760109 - Letter to Abhirama written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1976

Letter to Avhirama

Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir,
P.O. Sreedam Mayapur,
Dist. Nadia, West Bengal
Camp: Bombay
9th January,               76

My dear Avhirama,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 8th December, 1975. I have replied your previous letter. I do not know why you have not received it.

I accept all the candidates for first initiation as my duly initiated disciples. Their spiritual names are:

Bhakta Wayne Melton — Visvavrksa dasa
Bhakta Michael Cremo — Drutakarma dasa
Bhakta Sunil Awatramani — Adridharana dasa
Bhakta Andrew Hooper — Srimaya dasa
Bhaktin Bernadette — Andharupa dasi
Bhaktin Antoinette — Harestanu dasi

Now you must hold a fire ceremony. Everyone must vow to chant faithfully 16 rounds minimum a day and follow strictly the rules and regulations. This will insure spiritual strength.

They newly initiated brahmanas are Nandanacarya das, Raghunath Puri das, Langaganesh das, Janardana das, Trimalla Bhatta das, and Nartaka Gopal dasi. They should participate in the fire ceremony and afterward should hear the Gayatri mantra from the tape through the right ear. Brahmin means cleanliness—inside by chanting and externally by regular bathing. Teach them this, not only by precept but by your personal example.

Now you have got very excellent land, so develop it very nicely. Miami is a tropical climate, so it should be made very lush with fruit and flower trees. I was very glad to see how your temple is now amongst the big leaders of book distribution. This is a sure sign of spiritual strength, for where there is preaching there must be life. Please go on increasing more and more, the book distribution. You are working in the right direction.

I hope this meets you and all the devotees at New Naimisaranya Forest in the best of health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Sriman Abhirama das
ISKCON-Miami
ACBS/tkg