a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1966 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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6 March 2004 JOURNAL: Sunday 6 March Sunrise at 6/30. Sunset at 5/53 Moon rise at 5/28 Full Moon 8/46 pm.* Today whole day passed at Monroe Ananda Ashram. In the morning there was kirtan and it was very much appreciated. Returned from Monroe at 6 pm. Talked with Mr. Majid of Tehran (Iran). Interested in spiritual rejuvenation of the world. Took lesson for more than one and a half hour. According to Mayapur Panjika* today is Adhivas day of Gour Purnima. Devotees at Vrindaban and Nabadwipa are enjoying the celebration. I am here alone without any devotee companion. But I have come here to serve the Lord and not for personal happiness. I am prepared to live in hell even if I am able to serve the Lord. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted that His mission should be propagated all over the world and that is my objective. I do not mind the inconvenience personally felt. ACB letters | 01:31 | March 6, 1966 Mishra Yoga Society Monroe, NY An address on the Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 2, verse 12. letters | 01:08 | 5 March 2004 Saturday, March 5, 1966 New York, New York Secretary National Head Quarter of The Salvation Army 120-130 West 14th Street New York, N.Y. Dear Sir, I beg to inform you that I am a Vaisnava Sannyasi and I have come from India (Vrindaban U.P.) for establishing a preaching centre in America for the first time in the study of Srimad-Bhagavatam. A small literature in this connection is sent herewith for your kind perusal. This Srimad-Bhagavatam is the post graduate study of the Bhagavad-gita and both of them are sciences of Theism. I am seeking your good cooperation in this attempt for developing higher sense of God consciousness. I have got money in India and I wanted to get it from India for starting the above centre but the Government of India has no dollar exchange to pay in America and therefore I have been handicapped in this attempt. My correspondence with the Prime Minister as well as my devotee Sir Padampat Singhania is complete. The latest replies and their copies are also sent herewith for your perusal. I know that you have a great number of centres in India for your missionary work and you spend many thousands of American money in India for your noble activities. If you therefore accept my money in India for spending there and pay me in dollars here in America for my spending here, it will be a great cooperation. I think we should cooperate in every respects in the matter of raising peoples sense of God consciousness in these days of forgetfulness. I am in need of $200,000.00 two hundred thousands of dollars immediately for starting my centre here in New York. If you help me by this amount in exchange of my money in India, it will be considered a Grace of the Lord. Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply, Yours sincerely in the service of the Lord, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Enclosure: 1 letters | 03:20 | JOURNAL: Saturday 5 March Today I have sent one letter to the Secretary Salvation Army, 14th St. West N.Y. for exchange. At 2 o'clock went to Ananda Ashram. Kirtan was performed in the evening. Very much appreciated. Night passed at Ananda. Yolanda* gave me a calendar. No expenditure. letters | 01:28 | 4 March 2004 JOURNAL: Friday 4 March Today one letter sent to Boyd Compton of the Rockefeller Foundation asking him Exchange Cooperation. Meals taken at Dr. Mishra's. Income $9.00. Contribution and books. No expenditure. letters | 01:27 | March 4, 1966 New York, New York [Excerpt from a discussion on Bhagavad-gita 2.11] Guest: Yes. In the Indian places known as sacred places... Prabhupada: Sacred... Yes. Guest: ...isn't ...sacred places...? Prabhupada: Yes. Guest:...isn't it also a fact that there is more magnetism there because of the meeting of...? Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Certainly. Guest: ...saints and more people...? Prabhupada: Certainly. Certainly. Certainly. Therefore the place itself has got some magnetism. You see? Guest: Yes. And when... Prabhupada: Just like at Vrndavana, at Vrndavana... That is practical. Now here I am sitting, New York, a very great, the world's greatest city, so magnificent city, but my heart is always hankering after that Vrndavana. Guest: Yes. Prabhupada: Yes. I am not happy here. Guest: Yes, I know. Prabhupada: I shall be very happy to return to my Vrndavana, that sacred place. Guest: But then why you are...? Prabhupada: Now, because it is my duty. I have brought some message for you people. Because I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty. I, I... That is my personal convenience, if I go and sit down at Vrndavana, I shall be very comfortable there. And I'll be, I'll have no anxiety, nothing of the sort. You see? But I have taken all the risk in the old age because I am in duty-bound. I am in duty-bound. So I have to execute my duty in spite of all my inconveniences. That is the idea. letters | 01:08 | 3 March 2004 JOURNAL: Thursday 3 March Today Ekadasi observed. No letter received. In the evening only two visitors came. There were some topics on the meditation yoga. Expenditure. Bootpolish & lace .46. Income contribution $1.00. Dr. Mishra wanted my kirtan in his meetings. I am considering the proposal. The situation is adverse. Let me first of all see how they receive it in the Ananda. Jones presented me a copper cup. Very nice. Thanks. letters | 01:25 | 2 March 2004 March 2, 1966 New York An address on the Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 2, verse 7 - 11. letters | 03:28 | JOURNAL: Wednesday 2 March Today in the morning I went to see Mr. L. L. Mehotra in connection with renewal of Passport after June 1966. The application with letter of forwarding submitted. Extention up to 30th June 1966 already allowed. It is referred to New Delhi and by confirmation from there the Passport will be renewed at least for one year more. Expenditure Bus fare .30 Dr. Mishra gave me a pot for drinking milk. Chandra Sekhar sent a letter for seeing the Passport office in New Delhi to expedite the reply. Income Contribution -- $3.00 Robert brought some whole wheat Flour. Cohen brought the Samkirtan picture. There were some defects. So taken back for rectification. Cohen brought one cotton jersey for me. Thanks. letters | 01:24 | March 2, 1966 New York, New York [Excerpt from a class on Bhagavad-gita 2.7-11] Prabhupada: What is that? Guest: What? Prabhupada: What is this book? Guest: Well, this is the, the, the translation to the Bhagavad-gita. Prabhupada: Well, no, you can hear me. Guest: I am hearing. I am hearing. Prabhupada: Yes. Don't turn your attention. Just hear me. So according to Vedic system, one has to accept a spiritual master in order to make a solution of his life. In every step of his life the spiritual master guides him. He also makes question to the spiritual master and he guides him so that his progress in life may be systematic. Now, to take such guidance means the spiritual master should also be a very perfect man. Otherwise, how can he guide? Therefore one has to select a spiritual master whose order, carrying, you'll not commit a mistake. You see? Now, suppose if you accept a wrong person as spiritual master, and if you, if he guides you wrongly, then your whole life is spoiled. So one has to accept a spiritual master whose guidance will make his life perfect. That is the relation between spiritual master and disciple. It is not a formality. It is a great responsibility both for the disciple and for the spiritual master. And... Yes? Guest: But if the disciple is in ignorance before... Prabhupada: Yes. Guest:...how does he know which master to choose? I mean, because he doesn't have the knowledge... Prabhupada: Yes. Guest:...to make a wise selection. Prabhupada: Yes. So the first thing is that one should be searching after a spiritual master. Now, just like you search after some school, you must have at least some preliminary knowledge what a school means. You cannot search after a school and go to a cloth shop. You must know, at least, what is a school. When one is conscious about his suffering and he wants to make a solution of this suffering, then there is necessary of a spiritual master. Now, if you want to make a solution of your sufferings, and you want to consult a person, now what sort of person you must meet who can end your all sufferings? That selection must be there. If you want to purchase a jewel, diamond, and very valuable thing, and if you go to a grocer's shop... Such kind of ignorance--you must be cheated. You must be cheated. At least you must approach to a jewelry shop. Jewelry shop, you see? So much knowledge you must have. So is that question solved? Guest: Yes, yes. Prabhupada: Yes. The, the necessity of a spiritual master is for him who is conscious of his material suffering. If one is not conscious of his material suffering, then he is not even on the human being status. letters | 01:08 | 1 March 2004 JOURNAL: Tuesday 1 March Saw the India office for extention passport and saw Mr. L. L. Mehotra. Saw also Mr. Bogart. Still hopeful. Received letter from Secretary of Indian Prime Minister. Disappointing. Received letter from Universal book not encouraging. Butter & Bus fare etc. Expenditure .50 Income .15 letters | 01:16 | |
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