 1974, he writes, "The land transaction is taking an extraordinary length of time." And, in a letter from Dhananjaya to me dated November 9, 1974 he writes, "There has also been a problem with the map of the property . . . and so far both parts of the map have never been presented together to the advocate. Therefore the advocate is also dubious as to the validity of the transaction." On the strength of these two letters I have dropped the idea of purchasing this land. Now it comes to light we have to deal with three separate agreements and they will not take payment from the bank. So considering all these points, I think this transaction may be dropped. On the previous reports submitted I have already dropped the matter. Also, as we have to divert so much attention to fertilize the land, I do not think it is suitable for our purpose. When I return to Vrindaban, then we can reconsider this transaction. The documents which you sent are returned herewith. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 06:56 | 4 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Madhudvisa Swami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 25, 1974 and have noted the contents. Yes, it is a good idea to ship ghee 1200 lbs. twice yearly. You can ship once in January and once in June. I shall talk further with you, when I come there next month. In the meantime you can let me know to which port the ship generally comes to India, whether to Bombay or Calcutta. Which port is nearer? I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 06:55 | 4 December, 1974 Bombay MADHUDVISA SWAMI RECEIVED YOUR LETTER IT WILL BE NICE I COME FOR YOUR TEMPLE OPENING IN JANUARY ARRANGE FOR IT AC BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI Labels: telegram letters | 06:54 |4 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Gurukrpa Swami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 26, 1974 and have noted the contents. The Credit Note from DNP for $60,338.98 was not enclosed however. Regarding how the money is being spent for Vrindaban project, I have written to Saurabha Prabhu for a report, but it has not yet come. As soon as it comes, I will reply you. You must be satisfied how the money is being spent. Why are you having immigration difficulty, when others have gotten the missionary visas you mentioned in your last letter? We have already got our tourist visas for Japan and will be coming soon. Regarding the preaching there in Japan, the Japanese people are giving money, even more than America; that is preaching. Somehow or other they are giving service to the Lord. This is wanted. Regarding the latest money mentioned above, it has not yet been transferred to India, and I am enquiring from Ramesvara. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 06:53 | 4 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Ramesvara das: Please accept my blessings. I have received a letter from Gurukrpa Swami that he has given to DNP on November 26, 1974 $60,338.98. This money is not yet received here. If you have not sent it to ISKCON MAYAPUR VRINDABAN FUND A/c No. 17168 at First National City Bank, Bombay; then you can send it through Bank of America in favor of ISKCON MAYAPUR VRINDABAN FUND A/c No. 16026, Bank of America Bombay Branch. Please acknowledge. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: bank, Los Angeles letters | 06:52 |3 December 2008 Tuesday, 3 December, 1974 Bombay Harrow, England Dear Sri Mody: Please accept my best wishes. I am in due receipt of a copy of your letter addressed to Sriman Madhavananda das dated November 1, 1974. I did not know anything about this incident. I am very sorry for it however, and I am inquiring into the matter further. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs N.B. Are you visiting India sometime in April 1975? If so kindly let me now where you will stay. ACBS Labels: London letters | 05:11 |3 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Madhavananda das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 1, 1974 and have noted the contents. Of course I was here in India, so I could not attend your Diwali-Govardhana Puja function, but I understand it was very nice. I am glad to understand that you are living and working peacefully with the others there. This is required. If we also fight and preach Krishna consciousness, what will people say? Therefore Lord Caitanya has stated: trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. Another symptom of a sadhu or spiritually advanced man is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam by Lord Kapila: titiksavah karunikah suhrdah sarva dehinam. (3,25:21) The symptoms of a sadhu is that he is tolerant, merciful, and friendly to all living entities. I may also refer to a letter to you from Mr. Mody dated November 1, 1974. It appears that Kausalya has annoyed him very much so that he could resign his membership. So I want to know what is the cause. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor letters | 05:10 |3 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Ramesvara das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 23, 1974 with enclosed copy of BTG 67 and also your letter dated November 20, 1974 from New York. The BTG issue is very nice, and I am pleased with it. Regarding the New York temple's books, they should be charged the regular temple price for all literature. When purchasing their house, if they require money, then the BBT will give. It is understood from a telegram from Jayatirtha that Gurukrpa's Dollars 13,000.00 was not sent to India as you say but deposited in the Savings Account. So let it remain there. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: BBT, BTG, Los Angeles letters | 05:09 |3 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Prabhavisnu das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 9, 1974. I am very glad to learn that you are all working peacefully together. This is the most favorable atmosphere for cultivating our Krishna consciousness. And if people see us working together nicely, they cannot criticize anything against our Krishna consciousness movement. Upon your recommendation I am accepting the following devotees as my initiated disciples and their names are as follows: 1. Soley--Sarvasagara dasa; 2. Angela--Aksunnasakti devi dasi; 3. Jackie--Janardanaprita devi dasi. Their beads may be chanted upon by Hamsaduta. I am also accepting the following as twice born brahmanas upon your recommendation: Brsabha dasa; Jaya Laksmana das; Jnana das; and Jalastitha devi das. Their mantra sheets and sanctified threads are duly enclosed. Now hold a fire sacrifice. The gayatri mantra can be heard through the right ear from my recorded tape. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor, initiation letters | 05:08 |2 December 2008 Monday, 2 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Yasomatinandana das: Please accept my blessings. I have received one letter from Sucarudev das, a devotee there who has some complaint, that he is left in charge when Mahamsa Swami goes out on tour, and no one cooperates with him, just sleeping and eating. So please enquire and let me know actually what is the situation there, and how things are going on. Also let me know what is the program for Hindi publishing there. Here in Bombay they are going on daily Sankirtana in Fort and selling 100 BTG's (English) daily, and they get requests for Hindi literature. I have also received a letter from a diseased man, but what can I do? Please read the letter enclosed. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Hyderabad letters | 05:08 |2 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Trivikrama Swami: Please accept my blessings. I have seen your letter addressed to Brahmananda Swami dated November 29, 1974 and have noted the contents with care. I have sent you one cable on November 21 reading as follows: PLEASE STAY AT LEAST ONE MONTH DO NOT LEAVE IT SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED I AM GOING TO SEE THE SITUATION STOP BHURIJANA MAY ALSO BE PRESENT COPY MADHUDVISA --AC BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI So you have not acknowledged that you have received this cable. So you stay there in Hong Kong and struggle for Krishna. I received today also the Chinese literature On the Way to Krsna. One Chinese literature is 1000 times better preaching than worshipping in the temple. But we to have a place and the worship must go on. Without having a sitting place, how will people come to see us and talk with us? So try to distribute and publish as much as possible. I am coming there very soon, so please arrange for it. If it can be continued why close it? The book you have published is real preaching. At least the Chinese will have some idea of Krishna. So I will come and see how things are going on. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 05:07 | 2 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Sudama das Goswami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 21, 1974 and have noted the contents carefully. I had asked you not to open the restaurant. Do not open the restaurant. Stop this. It cannot be managed. Regarding the complaints against yourself you have mentioned, I do not find any complaints. But even if there should be such complaints, you must remain pure, and automatically the complaints will vanish. And, if there is any truth in the complaints, you should rectify and be purified. Regarding the other matters, these things you please consult amongst yourselves and do the needful. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Hawaii, restaurant letters | 05:07 |2 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Patita Uddharana das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 21, 1974 and have noted the contents. It is nice that you had a nice Diwali-Govardhana Puja celebration. I have not received any photos however. Regarding the Indian gentleman Krishna Das, he can go to Dallas and teach Sanskrit and English, or he can come here to Bombay if he likes. As you are doing secretarial duties there at the Manor, there is one matter I would like you to look into. There is one man Mr. Mody. What happened? He is a big man. Now Kausalya has irritated him. Try to compromise the situation, and inform me. I Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor letters | 05:06 |2 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Madhudvisa Swami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 5, 1974 with enclosed plans of the newly purchased house. It all appears very wonderful. It is very good that the Deity is facing East. Yes, the room above the Deity should be kept vacant. Yes, you can store Ratha Yatra festival gear or books there, also. The proposed pinnacle should not have Om, but shastic or cakra, Krsna's weapon. So everything is nice, and I shall be glad to come for the Deity installation and temple opening in January. We shall come from Honolulu via Fiji. I Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Melbourne letters | 05:05 |2 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Bhurijana das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 7, 1974 with enclosed check for $100.00. So you stay wherever you are peaceful, but do not forget Krishna consciousness. That is my request. I have received your check, and thank you very much for it. Now Krishna has blessed you with a daughter. The name Vrindabanleela you have chosen is very nice. Trivikrama Swami has published one Chinese literature, On the Way to Krishna. I have not read it of course, but it appears very nice, with my photo on the cover. I have asked him to organize the center there. So try to help him even by correspondence, and sometimes try to visit there because you are experienced in Hong Kong affairs. I shall be gong to Hong Kong and Tokyo shortly, and thereafter to Australia in the month of January, as Madhudvisa Swami has invited me for the temple opening and installation. I hope this meets you in good health, and also your wife. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 05:05 | December 2, 1974 Bombay My Dear Jayadvaita das: Please accept my blessings. I have seen on the new books printed that on the spine of the jacket the words Bhaktivedanta Book Trust have been omitted. Formally they were there on all the books. It is understood from Ramesvara that you removed these words. Why did you do this? Who authorized it? Did Bali Mardan authorize it? These things must be there. Please see to it. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: BBT, New York, unauthorized letters | 01:35 |1 December 2008 1 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Hamsaduta das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 21, 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding introducing the records in USA, yes, why not, but do not minimize the book selling. Better if a different party is engaged in record selling, so that the book selling may not be affected. Both book selling and record selling are good, but book selling is better and permanent. Record selling is temporary. It is very encouraging that you plan to publish one volume per month of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Regarding selling the books in Germany, if you want to hire people to sell books, yes, why not? It is due to the scarcity of men. So German people are not coming to join this movement? So far I have seen your German devotees, they are very enthusiastic and steady workers. So if you get some good souls to join, then there will be no difficulty for selling the books. So it doesn't matter if we are selling more or less, so far the publications are there. We may sell or not, but the books must be there. The present Das Hare Krsna Kochbuch is very nicely printed, especially the picture of Krsna and His friends eating. It is very glorious. We wish to join His party, but it requires great tapasya. For many, many lives these boys performed tapasya to join His party and eating with Him. I see that you are charging the equivalent of Dollars 4.00. Yes, they must pay. Regarding the interest of Miss Thakura, very good, that's nice. Keep friendship with her and introduce our books. Give her prasadam, and after all she is woman, flatter her. Then she will remain pleased, so keep her as friend. Regarding the new proposal for a farm, yes arrange for it. So make it another like our New Vrindaban. You have already named it Govardhana Hill. That's nice. If possible add Giri Govardhana Hill. How far is it from the Frankfurt center? As you have recommended for initiation Lisa Reuter and Willy, I have accepted them as my disciples. Their names are Lekhasravanti devi dasi and Bimbasya dasa. Please see to it that they chant on their beads and follow the regulative principles carefully. You are authorized to chant on their beads. I understand that the boy Jagannatha dasa will join the editing party in Hawaii. Thank you very much. Regarding the loan to Stockholm, yes, that's nice. They must return it again. Yes, we must invest our money in books and land, but no there will be collapse as you have anticipated. Everything will be adjusted by the grace of Krsna. From my own experience I have seen when first class rice was selling at 8np. per kg, and now that is being sold at Rs. 8. That means that it is 64 times higher, but still people are eating, and the man who lives in care of the footpath he is also eating. So the man in care of the foothpath, and the man on the 30th floor of the sky scraper, they are living and still the inflation is going on. Man-made laws cannot work any rupture in Krsna's plan. Better let us remain now under Krsna's shelter fully dependent, and we shall remain unaffected by all the man-made difficulties. So concentrate on publishing books as far as possible, and sell, and spend the money accordingly. In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated: sa gunam samatityaitan/ brahma-bhuyaya kalpate (14:26) The devotee is transcendental to the material modes. On the whole I am very much pleased with your publishing extensively in the German language. It has given me great pleasure. One thing, for our books the words "Bhaktivedanta Book Trust" must appear on the spine of the jacket. Formally it was being done, and now it has been stopped. These things should always be there. I have seen it on the latest Bhagavatams. Regarding the DM 5,000 transfer, yes that has been received and sent to Calcutta for Mayapur Prasadam Pavilion. So for transferring money we have opened new accounts so from New York money can be sent through First National City Bank to their Bombay Branch in favor of International Society for Krishna Consciousness Mayapur Vrindaban Fund A/c No. 17168; and from Los Angeles they can send through Bank of America to their Bombay Fort Branch also in favor of International Society for Krishna Consciousness Mayapur Vrindaban Fund A/C No. 16026. Karandhara is no longer BBT Trustee, so his name can be removed from the accounts and your signature can be added. Bali Mardan is on the marginal stage. Things will be decided when I go to Hawaii. It is my opinion that he has fallen victim to the woman. Maya is very strong, but if we try to save him by our combined efforts, because he is a good asset. So I am trying to save him from the victimization. It is also my opinion not to move the Press to L.A. but keep it in N.Y. Removal is not my opinion. It will be very much expensive and not much improvement. Yes, make the management nice. Yes, also send some responsible Englishmen here to India who will not have the visa problem. Regarding purchasing the Schloss, yes I like that Schloss. Does the price include the adjoining lands or not? I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs cc: N.Y., W. Ger. Labels: BBT, Germany, victimization letters | 02:21 | |
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