690208 - Letter to Hrsikesa written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1969

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

February 08, 1969

My Dear Hrsikesa,

Please accept my blessings. I was very much pleased to receive your letter of 3 February, 1969, and I have carefully noted all of the contents. Regarding the insurance money, if you are able to use it immediately, without waiting for two years, it will be a great boon. The best use of this money is for the constructing of so many living quarters in New Vrindaban. There are so many schemes pending in New Vrindaban, such as press, school, etc., and as soon as there is adequate accommodation facilities, we can at once begin work very fruitfully. So if you can immediately engage this $2600 in these plans it will be very much helpful. I have received one letter from Nara Narayana, and he has already drawn up the plans for the various buildings which are required to be constructed in New Vrindaban. Now as soon as the proper manpower and finances can be arranged, we can immediately start on this important task.

So far as your occasional agitation from the maya, the answer is very simple that one must either strictly control his senses, or else he must get himself married. If one is strong enough in Krishna Consciousness, then there is no reason to become grhastha, but if one is still disturbed by sex-desire, then marriage is the only other possibility. But if one is still brahmacari, then he must be sure to follow all of the rules and regulations very strictly. There is no place in spiritual life for cheating in this matter. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has never criticized a householder for having sex life for the purpose of bearing children. But when it came to Junior Hari das, who was posing as sannyasa but was still engaging in lustful thoughts, Lord Caitanya would not tolerate, and Junior Haridasa was banished from the association of the Lord. So this is very important that we remain very firm in our vow of brahmacari, or if this is very difficult, then householder life is the next satisfactory solution.

Regarding your idea of a Krishna Conscious book of many of our prayers, this is a nice idea, and very soon Dinesh will have many prayers which he has been tape recording written out in English transliterations. I am advising him to send these to you when it is available.

I have seen the plan for the cottage which was sent along with your letter. It is very nice, but so far as I can understand, it will only accommodate for one person. If you like, this house may be constructed, but I think the immediate necessity is to construct buildings to accommodate the many people who may soon come to New Vrindaban to work there.

So I thank you again for your nice letter. Please convey my blessings to the others there with you. I hope this will meet you in very good health and cheerful mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami