a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1973 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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9 January 2007 Tuesday, 9 January, 1973 Bombay, India My Dear Sons and Daughter, Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Damodara I have gladly accepted all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Now you may send your beads to Kirtanananda in New Vrindaban for chanting them, as I have empowered him to act on my behalf. Or you may write him and request him to send you new beads, as you arrange. I have given you the spiritual names as follows: Howard Bernd/ HASYAKARI DAS Randy Buchert/ RATHANGAPANI DAS Warren Havens/ VARUTHAPA DAS Lawson Knight/ LAKSMIVAN DAS Barry Butler/ BHAKTAVATSALA DAS Linda Butler/ BHAKTILILA DASI My request to all of you is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service as you have learned them, and especially observe strictly the four prohibitions and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily. In this way you will be always happy. Now you have got the golden opportunity of this human form of life, and it is not by accident that you have met your spiritual master, so if you are actually intelligent you will stick very tightly to your position of Krsna Consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead. The essential point to remember is that you should try always to please your spiritual master under every condition. That means to follow his orders and instructions very carefully. My first instruction to all of my disciples is that they should help me spread this Krsna Consciousness movement all over the world, utilizing their energy as best they are able to do it. In this way, keeping yourselves always engaged in Krsna's business 24 hours, you will become free from all attachment to maya by Krsna's grace. Just as when the darkness and the light come together, the darkness cannot stand before the light, so maya cannot remain in the presence of Krsna. Always remember therefore to chant Hare Krsna and that will save you in all circumstances without any doubt. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: initiation letters | 10:39 |9 January, 1973 Bombay, India My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated December 28, 1972 is in hand and I have noted the contents carefully. Upon your recommendation I am happy to accept the six applicants as my duly initiated disciples, and their letter is enclosed herewith. You may request them to send their beads to Kirtanananda in New Vrndavana for chanting on them on my behalf. I have given that responsibility as it is too costly to send so many beads such great distance by air mail. Now I am getting so many requests for first initiation, therefore I have given that responsibility to Kirtanananda, and Revatinandana will chant on the beads for the European devotees. I am so glad to understand from you your concern about the managing of our Krsna Consciousness movement. Yes, you are my elder disciple, you are one of the leaders of our Society; therefore, it is your duty to feel always this responsibility for seeing that the things go on properly. So I am very glad to hear that you are taking so many steps for improving things and spreading Krsna Consciousness more and more to the citizens at large. Main thing is to somehow or other create first quality preachers on Krsna's behalf. So many boys and girls are simply wasting their time in so many frivolous ways, but if we are sincere and serious to attract them to Krsna's fold, very easily we shall be able to persuade them to join us. That means simply let them get a taste of something higher than their present-day sense pleasure. Of course, that will not be so easily done, and that will be your credit for doing it. You have got now good experience, and you are mature, cool-headed and sincere devotee, therefore, I shall expect a very good result from your activity in this way. Regarding the several smaller temples being dependent upon the central temple of Washington D.C., that is up to you to decide, but so far I am concerned, I have not got much stock in such centralized management or organization. I never wanted that any of my temples shall be dependent upon the other temples. Rather, our main business is to train up men to be self sufficient and competent in many ways to carry on the preaching work, not to make them into specialists or to minimize their responsibility by centralizing everything. If each center must rely upon its own strength to stand, that will be better training ground for the devotees. We must learn how to do all kinds of varieties of engagements on Krsna's service, not that we shall expect anyone else to act for us and thus avoid something ourselves. But for reasons of spreading Krsna Consciousness movement, we may sometimes centralize, just like the books and money for BBT are managed by Karandhara in Los Angles. In that case, for more than one man to be dealing with Dai Nippon, overseeing the general production and financial condition of the books, if that were left for each temple to manage, there would be great difficulty and the books would get neither printed nor paid for nor distributed widely. So in that case, centralized management is preferable. But in the case of new temples, it is better if they must have to struggle a little while to establish themselves in their cities, become familiar with the local city officials and leading citizens, elicit support from all quarters of the city, like that, otherwise these things will be neglected and there will be false dependency upon the outside supplies. This will deteriorate everything. Our purpose of Krsna consciousness movement is to create first class servants of Krsna, that means they know how to do everything. I am especially encouraged by your increasing the distribution of books. That is our primary business, to sell these transcendental literatures profusely all over the world. And your methods which you have introduced for distributing the books are very much liked by me and approved fully. Whatever we have to do to induce people to take a book, that is nice. We shall judge the thing by its result, not by its means. But at the same time, we must avoid irritating anyone or disappointing anyone later by cheating them or telling big lies which become detected. Your program for approaching their businessmen in their offices is especially liked by me. Now tax your brain to create programs for engaging the wider and wider classes of population in Krsna Consciousness. So far your ideas about influencing the leaders of society, yes, that must be done. But political power is not in their hands actually, factually speaking. It is the common people who elect the leaders of your country. Therefoe we must get the support of the common men. What good is the support of a handful of so-called leaders of society? But, on the other hand, if such leaders of society can be influenced to preach on our behalf, help us to spread Krsna Consciousness in some practical way, that is the best service. But simply supporting, that will not help us. Support of mass of people will help us. But mass of people take direction from their leaders, so if the leaders of present day society can be persuaded of our beneficial working for the human welfare, and if they help us somehow to spread what they have learned from us to the people in general, that is the point to be considered. By going out for sankirtana and selling books to the citizens at large, in this way we are gradually getting the support of everyone, not just a select few. I have heard that during the last election of President in your country that the opposite party to Mr. Nixon was supported by most of the so-called intelligent class of men of your country, but still, what could they do, such high class of men, in comparison with Mr. Nixon? Mr. Nixon has got the support of the common men, therefore he is successful. So life that, we must get the support of the mass of men, and if the leading men can be induced by you to preach on our behalf, then you will be able to speed up the process and actually that is a very great service for Krsna. Spending so much time with upper class citizens to get funds must be judged on this idea, whether their appreciating our movement will have any practical effect in terms of widespread spreading of Krsna Consciousness and preaching to the mass of men? The program, as you have mentioned it, of approaching the professors to introduce our books in their classrooms, that is the right idea. In that way the leading class, just like the professors, if they can be induced to preach on our behalf, just like introducing the books to their students is one form of preaching, if they will do like that, then spending time with them is very, very desirable and effective. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: book distribution, initiation, management, preachers letters | 09:49 |9 January, 1973 Bombay Akron, Ohio My dear Mr. Robert Keene, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 20, 1972, and I have noted the contents with great concern. I do not know what are exactly the facts of the matter, but if there are any discrepancies as you say in the temples of ISKCON, they should be immediately rectified by conscientious officers. Of course, we cannot expect to find always any utopia in this material world, that is a fallacy, and it may appear to someone who is materialistically inclined that what we are doing is not only harmful to our materialistic condition, but also that we are not caring for our students and so many other things. But if you inquire from our students more carefully, you will come to understand that these superficial matters are not very serious in the long run, and that the students are becoming very happy by their acquiring spiritual knowledge and serving Krsna in so many ways. It is said that "one man's food is another man's poison." Because they have become disgusted with this material world, sometimes our devotees appear to have foolishly disregarded everything, that is seen to be something bad in their eyes, but we should not take these things very seriously. Main thing is that these boys and girls have understood what is austerity and the difference between spirit and matter, that is the highest knowledge of existence. Because they are engaged in serving Krsna in this way, you have nothing further to worry, their position in life is very secure and sound because they are going back to home, back to Godhead, without any doubt. Though they may be dressed in rags, still they are more exalted than kings. Nevertheless, I do not know how serious is the actual situation at Boston Temple or at other temples, but I am sending copies of your letter to all ISKCON centers and I am requesting the officers in charge in those places to do the needful as you are suggesting. Yes, if there is anything cold weather, the students should be sufficiently dressed and they should not work under such conditions that they will fall ill. Everything should be managed in a nice way, so that no one is dissatisfied and everyone keeps their health and energy fit for serving Krsna 24 hours. Thank you very much for your kind attention. I hope that everything is rectified to your satisfaction. You have got a daughter who is now become devotee of Krsna, therefore I can understand that you are also very nice persons, everyone related to any devotee of Krsna becomes also great in our estimation. Therefore I beg your assistance in this matter by giving something donation towards our temples, or especially the Boston Temple, for purchasing cloth and medicine, and other things for the devotees there. If there is any further complaint, you may please address me at any time and I will try to rectify the matter. Hoping this meets you in the best of health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: health, management letters | 09:48 |9 January, 1973 Bombay My dear Hariprasadaji, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated December 27, 1972 and January 2, 1973, and I have noted the contents with great care. Now your brother is here with me and I am talking with him daily what we shall do in Hyderabad. So you needn't worry for anything, I shall satisfy you on all points. The plan is being made and Sriniwas has also seen it, and we have been jointly consulting. So some of our best men are coming there by 15th of this month to take up the matters seriously, and they shall bring with them many many books. As soon as they come there, Kesava may immediately return to Bombay for taking charge of some other very important work here in India. I have a big plan for him, so as soon as he can be spared from his work there, if you think it is all right, he may leave immediately before the others arrive. Yes, your proposal for laying down the foundation stone in March is very much wise. I think by that time there will be sufficient progress made to inaugurate the new temple at that time. I am going to Australia and New Zealand for month of February, but I shall return to Mayapur in early March for celebrating Lord Caitanya's appearance day on 18th March. I am so much appreciating your sincere and determined cooperation for establishing this Hare Krsna movement, not only in Hyderabad, but all over the world. It is not so much important what we actually accomplish by our work, so much as the eagerness to serve Krsna which is behind our working for Him. I can see that you are very, very eager, enthusiastic to serve Krsna in your best capacity, that is your great asset. So long you are so much eager to serve Krsna, without any doubt you will very quickly meet Krsna face to face. Thank you for helping me in this way. Hoping this meets you and your good family in the best of health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda letters | 09:47 | 9 January, 1973 Bombay My dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated December 28, 1972, is in hand and I have noted the contents carefully. According to our Vedic process, polygamy is allowed. For example, Krsna married 16,000 wives, Arjuna married 3 or 4 wives, Krsna's father Vasudeva, married 16 or 18 wives, like that. So according to the Vedic system polygamy is not prohibited. But it is not a farce also. Every wife must be provided for sufficiently. Krsna married 16,000 wives, but each wife was provided a palace and He was personally present at each palace. It does not mean to marry many wives and maintain none of them. If anyone is able to keep more than one wife and give them all comforts of life, there is no objection for having more than one wife. But if he creates trouble by marrying, he should not marry even one wife, this is my judgment. Now you can do the needful, taking into consideration the circumstances of the laws of your country, the customs of your people, the reputation of our society, the example which will be set for future devotees to follow, like that. For karmis, the Vedic system of marriage was given by Krsna so they may come gradually to the point of becoming devotees. But for devotees, it is advised to minimize sex life to the point of nil. So if that cannot be done, then there is regulation of sex life by marriage. Actually the system of polygamy is natural because the human entity is meant for transcending the animal forms of life and going back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore there should remain a class of men who do not marry in the society. But that will create an unfavorable situation of excessive population of unmarried women. Therefore it is advised that all women get themselves married, and if there is any man who is better able to maintain wife and family, he is advised to marry as many women as he can maintain and thereby free other men in the society to remain brahmacari. So I can understand that many men of our society have got themselves married only for some disastrous result. That means that not all of our men are meant for married life, but because there are so many women we may not leave them unprotected without husband, that will also not serve us well. Therefore it will be the best idea if those who are well-qualified as husbands to keep more than one wife very much satisfied in every respect, if such men can marry more than once. That will free the others to remain brahmacari. But you must consider very carefully the possibility of becoming scandalized in the public for breaking their laws in this way. And in future also the devotees who are neophyte may not understand our policy in this connection, and we gradually could wind up attracting only a class of men who are very eager for unlimited sex life only. These things must be avoided at all cost. Enclosed please find also the letter-proposal from Syamasundara as suggested by me to relieve me from these decisions regarding husband and wife. Kindly distribute this proposal to all the 12 GBC men in the world. They may write to me their views on the point and give their yes or no answer to the proposal. A few days back Rsi Kumar has come to see me from South Africa and he has handed over to me the sum of $700 in cash. This amount was reserved to pay you for the book sales for December month for South Africa, and it was to be deposited in the BBF there with you. Instead I requested him to give to me here and I am depositing in my BBF here in India. So kindly credit this amount to Rsi Kumar and debit his bill for the amount of $700. Enclosed find also the copy of one letter which I recently sent to Rsi Kumar, wherein I have approved his request to get 15% discount on books sent to South Africa. Because it is a new field and there is more than 15% of import duty and shipping cost, it will be difficult if he has to pay the full amount. Therefore you may credit his account the $700 plus 15% of the total amount which is due to you to date. Very soon Rsi Kumar and Yasodanandana and Gurukrpa will return to South Africa to arrange the program for me to come there after leaving India some time in April. Meanwhile by 1st February I have received the tickets to go to Australia and other places from Madhudvisa. But I shall be returning by March 1st to Mayapur. I have received your description of the books sold during three-day Christmas period, and I am very much pleased upon all of the nice boys and girls who have helped me in this way. I could never have thought it was possible to distribute so many of our literatures. Therefore I can understand it is simply Krsna's blessing us for your sincerely working on His behalf. Actually, that is the secret of my success, not that personally I have done anything wonderful, but that because those who are helping me are sincere, they have done the work, that is the reason for our success all over the world where others have failed. A little sincerity is very difficult thing in this age of hypocrisy and bluff, but I am so fortunate that Krsna has sent me all of you nice boys and girls who are sincerely working. Please convey to all of them my deepest appreciation. Hoping this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda N.B. So far the opinion of that lawyer is concerned, you may take the opinion of several others who are knowledgeable in these matters before making any decisions. A.C.B.S. Labels: book distribution, marriage, publishing, sex life letters | 09:46 |9 January, 1973 Bombay My dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated Jan. 2, 1973, and I have noted the contents with great care. I am very sorry to hear that you must undergo one operation of surgery upon your hernia condition, that is preventing you from opening a center in Perth. Yes, I can appreciate that you have opened so many centers now, all over the world, so never mind if some others may have to go there in your place. You take good rest and become very healthy by the time that I shall come there in February. If I get the opportunity I shall also go to that Hare Krsna farm near Melbourne City, 80 miles, and if you prepare some place for me to stay. Hoping this meets you in the best of health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: health letters | 09:45 |9 January, 1973 Bombay My dear Cyavana, Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated January 3, 1973, is in hand and I have noted the contents with much encouragement. Your plan for rotating the chief man at Nairobi Center is nice, provided the sense of authority and continuity is not weakened by so much switching of head men. As long as you are recognized to be the leader of Nairobi Center with full authority in all matters, that is the point. This constantly changing the head man and whimsically dividing the attention is not good. Someone must be there who will stick tightly to the temple and develop it gradually to the highest standard. So far getting new place, that Sarat Building is nice but we have already purchased our other building for Shs. 200,000. But if we can sell that place to buy the Sarat Building, then it is all right. Whatever is agreed upon between yourself and Brahmananda, I have no objection. Your program for mass wholesale distribution of our propaganda, especially books, throughout Africa, is very much appreciated by me. That is the highest type of activity of human form of life, to distribute Krsna's message profusely as far as it is possible for me to do. So far Harikrpa marrying that African girl, although the father has told you he has no objection, still, there must be something in writing. And if Brahmananda also agrees, then you may perform the ceremony nicely in our temple. The term for G. N. Shah's loan is two years, so how he can expect us to pay within one year? This business with Mr. Shah and Damji Devji has been dragging on for years together, now you settle it yourself the best you are able, I do not like to be consulted continuously about the same thing. But he has given the loan for two years, is that in written agreement? If there is written agreement, then how he can expect? At any rate, try to pacify him by paying him something gradually each month, and in that way you must fulfill the terms of your original agreement, by paying him off in two years time. Regarding the daughters of Sarna, they must be engaged in some service. They may chant, read books, make life members by visiting the ladies of Nairobi, like that, but some service must be there, otherwise sex will come out. Two things are there, Krsna and maya. This sex idea is maya, therefore there must be Krsna's service or there will be another scandal as before. It is nice the girls are coming to the temple, but unless you engage them in some way of serving Krsna, there will be again trouble. Hoping this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda N.B. Your letter dated January 4, 1973, is just now received by me. Yes, we shall be happy to come that side while leaving India sometimes I think in April, and when we come there we shall install the Deities, after consulting with Brahmananda whether you will be able to maintain them properly. You may request Brahmananda to send me his opinion in the matter also. But I think we can install if you both agree. So I am sending Rsi Kumar, Yasodanandana Swami and Gurukrpa Swami from Bombay to Nairobi very soon, they shall reach there by ship, and they will remain with you for the month of February to help you prepare everything and enhance the preaching work amongst the Africans population. By March they may be freed for going to South Africa to arrange things there for my coming there also, after I leave Nairobi. You all big leaders make these arrangements however you think best, by your mutual consultation. But one thing is, you should send the three plane fare-tickets from India, I think we shall be at Delhi at that time, to Nairobi, and then from Nairobi to Johannesburg and other places, for three men including myself. Rsi Kumar has told me they would pay for some portion of the tickets in South Africa. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: management, marriage, sex life letters | 09:45 |9 January, 1973 India My Dear Ramesvara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 27, 1972, and with great happiness I have read your figures of amount of books sold during three-day period, December 22-24, 1972. It is scarcely believable that more than 17,100 books could have been sold by one temple in three days! That indicates to me that people are at last becoming little serious about this Krsna Consciousness movement in your country. Otherwise, why they should buy our books? But they can see that our boys and girls, devotees, are so much sincere and serious to distribute the message of Krsna consciousness, they are at once struck by seeing them and therefore they appreciate and purchase. This is unique in the world. Perhaps we are the only sincere persons on this whole planet. At least our books are not to be seen anywhere else. So I am so much pleased upon all of the boys and girls in Los Angeles and all over the world who are understanding and appreciating this unique quality of our transcendental literature and voluntarily they are going out to distribute despite all circumstances of difficulty. By this effort alone they are assured to go back to home, back to Godhead. In order to change this materialistic society and prevent them from gliding to hell, first thing is to educate them. All decent men want to give service to humanity, only thing is they do not have information really what is that service. Hospitals, feeding the poor, Red Cross, these are service to the bodies only, not to the man. Service to humanity means jnana. By giving people knowledge, jnana, that is the highest service to humanity. So we are performing the actual welfare work of society by informing everyone through our literatures who is God, who they are, and what is the relationship. In this way everyone who hears our message gets the opportunity to fulfill his actual position as human entity and become delivered from the clutches of maya. So you may understand it that by disseminating our Krsna consciousness propaganda anywhere and everywhere, by selling books, by making publicity, newspapers, television, so many ways there are to spread Krsna consciousness information, you may know it that by utilizing our energy in this way to give everyone access to the Absolute Truth, that is the real understanding of desire to serve humanity. Understanding is one thing, and practical application of that understanding is another. But as devotees of Krsna, being engaged in the practical work of spreading Krsna consciousness, that is already the highest realization. That's all right, that is our real mission, to deliver the world by preaching Krsna's message to others, but even higher realization, the highest realization, is to save oneself. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: book distribution, philosophy letters | 09:45 |9 January, 1973 Bombay My dear Prahladananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 31, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, that will be the best idea, to move your Austin temple closer to the University where there are so many potential devotees. Of course, we may set up our camp below any tree and preach anywhere, but because they will expect some comfortable place just to their standard of comfort, therefore we provide, but only so they will be more receptive to our preaching. So whatever must be done, must be done. Now in consultation with Satsvarupa, just do the needful and think always in your mind how much what you are doing will be pleasing to Krsna. That standard for pleasing Krsna is simply to spread this Krsna Consciousness message far and wide all over the globe. So if you are engaged in that activity, somehow or other, for preaching Krsna's name and fame, then that is the proper use of your energy and time, and you have nothing to worry further. So go on in this way, serving your spiritual master to best of your capacity, and remaining always fixed and steady in your determination to fulfill the goal of your life, namely, to go back to home, back to Godhead, without further delay. Hoping this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: preachers letters | 09:43 |9 January, 1973 Bombay My dear Satsvarupa and Hrdayananda, Please accept my blessings. Your letters dated December 25, 1972, are in hand and I am very much encouraged also to see the nice photos you have sent me. Especially I am glad to hear that Mohanananda has returned to Dallas School for taking charge of things there. Yes, he was the original pioneer member of Dallas Temple, so he has returned to develop now everything just to the perfect standard of completion. One thing is, I am requesting that one of my old friends here in Bombay, one Bengali man named Mr. D. C. Chakravorty, may send his three young children to our Gurukula, probably they will be coming there some time next spring. So you may prepare one letter of invitation to Mr. D. C. Chakravorty, c/o Mogul Line Ltd., 16 Bank Street, Fort, Bombay-1, India. Wherein you shall certify that his children, namely Basanti Chakravorty, female 9 years old, Somendra Chakravorty, male, 6 years old, and Satindra Chakravorty, male, 6 years old, that these three children have been admitted to our bona fide educational institution at Dallas, Texas, U.S.A., and that you have accepted them to study with you for a period of, let us say, one year's time. Also that you understand that the tuition fees and other incidental expenses such as boarding and lodging, clothes, medical expenditures, and so forth, that these maintenance expenses will be borne by the International Society for Krsna Consciousness, and then you may give some credentials and financial statements about our Society. This letter will enable Mr. Chakravorty to get visas for the children, although it is understood between us that if there are any expenses, and we shall of course charge something, then he will pay us here in rupees and we shall bear the cost there in Dallas. There are very strict financial restrictions in India for money going outside the country. You may mention that it is understood by you that their round trip air tickets will be paid for in India by their parents, and that you are expecting them to arrive there some time around the middle of April, like that. If you send the letter immediately to me here at my Bombay address, I shall hand it over to him and do the needful. I very much appreciated your publicity material for the Bhagavata-dharma program, now go on developing it more and more to perfection. I am very much satisfied by this activity, that is your real work for Krsna. In this way, try to recruit some of the intelligent class of student class to take up this Krsna Consciousness philosophy and study it carefully. Try to recruit some of such men to become our devotees. There is need for intelligent young men to train them up as future leaders and preachers to go all over the world for spreading the message of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If we simply go to the college on one night and leave immediately for another place, it will be difficult to make very much impression upon these students. I think it is better to stay at one place for some time, at least one week, or as long as the students are interested, and try to sell as many books as possible. After your lecture in the college you may request if there are any interested students, that they may make further programs for you in their homes, or in some club or hall, like that, so that you may remain some time longer and concentrate on recruiting two or three good men, whoever appears to be the most interested, and by your diligent preaching to them you may be able to persuade some of them to become our devotees. Of course we shall not expect them immediately to come into the temple, like that, but if at least the seed is planted and they begin chanting rounds and following the principles while continuing their studies at school, that is our great victory. And if they like, they may go and live in one of our centers, wherever they like, and learn further. But we shall not present Krsna Consciousness as anything dry or like set of rules and regulations only, no. Krsna Consciousness is the topmost philosophy also, the highest knowledge of educational experience, so try to impress this aspect of offering the perfect scientific understanding of everything as it is, not the temporary and unsatisfactory and incomplete understanding of things. Try to present everything very logically and always quoting our Sanskrit authorities in connection with the main points, and that will impress them greatly. Yes, and if you also yourselves write something daily, that will sharpen your use of language and you will be able to make your points very clear. And if you dress neatly and conduct yourselves properly, that will help further. Upon the recommendation of Satsvarupa, I shall be glad to accept John Partlin as my duly initiated disciple, and his letter is enclosed herewith, along with his beads, duly chanted by me. Hoping this meets you both in the best of health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: gurukula, management, preachers letters | 09:42 |9 January, 1973 Bombay My dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated January 1, 1973, is in hand, and I have noted the contents with great care. Who tells you not to edit? I have never said. I said to stop this intoxication, but not your editing. You say it is rumor only, but I have heard it several times from other persons. So let it remain as rumor, don't let it be fact. That will give me great hurt. I am also coming to Calcutta soon and we may discuss everything further when I come there. And why you are living with that ganja smoker? He has got his wife and family, so you should separate from him and live in the temple as the others are doing. If there is such complaint against our senior men it does not look well. Hoping this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda Labels: regulative principles letters | 09:41 | |
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