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Local men should not simply become a visitor but they should be trained up to take charge of the temple.

Prabhupada replied to three pieces of mail during his noon massage. All the letters were from Los Angeles. Radhaballabha had sent an accompanying letter with the two volumes of the new Eighth Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam. He informed Srila Prabhupada that the new book was offered on the altar on September 17, the anniversary of Srila Prabhupada's arrival in America, and said, "I am sure that in the future this day will be declared a National Holiday, a day in which all Americans will chant and hear about your glorious activities. You are the real national hero, not mlecchas like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln." Radhaballabha also mentioned that the new reprint of Bhagavad-gita is complete. Srila Prabhupada send back a short reply thanking him for the books. Another letter was from Karandhara prabhu, who said that he was feeling greatly inspired and determined after receiving Prabhupada's letter to him at the end of last month. He has already begun collecting funds for the construction of a skyscraper on the vacant lot next to the temple. So far he has $3,000 and he expects to receive another $15,000-$30,000 in the next three or four months. "Of course, this amount is nothing compared to the 7 to 10 million that is required but I know that by Your Grace anything can be accomplished. I am prepared to expend this life and body for this project so long as it receives Your sanction. Your blessing is all I require to sustain enthusiasm." He informed Prabhupada that next month they will begin work on a new asrama building on Watseka Ave. opposite the temple, with facility for seventy residents. Karandhara said that along with Isana and Ranadhira prabhus, he has been working to produce a new type of fiberglass mridanga. They expect to go fully into production by November and make about 2,500 drums a year. Karandhara ended his letter with a nice glorification of Srila Prabhupada and a plea for his extra mercy. Prabhupada was happy to hear from him again. He replied with a short letter of encouragement. "Regarding the skyscraper scheme, yes, that I have already sanctioned since the idea was given to me by you. "If you make 2500 mrdangas per year, that is very good, then distribute to the whole of American people." The third letter was a thorough report from Ramesvara Swami on his recent trip to Fiji and Australia. He spent several days in Fiji with Deoji Punja, Vasudeva prabhu. He was impressed with Vasudeva's serious approach to Krishna consciousness and observed that he was chanting thirty-two rounds per day, offering all his food, and personally working hard to raise the money for the temple construction. So far he has collected $74,000. Ramesvara offered two main reasons why difficulty has arisen over the ownership of the land. He felt Upendra was not properly qualified to preach there. Upendra had disagreed with Vasudeva on many minor things. In addition, Upendra was unable to do anything to support his family and so was financially dependant on Vasudeva's personal funds. He was not inclined to make life members, although this was the main source of money for building the temple. Thus Upendra's and Vasudeva's relationship became so strained that Upendra has now returned to America. Ramesvara added that Upendra's difficulty in dealing with the local men has exacerbated previous bad experiences they have had with other foreign devotees who have gone there to preach in the past. This lead to the second major problem: the land was jointly owned by Vasudeva and his brothers. One brother is a devotee but the others, who are not, were fearful that in the future there may be some mismanagement, or the land and temple might be sold against their will. This sense of fear was increased by Srila Prabhupada's writing directly to the local bank manager, telling him not to give any loans out to ISKCON Fiji without his personal approval. That was why, although they did transfer the land out of their personal names, it was put into the ownership of "the trustees of ISKCON" but not ISKCON Fiji itself. The trustees, which include the brothers, are all local men. Ramesvara said that Vasudeva himself has full faith in Prabhupada and does not share his brothers mistrust, but he cannot overrule them. Technically, Vasudeva did not violate Prabhupada's instruction to the bank manager, because the loan was taken out in the name of "the trustees of ISKCON" and not in the name of ISKCON Fiji. Thus the trustees are individually responsible for the loan's repayment. Ramesvara wrote, "The fact is that without the loan, the construction on the temple would have halted. That would have ruined our reputation and made further collecting towards the temple very difficult." He said that the temple would be one of the most impressive structures in Fiji. "Many times the local Hindus have tried to construct a decent temple, but have always failed. Now they see this magnificent temple and are greatly awed by Your Divine Grace and the ISKCON movement." Ramesvara offered a solution to alleviate the brothers fears: "In the official constitution, Your Divine Grace has already been given absolute authority in all matters. The brothers will all be satisfied by amending the constitution to state that the new temple and land can never be sold, mortgaged, put up as security for loans, leased, etc. but remains permanent property of ISKCON Fiji. Then they will no longer fear that ISKCON may one day sell the temple. Once this is done, we can add Your Divine Grace and Tamal Krishna Maharaja (GBC Chairman) as permanent trustees, etc. No one will object. "In fact Vasudeva is looking forwarded to having us send a good man to act as temple president, and he will simply help supply funds for repaying the loan by more life memberships. ... We can probably sell 2,000 BTGs per month, as well as collect donations at the temple itself, distribute prasadam profusely, organize big kirtans etc. In this way the temple overhead will be easily maintained and we can have great success." Ramesvara felt that the only problem was that Vasudeva was feeling that Srila Prabhupada was displeased and had lost confidence in him. He stressed Vasudeva's good intent. "At no time did I detect any insincerity in Vasudeva?he is simply under pressure from his brothers, but our solution should satisfy everyone; thus ISKCON Fiji can flourish." Ramesvara added that he and Gurukripa Swami felt that once the temple is open, two book distributors and two pujaris could be sent from Australia. As well as this, he said a local scholar was now translating Prabhupada's books and BTG into the Fijian language. His work would be checked by Vasudeva, and Ramesvara volunteered to publish it. Ramesvara concluded, "Vasudeva is very desirous of always remaining in association of ISKCON devotees and simply hopes that they will behave better and steadier than the ones previously in Fiji. The selection of the president is very important in this regards. I feel confident that the problems are now resolved and immediately following Gaura Purnima 1977 we will have a beautiful temple permanently in ISKCON's name worth at least $200,000." About his trip to Australia, Ramesvara's upbeat assessment was in contrast to what Gurukripa told me the other day. Concerning Madhudvisha's leaving there he said, "The rumors of a huge sum of laxmi missing have been proven false." As for the temples he said, "Melbourne and Sydney temples are very blissful, always absorbed in book distribution and just now organizing to make many new devotees. Eventually they are thinking to get a better building in Sydney, and to open restaurants in both cities. Gurukripa Swami and I spent 3 days together and he is in good spiritual mood, ready to execute all your orders as usual. His kirtan is still the strongest I have ever experienced. He has organized one traveling bus party in Australia to help make new devotees. If Gurukripa Swami spends more time in Australia then things can develop faster." Srila Prabhupada was very pleased and relieved by Ramesvara's report. Telling him his solution to amend the constitution was nice, he offered his own solution to the problem of local management. "Let Vasudeva become president. Your idea to sell BTGs, collect donations, hold kirtana and distribute prasada profusely, yes, do that. I was given the impression that this temple was to be controlled by the Punja family and our devotees would not have any hand. This was the impression given. We want that a very nice relationship be kept with Vasudeva. It was wanted that he follows our instructions including following the GBC, so that everything can go on nicely. Let one brother be president and one treasurer, and give one good man who can act as secretary. I have not lost confidence in Vasudeva. Now the matter is clear?I'm very much pleased with him so let him remain president and that will please him more, and his brother treasurer with one secretary. If the temple remains permanently in ISKCON Fiji's name and cannot be sold, that is very nice; it is not for selling, it is for improving more and more. "Local men must understand our philosophy, then it will be very successful. We cannot import men from outside. We sincerely want that local men either from Vasudeva's family or any other family which will take on the work. We have to work on that line. Just like some of my Godbrothers wanted to take men from India to London but the attempt was a failure?but when I trained up local men then it was successful. I have no objection if the whole Vasudeva Punja family be trained up and take charge of the temple. Local men should not simply become a visitor but they should be trained up to take charge of the temple. That is what I want. As soon as one is a devotee there is no personal ambition?life is dedicated for Krishna. "If my books can be translated and published there, I have no objection. Since Tamala and yourself are there for some time everything will be alright. Vasudeva must be president." Having just discussed Gurukripa Maharaja's service at length with him, Prabhupada wrote to Ramesvara, "Gurukrpa is feeling inconvenience regarding Australia because of the long distance. His interest is mainly Japan. You or another man may take care of Australia."


Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 4 by Hari Sauri Dasa