690816 - Letter to Damodara written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1969

Tridandi Goswami

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Founder-Acharya:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
CENTER:
1975 So. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, Cal. 90034

DATE.....August..16th,............1969

My Dear Damodara,

Please accept my blessings. I am very much thankful to you for your letter dated August 14th, 1969, and it is very encouraging. The Samkirtan Movement is the panacea for all problems of the world. The people are suffering on account of illusory happiness of this material world, and we have got great responsibility to enlighten them with Krishna Consciousness. I understand that you are considering to invite President Nixon in our temple, and if you are serious about it and if there is hint that President Nixon may visit our temple, then I can postpone my journey to Europe for the time being. I shall be so glad to receive President Nixon in our temple, and this will be a great incident. In the Bhagavad Gita it is stated yad yad acarati sresthas tat tat evetaro janah (BG 3.21). The thing is that people generally follow their leaders. So if one leader is convinced about the importance of this movement, many others will follow. So if actually you invite President Nixon, it will be a great forward step in our movement. If the President comes, then we can invite many other important men, and they will also come, as well as the press representatives will come. So there will be a great assembly, and if we can convince them even a very little of our transcendental movement, it will be a great stride. So if possible, try for this arrangement seriously, and pray to Krishna. He will help you. Please keep me informed of your activities in this connection. On the whole I am so much pleased that you have opened a branch in Washington, which is the center of all elites.

I very much appreciate the nice sentiments you have expressed, and Krishna is available only through service. We cannot demand from Krishna to know about Him. When you actually learn to serve Him, He reveals Himself. That is the process. And the success of life is simply by pleasing Him. That is the version of all Vedic literature. Knowledge means to know Him, and success means to please Him. And how He is pleased, that can be known through the transparent medium of His confidential servant. This is the process of understanding Krishna Consciousness. I was very much anxious to hear from you, and this letter is encouraging. Similarly, Hansaduta and Himavati are trying in Berkeley, and although they have not found as yet any temple, their work is going on nicely. Please offer my blessings to Madhusudan, Dinesh and Krishna Devi. I hope this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,