690522 - Letter to Mukunda written from New Vrindaban, USA

Letters by Date, 1969

Tridandi Goswami

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
FOUNDER-ACHARYA:
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
CENTER: New Vrindaban
RD 3 Moundsville
West Virginia

DATE: May 22, 1969

My Dear Mukunda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 9, 1969, and in the meantime, I have also received letters from Yamuna, Gurudasa, as well as one letter from Mataji Shamadevi in Hindi. She has written that she wishes for me to go there immediately. In your letter you write to say that you can wait until you find a suitable place where all can be accommodated. This means that you are not living in one place, and from your letter it appears that you are scattered in different places.

When Mataji Shamadevi came to see me in Los Angeles she was very respectful to me, every time she was touching my feet and offering obeisances. She was also very serious of having my cooperation in spreading the Krishna Consciousness Movement. I understand also that she has got some influence amongst the African Hindus, generally Guzratis. I understand that she has already purchased a place in Leicester, although it is 125 miles away from London. If I go there in London it may be possible for me to take the management of the temple because she is very much eager to have my cooperation. So I am asking your opinion after consulting amongst yourselves whether I shall go as invited by her. Suppose if I can induce her to give you all a place to remain together, and if you go from there to London, and then back again, will this be too inconvenient for you? Is there any suitable travelling facilities from Leicester to London? On the whole, Mataji Shamadevi is ready to cooperate with me, and she has asked me to go to London. So if you think it wise, I can go on receipt of your reply of this letter. Wherever I go Devananda and Purusottama go also as my personal assistants. I do not know if you are prepared to send fare for three, but if my presence will be nice there, send the money for at least two, either send it yourself or through Mataji, and I shall immediately start.

Here in your country all the branches are doing very nicely, and this New Vrindaban is an ideal place for improving Krishna Consciousness. We have got enough land here to construct temples and accommodate for the devotees, so in the future we may develop this New Vrindaban very nicely. There is surely an atmosphere of Vrindaban life actually, although many of the devotees here are quite new and differently cultured. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami