750726 - Letter to Dinanatha N. Mishra written from Laguna Beach

Letters by Date, 1975

641 Ramona Ave. Laguna Beach, Ca.

July 26, 1975

Sriman D.N. Mishra
179, Balaram Dey Street
Calcutta-6

My Dear Dinnanath:
Please accept my greetings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 27, 1975 and have noted the contents. Regarding seeing your book on Lord Ramachandra partly translated into English, I am very much eager to see it. I am returning to India by the month of October, therefore there is no hurry. When I return I shall be glad to see your book either in Bombay, Vrindaban, or Calcutta.
I have to translate all the Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and many other theistic literatures left by the Goudiya Vaishnavas headed by the six Goswamis like Rupa, Sanatan, Jiva, etc. I have already translated about 50 big books of 400 pages each, and my books are selling all over the world in universities, libraries, learned professors, and the public also is receiving my books with great respect. Of course they are not my books, since I have simply translated; but my purports for each and every verse from the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagwatam do very much appeal to the people in general as well as learned circles. They are very much appreciating and we are selling to the extent of 30-40 hundred thousands of Rupees per month. Out of this we spend 50% for the maintenance of our different temples all over the world and 50% we spend for reprinting my books.
I do not take any royalty or any profit out of it. Similarly if you agree not to take any profit or royalty then our Bhaktivedanta Book Trust will publish your book on Lord Ramachandra.
I have a great desire to translate the Valmiki Ramayana because that is authorized. Tulsi das' Charit manas is already translated into English by some clergyman, but I do not exactly know his name. Therefore I wish to translate Valmiki Ramayana exactly in the way I have done Srimad Bhagwatam. I am sending herewith a copy of our monthly paper "Back to Godhead" in which you will find the mode of translating of Srimad-Bhagwatam. It begins after page 14. It will give you an idea in which way we want to translate. Or you are welcome to come to our temple along with your son at 3, Albert Road, Calcutta. There you can see in my books the mode of translation by giving the purport of the verse in English.
I therefore suggested in my last letter that now you are in ripe old age, so you can accept vanaprastha life which is your duty as you are born in a brahmin family. According to our Vedic principle a brahmin is supposed to accept the four ashramas, namely brahmachary, grihasta, vanaprastha, and sannyas. Others are not do not accept sannyas, but a person who is a brahmin must accept sannyas at the end of his life.
So I would suggest that you now retire from family life and accept at least vanaprastha order of life keeping your wife with you as assistant and fully engaged in translating the Vedic literature as far as possible.

It appears that in the Western countries there is a great demand for real knowledge of Vedic literature. So you are a learned scholar both in English and Hindi, and you can do this completely devoted to the service of Lord Ramachandra.
I have opened many temples all over the world, numbering 100. Enclosed herewith are some of the photos of some of the Deities in some of the temples.
Very recently we have established our temple in Vrindaban at a cost of 50 lakhs of Rupees or more. The Governor of U.P., Dr. Channa Reddy was present for two days for the opening ceremony. All the goswamis and sannyasis like Akhananda Swami all attended the ceremony. We have got a guest house there containing about 80 rooms, and the recent report is that not less than 500 men are coming daily to visit the temple. Prasad is being distributed to the poor, and others are purchasing prasada (pakki) to the extent of Rs. 100/- per day. We are selling our books also.
Now I wish to establish some temple of Ramachandra, Sita Ram. Of course it depends on the mercy of Lord Ramachandra. Therefore I am still requesting you to join our movement completely retired from family life and engage yourself in translation work for the rest of your life.
More when we meet. I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Encs:
ACBS/bs

N.B. What is the criminal charge against a public man who decorates himself as D. Lit., D.D. etc? [Handwritten]