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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 |
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9 August 2008 Friday, 9 August, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Sukadeva das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 2, 1974 and have noted the contents. You have mentioned that you want to write a book, but instead of writing books, you should read and explain my books to others. Reading and writing are the same, sravanam kirtanam vishnoh. You say that Krsna is sending you only one new devotee every six months, but He says in the Bhagavad gita that out of millions of men one only becomes a devotee. You have sent a list of six men for initiation, so why you are disappointed? Do not think of changing the place. Stick to that place and chant Hare Krishna. Krsna will send more men, rest assured. Devotees may come or not come, but you do your duty. The men you have recommended I accept as my disciples, and their name are as follows: John Philion--Jyotiraditya dasa Shannon Philion--Sarada Sherman Alston--Shasta dasa Karen Alston--Krsnapriya dasi Eric Thomas--Aja dasa John Rowe--Jagadadija dasa I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: initiation, Seattle, writing letters | 04:35 |9 August, 1974 Vrindaban Dear Natalie Orloff, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 5th, and am glad that you have had the opportunity to be in our temples in Toronto and Montreal and that you enjoyed the association of the devotees. Forgetfulness of Krishna means an unhealthy state of life which is symptomized by so many problems and distresses. So if we want to attain our natural happy state of life of full satisfaction, we must again take to the shelter of Krishna. Therefore we have established the Krishna consciousness movement, to let people attain again this healthy state of life. I hope you will continue to chant Hare krishna and carefully study our books which will guide you every step of the way to successful spiritual life. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ndb Labels: Toronto letters | 04:34 |9 August, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Jadurani devi dasi: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated August 14 & 20, 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding Picture #1, it was not enclosed, but yes Mother Yasoda feeding Krsna is parental love, or sometimes you can show Krsna with great difficulty placing the slipper of Nanda Maharaja on his head. Yes, sketch #2 is all right; it is supported in the Caitanya Caritamrta. #3 is also all right. #4 is also all right. Regarding #5 Visnu, Laksmi must always be with Mahavisnu. Yes there should be devotees around the garden or town. Yes, they would look like Visnu. Lord Visnu is never alone. Inside the building is proper. #6 of Krsna and Balarama fighting as bulls is completely rejected by me. It is not good. You have made it demoniac. Make Them as they are themselves, as boys fighting. Never show like this. Everything is there in the Krsna Book. Don't imagine. Regarding question #7 why red background? You can show the full Visnu form. Regarding #8 the color is referred to in the text, so you have to see that portion of the book. Regarding your letter of August 20, Narada can have yellow dhoti. Brahmacaris can be shown in both yellow or saffron, both are correct. Yes, you can make the flower ships as you have described. Why have you discontinued writing the mantras on the bottom of the portrait paintings? I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 04:33 | 8 August 2008 Thursday, 8 August, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Dayananda das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 10, 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding the candidates for first initiation, I have initiated them as follows: Gary Dallman--Gambhira Mike Mitchell--Mahavaraha Butch Eichelburger--Bhusaya Hector Veriell--Hemanga Christina Kennedy--Krsna devi dasi Please see to it that they follow strictly the rules and regulations as I have given you. Regarding the second initiations, I am especially concerned that the second initiations not be taken cheaply. Brahmins are expected to rise early in the morning and follow strictly all the devotional practices. So I am enclosing the sanctified sacred threads and mantra sheets for Niragadev das, Paratpara das, Rajarshi das, Nirnasa das, and also a sheet for Vrajaraja devi dasi. So hold a fire yajna and impress upon them that they are taking vows before Radha and Krsna, the spiritual master, and Vaisnavas. Everyone must always chant 16 rounds and follow the four regulative principles. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: initiation, Vrindavana letters | 04:33 |8 August, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Gargamuni Swami: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2/8/74 and have noted the contents. You have not mentioned anything about receiving my letter dated 14/7/74 about purchasing the Pani Hati property. I want to know about this, so I am enclosing the copy of the letter. Regarding Karandhara's comment that Mayapur and Calcutta were the best organized centers in India, that I know. I have full faith in you, and also Bhavananda and Jayapataka Maharaja. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 04:30 | 8 August, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Giriraja das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 7, 1974 hand delivered by Panca Dravida Swami. Regarding the installation ceremony here at Vrindaban, it will be done before next Janmastami, and if the cement can be obtained, it will be done after three months. It is good that you have almost completed the new cement godown and the cowshed. I am very glad that people have offered to donate cows. Regarding your Janmastami program expectation of 10,000 people, it is very good. Thank you very much. I am very much pleased what you are doing. Give the people nice prasadam. This is what is temple--life. Chanting, dancing, prasadam, this is what I want. Regarding getting the USA money for your Sunday feast program, no that is not required. Local people can contribute. There are many temples that are getting donations from the public. In Bhuleshvar there is one Hanuman temple, and they are getting grains and ghee from the public. If you try, you can also get. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Bombay, contribution, Janmastami letters | 04:29 |7 August 2008 8 August, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Satsvarupa das Goswami: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 26, 1974 and your Vyasa Puja Offering. It is very encouraging that many professors have purchased books for themselves and are considering to order them for their students. I very much like this program of the standing orders. Try to increase it up to 50,000 such orders from the libraries. I have written to Bali Mardan Goswami in this connection. Regarding the remark that distributing a book to a professor is 100 times better than to a ordinary man, I never said that. I said it was very important. Regarding your suggestion for a book especially for use in college courses, if possible you can pick it up from my other books, articles and speeches. You have the idea, so you can do it, just suitable for them. It is all right with me if you manage the Central Zone and also the library party. There is no need for you to come to Vrindaban for the festival. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: college preaching, Los Angeles, standing orders letters | 04:29 |8 August, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Tripurari das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 25, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am glad to learn that in Washington D.C. temple you are engaged also in the Deity worship. It is good, and it is also a good idea of bringing the Deity of Gaura Nitai with you, as you have suggested in a chest. That is how Indian sadhus carry their Deity. They have one chest, and they use the chest on which to put the Deity by opening the doors of the chest. Your program of adding six more men to your party is approved by me. Yes, the advanced men can distribute the big books, and the new men the smaller ones. Your entire program is approved by me. By the grace of Krsna, you can teach others at the temples to distribute the books and perform Deity worship, and distributing prasadam. You do this work with my full sanction. Yes, I have seen the bus of Visnujana and Tamala Krsna Maharajas, and it is very nice. It is all right that Jayatirtha can arrange the Deity paraphernalia here in India. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: book distribution, Los Angeles letters | 04:28 |6 August 2008 Tuesday, 6 August, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Madhavananda Das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 3, 1974 and also the juicer. Regarding the meeting you propose, you may arrange it, and I shall come. For Janmastami I am already engaged here, but your proposed meeting is very encouraging. So when you expect me, let me know, and I shall make my program. The Indians there have been cheated by so many rascal swamis who have come simply to collect money and then leave. So our work will be done locally. Regarding the plans for the temple, I have just now spoken with Saurabha and you shall be getting the plans very soon. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor, Indians letters | 04:00 |6 August, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Lilavati devi dasi: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 14, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am very glad to learn that your illness is cured. You can take it that it is Krsna's mercy. So now I think you have got good engagement there, so continue it always thinking of Krsna at every moment. At present Vaikunthanatha Prabhu is doing the typing of the tapes, so if you remain there and work in the pujari department nicely, then that will please me. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Geneva letters | 03:58 |6 August, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Yudhisthira das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 24, 1974 and have noted the contents. I thank you very much for your sentiments, and I was pleased to visit your house. I liked New Vrindaban very much how everything is going on. Now just develop it to bigger scale. Help Kirtanananda Maharaja to do this. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: New Vrindavan letters | 03:58 |5 August 2008 Monday, 5 August, 1974 Vrindaban Double Bay, Australia My Dear Amogha das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 16, 1974 with enclosed clippings and the Christian paper Southern Cross. The articles are very nice, and I am very pleased how the Christian community are appreciating our movement. Actually we have no quarrel with them. We accept Lord Jesus Christ as the son of God and he was a great Vaisnava. Because he appeared in another country does not mean that we should not offer him respect. If we stick to our principles as I have given you, more and more these priestly class they will come to respect us and appreciate something of our philosophy. Therefore I stress so much the devotional rules and regulations. I very much liked the report of the prasadam distribution at the club for businessmen. So I thank you very much for kindly sending me this report. I understand that you are preparing to go to Jakarta for preaching. So just go on as a sincere servant of Krsna, and you will be blessed by Krsna. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 03:57 | |
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