710104 - Letter to Hayagriva written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

January 04, 1971

Sriman Hayagriva Das Adhikary
ISKCON Temples
New Vrndavana
RD #3, Moundsville, WV 26041
U.S.A.

ISKCON - Akash-Ganga Building;
7th Floor; Warden Road; Bombay

My Dear Hayagriva,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter written jointly with Rupanuga Prabhu, dated 30th December, 1970, from Washington, D.C. I was very glad to learn that you have been cooperating all very nicely in the matter of overseeing the different centers which we have by the grace of Krsna established. It is most encouraging to know that you have found the standard of devotional service to be good. The new programs to spread up Lord Caitanya's message via the television, radio and newspaper is welcome. It is now the vogue to ventilate various topics for mass consumption via these media, so why not utilize them properly in Krsna's service? I am very much in favor of this program. Please try to develop this idea carefully.

Our touring program here in India is going on and I have just come from Allahabad where we attended the Ardha Kumbha Mela celebrations for three weeks. Our camp was very highly appreciated by all the big officials and they have said that ours was the most successful presentation. Even the members of many Mayavadi camps had to appreciate our movement's activities and they have joined our Kirtan also even though I strongly defeat all their arguments in daily lectures. One influential man of the Allahabad community has expressed it that "never before have we heard personalism so strongly preached." Now we are registered in India and we have got our tax exemption permit. Our address of Bombay ISKCON is given above. The building is in the most elite section of Bombay and the rent is Rs. 3,000 per month. I have been expecting some further words from you and Kirtanananda Maharaj also, but since I have been traveling, sometimes my mail is delayed for some time. I have received one letter from Rupanuga and his initial report from London is alright. I am depending upon my representatives, the GBC, to cooperate fully to maintain and improve the standard of our centers and increase the number as far as possible. We have got invitations from all over the world and one boy has beseeched us to come to Jerusalem where he wants to help us open a branch of ISKCON.

Regarding the proposal for distributing 5,00,000 "Back to Godhead" magazines monthly, I do not think that it is enough. I have already hinted to Rupanuga. Anyway, so far the initial down payment to Dai Nippon is concerned, you may certainly borrow the money from Sai's contribution, but first you must give a practical plan how you will repay the loan. Let me know the scheme for repaying the money borrowed from Sai's contribution and if it is alright then you may go ahead and order from Dai Nippon the larger quantity of magazines. That will be very nice.

I was very happy to see the picture of our new Pittsburg center. So everything is very encouraging. I expect to return to U.S.A. by the end of March.

By the benediction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and my Guru Maharaj this Movement has got very great potency for rectifying the troubled situation of the whole world. Let us work to the best of our capacity to fulfill this mission of the Lord and surely that will be the best for all concerned.

Please offer my blessings to your good wife and Vaisnava son. Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:ds