671011 - Letter to Brahmananda written from Calcutta

Letters by Date, 1967

A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami
Camp Calcutta
October 11th,1967

My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. On my arrival in Calcutta I have duly received your two letters dated [unclear] & 5th instant. Regarding change of dress, I beg to inform you that every Krishna conscious person must be clean shaved, must have Tilaks on the forehead and other eleven places and must have the Sikha on the top of the head besides beads on the neck as usual. Rarely one can continue to keep beard but it is better not to keep it to distinguish oneself from the Hippies. We must let the public know that we are not Hippies. Do not try to follow the unauthorised advice of Kirtanananda. Nobody cares for the dress; every sane man follows the philosophy and practical talks. Let Kirtanananda Swami do something practically. Let him do whatever he likes and let us see that thousands of American are following him. Unless he does so do not accept his principle. I think all of you except a Sannyasi may dress yourself just like a fine up to date American gentleman but one must have the Tilaks etc as I have mentioned above. Kirtanananda is the first man in our society who cleanly shaved and kept the Sikha on the top of the head and now he has begun to keep beard again. This is not good. Whatever he is doing nowadays has no sanction from me. And he has deliberately disobeyed me by not going to London. Now he appears to be out of my control and therefore I advise you not to follow his principles unless he shows practically something wonderful. I gave him a chance to do this in the matter of opening a Branch in London but he has failed to do it. Now let him show first of all that by seeing his newly grown beard he has been successful to have many Americans following him and our financial condition has improved, then try to follow his instruction. Otherwise reject all idle talks. A Krishna conscious person must be seen by ears and not by the eyes or in other words one should try to know the depth of realiation by Krishna conscious person and not see the beard which has become the practice of the Hippies.

You should have immediately utilied Mr. Nehru to give me a certificate. Lord Chaitanya's movement is genuine and I am the bona fide representative in your country for this movement. Now if Mr. Nehru certifies this, then where is the difficulty to obtain the permanent Visa either from there or from here. Please see therefore immediately Mr. Hejmadi and obtain the certificate as abovementioned. I think Mr. Nehru must have already spoken to Mr. Hejmadi about this.

As advised by you I am writing separately to Hayagriva about the manuscript of Geetopanisad. For typing, Satsvarupa is always ready and therefore there is no need of employing a paid man.

Regarding other problems, depend on Krishna and try to find out a suitable place if Mr. Judy has a tendency to exploit us. I think Kirtanananda may do this practical service to the Society first if you are certain that Macmillan Co. is not going to take to our publication, then you must keep aside the $5,500. for this purpose. We must have our books printed, we have wasted much time in the matter of editing and finding out a suitable publisher. When I was alone there were three volumes published but during the last two years I could not publish a single volume more. It is a great defeat. If I have one or two sincere souls like you and if we can make more publications, then our mission will be a great success. I am prepared to sit down underneath a tree with one sincere soul and in such activity I shall be free from all diseases.

I know that you are very much anxious to see me in good health and by the Grace of Krishna I am getting well day by day. The only thing is that this time I wish to return on permanent Visa or immigration Visa and before I go I wish to begin the printing of Geetopanisad.

Yours ever well wisher

Sriman Brahmananda Brahmachary

International Society For

Krishna Consciousness Inc.
26, Second Avenue, New York
N.Y. 10003

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
C/o Madan Dutta, 75 Durgacharan
Doctor Road, Calcutta-14