670929 - Letter to Hayagriva from Kirtanananda

Vrindavan,

29 August, 1967

From Kirtanananda

[On reverse side of 670829 letter to Hayagriva]

Dear Hayagriva,

Nice to get your letters. So you finally did it! I thought the day would never come. I know you’re more “handsome” now, but I must admit I rather liked the “grizzly ogre.” Oh well, everything’s temporary, of that you can be sure. You must want a job badly! But I agree with Swamiji that it’s probably a good idea. And furthermore, Swami Kirtanananda would be happy to come give you a hand in opening a kirtan center wherever you may be. Yes, I was duly made a Tridandi Swami yesterday, the Lord’s Advent Day; and Swamiji says that it was the most propitious sannyas ceremony He has ever seen. Just at the moment that I was being inducted, hundreds of people who were at the temple gathered around to observe the ceremony and offer obeisances to the young sannyas. Swamiji said that someone remarked that the initiate looked like Lord Chaitanya. However spurious that may be, I do have a great desire and a great mission to spread this transcendental vibration of Hare Krsna all over America. Not only does my name confirm it, but by further transcendental coincidence, a mridanga, which Swamiji had loaned to the Math at Mathura two years ago, arrived just in time for the ceremony.

After picking A. [Achyutananda] up in Delhi on the 1st, we will come back here for a few days, and probably then take off for a little traveling. I think we will go to Delhi and then up to Amritsar, which is close to Lahore (Pakistan), where we will try and interest some wealthy Indians in the society; from there I hope we can head for Calcutta, by way of a Scindia boat and head for my real field of action;U. S. A. Of course all our plans are just so many dreams, and we must never become attached to them;only to the Dreamer, Govinda! Such a beautiful Dreamer! Keep chanting and listening to the Transcendental vibrations, and everything will be beautiful. HARE KRISHNA

love, Kirtanananda