700416 - Letter to Yamuna and Gurudasa written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1970

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Founder-Acharya:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
CENTER: 3764 Watseka Avenue
Los Angeles, Cal. 90034

DATE .....16th.April................19.70

My Dear Yamuna, and Gurudas,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11th April, 1970.
You were very much anxious to worship Radha Krsna Deity and you took one pair from Mataji. At that time I advised you to wait. Now when [handwritten] the pair of Deities were taken by Mataji again and you were little bit sorry, but Krsna is so kind upon you that He has come to you again in a better position and now you can engage yourself in His service heart and soul.
Both mongal aratrik and sundar aratrik can be changed according with sunrise and sunset. We are not concerned with the time, but with the sun's movement. Sundar aratrik may be performed one half to one hour after sunset. So the decoration of the temple room and offering Bhoga to the Deities should be done as nicely as possible as it is within our capacity. This is the sign of love. So I am confident of your love for Krsna and do everything nicely for His pleasure. Whenever it is necessary you are quite at liberty to ask me for direction.
These classes of Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam as you are now holding must be continued very rigidly. About holding Sanskrit classes, the special stress should be given to chanting the mantras in our books. I have given specific instructions in this connection to your husband, and if Sanskrit class is to be held, it should be mainly for this purpose. We should simply expend our time for development of Krishna Consciousness. To become a scholar of Sanskrit is not our business. You say that 15 to 40 students are attending. Are they outsiders? My point is anyone who will attend the Sanskrit class must be interested for chanting the mantras (in our books Isopanisad, Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam) and not for any other purpose. And before and after the class there must be Mahamantra chanting.
I am arranging how the Gayatri mantra should be given to the advanced students. You can simply let me know how many of our students are fit for this purpose. Unless one is strictly following the first initiation process and following the regulative principles, one should not be recommended for the Gayatri mantra.
Yes, I agree with your point, unless we have fixed up our preaching work in London very nicely, we should not attempt for going a long distance outside London. Regarding the prospected opening of a temple in Amsterdam very soon, do it, that is my desire. Also, I have already informed Tamal about these things.
It is very encouraging that you are receiving 10 to 30 letters of inquiry and they should be properly replied. Who is doing this work? This is very important business to enlighten so many people when there are so many inquiries. All informative literature should be supplied to them and request them to read our publications especially BTG. One xerox copy of such letter was sent to me by Gurudas and I have replied the same, the copy of which is sent herewith. I think this copy will help you in answering similar other letters.
I have already instructed Gurudas about the couples staying at George's place. Please see to it.
Hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:db

Encl. 1

Srimati Yamunadevi Dasi
ISKCON Temple
7 Bury Place
London, W.C. 1
England