a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1975 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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23 November 2008 23 November, 1975 Bombay Addis Ababa, Ethiopia My dear Cyavana Swami, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 16/11/75 and am glad to read the contents. I am glad that you are traveling and preaching. This is the business of a sannyasi. Please follow my order in this regard. Africa is huge field, so you have plenty of opportunities for traveling and preaching. This will keep you enthusiastic. So do not neglect it. Of course if the young people there are interested, then you should stay there to instruct them. Then if you can collect and send money to Nairobi, that is very good. In this way their debts can be paid. I am also glad to see that you are taking seriously the Life Member program. So many Life Members they are complaining they are not receiving books or they are not being treated nicely. So if you can rectify this situation, that would be very good. So far your becoming GBC is concerned, yes, I had wanted that, but there are so many complaints. This is not good. GBC must mean that by his managing, there is not any complaints so that I can be relieved in order to do my translation work. Anyway, you go on with your preaching program and we shall discuss this matter in Mayapur meeting time. In the meantime I am sending Brahmananda Swami to rectify the situation in Nairobi and later on we shall see. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/BS/mdd Labels: GBC, Nairobi, sannyasa letters | 09:39 |21 November 2008 21 November, 1975 Bombay My dear Nalinikanta das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due reciept of your letter of November 9, 1975 and also your telegram to Brahmananda Swami reading as follows: "ASK SRILA PRABHUPADA IF WE SHOULD BUY SMALL CHURCH IN PHOENIX TWO BLOCKS FROM UNIVERSITY WITH $15,000 to $20,000 LOAN FROM BBT. WIRE BACK IMMEDIATELY AS MAY BE SOLD SOON. NALINIKANTA." So this matter I cannot say because I do not know what money is available. You have to consult this with Ramesvara. Regarding taking sannyasa, this mentality that either I will have sex life or I will take sannyasa, this is not proper. Sannyasa means that one is finished with material life. So you have gotten married and you are in family life. So you should remain there. So you thought that by getting married you would expand your service. So you should do that. Actually all my disciples are sannyasis because they have surrendered everything in the service of Krsna. I have read the clipping and you have also mentioned of the women wearing karmi clothes and going into sex movies and bars late at night for collecting. So this kind of canvassing should be immediately stopped. Upon your recommendation I am accepting the following two brahmacaris as my initiated disciples. And their names are Malcolm Perey is Yamunapata das and Monte Flynn is Kalatita das. It is your responsibility since you are recommending them that they follow strictly the rules and regulations and remain strong in Krsna consciousness. They must attend the mangala aroti and the Srimad-Bhagavatam class and Bhagavad-gita class and chant 16 rounds minimum daily and also follow the four rules and regulations. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/BS/mdd Labels: initiation, Phoenix, sannyasa letters | 08:37 |7 November 2008 7 November, 1975 Bombay My Dear Ramesvara das: Please accept my blessings. I have received your report on the telephone to Harikesa. This is very funny thinking in our society that you want to spend for this boat, and that Tulsi das wants to take sannyasa because he is feeling sex agitation. First of all there is no sanction to purchase this boat from the BBT. We are not interested. Tulsi das is affected by sex, and he wants to take sannyasa? This is nonsense. Is sannyasa so cheap? He will be a victim. He is not fit for sannyasa. His mind is not fixed up. Everyone wants to fulfill their whimsical desires; this is going on. Let him stay with Tamala Krishna for sometime, and if he is recommended, then he can take sannyasa. He cannot make any separate program. He is not fit to stay separate. He must remain with another experienced sannyasa and be trained up. Another thing, why are you always calling on the telephone? Are you such important men that you have to call all over the world? We are poor men sons, what can I do? But, why are you always calling on the telephone? I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. Please let me know why Purusottama Das was supplied books (S.B.) for corrections. ACBS/bs Labels: Los Angeles, nonsense, sannyasa letters | 22:00 |16 October 2008 16 October, 1975 Johannesburg My dear Jayatirtha das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 28, 1975 and I have noted the contents carefully. There is no question of removal at the present moment. We shall sit together in Mayapur if there is any complaint against one another. At the Mayapur meeting, whatever we have decided that is good for one year. So if anything has to be done it will be decided by majority decision of the GBC. I do not wish to give any decision without the GBC's verdict. My only grievance is that I appointed GBC to give me relief from the management but, on the contrary, complaints and counter-complaints are coming to me. Then how my brain can be peaceful. Naturally, I want to see that all of my centres are going nicely, so is it not possible to mitigate the differences of opinion and work smoothly, conjointly. So best thing is that we wait for the Mayapur meeting and decide there combinedly what to do. The local management has to be done by temple president, GBC should see whether management is going on nicely, and if there are any discrepancies that will be discussed at the GBC meeting in Mayapur. That is the process. Sannyasis are meant for preaching only. That is the principle. But, contrary to the principle if things are being embezzled then how can I save them. How one man can manage the whole world affairs? This is my concern. So far I know you are approved manager, so why complaints are there I do not know. I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/pks Labels: Berkeley, GBC, management, sannyasa letters | 01:51 |29 September 2008 Monday, 29 September, 1975 Ahmedabad My Dear Gargamuni Swami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 25/8/75 and have noted the contents. Regarding the disturbance made by the women devotees, they are also living beings. They also come to Krishna. So consciously I cannot deny them. If our male members, the brahmacaris and the sannyasis, if they become steady in Krishna consciousness, there is no problem. It is the duty of the male members to be very steady and cautious. This can be done by regular chanting like Haridasa Thakura did. Whenever there is a young woman, we should remember Haridasa Thakura and beg his mercy to protect us, and we should think that these beautiful gopis are meant for the enjoyment of Krishna. It is a dilemma for our Society that we cannot deny these girls, and at the same time they are a great dangerous allurement to the young boys. Yes, as you say, I never think in terms of Indian or American regarding my students. I take you all as part and parcels of Krishna. Regarding your program, that is your fortune, that wherever you go, you do nicely. One thing is that in your absence the Calcutta center is not being managed very nicely. You were making progress for making a Calcutta temple. Who is there who can do that now? Those men cannot do that. Anyway you are doing greater service there by distributing so many magazines and also books. Your program of traveling to Europe and then by vehicles to India is a very good idea. I quite appreciate that idea. Do it. Come to India and preach. Six months in America and six months in India. Such a program of world touring work is very nice, and you are the competent person to execute this program. At the same time chant Hare Krishna regularly. That is my request. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Calcutta, New York, sannyasa, women letters | 11:23 |20 September 2008 21 September, 1975 Vrndavana My dear Gaura Govinda Swami, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your long letter dated September 12, 1975 and your letter dated September 17th and have noted the contents. Regarding your returning to your own village, a sannyasa is not supposed to go back to his own village. If you are doing some substantial work, you should not agitate your mind for opening a center in Orissa. I talked here with Anandapanda and he said after October the season in Orissa is better. I have proposed to him also for arranging for us to go there and during that season we may go there in a party and preach there and if possible open a center. I understand that you are doing well in Hyderabad so there is no necessity for immediate change. I am going now on tour of Africa and when I return I shall see you and we shall do the needful. I may go to Hyderabad when I return. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/BS/mdd Labels: Hyderabad, Orissa, sannyasa letters | 04:27 |3 September 2008 3 September, 1975 Vrindaban My Dear Nalinikanta das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 8, 1975 with enclosed check for U.S. 50.00. I have noted the contents of your letter. You have been married for a year and a half but do not have any desire for children. Then why did you marry? That is my question. If you do not want children, then why did you marry? You should not take sannyasa. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: marriage, Phoenix, sannyasa letters | 02:05 |1 September 2008 Monday, 1 September, 1975 Vrindaban My Dear Jayananda das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 11, 1975 and have noted the contents. What you have done is good. Why should you remarry? Rather you should take sannyasa. Now you are getting very good training. Why has Jayatirtha suggested you to remarry? In Delhi there is a certain kind of laddu which has such a taste, that anyone who has tasted it once, he laments, oh how I would like to taste again. And anyone who has never tasted, he also laments, oh I have never tasted. So one who has tasted, and one who has not tasted, both are lamenting. Wife is like that. You have already tasted, now you are lamenting. But my advice to you is not to try to taste again, otherwise your lamentation will increase. You have got no children, so you are free, so take sannyasa. Sex life is nasty, but out of illusion we think it is nice. Now you are experienced, so don't take sex life again. You should not take sannyasa out of sentiment nor artificially, but it is better to accept it anyway. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: marriage, sannyasa, sex life, Tampa, wife letters | 08:15 |21 August 2008 21 August, 1975 New Delhi My Dear Gurudasa Swami: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 6, 1975 and have noted the contents. The purpose of sannyasa is that now one has no hindrances for preaching work. The purpose is to increase preaching. So if one takes sannyasa and does not increase preaching, then there is no value. So you take this opportunity seriously, and preach and inspire others to also preach. Then there will be no question of thinking of other things. This will all vanish. I have complete faith in you. Regarding your question, we need not bother about these things now. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Laguna Beach, preaching, sannyasa letters | 06:01 |29 July 2008 29 July, 1975 Dallas My Dear Hamsaduta das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 21, 1975 and have read the contents carefully. I am very glad that you had a nice Ratha Yatra there, and that even more people attended this year. It doesn't matter that the ratha was smaller. The people know that the police have reduced the ceremony. Anyway, do not try to agitate the police. Whatever they say, you follow. We want the ceremony, that's all. Regarding getting a different house in the City, that's nice. In the City purchase a first class house, and the Indians will pay for it. Now the Indians are interested to come to the temple, and in the City they will take more interest. Yes, utilize the land at the Manor, and purchase a first class building in the City. There are many churches that are vacant. Find out one. I saw many nice churches when I was there with Dayananda. He has much information about them, but he does not remember. If required he can go there for one month and find out some church and negotiate. There is one Paddington Church. Also there is one I saw with a weak roof, but we can repair it. There was also a YMCA building available near our temple. So you find out some nice building or church. You can send the new German publications to New York. I am going to New Vrindaban on August 20th. I am glad you are selling the books nicely there in Germany. Therefore I have elected you BBT Trustee. Sometimes you should come to L.A. to see the BBT affairs. Ramesvara and Jayatirtha they are doing it, but still sometimes you may come and check. Sometimes you may come and sometimes Bhagavan das may come. Regarding your being depressed, you are becoming older, but so also am I an old man. But, you should not be depressed on account of advanced age. Krishna will help you. I do not think you have done wrongly in your management, and still now I do not think you have done wrongly. Rather you are wrongly depressed. But, for you this feeling of insufficiency is good for progress. No one should think that now I am complete. It is good to think that I am incomplete and useless. Actually Krishna is unlimited, and our energy is limited. Actually we cannot serve the unlimited, but Krishna's unlimited mercy induces us to serve, and He accepts. Actually we are unworthy. He is so kind that He accepts our little service as if it were very big and great. Regarding your wanting to leave your family and take sannyasa, what is your family? You live aside from your wife, and you have no children, so you are already sannyasa. Anyway we can consider later on. First we have to push this movement. That is most important thing. Grhastha or sannyasa it doesn't matter. First we have to know the science of Krishna consciousness. Caitanya Mahaprabhu never said everyone had to take sannyasa. We should just be after becoming the pure servant of Krishna. Regarding my coming to London, yes I will come immediately after Janmastami and Vyasa Puja from New Vrindaban. So it will be in the very beginning of September. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: BBT, Bhaktivedanta Manor, depressed, sannyasa letters | 03:15 |17 June 2008 17 June, 1975 Honolulu My dear Bhakta, Jayananda, and Bahulasva, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated June 13rd and 15th, 1975 and have noted the contents. It sounds like things are going very nicely there. I will come for Rathayatra festival and then I shall see the new building also. The photos were very nice. Regarding the sannyasis convincing men within the temple that they should leave and go with them on their parties, that is not at all good. I have never approved of this action. You can tell them. Everyone is concocting something of their own. It must be checked. The sannyasis should work with what men they have got and they cannot secretly convince men in the temples to leave their duties. Those duties also must be done and they are just as important as any other service. Regarding the books being sold for less than $4, that we shall discuss in L.A. with Ramesvara. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. Why did you publish this college program book independently and unauthorized? Any literature that is to be published on behalf of the movement, must be authorized by the BBT Trustees. You have not even mentioned my name in this book. This is not at all good. Why have you done this? ACBS/ps Labels: BBT, concoct, San Francisco, sannyasa letters | 04:00 |14 June 2008 Saturday, 14 June, 1975 Honolulu My dear Dinanatha, Please accept my greetings. I thank you very much for your letter dated 30-5-75. I am very sorry to say that I did not receive your letter addressed to me at Mayapur. I am still in Hawaii and I shall leave this place by the 20th of June for Los Angeles. Our temple there is situated at the following address: 3764 Watseka Ave., Los Angeles, California, USA 90034. I am not returning to India by Rathayatra festival because there are programs here in America and Europe - Rathayatra festival in five different places like, London, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and Melbourne. So, I am introducing this Rathayatra festival in the Western countries and the idea is received everywhere very very enthusiastically. I am enclosing herewith one Back to Godhead magazine specifically dedicated to describing the Rathayatra activities. After leaving India, I went to Australia and there we have constructed a very nice temple of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Radha-Krishna, and Lord Jagannatha at Melbourne. This movement is being highly appreciated by the higher educated circle. One professor in Berkeley, California University has written one big book in favor of this movement - Hare Krishna and the Counterculture. I am glad that you are now writing books about Lord Ramacandra. It is a very good idea. I think you are a devotee of Lord Ramacandra, and because you are my very old and dear friend, I will suggest now in your old age (when your sons are grown-up and well-situated), why not join this movement and retire from family life? According to our Vedic principle, a person, especially a Brahmana, should leave home after the 50th year and accept the order of Vanaprastha. Then after a few years of Vanaprastha, one should accept the Sannyasa order for the rest of his life and devote himself fully in the service of the Lord. There is a great need of the Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world. If educated persons like you take active interest in this movement, and preach the cult for the benefit of the mass of people, that is the success of life. You will find on the 2nd page of the enclosed magazine, a list of our important centers all over the world. In big cities like London, Chicago, New York, Paris, Rome, Geneva, Tokyo, Toronto, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and in India, Vrndavana, Navadvipa, Bombay, Calcutta, Hyderabad, etc. I wish that you may retire from family life and live in one of our so many centers wherever you like, and preach the cult of Krishna Consciousness. That will make your life successful. Because you are my very intimate friend, from college life, I take this opportunity to give you a suggestion, and I shall be glad to hear from you. I hope this meets you in good health. Yours very sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ASCBS/ps Labels: Calcutta, sannyasa, vanaprastha letters | 16:55 |17 April 2008 17 April, 1975 Vrindaban Chandigarh, Punjab My dear Mr. Bagai, Please accept my greetings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 28-3-75 and have noted the contents. Our book shipping department in Bombay is being improved, so I hope you shall receive your books soon. Regarding your taking sannyasa, first, you must come and live with us for some time and then we shall see. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/ps Labels: book distribution, sannyasa letters | 02:25 |2 April 2008 2 April, 1975 Mayapur My dear Siddhasvarupa Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 12th of March, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for your kind donation of 1,000 U.S. Dollars. Your small booklet seems very nice. I am very glad that you have taken my request to heart and that you are now preaching in so many nice ways. This is very satisfying to me. You are executing the duty of a sannyasi very well by this preaching. Now continue it and you will simply become more and more expert in your preaching ability. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps letters | 20:47 | |
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