690113 - Letter to Madhavi Lata written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1969

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

January 13, 1969

My Dear Madhavi Lata,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your recent letter (undated) and I have noted the contents.

You have tried to explain the reasons for your recent traveling excursions, but there is no need to explain; the reason is that you are restless. I wanted you to concentrate your mind on painting and utilizing your talents for Krishna's service, but you do not hear me. Any place that you want to live, that is all right, but why don't you use your talents? That you cannot do, and it is your misfortune. Here are listed some suggestions for you to begin making beautiful paintings with. If you can prosecute all five of these suggestions without wasting your valuable time it will be very satisfactory.

1. Pregnant Devaki is sitting in a palace room and some glaring effulgence is coming out of her body. Almost near the ceiling of the room, the demigods are surrounding her and praying for the Appearance of Lord Krishna. Some of the demigods are throwing flowers upon her.

2. Devaki is sitting in a different palace room and Visnu, with His four hands (conch, club, wheel, lotus), in yellow dress appeared before here. In this scene, Devaki and Vasudeva are bowing down to Lord Visnu and praying.

3. Krishna is lying happily on the lap of Devaki just like He is an ordinary child.

4. Setting the scene: Vasudeva saw that all of the doors were opened and that the gate-keepers were asleep, so he went outside of the house and came to the bank of the Yamuna. He saw that the river was inflated with rainy season water and he thought, "How shall I cross?" Then he saw a jackal crossing the river and Vasudeva realized that the river was shallow and only up to his ankles. So Vasudeva, holding Little Krishna in his arms, follows the jackal across the Yamuna River. This night scene of walking across the river and following the jackal is the fourth picture.

5. Across the Yamuna River, Vasudeva came upon the house of Nanda Maharaja, where Yasoda was lying asleep with her little girl baby. The fifth picture is of Vasudeva exchanging babies with the sleeping Yasoda.

So when I return to New York, probably sometimes in April, I will be pleased to see these pictures nicely painted. When you have finished with this assignment, please inform me so that I may assign you further. Hope that this finds you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami