730103 - Letter to Bhavananda written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1973

Letter to Bhavananda

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Date:   January 3, 1973
Camp:  c/o Mahadevia
           B-11 Sea Face Park
           50-B Desai Road
           Bombay-26

My dear Bhavananda,

Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated December 29, 1972, is in hand, and I am especially pleased to hear that our Tarun Babu is now little more inclined and coming daily to the Calcutta temple. That will be a great occasion, as he has suggested us, to lead the sankirtana party of two lacs of men through Calcutta on Lord Caitanya's appearance day. So on the 18th March, Lord Caitanya's appearance date, everyone shall rest and chant in the temple. So Tarun Babu can arrange to take us early morning from Mayapur to Calcutta, then on that day, 18th March, we shall have our big Calcutta sankirtana procession, and on that same evening or the following morning the bus may return to Mayapur and we shall conduct big Utsava. Tarun Babu and C. L. Bajoria and all big life members can come and stay with us at Mayapur for Utsava.

Now diligently and tactfully handle this matter, it is a very very good sign that our Tarun Babu and Mr. Bajoria are working together and promising to raise Rs. 2 lacs for Mayapur. If this is actually collected, then at least 5 lacs more can be collected just by advertising their 2 lacs collection.

So far the money transferred from Calcutta to Bombay, as much money as can be arranged from the Building Fund can be immediately returned to Calcutta. But I think there is only roundabout Rs. 10,000 in the Building Fund in Bombay, although there are two Building Fund accounts here and I do not know how much is there in the other Building Fund account. Most of the money collected in India has been deposited in my Bhaktivedanta Book Trust fund for printing and purchasing books for distribution in India. Actually, our main business in this country shall be to distribute our books profusely. Mayapur, Vrindaban, these temples shall be utilized for the most part by foreigners. So far the work in India of spreading Krsna consciousness, there are already millions of temples, so what shall our two more temples accomplish for spreading Krsna consciousness? They are meant for the foreigners and big life members. But our emphasis for preaching work will be on these books. Just as I introduced this life membership program based entirely on books, so you and other leaders here in India meet together or correspond frequently to devise more and more methods for introducing our literatures to the Indian public. That is the most important business.

Hoping this meets you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Bhavananda das Adhikary
ISKCON Calcutta

ACBS/sda

NOTE: I have received Rs 1000/- for two [unclear] Bombay. Calcutta, but Prabhupada wants to always ... with his 4 secretaries (If for Example Pradyumna has to be there than at least 4 or 5 days of arrival Bhagavatam work is lost, etc. etc.) So you must send otherwise everything will be delayed. Jai! SDA. [handwritten]