a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1975 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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2 February 2008 Sunday, 2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Mr. Sauvageau, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 17, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am very pleased to know that you have taken such a great interest in our Hare Krishna Movement. You are an educated man and you can use your education very nicely in the service of Krishna. I like the idea of yours to continue on for Phd presenting our books and philosophy in your thesis. This will be a great service for you to perform and I shall be very grateful to you if you can do it. Please therefore go ahead with obtaining Phd and become a learned scholar in the science of loving Krishna.* This will be a wonderful credit for you and you will surely get recognition from Krishna for such an attempt. Keep in touch with Jagadisa dasa and he can give you all assistance. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami *That is the verdict of S.B. "Idam hi pumsa srntasya saktasya ca budhadata yo avicyuta'tha kavi bhih nirupitah yaduttamasloka gunanuvarnanam" ACBS/ps Pierre Sauvageau a/s Centre d'information Hare Krishna 728 Laurier, Trois-Rivieres Province de Quebec, Canada letters | 11:57 | 2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Mr. King, Please accept my greetings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Feb. 1, 1975 and have noted the contents. I am glad that you enjoyed our chanting. You are welcome to come again and again if you like. You should understand though that we are not very much concerned with the principles of Hatha-yoga. We practice Bhakti-yoga strictly and since Bhakti includes all other results obtained from practicing other yogas as it is declared in the Bhagavad-gita to be the culmination of all yogas it becomes unnecessary for us to apply any other techniques besides simply chanting and hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna who is called Yogesvara or the master of all yoga. Of course, it is certain that if one sits with straight spine it may be of some help in his ability to concentrate, but it cannot be considered as essential by any means. That thing which is really essential in Bhakti is to develop one's eternal dormant love for Krishna. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Michael Jon King Honolulu, Hawaii 96816 Labels: yoga letters | 11:56 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Rupanuga das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil and have noted the contents. Regarding the idea of suing the U.S. Government, it is better not to make such a move. Try to solve all problems with the local scale. The GBC men who are here now have considered this point and decided that it would not be wise to sue the Govt. at this point. According to Jayatirtha prabhu, Jagadisa's proposal for BBT loan has already been rejected. BTG is not meant for advertising ISKCON Food Relief. Regarding instruments for temple kirtanas, karatala and mrdanga are sufficient. There is no need of other instruments. Keep negotiations going for that building. It will be very nice if we can get that building. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps letters | 11:55 | 2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Lokamangala das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 30, 1975 and have noted the contents. You have asked me what I feel is the best engagement for you at this time and in response, I kindly request you to continue to distribute my books full-time. You are very expert in this matter and you can also teach others how to do it. At the present moment, the plays are not as important as our book distribution. So, my desire is that you increase your book distribution more and more and be blessed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: book distribution, New York, plays letters | 11:54 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Prabhanu dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 1-31-75 and have noted the contents carefully. Regarding your problem, first thing is that the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita is that one must learn to tolerate the sufferings due to the frailties of the material body. Whenever there is a material body, we have to expect birth, disease, old age and death. We don't want these things, but they are forced upon us, therefore we should try to attain that position in which these miseries will not be forced upon us--eternal life in the kingdom of God. Material life means great risk--at every step there is danger. But, a devotee is not jolted by this. He simply tries to render whatever service possible and accepts everything as the mercy of Krishna. So, you should carefully consider these points and do the needful. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: Seattle letters | 11:54 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Puranjana, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated Jan. 6, 13, and 17, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. Hamsaduta is here with me now and I have given the letters to him. They have all been read and discussed by the GBC members who are present here. I want that the GBC should relieve me of this management burden and in the future, all such questions should be taken up with the local GBC member. If no satisfactory solution can be reached, then other GBC members may be consulted. The GBC can formulate proposals and submit them to me for approval. So, kindly co-operate with Hamsaduta and thereby help me use my time to finish my translating work in my old age. Whatever money is owed to the BBT, that should be paid. As far as record distribution is concerned, if you have no big books, you may temporarily continue, but give a book with each record. With record distribution alone, the result is temporary. They will hear it for some time and throw away. Book distribution is solid. Even if they do not read, simply by touching they are benefited. It is so much powerful. You can purchase records from Hamsaduta. Do not manufacture yourself. The BBT fund there has money, so your Bhagavad-gita in Dutch language can be printed with that money. I shall be anxious to see it. Anyway, work combinedly and everything will come out successful. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: Amsterdam, book distribution, GBC letters | 11:53 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Tusta Krishna Svami, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 12, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. Thank you for the 1,000 dollars (in checks). I am very happy to hear your report. Krishna is giving you facility there to develop a very nice varna-asrama society in New Zealand. Try you best to develop an ideal society there to set a perfect example for the human society of how one can live very simply, chanting Hare Krishna and developing love for Krishna. Make sure that you keep the whole program pure by carefully following all of the rules and regulations that I have given, rising early, attending mangala arati and holding classes, chanting 16 rounds daily, observing the four basic principles, no intoxication, meat-eating, etc. Then everything will be a great success. You are an intelligent boy, so, I think you can understand how to manage things very nicely there. I hope to be seeing you in Mayapur this year. The festival begins about the 25th of March. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Sriman Siddhasvarupa Maharaja is with me here. I met Sudama Vipra _ acarya at Hong Kong Labels: Australasia, regulative principles letters | 11:52 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Yadunandana das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 22, 1975 and have noted the contents. Regarding your child, the Vedic philosophy is that the miseries of the material body must be tolerated. When material body is there, we must expect so many problems. Considering these things, it is up to you to decide what to do. It seems to be the best thing to continue our Gurukula program in Dallas, at least for now. However, the GBC is considering building another school at New Vrndavana since one very wealthy man has offered to do so. You can contact Kirtanananda Svami in this connection. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: gurukula letters | 11:51 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Sahadeva das adhikari, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Feb. 1, 1975 and have noted the contents. What is the difficulty if you immediately start preaching in the colleges? At the present moment, Tamala Krishna Gosvami is looking for men who are interested in preaching at the colleges. Why not contact him and work together with him? That will be very nice. There is no necessity of your going to India. Better to begin preaching work immediately. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: college preaching, Houston letters | 11:51 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My Dear Hari Krishna Das, Please accept my blessings, I am in due reciept of your letter dated January 18, 1975. I am glad to note that your Amsterdam center is improving and that new devotees are joining. Example is better than precept, so you follow the regulative principles, chant 16 rounds daily, attend morning and evening arati and as much as possible go for sankirtana distributing my books. I have already written Puranjana, that whatever money is owed to the BBT that should be paid. You may continue to distribute records, providing a book is given with each record. Do not manufacture records, but take from Germany. They are already doing so you take from them. Hamsaduta is here with me now and other GBC members, they are consulting all problems and trying to relieve me of management, so in future you may consult with the local GBC and work co-operatively, that will give me relief for printing my books. I hope this letter finds you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: Amsterdam, book distribution letters | 11:49 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Duryodhanaguru das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 17, 1974 and have noted the contents. I want that someone learns how to make mrdangas in the Western countries. As far as I know Isana has not produced any mrdangas. So how will he teach your wife how to make them. First let him produce something, then he can teach others. I have no objection. If somehow or other someone can learn how to make good mrdangas in America, it will be a great service. Please study my books very carefully and do not fail in chanting at least 16 rounds daily. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps letters | 11:49 | 2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Candramukhi devi dasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil and have noted the contents. I am very happy to see that you are learning our philosophy so nicely. You will grow up to be a great devotee of Krishna. You are very fortunate to have the opportunity of attending Gurukula, so don't waste this opportunity. Take full advantage of it by always rising early, attending arati, classes and chanting at least 16 rounds daily without fail. These things will make you very strong in Krishna Consciousness. Thank you for appreciating my books. Read them carefully and you will preach very nicely. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ps Labels: gurukula letters | 11:48 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Ravindra Svarupa das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 26, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for distributing my books there very nicely. Try to increase it more and more. You mentioned in your letter that you are doing a lot of deity worship and cooking due to lack of sufficient brahmanas. So why don't you ask your GBC man for some brahmanas (at least one) to come and releive you of this service so that you can spend more of your time preaching and distributing books. A temple president should have more time for preaching. That is important. Regarding your question about the loan for the building, Ramesvara and Jayatirtha have suggested that you be given a 4,000 dollar loan from the BBT. So, I think that will be nice. I have accepted Joe and tim as my disciples and their new names are respectively; Yamunapriya dasa and Tattvavada dasa. Their beads may be chanted on by Kirtanananda Svami. I have also accepted upon your recommendation, Kamalatika devi dasi for 2nd initiation. Let her hear the gayatri mantra through the right ear from the tape of myself chanting. Her mantra sheet is enclosed herein. The photos are very nice. Try to spread this movement as far as possible. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: management, Philadelphia letters | 11:47 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Dayananda das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 17, 1975 and have noted the contents. Your study aids that you are using to help the children learn the meaning of Bhagavad-gita slokas fully seem to be alright. The thing is, you must see that the meaning of the verse is in no way altered or changed. Simplification is alright but do not change anything. I have accepted Brenda and Gary Wallis for 1st initiation. Their names are as follows: Balavati devi dasi and Gaurasarana dasa. Their beads may be chanted on by Kirtanananda Svami. I have also accepted Kamanagari dasi, Jyotir dasa, and Svarga devi dasi as my duly initiated brahmanas. You can perform the fire yajna and let them hear through the right ear the tape of myself chanting the gayatri mantra. Please continue working nicely there training all of the children to become ideal Vaisnavas. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami N.B. Sacred thread and mantra sheet enclosed. ACBS/ps Labels: gurukula, initiation letters | 11:47 |2 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Kirtanananda Svami, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your recommendations for initiations received on the 2nd of Feb., 1975. I have accepted the ten devotees you have named and their new names are as follows: Gregory--Gaurasakti dasa, Walker--Venkata dasa, Patrick--Parisevana dasa, Barbara--Vibhavari devi dasi, Anne--Amrtaprada devi dasi, Sheryl--Sobhavati, Mary--Mahadevi dasi, Donna--Damagrahya devi daski, Marie--Mudakari devi dasi, Catherine--Kratuphalas devi dasi. You may chant on their japa beads. I have also accepted upon your recommendation, Hunkara dasa, Stavya dasa, Maha devi dasi, Demagrahya devi dasi and Mudakari devi dasi as my duly initiated brahmanas. Let them hear the gayatri mantra through the right ear from the tape of myself saying it. Their threads and a mantra sheet are enclosed herein. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: initiation, New Vrindavan letters | 11:46 |1 February 2008 Saturday, 1 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Govinda dasi, Please accept my blessings. In reply to your letter and have noted the contents. I beg to advise you to come to India and live in Mayapur comfortably in association of devotees. If you go, then I shall arrange to give you a very nice room completely for your use and you can peacefully engage in your painting work and read Srimad Bhagavatam as well as join in with the devotees for regular kirtana, arati, and prasadam. What you have to do in this connection is as follows: 1) immediately you go to New York and take an entry visa from the consulate general of India. 2) ask your father to send the 200 dollars monthly to the Bank of America, Bombay branch, account number 16026, (International Society for Krishna Consciousness Mayapur Vrndavana Fund). This money will be kept for your expenditure. I think 500 rupees monthly will be sufficient for your food and lodging (60-70 dollars). And the balance you can spend as you like. I think this arrangement will be very nice for you according to my idea. Now you decide what to do. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps letters | 11:45 | 1 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Bhakta das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 16th, 1975 and have noted the contents. I have been informed by Jayatirtha prabhu that you have decided not to get the farm and that you want to get a building in Berkeley. I have discussed with him and that idea is approved by me. The boys that you have recommended for 1st initiation are accepted by me. Their names are: Ed--Hrdayagovinda dasa, Nagaraja dasa and Jamie can be called Jiva dasa. Kirtanananda Svami can chant on their beads. Concerning Ganesa worship, it is not actually necessary for us. But, if someone has a sentiment for getting the blessings of Ganesa in order to get large amounts of money for Krishna's service, then it is alright, but anyone who takes up this kind of worship must send me at least 100,000 dollars monthly - not less. If he cannot send this amount, then he cannot do Ganesa worship. Please continue distributing by books as many as possible. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps N.B. Thank you for the 100 dollar check. Labels: Ganesa, initiation, San Francisco letters | 11:44 |1 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Batu Gopala dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 27, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you very much for distributing my books so enthusiastically. You are right. We must all become ideal in our character and then people will be very impressed with such purity. A devotee is faultless. He has no flaws. I have accepted the devotees that you have recommended for 1st initiation and their names are as follows: Leon--Lilamohana, Virginia--Venu-Vilasa devi dasi, John--Gurugovinda dasa. Their beads can be chanted on by Kirtanananda Svami. Make sure that all of these candidates follow our principles very staunchly. Train them nicely by your own example. I have also accepted Madhyam devi dasi and Vajasana devi dasi as duly initiated brahmanas. Their mantra sheets are enclosed herein. Let them hear the gayatri mantra through the right ear from the tape of myself chanting it. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: book distribution, Cleveland, initiation letters | 11:44 |1 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Guru das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter and have noted the contents. I will be leaving Honolulu on Feb. 9th and will be arriving there in Los Angeles on the same day. While I am in L.A., we can discuss your plans in full detail. I hope this letter meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: Los Angeles letters | 11:43 |1 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Karandhara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 1-28-75 and have noted the contents. I will be leaving Honolulu on Feb. 9th and will be arriving there in Los Angeles on the same day. While I am in L.A., we can discuss your situation in detail. I will see you there. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: Los Angeles letters | 11:42 |1 February, 1975 Honolulu My dear Jagadisa das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 1-1-75 and have noted the contents. This problem that you have presented is not the kind of thing to present before the spiritual master. You should try to approach your GBC man, Jayatirtha prabhu in this matter. I am requesting again and again that all of my disciples simply follow all of the rules and regulations very strictly. Rising early, chanting 16 rounds, attending mangala arati and class, etc. are all essential for spiritual development. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: regulative principles, Seattle letters | 11:40 |31 January 2008 Friday, 31 January, 1975 Honolulu My dear Gaurasundara, Please accept my blessings. I shall be very happy if you would kindly come and see me here. I am scheduled to leave Hawaii on the morning of Feb. 9th, so if you could possibly come before that time it would be very nice. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: Hawaii letters | 12:28 |31 January, 1975 Honolulu My dear Tamala Krishna Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 16th, 1975 and have noted the contents. Your report is very very encouraging. It means really preaching Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message. Do that and be blessed. Krishna has given you a special duty, so carry it very faithfully and enthusiastically. The more you preach, the more you become recognized by Krishna and the more He gives you intelligence how to preach. You are a good representative of Radha Damodara. You are very fortunate that Radha Damodara is traveling with you and giving strength and intelligence. All glories to the assembled devotees. Regarding your meeting with Satsvarupa Maharaja and your 3-fold attack plan for preaching on the campuses, it is a very good idea. Do it. I know that you are practical. Instead of talking 100 times and doing nothing. That I want. This is a very good plan. You can call Revatinandana Svami also to join you. He is a good preacher also. If you think in terms of Krishna's instructions, then Krishna will give the intelligence how to execute. Strictly adhere to Krishna's instructions and He'll give intelligence how to execute them from within your heart. Regarding the idea of having the younger boys travel with you, the question is whether the government will object or not to our taking small boys in a sankirtana van. If there is no objection, then you can adopt this program immediately. It will be a very nice program. The US has got immense potentiality for accepting Krishna Consciousness. So, do service to your countrymen, as well as Krishna simultaneously. Your country has been glorified on account of her children like you. Krishna has has own plan for using your country-men for this movement. So, accept Krishna's mercy and do the needful. It is not just my desire, it is the desire of Lord Caitanya, then my Guru Maharaja, then it is my desire, and that desire should be executed by you all; then it will be accepted. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted the Bharata-bhumi, but at least one person from Bharata-bhumi has accepted this cult and handed it over to you so, see that this desire takes practical shape. Your photo is very nice. I'll keep it to show others. Very encouraging. I want to organize such a program in India. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: college preaching, New York letters | 12:28 |27 January 2008 27 January, 1975 Tokyo My dear Bhagavan das adhikari, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your telegram reading as follows (dated Jan. 25th, 1975): NEED SANCTION LETTER FROM PRABHUPADA FOR MANAGING OTHER EUROPEAN TEMPLES FORWARD TO PARIS GERMANY--BHAGAVANDAS. So far our movement is concerned, actually it is not a so-called religion movement. People throughout the whole world are more or less disgusted with the man-made religious systems. Therefore the government of different states is gradually banning the preaching of religion. People in general also think that this is also another type of so-called religion. So, gradually, they will take steps for banning our propaganda also, unless we present our system very scientifically based on philosophy. Of course, by Krishna's grace, the higher learned section is appreciating our books. That is the only hope for pushing on. But, I am very much depressed by the recent incidences in Germany. It is now evident that some of our top men are very much ambitious and there has been so many fall-downs. In his last letter, Hamsaduta said as follows: "I am exhausted, my brain is exhausted, I do not know what to do, so you can just tell me what I shoud do and I shall do that . . . I cannot understand your mind or actions, I do not know what you divine grace wants, or what you want from me. So, at this moment I am just going to sit and chant till I hear from you, because everything till now has come out wrong, so please just instruct me what to do. "Sorry to be the bearer of bad news again. Please forgive me, I am so helpless and spiritually weak. Please save me. What more can I say, please save me. In India you said, 'Every rumor contains a grain of truth.' So the police, the karmis, newspapers must also bear a grain of Truth. I feel discouraged now. All my godbrothers and your Divine Grace are dissatisfied with me, so I have lost my enthusiasm." Under the circumstances, I have asked Hamsaduta to come to me at Hawaii. There I shall try to rectify the mistakes and as previously arranged, the GBC's should act as my secretary at least one month in a year. So, he may come and remain with me and in the meantime, you work conjointly with Brahmananda Svami. Try to manage Germany, London, and Paris. The main business in Germany is to reply the charges and rescue the frozen money. In England, we have to revive the Rathayatra festival which is now stopped by the police intrigue. In Paris, you require a larger place to accommodate devotees, so find out a suitable place. I am going to Honolulu by Wednesday (29th) and if Brahmananda Svami is absolutely required, I'll call him to South America. Otherwise, both of you co-operatively, execute the most important business in Europe. Kindly send in regular reports and oblige. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps cc: Germany Labels: ambitious, fallen down, government, Paris letters | 12:27 | |
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