680605 - Letter to Brahmananda written from Montreal

Letters by Date, 1968

ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE
3720 Park Avenue
Montreal 18, Quebec, Canada
June 5, 1968

My Dear Brahmananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your five-pages letter dated May 31, 1968, and I have been informed of your telephone conversation with LaNarden about my visa appeal. To tell you frankly, I have no faith in the lawyers; they promise something but they do something else. From my last experience with Mr. Ypsalentin and the real estate lawyers, I cannot advise you to pay $200.00 immediately to the lawyers and then depend on his good mercy. In the paper forwarded by Boston Immigration Department, it is clearly stated there that this decision cannot be appealed, so I would advise you to make a fresh case under section 3, religious ministry. I am a bonafide religious minister and I have got bonafide certificates confirming my religious ministership, and I have got 8 centers who require my help in the current condition. And therefore, if it is possible, try to get my permanent residence as religious minister. In our last attempt to get permanent visa on the basis of religious ministership, it is not rejected. They have not decided my case by determination on my religious ministership--that is clearly stated. So my religious ministership is not denied and you can file a new case to have me as religious minister for the institution, which is incorporated as religious society. I think that will be a strong case, and if they deny my qualification as ministership, then we can appeal on good grounds with proof that I am a bonafide spiritual master. Other section number C, in which you have mentioned that there is no American to conduct this service, may be refuted on the ground that I have got so many American disciples, and why they will not conduct; so this position is not very sound in my opinion.

For the time being, I am here, and if you think that it is possible to submit fresh application under section no. 3, on the grounds of my religious ministership, then do it immediately, and I shall wait here for three months. And if it is successful then the immigration will be very nice. Otherwise, I shall proceed to London and try to establish a center there. My other point is that my permanent visa in U.S.A. is not so important, as is the publication of books, and circulating them as widely as possible. I think therefore that you should give more attention to the publication department. Even if I do not get permanent visa, it is not very harmful.

I understand that the government of the U.S.A. is disgusted with the so-called Swamis because they have exploited the people in so many ways. That is a fact. And if I would have been in the government, I would have also considered like that. So, they have not got a very good opinion about these rascal Swamis. Under the circumstances, it will be difficult to get me admitted as a Swami, although I am not a Swami of the rascal group. But we have to prove it by action that this Swami is not like those Swamis. This remark was made by Mr. Alan Burke of the television company; He introduced me to the public as, "Here is a real Swami," and he showed me all respectful compliments. Anyway, I am not after respectful compliments by the public. But I am concerned more about my disciples. I want to see them quite able to preach this sublime doctrine of Krishna Consciousness, and therefore I wish to stay. Otherwise, I'm not attracted for any place, either hell or heaven, Anyway, if some lawyer assures that this religious ministership which is so bonafide, can be established, then you can promise him some sum of money after completion of the attempt. But I do not advise you to appeal for the last decision.

The letters which you have written to Dwarkin and United Shipping Corporation is all right, and let me know what reply you get.

So far my visa application in this country, I do not know where I am. If you can, you can go to the Canadian Immigration Office in the 5th Avenue, and you can inquire from them why they have not replied my letters. Do not disclose to them at present where I am, and then on hearing from you, I shall try to see the Immigration Officer here, if you so advise. For the present, you can inquire that the files were transferred from Los Angeles, to New York, which you understood from telephone conversation to Los Angeles.

Hoping you are all well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

25 Second Avenue

New York, N.Y. 10003