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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 |
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27 December 2008 27 December, 1974 Bombay My dear Panca Dravida Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am very interested to know how the program in Bangkok is going. I have just written Trivikrama Maharaja in Hong Kong that you and he can work cooperatively together and maybe arrange some big programs in Hong Kong, and you can go there, or arrange big programs in Bangkok and he can come there. Anyway you are both very near so this may be beneficial for both of you. Please make sure that you and your assistances are keeping yourselves fit in Krsna Consciousness by chanting 16 rounds daily and following all the principles very strictly, holding classes, rising early etc. Then the program there will be sure to be successful. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ps Labels: Bangkok, cooperation letters | 06:41 |12 December 2008 12 December, 1974 Bombay My Dear Patita Uddharana das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 8, 1974 and have noted the contents. So in your letter you are not finding fault with anyone. So you are good Vaisnava. You do not find fault with anyone. This is the qualification. We should always think ourselves very humble and meek. This you must know. So we have to all cooperate amongst ourselves, otherwise what will people think if we ourselves fight with one another? A devotee is always ideal in behavior. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor, cooperation, faults letters | 02:03 |8 June 2008 8 June, 1974 Paris My dear Revatinandana Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of 25th May, 1974. It is very good news that you are out preaching free from too much entanglement in temple life. That is your proper engagement and I am glad to hear you are touring to 120 colleges. Now cooperate with Hamsaduta. This is Krsna's business. We shouldn't form different parties. Hamsaduta is a sincere worker and has given evidence of success in Germany. Now Syamasundara has relinquished his position and I am enclosing a copy of my letter to him in this connection. Try to pacify all the opposing elements and you will also make me happy. Your ever well-wisher A. C., Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: college preaching, cooperation, London letters | 03:03 |13 April 2008 13 April, 1974 Bombay Dear Gargamuni Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of April 4, 1974, and I have noted the contents. I am glad to hear that the Calcutta temple is progressing nicely under your direction, that devotees are going out daily distributing books and collecting. As far as my meeting with the indutrialist G.D. Kothari and others to discuss building a Calcutta temple, my present schedule is that I am remaining in India until May 15, and then going to Pairs, France. On April 18 I am going to Hyderabad for a week and from there spend a week in South India traveling. So after that, if such a meeting can be arranged before I leave? Otherwise, when I return to India at the end of July I can meet. Regarding your complaint that Jayapataka Swami does not give you account of the money you send there, please try to rectify this amongst yourselves. I have sent Brahmananda Swami your elder brother, to Mayapur just to help organize their management. Now among yourselves you are all senior members, rectify this rift between Calcutta and Mayapur. Your idea to send Mayapur Rs 6,800.00 monthly for construction costs only, and let them make up that same amount monthly which is their maintenance money, is a good plan. I have heard there is good chance for life membership in Nadia area, and Panca Dravida Maharaja can train up others how to do it. You all must push on cooperatively and spare me from too much management intervention; that will be your success. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg P.S. I want to organize a women kirtana party singing the Gita Gan. Can you help me? Labels: Calcutta, construction, cooperation letters | 12:10 |3 April 2008 3 April, 1974 Bombay Dear Jayapataka and Bhavananda Maharajas, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter and I have carefully noted the contents. As for the advance of Rs 25,000 so that work can continue at Mayapur, that has already been sent from New York by Bali Mardan. There has been some delay in receiving it here but from our Bombay BBT account we have already forwarded the sum of Rs 25,000 to Calcutta, so that question is already answered. You have the money and work should go ahead full force to be completed as agreed. As far as the cows suffering from no good shelter, why have you not built them something solid? I sent $5,000.00 on one occasion and then $4,000.00 previous to that, for construction for the cows. So why are they not protected? Your report on the harvest of crops is a paradox, when compared to the fact that you have to spend money for maintenance. If there is so much harvest, you have cows, vegetables, then why do you require money for maintenance? I have read in your letter how the brahmacaris find it very difficult to plough. It will be very difficult if we do not work the land ourselves. The difficulty can be overcome provided we are sincere. I think we can use modern machines, to drive a tractor, for example, is as easy as driving a car. Suppose we hire a tractor for the time being. I heard they are available from Krishnanagar. In America they take to agriculture; they are farmers although they are not Indians. So why can't the Americans work and farm in India? We just have to adjust in order to raise as much crops as possible for the animals and men. I have seen many farmers near New Vrindaban working nicely with tractors and growing food. One day Kirtanananda Swami hired one and within two hours he tilled many acres of land very nicely, although it was not even land. So in Mayapur it is even land; in a few hours we can till all the land we possess. My point is if somehow we cannot utilize the land then why purchase it at such expenditure? Self help doesn't mean Rs 10,000 spent monthly. As for working with the architects, if you think the soil test is necessary you can consult together, you two and Gargamuni Maharaja and Brahmananda Maharaja and decide yourselves. Tamala Krsna Goswami has no extraordinary experience, so you can do it yourselves. Tamala Krsna is sick now, recovering from a hernia operation, and after he has recovered he is going to America. Yes, it is a good idea to go preaching in Bangladesh. If possible some men may go there. Gargamuni has some experience; when he went there it was Pakistan but still he had good reception. If you go to Bangladesh and establish a center it will be a great achievement. We have a center in China and one in Moscow why not Bangladesh and Pakistan? As for Panca Dravida Swami, I know he is a good preacher and collector. Let him work there for some time and then come back. He is needed in South India and Acyutananda Maharaja is waiting for him. But it will depend on Panca Dravida, he can decide himself which part of the country he can preach best in. Wherever better facilities are we should work, it doesn't matter if it is Nadia or South India. So please go on all working together in cooperative spirit and do the needful; then I may be spared taxing my brain over so many matters and I can go on my real work of translating. I will be glad to hear your further progressive reports. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: agriculture, cooperation, Mayapur, self-sufficiency letters | 20:58 |1 February 2008 Friday, 1 February, 1974 Hong Kong Dear Madhavananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 14, 1974. Please see that accounts are kept carefully, not that money is taken for whimsical expenditure. Be vigilant. Syamasundara has made a scandal by taking money of the society's and investing it in business. This kind of thing should be carefully watched. I am still awaiting repayment from Shayamasundar. Please pursue the projects underway. Your attempt to construct a temple from donation of life members is welcome. Also your plan to get large tax returns. Now do it cooperatively. You are intelligent and experienced - all work together there for the glory of Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement. I am leaving tomorrow night for New Delhi and shall be there by the 3rd February. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor, cooperation letters | 11:38 |1 February, 1974 Hong Kong Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 14, 1974. I am glad you are cooperating with Madhavananda. That I want. As long as we are sincere there is no question of split amongst us; the split only means someone is not sincere, otherwise there is no question of it. I have received the returned bank statements and letter regarding my entry certificate. I shall take this matter up with the embassy when I go the New Delhi. I am glad to hear you are correcting the pamphlet for the Bhaktivedanta Manor. I share your confidence that if done rightly, we can attract many persons, to visit the Manor and take prasadam and chant Hare Krsna. That will be a great victory, and if they can take our books and hear the philosophy then we can make devotees out of them. This great responsibility is in your charge. I have given you all the guidance and hints and it is described in all my books. Now it is up to you. Please keep our principles firmly and everything will come out successful. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor, cooperation letters | 11:37 |11 January 2008 11 January, 1974 Los Angeles Dear Tamala Krsna Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your GBC report dated January 3, 1974, and I thank you for reporting so completely on the situtation in India. I am very engladdened to hear you have secured one flat on our Hare Krsna Land. I am planning to arrive in India on or before February 1st. I am first going to New Delhi and then to Vrindaban in order to see how the construction of the temple is going on. Then I can go to Bombay, say about the second week in February, and together we can go to Mayapur in March. Now by your arrangement it will be very pleasing for me to stay in our own land at Juhu. In the past I was a guest while staying in Bombay but now we have our own place, and this is very engladdening to me. So I will come. We are four men and we will arrive in India by February 1st; we already have our tickets for around the world. Regarding your invitation to go to Dvaraka, yes I have already written you I have accepted, and I can go there. Hearing that you have collected Rs 81,000 in the month of December is very pleasing; you are a very good boy. Now Krsna is sending you new devotees to help in India. Yasomatinandana is a good boy, now utilize him properly. We are planning that he can open a center in Surat and he will attract many Gujaratis. He is sincere, learned, enthusiastic and qualified. Keep him nicely engaged. He has left $7,000 with me for starting a center in Surat. This money I have deposited in the Mayapur-Vrindaban Fund and when I shall start a center in Surat I will draw from that fund. For our arriving devotees they should all be coming on student visas for learning Sanskrit and Hindi languages and thus they can stay for 3 years. I have arranged this with the Consulate General in New York for the student visas for our men. I think Giriraja has written to you by now and he knows of this arrangement. Yes, Mohanananda is a very intelligent worker, now work cooperatively with him. The only fear I have is that you may fight. Please do not. That will ruin everything we have done. If there is any misunderstandings which arise, as they will, settle them up. You are all qualified American boys, now push on this glorious mission without letting it be hampered by personal differences. I am glad to hear you have a nice secretary there in Aditya; now take care of sending the BTG out regularly. There are some complaints in this department. So make Bombay the center for distributing BTG to life members. Yes I know very well that Gargamuni Maharaja is an expert collector and preacher. He is so expert in collecting therefore I call him Gargamoney. Regarding the BBT debt of Calcutta, you can wait for that. Not that the payment can be washed off, but we can wait. It is very good news that Gargamuni Maharaja is supporting both Calcutta and Mayapur. Now you cooperate and you yourself develop Bombay. In the meantime, Jayapataka and Bhavananda Maharajas want money for land. Karandhara has sent $4,000 so I have allowed them to purchase more land. I will pay and have arranged for that. You can advise Jayapataka and Bhavananda to purchase land whenever there is an opportunity and we shall arrange to pay. But it should not exceed Rs 5,000 per month. Within that limit they can purchase every month some piece of land. Yes, I agree the construction of a temple in Calcutta should wait until we finish our present projects which we have undertaken. We should not accept projects which will strain us. Bombay was a great strain, but Krsna has now given it to us. Henceforth we should not accept too much strain. It was a very bitter experience for me in Bombay. As Nair's party was determined not to let us have the land I was more determined to take it at any cost. Krsna has helped us, but we should not strain Krsna by such action. It is very important that the accounts be kept very clear so that we retain our income tax exemption. So continue to engage Manasvi and competent men so that everything is recorded very clearly. I understand that the mrdanga instruction to our devotees is a failure. So retain the teachers and have them engage our students, but if the students are so dull what can be done? Make as many mrdangas as possible. Supervise the workers so that they are working during their work hours. Yes, I fully agree that "What is the use of a temple if there is no prasadam distribution?" Prasadam distribution on a large scale must be resumed. Such a temple where there is no such distribution has no value, I agree. You say more land is needed for growing crops. So for the time being go ahead and purchase land and I will pay at the rate of Rs 5,000 per month. But do not acquire more land than we can use. Purchasing land and keeping it without use is not my policy. What is Gargamuni Maharaja doing with the money he is collecting for Mayapur? Regarding money being used for construction of gosala, pavilion etc., at Mayapur, I shall consider that after going there. I have arranged to transfer $100,000 which will be done by next Monday. But this is for the temple in Vrindaban. You cannot expect all the money to come from here. I will, however, be trying to carry as much money as possible. I have deposited $100,000 in the M-V Fund which is earning interest at Rs 5,500 per month. I want to utilize this for month after month for Vrindaban, and I do not want to break the original principle I have set up in this regard. I have arranged to send $100,000 for Vrindaban and another $100,000 has been deposited for the M-V Trust. When I come to India, we shall sit together, you, myself, Bhavananda Maharaja, Gargamuni Maharaja, Gurudasa, and do the needful. Yes, Bhavananda and Jayapataka Maharajas are the approved directors of Mayapur. They are selfless workers. Regarding food for the Mayapur Festival, in other temples they are going and collecting their food, and yet we have to purchase in Mayapur? If you depend always on collecting money from here only it will not be successful. If for buildings, festivals, etc. you have to collect from here, what is the use? The completion of Vrindaban temple by Janmastami is my whole hearted desire. Please do it by all means. The 3 lacs from Ashok Birla plus the $100,000 from here will I think be sufficient to finish the temple. It will please me very much to see it completed timely. Regarding the starting of a school in Vrindaban, yes engage Hari Goswami in a trial period there in Vrindaban. He should be engaged teaching Hindi and Sanskrit and if he does it nicely then he can transfer to Gurukula in Dallas. So for now he should also train up an assistant. Yes, we can start such classes in Bombay and Vrindaban for now. My wanting these subjects taught is a plea for getting the students visa. It is not for actually becoming great scholars. This was the impression I gave the Consulate General in N.Y. and he is helping. Dr. Kapoor has already refused to teach language. He is interested in teaching philosophy but we don't require it. We have everything required in the Bhagavatam. I want that the students can nicely recite the sanskrit verses and then they can read the full purport in English. So make arrangement for teaching Sanskrit and Hindi along those lines. B. R. Matta was pleased with this suggestion and said that with such a education program the Rama Krishna mission is taking huge amounts of money from the government. But before you try approaching government leaders first start an actual school program, then you can approach. Nor should these studies interfere with our program of simply presenting the Bhagavatam. Regarding the agitation to remove Tejas: No, Tejas must not be removed. Stop this. This is a clique. I don't want this. Why has Subala Maharaja gone there. He is an outsider, why are they interfering. Subala left India now why has he returned without permission? This removal of the president is very unconstitutional. The devotees who do not like to work with Tejas should immediately go away from the temple. But he may not. Those who feel against him can go away. Devotees come from the outside and interfere. No, they cannot change the president. Who sent Janmanjoya there? Why is he taking to politics? So your opinion is also mine, that Tejas is the most sincere worker of the lot. Please stop this. So I shall be pleased to see you all when I return to India in New Delhi by February 1st. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: Bombay, cooperation, Mayapur, MV Trust, Vrindavana letters | 15:17 |9 January 2008 9 January, 1974 Los Angeles Dear Sukadeva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 4, 1974 and I have examined the contents. It is good news for me that our Seattle, Washington temple is growing under your able guidance, and I am much obliged to you. It would not be possible for me to preach all over the world except for your cooperation, you and your Godbrothers and sisters who are maintaining centers all over the world. Your plan, therefore, to leave and take Vanaprastha is not advisable now. Better you remain there and go on with the preaching work, maintaining the devotees and approaching innocent persons. I think you have already a good preaching field there. After you are fifty years of age you can consider this move. Please consult with Karandhar who is GBC for your zone, in this matter. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: cooperation, Seattle, vanaprastha letters | 15:16 |7 January 2008 7 January, 1974 Los Angeles Dear Malati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 22, 1973. You write that things are in a crises in England, with oil shortage and IRA bombing. Therefore, we have to take shelter of Krsna. If Krsna wants to kill us that is not wrong, if it is His desire. Our business should just to be to follow the regulative schedule, deity worship, distributing prasadam, chanting, book distribution and never mind the material danger. Krsna Consciousness means to be on the platform of deathlessness. Every sloka in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam is informing us of this. If you read these books carefully you will understand this platform of deathlessness as opposed to the material condition in which no one wants to die but no one can check death. When I was there I saw the Deity was nicely dressed. So continue all your programs at Bhaktivedanta Manor and Krsna will save you. Madhavananda and Kausalya are an able couple. I have already written to Madhavananda and Mukunda about their difference of opinion. We have so much work to do, we cannot lose our solidarity. Do not cause a crack there with any fighting spirit or competition. Whenever I hear complaints or disturbances in our centers my mind becomes too much disturbed and I cannot properly translate my books. So please spare me from such disturbance by cooperating all together Godbrothers and Godsisters. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: Bhaktivedanta Manor, cooperation, distubance letters | 15:12 |1 January 2008 Tuesday, 1 January, 1974 Los Angeles My dear Madhavananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 19th, 1973. I can understand that you are seriously absorbed in trying to push on our movement in England. Regarding your point about the tax returns from donations made to our Society, this can be a good opportunity for us so please go ahead and try to make our status like the churches in England who are receiving 40% tax refund from donations. There should be no difficulty since we are a registered group in getting this status. So please do it in cooperation with Bhaktipramode who is an experienced businessman and understands how to do it. You also work with the accountant, Mr. Amin, and manage the affair. Since one Center has to be our leading Center in London, you may make it the Bhaktivedanta Manor for the legal purpose of registration. You say that one person must be in charge of the accounting so you are getting experience with your friends Mr. Amin and Bhaktipremode so you become the responsible person for this affair. Take instruction from them and do the needful. The very hopeful program, I want to construct very big Temples in England so please take care and do it nicely and expertly. Regarding expanding the various programs such as Sankirtana in England, if you work combinedly you can do it. Hamsaduta may also come and assist you. He has good experience in Sankirtana. As for sending devotees to India, I may have said to send 14 men, but if you have 2 or 3 experienced men who are ready to go now, send them immediately. You should not send devotees who do not intend to stay and work there. That is simply a waste of money. The English boys are able to stay 3 years in India because they are citizens of the Commonwealth so we should take advantage of this. Hence they should go as soon as possible, especially those who are fixed up and steady. The main difficulty there seems to be lack of full cooperation. I have written to you to become responsible and to manage things. However, at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, as anywhere, the local president is in charge. That is Mukunda. The reason why there is difficulty and competitive spirit is that everyone wants to be supreme. That is the difficulty. You have experience in the standard of our Krsna Consciousness Temples so you have to work together with Mukunda and combinedly raise the standard of the English Temples to our Krsna Conscious standard. Everyone should follow the rules and regulations. This is very important. There is a standard of behavior for devotees living in the Temple and everyone who lives in the Temple must follow that standard, or else we will automatically fall down. We have been given such a nice big facility at Bhaktivedanta Manor so it is not for our eating and sleeping. Rather, on receiving such a nice place from Krsna we should take it as an indication that we must now work harder. So I know that all the boys and girls there are enthusiastic to follow, so you leaders see that the Krsna Conscious standards in regard to initiation, cleanliness, dress and activities of the devotees, the restriction of association between men and women, all be strictly followed. Devotional service cannot be done whimsically. In regard to security, yes there should be security. There should be 1 or 2 men who are in charge of the Deity room. I have written a letter to Mukunda in this connection and I hope you will together see that this is done. I am asking you to take a new heart and try to cooperate with each other there. There is always some difference because we are not impersonalists, we are personalists and everyone is different. However we have our standard so everything must be conducted on the basis of Krsna Consciousness as I have taught it. You and your wife are there and you are both experienced members so why not take advantage and try to improve the situation there rather than think of moving? If we have to constantly move until we find the situation where there is no personal difficulty in relationships then we may never get down to our real work. Just put our differences aside and work for the greater cause to organize a nice Temple there. I will be glad to hear from you on these points. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:sdg Labels: cooperation, London, management letters | 17:48 | |
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