a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1973 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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7 November 2007 Wednesday, 7 November, 1973 New Delhi Sunset Beach, Hawaii My Dear Tusta Krsna Maharaja: Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your telegram dated October 29 reading as follows: "DEAR SRILA PRABHUPADA, PLEASE ACCEPT MY HEART AT YOUR FEET RECEIVED YOUR LETTER AND TELEGRAM TODAY TEMPLE WILL NOT BE SOLD ALL PAPERS TO BE SIGNED OVER TO YOU NEVER INTENDED TO CLAIM PROPERTY OR MONEY AS MY OWN DETAILED LETTER FOLLOWS PLEASE FORGIVE ANY CONFUSION OR ANXIETY MY BLUNDERS HAVE CAUSED YOU--YOUR SERVANT TUSTA." I am at present in New Delhi awaiting for our festival here, so your telegram has been redirected from Bombay. I am so much pleased to read it because I know that all of you, Siddha Svarupa Maharaja, Sudama Vipra Maharaja, and yourself, are all good souls, and so I also know that Gaurasundara is also of this same level, but I do not know why this disruption has taken place. If there is any misunderstanding with the GBC men, that can be readjusted by mutual understanding. I wanted to see you all to mitigate this misunderstanding, but I was very busy in Bombay for the same Juhu land of Mr. Nair. Perhaps you remember that you introduced Mr. Nair to me. Now he is dead and gone, but he created so many obstacles. So I had to pay them so many lakhs of rupees black, but now the position is that it is purchased, but still there is a little discrepancy. I hope this will also be squared up without delay. So kindly take my word and do not leave our society. If you cannot agree with the GBC, I can take up your matter personally and do the needful. I love you all very much, and if you go away and stay independently that will be a great shock for me. I want to meet you all together. Let me know where I shall go to meet you. Just now I have received the news that in Hawaii the tulsi plants are drying for want of watering. How has Govinda dasi left the tulsi plants which she nourished so lovingly? Please therefore all of you go to your respective positions and revive your devotional activities without any further delay, and if you cannot cope with the GBC men, which I suppose there must have been some disagreement, I shall deal with you directly. But, do not leave the Krsna consciousness movement, at any cost. If possible kindly let me know where is Gaurasundara. On my behalf please request him to come back to the temple and save the tulsi plants. Ask Govinda dasi also on my behalf to do this without delay. Kindly treat this letter as very urgent and do the needful. Awaiting your early reply. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami cc: Karandhara Das, ISKCON, Los Angeles, Madhudvisa Maharaja, ISKCON, Sydney ACBS/bs Labels: disagreements, GBC, Hawaii, tulasi letters | 05:18 |18 October 2007 18 October, 1973 Bombay My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja: Please accept my blessings, and I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 16, 1973 and I have noted the contents carefully. Next time you come to India, you must come to Mayapur in March, not only you but many others. Our Bombay affairs are almost settled by 90%. The conveyance deed is prepared and it will be signed within one or two days. Now this displeasing of godbrothers has already begun and gives me too much agitation in my mind. Our Gaudiya Math people fought with one another after the demise of Guru Maharaja but my disciples have already begun fighting even in my presence. So I am greatly concerned about it. Following in the footprints of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu: trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna/amanina manadena kirtaniya sada harih. "One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." We must always remember this verse and be as tolerant as the tree, as we execute the Krsna consciousness movement. Without this mentality we cannot be successful. Material nature means dissension and disagreement, especially in this Kali yuga. But, for this Krsna consciousness movement its success will depend on agreement, even though there are varieties of engagements. In the material world there are varieties, but there is no agreement. In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is agreement. That is the difference. The materialist without being able to adjust the varieties and the disagreements makes everything zero. They cannot come into agreement with varieties, but if we keep Krsna in the center, then there will be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity. I am therefore suggesting that all our men meet in Mayapur every year during the birth anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With all GBC and senior men present we should discuss how to make unity in diversity. But, if we fight on account of diversity, then it is simply the material platform. Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful. One section of men have already gone out, therefore we must be very careful to maintain unity in diversity, and remember the story in Aesop's Fables of the father of many children with the bundle of sticks. When the father asked his children to break the bundle of sticks wrapped in a bag, none of them could do it. But, when they removed the sticks from the bag, and tried one by one, the sticks were easily broken. So this is the strength in unity. If we are bunched up, we can never be broken, but when divided, then we can become broken very easily. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs cc: Karandhara Das, ISKCON, Los Angeles Mohanananda Das, Gurukula, Dallas Labels: disagreements, Gaudiya Math, GBC, New Delhi letters | 14:21 |15 October 2007 Monday, 15 October, 1973 Bombay My Dear Tusta Krsna Maharaja and Beharilal Das, Please accept my blessings. News has come to me that you want to sell our temple to somebody else which I cannot believe. Even that you have been in charge of the New Zealand center, now you have taken it as your personal property and you have demanded from Madhudvisa Swami the price of the temple. This is all amazing to me. I do not know what is your decision. Tusta Krsna has already left and is in Hawaii with Siddha Svarupananda Maharaja. I never believed that again you would go back to your old habits, giving up the Krsna Consciousness Movement in a whimsical way. Please do not do this mistake. It will be a great calamity for you. If you have any misunderstanding with the GBC member, you should have let me know. But I do not think there can be any misunderstanding. When I was last at the New Zealand temple, everything was so peaceful and hopeful. Now all of a sudden you have changed that program and taken to your original ways? I am so much aggrieved to receive all this news. For Krsna's sake, do not do these things. I request Tusta Krsna to go back to New Zealand and take charge of your duties, and when I shall go to Australia, I shall go to New Zealand and see things personally. Please do not leave Krsna. You will not be happy. That is my request. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Australasia, disagreements, GBC letters | 14:14 |13 October 2007 Saturday, 13 October, 1973 Bombay My Dear Rupanuga Maharaja: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 29, 1973 together with the campaign materials. Regarding Guyana, if the money is there, so you open an office and print books. That will be all right. Yes, Kesava may be GBC man for South America. That is approved by me. And you can incorporate Central America into the Eastern Zone. So do it with great enthusiasm. I am very glad to learn that men are joining in Santo Domingo. So far as getting a non-American for going to Cuba, you can take a man from Mexico.I am very glad to learn of the book distribution. You keep the paperbook editions. Why people should pay unnecessarily? Regarding your question about the spiritual world and the material world, there may be maya, but one who is Krsna conscious has nothing to do with it, exactly like there is the police department but the law abiding citizen has nothing to do with it. In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated: daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14] In answer to your other question, yes, the heat is bodily temperature. Regarding the initiations, I accept the following as my disciples: Frank - Anupama Das (Rupa Goswami's younger brother) Nora - Nikhilesvari dasi Also enclosed is one sacred thread for Vrajajana Das Brahmacari. So you can chant on the beads and perform the sacrifice. I also give the gayatri mantra second initiation to Bhagyavati dasi. You can give them the translation right away. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Atlanta, GBC, initiation, South America letters | 10:27 |13 October, 1973 Bombay My Dear Mohanananda Das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 26, 1973 and have noted the contents carefully. In my opinion all Gurukula students should be educated free of charge, but outside students may be charged. Our own parents should without obligation contribute liberally, but we should not be hard with them if they cannot pay. Sometimes the parents get money from the Welfare Dept., so whatever money they get for their children must be paid to Gurukula. It is not possible for me to tax my brain on every detail. The GBC should meet in Mayapur in March, and all details of management should be discussed. My inclination is to retire completely from management and devote my time to my books. Let all of you give me this chance and consult amongst yourselves regarding the management. But, on the whole the Gurukula standard should be free education, boarding, and lodging. People shall voluntarily contribute as far as possible. That should be introduced. We cannot enforce that if you do not pay, then take back your child. Rather the opposite. We must give free education to our children. We have to if need be provide money from the incense business or Book Trust, like that if sufficient income is not there. [PAGE MISSING] Labels: Dallas, GBC, gurukula, management letters | 10:25 |27 September 2007 27 September, 1973 Bombay My Dear Karandhara Das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 12, 1973. I am so glad to learn that you have again ordered to Dai Nippon Printing Co., for so many books. This engladdens me when I see our literature very widely distributed. This was the subject matter of my Guru Maharaja's satisfaction. He liked to distribute books more than constructing temples. He personally advised me to print books if I have got some money. So by His mercy we are printing books and constructing temples, as well. Although in the beginning we had no such opportunity, but still I brought some books from India, and that was the foundation stone of our Krsna consciousness movement. So I want all our centers should give very much importance in the matter of book distribution. I am also very much pleased to learn that now in San Diego there is Radha Krsna Deity and They are being worshipped very nicely. Here the land negotiation and compromise with Mrs. Nair is almost complete. We have to pay immediately 14 lakhs 50 thousand, plus stamp duty, etc., so nearly about 16 lakhs. The major portion of this amount is being contributed by Bali Mardan. Still we have to arrange for transferring 20 Krsna Books. That you have to arrange and on hearing from you I shall advise you. Herewith please find a check for Dollars 111.11 which please deposit in my investment a/c. So far my going back to L.A. is concerned, it was my plan to go there by October 10, but I don't think the negotiations with Mrs. Nair will be completed before October 27, therefore I want to go back to Los Angeles after completing this transaction. I approve your proposal for converting Spiritual Sky Incense Co. into a trust, and the trustees as proposed by you are approved by me. Encourage all the GBC members to manage everything very perfectly. We are very much assured that the GBC members are improving gradually, and in the future they will be able to manage world preaching of the Krsna consciousness movement without difficulty. After finishing these Bombay affairs I am thinking not to increase any more branches for the time being. Whatever branches we have already opened let them be managed perfectly. You will be glad to know that Hyderabad land has been donated as gift and I am signing the agreement today. Another thing is that in India we are not getting expected cooperation from the intelligent younger section. Their brain is now obsessed with economic development. The government is encouraging to eat meat and drink. Big, big shops are now opened in every city for selling mutton, beef, and wine. But the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is now transferred from the Indian hands to the hands of the Americans and Europeans. I think for management of our Indian branches we shall require more men from the Western countries. Formally Western people used to come to India to teach them how to develop industries, railway and other modern activities in politics, sociology and even in religion by spreading Christianity. Now the Western people have to take the leadership of spreading Vedic culture all over the world. I have given the initiation, but the rest of the work will depend on you young men and women of America. Kindly organize things in that spirit and be blessed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and through Him by Lord Krsna. Herewith also find a letter to the devotees of Los Angeles who have deposited a sum of Dollars 256.53 in my checking a/c. You have not written anything about Hawaii affairs. I am anxious to know what is the position. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Enc: 2 Labels: GBC, India, Los Angeles, publishing letters | 10:16 |19 September 2007 19 September, 1973 Stockholm, Sweden My Dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your zonal report and proposal for purchasing Australian headquarters. You have my full approval for this program. I am very much encouraged to note how you have increased the book distribution and are becoming No. 1 distributer in the world. We have published Caitanya Caritamrta so you can order this nice new book from New York. I hope this letter meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: book distribution, GBC, Sweden letters | 10:15 |19 August 2007 19 August, 1973 Bhaktivedanta Manor My Dear Modan Mohan Mohini, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 13, 1973. I thank you very much for your kind sentiments. To be a fool before the Spiritual Master is a very good qualification. It is not a good qualification to be over intelligent before the Spiritual Master. Even Lord Caitanya presented himself as a fool before his spiritual master. Hamsaduta is GBC for your zone and if you have any questions you may inquire from him. I hope this letter meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:hda Labels: Berlin, GBC, spiritual master letters | 10:51 |17 August 2007 Friday, 17 August, 1973 Bhaktivedanta Manor My Dear Vamanadeva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 12, 1973, and I have noted the contents. I am referring your letter to Satsvarupa Goswami since he is the GBC Secretary for your zone. I have made him in charge of Gurukula so he is competent to answer your question, please write to him in matters of management I hope that you are feeling well. Please offer my blessings to your good wife Indira dasi. Your ever well wisher A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:hda letters | 10:49 | 17 August, 1973 Bhaktivedanta Manor My Dear Nityananda, Please my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 14, 1973. Regarding the deity installation you may consult Satsvarupa Goswami your GBC secretary for this. I have appointed these GBC men to oversee and manage all the affairs of the society giving me relief to do my translation work fully. On your recommendation I accept Srimati Hamsini Devi Dasi for second initiation. Please find the Gayatri Mantra enclosed. I hope this letter finds you well. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:hda Labels: GBC, initiation, New Orleans letters | 10:46 |7 August 2007 7 August, 1973 Bhaktivedanta Manor My Dear GBC Members, Please accept my blessings. I find amongst the GBC members that Satsvarupa Maharaja stands first because he submits regularly the report. A sample copy is enclosed herewith. I hope all GBC Members follow in his foot steps. I hope this letter meets you all in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami cc: All GBC Members ACBS:hda Labels: GBC letters | 17:16 |20 July 2007 20 July, 1973 Bhaktivedanta Manor Dear Tamala Krsna Maharaja: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15 July, 1973 and I have carefully examined the contents. Yes, I am prepared to pay the entire amount for purchase of the land at Juhu. But Mrs. Nair cannot increase the price. If she wants to increase then we will demand she return the 5 lacs rupees, plus interest and damages. So she has already got something like 2 lacs, so as soon as the conveyance is made and taken to the register, we will immediately pay cash, about 12 lacs rupees. You ask that I arrange to have 9 lacs of rupees ready from America for this purchase, but so far you have already paid 2 lacs, 3 lacs are in the bank--so if we have to raise 9 lacs from outside India then my question is what are you collecting there? Anyway, collect as much as possible and I will fill the balance. Rest assured, that if required, we can even draw the money from the U.S. Now you have taken a loan of Rs 150,000 from the BBT, so with these excellent collections you are now taking I request you to fill up that debt and then collect further, and the balance I shall arrange. I have read how you have dispersed your recent collections to repay BBT, and Vrindaban construction and it is all right. Please deal cautiously and do not spend unnecessarily. I am glad to hear that you have various plans for publications, but first finish this affair and then you can attempt to publish many books. I have read your report on Hyderabad and the present state of affairs there, and it is all right. Regarding Delhi, Madhavananda has also gone there and I have written to him how he can be engaged collecting with Tejyas at the government offices. Yes, your plan for people paying for a guest room at Vrindaban is very nice. The idea is they pay the price of the room and they may come there for their lifetime duration. This practice is called bhetnama, where a room is reserved for a donor for a lifetime. You will be able to secure much money in that way as many gentlemen will want to come to Vrindaban. So arrange to accommodate them in the new temple. You should also arrange for that in Mayapur building. Yes, Mayapur construction must be completely finished before I return. The next time I come there must be no more workers or carpenters with their "tack-tack" sound. I would have continued to stay in Mayapur but the hammering sounds drove me away. When you are completely finished I will go there, otherwise not. You will be glad to hear that I am eating and working nicely here. The village is neat and clean and I am walking daily in the morning with the devotees and taking the class from 7-8 A.M. It is calm and quiet here and people are coming to talk with me in the evenings. George came to meet with me and he is very enthusiastic to cooperate. Rathayatra was very successful here, as 10,000 people attended and prasadam was distributed. See enclosed newspaper. There will not be a GBC meeting in Janmastami, New Vrindaban. The important thing now for GBC members is that they go on working. It is not important to hold a meeting for passing resolutions etc. The best time and place is Mayapur on Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day. That is not only the best for me but for everyone. Mayapur is meant for that. If possible all devotees from all our centers should go for 8 days at that time. There is no need for the Janmastami meeting. Go on working and send me regular reports. Besides, I will not be going to New Vrindaban for Janmastami. They are having a deity installation here in London and they are making huge arrangements for many important men to attend this ceremony. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Enclosure: news clippings ACBS/sdg Labels: BBT, Bombay, GBC, George Harrison, land, Mayapur, Vrindaban letters | 20:52 |6 May 2007 6 May, 1973 Los Angeles My Dear Hamsaduta, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 2, 1973. I am very glad to hear how our festival program is going on so nicely in Germany. These festivals will be successful all over the world. As GBC member it is your duty to carefully make a broad program for implementing Krsna Consciousness in every sphere of life, in this way we will become respected as the most important members of human society. Regarding the special preface for German Bhagavad-Gita, yes I will do that. You have got the right idea when you say that, "I am always very anxious to know if I am pleasing you or not." Lord Caitanya set the example when he said that "I don't have any love for Krsna. If I had any love for Krsna, I would have died long ago from the separation." So one should always think of himself as unqualified. That you have opened one branch in Stockholm, Sweden is very good to hear. Please continue to send men out into the interior, village to village and town to town. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 12:44 | 19 April 2007 Thursday, 19 April, 1973 Los Angeles My Dear Amarendra Das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4.17.73. You are asking me to advise what should be your program, but now I wanting to leave these matters in the hands of my disciples. I have created GBC specifically for this purpose. If you the elder disciples cannot manage things, then what is the future of the society? My business now is to sit down and write my books, and I am requesting you all to please cooperate with me in this endeavor. So I think you can take advice from Rupanuga Maharaja, as he is my authorized agent. So I am sending him your letter and a copy of this letter in this regard. Both you and your wife are nice Krishna conscious devotees. You have all good talents to use in Krishna's service. My request is that you simply remember Krishna always and I will pray for your ever increasing advancement in Krishna consciousness. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs cc: Rupanuga Maharaja Labels: GBC, management letters | 16:25 |15 March 2007 15 March, 1973 Calcutta My dear Karandhara: Please accept my blessings. I have received your two letters dated March 3rd and March 8th, with enclosures. Trivikrama Maharaja has written me one letter about his going on a bold preaching venture to Belfast, and it is a noble proposal. But I want him to first, with your cooperation, get our Tokyo center registered properly and train up a president before he goes on to another place. I have received some first-class publications of our Isopanisad from Hamsaduta and he is also ready to print Bhagavad-gita. And now you tell me that Macmillan, such a big big company, cannot keep up with our men. This is very encouraging news. I have just finished Gita Gan, a verse by verse translation of the Gita into Bengali, and now I am working daily on the Caitanya-caritamrta. Now I am more and more wanting to work on my books and diminish all this travelling. So I am more and more depending upon you GBC. Of course you GBC are in training, but you are all the hope for the future of our movement. So I am glad to hear that my quarters are being readied nicely and that you have purchased me a comfortable car. My program is to leave for Mayapur in the morning and be back by the 19th and on to Hyderabad on the 23rd, then to Bombay by the 26th. From then my program is not yet fixed up. I have received one nice invitation to go Johannesburg and if they can supply the visas in time I may go there, otherwise to London by the 1st and on to L.A. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rdg Labels: GBC, itinerary, Los Angeles, publishing letters | 04:47 |10 March 2007 Saturday, 10 March, 1973 Calcutta My Dear Bhumata dasi: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 2, 1973. I have examined the contents carefully and I think you are doing nice. Because we are all individuals sometimes there is disagreement between devotees. When non-devotees quarrel they cannot stop and end up killing each other. But the devotees' disagreement does not last long because they patch it up for Krsna's sake, because they are all working for the same end--Krsna's service. And devotees do not suffer from skin disease, black or white or brown or red or whatever. In the material world black and white are opposites, but spiritually black and white are varieties. That is the proper vision. Now you can consult my Governing Body Commission for advice in your situation. I have no objection to your establishing a center there in Nashville, but these matters I am leaving up to my GBC. The GBC representative for your area is Rupanuga das Goswami who is presently here with me as my secretary for one month. He will be returning to the USA by the first week in April to New York City and I think you can leave a message for him there where he can reach you and he can see you personally in the matter. In the meantime you can make arrangements again with Atlanta for more literature making the proper arrangement for payment also. I hope this meets you in good health and high spirits. Hare Krsna. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rdg Labels: disagreements, GBC letters | 04:35 |10 March, 1973 Calcutta My Dear Jagadisa: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 1, 1973 and I have carefully examined the contents. Actually, Hayagriva was not doing any managing or editing of BTG except for his own articles. More importantly he was engaged in working on our books, producing those smaller paperback booklets, etc. Such a talent is not so easily replaced, so we must try to bring him back to the standard for his own benefit. In this connection, I have written his wife, Kirtanananda Maharaja, and the GBC to see what they can do for him. Now I think that you can join me as the next GBC secretary for travelling with me by my side. If I go to New York in the first week of April you can meet me there, or if I go to South Africa you can meet me first here in India. What do you think? If there is some difficulty kindly let me know immediately. I hope this meets you in good health and transcendental mood. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rdg Labels: GBC, publishing letters | 04:35 |19 February 2007 19 February, 1973 Sydney My dear Sankarasana, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 26th. and have noted the contents carefully. All of your programs sound very pleasing to me and I request that you write and consult with Visnu Jana Maharaja and the local GBC men, in order to bring about the realization of this proposal. I am here in Australia at the moment and will be returning to India by March 2nd. and then to America in mid-April, and I hope to see you then. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ms Labels: GBC letters | 19:40 |17 February 2007 17 February, 1973 Sydney My Dear Karandhara das, Please accept my blessings. While in India last it was brought to my attention that our Sriman Hayagriva das has become deviated from the four basic principles which I have given to all my students for adherence to when they are first initiated. I do not know why he is living in such a way but I feel that he must be brought back to the standard immediately. So I am requesting you as my Governing Board Commissioners to help me bring him back to the standard. He has very good talent, but he is spending it by living such an unrestricted life. Therefore, in the meantime, there must be another co-editor of Back to Godhead magazine to replace him. I have discussed this with Madhudvisa Maharaja here in Australia and he has suggested that Hrdayananda das Goswami could be a good man for the job. I have not made any decision, but I would like you to discuss this amongst yourselves and send me your conclusion. I cannot stress this point enough that we must handle this publication of Back to Godhead very nicely for it is one of the most important aspects of our society. So you will please do the needful in this regard and please contact me soon. I will be in Auckland up to the 25th. of February and in Calcutta after the 2nd. of March. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ms Labels: GBC, principles, publishing letters | 11:17 |16 February 2007 Wedmesdau, 16 February, 1973 Sydney My Dear Sudama, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of 6/2. and I am very much joyful to hear that you are enjoying you preaching activities there in America. Actually this is our real business, preaching, chanting, distributing prasadam and book distribution. This book distribution is especially an important program and it is first class preaching work. So I encourage you to work with all the senior men there in America and encourage them to distribute more and more of this transcendental literature. As far as your attachment for tending the Deities is concerned by no means this can be considered material attachment, but this is our real desireless state to be always engaged twenty four hours in the service of the Lord. But if the facility for serving the Deities is not there, then we should not be discouraged. This is real detachment. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touring all over India He did not bring the Deities with Him. So in our travelling and preaching, Deity worship is not essential but if it is done nicely it can be a very attractive aspect of our preaching work. After consulting with the GBC I have decided that the far east zone can be managed by Karandhara das for he already has extensive dealing with Dai Nippon etc. So he may look after this area for the time being and in the future we will see what happens. So now I am seeing more and more that my senior disciples must take and active role in continuing the high standard of purity which has been established in our Vaisnava line. In your travelling from centre to centre, you must be very careful to see that the leaders are observing the principles of chanting 16 rounds, rising early for Mangala Arati, participating in the morning and evening classes, observing the four regulative principles etc. If there is any deviation from this standard then it is the responsibility of you and the local GBC representative to rectify it immediately. Within these Vaisnava standards which I have put forward lies the spiritual strength of our movement. So you may please do the needful in this regard. I shall be returning to the U.S. in April and I will be looking forward to seeing you at that time. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ms Labels: book distribution, deities, GBC, principles letters | 05:57 | |
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