721203 - Letter to Ekayani written from Ahmedabad

Letters by Date, 1972

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Founder-Acharya:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
CENTER: c/o Elite Apartments,
A-2 2nd Floor,
Shahibag, Ahmedabad,
Gujarat, India
DATE ...........December..3,...........1972.

My dear Ekayani,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 1, 1972, and I have noted the contents with great concern. I do not know why these things inventions are going on. That is our only business, to invent something new programme? We have already got our Vaisnava standard. That is sufficient for Madhvacarya, Ramanujacarya, it was sufficient for Lord Chaitanya, six Gosvamis, for Bhaktivinode Thakur, for my Guru Maharaj Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, for me, for all big big saints and acaryas in our line--why it shall be inadequate for my disciples so they must manufacture something? That is not possible. Who has introduced these things, that women cannot have chanting japa in the temple, they cannot perform the arotik and so many things? If they become agitated, then let the brahmacharies go to the forest, I have never introduced these things. The brahmacharies cannot remain in the presence of women in the temple, then they may go to the forest, not remaining in New York City, because in New York there are so many women, so how they can avoid seeing? Best thing is to go to the forest for not seeing any women, if they become so easily agitated, but then no one will either see them and how our preaching work will go on?
They should not simply, husband and wife, live in the room together in the temple, otherwise there is no restriction. How it can be? It is not possible.
Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
cc: Bali Mardan Goswami [handwritten]
Ekayani devi dasi
443 Hicks Street, Apt. 36-G,
Brooklyn, New York,
U.S.A. 11231.

ACBS/sda