751120 - Letter to Jagadisa written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1975

Hare Krishna Land
Juhu Road
Juhu, Bombay 400 054

20 November, 75

Sriman Jagadisa das Adhikari
ISKCON Gurukula
5430 Gurley Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75223
U.S.A

My dear Jagadisa das,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 8, 1975. Regarding your letter of October 11th, I have replied it November 9th, so you should have received it by now. Regarding the Illinois property, I have also agreed that it is a nice property. That is good that the GBC men have agreed to the tax proposal. Regarding your use of manpower in the Texas Gurukula, that is very good what you are doing now. There should not be more than twelve students for one teacher. This is tutorial system. I am also glad to see that you have 9 devotees doing full-time book distribution. That is nice and also it is sufficient. Book-selling is our most important engagement.
Regarding Chicago, it is very surprising how they distributed 800 big books in one day. Here in India we could not sell 800 books in one month because there is no market. Here there is only a market for technology and black market. This is the advantage of the Western countries. There is enough resources, but simply it should be used in Krsna's service. Then it will be nice. Yes, you should develop better relations with the Indians in Chicago. 30,000; that is no joke. In the London temple the Indian devotees are doing everything for the maintenance of the temple. So as soon as the Indians in Chicago come to know, then they will help you. Here in India the temples are maintained by the grhasta bhaktas.
Regarding Toronto, I am glad that they have gotten that church. I have sent them congratulations. Regarding Detroit, I note that Sudama Maharaja was there. Has he left Tamal Krsna's party? Alone Sudhama Maharaja is not safe. He should not leave Tamal Krsna's party. Regarding the Detroit house, even though you will move there after Christmas, some devotees may go there immediately to take possession, and make the necessary repairing. If you can take out a mortgage for only $70,000, then what is the use? Anyway, this you have to consult among yourselves.
Regarding Montreal, yes, it is required that the temple be ventilated nicely. That you will style it after the Krishna-Balarama temple in Vrndavana, that is very nice.
Regarding the New Orleans' farm, do not make sugar. Just boil it and make molasses. You can eat the molasses instead of sugar. Just boil it and keep boiling it until granule forms and then keep in a pot. Don't try to make sugar and sell it. That will simply increase [text missing] the botheration. If you start trading business, then so many problems will be there. You should produce just enough for our own use. Trading leads to envy and jealousy and cheating, then everything is lost. I am seeing now that the business activities in our society, they are increasing. Originally I allowed that Gargamuni could start the incense business. I thought that the Ramakrishna Mission, they are doing and the incense we are using, so if we make some and sell it, then what is the harm. But now I see that Spiritual Sky, they have so many products. And now there is jewelry business going on. So why should the business increase? Nanda Kumar, he came here to India simply for doing business. This is not required. So I have given him sannyasa and now he is finished with all business, and he will go to Africa to preach. So this business should be discouraged, otherwise, if they do it, our men will again become karmis. Our business is simply book distribution. So far increasing the New Orleans' farm, yes, if you have got more men, you can get more land. You should make a stock of ghee from the farm and if possible open a restaurant in the city for attracting people. You can prepare samosas, kacoris, rasgullas, sweetballs: In Honolulu they are doing nicely, this restaurant. You can take information from Srutakirti das. And the farm will get money by selling ghee to the restaurant. And also you can sell the ghee to the Indian people in the city.

Regarding the Deities of Gurukula, Lord Kalacandji, why you should move? The Deities shall stay. If you want you can install another set of Deities in a new place. There's no question of selling the building; it must be maintained.

Enclosed is some correspondence I had with one Mr. Kumarachar. So he is now in London and he has his ticket up to New York, so if you want him to be Sanskrit teacher in Gurukula, you will have to pay for him from New York to Dallas. I do not know what he has been doing so long for 1 1/2 years since I wrote him April 17, 1974. Anyway, you can see if he is useful and if so, then you should keep him. So you can bring him to Dallas.

The new Gurukula buildings are very nice. We shall invite children there from all over the world. If big Indians here in India understand that Vedic culture in English medium is given, they will want to send their children. This is a unique opportunity. We shall induce big life members to send their children. Sanskrit and Indian culture through English medium—this is what they want if their children will not be trained up to do business. If we organize very nicely, the Indian families will send their children. The whole world is misled. You must apply your brains how to spread Krsna consciousness. I am an old man. I can give you the idea. Now you have to carry it out.

Upon your recommendation, I am accepting the following devotees as my initiated disciples and their spiritual names are as follows: William C. Rich is Kanupriya das; Gregory Furgeson is Gopala das; Melinda Pickup is Yogamaya dasi; David Sliman is Sesadeva das; Sam Santoro is Pralabaha das; Kelly Griffin is Yugapriya and Tracy Smith is Vamana-devi. I also accept for second initiation Rajendranandanana das, Lokahita dasi. Also from Winnipeg, I accept for second initiation Dharmaprana das, Natha das, Lalita devi dasi and Misrani devi dasi. The sanctified gayatri threads are enclosed and also the mantra sheets.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/BS/mdd