700116 - Letter to Yamuna written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1970

CENTER:1975 So La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, Cal. 90034

DATE January 16, 1970

My Dear Yamuna,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 12 January, 1970 and I have noted the contents.
I am so happy to know that the activities in London center are progressing with such great success. It is our desire that we shall always be engaged fully 24 hours in the service of Lord Krishna; in this way our lives will become perfectly joyful simply by singing and dancing and taking Prasadam. So if you carry on your service to Radha and Krishna according to the prescribed rules, your love of Krishna will increase more and more; this you are seeing practically by the Grace of Krishna.
So far colors that may be offered to the Deities, all colors may be utilized just suitable to your scheme. But black should not be used for the Deities dresses or for Temple decorations.
Krishna as He is appearing in our Temples is in the Kaisore age, and the dress which I have introduced is His dress of Kaisore age. In our Temples the Deities, Radha and Krishna are worshiped as Lakshmi-Narayan with all the opulences of Their Majestic Lordship in Dwarka. The worship of Radha-Krishna as They appear in Vrindavan is a very advanced stage, so we worship Them in the Temples as Lakshmi-Narayan. Actually there is no difference because Lakshmi-Narayan is directly the expansion of Radha-Krishna. We are following the prescribed method of Temple worship as it is the effective program for developing the highest perfection of pure love of Krishna.
If Prasadum is to be honored in the Temple room, the curtains may be drawn before the Deities while the devotees are taking Prasadum. The best arrangement is to honor Prasadum in a separate room for the purpose, if possible.
The aratik articles may be returned to the same places, especially the conch shell, but the deeps, lamps, should be set down from their places because they must be washed.
I am very glad to learn that the three girls from France are advancing nicely under your tutelage. Please continue to train them up to chant regularly and to always keep engaged in Krishna activities. As ideal householder girl, you are giving them the best example of Krishna conscious life. Please offer my blessings to them and to all the devotees.
Hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami