a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1966 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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11 July 2004 July 11, 1966 "In New York, in the spring of 1966, shortly after Srila Prabhupada had coined the acronym 'ISKCON' and had laughed playfully with the new word, he initiated the legal work of incorporating the society. Stephen Goldsmith, a young Jewish lawyer, fascinated by the idea of setting up a religious corporation for an Indian svami, began to help. "On 11 July 1966, Mr Goldsmith came to Prabhupada's lecture and kirtana at 26 Second Avenue to get signatures from the trustees for the new society. To the surprise of the people gathered, after Srila Prabhupada's lecture, Mr Goldsmith stood up and made a short announcement asking for signers on an incorporation document for the Svami's new religious movement. "The first trustees - those sympathisers with enough reverence towards the Svami to want to help him - were Michael Grant, his girlfriend Jan Marie Campanella, and James Greene. "Two months later, on Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa-puja day - 9 September 1966 - Srila Prabhupada held the first initiations in ISKCON. Michael Grant became Mukunda Dasa and Jan became Janaki Dasi, Srila Prabhupada's first woman initiate and one of three ISKCON trustees." Vishankha dasi and Sudharma Dasi, Women in ISKCON letters | 00:24 | CONSTITUTION OF ASSOCIATION 1. The name of the society is The International Society for Krishna Consciousness. 2. The headquarters of the Society are located at Radhakrishna Temple, 26 Second Avenue, New York City, 10003, USA. 3. The objectives for which the Society is being established are: (A) To educate the greater human society in the techniques of spiritual life as the basis for a balanced psychic and biological development, and thereby achieve for the first time in human society a real peace and unity among the contending forces in the world today. (B) To propagate the Sense of Godhead, the all attractive Personality of primal and eternal Form, as He Himself revealed in His own words in the Bhagavad Gita, the Holy Scripture of the Lord Sri Krishna, the Godhead. (C) To bring together individuals in a Society, regardless of nationality and irrespective of creed or caste, in order to develop a nearness to the Godhead and thereby the idea that within the members and humanity-at-large there is an infinitesimal soul-spirit that is part and parcel in quality with the Godhead, and that all life is meant for the satisfaction of said Godhead, the Supreme Soul. (D) To encourage the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who demonstrated practically the transcendental process of approaching the absolute Personality of Godhead by His acts of congregational chanting of the holy name of God, a process known as Samkirtan. (E) To prove by active work and preaching that Lord Sri Krishna is the only enjoyer of all the outcomes of individual and collective sacrifice, penance, meditation, arts, culture, science, because He is the Supreme Proprietor of the whole universe, eternally apart of Him everyone knows Him as a friend. Real peace can be attained when this is realized, in fact. (F) To assist whenever and wherever possible in the building of a social structure on the real foundation of spiritual progress and establishment of peace and unity between men throughout the world. (G) To attempt to save men individually from the chain of victimization the ongoing trend in modern civilization operates by, in the name of ideologies of false sentiment, so that Man may again be a free soul, to act and live freely with spiritual vision. This is possible by individual spiritual initiation, Diksha, when a man can see everything in Godhead and Godhead in everything. (H) To further toward realization this highest truth as revealed by Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the six Goswamins headed by Srila Rupa and Sanatana Goswamins. (I) To have for its objectives amongst the others four principles which the Goswamins had in view. They are the following: 1. To erect a holy place of transcendental pastimes as well as a place where members of the Lord Sri Krishna can flourish. 2. To propagate all over the world in the form of missionaries the process of devotion, the transcendental service to the Godhead, and to make known that this devotional service is the main function of the human being. 3. In order to accomplish this, to adopt proselytizing methods of peaceful means and to establish a broader society of association for all members, including scholars and admirers, to engage in this service as put forth in the Srimad Bhagwatam. 4. To install, wherever it is possible, the worship and temple of Radhakrishna and that of Sri Chaitanya, and to give facility to everyone to become trained in the modes of Archan or preparatory principles of devotional service. (J) To introduce to the members of the Society and humanity-at-large a simpler and more natural purpose in life by means suitable to the particular place and time, and as enjoined in the Bhagavad Gita. (K) To organize educational programs, such as classes and lecture tours, and to institute services, such as mailing, for the benefit of the members of the Society and humanity-at-large. (L) To publish periodicals, books and/or pamphlets in all important languages in order to reach human society and give an opportunity to same to communicate with the Society. (M) To invoke the quality of goodness particularly in every member of the Society, individually by the process of Diksha and by establishing one in the status of a Brahmin (good and intelligent man) on the basis of truthfulness, knowledge and faith in the transcendental service of the Lord. (N) Among the secondary objectives of the Society, it shall undertake the following activities: 1. To revive the scientific system of social orders of classification based on intelligence, martial spirit, productivity and common assistance, generally known as the four castes with reference to quality and worth for the common cause of world society. 2. To discharge as a matter of course the vitiated system of supremacy of one man over another by false prestige of birthright or vested interests. 3. To popularize the vegetable-grain diet under approved methods in order that full value of protein, carbohydrate, fat and vitamin benefit may be derived therefrom. 4. To discourage intoxicating or addicting habits of all descriptions and dimensions and to expose such persons thus afflicted to approved methods of spiritual realization. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Acharya James S. Greene Michael A. Grant Jan Marie Campanella Raymond Marais Robert Lefkowitz letters | 00:08 | 10 July 2004 JOURNAL: 10 July - 12 July Sunday 10 July Astami Sunrise: 4/40 Sunset. 7.31 Moonrise: 11/28 Monday 11 July Navami: Sunrise: Sunset. Moonrise: Tuesday 12 July Dasami: Sunrise: Sunset: Moonrise: letters | 01:39 | 9 July 2004 JOURNAL: Saturday 9 July Saptami Sunrise: 4/39 Sunset: 7/31 Moonrise: 11/08 In the Sanskrit Class Mrs. Carol paid $5.00. No letter received. Brad met me in the evening. The same problem of life. letters | 01:37 | 8 July 2004 JOURNAL: Friday 8 July Sasthi. Sunrise: 4/38 Sunset. 7/31 Moonrise: 11/08. Society's account four bulbs, tester etc. $2.00 Society's balance $28.00. Electric light fitted today and there was about twenty men attending. It is encouraging. The collection was $15.00 one boy Gerald was very much interested. Society's balance 28 Karl -- 10 Raymond -- 10 48 letters | 01:35 | 7 July 2004 JOURNAL: Thursday 7 July Panchami Sunrise: 4/38. Sunset. 7/31 Moonrise 10/49 Today I saw Mr. Goldsmith in his office. He has paid $10.00. The papers of the meeting were handed over to him. It is expected that the Society shall be registered by the next week. He says everything is alright. Michael Grants was paid $20.00 for Con Edition deposit for the Society. $40.00 Less 20.00 20.00 Add 10.00 $30.00 for Society Bus fare -- .30 In the evening two Indian gentlemen namely Bhagwat and Trivedi met me and talked with me till 10 at night. Expenditure -- $2.00 letters | 01:33 | 6 July 2004 JOURNAL: Wednesday 6 July Chaturthi Sunrise: Sunset: Moonrise: Today I purchased stove and utensils $18.00 In the meeting the collection was $8.00. Society Collection: Raymond* $10.00 Karl -- $10.00 Rapheal -- $20.00 $40.00 In the meeting at 26 Second Street Store, It is settled that the Society shall be incorporated and the name of the Society shall be: International Society for Krishna consciousness Eleven Trustees were agreed. letters | 01:31 | |
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