671013 - Letter to Damodara written from Calcutta

Letters by Date, 1967

Oct 13, 1967

My Dear Damodar,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of Oct. 9. I am very sorry to hear that Kirtanananda is advising you to give up the robes and the flags on the head. Please stop this nescience as I never instructed Kirtanananda to act like that. I am not at all satisfied with this action of Kirtanananda. Kirtanananda has no right to instruct you in that way, without consulting me. People are being attracted to the chanting of Hare Krishna & not to Kirtanananda's devices. Kirtanananda suggested to me when he was here that the Americans do not like the robes & flag. I told him personally if you think that Americans in great numbers will follow you, simply for not having robes & flag, I therefore adviced him to drop for a few days in London & test this theory. But he has gone directly to N.Y. & is now causing these disturbances without consulting me. I have not sanctioned these methods. In my opinion, Clean shaved Brahmacharies & Grhasthas in saffron robes look like angels from Baikunta. Translation of prayers into English is good & if somebody dresses like nice American gentleman without any robes, I have no objection; but every one of my disciples must have the flag & marks of tilak on forehead. This is essential. Besides that, nobody should do anything without my sanction.
I am very sorry to hear Kirtanananda, without doing anything practical, changes his ideas constantly. He was first man in our society to take the robes shave cleanly, & take flag & now he is changing his position. You have asked me to tell you whether you are right or carry one by the following the foolish advice of Kirtanananda, & I say straight that Kirtanananda is wrong and you are right when you say that the movement will come to nothing if I am not satisfied with your actions.
You have written to say that a devotee can do anything for Lord Krishna; this is right provided such action is sanctioned directly by Krishna or his Bon-a-fide representative. The idea of film making is very good & any propaganda medium can be utilized for Krishna Consciousness. In future if you get opportunity we can produce many films on life of Lord Chaitanya, scenes from Bhagavad Gita & Srimad Bhagawatam.
Your plan to remain in Boston till March and then start for N.Y. for film opportunities is quite approved by me. Thank you for your energetic enthusiasm. Hope you are well.
Your ever well-wisher

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Damodar das Adhikary
Hansadutta das Adhikary
Jadarani devi dasi
95, [unclear]
63-E.-Brooklyn-54
Boston [unclear] Mass.
U.S.A. 02118

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
c/o Madan Dutta
76 Durgacharan Doctor Rd
Calcutta, 14
INDIA