740526 - Letter to Sudama written from Rome

Letters by Date, 1974

Via Mistrette 2
Plazza Lodi, Rome, Italy

May 26 74

My dear Sudama Maharaj,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of letters from devotees of Hawaii ISKCON dated 4/23/74.
Based on their declarations of sincerely following all the prescribed Vaisnava regulations for one year, and on your recommendation, I have accepted Jagat Prabhu das, Praghosa das, Kanva das and Nitai Gourachandra das for second initiation and I have enclosed sacred thread and gayatri. You were present in Hawaii when I was there and was particularly stressing that the presidents must be very careful on recommending gayatri initiation. After all, we are criticizing false cast brahmanas, if we ourselves are bogus brahmins then our position is very bad. Now that we are more and more trying to implement the varnashram divisions of society, we should not think that everyone has to become a brahmin. For example you are developing a farm there; so those who work the farm do not necessarily have to be a brahmin if they are not inclined to the brahminical standards. In this way, be careful about awarding the second initiation.
In my upcoming touring programs I am going to attend Rathayatra in Australia from June 26 until about July 2, then I am going to the U.S. for Rathayatra. So it may be that I will break my journey in Hawaii and see you then. I shall inform you further. Please keep me informed of all developments with the land and devotees there. I will be in Paris from June 6, to June 15.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sdg
1578x Aola Aoloa Loop
Honolulu, Hawaii
USA