760630 - Letter to Giriraja written from New Vrindaban, USA

Letters by Date, 1976

June 30th, 1976

New Vrindaban, Reply New York.

Giriraj das Brahmacari,
Hare Krishna Land,
Juhu Road, Juhu,
Bombay 400-054,
India

My Dear Giriraj dasa,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 24, 1976, and I have noted the contents with care.
I am in the process of answering the questions for Bhavans Journal, and I shall forward this to you when it is completed.
Concerning our proposal to be presented to the Parliament, anyone coming from ISKCON should be given permanent residence. India's original culture and religion is being spread all over the world, and out of their religious feeling if they come to stay in Vrindaban especially, why the government should harass them.
Our Goswamis have said:

nāma-gāne sadā rucih, prītis tad-vasati-sthale.

(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.3.25)
A devotee is very much anxious to chant Hare Krishna and to live in that place where Krishna has His pastimes, generally Vrindaban, Mathura, Dvaraka, like that. All of our men who are coming to India for this purpose, they are properly initiated and following the regulative principles. In this connection, the certificates of the S. Indian authorities gotten by Yasodanandana Swami can be used, where in they certify that our ISKCON men are proper vaishnavas, decorated with tilaka in twelve places, etc., etc.
Take the land for making the road properly, and use it. We shall make a very nice arrangement for parking cars, etc. In this way, from the other side of the Juhu scheme people may take full advantage of the Hare Krishna Land facilities.
Let Brijratan Mohatta help. Personally he can pay 25 lacs or anything. He is a son-in-law of Birla personally and personally he is very rich also. Personally he may give what he wants but let him help collect funds. He is such a big man in Bombay. What I know is that if he likes he can help us, and he is favorably inclined to our movement. Rs. 25,000, he can collect from at least 100 men in Bombay. So he can collect and help raise 25 lacs very easily, although we require about 10 lacs. To pay Rs. 25,000, there are thousands and thousands of men in Bombay who can very easily [Handwritten] do it. Bombay is the richest city in India.
Concerning the tax exemption, do it nicely and take help from friends. Ours is a public institution.
Why wasn't the lift for the towers planned from the very beginning? You can go on with your work and try to install the lift as soon as possible otherwise we will have to wait. When I come I shall see the situation.
Mulchand Deomal should be nicely taken care of. He is a very nice gentleman. I know him.
I hope that this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/pks

n.b. So far I have not yet received the statement of account for Vrinda Book Company. Please forward this to me.