700123 - Letter to Hansadutta written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1970

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Founder-Acharya:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
CENTER:1975 So. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, Cal. 90034

DATE ....January..23,..........19.70

My Dear Hansadutta,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22 January, 1970 along with the Daily Californian newspaper in which my letter regarding Krishna chanting has appeared. I am very glad to learn that the editor of the Daily Californian was very impressed with it and kindly printed it in its entirety. You kindly try to understand the purport of my letter and preach it vigorously.
In the meantime, I have received one letter from Krishna das in Germany, and he reports that in Germany there is very good scope for preaching our Krishna Consciousness Movement. In this connection he writes as follows:
"If it is Your desire Prabhupada, with the organization of Germany's Sankirtan Party we would like to make a tour of Germany during the summer and if it is with Your blessings, to open a second temple at least by the end of 1970, either in Berlin or Munich.
Germany (West) has a population of over 50 million, and that is not including East Germany. In England there are over 60 million, but the difference lies in the concentration. In England there are a few large cities (London, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc.) whereas in Germany the folk are spread in hundreds of towns all over Germany, and these towns are situated only short distances apart. Another hint of Germany's importance is that the German Mark (currency) is one of the stablest monetary systems in the whole world. As you have said many times previously, the Germans are a very intelligent people. Now the only problem is to reach the people in large numbers, and this will be through SKP and new temples. Especially in main cities (Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich, Stutgart, etc.) all of which have a population of half a million to a million (except Berlin which had three million), but they are centers of industry, trade, art, travel and all have Universities."
So he suggests that your assistance in Germany would be very much favorable. Do you think that for some time you can go to our German center and organize it very nicely in cooperation with other members. If so, then you decide for yourself and when you come here we shall talk further on this matter.
Regarding the small press which you have purchased, I do not think you can divert your attention for printing separately our message because that will require a separate energy and will not help in the matter of selling our BTG. If they receive such pamphlets, they will not be inclined to purchase BTG. Whatever you want to publish, you can send it in an article form to Boston for being printed in BTG, and with your Sankirtana Party you may concentrate the selling of BTG as far as possible.
The xerox machine which you have purchased may be used for some other purposes because when you have invested some money, it must be utilized. In the BTG we are sufficiently printing pictures of our Sankirtan Movement. Do you think any special advantage will be there by printing separately something which may minimize the sale of BTG?
Regarding your question: you are right when you write to say that everything about us, tables, chairs, bricks etc. is originally emanating from sound vibration. This is also admitted in the Christian Bible wherein it is said that God said, Let there be creation. And there was creation. So, "said" means it was sound vibration; but this sound vibration is not material sound vibration because before creation of material sky and sound, transcendental sound was there. So actually the transcendental sound is the cause of creation, but material sound is not transcendental sound. We have to receive transcendental sound through the transcendental channel, therefore, Vedas are called Sruti. That means transcendental sound can be received through the ear. And by hearing this transcendental sound through the ear our heart becomes spiritually purified, and we can realize at that stage the transcendental Name, transcendental Qualities, transcendental Form, transcendental Pastimes etc. That is the way of descending process.
Because everything manifested is creation of the original transcendental Sound, therefore, factually everything is spiritual. But being covered by material cloud, we do not appreciate properly the spiritual nature of everything. The Krishna Consciousness Movement means gradually advancing towards that stage of spiritual realization. As such, the philosophy of achintya veda veda tattwa is perfect. Everything is simultaneously one and different from the Supreme. One in quality because the original source is the Spiritual Whole, and different in quantity. This quantitative difference becomes more and more separate by increase of material consciousness.
The next question: the body of a pure devotee is all spiritual and He is not different from His body. That is also a fact. The bodies of all living entities, even though they are not pure devotees, are not actually the bodies of the spirit soul. It is always separate from the spiritual body. The Vedic mantra confirm it by the sound vibration that this spirit soul is always nonattached with the material body. Therefore, we do not see the actual spiritual body of a pure devotee; but what we see, that is matter.
Just like the example is given of the shining moon covered by the cloud. When the cloud moves along with the peeping moonshine, it appears that the moon is moving. Anyone who has seen such movement of cloud in the sky must have this experience.
So, the moving of the cloud may appear to the layman's eyes as moving of the moon, but that is not a fact. Similarly, the moving of the body of a pure devotee is not the moving of the pure devotee. After all these are facts for the process of realization, but we can try to understand them as far as possible from the statement of authorized Scriptures through the version of the Spiritual Master or saintly persons.
Regarding dictaphone: I can send you presently the tapes for Krishna and if Howard Resnick can work it nicely it will be a great help. But before purchasing the dictaphone you can hire it for a month to see how Mr. Resnick will work on it. Besides that, if you purchase a dictaphone, you should do it through authorized dealers of Grundig. So if you are eager, on hearing from you, I shall send one tape and let me see how does it work.
I am eagerly waiting to see Srimati Himavati and yourself as early as possible. I hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:db

Sriman Hansadutta Das Adhikary
ISKCON Temple
2710 Durant Avenue
Berkeley, Cal. 94704

P.S. your letter addressed to Boston address is certainly missing. [handwritten]