a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1968 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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5 Jun 2004 Wednesday, June 5, 1968 Montreal, Quebec My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your five-pages letter dated May 31, 1968, and I have been informed of your telephone conversation with Janardana about my visa appeal. To tell you frankly, I have no faith in the lawyers; they promise something but they do something else. From my last experience with Mr. Ypsalentin and the real estate lawyers, I cannot advise you to pay $200.00 immediately to the lawyers and then depend on his good mercy. In the paper forwarded by Boston Immigration Department, it is clearly stated there that this decision cannot be appealed, so I would advise you to make a fresh case under section 3, religious ministry. I am a bona fide religious minister and I have got bona fide certificates confirming my religious ministership, and I have got eight centers who require my help in the current condition. And therefore, if it is possible, try to get my permanent residence as religious minister. In our last attempt to get permanent visa on the basis of religious ministership, it is not rejected. They have not decided my case by determination on my religious ministership--that is clearly stated. So my religious ministership is not denied and you can file a new case to have me as religious minister for the institution, which is incorporated as religious society. I think that will be a strong case, and if they deny my qualification as ministership, then we can appeal on good grounds with proof that I am a bona fide spiritual master. Other section number C, in which you have mentioned that there is no American to conduct this service, may be refuted on the ground that I have got so many American disciples, and why they will not conduct; so this position is not very sound in my opinion. For the time being, I am here, and if you think that it is possible to submit fresh application under section no. 3, on the grounds of my religious ministership, then do it immediately, and I shall wait here for three months. And if it is successful then the immigration will be very nice. Otherwise, I shall proceed to London and try to establish a center there. My other point is that my permanent vise in U.S.A. is not so important, as is the publication of books, and circulating them as widely as possible. I think therefore that you should give more attention to the publication department. Even if I do not get permanent visa, it is not very harmful. I understand that the government of the U.S.A. is disgusted with the so-called Swamis because they have exploited the people in so many ways. That is a fact. And if I would have been in the government, I would have also considered like that. So, they have not got a very good opinion about these rascal Swamis. Under the circumstances, it will be difficult to get me admitted as a Swami, although I am not a Swami of the rascal group. But we have to prove it by action that this Swami is not like those Swamis. This remark was made by Mr. Alan Burke of the television company; He introduced me to the public as, "Here is a real Swami," and he showed me all respectful compliments. Anyway, I am not after respectful compliments by the public. But I am concerned more about my disciples. I want to see them quite able to preach this sublime doctrine of Krishna Consciousness, and therefore I wish to stay. Otherwise, I'm not attracted for any place, either hell or heaven. Anyway, if some lawyer assures that this religious ministership which is so bona fide, can be established, then you can promise him some sum of money after completion of the attempt. But I do not advise you to appeal for the last decision. The letters which you have written to Dwarkin and United Shipping Corporation is all right, and let me know what reply you get. So far my visa application in this country, I do not know where I am. If you can, you can go to the Canadian Immigration Office in the 5th Avenue, and you can inquire from them why they have not replied my letters. Do not disclose to them at present where I am, and then on hearing from you, I shall try to see the Immigration Officer here, if you so advise. For the present, you can inquire that the files were transferred from Los Angeles, to New York, which you understood from telephone conversation to Los Angeles. Hoping you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:58 | 1 Jun 2004 Saturday, June 1, 1968 Allston, Mass My Dear Krsna dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your kind letter dated May 25, 1968, and I am very pleased that although you are the youngest of my disciples, amongst the boys, your sentiments are very highly developed. Please continue to feel Krishna in the same way, and chant regularly, without fail, you will improve more and more. By your gracious connection with your family, all the members of your family, namely, your sister, your two younger brothers, as well as your mother, are coming in contact with Krishna Consciousness. As you are the eldest son of your mother, it is your duty to guide them properly so that they can also become advanced in Krishna Consciousness. Certainly it is a fact that all of you are combined together in a family way by the Grace of Krishna. And by His Grace only you have come in contact with me. Personally I have no credit for myself, but I am trying to act as faithful servant of my predecessors and just presenting without any adulteration the message which I have received from my Spiritual Master. Similarly, if this message is presented by you all who have accepted me as the Spiritual Master, then all the people of the world may be benefited by receiving this transcendent message of Krishna Consciousness. Try to execute this mission wholeheartedly and faithfully, and all of you try to broadcast the message to your best capacity. I am so glad to learn that your two brothers are growing very nicely, and I hope in future they will be great help to this missionary activities, and so I think also of your nice sister, Saradia. Please try to guide them properly. I note that you have got now $700.00; keep it intact and increase it up to $1200.00 at least, so that in case we have to go to India, you will have to purchase a return ticket. I am going to Montreal and later developments will be known to you gradually. Yes, that shark is all right. Thank you very much for your offerings. Your humbleness is very much appreciated by me. This humbleness is the sign of progress in Krishna Consciousness. A Krishna Consciousness person thinks always about himself as the lowest creature in the world, and the more one thinks like that he becomes elevated more and more. A Krishna Conscious person is never falsely puffed-up; he is satisfied with his humble position as the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna. Hope you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:09 | Saturday, June 1, 1968 Allston, Mass My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of May 25, 1968, and I thank you very much for it. Yes, I received the medicine intact, and I thank you for sending it. I am going to Montreal on Monday, June 3rd, and if I find Montreal quite suitable, I shall call you and some other students to assemble there to practice Sankirtana in a systematic way. Of course, chanting Hare Krishna does not require any artificial artistic sense, but still, if the procedure is presented rhythmically, then the people may be attracted more by the transcendental music. So, Hamsaduta asked me about you and I have said that you will be able to come as soon as I call you, so first of all let me go there, then I shall let you know what to do. For the present, you endeavor to make the Rathayatra Festival grand successful. You should arrange the procession and procedure so nicely that all the neighboring people may be attracted to join the procession. Yes, your question about will and the individual and the difference between them: Thinking, feeling and willing is the subtle covering of the individual soul. This thinking, feeling, and willing is accelerated by the individual soul. In material contact, they are manifested in perverted way. When the individual soul voluntarily surrenders to Krishna and acts in a routine method, thinking, feeling and willing becomes purified and at that time, there is no difference between the individual soul and will. Syamasundara. is a good servitor from the very beginning, and so is Harsarani. I am very much obliged to you all that you are taking care of Jagannatha so nicely. The more you make the Deity of Jagannatha attractively dressed, the more you shall become spiritually attractive. If Jagannatha desires, then I may also join you, but the idea of making San Francisco as New Jagannatha Puri is my transcendental dream, and if you fulfill this dream, I shall be so much obliged to you all. The example of Naradaji, that when he realized Krishna in his previous life, that life and next life, there is no difference. The example is given sometimes in the coconut skin when it is dried up, the fruit within the covering of coconut is hard. And if the coconut is shaken, it is found that the coconut fruit is moving within. Because it has dried up and broken away from the inner walls of the coconut skin. So it has nothing to do with the outer skin, even though it appears that it is within that skin. Similarly, when one is purely in Krishna Consciousness, it may appear that he is within the material existence, but actually he has nothing to do with it. He is dried up, like the coconut fruit; and that process of drying-up is forgetting all sense gratification, and executing Krishna Consciousness full time. So, when one is purely in Krishna Consciousness, his present life and in future life are identical. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:06 | 31 May 2004 Friday, May 31, 1968 Allston, Mass My Dear Gargamuni, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter post-dated May 27, 1968, and I thank you very much for the check for $80.00 for my book account. I am so glad that you are selling my books nicely. Yes, always try to sell our books and Back To Godhead, as far as possible. That is our main business. I am so pleased for your valuable loving sentiments upon me and this will keep you advanced in Krishna Consciousness, rest assured. Next time when I come back to San Francisco, some of the boys who have regularly chanted 16 rounds at least for one year shall be initiated for the second time, and offered sacred thread to recognize them as complete Brahmins. I am going to Montreal on Monday and shall see how things are going there. Krishna willing, I may be staying at Montreal for some time to organize the Temple as well as some Indian visitors. And I have in mind to start 2 or 3 branches there, one in Vancouver. Vancouver is nearer to San Francisco and if I get chance to go to Vancouver, surely I shall come back to San Francisco from there. Regarding your seeking permission for selling some leather goods and water pipes: I say yes, you can sell. We have nothing to do with these things, but in special cases, if somebody asks us to sell intoxicants or similar things, we cannot do that. The pipes are meant for persons who are already addicted to intoxication. So if we don't sell it, it does not mean it will counteract intoxication, even though indirectly it is connected with intoxication. We are not having any connection with these things, but you are selling for getting some profit for Krishna. You cannot dissatisfy your supplier who are eager to sell like that. But anyway, in all such odd circumstances as this, you should ask my permission. But be careful that you may not be attached to such business. If required, we can give up such business at any moment. I am always thinking of you, and I am also feeling separation of you all. But we have to work for Krishna diligently and with faith and love. Hope this will find you all right, and keep in good health. Thanking you once more, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:00 | 30 May 2004 Thursday, May 30, 1968 Allston, Mass My Dear Aniruddha, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 25, 1968, and I have also received one letter signed by three of you, Mukunda, yourself and Umapati, recommending the new boy Stanley Broderick. I have received his beads also, and I am sending him the beads properly initiated, and his initiated name is Sacisuta. Sacisuta means the Son of Saci, or Lord Caitanya. So I am very pleased that this boy is attracted to Krishna Consciousness and he is being initiated by the Grace of Krishna. Please try to save him from the hands of Maya. Regarding your personal sentiments not being in agreement with Umapati: I am very sorry that this thing has happened. We are preaching Krishna Consciousness, the greatest platform of harmony, and if we dissent amongst ourselves, and disunite, it doesn't look very well. You are sinceremost servant of Krishna. I know that you have worked very good for Krishna. I think you should not be disturbed by minor disagreement. If you think that you cannot agree with Umapati, you can stop discussing with him, and if there is any point of judgment, you can refer to me. I am always at your service. So long we are individual souls, there must be disagreement also, because that is the symptom of individuality. But when such individual is surrendered unto Krishna, there should not be any disagreement. Of course, Subala is working alone, and he is doing very nice to his best capacity, but if you want to go there, I have no objection because it will be a great help to Subala. But I know also that much depends on you about the L.A. temple, and I am afraid if you go, the temple in L.A. may suffer. Therefore, I would advise that you should consult with Mukunda about this because he is very calm and coolheaded boy, and then decide whether to go to Santa Fe or not. I am writing separately to Mukunda also, as well as to Umapati in this connection, and I wish to know why there is disagreement. There cannot be any disagreement in discharge of duties in Krishna Consciousness. I am leaving for Montreal on June 3rd, 1968, at 11:00 a.m. and you know Montreal address so that you can reply this letter there. Again I say that don't be agitated on some flimsy ground but cooperate on the platform of Krishna Consciousness. Hope this will find you all right. Your ever well-wisher A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 05:56 | May 30, 1968 Allston, Mass My Dear Umapati, Please accept my blessings. A few days ago I received a nice letter from you in which you wrote nice things, and I was so glad that now you are making progress positively towards Krishna Consciousness. It is understood that Aniruddha and yourself are sometimes not in agreement in subjects concerning Krishna Consciousness. Of course, disagreements may be there, but there should not be dissension. I shall be glad to hear from you what is the point of dissension, and if it isn't very serious, I think you should ask Aniruddha not to be affected by such flimsy disagreement. I am very glad to learn that L.A. temple is improving day by day. Similarly, the temples in other places are also improving, especially Buffalo, Santa Fe, and Boston. I am starting for Montreal on the 3rd of June, 1968, and I shall be glad to hear from you at our Montreal address. Thanking you. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 05:54 | May 30, 1968 Allston, Mass My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your recommendation for initiation to Stanley, whose name is now Sacisuta. In the meantime, I have received another letter from Aniruddha that he is in disagreement with Umapati. I do now know what is the basis of this disagreement, but when you are there, I request you to see to the matter and try to mitigate their illusory disagreement. Even there is disagreement, the platform should be Krishna Consciousness, and in that platform if there is disagreement there is no inebriety. Perhaps you have heard that my application for permanent visa has been denied on the ground that I filed my application while I came as a visitor. So I am leaving for Montreal on the 3rd of June, and second chapter for trying for visa there will begin. I do not know what is the result in future, but this time I have desired that I may go to London, and try to establish a center there for European activities. I have not heard for many days about your good wife, Janaki; I hope she is doing well. Hoping you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 05:52 | May 30, 1968 Allston, Mass My Dear Sacisuta, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to receive your letter dated May 26, 1968, along with beads, and I am so pleased that you are seeking for being initiated. So, after due chanting I am sending both your beads by separate first class post parcel. Receive it and chant without any offense. The 10 kinds of offenses are like this: Blaspheming the Lord's devotee Considering the Lord and the demigods on the same level--or assuming there are many gods Neglecting the orders of the spiritual master Minimizing the authority of the Scriptures Interpreting the Holy Name of God Committing sin on the strength of chanting Instructing the glories of the Lord's Name to the unfaithful Comparing the Holy Name with material piety Inattention while chanting the Holy Name Attachment to material things while engaged in the practice of chanting So you follow those principles as well as the four restrictive rules, namely; No addiction to indulgence in any form of intoxication, including coffee, tea and cigarettes No illicit sexual relationships Must be strictly vegetarian No gambling And the other standard practices for initiated devotees: Must attend evening and morning classes Should not extensively mix with non-devotees Should not eat food cooked by non-devotees Should not waste time in idle talks Should not become engaged in frivolous sports Should always chant and sing the Lord's Holy Names Chanting as enunciated by Lord Caitanya is the only means for spiritual realization in this age of dissension. So chant at least 16 rounds daily, and for other help you can ask assistance from your elderly God-brothers. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:49 | May 30, 1968 Boston, Mass. After lecture discussion Prabhupada: When the result of the karma is offered to God, then it is karma-yoga. Satsvarupa: Swamiji? Can I make an announcement? Swamiji has said there are fifty important pilgrimage cities in India, but as far as we're concerned here, it's whatever city His Divine Grace is residing in. So right now it's Boston. And he will stay here so long as it's the best place to spread Krsna consciousness. So you have some taste for it. You can help us to keep Boston this city of pilgrimage. We need engagements for Swamiji. The universities will be closing... Well, some of them are almost already closed. But if you have any access to a nice engagement, a church or a club where people attend, please approach us and help us to spread in this way. Also we have a love feast here in the temple every Sunday at noon, and this is very sumptuous bhakti-yoga love feast with Indian delicacies that you'll certainly enjoy. So approach this way. We'll take collections at this time also. You can help us very solidly by putting in all that you can. Our next kirtana is scheduled for Wednesday--Monday, Wednesday, and Friday--but it won't be, because it will be held at MIT instead in the student mezzanine lounge in the third floor at eight. Prabhupada: Wednesday there will be no meeting here? Satsvarupa: Yes, there'll be no kirtana. That's the next engagement, May 8th. Also, does anyone have a car? Swamiji lives nine blocks away. Prabhupada: You have got a car? Thank you. (end) letters | 01:10 | |
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