730214 - Letter to Rupanuga written from Sydney

Letters by Date, 1973

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Founder-Acharya:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
CENTER: ISKCON Sydney

DATE .....14th..of..February,.......1973....

My Dear Rupanuga,
Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated 31/1/73. After conferring with my various GBC representatives I have concluded that polygamy must be strictly prohibited in our society. Although it is a Vedic institution still there are so many legal implications. Neither are many of our men fixed up enough to tend for more than one wife. Polygamy will simply increase the sex life and our philosophy is to gradually decrease the sex life till eventually there is no sex life. The policy should be that all the women are given the utmost protection. Women are looking for husbands because they feel unprotected so it is up to the senior members to give all protection to the women.

Regarding our samkirtan party members dressing up as hippies in order to increase book distribution this is not a very good plan. I am instructing Bali Mardan Maharaj that this should be stopped, that we should not give anyone cause to call us hippies, but the devotees can dress up in respectable clothes like ladies and gentlemen in order to distribute my literatures under special circumstances, but even this program should not become widespread. It should only go on under the supervision of Bali Mardan Goswami and Karandhar das.

Wherever there are individuals there is bound to be difference of opinion. Therefore for this purpose I have formulated the GBC. Therefore any new programs or proposals or discrepancies should be submitted before the Governing Board Commission and then their conclusion should be submitted to me for the final approval. In other words I am requesting you as my senior men not to tax my brain with so many details but simply come to a conclusion amongst yourselves and then present this final conclusion for my sanction. In this way I will be free to concentrate on my translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

I have the information of a few cases of illicit sex in our society but this is not an overall thing. And whether it is or not, the only cure is Hari Nama. You simply be engaged in chanting all day and serving Krishna and any time there is no service, simply chant Hare Krishna. Then there is no chance for illicit sex.

As far as studying my books is concerned, I have already given the order. One hour in the morning class and one hour in the evening and if there is extra time during the day it may be used for studying but we cannot expect everyone to be studious. If someone has desired to distribute books all day he may do this, but he must always follow the principles of rising early, chanting 16 rounds, etc. Just as some rich men have no inclination for studying, but still he opens many schools for others to study at. Like this, all of my students may not be inclined to study but they are very much eager to give others the opportunity to read my books and this should not be discouraged. All programs must go on but it is a fact that this book distribution program is very very important. It is real preaching work but I think this program for T.V. and radio is not so important. There are so many T.V. programs. Someone will see us on T.V. and then right after they will see some other nonsense and they will forget. Therefore it is better for them to read my books but I think your proposal for seriously organizing the college programs is first class. If this program is conducted in the proper fashion it can be our biggest book distribution outlet, I am convinced of this. You are advanced devotee and you should use your intelligence to convince the professors that they should use my books in the colleges. This will be the greatest service.

Regarding your question about taking Gour-Nitai Deities with you on travelling Kirtan, this is not so important. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touring India He did not bring His Deity with Him. But if you can make proper arrangement then you may take them, but if you say you have no Brahmins then I think for the time being you may postpone this program.

I will be returning to Calcutta from my preaching tour in Australasia by the 2nd. of March and therefore I am requesting that you come to Calcutta no later than this date in order to travel with me and be my secretary for one month. If there is any difficulty in this would you please write to me at Auckland, New Zealand for I will be arriving there on the 19th of February. I hope this finds you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. I am in due receipt of your most recent letter and I can see if the T.V. agrees to endorse our books and show them on T.V., this is a good program and it must be continued.