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 |29 October 2007 Monday, 29 October, 1973 Vrindaban Tustin, California My Dear Svarupa Damodara Das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 15, 1973 and was very glad to read the contents. Regarding your book, The Origin of Life, I have already given you the points, so you can inquire from me any intricate question in this connection and I shall try to reply. In the meantime I have received a letter from Ramananda and I am enclosing herewith. I think you can send him a ticket by arranging with Karandhara so he can immediately come there. When I come there to Los Angeles in my presence both of you can discuss threadbare all questions and put them in a satisfactory way. The headings you have selected are nice. Now I may add one heading which may be the conclusion as follows: ``Original Life is God.'' Because the soul is eternal (which you have discussed in point 2), the origin of life, God, is eternal. We have to fight with all these so-called leaders, scientists, and philosophers, just like Krsna came to kill all the demons because the whole world is full of demons. Regarding the translation work, if you can translate into German or other languages of Europe, then it will be a good help. They are very much eager to publish in other languages there. I am glad to note that you are keeping an altar in your place. If the Dr. offers his obeisances, that goes to his devotional credit. All our processes of seeing the Deity, taking caranamrta, playing instruments, taking prasadam all go to the credit of devotional service. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: deities, scientists, study letters | 14:30 |9 October 2007 Tuesday, 9 October, 1973 Bombay My dear Niranjana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5th October, 1973, and I have noted the contents. I am very glad to know that you have passed your examination and have been awarded a scholarship. There is no difficulty for arranging your accommodation and Prasadam in Glasgow, as we have got our branch there. When you go I shall personally give intimation to our Glasgow center. When you go there, try to preach. You have learned ho to speak English, so you can preach nicely. Always try to give some service, and that will make you successful. I may be coming to New Delhi by the second week of November, so if possible you may try to see me there. We are conducting a large pandal from November 9th-18th at the most important area, LIC Grounds, Connaught Circle. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 10:21 | 30 August 2007 Thursday, 30 August, 1973 Bhaktivedanta Manor My Dear Hon Pei Das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15th August, 1973, and I have noted the contents carefully. There is no question of giving anything up in Krsna consciousness. That is the sum and substance of the Bhagavad-gita. Arjuna also thought like that "I shall not fight and fell silent" but Krsna did not approve of this sentimental attitude of the Great Arjuna. The whole Bhagavad-gita was spoken to Arjuna simply to convince him that he should work for the satisfaction of Krsna. Therefore Krsna plainly says, "Whatever you do as work, whatever you eat, or give away in charity, do it for Me." This is real Krsna consciousness, to work for the satisfaction of Krsna. So you have good opportunity to serve Krsna by your nice education, go on finish up in the university and simultaneously follow the regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds, and associate with the devotees as much as possible. Your talents can be utilized for Krsna and in due course of time how this is so Krsna will reveal to you more and more. So do not be worried, be jolly in the service of the Lord. I hope this letter meets you well. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Bhagavad-gita, Melbourne, study letters | 15:55 |23 March 2007 23 March, 1973 Hyderabad My dear Niranjana: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated the 12th of March and I have examined the contents with care. I think because I am travelling so much there is some problem in your letters reaching me. But now I want to leave so much travelling up to my able disciples and finish my translating work. So in a few days I am going to Bombay and then to London by the 1st, and then to L.A. via New York stopover. Yes, I am sorry that I could not see you this year at the Mayapur celebration, it was very successful. But anyway because you are in college please take this opportunity to convince some of your fellow students about this Krsna consciousness. All over the world there are college students who are joining our movement, why not in India? Actually there is no need to give up studies to be a devotee. In America, a number of our students joined with us before they graduated but still they went on to graduate with honors, namely Bhagavan dasa, Trivikrama Maharaja, and others. So just try to convince them in some way. Incidentally, I did not receive any contribution from Prabhas on your behalf at Mayapur. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rdgHyderabad letters | 09:22 | 23 March, 1973 Hyderabad My dear Pusta Krsna: Please accept my blessings and I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated the 13th of March, with enclosures. Yes, your study program is nice. By writing according to our realization we become more and more convinced and all doubts are destroyed. I have looked over your essay and I think you are understanding our philosophy rightly. Why don't you write something for Back to Godhead? We can avoid idle conversation and utilize our time in the spare moments for studying slokas from the Gita and Bhagavatam. Practically I have given you more than enough for 50 years at one sloka daily. If we can simply read one sloka daily, that is step by step progress. I said it long ago, that we are trying to make Brahmanas from anywhere in the world. We can offer the intelligent person the opportunity to be trained up in the highest spiritual knowledge and train him up as a preacher himself. That is a very attractive offer, so in your traveling SKP you can preach like that, and quote some important slokas from our books and wherever you go you will be respected and you can recruit some solid devotees for pushing on this movement. So kindly go on with your program. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Paris., preachers, sankirtan, study letters | 09:21 |14 February 2007 Monday, 14 February, 1973 Sydney My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated 31/1/73. After conferring with my various GBC representatives I have concluded that polygamy must be strictly prohibited in our society. Although it is a Vedic institution still there are so many legal implications. Neither are many of our men fixed up enough to tend for more than one wife. Polygamy will simply increase the sex life and our philosophy is to gradually decrease the sex life till eventually there is no sex life. The policy should be that all the women are given the utmost protection. Women are looking for husbands because they feel unprotected so it is up to the senior members to give all protection to the women. Regarding our sankirtana party members dressing up as hippies in order to increase book distribution this is not a very good plan. I am instructing Bali Mardan Maharaja that this should be stopped, that we should not give anyone cause to call us hippies, but the devotees can dress up in respectable clothes like ladies and gentlemen in order to distribute my literatures under special circumstances, but even this program should not become widespread. It should only go on under the supervision of Bali Mardan Goswami and Karandhara das. Wherever there are individuals there is bound to be difference of opinion. Therefore for this purpose I have formulated the GBC. Therefore any new programs or proposals or discrepancies should be submitted before the Governing Board Commission and then their conclusion should be submitted to me for the final approval. In other words I am requesting you as my senior men not to tax my brain with so many details but simply come to a conclusion amongst yourselves and then present this final conclusion for my sanction. In this way I will be free to concentrate on my translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam. I have the information of a few cases of illicit sex in our society but this is not an overall thing. And whether it is or not, the only cure is Hari Nama. You simply be engaged in chanting all day and serving Krishna and any time there is no service, simply chant Hare Krishna. Then there is no chance for illicit sex. As far as studying my books is concerned, I have already given the order. One hour in the morning class and one hour in the evening and if there is extra time during the day it may be used for studying but we cannot expect everyone to be studious. If someone has desired to distribute books all day he may do this, but he must always follow the principles of rising early, chanting 16 rounds, etc. Just as some rich men have no inclination for studying, but still he opens many schools for others to study at. Like this, all of my students may not be inclined to study but they are very much eager to give others the opportunity to read my books and this should not be discouraged. All programs must go on but it is a fact that this book distribution program is very very important. It is real preaching work but I think this program for T.V. and radio is not so important. There are so many T.V. programs. Someone will see us on T.V. and then right after they will see some other nonsense and they will forget. Therefore it is better for them to read my books but I think your proposal for seriously organizing the college programs is first class. If this program is conducted in the proper fashion it can be our biggest book distribution outlet, I am convinced of this. You are advanced devotee and you should use your intelligence to convince the professors that they should use my books in the colleges. This will be the greatest service. Regarding your question about taking Gaura-Nitai Deities with you on travelling Kirtana, this is not so important. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touring India He did not bring His Deity with Him. But if you can make proper arrangement then you may take them, but if you say you have no Brahmins then I think for the time being you may postpone this program. I will be returning to Calcutta from my preaching tour in Australasia by the 2nd. of March and therefore I am requesting that you come to Calcutta no later than this date in order to travel with me and be my secretary for one month. If there is any difficulty in this would you please write to me at Auckland, New Zealand for I will be arriving there on the 19th of February. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. I am in due receipt of your most recent letter and I can see if the T.V. agrees to endorse our books and show them on T.V., this is a good program and it must be continued. Labels: book distribution, deities, GBC, itinerary, sex life, study, women letters | 06:12 |14 February, 1973 Sydney My Dear Ramesvara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated February 5th. and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very much pleased to hear of your increased book distribution and it gives me great pleasure to hear of your increased eagerness to distribute my literature. Through the distribution of this literature, we can completely annihilate all the bogus yogi groups in the world. Of this fact I am sure. Therefore there is no need for us to directly attack these charlatans but simply by this distribution of books the sunlight of Krishna consciousness will prevail. It has been brought to my attention that some of my students are not studying. I do not know if this applies to you or the devotees under your care, but I must stress again that we must have our classes one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening and the devotees must also chant regularly their sixteen rounds and follow the principles. The rest of the time they may go on distribution of my books. So I hope you will do the needful in this regard. Still again I must express my appreciation for Sriman Tripurari Prabhu's outstanding service, as well as all the devotees in your party. So my request to you is to go on in this way with more enthusiasm. This is the key. Always remain enthusiastic and inspire others and your life will be glorious and at the end you are sure to go back to Home, back to Godhead. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: book distribution, study letters | 06:12 | |
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