691003 - Letter to Bali-mardana and Sudama written from Tittenhurst, UK

Letters by Date, 1969

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Founder-Acharya:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness

CENTER: TITTENHURST PARK,
TITTENHURST HOUSE
Ascot, Berkshire, ENGLAND

DATE ......October..3rd,.......1969..

My Dear Bali Mardan and Sudama,

Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letters dated Monday, 29th September, and it is so much encouraging. Last time, in 1967, when I was coming back from India to the States, I stopped for one day in Tokyo to find out the possibilities of opening a branch. I studied the Japanese country within very short time and saw that they are very nice people. They are Oriental men, and there is similarity with Indian peoples. So what I desired in 1967 you have fulfilled in 1969, and I thank you very much from the very core of my heart. Krishna will give you long life and prosperity to live and preach the Krishna Consciousness Movement to the suffering humanity and thereby get benediction of Krishna and thanks from the peoples in general. Both of you are very good combination, intelligent boys, and Krishna is so kind that immediately you have got no anxiety for maintaining yourselves. Now, Bali Mardan, you are trying to get Chintamoni from the States; this is good idea. This girl, Chintamoni, will be another asset for your propaganda because she is actually a very nice devotee, and when she will be with you, she can receive many girl students and show them how to prepare Prasadam. So surely you will grow very soon a nice Krishna Consciousness society in Japan. Krishna has given you immediately one Japanese boy to assist, Sriman Co-Co, and it is understood that he is inquisitive to learn more about Krishna. As you know from Bhagavad Gita, four types of men; namely the distressed, the man in need of money, the philosopher and the inquisitive, they take to Krishna Consciousness, and such persons are described as very pious. They are not ordinary persons. From this formula, Sriman Co-Co appears to be a pious boy, so try to convince him about our philosophy. The sum and substance of our philosophy is to love Krishna. Actually, we have got our inherent love propensity for Krishna, but due to our contact with material energy, that loving spirit is being overtaken by Maya. Just like a boy with hookworm, when he eats very much, his body does not get nourished on account of the middle creature in his intestine. The food goes to the account of the hookworm. Similarly, we have got our dormant loving spirit for Krishna, but it is being misused by Maya. As such, we have gradually to disassociate with Maya or take such medicine which will counteract the contact of Maya. Then our pure Krishna Consciousness will come out automatically. So this chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra is the only medicine to drive out the smokey curtain created by Maya, covering our pure heart. In other words, our love for Krishna is being blocked by the intervention of Maya, and as soon as we stop this intervention, our life becomes sublime. So this is not a sectarian religious convention, but it is a fact, and the proof is that the Hare Krishna Mantra is liked in USA, in Canada, in Europe, and now in Japan.

You write to say that the Japanese students inquire very intelligently, more so than the American boys. Yes, it is a fact that the Japanese people are actually very intelligent, perhaps more than the Europeans and Americans. That is admitted by one German scholar, my Godbrother. So if you can satisfy them intellectually and answer all their questions, that will be your success. All the answers are there in Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita As It Is, and Teachings of Lord Chaitanya. You will simply have to study these books to find out the answers. Anyway, I think Japan will be good field in future for spreading our Krishna Consciousness Movement. You are tested devotees; please handle the matter carefully, and Krishna will give you all help.

I could not understand what you mean by a cart from India. The Japanese are good carpenters, so is it not possible to get such cart made locally? I do not know if Acyutananda will be able to help you in this connection. Here in England, the Sankirtan Movement is getting very popular, and the Party here is getting numerous calls, even from European cities. So we are very much hopeful here also. I am anxious to know how you are eating, whether you have got the facilities for cooking nice Prasadam. Japanese rice is very cheap, so if you take nice rice, dal, chapatis, vegetable, and little milk, that will keep your health nice. Bali Mardan, you have asked how the Sankirtan activities become more relishable every day. It is due to Lord Chaitanya's benediction. All Glories to Sri Krishna Sankirtan!!

I hope this will meet you both in good health, and please keep me informed of your progress.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami