720918 - Letter to Bali-mardana and Pusta Krsna written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1972

ISKCON
Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Founder-Acharya : His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

DATE: September 13, 1972 CAMP: Los Angeles ISKCON

My dear Bali Mardan, Pusta Krishna

Please accept my blessings. I have been informed by Śrīman Syamasundara of your question via telephone [from New York Temple,] and my reply is that this saṅkīrtana or street chanting must go on, it is our most important program. Lord Caitanya's movement means the saṅkīrtana movement. You may simply take two hours for chanting sixteen rounds daily, two hours for reading congregationally, and balance of time go out for saṅkīrtana. We must do both, reading books and distributing books, but distributing books is the main propaganda. Reading in class for two hours [handwritten] is sufficient and other reading can be done [handwritten] in spare time if one has got it, it is not that one has to be always reading. One hour a morning for Bhāgavata class and one hour evening, either Bhagavad Gītā or Nectar of Devotion, that is sufficient.

Now you are my elder disciples and both of your are sannyāsīs and also advanced in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, so these questions should not arise amongst you again and again. That means everyone is not conscientious. These things are not new to you, why do you continually ask these questions? The GBC authority must be accepted under all circumstances, not that there will be fighting amongst you. This fighting spirit will destroy everything, but what can I do, you American and European boys are trained up in this fighting attitude. Now put it aside and simply work cooperatively for spreading this movement all over the world. The standards I have already given you, now try to maintain them at all times under standard procedure. Do not try to innovate or create anything or manufacture anything, that will ruin everything. Simply do as I am doing and be always serious and sincere to serve Kṛṣṇa, and He will give you intelligence how to do everything.

So far the painting department is concerned, they have telephoned me also, so their work is very important, and four or five painters may be allowed to paint full-time, after chanting two hours their rounds, and they may spend one or two hours on saṅkīrtana party as it is convenient. Jadurani is the best book seller of all, so she may go out for distributing books as much as possible if it is convenient and does not tax her too much away from painting art work.

Now I want very much to get that building in New York so kindly inform me regularly what is the progress. I understand they have refused our offer of cash $600,000, so you may offer more, up to $900,000, or as you see fit, reducing the cash outlay, also as you see fit. And try to take a mortgage for fifteen years. If Keśava is there he may become the President of the New York Temple. If he is able to get that new place, then he will have done something big and he can take that post of President of New York Temple. And you are GBC man and in charge of ISKCON Press. This will free you for preaching more and traveling, because you are also sannyasi.

Hoping this meets you both in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Bali Mardan das Gosvami
Pusta Krishna das Gosvami
ISKCON New York

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