711212 - Letter to Sivananda written from Delhi

Letters by Date, 1971

Letter to Shivananda (Page 1 of 2)

Letter to Shivananda (Page 2 of 2)

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Date:   December 12, 1971
Camp:   7-E Kamala Nagar, "Gita Bhawan," Delhi-7, India
            (Also send one copy all correspondence to Bombay INDIA)

My Dear Shivananda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 1, 1971, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. You have from the very beginning been a very determined and nice servant of Krishna, and just now as I am taking my daily massage, I remember that you also used to massage me. You are a very good boy, thank you very much for helping me.
I received a few days back a recommendation from Srivatsa to accept Joachim and Gabi as my disciples, and I have done so and sent their beads to them. However there was no mention of Jeanne Pierre. So by your recommendation I am glad to consent to accept him as my duly initiated disciple, and I am sending his beads duly chanted under separate post. His spiritual name shall be [text missing]
So far East Berlin, I don't think there is need to push the matter farther. Our real field is the western countries. But I thought if some program could be started in these Communist countries there are many nice boys there who are fed up with their government and want to join us. Later we shall see.
Your idea to take German citizenship and organize the whole of Germany is the first class plan. If you can recruit many members there and get German language books published, that is the very best idea. When Mayapur place is organized you can come and see it, but your place is Germany. The German people are very intelligent and advanced in philosophy. Lately we have been discussing some of their philosophers like Kant, Hegel, Marx, and so on, so I can understand that there are many intellectual people in Germany who will appreciate our Krishna philosophy. They have got good respect for India's philosophy, so now we must take advantage and present it purely. Therefore the printing of so many books in German language is very necessary. I have heard that you may be going to Heidelberg, Germany, where there is a very large and important university. That is our best field. Become yourself very convinced and learned in our Krishna philosophy and take it into such university and contaminate everything with it. We are not afraid to challenge every mundane philosopher and defeat them, because they are simply operating on the mental platform which is constantly changing, so they cannot have any real authority. But because we are hearing from the Source of all knowledge, Krishna, through His representatives, the saints and acharyas in disciplic succession, we have got solid basis for understanding. If we are very much convinced to preach in this way, the intelligent class of men will respect and join us, and this will be your success in Germany. If a Marx can change so many men's minds to follow his imperfect philosophy, what can Krishna, the Supreme Perfect, accomplish! If we remain pure and teach others purely, then we will achieve all success and the whole world listen to us and be delivered from their very dangerous condition. Thank you very much for assisting me in this great endeavor, I think you are convinced that it is the highest and most exalted activity of all.
Since your wife has not come back, you should prepare yourself for sannyas. I think it is Krishna's grace she has left you.
I hope this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda