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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 |
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28 December 2008 Saturday, 28 December, 1974 Bombay My dear Uddhvareta, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil and have noted the contents carefully. Regarding your proposal, I shall have to consult the GBC men first before making that decision. I have sent your proposal to Jayatirtha Prabhu and have asked him to make copies and send it to the GBC men and have them give opinions. Then send these opinions to myself. Then I will give my judgement, after hearing those opinions. I am always praying to Krsna that my disciples will not fall away from the path of Krsna Consciousness. In the Bhagavad-gita it says, bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. After many many births one finally comes unto Me. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah, such a great soul is very rare. My simple request is that you very strictly follow all of our regulative principles without any deviation whatsoever. And thus by example show others how to do the same. Engage in devotional service according to your propensity and the direction of my appointed authorities. Always pray to Krsna so that He may keep you engaged in His transcendental service. Avoid the service of Maya like poison. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ps Labels: fall down, GBC, Los Angeles letters | 06:49 |19 December 2008 19 December, 1974 Bombay My dear Vipini das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 7, 1974 and have noted the contents carefully. I have received your check for $200.00 and appreciate it very much. As far as your engagement is concerned I think it is most appropriate for you to consult with the GBC men. But one thing that everyone should understand is that I am not so interested in selling incense as I am in selling books. Distribution of my books is the most important thing. These other things such as selling incense, records etc., are not so much important as this. If Spiritual Sky is a separate concern then what is the need of our own men who are capable preachers to be engaged in that way. I want that my books be distributed in huge quantities, and thus we will be able to thoroughly convince the majority of the population especially there in America. But finances are also needed. Therefore for further direction you please contact the GBC men and they will give you consultation. The more one preaches the more he becomes expert and the more he is able to convince others. Concerning your marriage ceremony that is to be sanctioned by the temple president or GBC. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ps Labels: business, GBC, Washington letters | 02:20 |16 December 2008 16 December, 1974 Bombay My dear Jayatirtha, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 5, 1974. Regarding the GBC meeting to be held in Mayapur 1975, the meeting should be held five days before the actual festival is to begin and it will be held in my presence. As far as your proposals are concerned the real thing is that we must make broader constitution of the management by GBC. But the difficulty is that our GBC men are falling victim to maya. Today I trust this GBC and tomorrow he will fall down. That is the difficulty. If the GBC men are so flickering then what to speak of the others. Unless this problem is solved whatever we may resolve it will not be very useful. We shall discuss this at our meeting. If the GBC men can ever manage properly then I shall get some time for writing my books. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. I have just spoken to Bhagavan dasa who received your call today. If by Krsna's grace, things go well here, then I may be coming to Honolulu in two weeks. Thank you for keeping the temple in sound condition. Please make sure that sankirtana, classes, etc. all continue without fail. ACBS/ps Labels: fall down, GBC, Mayapur letters | 02:10 |1 November 2008 1 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Dayananda das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated September 27, 1974; nil; and October 15, 1974. I understand that due to financial needs you are doing Sankirtana party in order to raise funds. Regarding the solution to your getting the necessary funds as well as your request for men to lead the Sankirtana, this must be decided by the GBC and not myself. If they cannot solve this problem, then what is the meaning of GBC? They must arrange it for you to receive the necessary funds so that you do not have to be asking me for money. This is what I want. So you consult with them, and inform me the result. Regarding your recommendations for initiations, I accept the following as my disciples and their names are: Mike Pugh--Mayesa dasa; Beverly Pugh--Vaisnavapriya devi dasi; Raymond Crowe--Rajendranandana dasa; Jan Crowe--Lokahita devi dasi; Joseph Terrones--Jyotirmaya dasa; Raymond Kennedy--Ramadeva dasa; Dennis Winiker--Dhanurdhara dasa. I also accept for second initiation Subandhu dasa and Jayasri devi dasi, the sancitified thread and mantra sheets are enclosed. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Dallas Gurukula, GBC, initiation letters | 03:25 |28 October 2008 Thursday, 31 October, 1974 Bombay My Dear Amogha das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 7, 1974 with enclosed copies of the Library orders. I thank you very much for this. It is very good that our books are being appreciated by the learned circles. If our books are distributed more and more in this way, there will be unlimited scope for spreading this movement of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. And, personally I become very much encouraged when I get the report of my books being distributed. Regarding Indonesia program and Gaura Mandala Bhumidas assisting and so far collecting money in Australia for the project, these things should be consulted with the GBC man. Please give me relief from all the managing so I can devote my brain to the literary work. It requires a great deal of concentration. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Australia, college preaching, GBC letters | 03:18 |5 October 2008 Saturday, 5 October, 1974 Mayapur My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 24, 1974 with enclosed check for Dollars 500.00, color photos, building plans, and one letter and check for Dollars 50.00 forwarded by you. I was thinking that I have not received any check from Kirtanananda since considerable time passed, so immediately Krishna has sent the check. Thank you. Regarding New Vrindaban I was very happy when I was there, not only myself but all devotees and GBC members all enjoyed the atmosphere of New Vrindaban, especially the cow protection scheme. May Krishna give more facilities to advance the cause of New Vrindaban, and I am expecting very soon to go there and live in my proposed palace at least for some time. From the pictures anyone will see that you have organized New Vrindaban very nicely. It is just like Krishna's Vrindaban. Now they are happy in New Vrindaban both animals and men. Here in one picture is Kirtanananda instructing the cow to chant Hare Krishna. In another picture the boys and the cows are being taken equal care. Everyone is living very peacefully and eating very nicely. There is so much land. This is real Vrindaban life. In Vrindaban Krishna calls the cows each by his own name. When cows were purchased in the beginning I have seen them crying because the calf was taken for killing. They can understand. Not that they are animal and cannot understand. The neighboring farmers come and they are astonished at the nice preparations made from their milk. I see in the small cottages they are living very, very happily. The cows are grazing, and the male members are doing the work. Local flowers are used for the garlands. Yes, New Vrindaban is almost a small state. Some of the rogues are envious. Rogues are always envious when they see something nice. Even Hayagriva will not leave that place. He is living very happily there. The plans for the palace are very nice. It is a temple, like Jagannatha temple. It is very calm and quiet there. I like it. In the beginning when Hayagriva purchased, I immediately gave him the idea of New Vrindaban - cow protection. On the whole our New Vrindaban scheme is successful. There is one vacancy in the GBC Board, so myself in consultation with Brahmananda Maharaja and Jayatirtha Prabhu, we have decided you can fill up the post. This will be confirmed in the next GBC meeting. In the meantime I wish you may accept this responsibility. My desire is that some of our experienced members who have proved their sincerity of service may form the GBC Board. Also so that the management of the whole institution may go on smoothly, and I may be relieved of affairs of management which hampers my writing of books because my attention is diverted. At present the following members are on the GBC Board: 1. Jayatirtha, 2. Hrdayananda, 3. Rupanuga, 4. Jagadisa, 5. Satsvarupa, 6. Brahmananda, 7. Madhudvisa, 8. Hamsaduta, 9. Bhagavan, 10. Bali Mardan, 11. Tamala Krishna. So I request you all to follow strictly the regulative principles, especially the chanting on the beads. GBC means to be a practical example to all residents of temples and devotees. If all of us follow this principle of purity, our spiritual position will remain sound, and maya will not touch us, mayam etam tarantite. A fully surrendered soul always remains untouched by the hand of maya. Otherwise it is not possible. Recently there has been some provocation in our Society regarding Bali Mardan and his wife. Jayatirtha has received a bunch of complaints. Similarly Brahmananda Maharaja has also received, so far so that his wife is eating chicken in the temple. This has hampered me very much. So I wish to form an investigation committee of three members, namely Tamala Krishna Goswami, Rupanuga Prabhu, and yourself. I am informing them also in this connection with a copy of this letter. So you combine together and investigate about the charges against Bali Mardan and his wife made by the following devotees: 1. Tosana Krishna, 2. Cindy Liston, 3. Kirtiraja, 4. Omkara Dasi, 5. Navadvipa 6. Ramesvara das, 7. Sudama Swami, 8. Jaya Ram das, 9. Sunita devi, 10. Gopala Krishna, 11. Atreya Rsi, 12. Anonymous. Kindly try your best to stop this provocation in our Society and I shall be much obliged to you all. Please submit your combined report as soon as possible. Also regarding the devotees you have recommended, I have accepted them and their names are as follows: Mike Hoare--Manonatha dasa, Tony Riccardi--Tejomaya, Alfred Tarantino--Ajeya dasa, Terry Sheldon--Tapahpunja dasa, Catherine Conners--Khastha devi dasi. I have also accepted the following as twice initiated: Candramauli das, Krsna-sravana das, Gopinatha das, Krpacarya das, Vahna das, Cirantana das, Gomata devi dasi, Vidya devi dasi, Bhaktiniddhi devi dasi, Vrajasana devi dasi, Vrajeswara devi dasi, Visvadika devi dasi. The threads duly sanctified are enclosed. You can impress upon the initiates that they are taking vows at the fire sacrifice before Krishna and Radha, the spiritual master, and the Vaisnavas, so they should not deviate or fail to follow our principles. I Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs cc: Tamala Krsna Goswami, New York, Rupanuga Prabhu, Miami Labels: complaints, GBC, initiation, New Vrindavan letters | 04:19 |29 September 2008 29 September, 1974 Mayapur My Dear Hamsaduta das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter from Los Angeles dated September 10, 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding Bali Mardan we have decided to review the complaints and do the needful at the next GBC meeting. Bali Mardan came to me when I was in Vrndaban and he showed a tendency for retirement, because he knows there are so many complaints against him. Three or four times he said he would like to live in Vrindaban. So anyway he has given service to the Society, but when there are all GBC present they may consider the complaints and do the needful. But, so far I have studied, if all the GBC so desire, he can retire. Personally I wish all the existing GBC may be trained up so perfectly that in the future in my absence they can manage the whole Society very nicely and strongly. That is my desire. At least in this stage of my life it is not at all desirable that there be any factions amongst yourselves. Try to settle up amicably and correct yourself. One man is trained up with great difficulty especially in spiritual life. Everyone has got some weakness and deficiency. It is better to correct or mend it than to break it. It will be best to discuss this in an open meeting of the GBC and then do the needful. Regarding the booklet of appreciations, it is better to have the general appreciations than the individual prospectuses you have suggested. By reading one can estimate all the books such as Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Devotion, Krsna Books, etc. Regarding the International Publishing House under one roof, the principle of management is that everything will be managed by BBT. We have so many centers but the management is done by the GBC and myself. So what is the difficulty? It is a question of management, but not that all staff come together. Any big establishment has got different works and staff in different place. Recently I met one big manufacturer from Kannauj. He has got his factories in Orissa, Mysore, etc., but the whole thing is being managed from Kannauj. What is being manufactured in Orissa cannot be brought to Mysore. It is the capacity of management, but not that we bring everyone together. Regarding the closing of the temples, no temple can be closed for any reason. You have done a great mistake. I am sending you a copy of a letter I have written in this connection. We have to consider very carefully before opening a center, and once opened it cannot be closed. It is disastrous. What you have done is not at all allowed. I am very disappointed that you have done this. Even you did not consult me. Why? Now you want to purchase a farm, but can you manage? Why are you closing all the temples and then opening a farm? Do you have sufficient men to maintain a farm? Why are you purchasing a farm? Regarding BBT lending Bhaktivedanta Manor $25,000 for purchasing a house in Letchmore Heath, the BBT has no money, that is what I think. It is lending to Australia $100,000 and prepared to lend to Paris $100,000. I do not know that after lending this money there will be anything more. Lending for opening a temple is the business of BBT but not lending for residential quarters. Regarding the temples being mismanaged, these things will be discussed at the GBC meeting here. Yearly once or twice there should be a GBC meeting held to discuss all these intricate questions. This meeting can be held once in India and once in Europe or America in my presence. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: disastrous, Frankfurt, GBC, management, resignation letters | 11:10 |19 September 2008 19 September, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Ramesvara Das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 10, 1974 with enclosed report of the BBT Loan Accounts. Your resignation will be placed before the GBC meeting at Mayapur and a decision will be taken at that time. I hope in the meantime you will come to your real condition of mind. Your duty is to carry out my orders. There cannot be any question of resignation. If anyone surrenders to Krishna wholeheartedly and engages in His service he cannot say later on I resign. It is not something like material service. Once surrendered, it cannot be withdrawn. So never mind. Don't be agitated. Any complaint may be put before the GBC meeting. In the meantime go on with your duties. That is my request. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs N.B. I have received your letter dated August 5, 1974 with enclosed letter from the Macmillan editor, but this biography is not very important. ACBS Labels: GBC, Los Angeles, resignation letters | 04:08 |12 September 2008 Thusday, 12 September, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Hamsaduta das: Please accept my blessings. I have just now received some letters from London from Madhavananda and others brought by Paramahamsa Swami who was there. Regarding Madhavananda being the president, if he received the vote, why you have opposed? You must be impartial. My recommendation is that he must be the president. He has been chosen by the vote, and I am giving the casting vote for him. He is doing things very nicely there, so he must be the president. Prabha Visnu should go on Sankirtana, and Madhavananda should be president. Everything must go on. The women are doing nicely, so why are they being changed from the pujari to the Sankirtana? These things should be done by the President. These are internal things, and you should not interfere. I do not approve of your changing the women. It should be the choice of Madhavananda who should be the pujari. Why did you close Edinburgh without asking me? Paramahamsa reports that you have closed the Edinburgh temple. Edinburgh was doing nicely. You can't close a temple without asking me? Is this too much to do this? Our propaganda is opening temples, and you are closing them. We are not for closing but for increasing. I do not approve of this. If possible the Edinburgh temple must be re-opened again. If you close the temple, what is the management? Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu pushed the Sankirtana movement, but He never said to close the Jagannatha temple or the Govindaji temple. In Edinburgh we had a nice house, why you have closed it? Why you have whimsically done this? If possible the Edinburgh temple must be re-opened. Don't do anything whimsically without consulting me. I made the GBC to give me relief, but if you do like this, then where is the relief. It is anxiety for me. This is the difficulty, that as soon as one gets power, he becomes whimsical and spoils everything. What can I do? If anything has to be changed, that can be decided at the annual GBC meeting, but not whimsically. I am not in favor of closing even a small temple. It is not a plaything to close a temple or to start a temple. When we open a temple we are inviting Krsna. So you can't say to Krsna, go away. You have no feeling what are the ideals of a temple. You should always consider that we have invited Lord Caitanya, Lord Jagannatha, and Radha Krsna, and if we close it, it is an insult. How can we call Them, and then say get out. We should always feel when we open a temple that the Deity is living and not dead stone or wood. It is a great offense. Before opening a temple it must be considered a hundred times, and after opening it cannot be closed. It must be maintained. arcye visnau siladhir gurusu nara matir Vaisnave jati buddhih "One who considers the arca murti or worshipable Deity of Lord Visnu to be stone, the spiritual master to be an ordinary human being, and a Vaisnava to belong to a particular caste or creed, is possessed of hellish intelligence." [Padma Purana 16.3] If the Edinburgh house is still available, it must be re-opened. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs cc: Bhaktivedanta Manor Labels: closing temples, Deities, GBC, Los Angeles, offense, whimsical letters | 02:35 |5 September 2008 6 September, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Jagadisa das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter and have noted the contents. So you may remain wherever you may be peaceful. You may resume your GBC duties as secretary for the Central U.S.A. Zone. GBC means that one must be ideal Vaisnava. That means there must be strict observance in following all the rules and regulations. This is your main responsibility, and then to see that all others are following strictly. Then everything will be all right. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 02:02 | 4 September 2008 5 September, 1974 Vrindaban My Dear Bali Mardan das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 28, 1974 and have carefully noted the contents. My only anxiety is to guide you. Krsna sometimes makes me sick just to examine how much you have learned to conduct the business under my guidance, with a little independence. You should never act independently, because my guidance in my words are always there. The main guidance is all of us should remain spiritually strong by chanting the minimum number of rounds and following the rules and regulations. The GBC should personally observe strictly all the rules and regulations and they should become the practical example to others. Then everything will be all right. Then there will be no fear of being victimized by maya. Regarding the International Trust Board, we are now expanding and so our interests should be carefully guarded. Certainly the 12 GBC members are being trained up strictly under my guidance so that they will protect the interest of the society very, very carefully. All our property should be well protected, and I think in every document my name as Founder-Acarya should be mentioned. Special care should be taken that no property can be sold or mortgaged by local managers as was done by Gaurasundara. This is my only concern. BBT management should be rigidly done very carefully, and I think Ramesvara is a good manager. He can be appointed BBT secretary. I approve BBT moving to New York, because of their freehand dealing. Ramesvara may be made your assistant and remain with you. It is all right that no others be appointed as Trustees at present. Regarding the matter of Sudama Maharaja there will be no more discussion. Immediately this should be stopped, this matter. Sudama Maharaja should be encouraged. He is doing nicely. Practically the old branch was abolished. Since he has gone there, things have improved very much. So he should be encouraged very much in his activities. Amongst ourselves there must be very liberal and friendly dealings. This is not an ordinary thing that if somebody has got some fault he should be cut. He should be reformed by amicable dealings. We are training our men since a long time. It is very difficult to get trained up assistants. Regarding the library party in each GBC zone that is a good idea. Regarding the 24 hour kirtana as a regular temple function, do not do anything impractical. If it is not possible, then don't do it. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: GBC, guidance, liberal, New York letters | 01:59 |18 June 2008 18 June, 1974 Frankfurt My dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your zonal report of May 28 and have examined the contents. From your report it appears that the transfer of the older Gurukula boys above ten years old has proven successful. I am glad to hear they are housed in a clean building with electricity and hot and cold water and that their teacher from Dallas is with them instructing them just as before. I am always eager to hear that Gurukula is going well so be very vigilant that this program with the older boys in New Vrindaban as well as all levels of teaching at Dallas are just to the standard as I introduced it. There is no more important school in the world, so it requires careful guidance. Yes, the farm plan in New Orleans is fine. But one thing is if we get land we must first be sure we will be able to fully utilize it, otherwise, if we cannot use it what is the use? I want the world to see by our example that life can be lived naturally, peacefully if one is self sufficient with land, some cows and chanting Hare Krishna. That is the idea of purchasing land. It is not necessary that every temple have a farm, but as many as can be efficiently managed locally is all right. Let them see our centers are self sufficient. Whatever can be managed conveniently. If they can manage a farm in Detroit also, what is the harm? Yes, consult with BaliMardan and if the new building required for our Montreal center is reasonable in all respects then purchase it. I can understand that you are travelling widely and managing many projects over a great area. Krsna will give you stamina and intelligence to carry out more and more projects successfully in His Name - provided you are sincere and remain strong spiritually by following the regulative principles. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: Chicago, GBC, gurukula, land, New Orleans letters | 06:15 |13 June 2008 Thursday, 13 June, 1974 Paris My dear Gargamuni Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two recent letters. I find in both these letters you have especially desired to call Tamala Krsna Goswami to act as GBC. But he left India particularly thinking himself not very fit for management. He has now gone for preaching work with Visnujana Maharaja and recently Karandhara met him and Tamala Krsna Maharaja is now unwilling to come to India for GBC management work. Therefore I have called Karandhara Prabhu to act as GBC in India. He has practical experience in various lines of management work. I hope he will replace Tamala Krsna Maharaja better than anyone else. Tamala Krsna Maharaja said that you are not following the regulative principles. I do not know why you should do like that. Anyway, if there was any discrepancies in that way I hope you will rectify it and fully cooperate with Karandhara Prabhu. I am coming to India on my way to Sydney to stop for one day in Bombay on June 23rd. If you so desire you can see me in Bombay on the 23rd. Further, Brahmananda Maharaja wanted to remain in India and act as my secretary, but there is no proper man to replace him. Sometimes back you also wanted to go to Africa. If you still feel like that you can consider on the matter and I shall call Brahmananda here in India to act as my personal secretary. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg letters | 04:03 | 8 June 2008 8 June, 1974 Paris My dear Hamsaduta, Please accept my blessings, Syamasundara has voluntarily suspended his responsibility as GBC and I am enclosing my letter to him in this regard. So you may continue as GBC. So I have asked Syamasundara to tell the others to cooperate and I am sure this will alleviate all party feeling. We have to keep Krsna always in the center, and then although there are disturbances and sometimes fall downs we will be able to work together and keep our society intact. Some people recommend that in the face of so many nasty thoughts which occur in material thinking, we should try to become 'thoughtless' but this is never possible. Our Krishna Consciousness principle is not to become thoughtless but to purify the thinking to always thinking of Krishna. So try to spread and encourage this philosophy of thinking of Krsna, after thoroughly assimilating it yourself. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. I have accepted for initiation the devotees recommended by you and their new spiritual names are as follows: Matthew Norton--Manihara dasa Ann Norton--Amekhala devi dasi You may chant on their beads. ACBS/sdg So we are awaiting your sending us plane tickets so we may leave on the 16th June for Frankfurt, Germany. Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor, GBC, initiation letters | 03:01 |8 June, 1974 Paris My dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 25, 1974 and I have carefully noted the extensive contents. You have taken the right decision. For the time being you suspend your GBC responsibilities and let Hamsaduta manage as he is doing nicely. Hamsaduta saw me recently, however, and was complaining that he is meeting with an opposing party there, although he is working as authorized GBC. I think if you ask all of them to cooperate with him while you try to improve your business separately that will pacify things. I am hopeful and praying to Krsna that you become successful. The difficulty is you didn't know about the business and you believed everyone. I have a report even from Bal Krsna that you have been cheated. If you have sufficient experience and are careful then you can do the business. I think it requires great experience, otherwise you will be cheated. For the time being do your business and wherever you stay follow the regulative principles. Always chant and follow the regulative principles. Then you can see me in India during the installation ceremony in Vrindaban. I shall advise you further. There are so many things which happened in your absence which I do not wish to discuss now. But everything can be rectified if you follow my instructions. If you have actually sold jewels that is encouraging and we can discuss further about it when we meet next. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: business, GBC, New York, suspend letters | 03:01 |4 June 2008 4 June, 1974 Geneva My dear Hrdayananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of May 10, 1974. I was eager to receive your first GBC report and I have carefully noted the contents. As GBC your first responsibility is to keep yourself spiritually fit and see that all the devotees in your zone of management are chanting 16 rounds, rising early and strictly avoiding the sinful activities. If they are doing this, then management will be at your finger's end. Of course I am encouraged to hear that in each center you have stressed the distribution of my books and you are seeing that devotees daily go out for sankirtana as a primary devotional item. So you have a very wide range of area to cover and many things to look after, please do it very soberly, consulting when necessary with your GBC Godbrothers. Our progress is slow but sure, when walking down the street, we first place one foot down and when it is firm we take another step. We want to firmly establish centers in South America. I fully agree that the centers should be as far as possible manned by men who are native to the country; that will make our position even stronger, just as in the USA all you men and women have managed. As far as Brazil, why not go in first with sankirtana parties, distribute books in Portuguese, and then we can see later about opening a center. As far as counsel is concerned, simply keep up your fresh utsaha or enthusiasm for service. That will accomplish wonders. And always remain ideal yourself by strict adherence to the bhakti principles. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: GBC, management, Mexico, South America letters | 03:57 |2 June 2008 Sunday, 2 June, 1974 Geneva My dear Jayatirtha, Please accept my blessings. As you know, since the March GBC meeting in Mayapur you have been asked to manage affairs of the west coast U.S. zone until a permanent GBC man for that zone could be selected. From my careful observation of your activities especially in Los Angeles and the other temples, I can understand that you are doing very well as GBC representative for the west coast. Therefore I am appointing you as the regular GBC representative with full standing, for heading affairs in the western region of the U.S.A. I have already instructed the president of the Seattle temple in a recent letter, to sent new initiates beads to you for chanting. I know you will discharge the duties of GBC with full responsibility, especially seeing that the spiritual life in the temples is not neglected. I am having my secretary send a newsletter to all GBC informing them of your regular GBC status. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: GBC, Los Angeles, management letters | 03:00 |2 June, 1974 Geneva His Holiness Mahamsa Swami, Iskcon Hyderabad Giriraja das Brahmacari, ISKCON BOMBAY His Holiness Gargamuni Swami, ISKCON Calcutta His Holiness Bhavananda Goswami, Mayapur Candrodaya His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, Mayapur Candrodaya Tejyas das Adhikari, ISKCON Delhi Gurudasa das Adhikari, Krishna Balarama Temple, Vrindaban TO PRESIDENTS OF ISKCON CENTERS IN INDIA, Please accept my blessings. After meeting here in Geneva with Karandhara das Adhikari and several other GBC members, I have decided to send Karandhara to India to replace Tamala Krsna Goswami as the new Governing Body Commissioner for India. I know from experience that Karandhara is a highly qualified devotee and I feel confident in placing him in such an important position for our society as head of affairs in India. It is a great relief for me. Karandhara is very enthusiastic to begin his new assignment and will be leaving for India in a few days. Please give him all cooperation and work together for advancement of our mission to make the people of India Krishna Conscious. Your ever well-wisher A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: Bombay, GBC, management letters | 02:00 |4 April 2008 Thursday, 4 April, 1974 Bombay Dear Atreya Rsi, Please accept my blessings. Very suddenly Tamala Krsna Goswami underwent treatment for a surgical operation for a hernia. Now he is completely invalid and cannot move. It will take about two weeks more to recover, and then he desires to go to the U.S.A. for preaching work, and retire from the GBC. We have discussed about you because immediately you have no portfolio. I am now in India, so in my presence another GBC may not be required, but if required in my absence, my question is whether it will be possible for you to take charge? Kindly guide me how it will be possible, while keeping you occupation intact. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg letters | 21:01 | 14 March 2008 Thursday, 14 March, 1974 Vrindaban Memorandum to All ISKCON Centers My dear disciples, Please accept my blessings. Now that our ISKCON is growing into a huge, world wide organization, it has come to my attention that sometimes centers are printing my literature, taking collection and spending all outside the jurisdiction of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. This must not go on. I specifically formed the BBT to invest in it exclusive rights for the printing of all literature containing my teachings, writings and lectures. In this way the collections are to be divided fifty percent for printing new books and fifty percent for construction of temples. The BBT can authorize a center to print, as in the case of foreign translations, with the agreement that when the foreign printing becomes financially solvent they will pay royalties to the BBT. But all printing of ISKCON literature must be by the BBT or under their sanction and approval. If temples print independently it will be at the cost of the books I am, myself printing, and could eventually cause the financial ruin of the BBT, meaning I could not order new books from the printer or have sufficient funds for construction of temple projects. I trust this is now clear and you will all do the needful. If you have any questions in this matter you can write me directly or consult with the GBC representative. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: BBT, GBC, publishing letters | 14:24 | |
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