680220 - Letter to Brahmananda 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: Feb. 20, 1968

My Dear Brahmananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated Feb. 15, 1968. I can appreciate your advancement in Krishna Consciousness by the sentiments expressed by you. As I have repeatedly said, that Krishna Consciousness is developed by following two parallel lines, means service of Krishna, and service of the Spiritual Master. This is the secret of success. The Spiritual Master must be bonafide, that is, he must come down from a bonafide Spiritual Master and must act according to the directions of the Spiritual Master, and by doing so, he gives proper directions about Krishna and the devotees serve Krishna under the direction of such Spiritual Master, and Krishna accepts service, and in this way the whole thing becomes beautiful and successful. I am very much pleased that you are following the same principle and there is no doubt that you will develop more and more in the service of Krishna. I always pray to Krishna for your advancement, and what I can do more than this.

Regarding printing of the Teachings of Lord Chaitanya: Dai Nippon is a very big concern. In my last letter I requested you to refer to their past correspondence and in which you will find they quoted $5,400 for 5000 copies of 400 pages. Now, this time the pages are only 230, and why they should charge so much as $5,400. There must be [handwritten] that there is something missing. So if you consult them, or ask them to consult their past files, they may reconsider. My idea is that their being a big company, their workmanship will be surely nicer than any smaller company. Of course, the last issue of Back To Godhead was very nicely done, there is not doubt about it, but if the Dai Nippon Co. comes to $5000, that will be very nice. Best thing will be therefore to consult the past correspondence, and if you find same thing as I said, $5,400 for 5000 copies of 400 pages, other details being the same, then they can come down to their original price. But if you do not find such opportunity, then you can hand it over to the printer Mr. Kallman has suggested.

Regarding Srimad Bhagwatam printing: It has already begun in India, and they have sent a specimen which I am enclosing herewith, please find. The $5000 donated to me by Jayananda will be used for printing in India. So I don't think in America anyone can print cheaper than India. But if you think Bhagwatam can be printed in America, which I have tried for the past 2 or 3 years and did not get opportunity, so I decided to print in India, so it is already begun. I thank you very much, now you are very serious about printing of books, so Krishna willing, we shall have this year at least 5 to 6 books printed. One volume Bhagavad Gita, 3 vol. Srimad Bhagwatam, 1 vol. TLC, 1 vol. Transcendental Meditation, and maybe 1 vol. of Brahma Samhita. Please do not forget to add Thakur Bhaktivinode's writing, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in the TLC. I think you are already in knowledge of this proposal.

The Bhagwatam printing which is taking place in India will be almost of the same style and quality of the 3 volumes already printed. My special mission is to complete the Srimad Bhagwatam in 60 volumes, so the most important thing on the part of the International Society is to organize the sales propaganda, of all the books that you are publishing. If there is less sales propaganda then the outlet of the books will be bottle-necked, and smooth printing work will stop. You have not only to print, but you have to sell them. So please consult Mr. Kallman how to do it. In your previous letter it was informed that some firm, European, is going to take the sole selling responsibility for Europe. What happened to that proposal? We must find out some selling agent.

Regarding Krishna's being very kind upon us, should be on the principle as Arjuna followed: the principle is, that Krishna was Arjuna's most intimate friend. He could have brought victory to Arjuna, without any endeavor by Arjuna; neither was that principle advised by Krishna, neither Arjuna followed it. As a military man, Arjuna fought to his best, but the victory was brought him by Krishna. Similarly, we should try our best to our best capacity, and victory will come from Krishna. We should never sit idly and ask Krishna to do everything. That is the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita. It is clearly said in the Gita: "Yuddhasya ca mam anusmara". So ordinarily, we have to try our best to our best capacity to achieve something, and by Krishna's Grace, all of a sudden we shall see everything is there. This sort of help from Krishna is transcendental happiness. Our principle should be therefore, that we should work for the mission with great enthusiasm, with certainty for its success, and patiently follow the regulative principles, and associate ourselves with pure devotees, and work being completely in Krishna Consciousness, that will make us happy and successful.

I am glad that Krishna has sent $500 when you needed them very badly. It is all Krishna's Grace. Please take care of the boy very nicely. I have received one letter from him, and I am enclosing a personal thanks for the boy. Even Krishna is prepared to give us more, we should not accept anything from Him for our sense gratification; if anything is offered by Him, we should accept gladly for His service only; for our sense gratification or personal benefit, we shall not ever ask any favor from Krishna, although He is always willing to deliver such favor to anyone amongst His devotees. I am glad that the devotee has joined us who is a sculptor. I am trying to carve one Radha Krishna Sri Murti in wood, done by Gourasundar, but Gourasundar is not a sculptor, still he is trying to do it. But if this boy is actually a sculptor, he may immediately begin to carve one Radha Krishna Sri Murti in wood, 24" high. In San Francisco, Syamasundar is preparing a nice throne, and in future we have to install Radha Krishna Sri Murti in all our temples. Regarding cracking of Jagannath, whether it is being repaired or replaced, I shall be glad to know.

The faith increases in Krishna Consciousness by our voluntary increase of serving Krishna. Serving Krishna is unlimited and he can accept our unlimited service, and award us unlimited transcendental pleasure in the unlimited service of the Lord. That is the meaning of unlimited.

Yes, you can arrange as many lectures as is possible. The buzzing sound and the headaches has nothing to do with my activities or Krishna Consciousness, it is no more so acute and I have consulted my Indian physician, and it is no more such puzzling. I shall consult an American physician here also probably.* Yes, ask Bob to arrange lectures at a University and I shall deliver. Yes, we can go to Boston as you suggested and also to talk at the Vermont University. Ask Mr. Kallman to give us his nice car.

Hope you are feeling well.

Your ever well-wisher,

26 Second Avenue
New York, N.Y.

I have done it just this afternoon. His opinion is there is nothing wrong in my general health. He will test my sugar blood tomorrow.[handwritten]