a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1970 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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Feb 25, 2006 February 25, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22 February, 1970, and noted the contents carefully. In the meantime I have posted another letter in which I have given hints how George can write the foreword. I want that he may write the foreword by his personal experience, otherwise, I could write one for him if he so desires. Regarding authorized songs, you may inform George that authorized songs means the songs which were sung or composed by self-realized Acaryas. It is an injunction in the Vaisnava regulations that unauthorized songs or statements should never be heard. The comparison is given that milk, although very nutritious food, if it is touched by the tongue of a serpent, it acts like poison. So I am giving herewith a few lines of authorized songs which you may deliver to George. They are as follows: 1. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare 2. Hari Haraye Namah Krsna Yadavaya Namah Yadavaya Madhavaya Kesavaya Namah 3. Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Hay Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Hay Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Raksa mam Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Pahi mam Krsna Kesava Krsna Kesava Krsna Kesava Raksa mam Rama Raghava Rama Raghava Rama Raghava Pahi mam So these songs were sung by Lord Caitanya Himself, therefore they are the most authorized songs. I am very glad to learn that he has given up composing nonsense songs, it is a great advancement of his spiritual life. But as he has got the aptitude for writing songs, I shall be very glad to give him many such themes of songs on which he can write in his own language and expression. I am giving below one theme: "My Dear Lord, I have simply wasted my privileges of human form of life. This life was meant for understanding Krsna Consciousness and the pastimes of Lord Krsna with Radharani, but I did not take care of this important business of life. Therefore I have not only wasted my valuable time, but also I have willingly drunk poison for committing suicide. My heart is always in blazing fire because of my association with material sense enjoyment, and I did not fix up my mind in the Krsna Consciousness movement which is imported directly from the Kingdom of God. This Krsna Consciousness movement is inaugurated by Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda Who are Krsna and Balarama respectively. "They have descended very kindly to reclaim all fallen souls of this age of whom the typical examples are the two brothers Jagai and Madhai. Now, forgetting all mistakes that I have committee. in my past life, I humbly surrender unto You, my Lord Krsna the Son of Nanda Maharaja, and also to Srimati Radharani the daughter of King Vrsabhanu. So both of You are present together, and I fully surrender unto You. Please do not reject me as I have no other shelter except Yourselves." Perhaps you have heard, and George has also heard, my song on this theme, ``Hari Hari bifale janama gonainu . . .'' So if George can compose a nice song in his own words, and sings, I am sure it will be an epoch making incident. There are many hundreds of thousands of such themes, and if he wants to introduce such songs propitious for pushing Krsna Consciousness movement, that will be very nice. The transcendental vibration OM is also authorized, but is specifically sung by the impersonalists. Although there is no incongruity, still because we are preaching the personal feature of God, we shall not chant Hari Om. Regarding the castle which George has acquired, certainly it can be turned to a nice Krsna Consciousness asrama, and you can help him your best in the same pattern as you have developed our 7 Bury Place. But I do not know whether George will like to install Radha Krsna Murtis in that asrama. In case he likes to do so, then you and your wife, Malati, will have to take care of the Deities as nicely as possible. I do not know in which way George wants to conduct this asrama, and on hearing from you further on this subject, I can give you nice plans. Our general plan is always the same--chanting, dancing and distributing Prasadam. This program can be reduced or enhanced according to one's financial equipment. If George is actually prepared to spend 50% of his income, and thus become a typical example to other European householders, then I shall be able to give him a plan for organizing this asrama so much so that it will be very, very attractive to everyone. As you say that George wants to invite famous people from all over the world to come there and get Krsna Consciousness, in that case, we shall cooperate with him with full vigor. And if George believes in my potency to spread God-consciousness, then it will be a full program of cooperation. So I am glad that you are going to Paris, and just try to find out a suitable place for our temple there. Regarding Krsna book, our printing cost will be $2.00 per book, so we have no objection if you can sell at $6.00 per copy. But here the opinion is that such a nice book with so many pictures, priced at $10.00 is very cheap. So I think if we keep the price $8.00 that will be nice. And so far selling in Europe by yourself, we can discount the price up to 40% and you can sell in your own way. But how it will be possible that the price is printed $8.00 here and $6.00 in Europe? That will be very much contradictory. Another process is to paste a small label for the European equivalent of $6.00 over the printed price of $8.00. Regarding Mayapur center, when the building will be constructed there, probably your valuable service will be required. Let us hope for that auspicious moment. Yes, I am sure that when George takes seriously into Krsna Consciousness, he will do many things desirable out of his own accord, because Krsna is sitting in everyone's heart and thus when a devotee is willing to serve, He gives dictation from within. So when George will help establish temples, it will be a great achievement. I have already acknowledged that the ``Govindam'' record is very nice, and I am sure it will be appreciated. Devananda also has liked it and says that the sound will be very attractive to the young people especially. Regarding the presentation of ``Govindam'' as well as other mantras, the vibration is always pure. I will give the theme and if the sound is Westernized that does not matter. But another point is that this specific sound of Kirtana as I sing is also another introduction of art that can be intermingled with Western art, and such combination will certainly be appreciated. But so far I know that the Kirtana tune is a specific representation of Gaudiya Vaisnavas and this tune is appreciated all over India as unique. They say that the Kirtana tune is the specific gift of Bengal, and that is a fact. So why not utilize this tune in the Western countries under the able guidance of such expert musician as George? If you arrange, I will certainly come during Rathayatra. You will have to arrange for passages for at least two men, coming and going. I am very glad to learn about the activities of your nice daughter. I am sure she will be a great devotee and great preacher also in future. I want that on this Krsna culture the whole world can be united. Our Caitanya Almanac is being published. In the meantime, I am sending you one sheet. Keep it carefully for guidance. I think it is better to keep it with Yamuna because she is in charge of Deity worship.* Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami *I have received one letter from Yamuna and she requires the list. ACBS:db letters | 16:45 | Feb 24, 2006 Tuesday, February 24, 1970 Los Angeles Scindia House New Delhi My Dear Hit Sharanji, Please accept my blessings. I beg to remind herewith of my letter dated February 2, 1970, in which everything was clearly described. In your letter dated January 24, you informed me that two pairs of Murtis were to be received by the 5th of February, but I have not heard anything whether any one of the pairs has already been dispatched. Along with my reply I forwarded a copy of the letter to Srimati Sumati Morarji, and I do not know what is the result. Anyway, if you have not received any reply from Scindia Navigation, there is no need of waiting. So kindly enlighten me what is the situation. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 21:15 | February 24, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 22 February, 1970, with recommendation for initiating Jeanne Clausen. I have immediately chanted the beads and sent them enclosed herewith by Air Mail. Devananda will inform you of this matter by phone tonight after 9:00 p.m. So there will be no difficulty. I have all my blessings for the girl for being married to Naranarayana, for whom I was very much anxious to get him a good wife. So I have full sanction for his marriage, and you can perform the ceremony on my behalf. I am sure under your care they will be trained as good husband and wife, following your example, and be happy in life in Krsna Consciousness. I am enclosing the beads with flowers of my blessings for Naranarayana and Dinadayadri Dasi on the occasion of their marriage. The spiritual name of the girl is Dinadayadri Dasi. Dinadayadra is Krsna, and Dinadayadri is Radharani. So Dinadayadri Dasi means the servant of Srimati Radharani and Lord Krsna. Hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 21:14 | Feb 23, 2006 Monday, February 23, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14 February, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to know that you have sent the final manuscript of KRSNA book to Brahmananda and that it now reads very well. Thank you very much. Regarding the chapter end tags, that information has already been sent to you with my last letter. It is correct that Nanda, Krsna, the gopas, gopis, etc. left Gokula to move to Vrindaban. There is no discrepancy because the whole area of Mathura is known as Vrindaban. Every place there is known as Vrindaban, but there are different quarters. Some of the Gopis were detained, not allowed to go to Krsna, we accept that the Gopis danced with Krsna anyway, and they went in their spiritual body. Whatever was detained was material body. Regarding the speeches of Brahma and Nagapatni to Krsna, that is not their quoting, that is my quoting--therefore it is called the Bhaktivedanta purport. But it is not incompatible, as you have suggested, because the Bhagavad-gita existed long before. Regarding your change of the title to ``Kamsa Begins His Persecutions,'' it is alright. I am enclosing herewith a preface which I have written for the Krsna book. Please edit it nicely and send one copy of the edited version back to me, and another to Brahmananda for printing. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 21:04 | February 23, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Syama Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 19 February, 1970, with your embroidery work on my Guru Maharaja's picture. Women are by nature endowed with many artistic tendencies, and from the Vedic age we find that high grade women and girls were highly qualified in sixty-four arts. Srimati Radharani was fully qualified in those arts, and therefore, by Her super-excellent transcendental qualities, she could charm Krsna who is the charmer of the three worlds. One of the Principle Gopis was Syama dasi, and you are supposed to follow the footsteps of Syama dasi. I am very much pleased to note that you are feeling happiness in Krsna Consciousness activities along with your good husband. Please remain in that spirit and chant Hare Krsna sixteen rounds regularly, both husband and wife, and develop New Vrindaban. Next summer if you hold Janmastami gorgeously, as I have already suggested to Kirtanananda Maharaja, surely I shall go there. Please ask Hayagriva Prabhu to finish the Bhagavad-gita As It Is with full explanation and text, and as soon as it is finished I shall send you some new tapes which you shall work husband and wife conjointly and you will be very pleased. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 21:02 | February 23, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Harer Nama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17 February, 1970, and I have noted the contents. I inquired about your temple's financial condition just to know if you are doing well without any difficulty, there was no other cause for this inquiry. I am very glad to learn that three new boys have joined with you and are living at the temple. These new boys should be taken care of very nicely. We should always remember that we are in the kingdom of Maya and her influence is very strong. So, unless we are very, very careful in our dealings, there is always chance of falling down. Please therefore chant regularly the sixteen rounds beads and follow the regulative principles; and teach the new boys by practical example, and try to preach Sankirtana as far as possible. We have our new book, ``Isopanisad,'' published. It is very attractive and instructive also. Try to get them from Boston center. I am very glad that your good wife is now for some time taking example of devotional service from Silavati and others in our Los Angeles temple. The program here in the L.A. temple is very nice and I am sure she will benefit from such good association in Krsna Consciousness. Please offer my blessings to Dinabandhu, Neal, and all the others there in Boulder center. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 21:01 | Feb 22, 2006 Sunday, February 22, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very encouraging letter dated 18 February, 1970, and I have noted the contents carefully. It is also very much pleasing that you have liked the company of Upendra, and both of you combined together will surely carry successfully our Australian Yatra. I am very much pleased with your behavior in the matter of progressing our Krsna Consciousness movement. You took up very seriously my desire for opening a center in Australia, and you volunteered to take up the responsibility. So all these things are very much encouraging. In our Krsna Consciousness movement the first qualification required by the devotees is enthusiasm. Then work it out patiently and with conviction that it will surely be done. But at the same time we must be very, very strict in following the regulative principles and completing the sixteen rounds chanting. Our dealings should be very clear with others and we must always keep company with devotees. Please do not hesitate to write me at least once fortnightly so that I may be kept informed of the activities. Upendra said that the Australian public does a great deal of reading and there is good chance for selling our magazines and books. Immediately after publication, in L.A. they are selling Isopanisad up to 40 copies per day. Perhaps because it is only paperback. Henceforth we shall issue many such books with pictures on the covers. Upendra has seen it, and if you like, send orders to Brahmananda immediately for dispatch from Boston. You are doing so much for fulfilling the desire of my Spiritual Master so you are indirectly the representative of my Guru Maharaja. He has been helping me in this matter by sending so many young boys and girls, otherwise who would help me in this mission while I came here empty handed and without any friend. I can only pray to Krsna to take care of you, otherwise I cannot repay your sincere service in my mission. Please offer my blessings to Upendra, and I am awaiting to hear from you again. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 16:58 | February 22, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 18 February, 1970, along with one sheet enclosure, and I am very much pleased with your work. The minor mistake which you committed on the first verse of Isopanisad I marked, but I ignore it as very insignificant. I am very glad to know that you are so much repentant even for this insignificant mistake, and that will push you forward further in Krsna Consciousness. Please be happy and work on with steady and firm determination. I have read the transliteration of Bhagavad-gita verses, but I think you have to do it very carefully because there are some mistakes in some of the verses. But I am sure in your next reading they will be all corrected. So your next compositions shall be Bhagavad-gita As It Is, revised and enlarged edition. Please do it nicely. Your attempt to work on Brahma Samhita is very nice, do it carefully. Regarding the first chapter, eighth verse: the manuscript is correct ``Saumadattis tathaiva ca.'' I have compared the text with Gita Press edition as well as Baladeva. Vidyavhusan's edition. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Arundhati, and be happy in Krsna Consciousness. I hope this will meet you in good health. Please inform Satsvarupa that I have received his letter. I have consulted with Brahmananda, and I think things are going on nicely. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 16:57 | February 22, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Rukmini, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your gift of Lugloo Mahaprasadam and the enclosed kind note from you, and I thank you very much for these. I have immediately tasted these lugloos,* and I can understand also how you are happily advancing in the service of Lord Krsna, they are prepared so nicely. I am so happy to know that you are finding Krsna Consciousness to be the sweetest thing in life, and actually it is so. Please continue your good service attitude more and more and be certain to chant daily the sixteen rounds of beads duly, and Krsna will surely bless you with better and better intelligence for advancing your Krsna Consciousness. Always be sincere and eager to perform your duties allotted by the Lord to you and be successful and joyful in your life. Thanking you once more, and hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. So far sending these offerings after first offering them to Lord Jagannatha and Sri Sri Radha Krsna, that is alright. ACBS:db *This is Laddu. letters | 16:54 | Feb 21, 2006 February 22, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15 February, 1970 along with a check $15.00 for my maintenance account. Thank you very much for it. I am very pleased to learn how things are going on very well in Washington center and that you are nicely celebrating the various advent days of our great Acaryas. But I am especially glad to know of your very successful work amongst the students. This is very encouraging to me. I know that the young people of your country are all eager to take up this Krsna Consciousness movement, simply we must sincerely present our program to them in such a nice way by chanting Hare Krsna, dancing, speaking something about our philosophy, advertising and selling our literatures, and distributing Prasadam. In this connection, I may inform you that in order to maintain our status of spiritual strength, everyone of us must very rigidly chant daily sixteen rounds without fail and follow the regulative principles strictly. this is essential for understanding our philosophy clearly and for being able to impress Krsna Consciousness in the hearts of others. So our sincerity in this respect is most important, and all such duties should be observed regularly by everyone. I hope that you will see that all the boys and girls there are following this process and studying our literatures carefully. Hope this will meet you in good health, and please convey my blessings to all the devotees of Washington center. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 16:53 | Saturday, February 21, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16 February, 1970, along with ``Govindam'' record. I have heard it played on a record player and, although the machine was not very good, still I enjoyed the transcendental vibration very much. Regarding Yugoslavia, the communist country, if they are anxious for our association why not take this opportunity immediately. The communists are first class disciples of Kali; therefore our attention should be more upon them because of their serious materialistic fever. So you can make immediately correspondence with the Yugoslavian friends, and as Tamala is going there very soon, he can immediately open a center with the cooperation of local people. So, with George's recommendation letter, if somebody goes there, I am sure it will be a successful attempt. Actually I am very much eager to start a temple in the communist country. Regarding civil-disobedience movement, I do not think there is need of it. Our people have been arrested on the charge of blocking the pedestrian path; so if some friends give evidence that we did not actually block the way, then the case will certainly be dismissed as you said that the members of the public were in sympathy with us. Our people are still going with Sankirtana Party, so government does not prohibit us so far Sankirtana is concerned. Therefore, civil-disobedience on this ground would be unnecessary. But I will suggest one thing--that you can organize a mass Sankirtana procession on the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya, 22 March, 1970; that day is also Sunday. Therefore if George and John Lennon both lead the procession, that will be a great service. Because of their presence many young men especially will join the procession. And if you carry flags, festoons, and pictures in that procession, starting from a big park like Hyde Park or St. James' Square and then pass over some important streets, especially the residential quarters, that will be a great success. In that procession, you can distribute our literatures of various kinds--books and magazines also. I think that will be a great successful program. I have already written a letter to George and it is sent through you. In that letter I have suggested the importance of Krsna Consciousness movement, so if George elaborates this idea in his foreword that will be very nice. The suggestions I may repeat again, that every living entity has a dormant propensity of love for somebody else. That is exhibited not only in human society, but also in the animal society. That love is exhibited primarily in five kinds of relationship--especially as master and servant, as friend and friend, as parents and children, and as lover and beloved. This stock of love in every living entity is dormant eternal love for Krsna, but because the living entity has forgotten Krsna since a very, very long time, even before this creation was manifested, therefore all of us are misplacing that dormant love in a perverted way. Therefore there is always frustration. Even so-called ``sincere'' love between lover and the beloved or husband and wife or even parents and children are so many instances of frustration. Therefore the only remedy for this repeated frustration of our life after life is revival of original Krsna Consciousness. As soon as we revive that love of Krsna in any one of the five primary relationships, as we have constitutional aptitude, immediately we become happy. This is the fact, but it requires little time to come to this point by the prescribed method as we have to undergo patiently a treatment for the cure of our disease. Therefore this Krsna Consciousness movement is the only solution for all kinds of frustrations and problems. You can give this idea to George as well as explain your practical experience plus his practical experience also, then a nice foreword may come out. While he has given me contribution of $19,000 for publication of my book, Krsna, I think he has not done it foolishly. He is very intelligent boy, therefore I am sure he has also some practical appreciation of this Krsna Consciousness movement. But my above suggestion that if George and John lead the procession, on Lord Caitanya's Birthday, that will be very, very nice. Regarding the small booklet, Jayadvaita from Boston has sent me two pages writing which I am enclosing herewith. So with additional alteration of this idea, plus your idea, if you write a suitable introduction, then we shall print them with some pictures on nice paper as many copies as you require for putting them within the paper covering of the records, and that will be a good introduction. But one thing, I must warn you in this connection that these records are distributed amongst teenagers, therefore the language and presentation should be suitable for their understanding. I think you will understand me right in this connection. So, after writing the pamphlet and if possible getting it edited amongst yourselves, you can send the copies one to me and one to Boston for printing. So this is my idea, now you can work upon it as you think it fit. Yes, before your travelling around Britain, if these pamphlets are distributed, I am sure very easily you will be able to sell our Krsna book. The U.S. centers will act according to your direction without fail in this connection. I am expecting your next longer letter as mentioned in your letter under reply. Thanking you, and please convey my thanks to Malati for her nice letter. I shall reply it in due course. Regarding the court case, I am sending herewith one news cutting how they were released in Detroit. Regarding the exact date for celebration of Rathayatra Festival, it is on the 5th July until the return journey of Lord Jagannatha on the 14th July. Before Rathayatra, on June 19, there is a ceremony of bathing Lord Jagannatha after which Lord Jagannatha falls sick with fever from too much bathing. Then He takes rest and no one is allowed to visit, but He reappears on Rathayatra day.* Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami *This ceremony you can observe by bathing a small deity on the day participated by all devotees. But there is no need of closing the temple for fifteen days. ACB ACBS:db letters | 16:14 | February 21, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Daughter Manmohini, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 18 February, 1970, along with your beads for chanting and a pair of lovely flower garlands. Thank you very much. I have immediately offered the flower garlands to Radha and Krsna and they are so nice looking. I am very happy to accept you as my disciple and I am glad to know that you are praying to Lord Krsna only that you may always remember that your position eternally is to serve and take shelter of His transcendental lotus feet. So I am returning your beads duly chanted by me, and your spiritual name is Manmohini Dasi. Manmohini is another name of Radharani and Manmohini dasi is the maidservant of Radharani. Now please chant Hare Krsna mantra and be sublimely happy. You know that as my initiated disciple you must chant regularly sixteen rounds of beads daily and follow the four restrictions; namely no eating of meats, fish or eggs; no illicit sex life; no taking of any kinds of intoxicants; and no gambling or mental speculation. If you stick to these principles and chant the Holy Name avoiding the ten offenses in the matter of chanting you will become steady and rapidly advanced in Krsna Consciousness. I am very pleased to note that you are nicely engaged in preparing Bhoga at the Boston temple and you are also going on Sankirtana. Please study very carefully all our books and learn our philosophy with the help of our many experienced students there in Boston, and remain happy in Krsna Consciousness under the care and guidance of Sriman Satsvarupa and Sriman Brahmananda as you are their younger sister. I am enclosing herewith one sheet listing the 26 qualifications of a devotee, the ten offenses to be avoided in chanting the MahaMantra, and standard practices for initiated devotees. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 15:15 | Feb 20, 2006 Friday, February 20, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Jagannatham Prabhu, Please accept my humble obeisances. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 10 February, 1970, redirected from my New York center. Perhaps you are the eldest amongst us now living as disciples of Srila Prabhupada. You are now eighty-one years old, and I am only seventy-four. Therefore I am your younger brother and I shall always expect blessings from you. So far your son is concerned, last year when I was in Los Angeles I invited your son to come and see me; and if he comes to me, surely I shall try my best to bring him into our line of devotional service. I am sure if he sees me it will not be difficult to convince him about this Krsna Consciousness philosophy because after all he is your son. I do not know his present address, otherwise I would have called him here directly. But if you ask him immediately to see me, it will be very nice. He can live with me in my personal apartment or in the Temple for as many days as he likes. There will be no difficulty. Surely he will be very much influenced by seeing our Temple activities and street Sankirtana movement in the city. So please ask him to see me immediately. So far our publication is concerned, I give you below the names of the books and magazines with their prices and weights for calculating postal charges. Srimad-Bhagavatam (First Canto--3 volumes) $16.00 (set of 3)--(Vol. 2 weights 22lb. 6 oz.) Bhagavad-gita As It Is (Paperback) $2.95-- Bhagavad-gita As It Is (Hardback) $6.95--11lb. 3oz. Sri Isopanisad $1.00--7 1/2 oz. Easy Journey to Other Planets $.50--3 1/2 oz. Teachings of Lord Caitanya $5.99--2 lb. 1/2 oz. Krsna $10.00--2 lb. 15oz. Nectar of Devotion $5.95--2 lb. 1/2oz. ``Back to Godhead'' (magazine) $ .50 ($5.00/year)--5 1/2oz. Postal rates as follows: Air Other Articles (AO)--First 2 oz. $ .60, Each additional 2 oz. or fraction $ .30 Air Parcel Post--First 4 oz. $1.70, Each additional 4 oz or fraction $ .80 Surface--First 2 lbs. $1.10, Each additional pound or fraction $.35 Within the U.S.A., our price includes postal charges, but outside U.S.A. the charges are extra. We are issuing ``Back to Godhead'' by numbers and not by month. You are so kind upon me, and as your younger brother I shall always be ready for your service. So please treat me as your humble servant. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours affectionately, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 18:59 | February 20, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15 February, 1970, and noted the contents carefully. My first request to you is to take from Mr. Goyl, the gentleman who donated the Sri Murtis, the address of the manufacturer or supplier of the Murtis. I know that the Murtis were supplied from Jaipur, India, but I do not know the address of the supplier. So please take it from him and please send it to me immediately. All other points in your letter are completely agreed upon by me, and please execute the program accordingly. We must follow our own principles. We can go anywhere to perform the Sankirtana, but the process in which we execute the performances should be strictly followed; namely first of all we chant and dance, then we deliver a short lecture on our philosophy, try to advertise our books and magazines and sell them, then at last we again chant and dance and conclude the meeting by distributing Prasadum. Generally we must have at least one hour time if not more for functioning this program. So far we are concerned, every one of us must chant the beads according to the vow and follow the regulative principles in all departments of our activities, and this will give us spiritual strength to convince the audience about our aims and object. Some one of us in each and every center must be well versed in the Sastras so that he can meet scholars and philosophers, and if need be convince them about our movement and philosophy with great strength. I am so glad to learn that our London Temple decoration is being improved day by day, and Deities have got nice dresses and ornaments. So far Ksirodakasayi is concerned, or anyone else who is newcomer, should be allowed some concession. And after some time when he is accustomed to our principle, then we can make the screw tight. I think this point will be sufficient hint to deal with him. Brahmananda and Advaita have come here yesterday, and I am giving them advice about our future press activities. They have already printed Isopanisad paperbook very nicely and the price is also very cheap. You may ask Boston to send you copies for sale there in London. Please see that the French and German issues of BTG are published as soon as possible. I hope Hamsaduta has met you by this time, and when you go to Germany along with him I think he may be situated as the president of the center being the seniormost member. I am so glad to learn that you expect to open another center in London in the hippy quarter as soon as possible. When I was in London I went to Oxford and there was a very successful meeting. Therefore I think Oxford will be a good center for our activities. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there, and keep me informed of your further progress. The Krsna manuscript is already handed over to Messrs. Dai Nippon Co. for printing. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 18:57 | Feb 19, 2006 Thursday, February 19, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Sucandra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 8 February, 1970, and I am glad to learn that you are trying to make your service more perfect, that is most encouraging to me. It is most important that our activities be regular or, in other words, on a schedule. Everyone should chant his beads sixteen rounds daily without fail and follow the regulative principles strictly. These basic Krsna Conscious duties are essential to be performed regularly, and they will give you the necessary strength of spirit to keep always fixed up in devotional service. As soon as a devotee is regularly engaged in this way, always engaged in Krsna Consciousness, Krsna will reveal the whole spiritual science from within the heart of such sincere devotee. This program of chanting and following the rules and regulations will give you spiritual intelligence for understanding the Bhagavad gita and our other scriptures also. In this connection, I think that since you have some difficulty in reading our English edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, you can study more easily from the copies of Mandali Bhadra's German translations of the same. Perhaps you can assist him in some respect also by proofreading his work. So you may inquire from him in this way. It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that this devotional service is so powerful that even if a devotee occasionally falls down from the standard there is no loss for him. If he is sincere, he will automatically rectify his error and Lord Krsna immediately purifies him from within. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita also, that for the devotee Krsna gives all protection, and there is never any loss for him. But if one is not engaged in Krsna Consciousness, there is no gain for him in any position of material life. So we must stick firmly to the chanting of the Holy Name and following the rules. This will keep us from being tricked by Maya. But there is no question of disappointment for some temporary bewilderment. We are all new and weak in this Krsna Consciousness. Just as everyone in the hospital is diseased, and although they are trying to become well there is a chance that anyone of them may relapse, but that does not mean that the hospital should be closed. It is now our business to struggle with Maya, and when we win out by Krsna's grace that is to regain our natural healthy life of Krsna Consciousness. So there is no case of disappointment. I am very happy to know that so many young boys and girls are now becoming attracted to the Hamburg Temple. I can understand that there is great interest in Germany for Krsna Consciousness. So continue to push our Sankirtana movement more vigorously so that the people may become more and more attracted by this transcendental sound--Hare Krsna--and that will be the greatest service to bring them the true welfare and happiness of life. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 09:40 | February 19, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Linda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 10 February, 1970, and I am very glad to note how you are eager to understand this science of devotional service to Krsna or Krsna Consciousness. Regarding your questions about the difference between the picture of Krsna and the Deity, Krsna is equally there in both these forms. Krsna is so kind that he agrees to appear, for the benefit of the conditioned soul, in eight different kinds of forms. Such form is called arca or the form of the Lord manifested through material agency as metal, earth, wood, painting, stone, jewel, drawing, and mind. The arca is accepted as incarnation of God, and is worshiped by regulations. Generally the installed Deities are so worshiped and the regulative principles should be strictly followed in regard to Them. I am very happy to learn that you are finding the Detroit atmosphere so blissful, and actually the more you engage yourself in the sincere service of Krsna, the more you will find yourself always blissful. So far your dreams are concerned, it is very nice that you are thinking about Krsna Consciousness even while sleeping. Krsna is so nice that we want to remember Him even more than twenty-four hours daily. Regarding instructions from the Spiritual Master, there is no need of taking instructions spoken in dream while the Spiritual Master is still present. Lord Jagannatha is very kind, and He can also appear in mind in His own form, so why not in your dream. I hope that you are trying to follow the regulative principles and that both you and your husband are chanting your beads regularly daily. These two duties are essential for advancement in Krsna Consciousness, and if they are made the center of our activities, then Krsna will begin to answer all questions from within how to become further advanced in His loving devotional service. Please offer my blessings to your husband, Michael. Hope this will meet you both in good health and Krsna Consciousness. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 09:31 | February 19, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13 February, 1970. Please do not be disturbed by second-hand information. Just continue your editing as you have been doing nicely. I hope you have been receiving the transcriptions and edited versions of Krsna tapes which I have sent to Bhagavan das. I have not received any copies from him, still I have continued to send him tapes, and I have sent some to you also. I am now delivering some lectures every Sunday at the L.A. Temple and the series may be called ``Sinful Activities and Their Resultant Reactions.'' They will be transcribed here weekly, and sent to you for editing. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 09:28 | |
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