Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

2004-12-31T06:08:00.001Z

Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
contains 530 individual letter reproductions in chronological order from January - December 1968.

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Wednesday, November 6, 1968

2004-11-06T08:19:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Jadurani,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter October 31, 1968, and I am so pleased to know that you are now quite able to work. May Krishna bless you with good health and continue your prescribed duties very nicely.

Regarding the picture, Panca-tattva, I do not think there is necessity of putting them in perspective. Actually they are standing on the same line. Just like a group photo is taken and nobody looks smaller or greater. That is the system. But the thing is that if you make Lord Caitanya smaller, that would not be nice. He should be larger, and actually he was very large and broad shouldered. So better to paint as you have been doing, and with Lord Caitanya a little larger.

Murti means a worshipable statue.

Hoping you are in good health always,

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

November 6, 1968

2004-11-06T03:20:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Brahmananda,

Please accept my blessings.

I am in due receipt of your letter along with Dai Nippon. I cannot understand why they should increase the price & supply goods not to the former sample! You use your best discretion & do the needful.

ACB

6 November, 1968

2004-11-06T03:12:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Uddhava,

Please accept my blessing. I am in due receipt of your letter. I think you should consult your Godbrothers in this connection. So I have no objection if you decide to marry as a matter of necessity. Hope you are all well. Please convey my blessings to all boys & girls.

Your ever well-wisher
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

November 6, 1968

2004-11-06T02:10:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Rayarama,

Please accept my blessings. I have received one letter from Guyana, and one gentleman, Sriman Petambar Dindayal is very much interested in our Krishna Consciousness movement. He has invited me to go there, so first of all I want to send him some various literatures and pamphlets about our society.

So you please send him some Back To Godheads, our new prospectus, and press cuttings, etc. which will be of good information for him. Also, please send here to Los Angeles some of the new prospectus, a good amount, as they are very nice.

Hoping you are well,

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Address of Sriman Dindayal:
Sriman Petambar Dindayal
Rosignol Berbice
Guyana
South America

November 6, 1968

2004-11-06T02:01:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Rayarama,

Please accept my blessings. There is no need of replying Parvat Maharaja's letter. He did not reply my letter & why he would expect a reply from you. Do your duty nicely & go Back to Godhead.

ACB

Sunday, November 3, 1968

2004-11-03T02:17:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Pradyumna,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Oct. 20, 1968, and I understand that you are beginning to learn Sanskrit grammar which I think will be a great difficult task for you in these late hours of life.

It is very nice to hear that Dr. Singh will conduct a special course of Panini's grammar. But our immediate task is to prepare the transliteration and correction of the 1st Canto for next publication. But if you have to do the same after learning Sanskrit grammar, it will take a long time to finish it. I have not heard anything how far yourself and Hayagriva combinedly finishing the editing of the 1st Canto which we are going to print next. If you can learn Sanskrit grammar conveniently it is very nice. But the mode of teaching in the schools and colleges are so slow that it will not be practical to learn Sanskrit grammar there and then prepare our transliteration. Of course, the grammar helps in analyzing the combined words, but I think it will take a very long time.

Regarding the diacritic marks, there are many systems and I do not know which one of them is the standard, but I think the system followed by Dr. RadhaKrishnan in transliterating the Bhagavad-gita is the approved. You are reading Hitopadesa, and you will know from this that the author of this book, Visnu Sharma, compiled this book for some grown up princes in order to teach them Sanskrit in a short cut way. So you have to follow that way and do our main work and at the same time.

I shall be glad to learn how Hayagriva is taking Sankirtana classes amongst the University students. And I shall be glad to hear from you.

Hope you are both well,

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

November 3, 1968

2004-11-03T02:16:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Purusottama,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 31, 1968 along with the letter from the Methodist Church.

I suspected in the beginning that they would not allow us to work with freedom and, therefore, in spite of their promise to enter into lease agreement I wanted to clear up the situation. Now they have shown their real face so don't feel sorry for this. We know very well what is the world situation. It is my personal opinion that at the present moment except for a few persons, practically there is no man in the world who is strictly religionist, Hindu, Moslem, Christian, Buddhist.

In the ten commandments of the Bible it is clearly stated that, "Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not indulge in adultery, thou shalt not covet their servant or animals," but practically we see the so-called Christian world is full of the killing process reflected with adultery in every state encroaching upon other's property very organizedly. Similarly we find in India the so-called Hindu are doing all sorts of nonsense. So practically the whole world is without religion. Officially they claim some sectarian identification.

Therefore, it is a fact that the religious principles of Krishna Consciousness which we are trying to preach under the direction of Lord Caitanya inducing people to chant HARE KRISHNA is the only panacea for the animalistic human society at the present moment. A man without religion is nothing but an animal and being every man is irreligious, therefore, the whole human society is certainly animalistic.

We do not mind because we could not get any place in the Church Center and there is no cause for your being sorry for this. You have tried your best in the service of Lord Caitanya. This is sufficient. We do not calculate the so-called success or failure we are simply to discharge our duties in Krishna Consciousness and chant HARE KRISHNA loudly.

Now as you are free you can come and join me here. When I was in Montreal you went there to join me but because you were negotiating with Church Center affairs I sent you back to New York. I was also calculating if that center is obtainable I shall make my Headquarters in New York. Now that chance being lost you are welcome to come to join me here.

Your ever well-wisher
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Two original letters, returned herewith.

November 3, 1968

2004-11-03T01:18:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Sivananda,

Please accept my blessings.

I have not heard anything from you in about a fortnight, and I am anxious to hear how you are doing there. It may be there is some mail delay due to my leaving Seattle for Santa Fe, and then coming here to Los Angeles, California. You can write to me at the above address, my residential apartment.

And you will be pleased to know that I am now accepted by the USA immigration department as permanent resident, with option to apply for citizenship.

Yesterday's report of the activities of the Sankirtana party is that they sold 175 copies of Back To Godhead, and collected $130 in donations.

Hope you are all well, and I shall be expecting to hear from you by return of post.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

November 3, 1968

2004-11-03T01:15:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Mukunda,

Please accept my blessings.

I have not heard anything from you in about a fortnight, and I am anxious to hear how you are doing there. It may be there is some mail delay due to my leaving Seattle, for Santa Fe, and then coming here to Los Angeles. You can write me at the above address, my residential apartment.

And you will be pleased to know that I am now accepted with the USA Immigration Department as Permanent Resident, with option to apply for citizenship. And yesterday's report of the activities of Sankirtana party is that they sold 175 copies of Back To Godhead, and collected 130 dollars in donations.

Hope you are all well there, and I shall be expecting to hear from you by return of post.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Saturday, November 2, 1968

2004-11-02T02:13:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Brahmananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your note of Oct. 28, 1968, along with a letter to you from Jaya Govinda. His letter appears not very clear and your remark on Acyutananda's attitude is also notable.

You write to say "Rayarama will forward one letter from Parvat Maharaja etc." I have not received any letter from Rayarama. I think both Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda have been poisoned by this Parvat and thus it is useless to request them to work for the society. Neither they have shown any capability till now. Under the circumstances, I think there is no hope of getting any service from these boys regarding our mission.

I wrote one letter jointly addressed to Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda but they have not replied the same. I think as Bon Maharaja poisoned the mind of Hrsikesa, similarly these boys have been entrapped by Parvat. This Parvat is one of the disciples of my God-brother but he is so salient that he has not replied to my letters, but, instead of replying my letter, he has the impudency of writing to Rayarama. Rayarama may not reply this letter until I have seen it. He appears to be as venomous as Bon Maharaja. They are all envious of my activities here.

As Jaya Govinda has not yet left for Bombay, there is no need of issuing indemnity letter in his favor. I do not understand why he has requested to address the indemnity letter to Parvat Maharaja. These are very doubtful things. I do not know how to deal with these boys. Both of them are silent about my letter of Oct. 13, 1968 which I wrote them about realizing the money from Hitsaran. I am really very sorry for them. I am enclosing the copy of the above mentioned letter.

Hope you are well; I received the Bhagavad-gita hardcover jacket.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. I have not heard anything from Purusottama about the church center. ACB

Friday, November 1, 1968

2004-11-01T07:13:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Jadurani,

Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your handwriting letter after so long a time, and from your handwriting I can understand that Krishna is keeping you in good health.

You must take care of your health, and under the direction of your good husband. I have especially entrusted you in his hand so that he may take proper care of your health, and everyone is pleased about your nice combination. Both of you are very serious students in Krishna Consciousness and on account of your service __, Krishna always will help you in all respects.

I confirm herewith my statement that the wife is the shareholder of the husband's pious activities. So you should know it well that Sriman Satsvarupa, life being fully dedicated to Krishna, whatever he desires you to act, you should kindly follow his instruction. Actually he cannot check you in the matter of your service either to Krishna or to me, but because we have to work with our present body, we must take care of it by following the ordinary rules.

Regarding casting of Nrsimhadeva murtis, I could not follow what you mean by this. I know Rukmini can paint, so if she paints Nrsimhadeva pictures, let her do this as many copies as she can. So far casting in metal or in any other solid material is concerned, if she is able to do it, let her do the job in casting Radha Krishna murtis. We require many Radha Krishna murtis both in our temples as well as in private household homes. Yes, that is a nice idea to copy photos of lotuses and flowers.

Yes, because in our temples there is no picture of Srila Gaura Kisora Das Babaji or Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji, so you can paint Their pictures. If you have no picture to copy from, you can write and request Gurudasa to send you some. I am enclosing herewith a small picture of Madhvacarya, if it is too difficult to work from, you can send it to Gurudasa and he can make clearer and larger prints from it.

Hoping you are in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

November 1, 1968

2004-11-01T03:10:00.001Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Satsvarupa,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of Oct. 28, 1968, along with Jadurani's.

There is some difficulty of our temple here, therefore my return address is given to my residential apartment, as above. So you can write me letters to this address. I hope the enclosed statement of certificate of your being an ordained Brahmin will help you.

As mentioned in the letter, you will be pleased to know that I am now admitted as ordained minister of religion in the USA. Now there is no difficulty of my staying in your country and if the students in different universities and colleges want to hear from me about the teachings of Lord Caitanya, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Srimad-Bhagavatam, I shall be glad to accept such invitation, provided such students pay reasonable contributions.

I am getting gradually older, therefore even if I remain in your country, I shall restrain my moving and my main business will be henceforward to train you all my disciples for preaching work. I think you will approve of my program.

Hope this meets you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Friday, July 12, 1968

2004-07-12T09:13:00.001+01:00

Montreal, Quebec

My Dear Jayananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 3, 1968.

I have heard about your successful execution of Rathayatra festival in San Francisco from so many sources. And I am so glad to hear the news. But till now I have not received any newspaper clippings, or photostats of news articles. I am very much anxious to get them.

Yes, this Jay boy has come here, and I have seen he is sincere in accepting this principles. I have decided to initiate him very soon. They have got a two days' engagement of Kirtana here in the expo pavilion, and they have agreed to pay $150.00 per day. If the two days' program is successful, then they may get more money and more engagements.

Yes, I have received Sriman Vinode Patel's letter, and I have replied the same also promptly. He appears to be a great help to your temple, and please try to keep him nicely. This is the sequence of Krishna Consciousness. He is a foreigner and belonging to a different country and culture, but Krishna Consciousness is so nice that one forgets his material designations and one tries to associate with similar Krishna consciousness persons. This is called, Sva-jati-asaya-snigdha.

That means melted on the pure spiritual platform. We hope to bring everyone to such spiritual platform so that everyone will forget his material false identification and come to the real platform of becoming eternally the servant of Krishna.

I am so glad that your parents are realizing the importance of Krishna Consciousness through their worthy son, Jayananda. A similar incident was there when Lord Caitanya was present, that one father became a devotee of Lord Caitanya through the exigency of the son. The son was prior a devotee than the father. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the father whether he was father, or the son was father, and the father replied that in his spiritual enlightenment, his son was his father.

So you are acting like a good father to your parents. So Krishna Consciousness will spread nicely in this way. And Lord Caitanya will be very much pleased on your benevolent activities.

I have seen your father and mother, and they are very good souls, especially I remember your mother. And I hope by the Grace of Lord Krishna they will take to this Krishna Consciousness very seriously.

Hoping you are all well,

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Friday, January 26, 1968

2004-01-26T04:28:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Daughter Krsna devi,

Please accept my blessings. Thank you very much for your letter postdated Jan 25, 1968, and I thank you very much for your proposal to come here and see me. I shall be so glad to see you and Danny personally as soon as possible.

I requested you take charge of the Santa Fe Center because you were doing the job very nicely, and I still hope that your presence there will solve all the problems recently created. Mistakes there may be in our life, but if we stick to Krsna Consciousness, Krsna will surely put us on the right path.

Your husband Sriman Subala das is living with me very peacefully, and he is carving Radha and Krsna, from hard wood. So this life of material existence is just like hard wood and if we can carve Krsna out of it, that is the sucess of our life.

So, at any circumstances you must not forget Krsna. I love you at my heart and therefore I gave you the name Krsna devi dasi. Don't forget Krsna even for a single moment; chant Hare Krsna loudly or slowly as it my be convenient. But don't forget to chant the Holy Name.

I hope everything will be all right as soon as you come here with Danny, and I am awaiting your arrival with great interest.

Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Thursday, January 25, 1968

2004-01-25T04:25:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Balai dasi,

Please accept my blessings. Thank you for your letter of Jan. 8, 1968, and I have noted the contents carefully.

Regarding your questions: Yes, leave Krishna's plate for 15-20 minutes or more, not more than half an hour. After offering the plate, the balance in the pots should be distributed immediately. The plate can remain on the altar while the rest is being distributed.

Any initiated girl can take part in preparation of prasadam, and even a boy who is not initiated cannot take part.

Maya and living entities are different energies of Krishna and all of them are eternal. Maya is acting under the direction of Krishna but her task is to punish the revolted living entities; therefore, she has to business in the spiritual platform. Maya cannot go to Krishna means that Maya's influence cannot be active in the presence of Krishna.

The example of darkness can be given herein. The darkness has no existence in the presence of sunlight, similarly Maya cannot exist in the presence of Krishna. As darkness and light exist eternally, similarly, Maya and Krishna exist eternally, but Maya has no existence in the presence of Krishna. Try to understand this simile.

The material body has got heart and Krishna is seated there with the jiva in His Paramatma feature. Krishna is so powerful that He can become smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest. He can keep millions of skies within His Belly and at the same time He can enter within the existence of the smallest atom. He can enjoy eternally in Vrindaban with His Associates, at the same time He can present Himself in every nook and corner of His Creation.

These are some of the inconceivable potencies of Krishna and as such living entity can never be equal with Krishna. The Mayavadi philosophers try to keep Krishna and living entities on equal level and that is proof of their less intelligence.

I hope you will understand these explanations, and distribute them to your other God-brothers and sisters.

Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Wednesday, January 24, 1968

2004-01-24T06:18:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Madhusudana,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your letter brought to me by Rayarama.

Yes, 15 minutes is sufficient time for the offering to remain on the altar. You do not need to lay down Lord Jagannatha on a bed, by mantra you say my dear Lord please take rest.

In temples, there are two sets of deities, the big set is always on the throne, and the smaller set is handled, taken out for a stroll, laid to bed, etc. There is no difference in the small and large set, of course.

The prayer means: I offer my respectful obeisances to my Spiritual Master who has opened my eyes by the torch of knowledge, while I was in the darkness of ignorance.

That book of speeches by Bhaktisaranga Goswami may be kept carefully. It has to be returned. In meantime, if you like, you can copy it by typewriter.

My dear boy, lecturing for Krishna has nothing to do with this body. If I would not have lectured, how you would have come? So as far as possible I am taking care of my health, but Krishna's service must be executed, even at the risk of life.

A living entity gets millions of opportunities to get a type of body, but hardly he gets opportunity to serve Krishna. The service of Krishna must be executed at all risks, but do not worry; I am taking care of my health by the help of Gaurasundara.

Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Tuesday, January 23, 1968

2004-01-23T04:29:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Brahmananda,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your nice long letter of 1.19.68, and of 1.17.68, and have noted contents carefully. We will phone Ravi Sankara and make some arrangements with him as is possible.

Regarding Hanuman Prasad Poddar, he is not so formidable rascal, but you can read his literature. He is a sincere worker in Krishna Consciousness. His defect is that he is Impersonalist, but he can not remain long an Impersonalist because he is devoted to Radha and Krishna. Recently he has sent me one letter of appreciation for my activities here. There is no objection to reading his books.

Regarding the other books; keep them very nicely, and I shall see when I go there to New York. You might have received another book perhaps, by Bhaktisaranga Goswami. This book by mistake was sent, perhaps: it has to be returned.

The proper form of address to Bhaktivinode Thakura is Om Visnupad Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura. After my Guru Maharaja, all acaryas should be addressed as Srila. "Om Visnupad Srila".

Regarding Krishna devi: You have been misinformed by Krishna devi. I have never given permission for a new husband. Rather, I asked her to come back immediately and join her husband, Subala. Subala might have informed her that if she loves Krishna at all, then she may live peacefully with her new husband, but let her conduct the Santa Fe center, and that will be proof of her love for Krishna.

I have directly asked her to come join her husband. If she doesn't come, Subala has decided not to accept any other wife, but to remain in Krishna Consciousness alone for the rest of his life. Krishna devi is in the strong clutches of Maya, and she wants to have a new husband under any price.

I have never allowed her in that way. But if she served Krishna's cause, I will not disallow her, because that is our main business. My point is that she must conduct that center, not that I have encouraged her to accept this boy. If she wants to keep this new friend, and keep up the S.F. center, I welcome it, but not that I am encouraging her to have a new husband.

Regarding Buffalo center: Purusottama may be sent, but the planning of Rupanuga to go to Washington D.C. may not be changed.
ACB

Tuesday, January 23, 1968

2004-01-23T04:21:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calilf.

My Dear Rupanuga,

Please accept my blessings. It is my desire that you may not change your present program for going to Washington. I have advised Brahmananda to send Purusottama to Buffalo.

In the meantime, I am also writing one letter to Mr. Goel; the copy of my recent speech on Krishna Consciousness I will send to him. Also, I am sending you one copy of said speech, and it may be published in Back to Godhead. I have also sent this speech to West Germany.

Find herewith enclosed copy of letter to Mr. Goel, and speech.

Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Monday, January 22, 1968

2004-01-22T04:59:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Hamsaduta,

Please accept my blessings. I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Jan. 16, 1968, and noted the contents with pleasure.

The idea of opening an asrama in the near future is certainly a wish of Krishna's. To develop our institution to its fullness, we require such an asrama without doubt. Child is the father of man, so the basic principle of any type of life is to instruct to the children from the very beginning. Krishna Consciousness. Children grow to be the topmost leaders of the human society. In the Bhagavatam it is said that the Brahmanas are the head of the social body, the Ksatriyas are the arms of the social body, the Vaisyas are the waist of the social body, and the Sudras are the legs of the social body.

The legs may be placed in a lower position than the head ephemerally, but actually the legs are as important as the head for maintaining the body as it is. It is not that the legs should not be taken care of and just the head should be cared for. But it is a fact that if there is not a head it is a dead body.

The modern civilization is a sort of a social body without a head, or actually it is a dead body. The body is dead since the very beginning of it's birth, and it is the spirit that keeps it moving. Therefore, spiritual enlightenment is the basic principle of civilization.

The modern civilization is lacking in that respect and there are so many disadvantages on account of this deficiency. So we have to grow children to become the head of the human society and there is great need for this. I pray Krishna that you may give a starting to such an asrama in full Krishna Consciousness. In the asrama there must be a grand temple as the deity of the asrama.

Another proposal is I want to form a sankirtana party in which two members will play mrdanga, eight will play the cymbals, two will play on tampura, and one harmonium, besides that there will be the leader of the party. This party will be so trained that exhibitions of our chanting and dancing along with distribution of prasadam will be performed on a stage and for this performance we will sell tickets to the public.

It will be known as a spiritual movement. Suppose if we begin it from New York and there is good response from the public, then our attempt will be successful prior to our traveling all over the world. We will earn money by stage exhibitions and attract attention of the elite public and move from one station to another.

A shorter type of this exhibition was held during our television show and the performance was very much appreciated. So I want to train such a party immediately. I do not know where such training will take place, but I want to do it immediately in my presence. So consult with Brahmananda and others about this proposal. Give me your return suggestions about this proposal.

I quite approve your plan for manufacturing Jagannathas and do some profit out of it for maintenance of our temple.

Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. I think you can save money for this Ashram as much as possible. The Ashram may be named as "ISKCON-Nagari" or New Vrindaban and a separate a.c may be opened in the Bank.

Monday, January 22, 1968

2004-01-22T04:50:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Satsvarupa,

Please accept my blessings. I have duly received back the tapes from San Francisco. Herewith please find another tape. I have received back the edited papers on Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Brahmananda & others cannot change the style. They want to see if there is any grammatical discrepancy.

I understand that sometimes you feel sex urges and frustration. In the material world sex urge is the binding force for material existence. A determined person tolerates such sex urges as one tolerates the itching sensation of eczema. If not one can satisfy the sex urge by legitimate marriage. Immoral sex life and spiritual advancement are incompatible proposition. Your full engagement in K.C. & constant chanting will save you from all inconveniences.

You have accepted me as father, so I have also accepted you as my dear and real son. Relationship of father & son on spiritual platform is real and eternal, on the material platform such relationship is ephemeral and temporary. Although I cannot give you anything as father, still I can pray to Krishna for your more & more advancement in K.C.

Your sincerity & service mood will always help you in advancing your genuine cause.

Hope you are well,

Your ever well wisher
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Monday, January 22, 1968

2004-01-22T04:04:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

My Dear Pradyumna,

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated January 20, 1968. Los Angeles is very pleasant with clear sky and plenty of sunshine.

Regarding diacritical markings, you may refer to the book First Lessons in Sanskrit Grammar and Reading by Judith Tyberg of the East-West Cultural Center published in 1964. Each letter should be transliterated in a careful manner so that one may be able to know the Devanagari character corresponding. Devanagari type characters will not be there in this new book we are preparing. Markings are as follows.

Here follows the Sanskrit alphabet and English equivalents as are found in Bhagavad-gita etc. [SANSKRIT CHARACTERS]

You may use the facilities available to you if there is no risk of making trouble. But so far as stealing is concerned, one should not steal except in the rarest circumstances. Moral principle is recommended in all scriptures as prerequisite for spiritual culture. If the conduct of the pure devotee crosses the lines of ordinary morality it is because he acts on the plane of Absolute Morality which is not known to the conditioned soul and cannot therefore be imitated. So generally we should be careful to observe good moral conduct.

Please clear any doubts you may have about what is to be done. You may begin work of transliterating as soon as possible.

Hope you are well.

Your Ever Well wisher
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Saturday, January 20, 1968

2004-01-20T04:42:00.000Z

Los Angeles, Calif.

Hari Bhaktanudas Sri Krishna Pandit
4092 Kuncha Dilwali Singh
Ajmary Gate, Delhi 6
INDIA

My Dear Sri Krishna Panditji,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 13, 1968. I have noted the contents carefully, and I thank you very much for you receiving my three disciples, Acyutananda, Ramanuja, and Hari Vilasa when they were in Delhi.

So far your coming here I think at the present moment it is impossible for the reason that the government of India will not allow anyone to go to foreign countries by spending Indian money. This time when I was coming back to the U.S. I had a great deal of trouble. Though when I went to the U.S. Consul General my visa was granted in 1.2 hours. The gentleman in charge was an Indian and as soon as he saw me he told me, "Swamiji, I'll give you your visa; simply wait here for half an hour." So it was Lord Krishna's Grace. My granting of the P-form was also delayed. My travelling agents had so many difficulties in getting my P-form. The form was sent to the chief controller in Bombay and returned after a month after several telephone conversations from Calcutta to Bombay. Then he sent instructions that if I had money from America I could go. So with great difficulty I had to convince him.

So even if I say that you are required for my service, which of course, will be a kind of luxury for me, and even if I ask Seth Jaydayl to pay for your passage, the exchange controller will not allow you to come. That is a fact. Now the only possibility of your coming is there if you can influence Dr. Zakir Hussein, convincing him that we are spreading a great cultural organization in the foreign countries, and he should allow us to take parties from India for Sankirtana in other countries. If you think you can see Dr. Zakir Hussein with our propaganda papers and if you think he will allow this cultural propagation, then there is a chance for your coming here.

India government has cultural dept. and it is learned that Indira Gandhi is interested in sending learned scholars to spread Indian culture in foreign countries. I am already doing this. It is accepted by the highest authority here in U.S., namely the Ambassador of India. If you can convince Dr. Zakir Hussein, he also knows me well. You can refer my name when you meet him, that I am the same man who presented him English Srimad-Bhagavatam, and he highly appreciated it. At that time, I requested him to give me facilities to go to foreign countries, and he promised to do his best. Now, somehow or other, I am here and ask him if he will allow SANKIRTANA party to come here.

I have got many friends in India who have got money to pay the expense for coming. So if your acquaintance with Dr. Zakir Hussein can help you in getting a SANKIRTANA party to come here, then two strokes will be accomplished at once. I shall be glad to know the result of your attempt. There is government cultural dept. for this; it is simply a matter of convincing him.

On hearing from you I shall be glad to give further instructions in the connection.

Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Tuesday, July 16, 1968

2004-07-16T06:00:00.000+01:00

Montreal, Quebec

My Dear Gurudasa,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your letter (undated), and I am so glad to see the photo album sent by you.

But I have not received any newspaper clippings regarding the procession--neither I have received the 2 slides which you mentioned in your letter under reply. (you mentioned 2 slides, one of Lord Jagannatha and one of the car) You write to say that there was one article in the San Francisco Examiner on July 1, 1968, but I have received none till now. Please try to send one copy as soon as possible.

You will know about my plan about London-yatra from the letter which I am addressing today of the Rathayatra festival. I understand that Mukunda and Janaki are now living with you, but I have not received any letter from them. Anyway, I understand that Mukunda is leading now a nice Kirtana party in the streets, and there is good response.

The time is fast approaching when we will have to perform such public Kirtana in all the important cities of the world. Here also, in the Expo, they have performed Kirtana. for two days, and it is wonderfully successful.

Your appreciation of the Rathayatra festival and realizing the beauty of Kirtana and Jagannatha as well as the magnanimity of Lord Caitanya in His sublime teachings, are some of the wonderful things that I mark in your progressively advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Please try to continue this attitude and you will be more and more happy in your life, and at the end, get entrance into the association of Krishna.

Chant Hare Krishna, both husband and wife, regularly, and worship Lord Krishna's Sri Murti, as you are doing, and try to elevate others in Krishna Consciousness, which has nothing to do with academic education; I therefore wish that instead of wasting your time for 2 or 3 years for taking a degree, you may increase your scope of activities for recruiting such boys and training them in Krishna Consciousness.

But if your state laws do not allow it to hold any class without such degree then you must get such degree. On the whole you have got a very nice engagement for training children in Krishna Consciousness. And I think you are very fit for it.

I am sure if you endeavor in this line of service, Krishna will be very much pleased and will shower His blessing more and more. You are very nice girl and I have got full faith in you and I wish that you can develop this line of service to the society.

If possible, please send me the address of Prasad; I want to write him one letter.

Hope you are both well.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

May 5, 1968

2004-05-05T01:54:00.000+01:00

Boston, Mass.

[Excerpt from an address given at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology]

There is a nice story. You'll appreciate it. In India, especially in Bengal, there are many rivers. The land is full of rivers. Because it is on the bank of the Bay of Bengal, all rivers are falling. Therefore Bengal, the land of, especially the east Bengal, is full of rivers. One student of technology was going home, and he was on the boat.

So the student was asking the boatman, "Do you know what are the stars?" The boatman said, "Sir, we are ordinary boatman. What do we know about these stars?" "Oh. Then your fifty percent of life is wasted, useless." Then he was asking, "Do you know what are these trees? Do you know any science of botany?" He said, "Sir, we are ordinary laborer. What do we know about botany?"

"Oh. Then seventy-five percent of your life is useless." In this way the student of technology was asking the boatman, "Do you know this? Do you know that?" And he said that "I am ordinary man. What do I know all these things?"

Then all of a sudden there was a black cloud, and there was storm, and the river began to be inflated, and the boatman said, "My dear sir, do you know swimming?" "Oh," he said, "no."

Then the boatman said, "Then your cent percent knowledge is spoiled. Now you have to go down to the river. Your life is finished." In this way they dropped in the river, and the technological student, because he did not know how to swim, so the storm and the waves grabbed him.

The idea is that we are making progress, certainly, in technology, in economics, in so many other departments of human necessities. But Bhagavad-gita says that real problem of this world, or real problem of our life, it is said in the Bhagavad-gita,

janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-
duhkha-dosanudarsanam

If you are intelligent enough, then you should see the real problem is birth, death, old age and disease.

- A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami