a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
|
|
| Prabhupada Letters :: 1970 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
|
|
Jul 21, 2006 Tuesday, 21 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Sri Poddarji, Please accept my humble obeisances. Your letter dated 7th June, 1970, put me into some anxieties because you wrote in that letter that you are not keeping good health these days. I hope by this time you are feeling well and I shall be glad to hear from you favorably. Early next year some forty heads of my students will go to India to visit Vaisnava temples as well as performing kirtana there. As you know they are observing all the regulative principles and according to our sastra they are Vaisnava sadacara. People of India as well as the priestly order should receive them properly. When they go to India, I wish to accommodate them in Lord Krsna's birthsite at Mathura. I shall be glad to know if there is accommodation for such visitors. In your letter under reply you write to say, ``I am waiting for Sri Jayadayal Dalmia who is shortly to come here, we shall put our heads together and try to find some place for lodging them.'' Therefore I shall be glad to receive your reply to this. Regarding the translation of International Society for Krishna Consciousness have you made a proper substitute? Regarding the books, please excuse me. I cannot charge price from you. Please keep them in your study room--that will engladden me. Hope you are well. Yours in the service of the Lord, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 10:55 | Jul 19, 2006 Sunday, 19 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Damodara, Please accept my blessings for yourself and your good wife, Mrganetridevi Dasi. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 13rd July, 197-0, and I am so glad to know that you are now happily married by Subala at a nice ceremony in Philadelphia. You were for some time feeling agitation and now Krsna has blessed you with a very nice, qualified wife who is an enthusiastic devotee as well. Please both of you husband and wife work now conjointly in full Krsna consciousness for spreading Lord Caitanya's message. You are very intelligent boy, good devotee and good preacher with good experience also. Your wife and you are good match, so take up this work of spreading Krsna consciousness very seriously and make your both lives sublime and Krsna will certainly give you all intelligence how to advance in His service. Please take advantage of this opportunity and utilize your lives for the transcendental loving service of the Lord and be happy chanting Hare Krsna mantra, dancing, distributing Prasadam and literatures, and preaching Krsna consciousness as your life and soul. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 10:55 | 19 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Syamasundara, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 10th July, 1970. Before that I received one postcard from you in Amsterdam. I was expecting your letter since a long time, but I could understand that you were very busy with Rathayatra festival, and I am very glad to learn that this time you made Lord Jagannatha's car as strong as a warship. I can see from the picture it is very sturdy and tall also. Your report for organizing village schools in England is very encouraging.* Similarly I have received report of Amsterdam also very nice. So it can be easily guessed that Europe is a very good field for spreading this movement. So in consultation with Tamala kindly take up the grammar school organization immediately. In childhood the impression taken continues life long, so try to train little English and Dutch boys to be accustomed to chant and dance. I am so glad that your daughter, Sarasvati, is growing nicely Krsna conscious. I always remember about your daughter's movement when she was coming up stairs in Ascot and sitting by me. May Krsna bless her to grow a Krsna conscious child. You will be glad to know that her picture catching my hand is now published in our ISKCON Handbook. Regarding KRSNA book, one copy was sent from Japan directly to George's address attention of your name. Perhaps George has got it. Please inquire and see to it. Brahmananda has arranged to send you 2500 copies of KRSNA in London. Please try to sell them quickly and send the money so I can print the second part which is already prepared. In the first volume the pictures are so attractive that in San Francisco during the car festival 22 copies were sold immediately. I hope you will have very good market for this book in European English speaking places. Regarding George Harrison, I think you have sufficiently helped him. He has also rendered service to Krsna, undoubtedly, so gradually, surely he will improve in Krsna consciousness--there is no doubt about it. In my previous letter I inquired if George requires some copies of KRSNA for free distribution to his friends. In that case you can give him 50-100 copies as he desires. You are expecting to see me, but I also expected to see the London Rathayatra, but you made no arrangement so what can I do? So let us meet by Sankirtana. I also do not feel separation from my Guru Maharaja. When I am engaged in His service His pictures give me sufficient strength. To serve the Spiritual Master's word is more important than to serve him physically. Please try to open as many branches as possible in European countries. Regarding your program for the grammar schools, Yogesvara wants to write some books for children. So let him write and introduce them in the schools. If nice pictures are inserted the books will become very popular. I have already said; again I repeat, go from village to village and get them interested in Krsna. You write to say that many nice devotees are coming, Oxford graduates, etc., and there is demand for temples by the people in many countries like Sweden and South Africa. These are all good news, so try to utilize these opportunities. When I hear all these things immediately I wish to go myself personally. Please offer my blessings to Murari. I do not know if his wife, Lilavati, and daughter are already there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami *If you want I can dispatch four Sannyasis for this preaching work. ACBS:db letters | 10:54 | 19 July, 1970 My Dear Yogesvara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13rd July, 1970, along with one poem which I have read and sent on to the editors of BTG. Some time back you sent another poetry which I have also sent to the editors; These poetics are nice, but now if you would write some articles for our BTG that will be even better. Now you have got some good understanding of our Krsna consciousness so you write it for publication. I am very glad to know that you have got the experience and talent as well as the desire to write Krsna conscious children's books. I have very encouraging report from Syamasundara. that the grammar school children in the villages of both England and Holland are very eager and ready for learning Krsna consciousness and their instructors are also very enthusiastic to introduce our program. So you can write many books for children and insert pictures, then they will be a sure success. The books should be written in simple language. First of all try to explain what is God, then what is the relationship of God with the world and the living entities. Then explain what is our duty in that relationship with God.* In this way write the subjects very clearly. What one learns as child is not lost throughout the life. So this is a very important business. Please execute it with great care and seriousness of purpose. May Krsna bless your sincere endeavor in his service. The more yo work for Krsna, the more He will bestow auspicious intelligence upon you for furthering your loving service unto Him. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami *God means all-attractive Krsna. ACBS:db letters | 10:54 | 19 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Vrndavana Candra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th July, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very glad that Haladhara has gone to join you in Baltimore center. Now you are three men strong so carry on our program nicely and gradually more sincere souls will come. Do not be disappointed but be always engaged in pushing on Sankirtana, distribution of our literatures, Prasadam, and preaching and classes and sincere souls will come. It is only required that we work very sincerely and Krsna will provide all facilities according to our endeavor. Regarding your first question: When a person becomes a perfect yogi he can transfer himself to any planet in the material or spiritual sky at his will. That is the perfection of the mystic yoga process. Generally the yogis are impersonalists, therefore they transfer to higher planets within this material world. This is explained in the Second Canto of Bhagavatam. In Chapter VIII, verse XIII of the Gita it is described that the yogi is thinking of the Lord while vibrating Om, so he goes to the Lord's Abode because he is thinking of Krsna. One who knows what is Om knows that Om is the sound representation of Krsna he immediately remembers Krsna just like we chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. This conception of Om and impersonal conception is different. The impersonalist has no information of Krsna, he thinks of something like the Brahmajyoti effulgence. Yes Krsna fulfills everyone's desires fully. He can full our desires either materially or spiritually. Material desires to be the supreme enjoyer or god are not natural desires, however. Such desire is maya. Maya means what is not. Our constitutional position is not that of the supreme enjoyer so such desire is unnatural and false. Krsna fulfills the ultimate spiritual desire of everyone also. According to one's constitutional position he enjoys a fully perfect relationship of love with Krsna. Just like a hand is not happy when it is trying to be independent and it becomes naturally happy when it acts in its constitutional capacity as subordinate part and parcel of the whole body. But if the hand desires to be the complete body that desire is not constitutional so such fulfillment of false desire cannot be real. However for those who are not advanced in their intelligence and desire to be one with the Supreme, Krsna grants such persons the opportunity to merge their identity in his transcendental effulgent body. So that desire can be fulfilled by Krsna also, but one who is in full knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and who knows his own constitutional position never desires in that way. Rather he always desires only to fulfill his constitutional position of eternal existence as servant of Krsna and such service is complete and perfect and the supreme pleasure for the living entity. Who can enjoy more than one who is always enjoying Krsna? So it may be said that his enjoyment is supreme. Regarding your third question: This yoga process is authorized, but Arjuna says that it is too difficult. The so-called yogis are simply making farce. They do not reach to the perfectional point of yoga. Arjuna admitted this difficulty and it is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore Krsna said that anyone who is thinking of Him within his heart is first class yogi. In the Bhagavad-gita it is recommended about kirtana. This kirtana means kirtana or glorifying of the Holy name, fame form, activities, qualities, etc. of the Lord. They are all kirtana. Not that everything has to be included in the Bhagavad-gita, Therefore the spiritual Master is required. Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends kirtaniya sada hari one has to chant the glories of the Lord always. Question fourth: What Lord Jesus Christ says, that is the destination of his devotees. What Lord Jesus Christ says I do not know. If there is no description of the Kingdom of God, then we give that--cintamani prakara sadamasu . . . etc. Question the fifth: If Mohammed as the servant of God and Lord Jesus Christ is the son of God, then where is the break of the disciplic succession. After all the disciplic succession is beginning from God, so how do you find that there is no disciplic succession? If the original tree has branches, twigs and leaves and they are in touch with the original tree, it is alright. The test is whether the line is in touch with the Supreme--that is all. Although Mohammed and Jesus Christ appeared in the Kali Yuga their instruction is as it is because the persons to whom they had to speak could not understand any more and they find it difficult to understand even that much. Question the sixth: You are always with Krsna. But you forget. That is maya. Regarding Bhagavad-gita Chapter XIII, verses 5-6: All these are elements and their interactions are the bodily combination and its changes. Convictions are mental impressions derived through the body. Convictions are not fixed up. The aggregate refers to the aggregate of the elements or the body. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 10:53 | 19 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Tamala, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th July, 1970. I have also received news from Syamasundara that the Rathayatra was nicely performed. This is very encouraging. We should concentrate our energy in constructive work. The constructive work is preaching. So this Rathayatra festival is one of the items of our preaching work, and therefore it was introduced in both San Francisco and London and the initiative was taken by Syamasundara. In 1967 I gave this idea to Syamasundara when I was in San Francisco. So it was promptly executed. Similarly last year in London also he promptly executed. So his proposal for preaching from village to village in our own bus is very much appreciated by me.* I have already instructed him to do this immediately and you also encourage him. World Sankirtana Party does not mean that we have to cover immediately the whole world. The program is that everywhere the Sankirtana Movement should be introduced. Mayapur temple is not settled up still because the boy in charge, Acyutananda, has not yet purchased that land although I have advised him to do so at all risk. Another boy, Jayapataka, has gone there, but he is also silent. I do not know what is happening there. If you have enough business now in Europe as Syamasundara. proposes, then first of all we should finish this program. I have got good report from Amsterdam also. So if you have got immediate engagements in England and neighboring European countries, then we shall take up the African program later on. The principle is that whatever is handy we shall first of all take into consideration. So far Mayapur is concerned, if the land is there, there will be no difficulty in raising funds even from India. But we have no land as yet. The first business is if the temples are not properly maintained, then we should simply concentrate on Sankirtana outside. Temple opening is secondary, but we should concentrate on the Sankirtana outside. As in Paris we have no official temple but still Sankirtana is giving us encouragement. I have received a letter from Jaya Hari and replied it. Holland is full of cows, so that would be the best place for a European New Vrndavana scheme. But it is not immediately possible. If we get some suitable land opportunity. But we have already got New Vrndavana that is yet to be developed. So that scheme is not yet feasible. In future we shall see to that. Vidhi marg and raga marg are already explained in the TLC. Neophyte devotees who are trained under rules and regulations is called vidhi marg. When by execution of the vidhi marg one comes to spontaneous service of the Lord that is called raga marg. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N. B. I learn from Brahmananda that you are planning to come here and attend the meeting during Janmastami days at New Vrndavana and I am very glad that you are coming. *very soon four Sannyasis will go to England for this purpose. ACBS:db letters | 10:52 | 19 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. So far it is fixed up that I go to New Vrindaban for Janmastami day by the 20th August. So if you like I can go for a few days before to Boston to see your temple and press. You can fix up this program by talking with Hayagriva and let me know. I think everything is going nicely in Boston. Offer my blessings to all the boys and girls. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 10:51 | 19 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Umapati, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated 12th July, 1970. I understand that the new boy, Hari Vilasa, is very experienced, so if he is going to be president that is nice. We want a good administration--that is one side of our propaganda work. I am very glad to hear about the apartment of the American boy, Lou, which you are utilizing as a base in Paris. That is nice. Anywhere we may live, our chanting process must go on. Yes, the police and Government men will gradually understand us and naturally their harassment will diminish. The same thing is happening everywhere. So prepare excellent literatures, that will enhance our prestige. I am very glad that you have made nice arrangements for carrying on our preaching work and maintaining everyone including the householders without necessity of an outside job. You are all very advanced and experienced, so do it nicely. That will give me pleasure. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 10:51 | Jul 18, 2006 Saturday, 18 July, 1970 Los Angeles The MacMillan Company New York Gentlemen: Regarding my book, THE BHAGAVAD GITA AS IT IS, I beg to inform you that when I had originally submitted the manuscript to Mr. James Wade he informed me that it had to be considerably shortened due to production requirements. Since the publication of the book in 1968, which I understand is now in its third printing, I desire to publish the GITA according to the original manuscript. In this expanded version, each verse is authoritatively presented with the Devanagari script, roman transliteration, English synonyms, translation and elaborate purport, and would be a 800-900 page book. Many verses in the present shortened volume, especially in the final chapters, lack any purport, and so I am not quite satisfied with the book. I have received many requests from interested readers asking for an expanded and more complete version, and so I am confident that the original manuscript will make a more successful book. Please inform me whether MacMillan wants to publish this expanded version of the GITA. I look forward to receiving your early reply. Yours sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 10:49 | 18 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Tribhuvanatha, Please accept my blessings, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter dated 13rd June, 1970, and just the other day I have received your package containing gifts of conchshell, sandalwood incense, orange socks and flowers as well as your beads for initiation. I beg to thank you for all these nice presentation and they are all being appropriately employed. I am very glad to know that you have been staying for some months at our London Temple in the association of our devotees. This is certainly the most fortunate company for you and I know that if you maintain the association of devotees your life will be happy and perfect. That is the version of the sastra that the most important thing for spiritual realization is the company of realized souls or pure devotees of the Lord. So on the recommendation of Gurudasa I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Tribhuvanatha Das Brahmacari. Tribhuvanatha means the Lord of the Three Worlds. And Das means servant. I have duly chanted the beads sent by you and they are returned to you herewith. Please always follow very strictly the regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds of Mahamantra daily on the beads. Study our literatures attentively and try to understand the philosophy nicely with the help of your God-brothers. Always work cooperatively to spread Krsna consciousness movement and chant Hare Krsna and your life will be sublime. I am enclosing one sheet for your reference. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 10:49 | 18 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Vrndavana Candra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter informing me that you have lost your original set of beads and requesting me to chant upon the new set sent also enclosed by you. You are intelligent boy and now you are in very responsible position as president of our Baltimore branch, so you should be more careful. Anyway, I have chanted duly the beads and they are herewith returned to you. I hope that you and your good wife are doing well in Baltimore. I have very favorable reports from our East coast centers. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 10:48 | 18 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter dated 8th July, 1970, in which you have recommended the initiation of Srimati Stephanie O'Henly. I have received her letter and beads also and I have initiated her duly. I have returned the beads in another packet and her initiated name is Srilekhadevi Dasi. I beg to thank you also for the check for $50 donation to my book fund. Thank you very much. Regarding your request for Gayatri mantra to be given to Dharmaraj, since both you and Rupanuga recommend him for second initiation it is alright. I am sending you therefore one copy of Gayatri mantra on a small tape along with specific directions for performing the ceremony. Also enclosed you will find one sacred thread duly sanctified by me and it is for Dharmaraj. The sacred thread will be given by you at the end of the fire sacrifice as it is given in the instructions. Please return this tape directly to me as soon as the initiation is done. I learn that you have got now fifteen members at your center and this is very encouraging news for me. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. Instead of returning the taped mantra directly to me, send it on to Bhagavan das as soon as the ceremony for Sriman Dharmaraj is performed. I have advised Bhagavan das of this, so please do it as soon as possible. ACBS:db letters | 10:44 | 18 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. So far it is fixed up that I go to New Vrindaban for Janmastami day by the 20th August. So if you like I can go for a few days before to Boston to see your temple and press. You can fix up this program by talking with Hayagriva and let me know. I think everything is going nicely in Boston. Offer my blessings to all the boys and girls. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 06:51 | Jul 17, 2006 Friday, 17 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Daughter Srilekha, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your nice letter dated 8th July, 1970, and I am very glad to learn that you have been living at our Sri Sri Radha Krsna Temple for the last four months. I understand that you are a very sincere girl and you are also following the regulative rules and regulations as well as chanting sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna Mahamantra daily. So I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple as you have requested and you are recommended by Sriman Jagadisa. I have chanted one set of beads for you and they are returned to you herewith. Your spiritual name is Srilekha which means "everything very beautiful." I please request you to continue to execute the regulative principles of Krsna consciousness as you are already doing and your life will be fully successful and sublime. Please always keep the association of your good Godbrothers and sisters and work very cooperatively with them for pushing on this movement. If you are always engaged seriously in Krsna's service, Krsna will give you all opportunity for advancing in Krsna consciousness or blissful spiritual life. Study our literatures carefully and try to understand the philosophy nicely and if you have any questions you can ask them of Jagadisa and other elder devotees who know the science. So always chant Hare Krsna Mantra and you will be happy. I am enclosing one sheet of standard practices for devotees and list of ten offenses to be avoided in chanting the Holy Name. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 20:10 | 17 July, 1970 Los Angeles [To Dennis Kehr] I think you are very sincere boy, so please follow the regulative principles strictly and chant your rounds of Hare Krsna faithfully. Attend the arati ceremony and take prasada and work hard in the service of Krsna and you will surely experience the bliss of the perfection of life in Krsna consciousness. letters | 20:09 | Jul 16, 2006 Thursday, 16 July, 1970 Los Angeles Industry House Bombay Dear Nevatiaji, Please accept my greetings. I thank you very much for your letter dated 10th July, 1970, and noted the contents. I am surprised that the mail parcel containing the following articles has not reached you. Maybe it is delayed, but still if it is not yet arrived I shall send you a second batch on hearing from you. There was a copy of a letter addressed to Hanuman Prasad Poddar which covers all your questionnaires, so I am sending herewith another copy which will cover all your questions. Furthermore I am also giving you answers in sort of your questionnaires. 1. Before 1959 I was householder. Calcutta is my birthplace. Our house was at 151 Harrison Road, now Mahatma Gandhi road. This house was originally purchased by late Siva Prasad Jhunjhun Mullick and I think at present the Govinda Bhavan is situated there. This was done long, long ago. At the present moment I am seventy-four years old complete. I was by profession chemist and druggist, and in the beginning I was manager in a very big chemical firm of Calcutta. I was educated in Scottish Churches College, appeared for my B.A. in 1920 and then joined Gandhi's movement and gave up education. I met my Guru Maharaja in 1922. I was born in a Vaisnava family--perhaps you may know Kasinatha Mullick Thakuravati--so by the grace of Krsna from the very beginning of my life I was Krsna conscious by family tradition and my father's caretaking. 2. My Spiritual Master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, advised me to preach the Krsna consciousness movement in the Western world on my first meeting with him and I was preparing to come here in the Western world since a long time. I met late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Radhakrishnan and the late Lal Bahadar Shastri for this purpose. I was convinced by my Guru Maharaja that in the present status of civilization there is not scarcity of anything except Krsna consciousness. So distribution of Krsna consciousness in the best service to the human society, so I tried first of all to start this movement in India, but friends were not very much sympathetic. Therefore, with great difficulty I came here in 1965. In 1966 I registered the Society with the help of some friends and disciples, and the movement was started regularly in 1966, July, from New York. Gradually it developed and at the present moment we have got 32 branches all over the world. We have got very huge expenditure for maintaining these establishments for example in Los Angeles, we are spending near about $3000 per month, which is in Indian exchange Rs. 24,000 per month. Similarly we have got expenditure in London, New York, Hamburg, Sydney, Tokyo, etc. The source of income is generous contribution by the public and a little profit out of selling our magazines and books. We do not get any lump out of sum contribution from any of various foundations, but our boys and girls work very hard and we maintain our establishment. The main source of income is Hare Krsna. I think very confidently that this Krsna Consciousness Movement will solve all the problems of the world--political, social, economic, etc. I am writing books and articles on this subject strictly on the line of Acarya Parampara and I have a already published some books, a list of which is enclosed herewith. 3. The Society is registered in each and every country as a religious and cultural institution under specific statutes. I am trying to get this institution registered in India also. So far, up to date, actually I am the only superior controller, but as the boys are getting experienced I shall very soon transfer the administration to them, simply keeping myself as an overseer guide. Because I am old man, so I am trying to maintain this standard of management uniformly with the assistance of my grown up students. But actually what we need is to render sincere service to the Lord because ultimately Krsna is the supreme manager. eko bahunam vidhadati kaman, "The Supreme One supplies all the necessities of all the living entities." Actually this is our constitution. All the devotees strictly follow our regulative principle of 1) no eating of meat, fish or eggs, 2) no illicit sex-life, 3) no taking of intoxicants including coffee, tea, tobacco and alcohol, and 4) no gambling. In each center we have a president, secretary and treasurer who manage the local affairs. 4. I am sending the list of temples on separate sheet. 5. Specific information about our schedule of general and specific activities you will find in the letter addressed to Sri Hanuman Prasad Poddar. 6. The boys and girls here naturally they are born of rich nation and materially cultured families, but there is no spiritual guide. According to Vedanta Sutra this human form is meant specifically for spiritual understanding. So a person or a community or a nation when in the top position of material enjoyment and still does not find any peace, he searches after something better. That is the position of the Western countries. But they have no information what is that better. Therefore, the younger generation especially they are turning to be confused and frustrated and they are generally known as hippies. Here in this Krsna consciousness movement, because the actual solace and remedy is there, they are finding it very nice and gradually they are being attracted. Some of them actually experience that before coming to this movement they did not know what is spiritual life. So there is a great potency of spreading this movement all over the world. The India Government has a Department for Cultural Affairs; if they would have taken this cultural movement as the background of Vedic civilization, then the whole world would have been happy, and India's glories would have been magnified many thousands of times than by simply imitating the Western technology which is on the verge of failure. 7. Regarding Swamis and "Swaminies," you have been misinformed. Among my disciples there is only one Swami or Sannyasi, but there is no Swaminie. Woman is never offered Sannyasa in the Vedic culture. Up to Vanaprastha stage the woman may remain with her husband as assistant or friend without any sex relation, and when a man takes Sannyasa the woman has no connection with him. I am very sorry to inform you that there are some Indian Swamis in this country who are living with so-called Swaminies, but so far we are concerned we follow strictly the Vedic principles. All our students are following the regulative principles as mentioned in Section 3, paragraph 2. 8. As referred to above we have got only one Swami, but no Swaminies. Rather I encourage the boys and girls to get married and live regularly on the Vedic principles. They are following this instruction and they are happy and advancing in Krsna consciousness. 9. The Americans are very intelligent and qualified boys and girls so they understand the principles as genuine and thus they accept them. They understand that Krsna Consciousness Movement is neither Indian nor Hindu, but it is a cultural movement for the whole human society although of course because it is coming from India it has Indian and Hindu touch. 10. Kindly refer to section 2, paragraph 3. 11. We are expanding every month. Recently I received one letter from my disciple in England and the report is very favorable. In the villages of England they are very much receptive to this movement and even children in grammar school are chanting Hare Krsna. We have got many records and record albums out of which some produced by one renowned musician of London, George Harrison, has become very popular and many people from all parts of Europe are coming to see our temple in London. Recently we have opened two branches, one in Amsterdam and one in Copenhagen and another in Edinburgh. 12. New Vrndavana, a transcendental community project, modeled on the Vrndavana site of Lord Krsna's pastimes, is developing nicely in the mountains of West Virginia. The primary message of Lord Krsna to surrender all one's activities unto Him, that is to carry out one's duty for the sake of Krsna, as it is delivered in the Bhagavad-gita is practically undertaken in New Vrndavana. All work in Vrndavana is specifically executed in full knowledge of its being transcendental loving service to Krsna the supreme proprietor of everything and all souls. This natural environment for living in pure Krsna consciousness or plain living and high thinking develops the spiritual character of the inhabitants and especially the Society's children who are conceived, born, raised and educated in Krsna science or natural spiritual consciousness. New Vrndavana school system provides education for children which is both practical and spiritual. This site situated in the midst of the beautiful West Virginia mountains provides an ideal setting for demonstrating the simplicity of naturalistic living based on brahminical culture and cow protection in Krsna consciousness. Cow protection practically solves the problems of sustenance and the greater portion of time of the devotees, being not engaged in the frantic scramble of materialistic competition for food and shelter, is kept engaged in the pursuit of spiritual perfection. The activities are centered on the temple schedule of Aratikas (six daily, very regularly), kirtanas and classes in the Vedic scriptures. Work is in the fields of agriculture, horticulture, dairy and construction as well as devotional studies. I am sending the description as it will appear in our Krsna consciousness handbook which is just now being printed. The complete and finished Handbook will be sent later on. Along with the section on New Vrndavana there is also a two page feature on our ISKCON Press. 13. Our press owned and operated by the Society is housed in our Boston temple buildings. Presently we are printing books regularly and our monthly magazine BTG is being printed in English, French, German and Japanese editions with Spanish, Hindi, Bengali, Dutch and Danish forthcoming. The English edition is understocked at 125,000 copies per month and the other editions are printed at the rate of 10,000 per month. The public demand for our literatures is international and so much greatly increasing that although printing department (editing, transcribing, composing, layout, photography, printing and binding as well as sales) is full-time engaged and the press is kept running almost 24 hours daily we are unable to meet the demands for literatures and so we must also go to outside printers like Japan. See pages on ISKCON Press in the Krsna Consciousness Handbook. 14. Rathayatra festival was celebrated in three major cities--San Francisco, London and Tokyo--with great pomp and grand success. The transcendental festivities organized for large public participation have drawn admirable comments from the city authorities regarding their unprecedented joyous nature shared by otherwise unmanageable numbers of people. The San Francisco Rathayatra was given all facility by the full cooperation of the City and public advertisement was extended by the City via the newspapers, radio and television and posters in all the public transportation vehicles as well as large banners lining the main streets. Over 20,000 persons attended for a full day of chanting and dancing as they eagerly drew the Ratha cars five miles to the sea. At the end of the procession Prasadam was sumptuously distributed to everyone and the distribution of Prasadam was extended through the next several days. Also at the end of the procession route a capacity attendance filled a standing auditorium to attentively hear the spiritual master speak. His reception was well mannered and very enthusiastic including participation in dancing sankirtana. In the accompanying packet are enclosed some prints from this year's various Rathayatra festivals and also issue No. 20 Back to Godhead which was a special issue on last year's festivities. Other major celebrations are Janmastami and Lord Caitanya's Abhirbhava on Phalguni Purnima. These are especially celebrated gorgeously at New Vrndavana and New Navadvipa respectively. For its lavish Rathayatras yearly for the last four years San Francisco is now commonly known as New Jagannatha Puri. We are gradually increasing the size of major festivals and eventually there will be twenty-four or two each month. The public response is always very encouraging. I will enclose in the accompanying air packet the several photographs you have desired as well as several other items which you may find helpful in preparing your article. If there is any further questionnaire which you may need, please drop my a line and I will be very glad to supply the required information. Yours very sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 20:18 | 16 July, 1970 Los Angeles My Dear Uddhava, Please accept my blessings. Sometimes I am asked for my glossy photo by some friends, but I have none here. Therefore I shall be glad if you kindly send the following glossy by return mail. (These photos will also be used for printing in various Indian papers and magazines as they are requesting. So they must be of good propaganda quality.) Subject Prabhupada (alone prefered.) Exterior view of L.A. Temple Deities and altars (very opulent) Scenes of Rathayatra and other festivals Cow protection in New Vrndavana (pictures in Handbook of milking, and calf) Some important members (alone or together) Thank you very much. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:db letters | 20:09 | |
|
|
