730109 - Letter to Hasyakari, Rathangapani, Varuthapa, Laksmivan, Bhaktavatsala and Bhaktilila written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

January 09, 1973

My Dear Sons and Daughter,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Damodara I have gladly accepted all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Now you may send your beads to Kirtanananda in New Vrindaban for chanting them, as I have empowered him to act on my behalf. Or you may write him and request him to send you new beads, as you arrange. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Howard Bernd/ HASYAKARI DAS
Randy Buchert/ RATHANGAPANI DAS
Warren Havens/ VARUTHAPA DAS
Lawson Knight/ LAKSMIVAN DAS
Barry Butler/ BHAKTAVATSALA DAS
Linda Butler/ BHAKTILILA DASI

My request to all of you is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service as you have learned them, and especially observe strictly the four prohibitions and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily. In this way you will be always happy.

Now you have got the golden opportunity of this human form of life, and it is not by accident that you have met your spiritual master, so if you are actually intelligent you will stick very tightly to your position of Krsna Consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead. The essential point to remember is that you should try always to please your spiritual master under every condition. That means to follow his orders and instructions very carefully. My first instruction to all of my disciples is that they should help me spread this Krsna Consciousness movement all over the world, utilizing their energy as best they are able to do it. In this way, keeping yourselves always engaged in Krsna's business 24 hours, you will become free from all attachment to maya by Krsna's grace. Just as when the darkness and the light come together, the darkness cannot stand before the light, so maya cannot remain in the presence of Krsna. Always remember therefore to chant Hare Krsna and that will save you in all circumstances without any doubt.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami