Third Letter

Note: [For the complete published letters, read the book Letters From America published (CCBY-ND) by Gaudiya Vedanta Publications.]

“Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga Jayatho”

By Air Mail Registered Post

International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Inc.
TWENTY-SIX SECOND AVENUE, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10003
TELEPHONE: 674-7428
ACARYA: Swāmī A.C. Bhaktivedānta April 14, 1967.
TRUSTEES:

Larry Bogart
Raphael Balsam
Stanley Moskowitz
James S. Greene
Robert Leftkowitz
Michael Grant
Carl Yeargans
Raymond Marais
Harvey Cohen

Śrīpād Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja,

Accept my dāṇḍavats. I received your and Vinoda Kumāra’s letters together on 6.4.67 on time. I read the letters the day before yesterday, and on 12.4.67 I have sent you three hundred dollars in rupees. Let me know as soon as you receive the money. I am sending you my Delhi and Vṛndāvana room keys, and some other keys along with my letter. I still did not receive any letter from Trivikrama Mahārāja.

You had deposited Rs 1500 in my Vṛndāvana account. I sent a check of Rs 200 to the Vṛndāvana bank. If Trivikrama Mahārāja finds it difficult to cash the check, tell him to write on the back of the check, “pay to B.V. Nārāyaṇa,” and you can cash it. If he had returned the check to me, I would have cashed it and sent it back to him. Anyway, if he has not cashed the check, you take it and cash it. I have some money in Vṛndāvana, which I have not spent. Therefore the total is Rs 2250/-and there is Rs 200 to be deposited.

Spend the money as follows:

1 harmonium (A) according to description Rs 350/-
1 harmonium (C) Rs 500/-
1 sitar (A) Rs 250/-
1 sitar (B) Rs 250/-
                 Rs 1375
1 tanpura (A) Rs 200/-
1 tanpura (B) Rs 250/-
2 mṛdaṅgas (the body should be made of tin Rs 150/according to Trivikrama Mahārāja’s description) Rs 1975/-
10 pairs of good Navadvīpa karatālas Rs 100/-
                     Rs 2075/-
Total Rs 2450/-
Balance Rs 375/-

There is no need to purchase any warm clothes for Vinoda Kumāra. Here I have about four or five overcoats and warm chadars etc. There is no need to bring any bedding while traveling by ship. First of all, it is summer. Secondly, they will provide blankets, bedding and everything on the ship.

The brahmacārīs and I use very simple clothes here. I am sending you a photograph to show how I live here. I am making the Americans wear brahmacārī robes, and shave up. If a brahmacārī from India dresses as an American he will not be appreciated. So tell Vinoda Kumāra to come as a brahmacārī. There are enough overcoats and warm clothes here. If it is necessary, buy him one good blanket and one pair of shoes (not made of leather). That means do not spend more that Rs 100/-on him, including the journey to Calcutta. So out of Rs 375/-, if Rs 100/-is spent for Vinoda Kumāra, Rs 275/-remains.

Pack everything in Delhi and send it by goods train to Howrah station to my United Shipping Corporation agent (freight paid R/R). Register in the address of registered letter M/S United Shipping Corporation 14/2, Old China Bazaar St, Room No. 18, Calcutta.

Spend as you need for your transport to Delhi and for your two to four day stay there. Pack all books after making a list, and get 11 steel trunks packed. It means closing the box, locking it, stitching sacks around it and locking it with iron straps.

On the top of each package write A. C. Bhaktivedānta, New York (via Howrah). Send a copy of all goods to the shipping agent R/R. Send one copy to me along with R/R. If Rs 275 is not enough to send these goods then do not buy the karatālas. Then Rs 100/-more remains. In this way if everything is done under your supervision I shall be very glad. I hope you will ever oblige me by helping in this way.

Kindly send me my mṛdaṅga and karatālas that are in Vṛndāvana. The key that is left in Vṛndāvana is the key to the kitchen. After you open the door of the room you will find a big key on the right side of the wall shelf. Open the door of my sitting room with that key. My mṛdaṅga and karatālas are in that room. There are karatālas in the kitchen also. Please get the room cleaned by Sorojini and give her one rupee. The bank is supposed to pay Rs 5/-to the Gosvāmī per month, but the Gosvāmī never wrote me a letter. Try to find out if he receives the money and make me happy by writing me as soon as you receive this letter.

क्र्पा पर्थि
(इ wअन्त् योउर् मेर्च्य्)
श्री भक्तिवेदान्त स्wआमी

Krpā parthi
(I want your mercy)
Śrī Bhaktivedānta Swāmī

PS. If it is possible send me tilaka and agarbathi.