740701 - Letter to Gurudasa written from Melbourne

Letters by Date, 1974

Letter to Gurudas

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Founder-Acharya:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
CENTER: 14 Burnett St.
              St. Kilda, Victoria
               Australia

DATE ..................July..1.....19..74

My dear Gurudas,
Please accept my blessings. I am spending my last two days in Australia and after this I shall go to the U.S.A. In the meantime, I wish to give you some instructions regarding our Janamastami installation in Vrindaban.
The main thing is the ceremony shall be conducted by our own men. We do not have to be dependent on taking help from persons who will not even eat with us, thinking us inferior. All over the world, in Paris, New York, Australia etc., our men and women are worshiping the deity very nicely and I am very proud of their worship. There is no reason why we have to think we are dependent on any Indian goswami in order to conduct our ceremony in Vrindaban. So you understand this and be convinced of it, and let them come as invited but we shall conduct the affair ourselves.
You can also arrange to have the Her Govinda dramatical players and our own players as well. There should be abundant prasadam for whoever comes all day long. The kitchen should go on. So see there is sufficient stock of rice, attar, ghee, etc. The life members should be especially cared for and invited. We shall manage our own affairs. If they come that is good but if not we shall manage. From our side everything should be done nicely.
All big officers in Mathura and Vrindaban should be invited. Goswamis and godbrothers also. Also invite local Marawaris and invite Parthak also. Practically by distributing a general invitation card we shall invite everyone. All the inhabitants of Vrindaban will be invited to come and see the deity and take prasadam. There should be special arrangement for life members, Mr. Birla and many other respectable visitors. There is no question of money. Let it be a first class, 1-A arrangement. Krsna will provide all expenditures so try to make it gorgeous. Gorgeous means sufficient stock of prasadam and temple decorations as gorgeous as possible. The internal management of dressing can be done by Yamuna, Madira and Jayatirtha they are all expert. The shastric direction can be from Pradyumna.
Furthermore, try to get the land if possible within one lac rupees. If he doesn't agree we don't mind we can see the other land. Also Mr. Jaya Purna of Karnapura came to see me, so invitation should be extended to him. Invite all local asramas and sannyasis as well. I do not hear of Pranava; I sent him a telegram but there is no reply.
The whole management should be done combinedly. Do not fight amongst yourselves, as that is my only anxiety. I shall leave for Vrindaban by 25th July. In the meantime, reply to me at L.A.
Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/sdg
Sriman Gurudas Adhikary
Krishna Balaram Temple
Raman Reti, Vrindaban, U.P.