Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
a.c. bhaktivedanta swami

24 December 2007
Monday, 24 December, 1973  

Los Angeles

My dear Tamala Krsna Goswami,

Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated December 19, 1973 and I have carefully noted the contents.

I have received all your previous letters and have replied to each of them. Regarding the rents collected from the apartments at our Juhu Beach property, this money must be kept and spent only for Deity worship and Temple maintenance. It must not be used for any other purpose.

Regarding Vrindaban construction, we are trying to make an arrangement with one gentleman here in the U.S.A. for giving him dollars and taking rupees in India at the rate of 22 1/2 rupees per dollar. Presently the Book Trust and Gurukrpa and Yasodanandana Swamis' travelling sankirtana party are collecting the $100,000.00. To date approximately $30,000.00 has been collected.

We are waiting to see if the arrangement with this man for three to one rate exchange will actually materialize and at the same time are still collecting the funds. So it may take one to two months so for the time being you will have to stand by for these funds. Meanwhile construction of the Vrindaban Temple should go on with whatever you have there.

The Temple construction should go on first and later the residential quarters. You may assure the life members that they will surely get their residential quarters without fail, but first the Temple must be built. The $100,000.00 being transferred is for the Vrindaban project and other arrangements will have to be made for the new kitchen and pavilion in Mayapur.

Whether or not the Rs. 30,000 has been repaid to my fixed deposit account from the money I advanced for purchasing our Juhu Beach property? It was supposed to be repaid before my coming back but I do not know if it has been done. Yes you keep the Rs. 2 lakhs reserved for purchasing the Mahatma Gandhi building. One thing is the Rs. 65,000 from the BBT savings account actually belongs to the Mayapur-Vrindaban Trust.

This I have discussed fully with Giriraja and Karandhara and Giriraja will explain what is to be done in this connection henceforward. Whatever has been done in the past we shall not try to make up for but I want that now this Mayapur-Vrindaban Trust money to be very carefully managed and deposited into a separate bank account and not be spent under any circumstances without my direct order. Giriraja will explain the details to you in full.

Regarding the Mahatma Gandhi building, the price is fixed up at 3 lakhs to be shared into 5 divisions. 3 parties may be paid Rs. 60,000 apiece on the condition that they will take the money and immediately vacate. Then we shall make a trust over the property. When I was last there I discussed this matter with Mr. Chowdry the lawyer so keep ready the 2 lakhs for this transaction and when I return this will be squared up.

Yes I am ready to go to Dvaraka. I have never visited there so now I am taking the opportunity. Similarly, Mr. B.R. Mohatta who was recently here in Los Angeles, has promised me accommodations at Allahabad and Haridwar for the Kumba Mela observances in these places next year. Also Mr. Bhogilal Patel who has given Rs 25,000 donation has also promised accommodations at Haridwar.

So I have never seen Haridwar also and I am getting older so before my last days I wish to visit the holy places in Northern and Southern India. Mr. Badruka has promised to make arrangements for my accommodations in Southern India so you may fix up the program.

I have previously written you that our man Yasomatinandana dasa shall take charge of the construction in Bombay. He is very nice and enthusiastic devotee and a qualified engineer so he shall be the manager of the engineering and construction.

Thank you very much for carrying on our work in India so faithfully and responsibly and I pray to Krsna always for your protection and advancement.

I hope this meets you well.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:Kda

N.B. I am only anxious for the municipality sanction and Mrs. Nair's income tax certificate. Please __ this immediately. Gargamuni has written a long letter so many __. When you go to Calcutta see what is the matter. Let me know what you have done.

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letters | 17:34 |

1 December 2007
1 December, 1973  

Los Angeles

My Dear Yasodanandana and Gurukrpa Maharaja,

Please accept my blessings. I have two days ago arrived at our Los Angeles Center after going through London and New York.

I have been informed by Karandhara Prabhu that you both are presently traveling and collecting money for our Vrindaban Project. I am very glad to hear this. Just today we have received a letter from Guru das that the construction has stopped there due to lack of funds.

Somehow or other we must complete this Vrindaban Temple so in this connection we require at least $10,000 per month from the U.S.A. for one year. Karandhara can manage $5,000 per month for the BBT and M-V Fund so I request that you both remain in America for 1 year further and collect and send a minimum of $5,000 per month to Guru das for the Vrindaban Temple.

I understand that you are both anxious to return to India for preaching but at this time our preaching must be to first complete the Temple construction. After that is finished up then you may certainly return to India. You are both my older disciples and Sannyasis so I am dependent on yourselves for helping me push on this Movement in this way.

Please send immediately $5,000 to Guru das. If you can send more, that is all the better but at least $5,000 per month must be sent by yourselves for the next 1 year. Please confirm that you agree to this proposal.

Pray to Krsna that our humble attempts to spread Krishna Consciousness may be successful and that we may always please the acaryas and Vaisnavas by our service.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/Kda

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letters | 18:24 |

8 June 2007
8 June, 1973  

Mayapur

My dear Karandhara,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 5/31/73 and have noted the contents.

Yes, in Mayapur I am much improved from how I was in Los Angeles. The great advantage here is that there is always open air and a good breeze which is naturally very good for any breathing difficulties. The coughing is almost gone, but still sometimes at night it gives a little trouble. So I am under the treatment of one of the best physicians in Calcutta. I am taking this medicine and am gradually improving.

Certainly Mayapur is by far a better place than Los Angeles because you can enjoy the free air here. The climate is not too hot, but a little moist with humidity but on the whole it is very pleasing. Our building is most superexcellently situated, and it is the experience of many respectable outsiders that while the outer atmosphere is unbearably hot, in our building it is pleasing.

Regarding your taking sannyasa, I think you are already a sannyasi although not in saffron colored cloth. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said,

anasritah karma-phalam
karyam karma karoti yah
sa sannyasi ca yogi ca
na niragnir na cakriyah

"The Blessed Lord said: One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic: not he who lights no fire and performs no work."

So, I know you'll take sannyasa sooner or later but wait for the time when Krsna will decide for this action.

You have written nothing about the $25,000 check which I left with you. Whether it is cashed and the business done? I advised Syamasundara. to send you a check for $10,000. Whether you have received it? If not you can advise me. I am anxious to know whether that M-V Trust business (house purchase) is complete.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/jda

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letters | 12:01 |

29 April 2007
Sunday, 29 April, 1973  

Los Angeles

My Dear Atreya Rsi Das:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 25, 1973 and have read the contents carefully.

Regarding purchasing the Washington D.C. Temple, yes, we can do it. We can invest $70,000.00, and Damodara can pay $700 per month net rent. So you negotiate, and we shall purchase in name of M-V Trust. But, here in L.A. we have invested $63,000 in one house and we are getting $800 per month rent.

So you consult with Karandhara and do the needful. I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. What happened about the Columbia club house?

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letters | 13:24 |

25 April 2007
25 April, 1973  

Los Angeles

My Dear Sri Govinda Das Adhikari:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 24, 1973 with enclosures.

Your report has given me unbounded pleasure and I very much appreciate your activities. Your university program has given me much satisfaction, so you try to continue it. Yes, they must appreciate my Bhagavatam because it is nothing business but is a matter of realization.

Regarding purchasing apartment house, M-V Trust will immediately purchase and monthly rent may be paid into the Trust. Now you immediately send me scheme and description of a suitable building, and I will send Karandhara Prabhu there with the down-payment to finish the transaction.

Your paper also I like very much. It is very nicely done. But, as we have the Back to Godhead paper,* if the men can be used elsewhere in pushing on this movement there is no harm. I want that all you boys use your American intelligence cooperatively in spreading this Sankirtana movement. You are doing solid work in Chicago area and I thank you very much for assisting me in this way.

I am pleased to accept the two boys Sandipani Muni Das (Chris) and Madhavendra Puri Das (Michael) as my initiated disciples. You can send their beads with a copy of this letter to Satsvarupa Das Goswami for being chanted upon.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest regarding the apartment house.
I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/bs

*you have talent to write, please go on writing articles for BTG.

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letters | 13:17 |
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