770707 - Letter to Vatsala from Tamal Krsna

Vrndavana,

July 5, 1977

From: Tamal Krishna

Berkeley

My dear Vatsala Prabhu,

Please accept my obeisances. I have been instructed by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada to reply your letter dated June 21st, 1977.

I read your entire Letter to: Srila Prabhupada and He very much appreciated the sentiment you expressed in trying to follow in the footsteps of Jayananda Prabhu. You are quite right. I also had so much association with Jayananda and I can remember clearly how he placed service to Prabhupada before trying to be with Prabhupada. By His service he was always with Srila Prabhupada. I can remember both in San Francisco and in New York how Jayananda would be encouraging all of the people to pull the Ratha forward. Then he would run around to the back side and at the same time encourage everyone to pull the ropes backward. In this way Lord Jagannatha’s cart would sometimes go forward. And sometimes it would stop. And everyone was merged in an ocean of ecstasy. So these are big footsteps to follow in, but if you are sincere, then Lord Jagannatha will certainly endow you with all abilities to become a worthy servant. Again, thank you very much for your fine sentiments which pleased His Divine Grace very much. Please ask Caru Prabhu to send as many photographs as he is able to of the successful Ratha-yatra after it is performed. I am sure the photographs will give His Divine Grace great satisfaction.

Your servant,

Tamal Krishna Gosvami

Secretary to Srila Prabhupada

His Grace Vatsala das

c/o ISKCON Berkeley

/tkg