a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1971 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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Apr 29, 2006 April 29, 1971 Bombay My Dear Bhagavan das, Please accept my blessings. Below is the second part of the list of life and donor members from India. The first part was enclosed in my letter to you dated 21st April, 1971. This list may also be distributed to all the centers so that any newsletters may be dispatched. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb letters | 22:06 | Apr 28, 2006 Wednesday, April 28, 1971 Bombay My Dear Sons and Daughters, Please accept my blessings. By Sriman Karandhara Prabhu's recommendation, I am very pleased to accept you twelve as my duly initiated disciples. I have chanted on your beads, newly acquired from here, and they should be arriving soon by parcel post. Your initiated names are as follows: 1. Ramesvara. Ramesvara is one of the important pilgrimages in India and is where Lord Ramacandra was present for going to the other side of the Indian Ocean. 2. Badrinarayan. Badrinarayana is another important pilgrimage where Lord Krishna was present as Badrinarayan. 3. Vaidyanath. Vaidyanath is another pilgrimage and is where Lord Siva is worshipping Lord Krishna. 4. Trilochana. Trilochana, a name for Krishna, means one who can see past, present, and future. 5. Paratrikananda. Paratrikananda means one who is interested in, or takes pleasure in, spiritual life. 6. Kulapradip. Kulapradip means the light of the family, or a Vaisnava. One who becomes a Vaisnava becomes the light of the family. 7. Jayanarayana. Jayanarayana means ``all glories to Narayana'' who is expansion of Krishna. 8. Iksvakurani. Iksvakurani means the queen of Iksvaku, who was the forefather of the family of Lord Ramacandra. 9. Lilasakti. Lilasakti is the energy which assists Lord Krishna in His pastimes. 10. Santanandi. Santanandi is one who likes blissful life. 11. Vikramini. Vikramini is the most powerful energy of Krishna. 12. Riktananda. Riktananda means one who takes pleasure living alone. Now it is your duty that you always must keep yourselves fit in Krishna's service. The formula is very simple and if you will follow undeviatingly then your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness is certain. All of you must chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily and without fail. That is first and foremost. And follow all the rules and regulations of devotional life rigidly. Read all our books, attend classes and aratis, go on street Sankirtana, and always be thinking of Krishna. That is the point. Somehow or other always be thinking of Krishna. Then you will be happy and your going back to home, back to Godhead will be certain. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb letters | 22:08 | April 28, 1971 Bombay My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. Enclosed please find one letter addressed to the twelve devotees recommended by you and now duly initiated by me. Their beads should arrive very soon by air parcel post. One thing is that in some cases I wasn't certain whether the names given were masculine or feminine. So from now on in all such cases the letter M or F, indicating Male or Female, must follow the name in brackets. Still there is some question, so if the gender is incorrect in the following names, you may make the necessary corrections: I. Paratrikananda if male, or Paratrikanandi if female. II. Iksvakuraja if male or Iksvakurani if female. I think of the twelve, Irene, Linda, Stephanie and Vickie were the only girls. Then the enclosed letter is all correct. Otherwise you can let me know. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb letters | 22:05 | Apr 27, 2006 Tuesday, April 27, 1971 Bombay My Dear Bali-mardana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22nd April, 1971 from Penang, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, the registered documents have been dispatched to you and I hope you have received them by now. So far as a $50,000.00 donation from Kamala Devi, I was informed by Hanuman Dasa in that way. This plan to go to Russia is still underway and it may be that after returning from Sydney and attending one large function in Calcutta from 14th to 24th April, at that time I may be going to Moscow. So my going to Kuala Lumpur is certain, as was confirmed by telegram in reply to your telegram which arrived 22nd April, 1971. I shall be starting from here 6:30 a.m., 30th April, 1971, arriving Kuala Lumpur airport by 2:30 p.m. So far as a Trust Body for seeing to the correct publicity and distribution of my books, we shall discuss on this matter upon my arrival. It is also encouraging to note that one educated boy is wanting to translate some of our literature into Tamil language, so encourage him. Yes, when I come I shall bring slides, as there are many here. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. I am also in due receipt of your letter from Penang of 4/23/71. letters | 22:03 | April 27, 1971 Bombay My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your two letters dated nil and 24th April, 1971 respectively. Yes, so far as the visas are concerned, from Delhi arrangements must be made that at least 400 of my foreign disciples must remain in India to propagate the Krishna Consciousness Movement. They are my good assistants and they are missionaries also. So many Christian missionaries are working in this country. Why not Krishna Conscious missionaries? They should be given special consideration. As a missionary I was given special consideration in your country, similarly you all should be given special consideration here. I am so glad to hear that the Educational Department will take our books. They should take at least 50 copies of each book. They took our Bhagavatam, 50 sets. Similarly big men of Delhi and parliament members should be approached to take our books and become life members. I am also glad to note that Ksirodakasayi has made nice living accommodations. That is first consideration, otherwise it is difficult to do our work. So it appears that everything is very favorable in Delhi and if we can get the land, then we must make serious program in Delhi. Ksirodakasayi hasn't got to go to Russia. Let him concentrate his business in Delhi as leader. And if your presence in Delhi is no longer required, then you are required in Calcutta. So after finishing your important business in Delhi, you should go to Delhi for at least one month. It is encouraging that you are enthusiastic for making engagements there, so do it nicely. And so far as foreigners coming to India for spiritual learning, we are the only institution which can receive foreigners and train them nicely in spiritual life. So Dr. Karan Singh and the government should help to get a nice place for such work to go on. Try to convince him in this way. Yes, we are contemplating Indira Gandhi's presence while laying down the foundation stone in Mayapur. So you arrange like that. My going to Delhi is not so important now since we have secured land in Mayapur. Be in correspondence with Tamala Krishna in this regard. Please offer my blessings to your good wife Yamuna Devi. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 22:02 | April 27, 1971 Bombay My Dear Ksirodakasayi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st April, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. I am so glad to hear how nicely things are developing there in Delhi. You are working so nicely. Krishna will surely help you. So do things nicely, as everything is becoming so favorable. We are getting land. And as soon as we get it, we shall make a huge function like Cross Maidan in Bombay. Such function is now being arranged in Calcutta and will be held from 14th to 24th, May. So far as your going to Russia, you should not take interest in this Russian program. Your presence in Delhi is absolutely required. If the Russian invitation comes, then I shall go alone with an assistant. But your service is very much needed in Delhi. All the proper arrangements are being made for the Russian tour and we are expecting the invitation very soon. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb letters | 22:00 | Apr 26, 2006 Monday, April 26, 1971 Bombay My Dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 19th April, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far as recording record albums is concerned, I can go there by the end of May, at the present I am going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 30th April and then I shall be going to Calcutta via Sydney, Australia by the 14th May. They are having one Hare Krishna Festival similar to the one just held in Bombay up until the 24th May. So at that time if Mr. Duffy is still offering, then he should send me tickets for three men and I shall go there. In the mean time I shall try and send some tapes. Your idea for selling advertisements for Rathayatra issue of BTG is very good. This idea we have implemented both in Bombay and Calcutta and it has proven very good for collecting money. In Calcutta they are collecting at a rate of Rs 5000/- per day. The book distribution report is very encouraging. If you can find out two or three such distributers throughout the nation, then we can distribute 10,000 books very easily. Now 5,000 KRSNA, vol. II and 10,000 KRSNA vol. I clear stock you have got. Altogether 15,000 @ $8.00 per copy less 40%, or $4.80 x 15,000 = $72,000.00 clear cut which should be sent gradually to the Bhaktivedanta Book Fund and again reprint. So we shall overflood the whole of Europe and America with KRSNA book. Please offer my blessings to the others there. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. So far as sending money to my book fund for the Dai Nippon debt as advised in my previous letter, henceforward $3000.00 should be sent only. The next installment of paying my book fund should be paid to my Bank of America checking account #3081-61625 until further instruction to you. Your reply to Dai Nippon was very correct. I do not like their policy of intermingling Bhaktivedanta Book Fund deposit with BTG account. I am awaiting their further reply in this connection. Then I shall advise you to send directly to the book fund. In reply to your letter dated 19th April, I shall be glad to initiate those whose names have been given. Just as soon as I secure the beads, they will be duly chanted on and dispatched. The check for $60.00 to cover the cost of 12 sets beads is in hand. ACB ACBS/adb letters | 21:59 | April 26, 1971 Bombay Manager Punjab National Bank P.O. Vrndavana Dt. Mathura Dear Sir: Re: My Savings Fund Account No. 2913 with you. I am enclosing herewith my passbook for the above account and the relative unused checks (two only), which please receive and transfer all the balance including interest to your Calcutta Branch at Brabourne Road for credit of my Savings Fund Account No. 2595 with them. Thanking you in anticipation, I am, Yours faithfully, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds letters | 21:58 | Apr 25, 2006 Sunday, April 25, 1971 Bombay My Dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16th April, 1971 and have noted the contents. I have seen the copy of the newsletter drawn up to send to influential people, etc. there in Canada and it is very nice. So you can send such newsletters to all our life members in India also. I have already instructed Bhagavan das in this connection and sent him a complete list of names and addresses. So you can take instructions from him and do the needful. Yes, please offer my blessings to your good wife Laksmimoni and son Nimala Candra. Please make them ideal Krishna Conscious family members. That will be a great example for our society. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb letters | 21:58 | April 25, 1971 Bombay My Dear Tamala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your two letters both dated 22nd April, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. Also I have received your telegram acknowledging receipt of the second check for Rs. 9700/-. So far as the power of attorney requested by you, that I have already sent and you should have received it by now. I have already informed you that if Mohta's house is available completely vacated, then immediately we can purchase, paying cash down. If it is not available, completely vacated, then let us occupy the first and second floors as tenants. If that also is not possible, then you can enter into agreement with the son of Lila Mohan Sing Roy for leasing the flat for one year from the month of May. So far Mohta's house is concerned, we shall try to purchase it when it is completely vacated. In the mean time if they want to sell, we can make agreement and make a reasonable advance. My passport is required immediately. If the new one is not ready then immediately send the old one. I am leaving for Kuala Lumpur this Friday, the 30th April, and so I must have it otherwise my journey will be cancelled. Syamasundara. has already advised about this by telephone call. The visa problem is also most urgent. If we cannot stay in India, what is the use of purchasing a house and taking so much risk? I have already sent Central Bank a letter to change my book fund to ``ISKCON Book Fund'' but they have not replied, so you can send the money to the original book fund account, no. 14538; Central Bank of India, Gowalia Tank Road Branch; Warden Court, 79-81; Gowalia Tank Road; Bombay-26. So far as the Gorakhpur situation, I am writing to Durdaivanasana (D.L. Chopra) about this. Yes, Revatinandana and Madhudvisa Swami will go there just as soon as you send money for their passage, and they will take the marble Deities with them also. And I shall be going there also by the 13rd May via Kuala Lumpur and Sydney. For the throne design you will have to write Gurudasa in Delhi (c/o S.K. Joshi; 4-A Kamala Nagar) about it. There is no such photo here. You have got idea of the length and breadth of the throne already. It should be as you have done in Gorakhpur. There is so little money in the building account. This means it has been spent for eating and sleeping. If there are no funds in the building account, how you can expect to purchase a building? I understand that there are so many members there. If there is no money in the building fund, where has the money gone? Whenever any money is there, transfer it to the building fund and henceforward all collections should be sent. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 21:57 | Apr 24, 2006 Saturday, April 24, 1971 Bombay My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 17th April, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. I have received one letter from Dai Nippon. They want immediately $30,000.00 more. Formerly the total amount to be paid for BTG was $52,000.00, and they were not willing to publish any more. Therefore from my book fund I paid them immediately $20,000. Now there is an additional $30,000.00 because another two issues of BTG were printed. So if you can send them another $10,000. immediately, they will be satisfied for the time being. I do not know exactly what the account is, but they are hesitating. They should be satisfied as much as possible. Their dealing and craftsmanship has always been very good so we must keep good relationship with them. Whatever BTG collection made should be quickly sent to Dai Nippon so that they will be pacified. Recently I have received one letter from Hayagriva in which he wanted to know in 24 hours whether I could pay $20,000, but I have already given $20,000 to BTG. Besides that, New Vrindaban has to be developed very nicely but whether Hayagriva has already transferred the property to the society's name? This is required now. We require seven temples in New Vrindaban and 50% of the membership collection (Building fund) may be invested for this purpose. But Hayagriva should transfer the property to the society's name. Our incense trademark should be registered now. I understand that there is one man in Bombay who has plagiarized our Spiritual Sky label, so we are serving him the proper notice to stop this plagiarizing business. So income is increasing there. That is very good. But in the winter season the collections are not so good so you should make some compensation for those months. The point is that there must not be any financial difficulty. If there is not sufficient engagement in the temple, the devotees should work outside, although if we can manage without our men working outside that is best. So far as the Indians in San Francisco, they should be tackled nicely. They have promised, so someone should collect that proposed $20,000. Yes, Tejiyas and Laura can be married. His name is Tejiyas, not Tejios. I was confused by the mispelling. Please offer my blessings to the others there. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 07:57 | April 24, 1971 Bombay Sriman Shekhar Prasad Shrestha 1/111 Dharan Bazar Koshi Anchal NEPAL My Dear Sri Shresthaji, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 24th March, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. It may interest you to know that all our centers are managed by local members. If you so desire, I can send one or two American members there and in their cooperation if you could raise funds locally and establish a center of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), then gradually you could develop a press also. If something is published in Nepalese language, that will be used fully in Nepal. So whether it is possible to raise funds locally with some of our members jointly? I am so glad that you are appreciating our Back To Godhead magazine. The article mentioned by you, ``The Vedanta: Its Morphology and Ontology'' is a very difficult article for a new man who is just trying to grasp this Krishna Consciousness philosophy. But continue studying our literatures and Krishna will give you intelligence to understand more and more. And you are chanting Hare Krishna Mantra regularly. Very good. Please chant 16 rounds of japa mala daily and try to observe the regulative principles of no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling and no illicit sex life. These four are the pillars of sinful life, especially in this age of Kali Yuga. Whenever you have any inquiries, please write to me. I am so glad that you are wanting to become our life member. A pamphlet is enclosed herewith for your information in this regards. So far as your questions: (1) Yes, akshar means that which does not fall down, and kshar means that which falls down. The living entity is kshar; that is, prone to fall down into material existence. But the Supreme Brahman is akshar, or does not fall down. The material energy is under the control of the akshar brahman. Another meaning of the akshar brahman is the inhabitants of the spiritual world. They are eternally existing and never fall down. In other words they are called Nitya-Mukti and the kshar brahman is called Nitya Bhadda, or eternally conditioned. (ii), (iii): The Gopis' position is always transcendental. They are above karmis, yogis and jnanis. They did not even try to understand Krishna whether He was God or not, but their love for Krishna was unparalleled. So one can love Krishna without andy inquiry; that is the highest perfection. To know Krishna as God is not so exalted a position as to love Krishna without knowing. That is the highest perfection. Knowledge means discrimination. The gopis loved Krishna without discrimination. They loved Him spontaneously as He was very beautiful in the view of the gopis. The objective being transcendental, all of the gopis' activities were transcendental. There is no comparison of worshipping of Krishna as conceived by the gopis--that is only to love Krishna without any purpose. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb letters | 07:57 | April 24, 1971 Bombay My Dear Jaya Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I was glad to see your letter addressed to Sriman Gurudasa and Srimati Yamuna devi regarding your recommendation for initiation by Mukunda Prabhu. I have decided to accept you immediately as my initiated disciple as you have requested and I have enclosed your set of beads herewith as well. I have duly chanted your beads and given you the spiritual name Jaya Jagadisa Das Brahmacari. I am very pleased by your humble attitude, so if you will kindly continue to execute your devotional practices in such state of mind then you are sure to achieve perfection of Krsna consciousness very quickly as it is stated by Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His third verse of Siksastakam, ``In such humble state of mind one can chant the Holy Names of the Lord all day long.'' Please regularly chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra sixteen rounds daily and follow the regulative principles faithfully. By observing the four restrictions and avoiding the ten offenses to the Holy Name (i.e. blaspheming the Lord's devotee, considering the Lord and the demigods as being on the same level, neglecting the orders of the Spiritual Master, minimizing the authority of the sastras, interpreting the Holy Name of God, committing sins on the strength of chanting, instructing the glories of the Lord to the unfaithful; Equating the chanting of the Holy Names with material piety, inattention while chanting of the Holy Name and maintaining attachment to material things while engaged in chanting the Holy Names) you will become qualified to receive the mercy of the Lord and thus advance yourself in His transcendental loving service, which is the perfect stage of transcendental life of bhaktirasa life. When one is factually experiencing existence of pure spiritual service to Krsna, he enjoys fullness of eternal life full of bliss and knowledge. So one should always strive for this end and thus be released from the grips of material happiness and miseries which characterize the conditional, mundane life within the temporary cosmic manifestations. Hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:ds letters | 07:56 | April 24, 1971 Bombay My Dear Jayapataka Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 20th April, 1971 as well as the enclosed calendar. Thank you very much. I hope by now you have sent one copy to Boston for printing. I am very glad that things are going on so nicely there. In the meantime I have received one letter from L.A. that they have not received any document for the brass Deities dispatched there. Two pairs of Deities were to be dispatched to L.A. and Boston out of the three sets given by Dalmia. One is there already and the other two were to go to Boston and L.A. I have received news from Boston that they have received one set but L.A. complains that they have not received. What happened? When some men go there to Calcutta from here, they will take one big pair of marble Deities for installation there; the brass Dieties from Gorakhpur will be installed in Mayapur. So please let me know about the Deities shipped to L.A.; to whom the documents were sent and why they have not received them as of yet. I have already consented to attend Calcutta ceremony. I am not going to Russia immediately, but to Kuala Lumpur by the 30th April instead and I shall be going to Calcutta from Sydney by the 14th May. In the Sankirtana festival pandal if a very big kitchen arrangement can be made, then we shall distribute prasadam daily. Try to make this arrangement. Puri, halava, kitri--whatever can be arranged as much as possible. Tamala Krishna and Giriraja have all the ideas. Some professional men should be engaged 24 hours preparing prasadam. There are many volunteer organizations in Calcutta. They should come forward and help us distribute prasadam. You are taking in so much money for this event. That is very good. Also you should save some money for the building account. I have already sent my passport and I understand that the new passport is ready for dispatching. So I hope you have dispatched it yesterday. Please offer my blessings to the others there. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb letters | 07:55 | Apr 23, 2006 April 23, 1971 Bombay Professor G. G. Kotovsky Head, Department of Indian and South Asian Studies Institute of Oriental Studies USSR Academy of Sciences Armyansky Perlk 2 Moscow, USSR. Dear Professor Kotovsky, Please accept my greetings. I beg to inform you that a copy of your letter dated 16th March, 1971 was forwarded to me by Sriman Krsna das Adhikari, Governing Body Commission member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness; c/o Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple; 2 Hamburg 6; Bartelstrasse 65. It was understood that you and your university are interested in hearing about Krishna culture and philosophy. This ancient Krishna culture and philosophy is the oldest in the world or in the universe. At least from a historical point of view it is not less than 5,000 years old. Perhaps you may know that I have started this cultural movement since 1966 and it is already spreading all over the world. Krishna culture is so popular in India that even the government attracts many foreigners by Air India timetable to visit Vrindaban, the land of Krishna culture. Enclosed please find one page from the latest Air India timetable (April, 1971) wherein the Krishna culture is depicted for general attraction. My life is dedicated to spreading this Krishna culture all over the world. I think if you give me a chance to speak about the great Krishna culture and philosophy in your country, you will very much appreciate the simple programme with great profit. This culture is so well planned that it would be acceptable by any thoughtful man throughout the whole world. I am going out of India for far East Asia and Australia by the end of the month. My next engagement is in Calcutta from May 14th to May 24th, 1971. So if you desire I can go to your country for a fortnight only by the end of May, 1971 to explain about this Krishna culture and philosophy. Yours sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb letters | 09:54 | April 23, 1971 Bombay Manager, Bank of Baroda Bombay-20 BR Dear Sir: Re: My a/c no. 4966. Ref: Your letter dated 19th April, 1971, no. SB: 16/22. I beg to enclose herewith the form sent by you, duly filled out and signed by me. Sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/adb letters | 07:54 | |
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