741201 - Letter to Hansadutta written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1974

Hare krishna Land, Gandhi Gram Road

Juhu, Bombay 400 054 India
1/12 74

Sriman Hansadutta das Adhikary
ISKCON
6241 Schloss Rettershof
uber konigsstein/ Taunus
West Germany

My Dear Hansadutta das:
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 21, 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding introducing the records in USA, yes, why not, but do not minimize the book selling. Better if a different party is engaged in record selling, so that the book selling may not be affected. Both book selling and record selling are good, but book selling is better and permanent. Record selling is temporary. It is very encouraging that you plan to publish one volume per month of Srimad-Bhagwatam.
Regarding selling the books in Germany, if you want to hire people to sell books, yes, why not? It is due to the scarcity of men. So German people are not coming to join this movement? So far I have seen your German devotees, they are very enthusiastic and steady workers. So if you get some good souls to join, then there will be no difficulty for selling the books. So it doesn't matter if we are selling more or less, so far the publications are there. We may sell or not, but the books must be there.
The present Das Hare Krsna Kochbuch is very nicely printed, especially the picture of Krsna and His friends eating. It is very glorious. We wish to join His party, but it requires great tapasya. For many, many lives these boys performed tapasya to join His party and eating with Him. I see that you are charging the equivalent of Dollars 4.00. Yes, they must pay.
Regarding the interest of Miss Thakura, very good, that's nice. Keep friendship with her and introduce our books. Give her prasadam, and after all she is woman, flatter her. Then she will remain pleased, so keep her as friend.
Regarding the new proposal for a farm, yes arrange for it. So make it another like our New Vrindaban. You have already named it Goverdhan Hill. That's nice. If possible add Giri Goverdhan Hill. How far is it from the Frankfurt center? As you have recommended for initiation Lisa Reuter and Willy, I have accepted them as my disciples. Their names are Lekhasravanti devi dasi and Bimbasya dasa. Please see to it that they chant on their beads and follow the regulative principles carefully. You are authorized to chant on their beads.
I understand that the boy Jagannath dasa will join the editing party in Hawaii. Thank you very much. Regarding the loan to Stockholm, yes, that's nice. They must return it again.
Yes, we must invest our money in books and land, but no there will be collapse as you have anticipated. Everything will be adjusted by the grace of Krsna. From my own experience I have seen when first class rice was selling at 8np. per kg, and now that is being sold at Rs. 8. That means that it is 64 times higher, but still people are eating, and the man who lives in care of the footpath he is also eating. So the man in care of the foothpath, and the man on the 30th floor of the sky scraper, they are living

1/12/74
2...........Hansadutta

and still the inflation is going on. Man-made laws cannot work any rupture in Krsna's plan. Better let us remain now under Krsna's shelter fully dependent, and we shall remain unaffected by all the man-made difficulties.
So concentrate on publishing books as far as possible, and sell, and spend the money accordingly. In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated: sa gunam samatityaitan/ brahma-bhuyaya kalpate (BG 14.26) The devotee is transcendental to the material modes. On the whole I am very much pleased with your publishing extensively in the German language. It has given me great pleasure. One thing, for our books the words "Bhaktivedanta Book Trust" must appear on the spine of the jacket. Formally it was being done, and now it has been stopped. These things should always be there. I have seen it on the latest Bhagwatams.
Regarding the DM 5,000 transfer, yes that has been received and sent to Calcutta for Mayapur Prasadam Pavilion. So for transferring money we have opened new accounts so from New York money can be sent through First National City Bank to their Bombay Branch in favor of International Society for Krishna Consciousness Mayapur Vrindaban Fund A/c No. 17168; and from Los Angeles they can send through Bank of America to their Bombay Fort Branch also in favor of International Society for Krishna Consciousness Mayapur Vrindaban Fund A/C No. 16026.
Karandhara is no longer BBT Trustee, so his name can be removed from the accounts and your signature can be added. Bali Mardan is on the marginal stage. Things will be decided when I go to Hawaii. It is my opinion that he has fallen victim to the woman. Maya is very strong, but if we try to save him by our combined efforts, because he is a good asset. So I am trying to save him from the victimization.
It is also my opinion not to move the Press to L.A. but keep it in N.Y. Removal is not my opinion. It will be very much expensive and not much improvement. Yes, make the management nice. Yes, also send some responsible Englishmen here to India who will not have the visa problem.
Regarding purchasing the Schloss, yes I like that Schloss. Does the price include the adjoining lands or not?
I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
cc: N.Y., W. Ger.
ACBS/bs