710108 - Letter to Sai written from Calcutta

Letters by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

January 08, 1971

My Dear Sriman Sai,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 29th December and the nice sentiments expressed therein. I am very glad to inform you that I have seen your photograph and from your features it appears that you have improved very much spiritually.

The problem that your followers want to accept you as guide in spiritual matters is not objectionable if they are sincere. If they have sincere faith in you, it may not be disturbed, rather it can be fully utilized. My main purpose is to propagate the teachings of Lord Caitanya or Krishna Consciousness. I am not after recruiting some disciples; but for preaching work we want some assistants and if somebody offers voluntarily his service it is welcome. So the best thing will be that you become a regular disciple of me and you can teach your followers in the same principles.

There is immense field of our activities. In your country there are so many confused young men and girls known as the hippies and if you work very steadfastly I am sure a tremendous advancement can be done in our missionary activities. I have studied the behavior of the hippies—they are searching after something good, but they have no proper guidance. In the material world the highest principle of happiness is supposed to be sex indulgence, but real happiness is not attainable by eschewing the senses; it is above the senses which means on the spiritual platform. Unless one is able to deal with the Supreme Personality of Godhead on the spiritual platform, there cannot be any permanent bliss. People don't know it. It is our duty only to explain the situation to the ignorant persons. Many leaders have to be trained up for this purpose so that they can go from town to town, village to village and enlighten the people to be trained up in this Krsna Consciousness.

Yes, for the present there is no need of spending money by coming to India. That decision is very nice. I think by the end of March I shall be returning to the USA.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:ds