690612 - Letter to Syamasundara written from New Vrindaban, USA

Letters by Date, 1969

A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI

NEW VRINDABAN
RD 3
Moundsville, West Virginia 26041
June 12, 1969

My Dear Shyamsundar,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of June 5, 1969, and with great joy I understand that at last you have secured one nice house which can accommodate twenty or thirty people. I have immediately asked Trivikram das Brahmachary of Buffalo to go there, and he is sending Mukunda one telegram confirming this. I am also advising Bibhavati and Ishandas to go there. Next I shall try to find out some other brahmacharies to go there as you require immediately some men for your great endeavor. You write to say you are too much strained in various ways, but by your such activities, Krishna will be very much pleased. I think because Krishna is pleased, therefore you have got at last a very nice place. I was planning to go to Los Angeles because Tamal Krishna and others are insisting that I attend the Rathayatra Festival that they are performing very pompously in San Francisco. They have secured a wonderful hall at the beach where the festival will be held and the proprietor of the hall has donated the hall for one week's use. They have received promises from many persons contributing grains, fruits and flowers for holding huge prasadam distribution. It is understood that the hall has a kitchen with twenty burners, and it will easily accommodate 5,000 people. So I have not said anything to them yet unless I hear from you finally, but you may know that I am quite fit to go to London as soon as you can arrange for my arrival there.

Regarding Rathayatra Festival in London, it is my great desire that you must perform it. I hope you have already secured permission from Scotland Yard in this connection. You will be glad to know that Mr. John Lennon had an interview with Bibhavati, and a nice article was published in the Montreal Star in which it is understood that he also is interested in our Krishna Consciousness Movement. You have already spoken about George Harrison, about his leaning towards Krishna Consciousness, and I understand they are anxious for some peace movement in the world. So when I go there, and if these interested young men talk with me, I think something very important may come by our mutual cooperation. So in your next letter as indicated in your letter under reply, I shall expect your final word as to when you like me to start for London. Accordingly I shall make my plan, but your decision must be informed to me not later than the 25th of June.

Regarding the altar, the design which you have submitted is nice, but I wish to add that underneath the Jagannathas a throne of Radha-Krishna should be there. I am enclosing herewith a picture of the throne, and on the back side is my idea of an altar design.

I thank you again for your very encouraging letter. Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Please inform Mukunda that I have received his letter of the 7th June. [handwritten]