671214 - Letter to Rayarama written from San Francisco

Letters by Date, 1967

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, INC.
518 Frederick Street, San Francisco, Calif 94117 Telephone:564-6670

ACHARYA:SWAMI A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA

S.F. 12/14/67
My Dear Rayrama,

Please accept my blessings. On my arrival in San Francisco amongst my sincere spiritual sons, daughters and practically in my spiritual home in U.S.A., I was so glad to receive your encouraging letter of December 23, 1967. I have already sent you the purports of each and every sloka that you sent me for correction. I hope you may have received them by this time. If not, please write me and I shall send you another copy.

Regarding your last but one paragraph of your letter under reply, I may inform you that you cannot be fool as you have humbly expressed yourself. Better to remain an ever fool before the spiritual master. But if a disciple is actually fool it reflects on the spiritual master. To think of becoming a fool is the real qualification for a bonafide disciple. As soon as one thinks that he has become the wiser man than the spiritual master one is surely doomed. We should remain everlastingly a fool before the spiritual master. Not artificially but feelingly and then we can make real progress. Even my spiritual master a great scholar remained a so called fool before His spiritual master Who was outwardly an illiterate village fellow. So in the Absolute world the fool is also the master and the master is also a fool in reciprocal exchange of dealings. Lord Chaitanya also accepted Himself a great fool before His spiritual master and all of us must follow the transcendental process.

Regarding Miss Bowtell I have already written to you. If Pandit Rupavilas Brahmachari writes you in this connection you can reply him as I shall say. We cannot write directly to Rupavilas Brahmachary. If the Gaudiya H.Q. wants our cooperation why Miss Bowtell does not write Rupavilas Brahmachary. Otherwise end the negotiation, we shall do everything independently [handwritten]. Yes, you ignore the request of Miss Bowtell!

As soon as you finish the Geetopanisad business and the matter is handed over to the MacMillan Co. we begin on the Bhagwatam work without delay. Bhagvatam must be finished before my mortal body stops to work and your help in this connection will be very much helpful. You can stop for the time being the London scheme. Brahmananda is shortly going there and after his return, we may all go together to London and start a branch there in grand scale, so also in Amsterdam and in Berlin or Moscow. We have to save the world-people from the misconception of voidism and impersonalism. "The absolute is sentient Thou hast proved all impersonal calamity Thou hast moved." These lines were presented by me to my spiritual master and He was highly pleased with me. Let me follow the same principle and my Guru Maharaj will bless me. I have always my good wishes and blessings for you all because you are cooperating in a great mission. Thank you.

Your ever well-wisher,

N.B. This evening I expected your call at 7 p.m. but I could not. At 7/10 pm I began, my class lasted for 1 1/2 hours and then I left the temple. [handwritten]

12/14/67 [handwritten]