720423 - Letter to Giriraja written from Tokyo

Letters by Date, 1972

Tridandi Goswami A.C. Bhaktivedante Swami

Date: April 23, 1972
Camp: ISKCON Tokyo,3211 Minami Asakawa-cho, Hachioji-shi 193
Tokyo, JAPAN

My dear Giriraj,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 15, 1972 and I have noted the contents. This food distribution program is to be done very, very nicely as I have already written in my last letter. Generally people make a plea that why are there so many hungry and naked. So we invite all hungry and naked people to come to us and we will give them food and clothing and Krishna consciousness as well. This will attract the general public and there will never be any shortage of food-stuffs, so continue regularly. In Bombay there are many generous persons who like food distribution programs, and actually, our temple should be the via media for feeding the poor with food and spiritual knowledge. Our Bombay program should be based on giving Krishna consciousness through the English medium and distribution of prasadam without any discrimination. This will enhance our prestige and will accelerate our spiritual life as well. The temple program of arotik, kirtan, bhog offerings, discourses, etc. should continue. There should be no neglect of that program.
You can have the gardeners decorate the whole land with flowers and if possible some fruits also. Have a boundary fence so that everyone cannot enter it. So far your hired Brahmin cook, since we have our prasadam distribution program this may be necessary, but he must be clean, no smoking, and he must wear kunti beads. As far as possible he must follow our principles.
The temple foundation should be done first. There are many engineers in Calcutta who can give us free service, and if some of them can be brought at our expense to see to the supervision, that will be nice. Everything must be done very cautiously. For clearing the debt of Mr. Nair, he has to be paid three lakhs per year. That means if you make one member daily, that will be 3,60,000 per year. So you should make one member for clearing his debt, and one member for construction. This should be the calculation. Our latest edition of Krsna book is very handy and just like an ordinary story book. It can be distributed to every student and gentleman, and to all the English-speaking public. Our men can be engaged for this purpose. You can make one advertisement that can read like this:
"Read KRSNA, the Supreme Personality of Godhead"
Available in all bookstores
3 Volumes - Rs. 15
So far funds from USA, if need be we shall help. The program should be that you take from the USA as much money as you want in the shape of books, and the whole amount can be engaged in building and construction work. For example, Krsna books cost 75 cents for 3 copies, so if USA has sent you the books at cost price, you can make profit by selling at $2. That is $1.25 profit per set, and you haven't got to pay back even the cost. This arrangement will be nice, otherwise in case of emergency, the other arrangement can also be adopted. If we get our plans sanctioned, automatically we will get customers for our flats. But we must get all these occupants as devotees, and you can consult with Indira regarding this matter. There are many devotees who are prepared to accept. The two Parsi sisters should be allowed to come and go as they like, and they should try to understand our procedure, follow the principles, and they are welcome. There are many Parsis in Bombay who are willing to come, and it only takes some organizing in the matter. Mahamsa can help you in this way. Regarding money from USA you can correspond with Karandhar. I cannot understand why our magazines were lying at the docks for three months. Is it that nobody took the time to clear them or what?
Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Sriman Giriraj das Brahmacary
ISKCON Bombay

ACBS/nkd

Sriman Giriraj das Brahmacary
Hare Krishna (Camp) Land
Gandhi Gram Road (opposite Ram Mandir)
Juhu Bombay-54

Tridandi Goswami
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
3211 Miami [unclear]
Hanchio ji-shi 193
Tokyo JAPAN