a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1971 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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Jun 24, 2006 Thursday, 24 June, 1971 Moscow My Dear Professor Kotovsky, Please accept my greetings. It was a great pleasure to talk with you on Tuesday and I hope you will kindly read the chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam which I left with you. From your book Soviet Studies of India I understand that academician Mr. A. P. Baranrikov completed a great translation, working the matter of Tulsidas's Ramayana into Russian. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the ripe, mature fruit of the Vedic knowledge, and Tulsidas's Ramayana (Ramacharitmanasa) is but a partial representative of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The real Ramayana is Valmiki's Ramayana. Tulsidas was a devotee of Lord Rama and he has given his thoughts in his book Ramayana. But the real original thoughts and ideas are in Srimad-Bhagavatam. I have already given you a sample copy of my translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam (one chapter only) and there are many hundreds of chapters like that. I think some of you should translate this great book of knowledge into Russian and it will be a great contribution. I am fully prepared to cooperate with you. India has very many authorized transcendental literatures for the benefit of the whole world. I am glad to note on page 72 of your book that "They (the Soviet scholars) regard the ancient literary heritage of India notes a petrified miracle of bygone times but as a living and growing tradition that exerts a fruitful influence on present-day literature and remains an inexhaustible source of literary and cultural development of contemporary India." The Russian people as a growing nation and having a good feeling upon India's culture may take advantage of this treasure house of transcendental literatures, not only for the benefit of the Russian people but for the whole world. Whatever is done by a great nation or a great man is followed by ordinary persons, so it is my mission to distribute the treasure house of India's transcendental knowledge to the whole world, and your cooperation in this connection will be a great asset. You wanted to see the manuscripts of my lectures, therefore I am sending herewith an Introduction, the lectures and if you so desire I shall be glad to send essays on these subjects: 1. Vedic Conceptions of Socialism and Communism 2. Scientific Values of Classless Society 3. Knowledge by Authoritative Tradition I shall be glad to hear from you at my London address, ISKCON London, 7, Bury Place I hope this is meeting you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 02:44 | Jun 23, 2006 Wednesday, 23 June, 1971 New York My Dear Madhudvisa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far the Vakil Little Gibbs House is concerned, the offer mentioned by you is all right, but one point is that Mr. Vakil must take the responsibility of vacating the tenants on the first floor. We cannot become involved in such transaction. So he must see to it that they are moved out. So you can discuss it with him and make the following offer: We will pay 10 1/2 lakhs under the table. Then we pay 1 1/2 lakhs down and 3 lakhs in installments over three years time. So included in the 10 1/2 lakhs is 3 lakhs compensation for vacating the first floor tenants and he can pay them off immediately. The point is that we must have total occupation immediately upon payment of 10 1/2 lakhs under the table, 1 1/2 lakhs down. We cannot take on the responsibility of vacating the first floor tenant. So you can write me in London, and let me know what is the decision. I will be going there by the first week of August. So if Bhativalla is trying to evict us on legal grounds, and he cannot be defeated, then we will vacate. That is all right. Then, if we are unable to secure the Vakil house or some suitable place, then you should pack up and everyone immediately go to Mayapur. We have got some land there and the program is going on. So you can make plans accordingly. Your idea for a three day benefit to raise 4 lakhs towards our International University for Study of Vedic Culture is a very sound proposal, so do it and make the idea concrete. That will be very good. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. The ad is all right, provided you can keep all the promises made. letters | 02:44 | Jun 21, 2006 Monday, 21 June, 1971 Moscow My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13rd June, 1971 and have noted the contents. Just yesterday I arrived in Moscow, and we are staying in a very nice hotel. On the whole, this is a very nice city (the best in Europe); it is very neat and clean. We are trying to arrange, through the embassy some talks on our philosophy, and I will let you know what happens. On the 25th instant I will go to Paris, stay for one day, and fly directly to San Francisco for Rathayatra. Then I will go to London for their Rathayatra on 4th July. Shortly thereafter, I will return to N.Y.C. All mail can go to L.A. It is very nice if we can get other magazines than BTG to print articles about our society, so try for it. Also, for BTG, I am enclosing one poem by Dravida for publishing. And so far the annual GBC meeting is concerned, it is my wish that this meeting be held in Mayapur on Vyasa Puja Day. So you arrange for this, we can go at least 100 visitors and arrange for the founding stone in Mayapur. We are trying to get Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India, for laying the foundation stone. Yes, my order still stands. Please organize BTG distribution and do it nicely. Sankirtana Party and distribution of our magazines and books is our real program. Other things are secondary. So during the summer time you should utilize this program of Sankirtana and book distribution vigorously. Attention diverted to incense business is not a very good sign. We should give all our energy for distributing BTG. Please offer my blessings to the others. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 02:39 | |
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