a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1975 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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25 October 2008 Saturday, 25 October, 1975 Mauritius Amrita Patrika Newspaper Calcutta, India Dear Sir: Please accept my greetings. We are interested in advertising in the important daily Indian newspapers. If you can kindly send me the respective contract rates of advertising, at the same time our society being a charitable religious concern to propagate God-consciousness all over the world, if there is any special concession for us. On hearing from you we may begin full-page advertising in your daily newspaper. Thanking you, Yours sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: advertising, Calcutta letters | 03:09 |24 October 2008 Friday, 24 October, 1975 Mauritius My dear Svarupa Damodara das, Please accept my blessings. Since a long time I have not heard from you. About a week before when I was in passing from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, I saw several factories for preparing chickens. The modern scientist, they say, from chemical life has come, or life from matter. So, I suggested that a little chemical composition may be made by the scientists with some yellow color, and why not put this artificial egg in an incubator and get more and more chickens. If they cannot produce even a chicken or even an egg of chicken, how can we believe their very big, big talks. In the words of Bhagavad-gita, they are described as mudhah, mayaya-apahrta jnana. Besides that, can you tell me what is the scientific opinion of the days being consecutively Sunday then Monday, then Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and last Saturday? What is the history of this set-up? (from Sunday to Saturday). According to our sastra, sun is first, then moon, then Venus, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, like that. In other words, from Bhagavatam we understand that the moon is 1,600,000 miles above the sun. If that is true, then is it possible to go to the moon planet by persons who can never imagine to go the distance to the sun planet? Under the circumstances, if we say that they have never gone to the moon planet, is it exaggeration? You are a scientist, I hope you will reply these 2 points scientifically. If the moon planet is actually far away from the sun planet, how they can go there and publish in the paper that the moon planet is the nearest planet. Enclosed you will find one form for application to a new professorship that has opened up in the big university here in Durban, South Africa. It is a university only for Indian students, and the rector there is very much impressed and eager to have one of our men with the educational qualifications to come and take the seat of professor there. The rector wants an experienced teacher for Vedic Culture. The whole Vedic Culture is discuss in our books. I think that you shall be able to do this job very well. Please fill out the form enclosed and return to the Johannesburg Temple, 59 Muller Street, Yeoville, Johannesburg, South Africa. When mentioning your qualifications, you can also mention that you are a Bhakti-sastri from (ISKCON). I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: astrology, Atlanta, scientists letters | 03:08 |24 October, 1975 Mauritius My dear Ramesvara das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 11, 1975 and I have noted the contents with care. Concerning the print of the painting "showing Bhagavad-gita being worshipped," I do not consider this suitable for using in our books. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: Bhagavad-gita, Los Angeles letters | 03:07 |24 October, 1975 Bombay My dear jayatirtha das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of the September BBt Trustees report with enclosed report of Mayapur-Vrindaban Fund, Bank of America account number 6004-07143, for the months of July, August, and September 1975. I have noted that in July there were so many deposits. Why in August, September there were not so many deposits? Please explain. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. Jayatirtha as per your request Mohanananda's address Michael Walker, Chandler, 352 W. 15th, New York 10011. letters | 03:03 | 22 October 2008 Wednesday, 22 October, 1975 Johannesburg Murphy, Oregon My dear Yamuna devi dasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 11, 1975 and I have noted the contents with care. The picture of the cows shows that they are very nice and friendly. You have my consent to go ahead with your plan of pratistha for Sri-Sri Radha-Krishna arca vigrahah. You may call them Radha-Banabihari. The idea of a woman's asrama is good. Those not married, if there is not provision for separate living quarters for them in the temples, they can go there. It is very risky having single women living in the temples, especially where there is no suitable living quarters. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: women letters | 03:02 |22 October, 1975 Johannesburg My dear Tulsi das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 13, 1975 and I have noted the contents with care. I have marked how you are making mrdangas. Make many mrdangas. It will solve a great problem. Concerning your idea to go port to port by ship, why waste time and energy. Don't spoil money purchasing boat. Port to port we can go by airplane. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Nb. On your recommendation, I am accepting the following devotees for initiation: 1st. Initiation: Miriam Bicks (Dhrti devi dasi) Karen Wilson (Krsnastuta devi dasi) Connie (Pusti devi dasi) Maddonna (Kulapriya devi dasi) Bhakti Pete (Mahanidhi das) Ann Matesow (Yuvati devi dasi) Jim--(Ksamabhudi das) 2nd Initiation: Gajapati das, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, and Raksana. Enclosed you will find 3 brahmana threads, and you may hold a fire-yajna emphasizing the importance of strictly following the 4 regulative principles, and chanting daily minimum of 16 rounds japa. ACBS/pks Labels: initiation, Los Angeles letters | 03:01 |22 October, 1975 Johannesburg Ideal Advertising Agency Calcutta Dear Sir: It is understood that you are connected with all the important Eastern and Indian newspaper societies. We are interested in advertising in the important Indian daily newspapers. If you kindly send me the respective contract rates of advertising, at the same time our society being a charitable religious concern to propagate God-consciousness all over the world, if there is any special concession for us. On hearing from you we may begin full-page advertising in the best Indian daily newspapers. Thanking you, Yours sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: India letters | 03:00 |22 October, 1975 Johannesburg My dear Giriraja dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11-10-75, and I have noted the contents with care. Now that you have received the order from Indian Govt. that our men can get two year visa you should send this to our centres from where men will be coming to India, such as New York, San Francisco, London, Paris, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Etc. This way they can show a copy of the order at the port of entry and get the two years at the port of entry. The persons coming to India, however, must be experienced older devotees, not new men. Navayogendra sent telegram saying it was 3 year visa and you say two years, but never mind, it is a good opportunity all the same. Do the account under Mr. Vyasa' instruction. They must not remain loose. Accounting is simple, receipts and expenditures. Why complicated? From all centres receipts and expenditures should be taken and everything properly adjusted in the Bombay centre. Do it nicely. It is very nice to hear of the book distribution. I shall be going to Mauritius from here on Oct. 24, meeting with the Prime Minister there, and then returning to Bombay by November 1. I hope that this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. Send some book-catalogs to Vrinda Book Co. 30/1b College Row Calcutta--9 ACBS/pks letters | 02:59 | 21 October 2008 Tuesday, 21 October, 1975 Johannesburg My dear Satsvarupa das Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 29, 1975, and I have noted the contents with care. Concerning your debate with the professor who claims that if God knows everything then His foreknowing makes men very much like puppets or machines.Persons who think of God like himself has no knowledge of God. He immediately becomes a mudha, fool rascal. Avajananti mam mudha . . . God is omniscient and omnipotent. He knows everything what is going to happen. Therefore to save the living entity from future calamity He says, sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. . . So although He knows what is going to happen in the future, He can cancel all that was going to happen by His Grace, that is God's omnipotency. For a devotee, the future destiny is changed as confirmed in the Brahma-samhita: yas tvindra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma- bandhanurupa-phala-bhajanam atanoti karmapi nirdhahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.54] "Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the original Personality of Godhead, Govinda, Who regulated the sufferings and enjoyments of fruitive activity for everyone--from the heavenly King Indra down to the smallest insect (indra-gopa). That very Personality of Godhead destroys the fruitive karma of one engaged in devotional service." So anyone who surrenders to Krishna, his destiny is changed by the omnipotency of God. He takes charge of the devotee and guides him how the devotee can go back to Home, Back-to-Godhead. This is the Mercy of God. He knows everything and still He says, sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam braja [Bg. 18.66] But, you are thinking God like you, what is destined is going to happen and even God cannot change it? Then God is impotent? This is their version, not God's. God says surrender to Me and I shall cancel all your destiny, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah . . . God will save you from the destiny that you have created by misuse of your independence. He knows but still He is so kind. Surrender has nothing to do with your destiny, that will depend on you (the spirit-soul) because you have a little independence, a little freedom. Theirs is atheistic argument. God is not only omniscient, but also Almighty. Predestiny is there but it is cancelled if you surrender to Him, otherwise God is not the controller. Theirs is like karma mimamsa philosophy, that God is our servant and He must reward me according to my activities. If you surrender to Krishna there is no more predestiny. He knows if you do this you must suffer, so why do you suffer. You take His advice. Even if he says predestined, so why don't you surrender to Krishna now, and get out of this material condition. Concerning our use of analogy. We do not bring in imperfect analogy, but we follow the instructions of the Sastras strictly. Our authority is on the basis of Sastra, not analogy. So, Vyasadeva while giving the history of creation says, Janmadyasya . . . adhikavaye . . . so He impregnated the heart of Brahma with all the designs of creation. So what is wrong there? If I instruct someone you do like this, and he does it, then what is the difficulty? This is the system. Our authority is sastra. We give analogy for the general mass of people who have no faith in sastra. Analogy is not proof; sastra is proof. Foolish people cannot understand or accept, so we use analogy. The conclusion is not drawn from the analogy but from the sastra. We don't use a combination of logic and authority, we use authority. Logic we use to convince someone who doesn't accept the authority. The basic principle is authority. Vedas say that cowdung is pure and we accept it. There is no logic, but when we practically use it we see that it is correct. The logic of using analogy is called in the sastra "sakha candra nyaya." It is easier to focus on the moon through the branches of a tree. The moon is great distance away, and you say that it is just through the branches. So you can focus more easily on the moon because 2 points joined make a straight line. So focusing on the nearby object helps us to focus on the far-away object. This is the use of analogy. So there is no question of stagnation in Krishna Consciousness. Krishna is unlimited. The more we advance in Krishna Consciousness, the more we understand about Him. We cannot finish the process of understanding Him. The little more that we advance, we see still that He is far away. Even Krishna couldn't understand His position in relationship to Radharani, therefore, He took the position of Radharani to understand Himself as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: analogy, Los Angeles, professor, shastra letters | 02:58 |21 October, 1975 Johannesburg My dear Amarendra dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 9-22-75 with enclosed Guru-daksina and I thank you very much. On your recommendation I am accepting the following devotees for initiation: 1st. initiation: Robert Tarjan (Dronacaryaguru), Keith Consbruck (Manusrestha dasa) 2nd. initiation: Bhusaya das Brahmacari, Jagannatha Tirtha das Brahmacari, Ekadasi das Brahmacari, Mahaprabhu das Adhikari, and Jalangi devi dasi. You will find enclosed 4 brahmana threads and you should perform fire-sacrifice for all of the new initiates stressing the responsibility involved. Everyone must follow the four regulative principles and chant minimum of 16 rounds japa daily. There is no question of falldown if one seriously follows these principles. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: Gainesville, initiation letters | 02:57 |20 October 2008 Monday, 20 October, 1975 Johannesburg My dear Srutakirti dasa, Please accept my blessings. After very long time I've received your letter and this has given me very much satisfaction. By Krishna's Grace you have now a lot of experience traveling with me and I hope it will be possible to manage the restaurant better and better. My blessings to your wife and child. Another thing, out of 5,000 dollars I have received 4,000 dollars I think. One check which was sent to Paris I did not receive. It was informed to Paramahamsa at the time that I did not receive the check but I didn't know what happened next. Please let me know at the Bombay address. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: Hawaii letters | 02:56 |20 October, 1975 Johannesburg My dear Siddha Svarupa Ananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Sept. 25 with enclosed Guru-daksina and I thank you very much. I am pleased to accept your recommendation for the first initiation of William and Barbara Renaroza. Their names are Sakari das and Sivadasi respectively. Now hold a fire-yajna for their initiation and request them to honor the vow of following the four regulative principles and chanting of minimum 16 rounds japa daily. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: Hawaii, initiation letters | 02:55 |20 October, 1975 Johannesburg Dinesh Candra Sarkar, P.O Nabagram, Dist., Hooghly W. Bengal, India My dear Dinesh Candra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 22nd. October, 1975 and I have noted the contents carefully. I am not keeping always very well. At the present moment I have some trouble with my teeth. By the end of the month, I shall go to Bombay where I shall decide to go either to Calcutta or Vrindaban. Please find out if there is any good big house for sale near where you stay. If so, please send me the details to the Bombay address. c/o Hare Krishna Land Gandhi Gram Rd. Juhu, Bombay 400-054. If you keep in contact with the Calcutta temple they will also let you know when I am coming. Thank you very much. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks letters | 02:54 | 20 October, 1975 Johannesburg My dear Sama dasa, Please accept my blessings for you, your wife, and your new baby daughter, Sarada devi dasi. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 8, 1975 and I have noted the contents carefully. Thank you very much for the pictures of Baltimore yatra, especially I have appreciated the beauty of the Gaura-Nitai Deities which you are going to install. Where were these Deities made? I herein accept your proposal for first initiation as of Francis (Tulasiballabha das) and Carol (Ujjvalaprada dasi). Now, I am accepting them on your recommendation so you must convince them of the seriousness of following the four regulative principles and chanting a minimum of 16 rounds japa daily. Hold a fire-yajna and do the needful in this connection. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever-well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: Cantonsville, initiation letters | 02:53 |20 October, 1975 Johannesburg My dear Radhavallabha dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of the 4 volumes of Caitanya-caritamrta and your letter dated October 1, 1975 and I have noted the contents carefully. Concerning the synonyms, henceforward I am adding the synonyms myself. From yesterday night I have begun adding the synonyms as it doesn't save very much time to have the synonyms. The Upadesamrta can be composed in the Bhagavatam format in the size of the pocket NOD. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: BBT, Los Angeles letters | 02:52 |20 October, 1975 Johannesburg My dear Nitai dasa, Please accept my blessings. Herewith please find the copy of one letter received from Karunasindhu in the matter of asking my permission to allow Purusottama das Brahmacari to scrutinize final printing. The letter has come from Karunasindhu suggested by Kirtiraja. Did you suggest this proposal to Kirtiraja? If not, then please enquire who suggested this proposal to Kirtiraja. I do not like that anyone should scrutinize our publications without my sanction. Kindly enquire into the matter and let me know the report to Bombay address. Also, send me a general report of Vrindaban affairs. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: publishing, Vrindavan letters | 02:51 |20 October, 1975 Johannesburg Digambar Singh Chowdhury My dear Digambar Singh: Please accept my blessings. Since I have left India I am touring so many places. Now I am in Johannesburg and on the 25th of October I am going to Nairobi. Regarding our farming scheme, it is almost settled that we shall get some land. Now we have to organize carefully. In this respect, I am counting upon your good help. On my return to India I wish to hold immediately one meeting of Krisans or agriculturist society. The idea is that the land is there and Krisans may be engaged to grow food both for men and for the animals, namely the cows. The cow should be maintained very healthy so that they can give sufficient good milk. The Krisans shall live comfortably in the cottages. They should produce their food, their milk, and their cloth. Everything produced will be used by themselves. If there is any excess production then the question of trade will arise. That we shall see later on. All the products produced will belong to Krishna-Balarama. Everyday at least thrice, all the Krisans meet in the local temple of Krishna-Balarama, chant Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, and take prasadam. In this way they should live peacefully locally without going outside for their livelihood. This is the general program. Now we have to itemize so that things may go on very nicely. So I am returning to India by the end of this month. Please arrange to hold a meeting successfully for this purpose. I do not know your address therefore I am forwarding this letter through Bhaktaji Sriman Visvambhara Dayala Agarwal. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: Krishna Balarama, village program letters | 02:50 |20 October, 1975 Johannesburg Sriman Visvambhara Dayala Agarwal, Vrndavana My dear Bhaktaji, Please accept my blessings. Since I have left India I have received no report from Vrindaban, how things are going on. I am very much anxious to know. Kindly immediately on receipt of this letter send me a report especially touching on the following points: 1. Whether the Gurukula land is purchased by this time. 2. Whether Kasiramji has given the front land legally. 3. Whether temple management is going on without any loss of money. Herewith please find one letter for Digambhar Singh Chowdhury your friend. The letter speaks for itself, as you will see, and now we have to hold meetings for organizing the Krsan community, better the Vaisya community, for producing food and milk. I have given the idea, now you have to organize it properly. I hope that this will meet you in good health, and please reply this letter along with Digambar Singh Chowdbury's reply to Bombay address where I am returning by the end of this month. Please offer my blessings to all your friends, especially Sethji Bisanchand and Kasiramji. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks letters | 02:06 | 19 October 2008 Sunday, 19 October, 1975 Johannesburg Karatieya K. Mahadevia My dear Karatieya, Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your wife, Gauridevi, and your children. I am enclosing herewith some foreign stamps for your beloved son, Kirtana. I am very much pleased that now you are taking more active part in the propagation of our missionary activities. Regarding Ahmedabad Centre, we must have a place there. I am also very much eager to open a centre there, Ahmedabad being one of the most opulent and important cities of India. Last time when we held our festival in Ahmedabad it was certainly very encouraging. People are naturally Krishna Conscious there. If we organize properly, people will get enlightenment more and more and they will be happy. We have to organize in the neighboring village from where the Raja Saheb came to offer his respects to me. He has promised to hold a meeting of the agriculturists of 20,000 people minimum and this will be a great opportunity. Now, our next program will be to organize farming land to set an example to the whole world how people can be peaceful, happy, and free from all anxieties simply by chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and living an honorable life in Krishna Consciousness. In India especially people are religiously inclined. They like to live in village and also like to love Lord Rama, Lord Krishna. This idealism is running through their blood and veins. We have to organize their natural tendency and elevate them again back to Home, Back-to-Godhead. Please think over these points very seriously and as soon as I return we shall take up the program. My beloved sannyasi disciple Swami Pusta Krishna has promised to give me a car, and as soon as I get it I shall move from village to village along with some selected assistants and organize this farming village development program. More when we meet, in the meantime I hope that this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: Ahmedabad, Bombay, village program letters | 02:05 | |
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