a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1969 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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30 July 2005 July 30, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Yoland, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26 July, 1969 and your nice poems, and I have read everything carefully. The poems will be submitted to Hayagriva, the editor of Back To Godhead, for his consideration for publication. I am very pleased to learn that you are now living at the Montreal temple, and this association with devotees of Lord Krishna will help you to advance further in Krishna Consciousness. You have asked me, "Could you accept me as your student until eternity?" My reply is that you may discuss this matter with Jayapataka, who is in charge there, and if he agrees, then you may submit your beads to me through the mail. Also, there is some possibility that I will be going to Germany sometime in August, and in that case I will be stopping in New York. So if you are able to meet me in New York, then the ceremony could be performed there. You have asked the question, "What is the difference between a Mayavadi philosopher and a Krishna Conscious person?" The answer is that the Mayavadi philosopher has only imperfect knowledge of God, whereas the Krishna Conscious person can understand Krishna fully. The example is given that a person may know about the sunlight, but that does not mean that he knows about the Sun God within the Sun planet. Within the Sun there is a Sun God, named Vivaswan, and his body and the bodies of the other inhabitants are made of fire. It is the heat from these fiery bodies that gives warmth and light to this universe. So if someone knows something about the sunlight, it does not mean that he has knowledge about Vivaswan. Similarly, from Krishna's Spiritual Body there is the emanation of the Brahma effulgence, but even if they are able to merge into this effulgence emanating from Krishna's Body, are able to merge into this effulgence emanating from Krishna's Body, that does not give them perfect knowledge of the Source of everything. This Source is Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So both the Mayavadi philosopher and the Krishna Conscious person is seeking spiritual advancement, but the Krishna Conscious man is higher because he is going to the Source of everything, including the Brahma effulgence. I hope you will understand this nicely. I am very pleased to note that you are chanting 25 rounds daily. Please continue in this way, and more and more Krishna will be pleased to bless you with intelligence to understand Krishna Consciousness. I hope you are well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:33 | 29 July 2005 Tuesday, July 29, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Paramananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Friday July 25, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Now that Satyabhama Dasi is becoming advanced in her pregnancy, all care must be taken for her. I think it is a good idea that she may go to New York, especially because she can receive free aid from your doctor friend. And if you feel that your presence there will be helpful, then I advise you to go with your wife to New York. Regarding someone to go there to take charge of the children in Satyabhama's absence, I will write to Lilavati in Boston to see if she is able to fill this position for that time. If not, we will have to make other arrangements. But wherever you go, either in New Vrindaban or New York, you should make effort to finish your 16 rounds whenever possible. Of course, if you are always engaged in Krishna's service, and always chanting Hare Krishna, even if not on your beads, that is also a nice status. As you are an important worker there and you have so many important duties, especially to take care of the cows, it may not be possible for you to stop your work for chanting 16 rounds. This is no great loss, and you should not feel badly about it. Krishna sees your sincerity in Krishna Consciousness, and He will be very kind upon you for this. But as much as possible you should try to fulfill the goal of 16 rounds daily. If you must fall short of this because you have so much service to render to Krishna, do not be disturbed by this. But you should not fall too much short of this goal. That will not be good. Similarly, you must read Bhagavad-gita at least a few verses every day and think about them throughout the day. The best thing is to read one chapter daily, but if you can meditate upon a few verses of Bhagavad-gita every day, that is better than reading for simply one hour and then forgetting the topics until the next reading. Please offer my blessings to Satyabhama Dasi and the others. I hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 07:12 | July 29, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Prahladananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 21, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very pleased to learn that you have been nicely assisting Rupanuga, and now the Buffalo center is gradually becoming very successful. It is very encouraging. It is a fact that wherever we go, if we simply let the people hear our chanting and if we repeat what we have heard from the bonafide Spiritual Master, then surely many, many sincere souls will become attracted to our movement. This is because Krishna Consciousness is lying dormant in every living entity, just like fire is dormant within a match. If we simply strike the match, then the fire within will come in blazing light. Our method of striking the match is Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. This vibration is sufficient to awaken the sleeping spirit soul to the fact that Krishna is there, and if we try to remember Him always and spread His message of Bhagavad-gita, then our life becomes perfect and we are perfectly executing our position as part and parcel of the Lord. So if you let all the residents of Buffalo hear the sound of Hare Krishna and read our literatures, then there will be the greatest all-around benefit. This past weekend in San Francisco there was a gigantic Rathayatra Ceremony just on the order of the one held at Jagannatha Puri, and at least 10,000 people were chanting and dancing along with us in full transcendental ecstasy. The boys and girls of America are generally good souls, that is why they have taken birth in such a nice country, and now they should make perfect all of their opulences by engaging everything in Krishna Consciousness. This will be the finishing touch for all the nice qualities found in the American people. In New York I understand that they have sold 3,000 copies of BTG in just two weeks, and I understand that in Buffalo you are also selling BTG very nicely. So please continue in this way and your success in life is assured. As Krishna sees that you are working very seriously to bring His other children back to the Spiritual Kingdom, then He will become very pleased and will bestow all blessings upon you. Krishna is never ungrateful for our efforts to serve Him, rest assured. Regarding your question about Bhava Shakti developing into Prema, this is covered in our book, Nectar of Devotion, and there is no necessity for you to trouble yourself over such advanced topics at the present time. Please convey my blessings to the others. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 06:10 | July 29, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. While I was in San Francisco I received your letter dated July 25, 1969. The most important point is whether you shall give up your present job, which is bringing at least $125 per week. You cannot give up your job on Murari's request. You have to think yourself. You are more sober than Murari. Simply for whipping into shape some new young boys I do not find any substantial reason to give up your job. You can give instruction to Murari so that he being experienced amongst the group can conduct the job in your absence. You say that in the severe cold there will be no possibility of going out. If others can work at that time, why should you give up your work at this time? My only point is that if you can manage all the affairs through the assistance of Murari and others, you may not give up your job. But if your presence improves the situation, I have no objection for your quitting your present job. Nothing should be done impelled by any sentiment. Everything should be judged frm the practical point of view. My decisive advice is that if you can manage without giving up your present job, that is very nice. I am so glad to learn that you have opened a separate savings account for your daily collections. I have received the transcription of tape #16. You are doing very nicely and improving your editorial capability. Krishna Consciousness is so nice, the more we execute it, the more we become advanced. Yes, I have not as yet received Giriraja's contribution to my book fund, and as you have said, the money can be deposited to my account. The Krsna paintings Jadurani is doing now may be very nicely done very colorfully, and kept in your custody. She may pick up the ideas for pictures from the transcriptions of the tapes. In this way, when the book and pictures are ready we shall arrange for publication. As soon as 500 pages are ready by your typewriting we shall print the first part immediately. So both you and your wife have got very good opportunity for serving Krishna. Make both of your lives sublime, and teach others also how to live by your exemplary life. I have received one long letter from Lilavati, and I shall reply as soon as possible. The last point is that I am not very much in favor of your giving up this service, but if you think it proper, that it will be beneficial for propagating our Sankirtana Movement, then you can do it. The idea in the Nectar of Devotion is explained that we should accept everything which is favorable in propagating our Krsna Consciousness. If something is unfavorable, then we shall give it up immediately. That should be our motto of life. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. The Rathayatra festival was very successful in S.F. I am awaiting report of your festival in Boston. ACB The London advertisement is enclosed herewith. letters | 03:09 | 28 July 2005 Monday, July 28, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated July 21, 1969, and I am glad that you have already sent to New York part of the payment of $1,025. It doesn't matter that you could not pay all at a time. You can pay the balance after the 27th. This is all right. So far as the three sets of beads, I did not receive them yet. I do not know to which address the beads were sent. This afternoon I returned from San Francisco where there was a very, very successful Rathayatra Ceremony. There were at least 10,000 people who walked with us to the ocean for a ten mile parade, and everyone was chanting and dancing in ecstasy. Then at the ocean there was grand-scale Prasadam distribution and chanting again on into the evening. Everyone appreciated Krishna Consciousness so much, and it is so encouraging to see how the young boys and girls of the western countries are gradually coming to understand something of this movement. I am so glad to learn that Mr. Ted Berk, the American poet, is now living with you as brahmacari. Let him become now a Vaisnava poet. There are so many Vaisnava poets in India. Now as Krishna Consciousness is spreading, I think there must be some western Vaisnava poets, and Mr. Ted Berk may be the first one. So far as Trivikrama is concerned, he is a super first-class brahmacari. His service attitude, his submission is very nice although he is still a new member. The thing is that he had the association of Rupanuga who is an ideal householder devotee. I am feeling very much proud personally because my so many householder devotees are preaching Krishna Consciousness so nicely. Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not make any distinction between the so-called brahmacari, householder, or sannyasi. He specifically stressed that these designations are superficial, pertaining to bodies. Krishna Consciousness is the function of the soul, jivatma. In the Vedas it is said that the spirit soul is without any touch of material contamination, but when he forgets Krishna he thinks himself as a material product. That is called Maya. But in any position, if one can understand the science of Krishna Consciousness, he can deliver many, many fallen souls. So it is my request to you all that you establish an exemplary character and show how householders can be the first class transcendentalists. When I feel that my householder disciples are preaching so nicely I actually feel very much proud. I understand from a letter from Gurudasa that you have elections for officers for your temple, and the men filling the posts are all very well suited for their position. Now all of you please make quickly the march towards the goal of Krishna Consciousness Movement being very successful. Here Tamala Krishna and Gargamuni have promised me to start a center every quarterly, and it is my ambition that I want to establish at least 108 centers; beginning from Hamburg, crossing over the Atlantic to your country, USA, then the Pacific, covering Hawaii and reaching to Tokyo, Japan. It is about 13,000 miles long, and do you think that 108 centers within 13,000 miles is a very difficult proposition? I don't think so. So you also try to to establish at least one dozen centers in England. Krishna das, combined with Mandali Bhadra, Jaya Govinda and Sivananda are already alert to establish some more branches in Europe. Sivananda is contemplating to open a branch in Copenhagen, and Krishna das is trying for another in Munich. So this news is very encouraging to me. I shall request you that your next attempt shall be to establish a center in Oxford, where I have heard you have successfully performed kirtana so the students postponed their attendance in economic class and wanted to enjoy the transcendental vibrations. So I shall request you again to establish another branch in Oxford as soon as possible. I have recently received news from New York that their last week Sankirtana collection was $1,000, and they have already sold out 3,000 copies of BTG in the past few weeks, so now they are ordering more copies from the West Coast. This is very, very encouraging, and I have asked my Guru Maharaja to just see how nicely these nice young boys and girls are taking to His Divine Mission. I have also received report that your BTG sales are not very encouraging. I am not very sorry for this at all because I know that you are now engaged for Rathayatra Festival and for fixing up the temple. But I hope that soon you will fulfill your quota of selling 5,000 copies in London. In the issues #25 and #26 you will find very, very nice articles. So execute your duties faithfully and sincerely. I am sure that you are doing this, but still it is my duty to remind you the same thing repeatedly as I am your Spiritual Master. Krishna das is asking me to go to Hamburg repeatedly, and he sent a ticket also from New York to Luxembourg, but I cancelled it because I was expected at the Rathayatra Ceremony. Now again he says to go there sometimes in the month of August, so I am asking your opinion about this. I think if you both cooperate to receive me in Europe, that will be financially easier. And Purusottama's accompanying me is also necessary because my travelling alone is not very advisable. Besides that, he is now trained to look after me in every way, so I think when I go to Europe he must accompany me. So if you jointly make a program, that will be good for both of you, and I am also very much eager to make some propaganda work of Krishna Consciousness in Europe now. Regarding the record you recorded with Mr. Harrison, it is very much encouraging because a record issued by the Beatles will have immediate great market, and we want only that this Hare Krishna chanting is participated in by many millions of people. Another thing is that some time back you asked me to write a personal note to the Archbishop of Canterbury, but you did not inform me what happened to this and what happened to the church negotiations for which Mr. Harrison wanted to take some personal care. I shall be very glad to hear from you about these points. Please offer my blessings to the others, especially to Janaki, who has not written to me in so long a time. I hope you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 10:26 | July 28, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Krishna Das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated July 18, 1969, and I have noted the contents very carefully. My first thanks are due to Sriman Oliver who has drawn this Visnu picture, and I like it very much. Our service to God is always transcendental. It does not depend on anything material. So there was no reason to accept this picture as a very good drawing by Sriman Oliver. Krishna accepts the spirit of the offering, and anyone who offers Him some service in good devotional service, that is immediately accepted by Krishna. There are many instances in Mahabharata wherein we find that Krishna declined to accept the invitation of Dhuryodhana, who was then the emperor of the world, but He accepted the invitation of Vidura, who was famous as a poor man. It is said "Vidura's particles of grain." So our business is to offer our sincere service, and it is accepted by Krishna. From the artistic point of view I do not find anything wrong in this picture, so he should be encouraged to draw many pictures for decorating the temple. Jadurani was not in the beginning a very good painter, but trying to serve Krishna she has become a very good painter. We have got two nice painters in Los Angeles also; Muralidhara and Devahuti. They have drawn two very big pictures for the Los Angeles temple, and they are very beautiful and perfect. So encourage Oliver to go on painting more and more pictures, and it will be very nice for the Hamburg temple. I am very much obliged to you for your nice appreciation of our humble activities. When I think of you, a little boy, but you write so nicely, as if you are my little father. So I wish Krishna will give you more and more understanding about this Krishna Consciousness Movement, and you will be able to serve more and more beautifully. I quite appreciate that you four there; namely yourself, Jaya Govinda, Sivananda, Mandali Bhadra, assisted by his wife, Vrndavanesvari, will be a very very good combination to spread our movement in Germany. Our first important business is to hold Sankirtana as many times as possible. The next important business is publication work. Recently I received one letter from Sivananda that he is also thinking nicely to improve our press work. I hope in the future you shall be able to start a regular press in Germany for printing our books and literatures. I have heard that in Germany the press machine are very good and cheap. So if you jointly can think of starting a press there, that will be a great success. So far as doing business by importing Indian goods, that is a nice idea, but it is secondary. We should not deviate much of our time for any business manipulations. Our main business is Sankirtana. You will be very glad to hear that in New York last week they collected $1,000 and sold BTG at a rate of 200 per day on the weekend days. Similarly we have got good report from Boston that they are collecting $50-$60 daily and selling about 60-70 copies of BTG. And what to speak of Los Angeles? So if we can organize our Sankirtana Movement, there will be no scarcity of money; rest assured. But we may do some business which we require for ourselves. Otherwise, if you divert your attention for a separate business in Indian goods, that will not be a very good idea. It may be done conveniently as a secondary engagement, but the primary engagement should be as above mentioned. Regarding my going to Germany, I am actually very much eager to go there and speak in the Indo-German branches about the importance of our Krishna Consciousness Movement. So as you have mentioned in your letter under reply, you can arrange for such meetings at least form one month continually, and I shall be glad to go there. If you feel inconvenience to pay for my travelling from Los Angeles to New York, it doesn't matter. I shall ask Tamala Krishna or Brahmananda and they will be glad to pay for it. So this is not very important consideration. You wanted to fix up a date, so I am telling you that I am prepared now on any day you call me. Just this afternoon I returned from San Francisco where they have held a gigantic Rathayatra Ceremony just on the order of the ones held at Jagannatha Puri. There were at least 10,000 young and old people, all chanting and dancing in bliss and ecstasy for the entire day, starting from 12 noon and going on till after evening. So it was a most magnificent occasion, and I am very much encouraged that the people of the Western world will come to understand the glories of this movement, and as Lord Caitanya has predicted, His Name will be chanted and praised in every village and town throughout the world. So please inform me immediately when you will be able to have me come there to Germany, and Purusottama's accompanying me is also necessary. For me to travel alone is not very advisable. Please offer my blessings to the others. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 10:18 | July 28, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Vrndavanesvari, Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated July 18, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I was very much anxious to hear from you and Mandali Bhadra since you left Vancouver, and I am very glad to learn that things are going nicely. By Krishna's Will you are all a good combination. So continue to execute Krishna Consciousness very seriously and sincerely and take care of your child, Moyuradwaja. I have a great hope for Moyuradwaja. He is very intelligent with signs of a great devotee. My special request to you is that you take care of this child very nicely, and he will be a great son to glorify his parents. I have noticed that he has all the instincts of devotional life, and it is up to the guardians to take care of him. I am pleased to note that you and Jaya Govinda are learning to speak German language. Please help all of the boys to become a little conversant with with this language. That will facilitate your business there. I think that for American boys it will not be difficult to learn to speak German quickly. You have mentioned about some criticism made by Jaya Govinda which upset you. I do not know exactly what is the point, but if there is some honest criticism, there should be no cause of becoming upset. Krishna has so kindly led you to this path of Krishna Consciousness, and now you have only to follow the prescribed rules and regulations very seriously and sincerely, and surely you will understand how you are making practical advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Actually, Krishna is kind to everyone, but when He sees that a living entity is becoming a little serious to make perfection in life, then Krishna takes special care to give such living entity all necessary facilities. Now you have the greatest opportunity to do very nice service to the Lord, because you are now in a foreign country and are helping to pave the way for a very successful Krishna Consciousness temple in Germany. So continue to take advantage of this opportunity as the Lord has kindly given you, and surely He will bestow all of His blessings upon. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 10:09 | July 28, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Mandali Bhadra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of July 18, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am pleased to know that you are making progress in having our society incorporated in Germany. This is an essential project, so please do it. By Krishna's Grace you are all five good souls there, and Krishna will give you immense strength to propagate this Krishna Consciousness Movement in your country, Germany. Please do it in the spirit as you are doing now, and success is surely for you all. Regarding your question about Krishna's Name, the first principle is that Krishna is Absolute. He is not only identical with His Name, but with His Qualities, Form, Pastimes, Paraphernalia, etc. Krishna is identical with the whole creation because the creation means the expansion of Krishna's energy. The energy is never different from the source of the energy as much as heat and light are never different from the fire. The quality of fire is there existing both in heat and light. Naturally Krishna is not different from anything, and what to speak of His Transcendental Name? This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita where Krishna says that "everything is resting on Me, but I am not everything." This simultaneously one and different philosophy should be carefully understood. Then our Krishna Consciousness will be more clear. Regarding Lord Jagannatha, He is the unfinished carved form of Krishna. One king named Indradyumna wanted to establish a Jagannatha temple some thousands of years ago, but while the Deities were being carved by the heavenly carpenter, Visva Karma, the king was in too much haste, and he established the half-finished Deities in the temple. Jagannatha means the Lord of the universe. That is Krishna. Krishna as the only one Lord of everything is confirmed in the Brahma Samhita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Caitanya Caritamrta, and all Vedic literature. Rathayatra is celebrating the occasion when Lord Krishna, or Lord Jagannatha attended one religious functional occasion in Kuruksetra along with His elder brother and younger sister in a big chariot. So far as your question about controversy amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, that is a fact. But this controversy is not material. Just like in a national program, different political parties are sometimes in conflict and make propaganda against each other, but their central point is always service to the country. Similarly, amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati there may be some controversy, but the central point is how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace. If the central point is fixed up then there is no harm in such controversy. Every individual being must have his opinion; that is the significance of individuality, but all such differences of opinions must coincide in Krishna. In the battlefield of Kuruksetra were Arjuna and Bhisma who were fighting with one another, and because Krishna was on the side of Arjuna, sometimes Bhisma pierced the body of Krishna also with arrows. But still they remained the greatest devotees of the Lord, and Krishna accepted the friendship of Arjuna just as He accepted the inimical arrows of Bhisma in the same loving spirit. So you do not be disturbed by such controversial points. Better you engage your mind very seriously in the matter of the service entrusted upon you. That will make you progressive in Krishna Consciousness. Regarding the manuscripts of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, when you are ready for translating I will arrange to send you the copy immediately. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. Yesterday Rathayatra festival was performed very pompously in S.F. in my presence. I have come back just in the afternoon. I shall send you the necessary papers of Rathayatra later on. letters | 06:08 | 24 July 2005 Thursday, July 24, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your two letters; one dated July 8, 1969 and one dated July 18, 1969. Both of your letters were delivered to me by special air mail. Unfortunately I could not reply you earlier because I was waiting for the help of others. Anyway, I have signed the certificate and sent it to New York for counter signature of the president, entitling you as Bhakti-sastri. The certificate was finally made a little hastily, so the printing is not to my full satisfaction. I have asked Aravinda to make a nicer copy, and if you like, we can give you this nicer copy later on. You remark that in New Vrindaban the capacity is lacking for taking care of the children. If you can organize a higher level school of theology under your care, I shall very much appreciate it. In Los Angeles, although the place is nice, it is already almost congested. We are planning ministerial status documents through the lawyer here, and it is almost prepared. This document will be submitted to the draft board, and copies will be sent to other centers for doing the necessary arrangements. Bhakti-sastri is actually recognition, accepting a person that he knows the principles of devotional service. In issue #25 of BTG, page 14, under "Organization of Society", we discuss why our students must be relieved of this draft obligation. So you read this portion when you receive this issue. If you are planning to perform the marriage ceremony for Jagadisa and Laksmimoni, then you must know the prayers to be said. I think you have a copy of a tape recorded at our initiation ceremony in Buffalo, so the prayers are there. Purusottama tried to transcribe these prayers from a tape we have here, but it was not done at all. So if you are planning to perform this ceremony, then I shall send you further instructions along with a tape and written prayers, as you require. Regarding your question, "what is the difference between the spirit souls comprising the Brahmajyoti and the spirit souls here in Maya?", in the Brahmajyoti the spirit souls on account of their impersonal views are devoid of a body, exactly like here in Maya there are ghosts who are devoid of any gross bodies. The ghost being devoid of a body, he suffers terribly because he is unable to satisfy his senses. The spirit souls in the Brahmajyoti, although they have no desire for sense gratification, still they feel inconvenience like the ghost, and they fall down again in the Maya's atmosphere and develop a material body. In the Bhagavat therefore it is said that persons who are impersonalists and do not develop the dormant devotional attitude, their intelligence is not pure, because for want of a spiritual body, they come down again to the material world. In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said by the Lord that the only way of not coming back to the material world is to be promoted to the spiritual planets. For the impersonalists there is no such assurance of not falling down in the whole Vedic literature. The conclusion is that without developing the spiritual body and without being situated on one of the spiritual planets, the so-called liberation is also illusion, or it is not complete. A spirit soul who falls down from the Brahmajyoti to the Kingdom of Maya may have a chance of associating with a pure devotee, and then he may be elevated to the spiritual planets of Vaikuntha or to Goloka Vrindaban. From the Brahmajyoti there is no direct promotion to the spiritual planets, and it is clearly stated in the Bhagavatam that such souls fall down: patanty adha. Regarding Katyayani, it is decided that she will go to Buffalo on receipt of the passage money. Last night I was discussing this in the presence of Tamala Krishna, Katyayani and others. Probably they will talk with you and the necessary arrangements will be made. I think she should go before I go to New York. For the present my program to go to Germany is almost cancelled, but by the end of August I am sure I shall go to London, and at that time I shall go via New York. So all the marriages can be performed at that time, or if you can manage yourself, you can also do that. Please inform me where is your son. Is he in New York? One boy referred about him in a letter from New York. Please offer my blessings to the others. I hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:29 | July 24, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 21, 1969, and I have noted the contents with so much satisfaction. Enclosed please find the three cards duly signed by me. Last evening when I was in the temple to perform initiation ceremony for about one dozen devotees I was talking to Tamala Krishna and Gargamuni that Brahmananda is now competing with you. So it was very pleasing talk that there is transcendental competition between the centers, and it is Krishna's Grace that you stand first in this week's business. Krishna is very kind, and He is giving the full remunerations to His sincere servants. We should always remember that Krishna is always grateful to His devotees. If some ordinary man gives sufficient remuneration to a worker, why Krishna will not give sufficient remuneration to His servants? But we should always remember that whatever Krishna gives us, that never becomes ours. It is Krishna's. The more we receive from Krishna, the more we engage the remunerations in the service of Krishna. That is the duty of a bonafide brahmana. A Vaisnava is automatically a bonafide brahmana. There is a proverb that a brahmana remains a beggar even if he receives $100,000. That means that a brahmana is supposed to spend all of his money for Krishna as he receives it from Krishna. I am so glad to learn that you have increased the number of BTG's to be printed. It is very nice. I was just this morning asking Purusottama to inform you of increasing the publication of Issue #26 because the article, "Beyond the Universe," is very interesting. In the present atmosphere of space exploration this kind of article will be much appreciated, and people will know that we are not sentimentalists. Our background is solid, scientific and authorized. Actually, the modern astronauts are trying to reach the moon planet, and even if they reach there they cannot live there; and even if they live there, that is also not permanent. But our ambition is far, far greater, nobler and more sublime than these astronauts because we are trying to reach the Supreme Planet, Krishna Loka, and live there eternally in association with Krishna. Krishna has also advised in Bhagavad-gita that even if we go to the topmost planet, Brahma Loka, still we have to come back again. But if we go to Krishna Loka, there is no coming back to this material world. The questions as put on Bhagavad-gita, Third Chapter, are very intelligent and I like it very much. I am very much anxious to hear about Rayarama. It is my confidential advice to you that if he feels any difficulties for money, you may discriminatingly help him, and he should continue as the managing editor. Full cooperation should be there between you and him. We simply wanted to save the money for some better utilization. Otherwise we have nothing to grudge against anyone. New York is the biggest city in the world, and therefore the standard of New York should be maintained in consuming BTG and giving us contributions. Our first starting point was New York. Please convey my blessings to the others. I hope this will meet you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:28 | July 24, 1969 Los Angeles My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 22, 1969 with enclosures, and I have noted the contents. So far as devanagari character is concerned, you can correspond with Remington Typewriter Company. In India, in most of the government offices devanagari type is used for correspondence, and Remington Typewriter Company has got contract with the government to supply the typewriters. So I am sure they can supply you with a devanagari typewriter. I am expecting this printing of our literature, especially Srimad-Bhagavatam, with devanagari type and diacritic transliteration will be completely entrusted to you. So you cannot type everything from the IBM. That is not possible. In the IBM machine you shall do the English work and the diacritic transliteration work. So far as the devanagari type is concerned, you have to do it with the help of another machine, and either you will have to paste on the lines or adopt some other device so that they can be joined. That shall be the process. But if we publish our Srimad-Bhagavatam exactly in the way I have already begun it, it will be a unique contribution. The scholars only require diacritic marks. Then it is all right. That should be very correct and standard. If there is devanagari character it is still better. Otherwise, correct transliterations will do. So you think over this matter seriously and train your wife for composing, and help her to the best possible way. I am glad that you are also holding a Rathayatra Festival. I am going tomorrow to San Francisco to participate in the same Rathayatra Festival there. We received report from New York that they have collected last week $1,000, and they are selling at a rate of 200 copies of BTG daily, on weekends especially. I have received report also that they are selling 60-70 copies daily in Boston and collecting $50 or $60 on the average. Your Columbus center is very nice, and the place you have got is a very suitable place. So you try to organize your center very nicely. What did you do about the mrdanga supplier from Bombay as you were discussing it with Mr. Vora? The beads referred to in your letter have not yet arrived. As you recommend this boy, Jim, so highly, surely I shall chant on them and send back to him. Last night we initiated here one dozen new devotees, both boys and girls, and they appear to be very, very nice. Last week also I initiated about seven devotees and installed the Radha-Krishna Murtis on the 16th of July. So make propaganda nicely amongst the student community, and there is very good chance of your center being developed as one of the important centers of our society. Please offer my blessings to Arundhati. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:26 | |
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