680212 - Letter to Bhaktijana written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1968

Tridandi Goswami
AC Bhaktivedanta Swami
Acharya: International Society For Krishna Consciousness

CAMP: ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple
5364 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, Cal. 90019

DATED .....February..12,................1968..

My Dear BhaktiJan,

Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated Feb. 10, 1968, and have noted the contents. The strong hand of Maya is insurmountable as it is stated in the Bhagavad Gita. But if one sticks to Krishna Consciousness with firmness, then he can easily surmount. My instructions I have already given to you, how to chant the beads, and how to protect yourself from the offences. I shall advise you again to chant always, increasing the counting, namely, 16 rounds is generally prescribed, but for the time being you can stop all other activities and increase the chanting to 64 rounds. Follow the rules and regulations strictly. If you want sex life, you are at liberty to get yourself married. But don't have illicit sex with some Maya's representative. That won't help you in your spiritual advancement. We don't forbid sex life, but we cannot allow illicit sex. For a young man it is very difficult to check sex desire, therefore best thing is for him to get himself married, and live like a responsible gentleman. Irresponsible man cannot make progress materially, or spiritually. You're intelligent young man, you can understand things as we say, and you follow and you will be benefited. Mistakes we may commit because it is not out of human activity, but at the same time, we must use our good consciousness how to achieve the goal of our life, Krishna. Please stick to this chanting process, sincerely, without any offence, and everything will be all right with you. Thanking you once more for remembering me. Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

BhaktiJan Brahmachary
ISKCON
26 Second Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10003

P.S. Please try to assist Brahmananda till my arrival in New York in April 1968. When I shall meet you I shall give you a specific duty and I hope you will be happy to discharge it. [handwritten]