681006 - Letter to Brahmananda written from Seattle

Letters by Date, 1968

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

October 06, 1968

My Dear Brahmananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Oct. 1, 1968, and some of the important points that you have tried to discuss, I am replying as follows: The first thing is that in the meeting of Dr. Spock, you should eat there. But you simply eat vegetarian dishes, like fruits, nuts, boiled potato, biscuit, milk, etc., and remembering Krishna. As you will pay for the dinner, for the fooding, you can offer them to Krishna within your mind, then eat them as Krishna Prasadam. Any foodstuff when it is paid for, it becomes purified. There is a verse in Vedic literature, Drabyamulyena Suddhati. The source of receipt of the thing, may be not very good, but if one pays for it, it becomes purified. So, vegetable diet when it is paid for, you can offer it in your mind to Krishna and take it. But this Drabya means eatables, and eatables meaning vegetables, grains, milk, flowers, fruits; meat is not considered an eatable—it is considered untouchable. Just like if somebody purchases some stool, that does not mean it is now purified. So meat is like that. This Drabya means vegetables, etc. And this Drabyamulyena Suddhati is only in special cases like this. It is not to done ordinarily, or unless in special circumstance. We should prepare our own foodstuff and offer as much as possible, of course.

The next point is that you should dress just like perfect American gentlemen, but the sikha and tilak must be very prominent. Coat, pants, necktie, and everything, Brahmacari and Grhasthas, they can put on, because you are not Sannyasi. In the temple, you can dress as brahmacari, but in order not to become ridiculous in the eyes of others, outside you should dress just like a very nice perfect aristocratic American. So there is no objection. But we must have always our tilak and sikha and there is no compromise for this purpose.

Regarding Kirtanananda's payment of $100, that is known to you and me also, but why they forget that they have taken also $500? This is known to Janardana and everyone. So I paid I think $200 from San Francisco, and $300 from New York, what about this money? Anyway, if they are financially weak they may not pay immediately, but they must pay that $500. So in this way, try to adjust things. In future, of course, whenever books and other things will be supplied from New York, you should immediately supply a bill, so that you may know how much out of the bill they have paid—not only to Montreal, any center—that should be the system.

The next point is what about Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda? I have not heard from them since a very long time. You should immediately write to them why they have become silent all of a sudden. It is not good for them to remain in India as guests of this person or that person, without doing something tangible for our society. Acyutananda wanted to come back, so it was very welcome suggestion. But I think he might have changed his decision again. I do not know what to do with this boy. And if they want to remain in India, they must do something tangible work for our society. If not, they may come back. There is vast work here. And recently I have received letter from Mukunda that from South America, Guyana, it was under the possession of British, one Mr. Dindayal is very much anxious to get us there. So we have to open so many branches all over the world. So why they are sitting idly in India? Please write to them also.

And what about United Shipping Corporation? Have you placed order for mrdangas and other things, covering them money due from them?

Regarding the dust cover of Teachings of Lord Caitanya: I have found out two mistakes. One mistake is on the first flap, when Bhagavat reference is given, the canto is 11, not 9. So it should XI, not IX. So please rectify this. Another is on the last page of the flap, there's one word as raptuous, in the recommendation of Mr. James Howard, Life; I do not find any word as raptuous. The real word is rapturous. So you consult the dictionary, and do it nicely.

I think Seattle branch will come out very successful, because we have drawn the attention of the students of the university here. One girl came to see me, as representative of the student paper, and we had a nice discussion. But another thing, that the priestly class of Christian and Jews churches, I think they are becoming envious of our movement. Because they are afraid of their own system of religiosity, because they see so many young boys and girls are taking interest in this system of Krishna Consciousness. Naturally, they are not very satisfied. So we may be facing some difficulty by them in future. So, we have to take some precaution. Of course, this priestly class could not do anything very nice till now, but dogmatic way of thinking is going on. So anyway, we shall have to depend on Krishna, and I think the new center in United Nations, if we make nice propaganda from there, then this tendency may be diminished. In the United Nations center, I have already suggested Purusottama things to be done there, and if possible, we shall hold meeting and kirtana in the church center and distribute Prasadam, invite the prominent members of the United Nations, this is, I am thinking like that. I do not know what Krishna desires.

Yes, your thinking about my health; yes by the Grace of Lord Nrsimha, I am not in bad health. Rather I have improved since I have come from India back. So Nrsimhadeva surely will save me from any attack of Maya, because I am engaged in His service. But after all, the law of nature must be obeyed, in spite of our very nice care, this body must be ended. And before ending this body, we must have to finish our business to serve Krishna.

Regarding Florida: There is very good chance to open a branch there, and they have invited us, and 10 or 15 people are ready to attend our meetings, so I am thinking of sending Mahapurusa there, with some other assistant. Another thing, this is of course, private, that Hayagriva may be willing to marry some of our Brahmacarinis. So I shall be glad to hear from you which Brahmacarini you may suggest suitable for Hayagriva. In fact, unless our Brahmacaris are very adamant remaining as Brahmacari, I shall recommend everyone to marry. Because these girls generally come to our society to find out a suitable husband, so there is no harm to live as husband and wife, as Mukunda, Gurudasa, and Syamasundara, they are living very nicely. Similarly, others Murari also living. So this is not bad. But if one can live as Brahmacari, that is very good. So you can suggest me privately which girl can be suitable for Hayagriva.

I am glad that you have sent Back To Godhead to Sumati Morarji, I have also sent here two copies from here.

Hoping you are well,

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. I hope you have talked with Gargamuni about Dai Nippon affairs. Do things nicely and tactfully. You are the son of a great businessman so I have nothing to teach. May Krishna save you. Haribol.