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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 |
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28 December 2008 28 December, 1974 Bombay My dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 9, 1974 and have noted the contents carefully. Regarding your first question, you have not committed such a serious offense. My request is that you atone for your actions by engaging in devotional service with great enthusiasm. Wherever your health is good, you should remain there and serve. Regarding Gurukula I am very happy to hear that the financial crisis has passed. That is very good. This is real management. As far as the children are concerned, people are accusing us sometimes that our children are undernourished, underfed and note cared for properly. So it is good that you are seeing that they are happy and healthy. They should be given milk at least 8 ounces a day if possible 16 ounces a day. Dahl, capati, rice, vegetable this will keep them fit. If possible a little bit of fruit also. As for fixing up the Deity house in Dallas with marble altars, this is not necessary for now. We shall see later on. For the time being organize the health, education and care of the children and continue the Deity worship as it is going nicely now. Deities are satisfied with bhakti not marble. Therefore try to increase the bhakti. I think that you should immediately try and get the church in Toronto. Take it immediately. Church is always cheaper as there are not many other purchasers. This way we can bargain with them and bring the price down. The psychology behind it is that the Christians will hesitate to tear down a church. They would rather see it still standing. Gradually you should buy all the churches and make them into temples. There are so many churches actually they should give us these churches free, if they were actually God-conscious. But they are sectarian. Anyway purchase this church immediately. It is not very costly. $200,000 you can arrange. If it is available from BBT at this time then I have no objection. You can make the $150,000 loan from BBT. I do not know though if that much is available. Increase the Rathayatra festival in Chicago. Make it twice as big, that will be very nice. This festival must be introduced wherever possible. It is so nice. In connection with your using your efforts to make television shows, no, that is not important now. Don't waste time in this way. Better to have nice festivals like Rathayatra festivals. If they see us on television show then the next moment they will forget. But if they come to a festival and participate that is eternal benefit. Now you are raising your third child. So more and more you are becoming responsible for these living entities who are your dependents. You must see that they do not take birth again in this material world. That is your duty. Therefore you and your good wife must endeavor strongly together to become fully Krsna Conscious through this simple, sublime process that I have given. By simply following this process without deviation, chanting 16 rounds, following the four regulative principles, attending classes and mangala arati, rising early, these things will gradually bring you to the platform of pure love of Krsna. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ps Labels: Chicago, Church, gurukula, Rathayatra, Toronto letters | 06:44 |24 November 2008 24 November, 1974 Bombay My Dear Bhakta dasa: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 10, 1974 with enclosed photographs of the Hare Krishna Restaurant. It is very nice. I had been there to Stanford University. So you can get Mr. Malkani in New York to help you in the restaurant. He went there to start a restaurant, but now he is cooking in the New York temple, so you arrange for him to help you. Are books being sold also in the restaurant? Regarding the Ratha Yatra Festival, keep it always gorgeously alive, but do not change the principle. The principle should go on as usual. Yes, it is all right to make something in the park as you have suggested. Why you want to change the wheels? This is unnecessary. Don't do this. Keep the old system strong, and if necessary repair it. Don't change from this to that. That is your American disease. This is very serious that you always want to change everything. Spoked wheels will never be as strong and hard as the old way. Never do this. Neither there should be any separate float as you have suggested for me. Regarding having the crowds come forward to touch Lord Jagannatha's feet, that will also be impossible to manage. So for the time being this program may not be taken. Regarding the devotees you have recommended, I am pleased to accept them as my disciples and their names are as follows: Marilyn--Manini devi; Jamie--Janjapukandhi devi; Carol Hansen--Kelilalita devi; Carol Tungate--Kalpalatika devi; Huber--Hanumatpresaka dasa; Steve--Satkrta dasa; Lou--Lankesa das; Kirk--Kalanidhi dasa. Also I accept the following as twice born initiated brahmanas: Vatsala dasa; Sasikhala devi; and Vaisesikha dasa. The sanctified threads and the mantra sheets are enclosed. Hold a fire sacrifice, and the gayatri mantra should be heard through the right ear from my tape recording. I am glad to see that you are taking these initiations seriously. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: initiation, Rathayatra, San Francisco letters | 02:02 |29 September 2008 29 September, 1974 Mayapur My Dear Sri Govinda: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated September 5 & 9, 1974 with enclosed clippings of my visit to Chicago Ratha Yatra. The clippings are especially nice, and I am requesting that they be displayed here at Mayapur for our Gaura purnima festival. I very much liked your Chicago festival, and I encourage you to increase it next year. This Rathayatra festival is very dear to me from my very childhood days, so I very much appreciate your holding this festival in Chicago. If you have longer route and two or three cars it will be very good. Regarding your house, yes, you should purchase. Your hall is far better than Los Angeles, I think. You have installed the Deity there so nicely with all nice decorations, and I have seen how clean you are keeping it. And, the room was fully packed even the balcony. On the whole that building is just suitable for our purpose. Your scheme for collecting from the Indian community is all right and I approve the inscription for the plaques. Krsna is giving you all good facilities for spreading Krsna consciousness, and I can assure you that He will supply even more. You are a boy of great energy and the more you use your energy in Krsna's service, the more He will supply you, rest assured. So it is up to you how much you want to endeavor for Krsna's sake. Regarding the initiations, I accept for second initiation upon your recommendation Mrgendra dasa, Bhaktavasya dasi, Subhadra dasi, and Krsna mayi dasi. Enclosed are the thread and sheet. The following I accept as my disciples and their names are as follows: 1. Tom Obnibene--Trinakarta dasa; 2. Chuck Ryskamp--Cakri dasa; 3. Bill Byars--Visvatomukha dasa; 4. Lee Sutton--Lamala dasa; 5. Barb Sutton-Brmhani devi dasi. Now hold a fire sacrifice and impress upon the devotees that they are taking vows before Radha Krsna, the spiritual master, and the Vaisnavas. The beads may be chanted upon by a sannyasi or GBC man. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs October Labels: building, Chicago, initiation, Rathayatra letters | 11:07 |19 August 2008 19 August, 1974 Vrindaban El Cerrito Dear Miss Johnson, Thank you for your letter dated July 15th 1974. Regarding the lecture that I gave at the Rathayatra festival, I think if you contact our San Francisco temple, they might be able to provide you with a transcript. If you speak with the president there Bhakta dasa, he may be able to suggest ways that you can use your public relations in the service of Krishna. First of all you should get our books and read them, especially our Bhagavad gita as it is and Srimad-Bhagavatam. As you begin to understand the philosophy then you will be able to present our movement so that many people may become attracted to this authorized process for developing our dormant love of God. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Rathayatra, Srimad Bhagavatam letters | 20:54 |28 June 2008 Friday, 28 June, 1974 Melbourne My dear Bhakta das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of June 17, and have carefully read the contents. I am glad to hear you have been thinking of me and have arranged a nice house near the temple for my stay there. As you know, I will be arriving 6:30 P.M. from Chicago on United airlines on July the 6th. I am also looking forward to attending the grand festival of Lord Jagannatha. You have said rightly when you write that the devotees are working to please me by distributing my books. My mission on behalf of my guru maharaj and Lord Caitanya, to spread Krsna Consciousness would never have been so successful if it had not been taken up by enthusiastic boys and girls such as in San Francisco, especially through distribution of books. I can, however, only stay a few days in San Francisco after the Festival. I am due back in Vrindaban, India by about the 25th of July, and I wanted to visit Los Angeles as well as other cities in the U.S., so that does not leave me much time for staying in one place. My plan presently is to leave S.F. for L.A. on the 11th July. So any engagements you can make in S.F. before that time will be fine. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: itinerary, Rathayatra, San Francisco letters | 09:47 |10 June 2008 10 June, 1974 Paris My dear Ravindra Svarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 5, and I have carefully noted the contents. I am glad to hear you have immediately stopped political campaigning on receipt of my letter. I have written a number of letters to the persons involved explaining how we can not spend money and manpower on this project in competition with the big politicians. Therefore I have asked that it be stopped. I want to thank you a hundred times for the excellent way you are worshipping the Deity there as I can see from the color photographs you have sent. From my very childhood I was also worshipping Lord Jagannatha. When I was six years old my father gave me a ratha and I was performing the Ratha yatra in my neighborhood. And now in the western world you are worshiping Lord Jagannatha so gorgeously and it pleases me very, very much. Thank you again for the way you are conducting the deity worship in the Philadelphia temple. As for the Ratha ceremony, you go on with it, I shall attend there next year. But you go on holding a splendid ceremony for the people of the city. I am sure it will be a success. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: Philadelphia, political sankirtan, Rathayatra letters | 04:02 |4 June 2008 4 June, 1974 Geneva My dear Bhakta das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter of May 21st and I have noted the contents. I am certainly making all plans to attend Rathayatra in San Francisco on July 7th and 8th. I will be going to Australia for their Rathayatra on June 29th and after that Jayatirtha is arranging my tickets for coming to U.S. I would like to attend the Rathayatra in Chicago on July 6th and, come to San Francisco on the evening of the sixth, so you may prepare to receive me then. Regarding your looking for a more suitable building and location for the San Francisco temple, one thing is be very careful you don't again buy a place in a bad neighborhood or neighborhood that is about to become bad. And although you are at the same time looking for a farm community land outside the city, you must keep a temple in the city of San Francisco also. So we can discuss things further when we meet. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: land, Rathayatra, San Francisco letters | 03:58 |28 May 2008 28 May, 1974 Rome My dear Madhudvisa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I have heard that you are very keen to make the Melbourne Rathayatra very wonderful and you have requested extra instructions. One thing is there are many band parties - if you can get band parties to join that would be nice. Our men should hold kirtana just in front of the ratha, and other parties may proceed before us. I think we will accept your invitation to join us when we break our journey to Melbourne by stopping somewhere in Malaysia, probably Jakarta, where you say we have good friends who would like to accommodate us with a place to stay. We shall inform you positively of the date of arrival there when we receive our tickets from you in Paris and confirm the flight. So I think we shall arrive in Melbourne no later than the 26th of June. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: itinerary, Melbourne, Rathayatra letters | 03:42 |12 May 2008 12 May, 1974 Bombay My dear Madhudvisa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I understand that you are preparing for my arrival for your Rathayatra. I am not sure of your Rathayatra date but I think it is at the end of June. However at this time I will be in Europe. I am to arrive in Rome on the 23rd, then on the 30th to Geneva, then June 6 to Paris. On June 15 I go to Koln where Hamsaduta has arranged a lecture tour continuing in Heidelberg and Amsterdam through July 6. So it will not be possible for me to attend Rathayatra if you have scheduled it for June. I am immediately going to the US after Europe to attend Rathayatra in Chicago on July 6 and then Rathayatra in San Francisco on July 8. From there I will come to Australia toward the middle or end of July. If it is possible for you to reschedule your Rathayatra for the end of July then I will attend. But I will come to Australia at that time anyway. I do not know if you will be able to reschedule your Rathayatra. So if you wish to communicate with me I will be in the European cities as dated above. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: itinerary, Melbourne, Rathayatra letters | 05:49 |9 May 2008 9 May, 1974 Bombay My dear Caru, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 29, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am glad to hear, although there were many difficulties, that Madhudvisa Maharaja will be able to return to Australia with permanent residence status. Please have him write me as soon as he returns. I do not have the exact date of your Rathayatra in June, although I think it is June 21. As for going there my present itinerary is that I am going to Rome on May 23 for a week, then a week in Geneva and then a week in Paris. So I may not be in London when it is time to go to Australia. You have written that you are arranging tickets for London-Sydney-Delhi. It is a little difficult to make exact arrangements at this time. But I plan to leave for Australia from Europe. Then from Australia I plan to go to San Francisco via Honolulu, in order to attend the July 8 Rathayatra in San Francisco. Your entering politics is good. You should make political propagation on the basis of reforming the whole human society. The leaders must be an ideal class of men, with ideal character, free from the four sinful activities: no meat eating, no gambling, no illicit sex and no intoxications, as well as chanting. They should chant the names of God. This is essential for leaders. Leaders must be ideal men so others will follow them. So make propaganda on this basis. We are Krishna Conscious candidates, so our political propaganda must be 100% Krishna Consciousness. As to importing the HARMONIST or doing one locally, do as suitable. It is a nice proposal to distribute such a newspaper. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: Melbourne, political sankirtan, Rathayatra letters | 04:29 |8 May 2008 Wednesday, 8 May, 1974 Bombay My dear Sri Govinda Das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 30, 1974 and have observed the contents. The enclosed newspaper story, "Krishna followers freed from police harassment," is just further testimony of the great victory made by Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Chicago. I understand that the Chicago area is the most lucrative place in the world for distribution of our books and that you have done very careful work in getting all permission. Therefore this rumor that within a few years there will be police repression and people will have no more money to buy books and sankirtana will stop is completely bogus. Whoever told you that is a rascal, saying it in my name. I never said that. Rather sankirtana movement will expand, continuing so long as we are sincere. When I came in the beginning I began to expand it and it is now going on and there is no question of it stopping. Therefore go on with your life time plans making secure in distributing of books. There is no cessation. This movement is eternal. It is very wonderful news that you have permission to hold Rathayatra downtown on the main street on Saturday, July 6 and tens of thousands of people will view the cart. I have been invited to attend the Rathayatra in San Francisco which is July 8. So I am hoping also I will stop in Chicago on my way to San Francisco and observe the festival with you. I will inform you further regarding sending us plane tickets, when our European tour is more fixed up. We can discuss further your plans for securing a new building when I come there. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: book distribution, Chicago, Rathayatra, sankirtan letters | 04:27 |5 May 2008 Sunday, 5 May, 1974 Bombay Dear Jayatirtha, Please accept my blessings. I have received your recent letters of April 16 and April 25 and have noted the contents. You have also written in a letter to Satsvarupa that temple donations are being put toward the Indian BBT debt. Please, let me know in this connection what is the amount taken from donations and transferred to the BBT account for the book debt by India? Also I will request you that as much book debt amount as you receive from donations you should again dispatch that amount in new books to India. There is not sufficient stock of books here. Whatever variety of books are in stock send according to the amount paid against the debt. I think you are aware Gargamuni Maharaja has formed a spiritual sky tours program and will be bringing about 70 life members on a world tour including of course the United States. I need to know from you whether the BBT has sufficient capital in the bank to cover the amount of $130,000.00. This amount will be required to cover their expenditure. Regarding the grhasthas houses, we have given these houses with the purpose that they should execute devotional service exactly like the Brahmacaris and sannyasis. Otherwise, why purchase houses near the temple? The whole idea is to live near the temple and take advantage of the temple program, which means morning arati, classes, sankirtana and all services connected with the temple. They are also members of the temple. Locana das may deposit his contributions with the Mayapur Vrindaban fund which will also go for the Krsna Balarama temple as is his desire. I am still not aware how fast the remittance is going from the Union Bank to the Punjab National Bank in Vrindaban. For example I have not received a report on when the interest for April, due payable April 10, actually reached Vrindaban. I have written the Punjab National Bank about this and am awaiting their report. You have asked about Gaura Nitai deity worship by the householders in Los Angeles. That is for those who live far away from the temple and cannot attend. Otherwise, such worship is redundant; there is already deity worship going on in the temple and they should attend the aratis, not install their own deities. The impression of Lord Caitanya's feet which you have there may be kept in a picture, not that it is worshipped as a deity. Keep it as a picture. Regarding your invitation that I attend the Rathayatra festival in San Francisco, on July 7th, it is possible that I may attend depending on when I finish my European tour. I am due to arrive in Rome on May 23, then after a week Geneva, the Paris and possible Stockholm, Germany and England. If there is time I can fly directly from Europe to Los Angeles and go to the festival, then as you suggest, go to Australia Rathayatra via Hawaii. This is known as jet-age parivrajakacarya. For the present I will be staying in Bombay for about two weeks, then to Delhi and Vrindaban before leaving for Rome. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. I want the monthly interest from the Union Bank to go to account 668 at the Punjab National Bank, Vrindaban, called "ISKCON Mayapur-Vrindaban Trust Fund". At present they are sending the interest to the account number 6112. "A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami". So please go to the Union Bank and find out how this change may be brought about and and let me know. Also I am enclosing a check for $21.00 (twenty one dollars) which I have received here. I want you to deposit this for me in the Union Bank, ISKCON MVT, and the savings deposit slip is enclosed. Labels: BBT, Deities, grhastha, itinerary, Rathayatra letters | 07:43 |3 May 2008 4 May, 1974 Bombay Dear Madhudvisa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. Please find the enclosed copy of a letter I have sent to Bhurijan. He has written me that he has stepped down from his duties as president of Hong Kong and has given them to Devaprastha. I think Bhurijana was doing nicely preaching to the Chinese boys but he has written that he is uninspired and feeling incapable and wants to spend more time with his wife. This sudden turn of events is a surprise to me. Moreover he admits that the boy who is taking over, Devaprastha has been very unsteady in the past. So whether you want to send someone there who is more steady and will stay there and develop. There is definite potential there and it is a wealthy city. If you can enlighten me more on the subject of why Bhurijana is leaving I would appreciate it. I heard you were still in Los Angeles. When will you be returning to Australia? Jaya tirtha has written inviting me to the Rathayatra in San Francisco on July 7. I will be in Europe until the end of June and I may go to the Ratha yatra in San Francisco on July 7. Jaya tirtha said the festival is so timed that I can also go to the Australia Rathayatra also. What is the date of your Rathayatra? I have written you several times on this point, whether you want me to attend Rathayatra in Australia. If you like I can leave San Francisco and fly to Australia via Hawaii. So let me hear from you on the above mentioned points. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Rathayatra letters | 09:46 |11 April 2008 11 April, 1974 Bombay Dear Madhudvisa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of March 31, from San Francisco and I have noted the contents. I do not think that you have failed in your work there, but by your going and preaching it appears the temple life has much improved. That you could not convince Bhutatma to stay as president is not your fault. Now you stay at New Jagannatha Puri, your first spiritual home until you are sure the new president, Bhakta dasa is fully understanding of how to conduct things. I know he has done nicely in San Diego. One thing is they should never consider leaving or selling that building, but they should stay there as Radha and Krishna are staying, and it is a nice temple as evidence by the fact that over 250 people attended the Sunday feast by your report. The description of the play, The Death of the Yadus, is all right. I have written you earlier that my plans are to travel to Paris by mid May and then spending 4 or 5 days in each place, I will visit Geneva, Rome, and three or four cities in Germany. Then I will be prepared to go to Australia for Rathayatra. So let me hear from you in this regard. I am glad you have cleared your visa matters and that you can return to your GBC zone of work. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: management, Rathayatra, San Francisco letters | 12:06 |6 April 2008 6 April, 1974 Bombay Dear Madhudvisa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am not exactly certain of your whereabouts now; I trust your arrangements for visa are going on and that you will soon be back in Australia. I am presently fixing a traveling schedule for visiting Paris, France in the second week of May. Then I will visit, Geneva, Rome, Stockholm, and three or four cities in Germany, each place for no more than four or five days. So since I will not have to return to India until August, after Europe I can go to Australia for your Rathayatra if you can purchase our tickets. You can reply to me here in Bombay until the second week of May, when we shall go to Paris. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg c.c. to ISKCON MELBOURNE Labels: Australia, Rathayatra, San Francisco letters | 21:04 | |
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