711226 - Letter to Cyavana written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1971

Letter to Chyavana (Page 1 of 2)

Letter to Chyavana (Page 2 of 2)

International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Registered under the section Act of 1860
Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Date:   December 26, 1971
Camp:  ISKCON Bombay

My dear Chayavana,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 9, 1971, along with Trial Balance. Thank you very much. I am very pleased to hear that the African boys are becoming serious devotees. That is the proof of your preaching work, that it becomes touchstone and turns iron to gold. So go on very vigorously in this way, travelling, preaching, selling our books and magazines, distributing prasadam, like that. As long as we keep ourselves pure for preaching, then we shall have all good results--of that there is no doubt. One thing, make certain that your routine work is going on nicely--chanting 16 rounds, rising early, cleansing, street Sankirtan, etc.--then all other programs will be successful. If routine work becomes slack or neglected, then all other attempts will fail. We should always cling to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by following very strictly the routine work of devotional service, and then we shall qualify to associate with the Lord by becoming very pure, and that is our real happiness, know it for certain.
Brahmananda has telephoned that he has got the American Ambassador and the Indian High Commissioner to come to our festival in Nairobi. That is very nice proposal. Now, if you can convince the President of Kenya, Mr. Jomo Kenyatta, to come also, then I shall also consent to come for a few days to meet him. I think if I meet with him that will be very nice. So if you can arrange in that way, and if you send me two tickets round-trip from Bombay, then I shall come when you call.
Your trial balance is very nice. I am pleased to see that you are making many Life Members also. I think that if you send a list of our Africa members to Tamal Krishna in Bombay, that will be impressive for making more Life Members here also. We are now trying to get one very suitable house here for our India headquarters. The cost is rupees 10 lakhs, and it is located in a very rich quarter of the city, with many aristocratic houses nearby. I have told my students here that if they simply make two Life Members in India daily, then I shall do all the rest so far other arrangements and plans. Similarly, if you go on like this making members regularly, as many as possible, then all good results are guaranteed in Africa also.
So far books are concerned, it appears that it will be difficult to bring books there from other places, due to financial reasons of the government, so whatever they will allow you to send, you may send to Book Fund and receive that amount of books. Try to get big books in this way, especially for our Life Members, by persuading the government to allow us. For other books, we can print in Nairobi through that Mr. Patel who owns a very modern press facility. Distribution of books and magazines is our most important activity. Without books, our preaching has no solid basis. Especially the Africans want our books. So Karandhar is in Tokyo now supervising the printing of many books, including the Krishna Book paperback-size which I am especially printing for the Africans. We are printing 50,000 copies of each volume in 3 volumes, or 150,000 books total, so you may order as many as possible by paying Dai Nippon and ordering from Karandhar. I think if I meet Mr. Kenyatta, I shall be able to request him to allow us more books.
As for Brahmananda's request for Gargamuni to come there, he is too much needed here in India for the present moment, but we can see if someone can be sent there to help.
I hope this will meet you and all the others in good health and cheerful mood,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Chayavana das Brahmachary
c/o ISKCON Nairobi
P.O. Box 28946
Nairobi, Kenya

ACBS/sda

n.b. Hari Bol: Enclosed find also the pictures, etc.
      requested by Brahmananda .Letters follows.
      Jai:
Shyamsundar das