a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1973 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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21 December 2007 Friday, 21 December, 1973 Los Angeles My dear Tamala Krsna Goswami, Please accept my blessings. Enclosed find a copy of a letter I have just received from Hari Charan Goswami. As he states therein, he is willing to teach our students Hindi and Sanskrit. We want to introduce this program of teaching our students Hindi and Sanskrit for two reasons. First of all, as I have already explained in a previous letter, if we can establish a bona fide language school then our American and European disciples can acquire student visas for coming to India. This will solve our visa problem. Secondly, if our students can actually preach in Hindi, periodically quoting Sanskrit, it will be a very good credit for us and very respectfully received by the Indian people. I have asked Dr. Kapoor in Vrindaban and also one pandita named Nrsimha Vallabha to also teach our students Hindi and Sanskrit. The curriculum can be two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening and the panditas can be paid Rs. 200 per month. Our students, however, must be prepared to apply themselves and actually learn the languages. Mr. B. R. Mohatta, our life member from Bombay, has just today visited me in Los Angeles and we have discussed this matter of the language school. He has advised that we take sanction for our school from different branches of the Indian Government such as the educational department, the social welfare department, and the cultural department. He says that we must approach them on the platform of wanting to present and develop this school for its educational and cultural value but not to place any stress on any religious import. Otherwise we shall not get any support from the government. He has described to me how the Rama-Krsna Mission is getting so much support from the government only on the pretext that they are keeping schools and medical clinics. Factually their schools and clinics are for namesake only and they are using the government's support to mainly propagate their philosophy. So in this way we also must take government support by tactfully presenting a solid and organized proposal. I want very much that this project should be initiated immediately and followed through with all necessary attention and endeavor. Now I have given some hint and I am turning the matter over to you for execution. I am standing by to hear from you whether or not we have obtained municipal sanction for our plans for our Juhu Beach scheme. I hope this finds you well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:Kda Labels: Bombay, gurukula, Indian Government, study, visas letters | 17:32 |2 November 2007 Friday, 2 November, 1973 New Delhi My Dear Satsvarupa das Maharaja: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your GBC report for the period ending October 1, 1973 dated October 12, 1973. Yes, I have received your report dated September 25, 1973 and have replied it on October 4, 1973. With regard to Dallas Mohanananda has now come to Bombay, and because our Giriraja is returning to the U.S.A. on account of his health. Mohanananda is advised to act as acting president. If you have no objection, he may stay for at least three months. I hope that there will be no inconvenience and that Dayananda will be able to look after his affairs. We have settled up the Bombay affairs and purchased the whole land at a cost of 17-18 lakhs, bribing so many claimants. It was a very hard knot. Now by the grace of Krsna the land is in our possession. We are the proprietors. Arrangements are being made to construct a gorgeous temple with the help of local patrons. The estimate of the Bombay temple is not less than 50 lakhs over and above the 18 lakhs we have already spent on this project. I will especially draw your attention to articles written by Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor. He has many such philosophical articles, and he wants to get the book published by us. I shall be glad to have your opinion in consultation with Karandhara whether we can take up the publication of such philosophical books. Another gentleman whose name is Hari Goswami is a Sanskrit scholar, as well as knowing English. He is enthusiastic to join us. Please let me know if you can utilize him for our Dallas Gurukula institution. He is coming from a respectable brahmana family belonging to Radha Raman goswami house, but he is very much pleased with our activities and wants to join us wholeheartedly. In case you consider his service is valuable, then you have to make arrangement for his passage. These two points, namely Sri Hari Goswami going to Dallas and the publication of Dr. Kapoor's book by us may be consulted amongst yourself, Karandhara, and Bali Mardan, and you please let me know your considered opinions. Here in Delhi arrangements are going on for holding a Hare Krishna festival, and they have secured a very nice house, for the Delhi center. If so required I may stay here at least for a month to organize this new center. You can reply to me at the above address. What is the objection to starting a branch institution at New Vrindaban? There we have already got a vast tract of land, and the atmosphere is very calm and quiet, and they are developing. So instead of purchasing another land, why not use this land for the elder boys? Of course it will depend on your mature consideration amongst the GBC members near about. So make Gurukula more solidified. Up to now it is going nicely. Keep the standard intact. People are appreciating, and they will do so more and more. Yes, regarding the centers reporting to you, if you get the report then there is no necessity to visit. Occasionally you can see how they are doing. Regarding the arrangements for meeting the scholars in Chicago, yes I am also anxious to see scholars. In the meantime our propaganda should be going on for drawing attention of the educational institutions to accept our books at least in the religious courses. Regarding the rascal Bharati, yes, capture this rascal and defeat him in debating, and prove him as a rascal Number one. Regarding the black lady in Cleveland, if she is actually serious about Krsna consciousness, give her a little freedom. Just behave with her a little gently, so she may be encouraged to spread Krsna consciousness amongst the blacks. Actually if she preaches the importance of this movement amongst the blacks, it will be more effective. This racial color distinction may continue, but when a devotee is actually advanced these things will disappear. Therefore we have to be a little tactful how to induce people to take to Krsna consciousness seriously. That should be our main object. Encourage her to sell books. If black men read our books, it will be a great achievement. As your President Lincoln gave the blacks equal rights, let us cooperate with them. Regarding St. Louis, Makhanlal is a good boy. He is a sincere devotee. Jayadvaita Das is a very devoted boy. He tries to understand the philosophy very perfectly. Yes, editing Back to Godhead is one of your responsibilities. In the meantime you can train Hrdayananda das Goswami to edit. I think he is a fit man to assist you. Regarding Back to Godhead being the most important magazine in the world, therefore I am seeking to see Dr. Kapoor's article for getting attention. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: BTG, Dallas, gurukula, writing letters | 14:32 |20 October 2007 20 October, 1973 Bombay Florissant, Missouri My Dear Indira Dasi: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 24/9/73. Regarding your opening another school, if you can do it, I have no objection. But, it is a great responsibility. To open for a few days, and then close it is not good. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: gurukula letters | 14:23 |16 October 2007 16 October, 1973 Bombay My Dear Dayananda Das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 8, 1973 and have noted the contents. Regarding the older boys, they can do gardening engagement and other brahmacari engagements, study and manual work. And, as soon as they can read Sanskrit and English, they should read our books, such as Bhagavad-gita As It Is. By cleansing the temple and growing flowers their attention in this way be always in Krsna consciousness. That will save them from the clutches of maya. kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam [SB 7.6.1] "From the very beginning of childhood one should learn how to behave and practice Krsna consciousness, because this human form of life is very rare. . Although it is also perishable, it can give us the greatest boon; therefore we shall utilize this body from the very beginning of life." Regarding your separating from Nandarani, nothing should be done artificially. Nandarani is not different from you. She also seeks Krsna consciousness. Your household life is not repugnant; it is favorable. Do not separate artificially. When everyone is engaged in Krsna's service, there is no question of maya. I have got good estimation about Nandarani. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Dallas, gurukula, marriage letters | 14:19 |13 October 2007 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 |16 September 2007 16 September, 1973 Bombay My Dear Satsvarupa Maharaja: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your GBC report dated Sept. 3, and have noted the contents. So far naming of the Detroit Deities, They shall be known as Radha Kunja Behari. Yes, it is proper etiquette that the sannyasis consult with the local president for anything they need such as men. Regarding the Gurukula I am glad to hear that the one 5 year old boy wanted to stay with us. That is very good. Boys like friends of the same age. Regarding sending the older boys to New Vrindaban, let New Vrindaban have sufficient place for them, then you can consider. Anyway, this will have to be decided amongst yourselves. Yes for Deity worship at least 10 brahmanas are required. Regarding New Orleans, the book distribution must be established not just the Deity worship. This is very important to our movement, so please arrange this to go on. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs letters | 13:12 | 7 August 2007 7 August, 1973 U.K. My Dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter and enclosed check for daksina. In the meantime, I have also received a package of photographs. Your festival appears to be just like Jagannatha Puri, it is so encouraging to me to see how very enthusiastic you are working there. Yes, I shall certainly come to your Ratha Yatra Festival next year. Regarding selling books in Karmi clothes; yes, it may be done, there is no harm. This book distribution and Ratha Yatra Festivals should go on all over the world. I want to introduce this Ratha Yatra Festival programme all over the world. If you can actually supply the society with Gaura Nitai deities it will be a great achievement. But one thing is that you should try to find out some strong wood. In India they use Neem wood because this wood is not attacked by termites, if you can find out a similar wood there that will be best, or you may see if you can import this wood from India if it is not too expensive. When you have finished something, then send me a photograph. Regarding the taking of sannyasa of Purusottama I have as yet not received any recommendation from you, so if you recommend him then I shall send the cloth, kaupin and mantra. You can make the rod there. Yes, the accredited teacher may lead a Gurukula but first of all let him understand our philosophy perfectly and become himself strong. So I thank you for your support. I have sent one letter and sample of Satsvarupa Goswami's report which I consider to be standard for the other GBC member to follow, so please see it and try to follow his example. I hope this letter meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: book distribution, deities, festivals, gurukula, sannyasa letters | 17:17 |17 June 2007 Sunday, 17 June, 1973 West Bengal My dear Carol, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of June 7, 1973 and I have carefully noted the contents. I can see from your letter that you are very sincere about Krsna Consciousness and Gurukula. Yes, you should always feel yourself most fortunate and glad that you are in the Krsna Consciousness movement where you can learn sanskrit and English from such nice Krsna Conscious teachers as Dayananda and Dinatarine, and not be learning-as in the public schools-how to cheat and eat meat etc. Please stick to this conviction of yours and more and more your natural Krsna Consciousness will develop. I have seen your writing of the sanskrit letters and it is very nice. Your ever well-wisher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sdg Labels: gurukula letters | 16:47 |21 May 2007 Monday, 21 May, 1973 Dallas My Dear Ekendra, Shawn, Christina, Dvarakadhisa, Kimi, Tonya, Joe, John, Candramukhi, Carol, Peggy, Lisa, and Stephanie, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very nice Isopanisad papers, with sanskrit, transliteration, translation and purport. You are all very nice devotees. You are very, very fortunate to have the opportunity to be going to this Gurukula. It is the only one of its kind in the world. You are the first students and you must set a good example for the others, always being very enthusiastic to learn from your teachers, offering all respects to your teachers, leading the kirtanas with exuberance. In future you will be the leaders of this Krsna Consciousness Movement, so now you must take this training preparation very seriously. Hoping this meets you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/jda Labels: gurukula, Los Angeles letters | 10:06 |10 May 2007 10 May, 1973 Los Angeles My Dear Hrdayananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 4, 1973. I am very much pleased by the contents. The green sheets advertising our books to the college professors are very very good. You may send copies to all centers. Your plan to get a large vehicle for traveling with built in shower, kitchen etc. is approved by me. But you should try to get new, because the old ones are always needing repair. We have seen by practical experience. Regarding your going with Satsvarupa Maharaja to Europe for one month. I have received one letter from him saying that he could not go because his presence is too important at our Gurukula in Dallas. It is a fact that Gurukula must be always carefully supervised, it is one of our most important projects. So you can correspond with him in this connection. Thank you very much for your sincere efforts in pushing forward this Krsna Consciousness Movement. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 20:34 | 25 April 2007 Wednesday, 25 April , 1973 Los Angeles My dear Dinatarini, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 29, 1973 and I have noted the contents. I have received also the photograph of Radha-Kalachandji and they are looking transcendentally beautiful. Always keep to this high standard of Deity worship, never become neglectful. Everything must be done very timely, and the temple must be immaculately cleansed daily. These things, cleanliness and promptness, are the most important points for Deity worship, so be very vigilant in this way. So far opening a Gurukula in England, first let us establish our new building there, and we can talk later on. Meanwhile, continue your program there very nicely, and when there is good opportunity, I can come there for some time. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/nkd Labels: deities, gurukula, London letters | 13:20 |19 April 2007 19 April, 1973 Los Angeles My Dear Satsvarupa Maharaja: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 15, 1973 with enclosure of m/s. Narada Bhakti Sutra. I have no objection to your publishing it, however there are many, many mistakes in the Sanskrit which have to be corrected, so I am returning the m/s. to you under separate cover. Regarding Prayers of King Kulasekhara, I never said I was displeased with your publishing it in BTG. Regarding Gurukula, it is not required that parents live there with there children. We can take care of the children, but not the parents. Any parents there must be engaged preaching and selling books, and going on the Sankirtana party. Mohanananda Prabhu has agreed to fully cooperate, now you just direct him. I just want that the children learn English and Sanskrit nicely, that's all. I want that things go on there nicely, it is so important work. If necessary I will come there myself to see how it is going, but only if the climate is suitable, neither too hot nor too cold. This Los Angeles climate is just suitable for me. Regarding dancing, our dancing is ecstatic. We need not waste time five hours daily instead of chanting, for practicing. We are not professional dancers, neither we require it. These things should not be encouraged. In New York they have such activities, but they should not be going on in Gurukula. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: gurukula, management letters | 16:24 |23 March 2007 23 March, 1973 Hyderabad My Dear Satyabhama: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 20, 1973 and I am replying late because of so much recent travelling. I am here for a few days only, then to Bombay and on the 1st to London for a few days before going on to L.A. via New York. Actually, I don't want our energy spent in that way, to develop a school at New Vrndavana. Rather, all of our children should go to Dallas when they are four and begin their training program there. In Dallas, they have full facility approved by me, I have personally seen that they are doing very nicely there. So, for the younger children to be at New Vrndavana that is alright, but when they are a little older, at four, they should go on to our Dallas facility. Why should the parents not feel attachment for their children, that is natural. But our affection is not simply sentimental, we offer our children the highest opportunity to become trained up in Krsna consciousness very early so as to assure their success in this life to go back to Godhead for sure. That is real affection, to make sure my child gets back to Godhead, that is my real responsibility as a parent. And I have seen that Gurukula offers this opportunity more than any other place anywhere. So I think that you are intelligent girl, and you can explain it to others in this way. [text missing] Labels: gurukula letters | 09:20 |18 February 2007 18 February, 1973 Sydney My dear Bhaktin Toni, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated February 1st. with the nice pictures of the Sri Sri Radha-Kalacandji Deities in ISKCON Gurukula. I am very much pleased that the Deities are worshipped so nicely and as this continues, the children there will become more and more purified. These children in Gurukula are the most fortunate children in the world, because right from the beginning they are having the association of Radha and Krishna. This was the case in my childhood also. My father was pure Vaisnava and he gave me and my sister the Radha Krishna Deities to worship and in this way we were trained. And still to this very day my sister is worshiping these very same Deities in Calcutta. So like this the children must be trained. I can understand from your letter that you are beginning to appreciate the Krishna Consciousness Movement and I encourage you to join wholeheartedly and fully in the service of Lord Sri Krishna for this will be the most glorious thing in your life. You may consult with Karandhara das and he will give you more guidance as to how you can engage yourself fully in the service of the Lord. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ms letters | 08:00 | 27 January 2007 27 January, 1973 Calcutta My dear Dayananda and Nandarani, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of each of your letters dated December 27 and December 28, 1973, respectively, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am in favor of whatever will push on this Krsna Consciousness movement throughout the world. So if you both wish to serve at Gurukula, if Karandhara and Satsvarupa and Mohanananda all agree then certainly you should go there. You have already proven your ability in this field by raising two nice Krsna Conscious children. So if you can help now to raise hundreds and thousands of children in Krsna Consciousness, that will be the greatest service to Krsna and certainly you shall both go back to home, back to Godhead, by doing this. But before any new service, be certain that your absence shall not cause any harm to our Los Angeles Temple. After all it is you who first worked so hard in the beginning and should see in the future how it would expand. So first speak with Karandhara and take his approval. Gurukula is our most important project. If the children are given a Krsna Conscious education from early childhood then there is great hope for the future of the world. I have already given instruction on how the teaching should be conducted there, and this you can learn from Satsvarupa, Mohanananda, and the other senior teachers. Whatever service we do, our enthusiasm must always be kept strong. So Krsna is giving you guidance from within. So if you go to Gurukula, try to help develop things there and make it the model educational institution in the world. Hoping this meets you both in good mood, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS Labels: gurukula, management letters | 04:05 |9 January 2007 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 |4 January 2007 4 January, 1973 Bombay My dear Dinatarini Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter from Dallas School dated December 26, 1972, along with examples of the children's classwork. Thank you very much for allowing me to see the nice progress being made by our future preachers. I think everything is going on there nicely, and the children are learning in the proper line. So far geography and history are concerned, you may teach geography as it is, there is no harm to getting knowledge about our material earth planet, even up to learning all of the countries and places, names, landscape, production, natural resources, climates, oceans, deserts, everything should be there. Krsna Consciousness devotees shall not be known as fools. All of you nice boys and girls have had that kind of education, and you are preaching now Krsna consciousness in its pure form, so there is no hindrance for learning such things, just as you have also learned them as child. So teach them in this way, exactly as you have also been taught geography, history and other things. So far history is concerned, we shall not teach the history as Darwin has given, but there is no harm to learn what is the history of your country, just like Washington was the first president, and after him came so-and-so, like that. If the modern historians have altered the story of history to fit their own view of things, that can be avoided, anything like opinion and speculation, but the bare facts as much as we know them may be learned by the young children, there is no harm. Hoping this meets you in good health, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/sda letters | 09:25 | |
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