a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1973 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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18 December 2007 Tuesday, 18 December, 1973 Los Angeles My dear Govinda dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 1, 1973. I thank you very much for the check for $20,000.00 which has been duly received by me. I understand however that out of the sale of the Temple, $54,000.00 was taken as net proceeds so where is the balance money? Has Gaurasundara spent or distributed it? I also understand that Balabhadra has been paid $15,000.00 by Gaurasundara so $15,000.00 and $20,000.00 makes $35,000.00 so where is the balance of $19,000.00? Anyway, I beg to request you to arrange for sending the balance money because for our Vrindaban project we require a few lakhs of rupees immediately. In Bombay also we have purchased a large tract of land at Juhu Beach so why not ask Balabhadra to send his $15,000.00 and Gaurasundara also to send the balance money? My plan is to come to Hawaii by mid January 1974 when, of course, we shall meet together. I have no ill feelings against Gaurasundara, rest assured, neither anyone is accusing him or you. Everyone considers it has been done by some supernatural influence on Gaurasundara. We suffer on account of our karma - that is a fact. In this material world our karma is responsible for everything. Therefore, due to our work we create our own circumstances. So, if you like to cooperate with our missionary work you are welcome to return back. I have already written a previous letter to you, a copy of which is enclosed. At the present, I am so pleased that you have found some shelter and an opportunity to preach - it is all by Krsna's Grace. If you like you can come here or if you are satisfied, stay there. At any rate, go on with preaching work--that is our main business. When we meet in Hawaii we shall discuss everything in detail. In the meantime, kindly induce Balabhadra and Gaurasundara to send the balance money. I still have very high regard for Gaurasundara. I have praised him always for being a kind and gentle boy. All of a sudden he has gone crazy even to the extent of abandoning you. It will all be forgotten history if you again begin preaching work sincerely. I hope this letter finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:Kda Labels: Bombay, fall down, Hawaii, preachers letters | 17:30 |13 December 2007 13 December, 1973 Los Angeles My dear Balabhadra Prabhu, Please accept my blessings. I understand from Sudama Goswami that Gaurasundara has handed over to you some portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Temple there. I do not know why he has sold the Temple without my permission. He had no right to do such a thing. I request that you kindly send whatever money he has given you directly to me in Los Angeles by registered post. The old Temple BBT and Spiritual Sky debts may be cleared with it first and the rest should be sent directly to myself. We require huge sums of money for our Temple projects in Vrindaban and Mayapur so we have good use for it. Gaurasundara and Siddha-svarupa have almost fallen down. Do not join them. Stay in the association of our Temple and work according to established programs as I have already directed. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:Kda c.c. Sudama Goswami Labels: disagreements, Hawaii, management letters | 11:55 |13 December, 1973 Los Angeles My Dear Govinda dasi, Please accept my blessings. Sudama Goswami has relayed to me the news of his conversation with you recently. We require just now huge sums of money for our projects in India so I request that you send the check for $20,000.00 to me in Los Angeles by registered post. Furthermore, please come here to Los Angeles or return to the Temple in Hawaii. Karandhara and Sudama goswami are prepared to help you in every way. Your husband has gone away so what can be done. But you should return to our Temple and again take up devotional service as I have designed and directed at our Centers. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:Kda letters | 11:54 | 10 December 2007 Monday, 10 December, 1973 Bombay My Dear Sudama das Goswami: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10/4/73 and have noted the contents carefully. Regarding the Hawaii situation, do not worry. I shall rectify when I come there. They are chanting, this will save them. Otherwise, they are all good boys, and they cannot go away. It is not hopeless situation. Whenever you meet them, tell them that Prabhupada is coming and that they should not give up the chanting, never mind they can do whatever they like. Send me their address and I shall write them. Where is Govinda dasi? Regarding what is a Vaisnava, Vaisnava means that when others see him, they will also chant Hare Krsna. So why not give them the chance of seeing by wearing the beads, tilaka, and sikha? You are not paramahamsa that you can do whatever you like. So my advice to you is that you remain ideal Vaisnava internally and externally, and everyone will respect you. Don't be agitated. They will come back because they are chanting maha mantra. You keep your standard and try to help them, but don't become influenced by them. Regarding the Deity worship, it must go on nicely. Govinda dasi was doing very nicely. Decorate with flowers and incense and have arati and offer bhoga. Regarding your traveling plans, yes that is good. You can go in bus all over the islands. Live there for sometime and make Honolulu your headquarters. Sometimes you can visit Japan and the neighboring islands. For a sannyasi, traveling gives him more experience for serving Krsna. So far your health is concerned, Hawaii is very good climate. You can take bath in the sea, and that will keep your health. Take dhal, especially urd, arhad, and tour, a little cheese, peanuts, green vegetables, especially squash leaf. Please offer my blessings to Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi. I have not heard from her. She is the center of Hawaii organization. Let her cooperate with you. She is a good preacher. Sometimes reverses may be there, but just depend on Krsna. Balabhadra is a very good boy. Make him in charge, also Govinda dasi, and you come and go. Yes, you can go to Brazil. Also, you come to Mayapur on Mahaprabhu's appearance day as many as possible at least for a week. Yes, the Gaura Nitai Deities may be taken out for festivals. I am glad to hear of the excellent book distribution that is being done there. From other parts of the world there is also very good report of book distribution. That is our main propaganda work. So you go on with your preaching work and I will be pleased to receive your report regularly. Enclosed is the sanctified sacred thread for Krsna Caitanya dasa. Now hold a fire sacrifice amongst the devotees and let him hear the gayatri mantra from the tape through the right ear and teach him how to chant it three times daily. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: book distribution, disagreements, Hawaii, sannyasa letters | 10:22 |9 December 2007 Sunday, 9 December, 1973 Los Angeles My Dear Babhru, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated December 8th along with the $20.00 Guru daksina. It is a fact that at this time I do not want to open any further Centers. It is a question of timing. We have initiated so many projects and Centers and practically we are short handed all over the world, so it is better at this time if we work to maintain and develop whatever we have. That Gaurasundara and Siddha-svarupa have sold the Temple in Hawaii and abandoned the beautiful Tulasi plants there is a great fall down on their parts. They did not ask my permission. If they wanted to go away they could have, but they had no right to sell the Temple. It is actually a criminal act on their part. Anyone who follows them will also fall down without a doubt. Now, we have by Krsna's Grace built up something significant in the shape of this ISKCON and we are all one family. Sometimes there may be disagreement and quarrel but we should not go away. These inebrieties can be adjusted by the cooperative spirit, tolerance and maturity so I request you to kindly remain in the association of our devotees and work together. The test of our actual dedication and sincerity to serve the Spiritual Master will be in this mutual cooperative spirit to push on this Movement and not make factions and deviate. Try to convince Gaurasundara and Siddha-svarupa to return to ISKCON and let us forget whatever has happened in the past. Yes, you may return to Hawaii with Sudama Maharaja and take charge of caring for Tulasi devi there. I cannot understand how Govinda dasi could abandon Tulasi devi. Kindly try to induce her to return. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. Labels: co-operation, criminals, Hawaii, leaders, tulasi letters | 10:21 |11 November 2007 11 November, 1973 New Delhi My Dear Govinda devi dasi: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated and have noted the contents carefully. I do not know why you have parted from the Deities. Who has told you to do this? If you are at all interested, you can return. Your service was there. Why did you leave, and now you are whimsically asking for service. You never asked me before leaving. How can I guide you? If you act whimsically, nobody can make you happy. In Honolulu tulsi is dying, and you have left this service. You introduced tulsi, and they are dying for want of water. Gaurasundara said to live alone, but our policy is to live with devotees. Immediately return and live with devotees and take care of the Deities and tulsi. That is our main business. My Guru Maharaja condemned living alone in a lonely place. He wrote as follows: dusta mana, tumi kisera Vaisnava pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare, tavra hari-nama kevala kaitava "O rascal mind, what kind of Vaisnava are you. In a lonely place your chanting of Hare Krishna is simply cheating." And, Narottama Das Thakura says: tandera carana sevi bhakta-sane vasa janame janame haya, ei abhilasa "To serve the feet of the acaryas in association of the devotees is my desire birth after birth." Why I have opened this Society? I was living with four children, and now I have 4,000. There is no good in living alone. I hope this meets you in better health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: disagreements, Hawaii, tulasi letters | 05:22 |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 |22 October 2007 Monday, 22 October, 1973 Bombay My Dear Madhudvisa Swami, Please accept my blessings. With regards to your telegram to Tamala Krsna Maharaja dated October 19, 1973 I may inform you that I have today sent the following cable to Tusta Krsna Maharaja. Tustakrsna, 59215 Kenui Road, Sunset Beach, Hawaii, USA: "REFER MY LETTER DATED OCTOBER 15 CARE OF SUDAMA COPY BEING SENT UNDER SEPARATE POST. DO NOT SELL NEW ZEALAND TEMPLE TO OTHERS. IF YOU WANT MONEY I SHALL PAY TO YOU REST ASSURED. - BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI" I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Australasia, disagreements, Hawaii letters | 14:25 |20 July 2007 Friday, 20 July, 1973 Bhaktivedanta Manor Dear Govinda dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your undated letter. I am concerned that you write describing that you are bewildered by the dictates of your material mind. Of course we have to control the mind, and I have already instructed you and all my students that the restless fickle mind can only be controlled by putting the mind to the lotus feet of Krsna, and that can best be done by chanting Hare Krsna mantra, and there is no alternative in this age. By chanting without offenses, the devotee cries to Radharani and Krsna to please lift him out of the material energy and put him into the spiritual energy, which is devotional service. And because we are not at the stage where we can chant and do nothing else all day, there are so many other engagements. So you have sufficient engagement there? Because if we are not fulltime engaged then the mind is free to do its fickle business of rejection and acceptance for sense gratification. Maya will immediately enter - we do not even have to call her - the moment we are not absorbed in Krsna's devotional service. But if there is something further which is specifically causing you so much difficulty then please disclose it to me. While writing this letter, your package has just arrived with various dried fruit and vegetable; so I have turned it over to my servant, Srutakirti and he shall be using it very soon in some of my preparations; thank you very much; How is Gaurasundara? Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: Hawaii letters | 21:00 | |
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