a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
|
|
| Prabhupada Letters :: 1975 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
|
|
10 November 2008 10 November, 1975 Bombay My dear Kirtanananda Swami, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 24, 1975 together with your check for $1,111. I thank you very much for it. I was thinking that Kirtanananda Swami is angry upon me because I did not go to New Vrndavana, but what can I do? They are dragging me in so many places and it was arranged for me to see Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India. Therefore, leaving aside all other programs, I had to come here. Of course it has become a little effective because since then the government of India is not considering us an enemy, but they are giving us more and more facility to extend the visa. Then again I had to go to Mauritius, South Africa and East Africa. In Mauritius for the first time in my life I had to meet a very disastrous type of motor accident. We were four in motor carriage, the driver, Brahmananda Swami, Pusta Krsna Swami and myself. The driver was especially injured and we got a little bruises and cuts. Anyway, I have come to Bombay on November 3rd. Here the temple construction is now being undertaken seriously and we are looking after things. You say that you may be a broken gong, but you will never be broken. You are standing solidly by the grace of Krsna. Have faith in guru and Krsna and your attempt will be successful. You know how I started in the U.S.A. with faith both in the spiritual master and Krsna and they are certainly helping me. I am always praying to Krsna that the New Vrndavana attempt will be more and more successful and ideal for your country. That is my only prayer. I am glad to note that Indians are coming and that you are constructing a large kirtana and prasadam hall and also guest rooms. Yes, so you should do it and it will actually be a New Vrndavana in America. According to our program we will have to construct seven temples, Govindaji, Gopinatha, Madana-Mohana, Syamasundara., Damodara, Gokulananda and Radha-Ramana. And later on if possible, Rangunatha also. These guests rooms, it is very good you are constructing because they were needed. I am glad also that you have a new gosala. Let other farms see what is our behavior for the cows and how we derive benefit from them and that will be the living example to persons who are using cow flesh rather than cow milk. Regarding the palace, when will you expect to finish it so I may go there. I am glad to note that Pittsburgh temple management is going on nicely. This is wanted. We want cooperation. Why there should be non cooperation between ourselves. That is not good. Regarding your desire to be relieved of managing these other centers, I may request you to continue until the next Mayapur meeting and then you can make some other arrangement conveniently. Regarding your question about the dancing, the dancing should be done enthusiastically by raising the hands like Panca-Tattva. You can also dance enthusiastically by raising hands. All of Lord Caitanya's followers used to dance with raised hands. If someone dances with ecstasy, that is all right, but it is better to dance with raised hands. Regarding the topics of the Krsna book, this is Istagosthi. Istagosthi means discussion between ourselves but that should not be taken as a competition. It is not the subject matter for competition. It can be discussed in a small group of devotees. That is Istagosthi. This is better than competition. Regarding your recommendations for first and second initiation; I accept the following for first initiation: Ann Shotland-- Sukulina dasi Diana Alpert--Gopalasyapriya dasi. And for second initiation I accept the following as twice-born brahmanas: Janaladha das, Manipuspaka dasi, Manisa dasi, Damodara Pandit das, Kalanidhi das, Uttamauja das, Ajitananda das and Mudhakari devi dasi. Enclosed are their sacred threads and the mantra sheet. Please see that they follow the rules and regulations. This is not to be taken lightly. If it is then surely they will again fall under the influence of maya. Mama maya duratyaya. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 6, 1975 with enclosed check for $1,111.00 which replaces your previous check which you have canceled. I am glad to see that the Brijbasi spirit is improving in get-up. Yes, it is all right to close the Buffalo farm. It is also all right to move Radha Madhava to Nandagram and keep Gaura-Nitai and Lord Jagannatha at Madhuban. ACBS ACBS/BS/mdd Labels: New Vrindavan, questions, report letters | 00:02 |10 November, 1975 Bombay My dear Madhudvisa Swami, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 16, 1975 together with the nice photographs and the professor's review. From the photo it appears that everything is very nice. I am very glad. In Melbourne, Australia who dreamed that there would be such a nice temple, Radha-Krsna, and that local men would be worshiping. And still anyone who is sincerely serving, he will get inspiration how to do it nicely. Krsna is there in his heart. As is stated in Bhagavad-gita: tesam evanukampartham aham ajnana-jam tamah nasayamy atma-bhavastho jnana-dipena bhasvata [Bg. 10.11] "Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance." As a child when I was going to the neighboring Mallik temple, I was thinking then when will I have such a nice Deity to worship and now Krsna is so kind that I am establishing so many nice temples all over the world. Now I want that there should be established 108 temples before my death, so you think how to do it. Make some program, train up devotees. All temples in Melbourne, London, Paris, Bombay, all are very nice. Everything is very bright and brilliant. The Deity is proof of the sincere service. It is the duty of the GBC now to maintain this. Their duty is how to enthuse them and maintain. The dresses are made very nicely. It appears from the photographs. Some of the dressmakers may come here to India, one or two of them. Krsna is supplying the ideas for you to take photos like this, so you will be recognized by Krsna. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistho mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca [Bg. 15.15] Regarding the review, the professor has got the real picture. We do not want any compromise. Indological means you have to have the correct view. Regarding your questions, the first question, when a soul reincarnates, does he associate with the souls he associated with in his lives, that is not necessarily so. Even if he associates, how can he recognize them because everyone changes his body. Regarding your question about karmic debt, yes, it is generally that the debtor is obliged to take birth and also the creditor. Sometimes the creditor takes birth as the son of the debtor and after being a very affectionate son for a few days, he dies and thus the debtor becomes aggrieved very much. This is the punishment. In this way in every transaction the participants are becoming involved in their resultant action of karma. This is karma-bandhana, in Bhagavad-gita, or the bondage of different fruitive activity. It is advised that one should act only for Krsna, otherwise he will be involved in karma-bandhana. Regarding your second question, whether a person who is a Negro, Chinese, Indian, etc. are they different species of life making up the 400,000 species. Yes, so far their body is concerned. Your question whether woman in each one of these species is another separate species, no, the species means both man and woman of the same type. Of course, strictly speaking the woman is taken differently, otherwise how would Krsna say, striyo vaisyas tatha sudras. Regarding Rathayatra, yes, if possible I will go and I shall let you know timely. I am glad to note that you are sending men to India. This is very good. Thank you very much. Since they are Australian, they will not require any visa. Now in India we require very good men, men who are steady, who follow the rules and regulations and who are willing to work hard. Here in Bombay we have started our Bombay construction and so on. Men who come here, they should be prepared to stay here for at least two years. And they must be very strict in following the rules and regulations. Now the government is recognizing us so we do not want that there should be any incidences. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/BS/mdd Labels: India, Melbourne, questions letters | 00:01 | |
|
|
