690702 - Letter to Mukunda written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1969

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

July 02, 1969

My Dear Mukunda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated June 28, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. You say that at present you cannot use instruments in the temple without soundproofing, but I do not know if this means you cannot use even mrdangas and karatala. I understand that soundproofing is very expensive enterprise, and do you have the money for this now? I think it is better if you wait until you are more established before you try for this expensive operation. If it is necessary, we shall go on without instruments. For the time being, you simply make the temple very nice with a nice altar and nice accommodations for living. Don't waste time and money on other projects.

Regarding Mataji Syamadevi, she cannot live there at any circumstance. The first thing is that she does not know English, so what help will she be? She cannot speak to an audience, neither she has any knowledge of Krishna Consciousness philosophy. So why she should live with us? We should utilize all of our facilities for our own men. Besides that, she has got her ideas of Hindu sentiment, and she cannot be used for international Krishna Consciousness. She is interested in Hindus only, and otherwise she is useless. If she will donate money or Murtis, that is welcome, but she cannot live in the temple. We require space for so many other purposes. So don't commit any word that she may live there. If in the future, some tangible arrangements of cooperation can be adjusted, then she may live there; but I do not think this is going to be.

Regarding Dinesh, I have already written to you yesterday about this. It is simply high-sounding words. There is no substance or practical program. So forget about Dinesh's hallucinations. He has no money, and he wants to take from others, and others wish to only sign papers. So it is a will-o'-the-wisp. Regarding the Beatles, if they chant the Hare Krishna Mantra, give them all facilities. Because if they make some Hare Krishna record, that will be widespread, and we want simply that the Hare Krishna Mantra may be very popular all over the world. We do not care for any profit out of it. We should not try to make a profit out of the Hare Krishna Mantra; then our spiritual enlightenment will be hampered. Our principle should be to beg contributions from others, and as far as possible not to try for any big bargains.

As I have already written to you, we should not try to become a very popular musical party. Music is one of our items for chanting, but we are not musicians. We should always remember this fact. The best example is that we take advantage of the typewriting machine, but that does not mean we are professional typists.

Please convey my blessings to the others also. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami