a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1973 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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24 November 2007 Saturday, 24 November, 1973 Bhaktivedanta Manor Minister in charge of Immigration, Naturalization Department, Government of Kenya, East Africa. Dear Sir, I beg to inform you that it was so arranged that on my way to America via Europe I was to stop at Nairobi on the occasion of holding a festival known as Hare Krsna Festival, and wide arrangement was made on this account and I was invited to attend the ceremony from India. As such, I arrived on the airport of Nairobi on the 23rd November, 1973. I had my regular visas, health certificate and all necessary things for entering, but after passing through the health examination department, as soon as I entered the arena, some of the officers of the immigration department immediately took out the passports of my men as well as that of myself, and they asked my men to wait. So I had to wait for two hours, namely from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., but there was no definite decision by the immigration department, and whenever I sent my man to inquire, the man in charge simply replied, "Please wait." Later on one gentleman came to inform my men that I was refused entrance in Nairobi from higher authorities. As such, he did not inform me what was the reason of my being refused to enter Nairobi, neither there was any written order from the department on me particularly to stop my entrance in Nairobi. Anyway, when I could understand there was no profit asking them the reason of my being refused, I immediately arranged for coming to London where also I have got two branches. Now from London, I wish to bring the matter for your consideration why I was refused entrance into your city without giving any written or verbal reason. According to our Vedic civilization, even if one enemy comes at somebody's door, he should be received like a friend for the time being. The enmity should be forgotten, and even though the enemy guest is there, he should be treated so nicely that both of them for the time being forget that they are enemies. I was therefore surprised that I am a sannyasi, head of a group of cultural movement, namely the Hare Krsna Movement, and I was not allowed to enter without giving any reason for this purpose. I think I am not enemy of your country. I am preaching Krsna Consciousness, or God consciousness, all over the world, therefore I have opened a regular branch at Nairobi. My society is regularly registered in Nairobi as a cultural and religious society, and we have go our own house, and before this I had been in Nairobi twice and there was no objection. Last time, there was another Hare Krsna Festival. One of the ministers of your government, most probably the education minister, was invited, and he very much appreciated our activities. Our principle is, preach God Consciousness all over the world. I think we believe rightly that for want of God consciousness, there is very much confusion all over the world, simply fighting between individual to individual, man to man, nation to nation. Nobody believes anyone. Any sober man will admit the present _ for unifying the whole human society without any consideration of bodily identification so that there may be peace and prosperity on the platform of spiritual identification. Perhaps you have heard the very good name of Bhagavad-gita. Our preaching is on the basis of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. In this Bhagavad-gita it is stated that God is the Supreme Being, and He is the proprietor of all planets and actually He is the enjoyer of all benefits. Anyone who will understand these three principles of life will be automatically peaceful. So, if every individual is peaceful, naturally there will be peace and prosperity in the community, society, and nation of all over the world. This is our principle. We are trying to broadcast this message on the authority of Vedic knowledge. Everywhere we are very much peaceful, trying to reform the character of the modern man. We teach our students to follow the following regulative principles, namely no illicit sex life, no meat eating, no intoxication, and no gambling. These are the negative principles, and the positive principle is to chant always the Holy Name of God. By the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we have become successful everywhere, in all parts of the world. We have no principle striction that one is Indian, one is America, one is African, or one is Hindu, one is Christian, one is Mohammedan. We invite everyone to understand the philosophy and reform the activities of life. This is our mission. I do not know why I was refused to enter into your country without giving me any proper explanation. I am therefore very much grieved by the treatment of your airport officials that they stopped me to enter into your city and make so many people disappointed for breaking usual procedure of the Movement, I wish, therefore, that you kindly let me know what is the reason that I was refused to enter without giving me proper notice, or to my men. Kindly reply me this letter at my Nairobi headquarters as written above, or as I am proceeding to Los Angeles, you can reply me this letter to my Los Angeles address as follows: ISKCON 3764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, California 90034 U.S.A. Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply, Yours very sincerely in the service of the Lord, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Founder-Acarya, International Society for Krsna Consciousness, Branches all over the world, numbering 108. ACBS/skdb cc: His Holiness Brahmananda Swami, Governing Board Commissioner, Africa. Labels: legal, Nairobi, politicians letters | 20:00 |24 November, 1973 Bhaktivedanta Manor My dear Kirtanananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. You may be pleased to know that on my way to U.S.A., Los Angeles via New York, I am now staying in London. I have just come yesterday 23rd November, 1973 from Nairobi. The fact is that I was to stay at Nairobi for at least one week, and there was very big arrangement for Hare Krsna festival. The wide circulation of advertisement was there, and it was expected some thousands of people will gather, but the immigration department by their confidential conspiracy did not allow me to enter into Nairobi. Therefore, from the Nairobi airport I immediately arranged to come to London, and last night at about half past eight London time I have come here at Bhaktivedanta Manor. I am feeling very much happy. Here everything is going on very nicely. It has given me much pleasure. Now when I go to New York I wish to meet both you and Hayagriva Prabhu, and if you so desire I can go from New York to your place for a few days. I have got important talks with you for development of our New Vrndavana project, so kindly get information from Bali Mardan Swami, and as seen as you hear that I am there, please come and see me with Hayagriva Prabhu. If you so desire, I shall go to New Vrndavana along with you. Hope this will meet you in good health. I offer my blessings to all the devotees there. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pda Labels: London, Nairobi, New Vrindavana letters | 19:58 |19 November 2007 Monday, 19 November, 1973 Vrindaban My Dear Bhagavan Das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 11/11/73 together with enclosures and I thank you very much for them. The book which you have sent is very excellent. The appearance is better than the English edition. I shall be glad to know how you are selling them in France. Increase the publication more and more as Hamsaduta is doing. Here also the Hindi editions are coming by the endeavor of Ramananda dasa. They have also started in Gorakhpur a Bhaktivedanta Publication House. So let us conjointly publish in all languages. I am asking Brahmananda to publish also in Swahili in Africa. That will make our movement successful. Books are very important in pushing on any movement, especially Krsna consciousness. The magazine is also very nice. The get-up, the printing, the types are all nice. If I go to Rome, whether you can come? I may be going there in the first week of December from Nairobi. These are tangible services that you are doing, recognized by my Guru Maharaja and Krsna. Brahmananda was saying that two years ago when he was in Paris they were collecting 40 francs on Sankirtana, now you are collecting 1500 dollars. So has the time changed, or is it because you are there? Krsna will surely bless you. I saw your Deity room packed up when I was there, so I think its going on like that, surrounded by police cars. Anyway your temple is centrally located and in a good quarter, so certainly it will be successful. When I go to London next, I will certainly visit. The picture of Radha-Paris Isvara is very nice. Radharani's attitude is very nice. She is giving her blessings to everyone. In the magazine the picture on page 11 of the arati is very nice. Krsna is looking also upon me. It is a nice pose. I am looking to Him, and He is looking to me. Kindly send me some copies. Regarding Annada, her father will not agree, but I shall tell her privately. Regarding Mandakini, let it be clarified, then send her. Moscow is uncertain, and Paris is certain; so we should not sacrifice the certain for the uncertain. Now print books. Don't use this money for any other purpose than publishing. Some percentage may be kept by you for getting your own house, either purchasing or constructing our own temple. If the present house is available, then purchase. I am glad to hear about Geneva. It is a very important place to establish a center. Now in Bombay after much difficulty we have purchased the property spending about 18 lakhs, having to pay so many claimants, but now it is ours, although still there remains one item. Arrangements are being made for the temple construction is going on locally. Our Delhi festival is now finished, and it was nice. Now I am in Vrindaban staying in my house on our Raman Reti land. Wednesday the 21st I shall proceed to Bombay. Regarding London, I think they are doing there. If you like, you can go and see. In Rome if Dhananjaya can organize a center, that will be very nice. Enclosed is the statement duly signed by me regarding the translation rights of my books. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: deities, Paris, publishing, translating letters | 07:04 |18 November 2007 Sunday, 18 November, 1973 Juhu, Bombay My dear Govardhan Das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 12, 1973 and have noted the contents. So far the new disciples are concerned, I am accepting on your recommendation the following as my initiated disciples: Maharani Dasi - Shirley Daniels Dhenumati Dasi - Coleen Handlon Krsnakathananda Dasa Adhikary - Richard Marcolini & Sarvashaktimati Dasi- Angeline Marcolini Also enclosed find one sacred thread chanted upon for Phatikcandra dasa brahmachari. Let Satsvarupa Maharaja chant on the beads and hold a fire sacrifice amongst the devotees. Take care of the new disciples and please see that they are always engaged in Krsna’s service, chanting Hare Krsna. Regarding your successful book distribution, you should know that this is the greater preaching. I am very much pleased. The conch shells as you have described may be kept on the altar as decoration, but they must be kept clean. Everything on the altar must always be clean. Who is that rascal sannyasi who has recommended to chant Pancha Tattva mantra on the japa beads? First, send me his name. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Detroit, initiation letters | 20:39 | |
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