720619 - Letter to Misses Sarna daughters written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1972

BASIC PRINCIPLES AT WORK: OBEDIENCE
(On how to adjust things to time and circumstances) [handwritten]

3764 Watseka Avenue
Los Angeles, California,
U.S.A. 90034

June 19, 72

My dear Misses Sarna daughters,

Please accept my blessings. I understand you all of a sudden have gone to Bombay, and without the permission of your parents. So your father called me on the phone this morning, I could not attend but I was informed by Shyamsundar it is something about you. Anyway, take my advice that women, girls, until married, must be under the guidance and protection of the father. That is Vedic civilization. Under the circumstances, I request you both to go back to your father immediately. If there is any disagreement, you can settle up personally, but you cannot disobey your father.
The Nairobi Temple is there, you can attend all the arotiks and kirtans there and assist if there is deity worship going on, so there is no difficulty. It is not good if there is family disturbance in this way, so best thing is you shall go there at once and live peacefully and think always of Krishna under all circumstances.
Hoping this meets you both in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

The Daughters Sarna
c/o ISKCON Bombay

ACBS:sda

2 Question: "You told me the stroy once of a faithful wife who, despite the many offences Of her husband, who went regularly to a prostitute, she served him so perfectly that eventually his heart was changed and he became a great devotee due to her steadfast obedience. Now what if the husband of one of our devotees ordered his wife to cook him some meat, would the wife, by obeying him, be serving him rightly?" Answer: "Why do you bring that story? That was in a different age, not practical for now. If a devotee is ordered to cook meat, she must immediately go away." [handwritten]