721203 - Letter to Karandhara written from Ahmedabad

Letters by Date, 1972

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Date: December 3, 1972
Camp: Elite Apartments,
A-2 2nd Floor,
Shahibag,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat,
India.

My dear Karandhar,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 11, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care and attention. Still we have not finished the business with Nair, and the case has become very complicated without any settlement. They were supposed to settle the Conveyance Deed on December first, as we had made a supplemental agreement in Hyderabad and Mrs. Nair had signed it. That was very favourable for us. But other things have interfered, and they have defaulted for one reason or another, so we have got the upper hand. Now I have asked Mr. Diwanji to come to see me tomorrow morning, and Mr. Nair is also coming here, so I want to make a settlement with them without further delay. I shall let you know later.
I have heard from Shyamasundar that there may be some difficulty with tax. That must be corrected. We are world-wide organization, and we must have the cooperation of the government authorities, so we shall not create any unnecessary misunderstandings by avoiding government requirements. That will not be good for our movement. Of course, Lord Chaitanya led civil disobedience movement against the government because they used show of force to stop Him performing sankirtan movement. So if there is forcing us to stop this sankirtan movement, that much we must protest. But the government of your country is very nice, I think the best in the world at present moment, and they have not made any objection, even they are allowing our boys as ministers to be given relief from this drafting system. So we shall give them all cooperation. Now that requires proper accounts in all our temples.
That policy of "frying the fish in its own oil" is all right, but don't touch the bonds. It should be kept as it is. And now I am thinking to pay Dai Nippon for supplying books to India because there is no money in Mayapur Fund. There is huge demand for books in India, especially Bhagavad-Gita. So I wish to transfer the bonds for paying Dai Nippon on account of supplying books to India. The idea is that you can supply all varieties of books to India, whatever they order, and send them a bill in dollars, cost-price dollars, and the cost-price dollars may be paid to Dai Nippon by encashing the bonds. All of our books may be printed by Dai Nippon in huge amount to the extent of $100,000 cost-price and sent to India. I shall pay them with dollars from the bonds and everything, and here the money will be paid in rupees into a Bhaktivedanta Book Fund and M-V Trust Fund in Indian banks, at the rate of ten rupees per dollar. So there is no difficulty. Just like TLC costs $1.50, and the temple takes 25% or $1.50, and above that there is $3 profit. So from Jain if we get 10 rupees per dollar, this way we will get 20 rupees.
So far Bhagavad-Gita is concerned, you must approach the MacMillan Company and either they must immediately stock somewhere in India so that our people may take it, or they must print it here. There is overall huge demand. You may copy this letter and send the copy to Bali Mardan. Why they cannot give us permission for printing Bhagavad-Gita? Make it clear whether we can print the older abridged edition, or if we can print the newer unabridged one. They must allow us to print here or immediately send 20,000 copies in India. We can sell all.
Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Karandhar das Adhikary
ISKCON Los Angeles
ACBS/sda

Karandhar Das Adhikary
3764 Watseka Ave,
Los Angeles,
California, USA
90034 [handwritten]

A C Bhaktivedanta Swami
Elite Apts,
A-2 2nd Floor,
Shahibag,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, [handwritten]
INDIA