a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1968 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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1 Oct 2004 Tuesday, October 1, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am glad to receive your letter dated Sept. 26, 1968, and it is very much pleasing to learn about your nice activities there. I am little concerned about your attempt to form ISKCON Ltd. My idea is that we should not form a separate organization in London. The same International Society for Krishna Consciousness as we have branches in different places in USA, a similar branch may be opened in London or in Germany. The basic principle of our preaching work, methods and management must be the same. I do not know why a separate registration is required. To be more clear, I may say that if the management goes to other hands, then it will be difficult for preaching our principles. Our main principle is Krishna Consciousness on the basis of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Lord Caitanya's Teachings. So far different participants in London are concerned, they must agree to our principles or they must follow our principles. You should be careful on this point. We cannot agree to make a mixed up association without any authorized principles. So far as Hindus are concerned, they are not fixed up in one principle. Under the circumstances, do not be misled that because some of the Hindus are taking interest in this movement, they are of the same opinion. You have seen the affairs in Montreal. So my final desire is that whatever you do, you must do it strictly on the principles of our society as we are doing in the US. In the management of the London branch, if the local Englishmen come forward, that is welcome. So far Indians are concerned, there are so many varieties of split-up Hindu society. So I hope you will take necessary precautions in the matter of registering ISKCON Ltd. ISKCON is the short cut of our society's name, but when you actually register the full name, the aims and objectives as they are stated in our prospectus, must be mentioned. Anyway, I am so much pleased that your program of Kirtana and Krishna Consciousness is going on well there although you have not got yet our own temple. Why don't you get Back To Godhead from New York? Here the Sankirtana party, headed by Jayananda and Tamala Krishna is doing very nice. They are collecting an average of $45 daily, as contributions, and selling an average of 100 copies of Back To Godhead. So try to get immediately copies of Back To Godhead from New York and try to sell them in large quantities. That is our backbone. In meantime, our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Teachings of Lord Caitanya are also coming out by the end of this month. So Kirtana plus distribution of our books and literature is the basic principle of our success. Even if we do not have our own temple it does not matter, but if we can hold Kirtana 24 hours, and distribute our publications, that is our great success. I have now received one letter from Syamasundara. about the bank affairs, and will reply him shortly. I received also one letter from Malati, and one from Yamuna, which are very nice, and I shall reply them in my next. If there is no immediate program of my going to London, then I may go next either to Los Angeles or Boston. Hope this finds you all alright. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta letters | 19:04 | October 1, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I am so pleased to learn about your slow but sure progress in the matter of your most glorious London yatra. I am sure Krishna will help you fully and do it seriously. I hope the letter of Alan Ginsberg will help you greatly. If you think so right you can open a.c external sterling scheme with the _____ London and let me know the a.c number. Hope this will find you in good health. Offer my blessings to Gurudasa Yamuna, Janaki & Malati. ACB * but if need be you may not do it immediately but do it when I shall go there. P.S. Yamuna has sent me a copy of letter you have received from Alan Ginsberg. Please utilize this letter properly. I am sure this will help you greatly. letters | 05:02 | October 1, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Hamsaduta, Please accept my blessings. I have not heard anything from you since last few days; hope everything is going on well. Now regarding the house which you saw on 772 Cherbrooke St., in front of McGill University, do you think I shall seriously negotiate for securing the house? The condition is that we have to pay a lease $12000 down and $100 per month. You assured me that by opening Prasadam Restaurant downstairs you will be able to raise this. If you are confident about this, then let me know immediately, so I shall renew negotiation with the party. You may see the house once more inside; the process to do so is as follows: [TEXT MISSING] letters | 04:59 | 29 Sept 2004 Sunday, September 29, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am just in receipt of your airmail special delivery letter dated September 26, 1968, and I am very much pleased to know that the students of different universities in Boston are taking some interest in our missionary activities. You write to say that it appears the students are more discontented than ever and are openly stating that they do not have any solution to their discontent with the present civilization. It is very good opportunity therefore for presenting our manifesto, on the basis of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. These books are also coming out very soon, by the end of next month. If there is good opportunity for agitating the student community in Boston, I must take advantage of the opportune moment if actually they are eager to know about it. I am sure they will appreciate the techniques of our movement if they patiently hear for some time. If they are ready to spare such time, I am prepared to deliver lectures on the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, as well as Teachings of Lord Caitanya, once in a week in different colleges and universities. But I shall appreciate their genuine desire if I am invited directly--so that I can know they are actually eager about it. In that case, I can cancel all my engagements in the western part of your country, and may spare one to two months in Boston for executing this urgent and important work. The thing is that if they are serious, they must hear the philosophy for some time, and I am prepared to spare my time for this purpose. So I shall be glad to hear from you further in this matter, and then I shall chalk out my program. Regarding the Deities: the quotation by Overseas Exporters appears to be very high. I have enquired several other places also, so let us wait. Don't put any order just now unless you hear from me. Hari Vilasa brought two pairs of small Deities from Vrindaban. One pair is with me, so they are also very nice. So you can ask HariVilasa and he will give information where to get, and what was the price. In that case, you can immediately write to Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda who are now in Delhi at the following address: c.o Indraprastha Gaudiya Math; Dina-ka-Galab, Malkaganj; Subjimandi; Delhi 7, India. And arrange to take supply from Vrindaban directly, not only one pair but a few pairs. Hope you are all well, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 06:10 | September 29, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9.23.68, and thank you very much for it. Now, because you are on the field work, you have to meet so many opposite elements. And you have to satisfy them or fight with them with conclusive statements from Bhagavad-gita, and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and as such, it is needed that you should be thoroughly conversant with the truth. Regarding the Hindu community: Don't expect anything very wonderful from them, as we have got experience in Montreal--they have come in the foreign countries to earn money. As such, you cannot expect any cultural contribution. So you will tactfully deal with them, and whenever possible, vehemently protest against their foolish ideas. But you should try to support your statements on the strength of Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Best thing will be to avoid them as far as possible. I am concerned to preach this gospel amongst the Europeans and Americans, and I am not at all interested to preach amongst the Indians, because they have now become hodge-podge, due to so many years of subjugation by foreigners, and having lost their own culture. Hope you are well with your good wife, and please offer Yamuna devi my blessings. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 06:07 | September 29, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Krishna devi and Dinesh Candra das, Please accept my blessings. In continuation of my last letter, I have taken quotation from New York about record manufacturing and Brahmananda has sent me the following quotation as per leaflet enclosed herewith. Brahmananda says it will be still not cheaper so far printing of albums is concerned, so if we get 5000 albums, I have estimated, it will be more or less around 2000 dollars, or about 45 cents per record. So if Dinesh and you think that the record playing has come out very successful, then we must print 5000 copies. If you get $2000. from your father, that will be sufficient for 5000 copies, and if need be, we can arrange to invest one hundred or two hundred more, if so required. So you ask Dinesh to open correspondence immediately with Brahmananda, and it will be nice to print 5000 albums immediately. The Sankirtana party is selling Back To Godhead nicely and if they display the record on a record player in the street, I think we can sell this album very nicely.* If you get a cheaper price than this rate, let me know, otherwise we may get it manufactured in New York. So far album art work is concerned, I shall ask Muralidhara to do it very nicely. So please let me know what you are going to do in this connection and I hope you are in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami *I understand stereo records are in greater demand than mono records. So you will have to do stereo records. letters | 06:04 | 28 Sept 2004 Saturday, September 28, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Devananda, Please accept my blessings. I am so pleased to learn that you are lecturing in the Boston University class in mysticism, and they are appreciating your versions. Please always remain submissive in spirit to Krishna and Spiritual Master, and by their Grace you will get all strength to speak and satisfy your audience. I remember when you were walking with me on the New York street, you were proposing me to become lecturer in some University. And your honest desire has been fulfilled by Krishna, that He has given sufficient strength unto you, that instead of me, you are speaking there as my representative. This is all Krishna's Grace. But one thing I may inform you, that the three books which I have already prepared, namely, the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and Srimad-Bhagavatam, all these books are the ultimate source of knowledge. If you simply reproduce what I have tried to explain in those books, surely you will come out victorious, even in the midst of so many great mundane scholars. The description given in these books, are not mundane speculations, but they are authorized versions of liberated souls, presented by our humble self. So the strength is not in us, but the strength is in the Supreme Lord. And we have simply to present them without any adulteration, in humble service spirit. That is the secret of success. Hoping you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 05:59 | 27 Sept 2004 Friday, September 27, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Sept. 19, 1968, and thank you very much for it. Now, you have to print a large number of Back To Godhead every month. I think only in California area you shall be able to sell 3000 copies per month. Similarly, in other centers also you can sell a large number of Back To Godhead, since the Sankirtana party is moving and people are purchasing very gladly. So you can expect golden days very soon. And you must prepare yourself for this purpose. Regarding your assistant: I must help you in this connection, and I think Subala will be one of your best assistants. He is struggling very hard alone in Santa Fe. If Brahmananda and yourself can arrange to send somebody to take charge of Santa Fe, he can immediately be called for your assistance. Similarly, there is a new boy, Cintamani (Christopher Fynn) who is in Montreal temple. I think he can also be a great help to you. You can open correspondence with Hamsaduta in this connection, and if you think that boy is suitable, he can also help you. Please continue to send our Back To Godhead to all persons, I have given you list--especially to Sumati Morarji at Bombay, because she is coming again to help our activities. You can send copies to Hawaii also to Gaurasundara to the following address: Gary McElroy; room 5066; Armed Services Y.M.C.A., 250 South Hotel Street; Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813. Regarding my stationary: It is almost finished and you can arrange for printing next copies to your good choice. Govinda dasi doesn't like the setting of camp and date. But I am moving everywhere, practically I am not fixed up at any address, so you have to adjust as nicely as possible. Hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Enclosure: 1 letter from Subala letters | 06:45 | September 27, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 24, 1968, and I am so pleased that Devananda is doing marvelous work in propagating our Krishna Consciousness movement by lecturing in the Boston University, and he is being paid $25 per lecture. It is a great credit for me also. And I feel proud that Devananda is so nicely representing my views. By Krishna's Grace, everything is gradually coming to the fulfillment of my dream. The Sankirtana party is walking in the streets and is getting good response, from the public. They are selling Back To Godhead nicely, and getting good sympathy from the public by considerable collections. We are not after collecting money, but when people offer something out of love and sympathy for our mission, it becomes a great asset. I am sure if you all my beloved disciples combined together try to preach Krishna Consciousness in this spirit, Krishna will give the necessary strength. By the Grace of Krishna and the Spiritual Master, the dumb man can speak like a great orator, and a lame man can cross over a great mountain. So we must have the necessary unflinching faith in Krishna and Spiritual Master, and the strength will be supplied by Krishna. After all, anything which we experience is but a fraction of the unlimited energy of Krishna. And even by fragmental touch of such spiritual energy of the Lord, we can make our life successful. Regarding yourself and Jadurani: You are both very sincere servitors to the cause of Krishna, and Krishna will give you necessary intelligence how to behave with one another. I am glad to learn that the girls under the guidance of Jadurani are doing nice painting work, and I am very much inclined to have many many Sankirtana pictures painted like the one which was in your Boston temple, on the wall, while I was there. I have one photograph of this picture and it is so nice that I feel my joys unlimited. (See enclosed sketch for identifying the exact painting I am speaking of). Our Madhavilata is also a good artist. She is painting a very nice picture of Radha Krishna seated on a swing. But she is a little independent spirited, and wants to wander with me. Anyway, she is a sincere good soul, and let her do the work in her own way. But it is a good asset for her that she has attraction to hear me. That will make her all right in the due course of time, and it may be that she will also come out a great painting assistant in our society. I am sending herewith the certificate required by you, and I hope Krishna will help you in your desire to get more help for your executive function. Enclosed please find also one letter of thanks for Devananda which please deliver to him with my blessings. Hope you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami I am a little perturbed by hearing about your accident, but I am sure Krishna will help you in your sincere service. I am glad to learn that Jadurani is improving in her health, and I shall always pray to Krishna for her health and prolonged life. letters | 05:43 | September 27, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Aniruddha, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Sept. 24, 1968, and it is very encouraging. May Krishna bless you all. I am so glad to learn that Nandarani and her husband are all so enthusiastically trying to render service to Krishna and you have got very good assistants--Harer Nama, and Varaha Murti. It is so encouraging to learn that Varaha Murti has got permission from his Hiranyaksa-father. Perhaps you know this story of Varaha Murti. Hiranyaksa put the earthly planet within the water, and Lord Varaha lifted the merged earthly planet by His big tusks. So Krishna has given you all a good chance for developing Hollywood, and I hope in the near future all the artists will take to Krishna Consciousness movement, and Hollywood shall become a holy place. Regarding my going to Los Angeles: I can go at any time, but I think if you are serious to call me you can do so by the middle of October. I think that will be nice. Now, my plan is that personally I shall try to retire from active participation, but I want a place where I can live with at least 15 devotees engaged in editorial work, recording work, photographic work, painting work, etc., so that I may prepare materials for the preaching party who will go with all these paraphernalia and preach Krishna Consciousness all over the world. If you think that you can help me in this respect then it may be I can make Hollywood as my headquarters. In the meantime, I have received letter from Hawaii, and it appears that a good center can be opened there. So let us organize all the centers which are already opened. And until we are fully organized, all these places are fully organized, we shall not make any more attempts. Dinesh is a good technician in the matter of film making, and gramophone record making, and it is understood that in Hollywood is a good place for such kind of activities. So somehow or other, you organize your center nicely, and I shall be glad to visit if necessary by the middle of October. Hope you are all well, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 05:39 | September 27, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Gaurasundara, Please accept my blessings. I was very much anxious to hear from you, and I am so glad to receive your letter dated Sept. 24, 1968, and it is very encouraging. It is by Krishna's Grace that you have gotten a job as desk clerk. This is another good news. Please continue in that job and try to organize a center in Hawaii, whose description appears to be very attractive like India. The description you have given is exactly corresponding to the eastern and western coast of India. I think Mahapurusa will join you very soon. And Murari is also arranging to go there, so you will get the cooperation and help of your God-brothers, and you are also situated in a job, and when Govinda dasi goes there, I think she can also have a nice job. So, combined together, you will be able to develop a very nice center, perhaps our own temple of Radha Krishna in that good spot, which is very attractive for me at least. Regarding the mrdanga: You should make a statement to the authority that they did not allow you to take it with you, and forced you to keep it with the baggages, although it was known that there was every chance of it being broken. And at last they have broken it--so they must pay $200.00 damages. Claim it, and we shall fight with these nonsense people. I do not know in future how we can take mrdanga there. Is there any marine shipping service from San Francisco or from India to there? Please keep me informed of your activities there, and I hope this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. I am feeling your separation but that does not matter we must do our duty in Krishna Consciousness. letters | 04:37 | September 27, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Vamana dasa, Please accept my blessings. I see that you are feeling not well. I advise you therefore to come and live with me so that you can be freed from the doubts. I hope you are chanting regularly at least 16 rounds. Sometimes Maya disturbs us but that does not mean any serious drawback. So if you feel too much uneasy, you can come and live with me for some time, and everything will be set up. I hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:35 | September 27, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of Sept. 20, 1968, and it is very encouraging to note all the informations. I think Krishna will help you in all respects. And the credit of opening our London branch will go to the San Francisco boys, headed by you. Of course, the girls also share the credit undoubtedly. And I am always ready for going there as soon as you shall call me. Regarding the bank affair: You write to say "We are expecting a letter from the Canadian Bank any day as to whether the money was credited back to your account." This means that you have not received the money, and you are arranging to get the money again credited in my account in the Canadian National Bank, at Montreal. But I have received one note from Hamsaduta who says like this: "I went to your bank and checked into that 1655.00 for Syamasundara. and the gentleman in charge of the affair said that is all taken care of and that by this time they have got that money in London." I cannot understand what is the real position, but I request you to open correspondence with Hamsaduta and let me know conveniently what is the actual position. Hope you are well, and offer to Janaki my blessings, and all others also. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 02:32 | 26 Sept 2004 Thursday, September 26, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Krishna devi and Dinesh Candra das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of Sept. 24, 1968, and have noted the contents carefully. Yes, you can accept this proposal without any hesitation and get the loan from him. For service of Krishna sometimes we may agree to act in a way which may not be very agreeable to us. But in all cases, please do not agree to accept meat. Avoid such undesirable action very tactfully. Hope you are both well, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 20:05 | September 26, 1968 Seattle, Washington Sri S. S. Sethi, Vice Consul Consulate General of India 215 Market Street San Francisco, Cal. Dear Mr. Sethi, Please accept my greetings. I hope by this time you have received two copies of photos I have sent you through Sri Somnath Dhar. Now with reference to your letter no. SANF.CONS.384.68 addressed to Mr. A. C. Misra, Attache, High Commission of India, Ottawa, Canada, I beg to inform you that they have sent me a wrong passport and returned back the postal order in order that I may receive the certificates from your office. In this connection they write to say as follows: "As you are no longer living within our jurisdiction, you are advised to contact our San Francisco office for police clearance and birth certificate." Please therefore issue these certificates per bearer and he will pay the required fees. I do not know what to do with this wrong passport. The copy of the letter which I have addressed to Mr. Misra in this connection is also enclosed herewith. Kindly therefore do the needful immediately as I want both the passport and certificate very urgently, and I am simply waiting for them. I am sending my disciple Sriman Cidananda Brahmacari (Mr. Clay Harrold) to see you, and please advise him what to do. Yours sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 13:05 | September 26, 1968 Seattle, Washington Sri A. C. Misra Attache High Commission of India 200 Maclaren Street Ottawa 4, Canada Dear Sir, While thanking you for your registered letter No. OTT.428.2.68, I beg to inform you that on opening the registered cover, I find that the passport does not belong to me. I am very much surprised how this misdelivery has been possible. The passport which I have got in my hand just now is No. I-062636, in favor of Charamma Sebastian, issued from your Bombay office, dated October 25, 1962. Please therefore find out immediately where is my passport and send it directly to your San Francisco office care of Mr. Sethi, because without the passport I cannot get the police clearance and birth certificates. I have received back the money order, but I cannot utilize it without getting my passport. I have been so long waiting for the passport and twice I phoned your office in Canada, asking you to send it back, as requested by your San Francisco office, but when I got your registered package, it is a different one. Please therefore immediately arrange to return my passport care of Mr. Sethi, and on return of my passport, I shall return the wrong passport which is in my possession. Yours faithfully, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 01:00 | |
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