I appreciate very much your dedication to preaching in Japan.
A number of letters have accumulated, and Srila Prabhupada, in his efficient and attentive way, gave his replies as Jagadisa prabhu read the letters out to him during mid-morning.
Mahamsa Swami sent a joyful report of a three-day visit he made recently to Kodai Kanal, a famous hill station in the south. While in Hyderabad in August, Dr. Ghosh Sinha came to see Prabhupada and offered some land there, so Prabhupada asked Mahamsa to check it. His letter was full of enthusiasm. "The place is extremely beautiful and has a tremendous preaching ground. There are over 7,000 students from all over the world and 20,000 local population. There is a Floating population of lakhs (including the cream of society) for seven months of the year."
He stated that Dr. Ghosh's intention was simply to make everyone chant the holy name. He is offering thirty acres, with a building to accommodate sixty and a hall for four hundred. He stressed that the Doctor's offer is unconditional and that Dr. Ghosh is "extremely dedicated to Your Divine Grace . . . His last words were before we left: 'I simply want Srila Prabhupada to come over here and put his lotus feet on my head and then I pass away.' "
Mahamsa said that he would come to see Srila Prabhupada shortly with a draft of the trust deed document for the Hyderabad farm project and bring color photographs from Kodai Kanal as well. He also enclosed some news articles from a Hyderabad newspaper in which they print a daily column of quotes from Prabhupada's books.
Prabhupada received his report with satisfaction and replied that he would await his visit for further discussion.
From Buffalo, New York, Kuladri prabhu sent a letter, along with guru dakshina of $1,111, requesting initiations for six new devotees. He said that he has been there the last several months helping to organize sankirtana and that now the temple is free of debt and standing number one in the book distribution rankings for small temples. He lamented a little about his change in service. "For almost seven years under the protection of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha-Vrindaban Chandra I've been trying to help Kirtanananda Swami please you at New Vrindaban. Now it appears that due to my offenses, I'll not be allowed to stay. I have such a poor heart and little faith, but I'm humbly requesting some strength so that I can serve you here in Buffalo."
Prabhupada smiled as he heard Kuladri's prayers and report and encouraged him in his new assignment. "Yes, I was there in Buffalo, it is nice. Nitai Gaura is there. It is a very good opportunity. Take advantage and do it nicely. Surely Nitai Gaura will give you strength." He accepted the new candidates as his initiated disciples and advised Kuladri to hold the fire ceremony and have Kirtanananda Swami chant on their beads.
Ramesvara Swami sent a letter with some business and some personal concerns. He enclosed a bank transfer receipt for the October payment of $70,000 for the Bombay temple construction and a statement for the special Mayapur-Vrindavana Trust account. He also included a separate sheet of questions, sketches from the artists of the new artwork for Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 8 Vol. 3, and the proposed new endpapers for Krishna Book Vol. 2. He informed Srila Prabhupada that the BBT is planning to put endpapers in each of the Krishna Book volumes?Radha-Krishna Vrindavana-lila in Vol. 1, Krishna kidnapping Rukmini in Vol. 2, and a Dvaraka-lila pastime for Vol. 3. Ramesvara requested that Prabhupada's responses be relayed to him by telegram or phone to avoid costly delays in production.
The BBT managers are extremely careful to keep the artwork up to a high standard and before anything is even painted send Srila Prabhupada sketches of proposed art, along with any questions. The artists consult even over small details. As Jagadisha read out each of their questions, Prabhupada surveyed the sketches and gave his answers:
Q: In sketch #1 are Lord Visnu's hand symbols correct?
A: Check with Bhagavatam; chakra and gada switched.
Q: In sketch #2 we have made Vamanadeva fair skinned with blond hair. Is that correct?
A: Yes, bigger bunch of hair, or shaven headed - see description.
Q: In sketch #3 and sketch #6 the rsis are shown. Would they look like munis with beards and mustaches?
A: Yes, and bunched hair.
Q: For sketch #3 what kind of telok do Sucracarya and the brahmins (descendants of Brighu dynasty) wear?
A: Tri-pundra saivait, with Sucra. Vaisnava tilak for those who worship Vamanadeva.
Q: Would the brahmins have shaved head and sika?
A: Bunch of hair.
Q: In the 7th Canto and previous volume of the 8th Canto we have shown Suchracharya with top knot and small beard. Is this correct?
A: Yes.
Q: Is sketch #8 and #4 OK?
A: Yes, and yes.
Q: Enclosed are the references for sketch #6. Prabhupada said if there were scriptural references showing that King Satyavrata and the seven rsis were "surrounded by all kinds of living entities" we could put them in. If His Divine Grace still wants us to change the picture please cable or phone Ramesvara Maharaja immediately; the painting is already underway.
A: Initially, Srila Prabhupada replied that man, animal, plants, trees, everything should be included. But after some consideration he changed his mind and said, "No, just the sapta-rsis."
Q: Sketch #9 - Krishna dressing up as Abhimanyu . . . we showed Prabhupada a rougher version of this sketch in Mayapur last March. Was Abhimanyu blue? Otherwise how could Abhimanyu's mother mistake Krishna for Abhimanyu?
A: Yes, some resemblance was there; or Krishna changed His skin. Krishna can do anything.
Q: Sketch #10 NOD pp. 367 ch. 40 . . . Krishna is telling his friends to steal butter while Jotila is sleeping. Jotila, who is actually not sleeping, is displaying the ecstasy of vihasita smiling. (Jotila is sitting on bales of cloth since the scene takes place in the storage room). Is the sketch OK? It is a picture of NOD.
A: Yes.
Q: Sketch #5, arrest of Bali Maharaja. Is it OK to show a rug on the ground even though the scene takes place outside on the grass?
A: Yes.
Business over, Ramesvara included a humble personal note: "Please kindly forgive me for my abominable offenses. You are the ocean of mercy, and despite my offenses I sincerely pray to be blessed with the strength to never deviate from your orders and always act as you would wish me to act. I hope your Divine Grace is feeling better and I would like to humbly request that during the month of January I be allowed to come to India to associate with Your Divine Grace for my own purification . . . I want very much to completely surrender so I can help relieve you of any management burdens and I feel this divine association will give me greatly needed strength to continue endeavoring as hard as I can to spread Krishna consciousness. I humbly beg for your mercy in this way."
As a footnote, he added that everything in Los Angeles is going well and that the Theistic Exhibit crew is working "day and night" to finish their diorama show by the Mayapur festival. He also promised to send for Srila Prabhupada's approval photos of the Deities wearing Their new outfits.
Srila Prabhupada was highly pleased with the letter. He considers Ramesvara both intelligent and efficient, and he reciprocated by conferring his full favor on him. "Yes, my blessings are there that you may always have the strength to act according to my orders. Yes, I am feeling a little better. You are welcome to come in January. Thank you for your wanting to help relieve me from the management burdens.
"It is my satisfaction that everything is going nicely in Los Angeles. I want to see that those programs that we have begun will go on expanding and improving more and more."
Srutakirti prabhu, Srila Prabhupada's former servant, sent a letter from Boston. When Srila Prabhupada was in Detroit in June, Srutakirti and Ambarisha prabhu had presented a proposal to open a new restaurant in Boston and Prabhupada had given his enthusiastic approval.
However, now Srutakirti explained that for various reasons, they had not been able to procure the desired building, or the manpower to run it. At the same time, he had received a call from Gurukripa Swami in Hawaii asking him to come there and manage the temple due to difficulties with the current president, Sukadeva prabhu. He would also run their restaurant. Tamal Krishna Maharaja, the GBC for Boston, has no objection, and Ambarisha prabhu has given a commitment to help if he goes there.
Srila Prabhupada noted the approval of his GBCs and told Srutakirti that he has no objection.
The final piece of mail was from Sudama Goswami. As with almost every letter that is sent to Srila Prabhupada, Sudama opened his with a reverent petition. "I fall at your lotus feet with deep respect and prostrated obeisance unto you in hopes that you will kindly accept my heartfelt prayers that I may always be engaged in your service."
He had heard that there was some rumor in India that he had again left ISKCON, so he now reassured Prabhupada that there was no foundation to it. On the contrary, he said, "I am still here in New York working as hard as I possibly can to develop this Krishna consciousness Theater-Dance company in order to help Your Divine Grave spread the glories of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The results are coming nicely and people are anxious to see what pastime dance, drama we shall perform next."
Sudama Maharaja had heard from some Godbrothers that Prabhupada wanted the dance troupe to come to Bombay for the temple opening and asked if this was true; if it was, he pointed out, they would need their expenses to be covered. Finally, he mentioned that he is still diligently studying Japanese every day with the hope that he will be able to continue to help the preaching there. His ambition is to be able to present his theater productions to the Japanese people.
Srila Prabhupada was pleased to hear from Sudama. "Yes, there was some rumor, but I did not believe it. I am confident now that you'll stick to our Krishna consciousness and do the needful. May Lord Krishna bless you." He told him that he had never said his troupe should attend the Bombay opening and that it was not very necessary. He ended on a note of encouragement. "I appreciate very much your dedication to preaching in Japan."
Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 5 by Hari Sauri Dasa
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