690324 - Letter to Kirtanananda written from Hawaii

Letters by Date, 1969

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

March 24, 1969

My Dear Kirtanananda,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for you letter of March 17, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. (along with the letter of March 4th). Yes, I have duly received Hayagriva's letter and I have replied him also, that I shall be coming to New Vrindaban, or Columbus, on or by the 10th of May. I am happy to hear you have a new boy, John Saltzgiver, and you keep him nicely and gradually introduce to him our K.C. philosophy.

So far the cucumber pickles: As far as possible we should not offer to the Deity things which are prepared by nondevotees. We can accept from them raw fruits, grains or similar raw things. So far cooking and preparing, that should be strictly limited to the initiated devotees. And aside from this, vinegar is not good; it is tamasic, in the darkness, nasty food. So I think we shall not accept this pickles.

I understand that you are proposing for delivering children. That is not a Sannyasi's business. You should not bother about it. A Sannyasi should not much bother about family affairs. Best thing is that they shall go to a bona fide physician for delivering the children, otherwise there may be complications which only a physician may have experience in handling.

No, I think it is not proper for Srimati Radharani to have a white night dress. Best to have a nice color for Her.

I hope all is well there, and I am very much encouraged by all the nice letters I an receiving from New Vrindaban, that the inhabitants there are very happy and living in Krishna Conscious surroundings. This is very ideal example for all.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami