770606 - Letter to Vasudeva from Tamal Krsna

6 June, 1977

My dear Vasudeva Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters to both His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupad and myself dated 26th April, 16th May, and 24th May respectively. Srila Prabhupad has instructed me to reply the letters to him on his behalf.

I am sorry to have to report to you that His Divine Grace has been very ill for the past one month and therefore we have been unable to answer your letters. Srila Prabhupad’s condition is very critical, so much so that all of the GBC men have come here to Vrndavana to visit him. The fact is that Srila Prabhupad’s body has become completely exhausted due to ten years of constant preaching. The various organs of the body are no longer functioning like the kidney and liver, and the heart is also palpitating. Prabhupad has refused practically all medicines or doctor’s help and has preferred to simply depend on Krsna, requesting his disciples to perform constant kirtan and reading of Srimad-Bhagavatam before him. About two weeks ago Prabhupad asked to come to Vrndavana from Risikesh and when he arrived here he said, Now I shall prepare for my departure. I am sorry to have to relate this bad news to you and I request that you and all of your good family members pray sincerely to Krsna for Prabhupad’s recovery. While the GBC were assembled here, Srila Prabhupad directed that your good self be made a GBC member in charge of Fiji. This position is for the person’s lifetime. I am sure you realize the great responsibility this entails. So, as you are now a full-fledged GBC member, you must faithfully chant 16 rounds daily and strictly follow the regulative principles so that your example will be followed by others. At our impromptu GBC meeting held here while we were all assembled different GBC men were assigned to give assistance to meeting zones. For your zone of Fiji, Hari Sauri Prabhu, the GBC for Australia and New Zealand, was assigned to give you assistance. Thus, for securing pujaris for your forth-coming temple worship, Hari Sauri Prabhu as well as Rameswara Maharaj will be able to help you, and I think you are already in correspondence with them in this matter.

As regards the Deities clothes and mukuts, Dhananjaya Prabhu has so far been unable to begin work since he has not received any payment. It is understood that it is difficult for you to send money out of the country, and it is understood that Rameswara Maharaj is arranging to make a payment in advance on your behalf which you will be expected to repay to him after the items arrive. I would suggest you correspond immediately with him in this regard.

Gopal Krsna Prabhu has told me just now that your order of books has departed this week. It is very good news to learn that the library there in Lautoka, has agreed to take a standing order of the Bhagava [indistinct]

Now in America they are making an effort to sell standing orders to influential persons. As you yourself are such an influential person, perhaps you will be very successful in getting your associates and friends to take such standing orders. Prabhupad said this booking such standing orders gives him real life. You have rightly pointed out that the real mission in Fiji is to engage the native population in Krsna consciousness. For doing this the program of prasadam distribution and kirtan is the best program. This has started to work very successfully in Africa. Brahmananda Swami has given reports that daily a minimum 150 African men are coming for chanting and taking prasadam twice daily in Nairobi, and a nearly similar number are also coming in Mombasa. Our philosophy as contained in the books is meant for the most intelligent class of men, but everyone can take part in the program of prasadam and kirtan. For the civilized men you can give Deity worship and philosophy and for the uncivilized persons kirtan and prasadam

The photographs of your temple were shown to Srila Prabhupad and he was very much impressed and pleased. Everyone has appreciated the beautiful appearance of the temple. The temple opening ceremonies should go on as planned by you. I would suggest that since Srila Prabhupad will not be able to come, that you may invite His Holiness Brahmananda Swami and His Holiness Yasodanandana Swami to inaugurate and officiate at the ceremony. Brahmananda Maharaj may be reached C/o ISKCON Nairobi and Yasodanandan Swami may be written c/o ISKCON Vrndavana.

I pray that this finds you and all of your family members in the best of health and Krsna consciousness.

Your servant,

Tamal Krsna Gosvami

Secretary to His Divine Grace

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad

Sri Vasudeva Das

c/o ISKCON Fiji

/tkg