741225 - Letter to Malati written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1974

25, Dec. 74
Hare Krishna Land,
Gandhi Gram Rd., Juhu,
Bombay 400 054

Malati devi dasi
7 Bury Place
Bloomsbury WC1,
London, England

My dear Malati,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 21, Dec. 74 and have noted the contents carefully. I want you to stay there in London. This is my order. Hansadutta cannot make you leave. If necessary you can show him this letter, to prove that your Guru Maharaj wants you to stay there and execute your devotional service in London.
Concerning that remark by Himavati about your being guilty because you are the wife of Shyamasundar who has done horrible things, therefore you must suffer, that is not a fact. Your husband has done nothing horrible. Maybe he has made mistake but he has not done anything horrible.
I have asked Brahmananda Swami to go to London as soon as possible from Hawaii and investigate the situation there. I am very concerned about this problem and I hope Brahmananda Swami will be able to clear things up there. When he comes you can inform him of what has happened there.
If your husband, Shyamasundar is not even keeping correspondence with you how can we know what is his position. Please try to advise him to return the money he owes as soon as possible. Chant 16 rounds, follow all of our regulative principles then everything will be alright in a very short time. I am hoping he will do like this. So you please continue your devotional service, cooking etc, and you can also keep giving Bhagavatam class if you like. Women in our movement can also preach very nicely. Actually male and female bodies, these are just outward designations. Lord Caitanya said that whether one is brahmana or whatever he may be if he knows the science of Krsna then he is to be accepted as guru. So one who gives class, he must read and study regularly and study the purport and realize it. Don't add anything or concoct anything, then he can preach very nicely. The qualification for leading class is how much one understands about Krsna and surrendering to the process. Not whether one is male or female. Of course women, generally speaking are less intelligent, better she has heard nicely then she will speak nicely.
I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/ps