Second 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 Sept. 28, 1966.
TRUSTEES: (P.S. They are all my disciples and all their names are now Vaiṣṇava names.)
Larry Bogart;
James S. Greene;
Carl Yeargans;
Raphael Balsam;
Robert Leftkowitz;
Raymond Marais;
Stanley Moskowitz;
Michael Grant;
Harvey Cohen;

Śrīpād Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja,

I received your letter, dated 20.9.66 on time. Our relationship is certainly based on spontaneous love. That is why there is no chance of us forgetting one another. By the mercy of Guru and Gaurāṅga may everything be auspicious for you. This is my constant prayer. From the first time I saw you I have been your constant well-wisher. At his first sight of me Śrīla Prabhupāda also saw me with such love. It was in my very first darśana of Śrīla Prabhupāda that I learned how to love. It is his boundless mercy that he has engaged an unworthy person like me, in fulfilling some of his desires. It is his causeless mercy to engage me in preaching the message of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha.

The preaching work is going very well here. I sent a copy of my description of this along with the letter. You may try to print it if you can, and you can copy it and give this news to different newspapers. Here the government is very cautious about preaching any other religion except Christianity. Therefore I am ordered to leave after staying for only one year. I am also ready to return, but my disciples do not want me to go. They are arranging to file a suit against this order of the government. Five hundred dollars will be spent, about Rs 4000/-. They are prepared to spend that much money. The above mentioned American gentlemen will hold a meeting tonight, and within twenty-four hours they will arrange a lawyer to be paid. So it seems I have to stay here longer, to fulfill the desire of Śrīla Prabhupāda. Even though they keep me in all kinds of comfort and convenience, still my mind is anxious to return to Vṛndāvana, and I am enthusiastic to see you all.

I am sending the description of the preaching along with this letter. One check for Rs 1500/-is also included. In the price list that you have given, the total comes to Rs 1544/-, but by mistake you have written Rs 1080/-. Anyway, I shall adjust more or less and send it to you later. Everything needs to be packed properly and sent to Calcutta or Cochin. Where to send, I shall write to you in the next letter.

My room is locked in Delhi. If you or any of your faithful preachers want to preach in Delhi, let me know. If you want to work in Delhi, you can use that room and preach. If you continue going to Delhi, then my publication work can be taken care of, under your observation. You wrote to me, “You can engage me in any preaching work in India according to by ability. I shall always be ready to do so.” So I can preach wholeheartedly by your good wishes.

Here, fifteen educated boys have accepted discipleship from me. They have given up wine, meat, intoxication, marijuana, tea, coffee, eggs etc., and are honoring kṛṣṇa-prasāda given by me every day. They never knew how to take dahl, capātī, rice, milk, and fruits, but now by eating such prasāda, they are quite happy and are always attentively doing their service. Therefore, when these young boys are fully ready, vast preaching will take place in these Western countries through them. I always remind them that I am old. “At any time I may have to say namaskāra to Yamarāja , so you all try to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy properly.” I think that they are trying to take this up properly.

Otherwise, why would they spend Rs. 4000/-to Rs 5000/-to file a suit to try to keep me here? Anyway, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and your good wishes and blessings, I feel no inconvenience. My health is also good. My only concern is that due to my absence from India my printing work is held up. Regarding this, if you can supervise a little, then I will have no worry. In Delhi, I have a householder disciple and there are also one or two others, but they have no experience with printing. If you can supervise, then Śrīman Candraśekhara and his son Candra Mohana will help you. I have a proper press, a supply of papers, and an arrangement with the officials, but no one to look after it. Let me know your opinion as soon as you receive my letter. There is a press in Mathurā, but it is not as convenient as Delhi.

The books could be printed in America. The final printing is very good, but very expensive. It is also difficult to bring money from India, so the printing has to be done there. There is no doubt about it. What you have heard about the temple is true. Sir Padampat from Kānpura is ready to spend as much as required to make a Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple in New York. But it was not possible for the currency exchange with the government of India. Half of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatams I brought with me are distributed.

Here, the high-ranking people consider Bhagavān’s devotees to be insane. In the beginning I tried to associate with them. I became acquainted with the secretary of the governor and others; but seeing their demoniac nature I have focused my attention on the middle class–especially toward young and educated. Here the young educated sampradāya are disgusted with Western civilization. They are being ruined by taking marijuana and associating with women. The government does not care for them. They are sent to the Vietnam War by force. The political situation here is not good. This means that their future is not very bright. Because of this condition, Śrīman Mahāprabhu has come to this country. I am trying to give them the dust of His lotus feet and those who are accepting are feeling joy.

They are accepting me with love, thinking that I can give them life. You will come to know all this news in the Joint Report. A crosscheck is being sent. It will not be difficult to cash it if you have a bank account. Otherwise you can collect money with the help of Bon Mahārāja or other friends. Please reply to me as soon as you receive my letter.

Nivedana
(I offer myself to you)

श्री भक्तिवेदान्त स्wआमी

Śrī Bhaktivedānta Swāmī