670829 - Letter to Hayagriva written from Vrndavana

Letters by Date, 1967

My Dear Hayagriva, 29 August 1967
Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to receive your first letter to me in India. So far Gita is concerned, please get it completed as soon as possible; it must be published now, either by a publisher or by ourselves. There is a bag in my apartment in which all the old mss. are there, and besides that there is in my closet (the key is with Brahmananda) a cloth bundle in which you will find carbon copies; and I think also there are some carbon copies with Rayarama. Please find the missing verses there, and if not, I shall do it again.
Regarding separation, you may know that I am also feeling [unclear] ____ it is all Krishna's design that we can not separate [unclear] ________ transcendental field, the feeling of separation is more [unclear] __ feeling of meeting. Physically I am trying to go back to your states as soon as possible. I have got a fancy for your country, and being inspired by that, I first went to your country, and still I feel that way. I am improving, although slowly; but I am eating and sleeping better than in N.Y. Regarding your speculation as to whether or not you should accept a position: Krishna wants that everyone should utilize his talent as far as possible. Arjuna was a great fighter, and Krishna encouraged him to fight. He never said that he should sit down and I shall do it for you, although He was able to. The principle should be that we utilize our talents for the service of the Lord. That is real sannyasa. Formal acceptance of sannyas, as required for all old men, means that one should retire from materialistic life, and devote his time and energy for the service of the Lord. As you are devoted already to the service of the Lord, without any personal consideration, you are always sannyas at heart. Now if you can get some money for our cause of K.C. I think it will be a great service. Furthermore so far as kirtana is concerned, there is no possibility of stopping it in any circumstance. Wherever you accept service you can also organize a center very nicely. A teacher's position is always influential; so your sincere effort for kirtan may be followed by some of your students and co-workers. This means that your sincere service will be utilized more fruitfully among educated people. At the same time your good editorial work will also continue, so I think you may accept a position like that.
I am so glad to learn that you have sacrificed your long beard and hair. I have forgotten your mother's address, or I would have informed her of your action, and I think she would have liked it very much. Anyway, you must have reduced your age considerably by sacrificing this "maya", and now you must look like a very nice young gentleman. I have received one letter from Achyutananda that he is coming here on the 1st. I will send Kirtanananda to receive him at Delhi. I am also scheduled to go to Delhi on the 5th; so after Achyutananda's arrival, if he likes to stay for some days in Vrindaban, I will make arrangements with Swami Bon (who as you know has offered free room and board and tuition to any interested student), or he can accommodate [unclear] __ three of us will do some traveling about India [unclear] __ for the society. Since we have this good arrangement with the Inst. for Oriental Philos., I think we may not for the time being open such a center in the states. I am also going to Bombay to try and induce the managing director to give us some concession on the Scindia Line. I repeat once more, that I am also feeling your separation, and I am trying to return as soon as possible.
Your ever well-wisher

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami