While reading the book, “If You Want To Please Me,” a compilation of “Selected Letters on Book Distribution and Publication” put together by the BBT in 1987, with 1,000 copies printed, I noticed there were ten letters from Srila Prabhupada instructing senior disciples on how to perform initiations, both first and second in his absence.

The book was printed to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the formation of the BBT, and the BBT humbly presented the book in an effort to deepen enthusiasm and inspire all of us to continue in this most important mission of our spiritual master.

In the publishers Preface, it states, “The letters, presented in chronological order, outline an interesting history of our movement. We have produced each letter verbatim, without deletions feeling it best for the reader to understand Srila Prabhupada’s statements in as complete a context as possible.”

I wanted to dig into this “interesting history” especially as it had not been “edited, changed, revised or improved.” I started to read, and soon realized the book contained a goldmine of information on ritvik initiations, and how they were to be performed as ordered by Srila Prabhupada..

The letters concerning ritvik initiations are found on pages 75, 79, 83, 117, 142, 149, 161, 166, and 174.

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Between 1967 and 1977, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada initiated thousands of disciples, many of whom had never met him, receiving their spiritual name initiation through the mail, Srila Prabhupada at that time, being thousands of miles away.

Therefore, His Divine Grace introduced the ritvik method as the only way to initiate absent devotees, because it was physically impossible for Srila Prabhupada to personally initiate each and every devotee in the movement, with more requesting to be initiated daily.

After reading this book, I started researching the Srila Prabhupada letters Folio, and consequently found many, many more letters from Srila Prabhupada to his disciples describing how to perform ritvik initiations in his absence.

In fact, over a ten year period, from 1967 to 1977, there are about five hundred and fifty four such letters.

Here is an example.

Letter to: Lilasukha

San Francisco

17 December, 1967

My Dear Lilasukha Dasi,

Please accept my blessings. Your letter of Nov. 26, 1967, received along with your beads. I have sanctified your beads last evening when I initiated two other boys Cidananda and Krishna das. ….Herewith please find your beads. ….Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

The prospective disciple would write to Srila Prabhupada requesting initiation, and the Temple President or GBC nearest that disciple also wrote to Srila Prabhupada recommending that disciple, then Srila Prabhupada wrote back to both.

Chanting beads were sent to Srila Prabhupada by the prospective disciple, to be chanted upon/sanctified by, His Divine Grace, then returned to the disciple. There was no physical contact between Srila Prabhupada and the disciple.

Just to make it perfectly clear who the initiator guru is, see the following letter.

Letter to: Madhudvisa: Detroit 4 August, 1975

My Dear Madhudvisa Swami:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your GBC report and have noted the contents carefully. Yes, it is good that you are sending everybody on Sankirtana party, and also that everybody is taking prasada together. This is all very good. And, the cutting of the long hairs is also good. They should all adopt our means of life, and we should behave in such a way that others may follow.

Regarding Sydney, that the President has left, if one does not follow the regulative principles, then he will leave. That is a fact. Has somebody else been elected? This is the function of the GBC, to see that one may not be taken away by maya. The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I am in the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This I want.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.bs

In the following letter we can see that Srila Prabhupada’s disciples are recommending new devotees for initiation.

Letter to: Mukunda

Allston, Mass

30 May, 1968

Los Angeles

My Dear Mukunda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your recommendation for initiation to Stanley, whose name is now Sacisuta…

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Here are more letters on ritvik initiation from Srila Prabhupada.

Letter to: Sacisuta

Allston, Mass

30 May, 1968

My Dear Sacisuta,

Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to receive your letter dated May 26, 1968, along with beads, and I am so pleased that you are seeking for being initiated. So, after due chanting I am sending both your beads by separate first class post parcel. Receive it and chant without any offense…

Your ever well-wisher,

Letter to: Laksmimoni

Los Angeles

10 July, 1969

My Dear Laksmimoni,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated July 5, 1969, sent along with your chanting beads and one letter from Sriman Jagadisa das Brahmacari. I have duly chanted upon your beads, and your initiated name is Laksmimoni Dasi. Laksmimoni is the Goddess of Fortune,

Letter to: Smaranananda (Von Paul Read), Samsara-mocana (Barbara Read), Bhubhrta (Bob Quirk), Pavana (Jeffrey Spicher), Devadeva (Royal Frank Affrisco), Daivata (Anthony Burt Alves), Parayana (Laurel Alves)

—

Bombay

10 January, 1972

72-01-10

My Dear Sons and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Makhanlal I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Von Paul Read/SMARANANANDA DAS

Barbara Read/SAMSARAMOCHAN DASI

Bob Quirk/BHUBHRTA DAS

Jeffrey Spicher/PAVANA DAS

Royal Frank Affrisco/DEVADEVA DAS

Anthony Burt Alves/DAIVATA DAS

Laurel Alves/PARAYANA DASI

…Hoping this will meet all of you in good health and determined spirits.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Gadi (Joseph Magyar), Bhudara (Marc Malcomb), Sridhara (Richard Whitenhurst)

Calcutta

4 March, 1972

Gainesville, Florida

My dear Sons,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Amarendra I have gladly accepted all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Joseph Magyar. Gadi das

Marc Malcomb. Bhudara das

Richard Whitenhurst. Sridhara das…

I am hoping this will meet all of you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

For second or brahman initiation, Srila Prabhupada would either chant on the sacred thread or ask the Temple President or GBC member nearest the disciple to do so, instructing the devotee to listen to the gayatri mantra on cassette tape through the right ear. Srila Prabhupada would either chant the gayatri mantra on the thread, or later on, instruct the Temple President or GBC member to do so.

Here is a letter from Srila Prabhupada mentioning how second (Brahman) initiation would take place and instructions on how to chant the gayatri mantra.

Note that Srila Prabhupada is in Los Angeles and Gurudas is in London.

Letter to: Gurudasa

Los Angeles

6 May, 1970

London

My Dear Gurudasa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 30th April, 1970, and I have noted the contents carefully…. The most important point in this letter is second time initiation of some of the devotees, specifically Jaya Hari Das Brahmacari, Jyotirmayidevi Dasi, and Mandakinidevi Dasi. So I am sending herewith the sanctified Gayatri Mantra Tape and papers for holding the ceremony, as well as a sacred thread and special instructions for the devotees with the Gayatri Mantra.

Now what we have to do is to hold the Gayatri Mantra ceremony according to the instruction paper, then at the end teach Jaya Hari personally how to count on the finger divisions. Then play the Gayatri Mantra tape for him, and let him repeat the Mantras along with my vibration, word-to-word, and then hang the Sacred Thread on his neck as usual. The girls don't require Sacred Thread, as you know, but they simply can responsively chant the Gayatri Mantras. In each individual case the instruction should be given and the mantra replayed.

This Gayatri Mantra function should be held amongst the devotees only.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:db

Later on, Srila Prabhupada decided to stop mailing japa beads to devotees all over the world as it was becoming too expensive. Srila Prabhupada now instructed the local Temple President or GBC to chant on the prospective disciple’s beads themselves.

In this letter from 1973, Srila Prabhupada authorizes Revatinandana and Kirtananda to initiate on his behalf.

Letter to: Revatinandana

Bombay

4 January, 1973

My Dear Revatinandana,

Please accept my blessings. Just now I have received some more requests for giving first initiation from Dhananjaya, and now I am receiving weekly not less than ten to fifteen such requests from new students. So it is becoming very expensive to send so many sets of beads such long distance, and it has become little bothersome for me also, so I think now you may be appointed by me to give first initiations to new disciples by chanting on their beads on my behalf. In America Kirtanananda Swami is doing that. So now if there are two of you that will give me great relief. Kirtanananda will chant on the beads for new devotees in America, Canada, like that, you can chant on the beads for the European continent new disciples. They shall, of course, still be considered as my disciples, not that they shall become your disciples, but you will be empowered by me to chant their beads and that is the same effect of binding master and disciple as if I were personally chanting. They may continue to send me their letters of request, along the President's recommendation, and I shall give them name and it will be entered by my Secretary in our records, only I will send my letter of reply to you and you will purchase beads there and chant them and send, along with my letter to the new initiates. Is that all right?

I shall continue to deal with the matter of second initiations. The sacred threads do not require so much postage to send airmail.

Note that Srila Prabhupada states here quite clearly that the newly initiated devotees will be his disciples, not their disciples. This is a very important point from the Founder Acarya. Also, note that Srila Prabhupada is stating that they would be empowered by him, as if he were personally chanting. This is the shakti of a Pure devotee of the Lord.

By adopting this ritvik method of initiation, there was no need for Srila Prabhupada to be physically present.

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In 1990, the GBC passed a Resolution outlawing what they called “The Posthumous Ritvik Theory.”

In effect, they said the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, had made a “mistake” by ordering his disciples to initiate on his behalf, and desiring that to continue after his disappearance.

They stated that this was, “a dangerous philosophical deviation,” “had never been approved by sadhu, sastra, and guru,” “had never been sanctioned by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,” and, “essentially conflicts with the law of disciplic succession.”

This Resolution can be accessed by clicking on the link below. You will find it just below halfway down the webpage.

http://gbc.iskcon.org/2012/02/05/1990/

Below is the famous July 9^th 1977 letter from Srila Prabhupada implementing the ritvik system of initiation within ISKCON, plus other letters and conversations on the subject.

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Letter to: All G.B.C., All Temple Presidents Vrindaban 9 July, 1977

To All G.B.C., and Temple Presidents

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. Recently when all of the GBC members were with His Divine Grace in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada indicated that soon He would appoint some of His senior disciples to act as "ritvik--representative of the acarya, for the purpose of performing initiations, both first initiation and second initiation. His Divine Grace has so far given a list of eleven disciples who will act in that capacity:

His Holiness Kirtanananda Swami
His Holiness Satsvarupa dasa Gosvami
His Holiness Jayapataka Swami
His Holiness Tamala Krsna Gosvami
His Holiness Hrdayananda Gosvami
His Holiness Bhavananda Gosvami
His Holiness Hamsaduta Swami
His Holiness Ramesvara Swami
His Holiness Harikesa Swami
His Grace Bhagavan dasa Adhikari
His Grace Jayatirtha dasa Adhikari

In the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee's initiation. Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple. After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada by giving a spiritual name, or in the case of second initiation, by chanting on the Gayatri thread, just as Srila Prabhupada has done. The newly initiated devotees are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, the above eleven senior devotees acting as His representative. After the Temple President receives a letter from these representatives giving the spiritual name or the thread, he can perform the fire yajna in the temple as was being done before. The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupada, to be included in His Divine Grace's "Initiated Disciples" book.

Hoping this finds you all well.

Your servant,
Tamala Krsna Gosvami

Approved: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

[Srila Prabhupada's signature appears on the original]

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On My Order

Indian man: When did you become the spiritual leader of Krsna consciousness?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Brahmānanda: He's asking when did you become the spiritual leader of Krsna consciousness?

Prabhupāda: When My Guru Maharaja ordered me. This is the guru-parampara.

Indian: Did it...

Prabhupāda: Try to understand. Don't go very speedily. A guru can become guru when he's ordered by his guru. That's all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

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Every student is expected to become Acarya. Acarya means one who knows the scriptural injunctions and follows them practically in life, and teaches them to his disciples. Keep trained up very rigidly and then you are bona fide Guru, and you can accept disciples on the same principle. But as a matter of etiquette it is the custom that during the lifetime of your Spiritual master you bring the prospective disciples to him, and in his absence or disappearance you can accept disciples without any limitation. This is the law of disciplic succession. I want to see my disciples become bona fide Spiritual Master and spread Krishna consciousness very widely, that will make me and Krishna very happy.

(Letter to Tusta Krsna, 2 Dec. 1975)

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Satsvarūpa: By the votes of the present GBC. Then our next question concerns initiations in the future, particularly at that time when you are no longer with us. We want to know how first and second initiations will be conducted.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I shall recommend some of you. After this is settled up, I shall recommend some of you to act as officiating ācāryas.

Tamāla Krsna: Is that called ritvik-ācārya?

Prabhupāda: ritvik, yes.

Satsvarūpa: Then what is the relationship of that person who gives the initiation and the...

Prabhupāda: He's guru. He's guru.

Satsvarūpa: But he does it on your behalf.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is formality. Because in my presence one should not become guru, so on my behalf, on my order... Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā (CC Madhya 7.128). Be actually guru, but by my order.

Satsvarūpa: So they may also be considered your disciples.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are disciples. Why consider? Who?

Tamāla Krsna: No, he's asking that these ritvik-ācāryas, they're officiating, giving dīksā. Their... The people who they give dīksā to, whose disciple are they?

Prabhupāda: They're his disciple.

Tamāla Krsna: They're his disciple.

Prabhupāda: Who is initiating. He is granddisciple.

Satsvarūpa: Yes.

Tamāla Krsna: That's clear.

Satsvarūpa: Then we have a question concer...

Prabhupāda: When I order, "You become guru," he becomes regular guru. That's all. He becomes disciple of my disciple. That's it.

May 28^th 1977

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July 10th 1977

My dear Hamsadutta Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. Srila Prabhupad has received your letters dated July 4th and July 5th, 1977 respectively, and has instructed me to reply to them.
Srila Prabhupada was very pleased to hear how you have organized everything in Ceylon, and that so many people are now taking interest seriously is proof of the effectiveness of your preaching. His Divine Grace said, “You are a suitable person and you can give initiation to those who are ready for it. I have selected you among eleven men as “rittvik” or representative of the acharya, to give initiations, both first and second initiation, on my behalf.” (A newsletter is being sent to all Temple Presidents and GBC in this regard, listing the eleven representatives selected by His Divine Grace. Those who are initiated are the disciples of Srila Prabhupada, and anyone who you deem fit and initiate in this way, you should send their names to be included in Srila Prabhupada’s “Initiated Disciples” book. In this way the Temple Presidents will send their recommendations for initiation direct to the nearest representative who will give a spiritual name or chant on the Gayatri thread just as Srila Prabhupada has been doing.)

Your servant,

Tamal Krishna Gosvami
Secretary to Srila Prabhupad
His Holiness Hamsadutta Swami
c/o ISKCON Colombo

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July 11^th 1977
My dear Kirtanananda Maharaja,

…A letter has been sent to all the Temple Presidents and GBC which you should be receiving soon describing the process for initiation to be followed in the future. Srila Prabhupada has appointed thus far eleven representitives who will initiate new devotees on His behalf. You can wait for this letter to arrive (the original has been sent to Ramesvara Maharaja for duplicating) and then all of the persons whom you recommended in your previous letters can be initiated.
His Divine Grace has been maintaining His health on an even course and most amazingly has doubled His translation work keeping pace with the doubling of book distribution. Hoping this meets you well.
Your servant,
Tamala Krishna Goswami Secretary to Srila Prabhupada

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July 21st, 1977

ALL GLORIES TO SRI GURU AND GOURANGA!

Dear GBC Godbrother Prabhus,
Please accept my most humble obeisances in the dust of your feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! I have just received some letters from Tamal Krishna Maharaja, and am enclosing herein two documents: 1) Srila Prabhupada's final version of his last will, and 2) Srila Prabhupada's initial list of disciples appointed to perform initiations for His Divine Grace. This initial list is also being sent to all centers.
…Jai, I hope this finds you all well, and fully absorbed in preaching and thus satisfying Srila Prabhupada fully.
Your most unworthy servant,
Ramesvara dasa Swami

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July 31^st 1977
My Dear Hansadutta Maharaja,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your feet. I have been instructed by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada to thank you for your letter dated July 25^th 1977.
You have written to Srila Prabhupada saying you do not know why Srila Prabhupada has chosen you to be a recipient of his mercy. His Divine Grace immediately replied, "It is because you are my sincere servant. You have given up attachment for a beautiful and qualified wife and that is a great benediction. You are a real preacher. Therefore I like you. (Then laughing) Sometimes you become obstinate, but that is true of any intelligent man. Now you have a very good field. Now organize it and it will be a great credit. No one will disturb you there. Make your own field and continue to become ritvik and act on my behalf."
Your Servant
Tamala Krishna Goswami Secretary to Srila Prabhupada

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“If one remains always a servant everlastingly of guru, then he is liberated. And as soon as he thinks that he is liberated, he’s a rascal. That is the teaching of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu…. You must be ready always to be chastised by guru. Then he’s liberated. And as soon as he thinks that “I am beyond this chastisement, I am liberated,” he’s a rascal…. Why this Gaudiya Math failed? Because they tried to become more than guru. He [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura], before passing away, he gave them all direction and never said that “This man should be the next acharya .” But these people, just after his passing away, they began to fight, who shall be acharya . That is the failure. They never thought, “Why Guru Maharaja gave us instruction so many things, why he did not say that this man should be acharya? ” They wanted to create artificially somebody acharya, and everything failed. They did not consider even with common sense that if Guru Maharaja wanted to appoint somebody as acharya, why did he not say? He said so many things, and this point he missed? The real point? And they insist upon it. They declared some unfit person to become acharya . Then another man came, then another, acharya, another acharya . So better remain a foolish person perpetually to be directed by Guru Maharaja. That is perfection.”

Srila Prabhupada, August 16, 1976, Bombay

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My conclusion is that Srila Prabhupada, the current bona-fide Acarya in the line of disciplic succession, had chosen the very best means of initiating his disciples, shown here by his letters, due to the vast distances between himself and the prospective candidates, and that the July 9th 1977 letter, his Final Order on initiation, which outlines how initiations were to be carried out after his disappearance, which he decided to implement due to confusion and short-sightedness amongst his senior disciples, is to be regarded as his last and final instruction on the matter.

Please now read the following extracts from over five hundred letters that Srila Prabupada wrote to his disciples between 1967 and 1977, concerning ritvik initiations.

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Letter to: Yadunandana

—

Los Angeles

15 February, 1968

68-02-15

New York

My Dear Yadunandana das Brahmacari,

Please accept my blessings. In reply to your letter of February 8, 1968, I thank you very much for it, and I have accepted you as my initiated student and your spiritual name is Sriman Yadunandana das Brahmacari. (Yadunandana is another name of Krishna)

Thanking you very much.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Mukunda

Allston, Mass

30 May, 1968

Los Angeles

My Dear Mukunda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your recommendation for initiation to Stanley, whose name is now Sacisuta.

Hoping you are all well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Sacisuta

Allston, Mass

30 May, 1968

My Dear Sacisuta,

Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

Letter to: Rupanuga

Los Angeles

20 December, 1968

My Dear Rupanuga,

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of December 15, 1968 and have noted the contents with much satisfaction and encouragement.

I have sent to Jagadisa his beads duly initiated upon by me and I hope that he has received them by now. I hope that you are all in very good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Mrs. Levine

Los Angeles

10 January, 1969

Dear Mrs. Levine,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter of January 5, 1969, along with your husband's note. Please offer my thanks to him.

Regarding your initiation, I do not know whether your husband is also willing to be initiated with you. This first initiation can be performed by mailing your beads, but if conveniently you can come to see me with your husband, that would be very nice.

Your ever well-wisher,

Letter to: Bhurijana

Los Angeles

7 February, 1969

My Dear Bhurijana,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated February 3, 1969… I understand from your letter that Kanupriya has not yet received his initiation beads for chanting upon, but they were sent over two weeks ago. I am enclosing a carbon of the letter which I had sent along with his beads, and if he has still not received them, please request him to send another pair of beads, and I will send these back to him duly chanted upon.

Thank you again for your most encouraging letter, and I shall be awaiting further news from you in this matter.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Jahnava

Los Angeles

14 February, 1969

My Dear Jahnava Dasi

Please accept my blessings, and the blessings of my Guru Maharaja. I am very pleased to now accept you as my disciple, and your spiritual name is Jahnava Dasi. Janava Devi was the consort energy of Lord Nityananda…So please receive these beads, duly chanted upon by me, and chant at least 16 rounds daily and follow all of the regulative principles. I hope this will meet you in very good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Prahladananda

Los Angeles

14 February, 1969

My Dear Prahladananda Das,

Please accept my blessings and the blessings of my Guru Maharaja also. I am very pleased to accept you as my disciple, and your spiritual name is Prahladananda.

I hope this will meet you in very good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Isana, Vibhavati

Hawaii

8 March, 1969

My Dear Isana das and Vibhavati dasi,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your kind letter of February 22, 1969, along with your beads, which I have duly chanted. Your name is now Isana das Adhikari and your wife's name is Vibhavati dasi.

Herewith please find your chanted beads and be happy by the Grace of Krishna. Please convey my blessings to all there, and I hope you are all well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACB.gd

Letter to: Jayasri

Columbus, Ohio

13 May, 1969

My Dear Jayasri Dasi,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter of May 5th, 1969, sent along with your beads… and I have duly chanted upon them and initiated you as my student. Your name, Jayasri Dasi, means victory…

I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Brahmananda

New Vrindaban

22 May, 1969

My Dear Brahmananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your recommendation for initiation of Michael Kaplan, and I have duly chanted upon his beads…

I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Gopala Krsna

Moundsville

27 May, 1969

My Dear Gopala Krishna Das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter, sent along with your japa beads, and I have duly chanted upon them and initiated you as my disciple. So you should go on with your chanting as you have been doing, and as your name is already Gopala Krishna, there is no need of changing your name. So now you will be known as Gopala Krishna Das. Try to follow the regulative principles and avoid the ten kinds of offenses… I hope this will meet you in very good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Sripati

Moundsville

28 May, 1969

My Dear Sripati Das,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated May 18, 1969, sent along with your prayer beads, and I have duly chanted upon them and initiated you as my disciple. Your spiritual name, Sripati Das*, means the servant of Lord Narayana, or Krishna…. I hope this will meet you in very good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

*Sripati = the husband of the Goddess of Fortune

Letter to: Raktaka

Moundsville

31 May, 1969

My Dear Raktaka,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter of May 26, 1969, sent along with your beads. I have duly chanted upon these beads and have initiated you as my disciple. Your spiritual name is Raktaka das Brahmacari. Raktaka is a cowherd boyfriend of Krishna...

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Turya

New Vrindaban

5 June, 1969

My Dear Turya das,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of May 29, 1969, sent along with your beads, and I have duly chanted upon them and have initiated you as my disciple. Your spiritual name is Turya das and this means transcendental..

I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Harer Nama, Prabhavati

New Vrindaban

17 June, 1969

My Dear Harer Nama and Prabhavati,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters of June 10, 1969, and I have noted the contents of both with much encouragement… Keep them very nicely, and as you consider that one or all of them are ready for initiation and are desiring like that, then they can send their beads to me to be chanted upon…

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Laksmimoni

Los Angeles

10 July, 1969

My Dear Laksmimoni,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

*sent soon by separate post

Letter to: Kulasekhara (Colin Jury), Digvijaya (Dick Withey), Tirthapada (Tim Austin)

Los Angeles

31 July, 1969

My Dear Kulasekhara das (Colin Jury), Digvijaya das (Dick Withey), and Tirthapada das (Tim Austin),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters, sent along with your beads, and I have noted the contents carefully. This initiation ceremony is a Vedic principle to lead a conditioned soul to the higher level of transcendental life….

I hope this will find you well.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Jananivasa

Los Angeles

19 August, 1969

My Dear Jananivasa das Brahmacari,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated August 7th, 1969 and your prayer beads. There was some mix-up with these beads, and they have been sent to Krishna Kamini Dasi (Mrs. Jane Cline). Let her keep these beads. I am enclosing herewith another set of beads for you, duly chanted upon by me. Your initiated name is Jananivasa das Brahmacari... I hope this will find you well.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Yamunacarya

Tittenhurst

21 October, 1969

My Dear Yamunacarya,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of October 4, 1969 and I have also duly received your beads sent by Brahmananda. Your initiated name is Yamunacarya… I hope this will meet you in good health.

Letter to: Yadavananda

London

2 December, 1969

My Dear Yadavananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 25, 1969 along with your beads. I have chanted one round upon these beads, and I am pleased to accept you as my disciple. Your initiated name is Yadavananda, which means He who gives pleasure to the Yadu dynasty…

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Govardhana

Boston

25 December, 1969

My Dear Govardhana das

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 9, 1969 along with your prayer beads. I have duly chanted upon these beads and thereby have accepted you as an initiated disciple. Your spiritual name is Govardhana das Brahmacari… I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Vrndavana Candra

Los Angeles

9 January, 1970

Philadelphia

My Dear Vrndavana Candra,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 4, 1970 and noted the contents. The girl referred to is certainly very nice as I can understand from her letter, and she has sent me her beads for chanting and Subala has recommended to initiate her. So they are all good news. I am sending her the beads duly chanted, and her initiated name is Vidarbha Kanya…

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Jaya Gopala

Los Angeles

11 January, 1970

Columbus, Ohio

My Dear Jaya Gopala,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated January 9, 1970 …Both the husband and wife may be allowed to associate with you and after a few days, if you recommend for initiation, then you can send their beads and they will be initiated by post. At that time you can perform our regular wedding ceremony as usual. That will be nice. Uninitiated couples cannot be married by us…

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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February

Letter to: Dindayal

Los Angeles

2 February, 1970

Montreal

My Dear Dindayal,

Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to accept you as my disciple, and I am returning herewith your beads duly chanted upon by me.

Your initiated name is Dindayal das Brahmacari.

…I hope this will meet you in very good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Jyotirmayi

Los Angeles

8 February, 1970

My Dear Daughter Jyotirmayi,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your kind letter dated 28 January, 1970 along with your beads. I am very happy to accept you as my disciple as you are eager to love Krishna. I am returning your beads herewith duly chanted on by me and your initiated name is Jyotirmayi. Jyotirmayi is the effulgent energy of Krishna…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Mandakini

Los Angeles

8 February, 1970

London

My Dear Daughter Mandakini,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28 January, 1970, along with your beads. Thank you very much. I am very glad to accept you as my disciple because you want to learn how to serve Krishna, and I am returning your beads duly chanted upon by me.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Tamala Krsna

Los Angeles

8 February, 1970

London

My Dear Tamala Krishna,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 February, 1970, along with Mukunda's, Gurudasa', and Syamasundara.'s letters. I am replying all of them separately within this envelope…In the meantime, I have received one box containing sweets, balusai, a handkerchief, a flower, simply wonderful, a sacred thread, gopicandana, dhupa, and a painting, and three sets of beads from Monique, Evelyne, and Joelle. Later on I received their respective letters and recommendations of initiation from Yamuna devi, and I am sending the beads by separate mail duly chanted.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Manmohini

Los Angeles

21 February, 1970

My Dear Daughter Manmohini,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 18 February, 1970, along with your beads for chanting and a pair of lovely flower garlands. Thank you very much.

…So I am returning your beads duly chanted by me, and your spiritual name is Manmohini Dasi. Manmohini is another name of Radharani and Manmohini dasi is the maidservant of Radharani….

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Bhagavan

Los Angeles

24 February, 1970

Detroit

My Dear Bhagavan das,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 22 February, 1970, with recommendation for initiating Jeanne Clausen. I have immediately chanted the beads and sent them enclosed herewith by Air Mail…

Hope this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Dinadayadri

Los Angeles

26 February, 1970

Detroit

My Dear Dinadayadri,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 22 February, 1970, together with your beads and recommendation from Sriman Bhagavan dasa for your initiation.

I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple, and I have already returned your beads duly chanted upon by me. Your spiritual name is Dinadayadri Dasi…

I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Gurudasa

Los Angeles

2 March, 1970

London

My Dear Gurudasa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge reciept of your two letters dated 20 and 26 February, 1970, respectively, and I am so glad to learn that you have been elected president for this year...

Regarding the three boys whose letters accompany yours, and whom you have recommended for initiation, I am sending their beads duly chanted by separate post…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Nityananda

Los Angeles

6 March, 1970

Buffalo

My Dear Nityananda Das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1 March, 1970, along with your beads and request to become my initiated disciple...

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Rupanuga

Los Angeles

7 March, 1970

Buffalo

My Dear Rupanuga,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1 March, 1970, in which you have given your recommendation that Mr. Nico Kuyt be initiated by me. So in accordance with your recommendation, I have accepted him as my bonafide disciple, and I am returning his beads herewith duly chanted…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Nara-narayana

Los Angeles

21 March, 1970

Boston

My Dear Nara Narayana,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter addressed to Gargamuni dated "nil," along with a new set of beads. I have conveyed the letter to Gargamuni after learning from it that you have lost your original set of japa beads and request me to chant on these.

So I have duly chanted them as you have desired, and they are returned herewith enclosed. However, in future, please be very careful to keep these sanctified beads. You should be more heedful. Now be sure to chant at least the prescribed sixteen rounds daily without fail, avoiding the ten offenses to the Holy Name, and thus advance in spiritual strength.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Nityananda

Los Angeles

21 March, 1970

Buffalo

My Dear Nityananda das,

Please accept my blessings. I have just received one note from Brahmananda which informs me that your original set of beads was lost in the mail and did not arrive in the packet with your letter of initiation. Brahmananda has sent one set of new tulsi beads, and I have duly chanted upon them and I am sending them to you enclosed herewith.

I hope you are doing well in Buffalo under the guidance of Rupanuga Prabhu. Please be sure to chant at least sixteen rounds of the Holy Name daily and be happy.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Hladini (Linda)

Los Angeles

29 March, 1970

Detroit

My Dear Daughter Hladini Dasi (Linda),

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 26th March, 1970, asking to become my initiated disciple in Krsna Consciousness and also your beads for chanting. I am very glad to know that your are strictly observing the rules and regulations of Krsna Consciousness faithfully and now I am very glad to accept you as my initiated student. I am returning your beads herewith duly chanted by me...

Your initiated name is Hladini devi Dasi

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Mahananda (Michael)

Los Angeles

29 March, 1970

My Dear Mahananda (Michael),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter requesting initiation, dated 26th March, 1970, along with your beads for chanting, and I am very happy to accept you as my initiated disciple. Your initiated name is Mahananda Das. I have chanted your beads duly, and they are herewith returned to you...

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Hamsaduta

Los Angeles

18 April, 1970

My Dear Hamsaduta,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th April, 1970, and the information is very encouraging…

I have received the letters of Neal, Heidi, and Stephanie, and their beads have arrived today. I have duly chanted their beads and will return them by separate post. At the time of initiation, it is incumbent that the disciple should collect some alms and offer it to the Spiritual Master.

Please offer my blessings to Himavati for her nice engagement, and be happy in advancing Krishna Consciousness.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Gurudasa

Los Angeles

6 May, 1970

London

My Dear Gurudasa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 30th April, 1970, and I have noted the contents carefully... The most important point in this letter is second time initiation of some of the devotees, specifically Jaya Hari Das Brahmacari, Jyotirmayidevi Dasi, and Mandakinidevi Dasi. So I am sending herewith the sanctified Gayatri Mantra Tape and papers for holding the ceremony, as well as a sacred thread and special instructions for the devotees with the Gayatri Mantra.

This Gayatri Mantra function should be held amongst the devotees only...

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Tejiyas

Los Angeles

20 May, 1970

Buffalo

My Dear Tejas Das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13rd May, along with your set of beads for chanting and request to become my initiated disciple.

So I am very glad to accept you as my initiated student, and your spiritual name is Tejas Das Brahmacari. Tejas means powerful. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Pariksit Mahara pointed out to Sukadeva Goswami that Lord Krsna is Tejas or the Incomparable Supreme Powerful, Personality of Godhead. I am returning your beads enclosed herewith, duly chanted upon by me...

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Sri Govinda (Bob Lindberg)

Los Angeles

23 May, 1970

Detroit

My Dear Sri Govinda Das (Bob Lindberg),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your very nice letter dated 21st May, 1970, along with a set of beads.

I am very glad to note your humble attitude, so keep this nice state of serving mood and your success is guaranteed in Krsna Consciousness.

So I am very happy to accept you as my initiated disciple, and your initiated name is Sri Govinda Das Brahmacari. I have chanted your beads duly and I am returning them to you enclosed herewith…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Bhagavan

Los Angeles

26 May, 1970

Detroit

My Dear Bhagavan das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st May, 1970, along with the letters and beads from Roger and Bob. I have accepted them as my initiated disciples as you have recommended, and their beads and reply letters have been dispatched on Sunday May 24th,.. I hope you have received them by this time… Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Joanne, Connie

Los Angeles

4 June, 1970

Columbus, Ohio

My Dear Srimati Joanne and Connie,

Please accept my blessings. In continuation of my last letter, upon opening further the box sent by you along with your letters to me I have found the necklaces and handkerchief made by you for Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, and they are so wonderful. I have immediately got them on the Deities, and They are looking very gorgeous with Their new ornaments. So I beg to thank you very much for these nice gifts of your artistic talents.

In the meantime, I have received one letter from Sriman Jananivasa requesting your initiations from me. So on his good recommendation you may send me your beads for chanting and I will be very happy to initiate you both. Please always chant Hare Krsna mantra and be happy.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Harivilasa

Los Angeles

14 June, 1970

Paris

My Dear HariVilasa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3rd June, 1970, along with recommendation of Sriman Suridas Adhikari. So immediately I have accepted you as my disciple. Your spiritual name is HariVilasa Das Brahmacari. Your beads are sent back to you by separate air post. Here is enclosed the list of regulative principles and offenses…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Sandini

Los Angeles

19 June, 1970

Columbus, Columbus

My Dear Daughter Sandini Dasi,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your nice letter dated 10th June, 1970, along with your beads and request for initiation.

So I am very happy to accept you as my initiated disciple, and your spiritual name is Sandini Dasi. … I am enclosing herewith along with your beads duly chanted one sheet of qualifications and regulations for devotees.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Hamsaduta

Los Angeles

22 June, 1970

My Dear Hamsaduta,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 14th and 17th June, 1970, respectively…

Regarding the devotees who are ready for receiving sacred thread, they may do so you have asked permission for Kulasekhara, Vrndadevi, Ilavati, Sucandra, and Vasudeva. You are going to London, so I shall send the sacred threads duly sanctified and the mantras may be heard in London. The arrangement is there and Gurudasa has already done it, so you can get them initiated as brahmanas get them initiated as brahmanas during Rathayatra days from 5th to 13rd of July…

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Letter to: Jananivasa

Los Angeles

7 July, 1970

Columbus

My Dear Jananivasa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th June, 1970, and noted the contents carefully… Regarding the initiations of the two girls, I have chanted their beads duly and returned the same to them by mail parcel. I hope they have been received by this time… Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Abhirama

Los Angeles

14 July, 1970

Detroit

My Dear Abhirama,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter sent through Bhagavan das dated 30th June, 1970, and the contents are very encouraging… I am very happy to accept you as my disciple as you have requested and your spiritual name is Abhirama Das Adhikari. Abhirama means one who is inclined to worship Lord Rama. I have chanted your beads duly and they are returned to you enclosed herewith… Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Srilekha

Los Angeles

17 July, 1970

Toronto

My Dear Daughter Srilekha,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your nice letter dated 8th July, 1970, and I am very glad to learn that you have been living at our Sri Sri Radha Krsna Temple for the last four months.

I understand that you are a very sincere girl and you are also following the regulative rules and regulations as well as chanting sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna Mahamantra daily. So I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple as you have requested and you are recommended by Sriman Jagadisa. I have chanted one set of beads for you and they are returned to you herewith. Your spiritual name is Srilekha which means "everything very beautiful."…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Tribhuvanatha

Los Angeles

18 July, 1970

My Dear Tribhuvanatha,

Please accept my blessings, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter dated 13rd June, 1970, and just the other day I have received your package containing gifts of conchshell, sandalwood incense, orange socks and flowers as well as your beads for initiation. I beg to thank you for all these nice presentation and they are all being appropriately employed… So on the recommendation of Gurudasa I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Tribhuvanatha Das Brahmacari. Tribhuvanatha means the Lord of the Three Worlds. And Das means servant. I have duly chanted the beads sent by you and they are returned to you herewith…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Jagadisa

Los Angeles

18 July, 1970

Toronto

My Dear Jagadisa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter dated 8th July, 1970, in which you have recommended the initiation of Srimati Stephanie O'Henly. I have received her letter and beads also and I have initiated her duly. I have returned the beads in another packet and her initiated name is Srilekhadevi Dasi. I beg to thank you also for the check for $50 donation to my book fund. Thank you very much.

Regarding your request for Gayatri mantra to be given to Dharmaraj, since both you and Rupanuga recommend him for second initiation it is alright. I am sending you therefore one copy of Gayatri mantra on a small tape along with specific directions for performing the ceremony. Also enclosed you will find one sacred thread duly sanctified by me and it is for Dharmaraj. The sacred thread will be given by you at the end of the fire sacrifice as it is given in the instructions. Please return this tape directly to me as soon as the initiation is done...

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

N.B. Instead of returning the taped mantra directly to me, send it on to Bhagavan das as soon as the ceremony for Sriman Dharmaraj is performed. I have advised Bhagavan das of this, so please do it as soon as possible.

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Letter to: Indrani

Los Angeles

26 July, 1970

My Dear Daughter Indrani,

Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated Berlin, 13rd July, 1970, and I am so glad also to learn that you have nicely appreciated our Sankirtana movement and now you are married to one of our devotees, Krsna das.

… I have been very happy to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Indrani devi Dasi. Indrani is the wife of Indra the king of the heavenly planet. I have received your beads and have duly chanted upon them. Now they are returned to you by separate air post…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Prthu

Unknown Place

28 August, 1970

My Dear Son, (Prthu Das)

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Sivananda I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent by separate post. I have given you the spiritual name of Prthu dasa Brahmacari…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Aditi

India

29 September, 1970

My Dear Daughter Aditi Devi Dasi,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated from London… I have duly chanted the beads sent by you and I am glad to accept you as my initiated disciple on the recommendation of Sriman Gurudasa. Your initiated name is Aditidevi Dasi. Aditi is the name of the mother of the demigods…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Your beads are returned by separate air post along with those of Srimati Lilasakti.

Letter to: Jagadisa

Allahabad

16 January, 1971

My Dear Jagadisa,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated 10th, 20th, 25th and 29th December, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. Also I have received the conchshell necklace made by Laksmimoni.

Brahminical initiations can be given when you feel that the devotees are qualified. First you can inform me and then proceed by the method of tape recording. So far as taking disciples, their beads can be sent here and I will duly initiate them…So far as initiations are concerned, you can send their beads here and I shall duly initiate those who have been recommended by you. If you want that we should send tulasi beads from here then you can send $5.00 per set to cover cost and shipping and I shall send after having chanted on them.

Please offer my blessings to the others there.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: John H. Morgan

Allahabad

16 January, 1971

Toronto

My Dear John H. Morgan,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 28th December, 1970 and have noted the contents carefully… I have received Sriman Jagadisa's recommendation for your initiation and I am glad to accept you as my disciple. You can send your beads here or if you would like tulasi wood beads then send $5.00 to cover cost and shipping charges and I shall send the beads to you after having duly chanted on them.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Karandhara

Allahabad

17 January, 1971

Los Angeles

My Dear Karandhara,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your three letters dated 12.21.70, 1.1.71 and 1.7.71, along with four sets of beads and one letter from the Indian boy who is now in Boston. I have replied his letter separately. I have gladly initiated all the four new boys and girls as recommended by you and I am sending them each a letter and their beads together by separate post… I expect to return very soon via New York, Boston, etc.. Yes, you may perform the ceremony for second initiation for Tulsi das, Krsnakanti, Locana das, Nitai das, Jayatirtha, Karuna Sindhu, Sarola devi, and Maithili devi. The ceremony should be held as usual. Before the ceremony the chief Brahmana chants Gayatri silently. The tape should be played through a set of earphones so that only the initiate hears the mantra. They should hear once only repeating the mantras word by word with the tape record. Devananda says the instructions are there on xerox in a file labelled Prayers, Ceremonies, etc.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Nayanabhirama

Allahabad

4 February, 1971

Philadelphia

My Dear Nayana Bhirama,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 14th January, 1971… I am pleased to note that Karen Anderson has been endorsed by you for initiation and certainly I will accept her as my disciple. Presently I am inquiring into purchasing a quantity of tulasi beads here. When I secure them, then I shall duly chant on one set for Karen and dispatch them forthwith… Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Danavir

Gorakhpur

11 February, 1971

Los Angeles

My Dear Sriman Danavir,

Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to have in hand your letter dated nil from Los Angeles Temple… I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and I have duly chanted your beads which are returned to you herewith. Your spiritual name is Danavir Das Brahmacari. Danavir means "Hero of charities."… Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Tradhis, Nagapatni

—

Gorakhpur

11 February, 1971

71-02-11

My Dear Sriman Tradhis and my dear daughter Nagapatni Devi Dasi,

Please both accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil from our Los Angeles New Dvaraka Temple…I am very glad to accept you both, husband and wife, as my initiated disciples. I have chanted your beads duly and they are returned to you herewith. Your spiritual names are Tradhis Das Adhikari and Srimati Nagapatni Devi Dasi…. Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Gunagrahi

Gorakhpur

12 February, 1971

My Dear Gunagrahi Das Brahmacari,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter dated 27th December, 1970,… I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Gunagrahi Das Brahmacari. Gunagrahi means one who picks up or acquires all good qualifications or qualities... I have duly chanted your beads and they are returned to you herewith…. Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Devi

Gorakhpur

15 February, 1971

Miami

My Dear Daughter Devi Dasi,

Please accept my blessings. I have received one letter from Sriman Sridama Das Adhikari in which he recommends you for initiation into our Krsna consciousness Movement. I have also received your beads, but I have not received any letter from you…. I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Srimati Devi Dasi. I am returning your beads duly chanted herewith to you… Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Jagadisa

Gorakhpur

15 February, 1971

Toronto

My Dear Jagadisa,

Please accept my blessings. I was very glad to receive your letter dated 31st January, 1971. As you have recommended, I have duly initiated the four new devotees and their names are as follows: John-- Yugalakisora, Carol--Kritimati Devi Dasi, Suzanne--Sujan Devi Dasi and Marlene-- Mayavati. I have replied their letters separately and they are sent along with their beads. You should receive them soon…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Karandhara

Gorakhpur

15 February, 1971

Los Angeles

My Dear Karandhara,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 24th January, 9171, and noted the contents.

I was very glad to initiate Sandy and her spiritual name is now Srimati Kanta Devi Dasi. I have sent reply to her letter and her beads duly chanted by separate post. They should be arriving soon. I have also sent many other sets of beads and letters in the same package and I think you can more easily distribute them to their repective temples than we are able to do from here in India where things are costly to send by airmail. I am expecting to return to the States sometime by the end of March, so I think you may inform all the Temple Presidents that prospective initiations may wait until that time. In the meantime, however, if you see fit, you may offer the second initiation to Sriman Yasodanandana Das Brahmacari and encourage him to open a nice center in Quebec. That will be great service and I know he is very enthusiastic devotee. So if you have got the copy of the Gayatri tape, you may conduct the ceremony according to the instructions…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

[TEXT UNCLEAR] ACBS:ds

Letter to: Sridama

Gorakhpur

15 February, 1971

Miami

My Dear Sridama,

Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good wife and all the other Prabhus there. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13rd January, 1971, along with one set of beads for chanting and recommendation for the initiation of Debbie. I have duly chanted her beads and given her the spiritual name Devi Dasi. I have sent her a letter along with her beads separately. I think you will receive them soon.…I think that from now on initiations may be held until I return to the States. That will be nice. Then there will be better opportunity to execute this business...

Hope this will meet you in better health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:ds

Letter to: Yugalakisora

Gorakhpur

15 February, 1971

Toronto

My Dear Sriman Yugalakisora Das Brahmacari,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your repentent letter dated 28th January, 1971, and I am so much glad that you have again come to our camp after some time being mislead by Maya.. I am glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Yugalakisora Das Brahmacari… Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:ds

Letter to: Rupanuga

Gorakhpur

19 February, 1971

Buffalo

My Dear Rupanuga,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your kind letters dated from London and Buffalo respectively... Yes, Tejios can be initiated for the second time by that tape record with earphoning method...

. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Mukunda

Bombay

17 March, 1971

London

My Dear Mukunda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22nd February, 1971 and have noted the contents… Also I have received the five letters requesting initiation. Richard Prime and Jim Counsilman have already been initiated and they should have received their beads duly chanted on by now... Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Anandini (Karen Anderson)

Bombay

30 March, 1971

Philadelphia

My Dear Anandini Devi Dasi (Karen Anderson),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14th January, 1971 as well as the $50.00 gift sent by you also. Thank you very much. I am so glad to accept you as my disciple. Your spiritual name is Anandini Devi Dasi; Anandini means "pleasure." Your beads are also duly enclosed and to keep them strong they should be soaked in oil; mustard oil will do. Also they should be restrung properly.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Gurukrpa (Gregg Gottfried)

—

Bombay

30 March, 1971

71-03-30

Berkeley

My Dear Gurukrpa, (Gregg Gottfried)

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22nd December, 1970 requesting initiation, as well as the $50.00 gift for my book fund sent to Karandhara in L.A. Thank you very much. I am so glad to accept you as my initiated disciple. Your spiritual name is Gurukrpa, or one who has the mercy of the spiritual master… Your beads, duly chanted on, are enclosed and should be soaked in oil (mustard oil will do) and they should be re-strung properly also.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/adb

Letter to: Satadhanya (Stan Federoff)

Bombay

30 March, 1971

Pittsburgh

My Dear Satadhanya Das (Stan Federoff)

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter date 15th January, 1971. I am very glad to know that you are feeling happy in Krsna's service and you are chanting His holy Names regularly according to the Vaisnava prescription. I am very glad that you have requested initiation and I have duly chanted your beads and they are enclosed herewith. So, I have accepted you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Satadhanya das Brahmacari…

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Kanya Kumari (Carol Bouchier)

Bombay

1 April, 1971

New Orleans

My Dear Kanya Kumari (Carol Bouchier),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter dated 2nd February, 1971 as well as your beads. They have been duly chanted on and enclosed herewith. I am glad to accept you as my disciple and have given you the spiritual name Kanya Kumari Devi Dasi.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Letter to: Vaikunthanatha, Saradia

Bombay

4 April, 1971

Georgetown, Guyana

My Dear Vaikunthanatha and Saradia,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very encouraging letter dated 21st March, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully...

Even though you have had no gayatri mantra, still you are more than brahmana. I am enclosing herewith your sacred thread, duly chanted on by me. Gayatri mantra is as follows:

[TAKEN OUT]

Ask your wife to chant this mantra and you hear it and if possible hold a fire ceremony as you have seen during your marriage and get this sacred thread on your body. Saradia, or any twice-initiated devotee, may perform the ceremony.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Bhagavan

Bombay

11 April, 1971

My Dear Bhagavan das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated nil and 23d February, 1971, respectively and have noted the contents carefully…

Yes, the gayatri mantra initiations may be performed by you. Hold a fire ceremony and give the sacred thread on my behalf. I am enclosing herewith one thread, duly chanted on by me, along with a copy of gayatri mantra for Sri Govinda Das and mantra for his wife Srilekha Devi also. To each you should recite the mantra individually and they will repeat and then the thread should be offered to Sri Govinda Das. The tape recording is not required...

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

[PAGE MISSING]

Letter to: Jagadisa

Bombay

11 April, 1971

Toronto

My Dear Jagadisa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 12th February, 5th and 25th March, 1971, respectively and have noted the contents carefully.

…Yes, Mayavati Devi may receive Gayatri initiation. I am enclosing herewith Gayatri mantra sheet. You recite it and let her hear, and hold a fire ceremony as well.

Please offer my blessings to the others there. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Karandhara

Bombay

13 April, 1971

Los Angeles

My Dear Karandhara,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 30th March, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully…

So far as Gayatri initiations are concerned, the tape is not required. You have the threads, chanted on by me and now I am enclosing herewith copies of Gayatri mantra, one for each of the seven disciples to be initiated. Hold a fire ceremony. Chant Gayatri mantra to them individually and let them hear and repeat. Then offer the threads on my behalf. The fire sacrifice should be performed as usual.

Please offer my blessings to your good wife Saci Devi as well as the other boys and girls there. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Mukunda

Bombay

13 April, 1971

London

My Dear Mukunda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters, one undated and one dated 24th March, 1971, respectively, and have noted the contents…

Since it is uncertain when I shall arrive, the devotees recommended by you for initiation in a previous letter may now be initiated. Presently I am securing wooden beads from here and as soon as I receive them, I shall send them to the respective devotees, duly chanted on. Anna Prabhu may be initiated also and she has my blessings for being married to Puranda at the earliest convenience.

Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Jaya Jagadisa

Bombay

24 April, 1971

London

My Dear Jaya Jagadisa,

Please accept my blessings. I was glad to see your letter addressed to Sriman Gurudasa and Srimati Yamuna devi regarding your recommendation for initiation by Mukunda Prabhu. I have decided to accept you immediately as my initiated disciple as you have requested and I have enclosed your set of beads herewith as well.

I have duly chanted your beads and given you the spiritual name Jaya Jagadisa Das Brahmacari…

Hope this will meet you in very good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:ds

Letter to: Karandhara

Bombay

28 April, 1971

Los Angeles

My Dear Karandhara,

Please accept my blessings. Enclosed please find one letter addressed to the twelve devotees recommended by you and now duly initiated by me. Their beads should arrive very soon by air parcel post.

One thing is that in some cases I wasn't certain whether the names given were masculine or feminine. So from now on in all such cases the letter M or F, indicating Male or Female, must follow the name in brackets…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Ramesvara (Robert Grant), Badarinarayana (Bob Morrel), Vaidyanatha (Bob Sandel), Trilochana ( Ty Hadman), Paratrikananda (Pat Hogan), Kulapradip (Carl Voelkner), Jayanarayana (Jim Rutland), Iksvakurani (Irene Kent), Lilasakti (Linda Forkash), Santanandi (Stephani Swartz), Vikramini (Vickie Dagenhart), Riktananda (Richard Arthur)

—

Bombay

28 April, 1971

71-04-28

Los Angeles

My Dear Sons and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. By Sriman Karandhara Prabhu's recommendation, I am very pleased to accept you twelve as my duly initiated disciples. I have chanted on your beads, newly acquired from here, and they should be arriving soon by parcel post. Your initiated names are as follows.

1. (Robert Grant) = Ramesvara. Ramesvara is one of the important pilgrimages in India and is where Lord Ramacandra was present for going to the other side of the Indian Ocean.

2. (Bob Morrel) = Badrinarayan. Badrinarayana is another important pilgrimage where Lord Krishna was present as Badrinarayan.

3. (Bob Sandel) = Vaidyanath. Vaidyanath is another pilgrimage and is where Lord Siva is worshiping Lord Krishna.

4. (Ty Hadman) = Trilochana. Trilochana, a name for Krishna, means one who can see past, present, and future.

5. (Pat Hogan) = Paratrikananda. Paratrikananda means one who is interested in, or takes pleasure in, spiritual life.

6. (Carl Voelkner) = Kulapradip. Kulapradip means the light of the family, or a Vaisnava. One who becomes a Vaisnava becomes the light of the family.

7. (Jim Rutland) = Jayanarayana. Jayanarayana means "all glories to Narayana'' who is expansion of Krishna.

8. (Irene Kent) = Iksvakurani. Iksvakurani means the queen of Iksvaku, who was the forefather of the family of Lord Ramacandra.

9. (Linda Forkash) = Lilasakti. Lilasakti is the energy which assists Lord Krishna in His pastimes.

10. (Stephani Swartz) = Santanandi. Santanandi is one who likes blissful life.

11. (Vickie Dagenhart) = Vikramini. Vikramini is the most powerful energy of Krishna.

12. (Richard Arthur) = Riktananda. Riktananda means one who takes pleasure living alone.

Somehow or other always be thinking of Krishna. Then you will be happy and your going back to home, back to Godhead will be certain.

Letter to: Bhavananda

Calcutta

16 May, 1971

Brooklyn

My Dear Bhavananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 5th April, 1971 and just received by me yesterday… Yes, Mr. Faramarz Attar will certainly be a great asset to our society and I am glad to accept him as my initiated disciple. His spiritual name is Atreya Rsi. Of the seven great Rsis, one of them is Atreya Rsi. And Concetta Bologna has also been accepted. Her name is Bhadra Devi Dasi. Bhadra means gentle and is another name for Durga, like Subhadra. I have received their money orders for beads and they will be arriving by separate post...

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. The Calcutta function is going very superbly.

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Atreya Rsi

Calcutta

17 May, 1971

Brooklyn

My Dear Atreya Rsi,

Please accept my blessings. I have just recently received one letter from Bhavananda Prabhu highly requesting that you be initiated and I am glad to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. Your name I have given as Atreya Rsi Das. Of the seven great sages, Atreya Rsi was one. Also I have received your money order for beads, and they have been duly chanted on by me and are enclosed herewith…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Kirtika (Judith Cornell)

Calcutta

21 May, 1971

My Dear Kirtika (Judith Cornell),

Please accept my blessings. Rupanuga Prabhu has recommended you for initiation and I am so glad to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. I have given you the spiritual name Kirtika Devi Dasi. Kirtika is the name of one of the gopis. Also your beads have been duly chanted on by me and are enclosed herewith...

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Govinda

Calcutta

28 May, 1971

Honolulu

My Dear Govinda Dasi,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 19th May, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully... I have received also one note enclosed from Gaurasundara in which it is stated that Sai's beads were sent to Bombay. I am going to Bombay on the morning of the 31st May, so as soon as I reach there I shall send Sai's beads duly chanted on. In the mean time I am dispatching beads and letters, enclosed herewith for the three devotees recommended by you for initiation…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Krsnakanti

Bombay

30 May, 1971

Seattle

My Dear Krsnakanti,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 18th May, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. You will be glad to know that the two boys, Paul and Patrick, recommended by you have been duly initiated by me and their beads and letters are enclosed herewith. Their names are purusa and Bhumna respectively…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Caitanya

Bombay, India

11 June, 1971

My Dear Caitanya Dasi,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of your good husband Kanupriya Prabhu, I have gladly accepted you as my duly initiated disciple. I have given you the spiritual name Caitanya Devi Dasi. Please find your beads, enclosed herewith and duly changed on by me.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Kanupriya

Bombay, India

11 June, 1971

My Dear Kanupriya,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated 26 Madhusudana, 485 Caitanya Era and I have noted the contents carefully… You will be glad to know that I have consented to accept your good wife as my duly initiated disciple and have given her the name Caitanya Devi Dasi. Her beads and letter are enclosed herewith. So now both of you, husband and wife, work cooperatively and make ISKCON Trinidad a grand success.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Anangamanjari (Elaine)

Los Angeles

5 July, 1971

Gainesville

My Dear Anangamanjari Devi Dasi (Elaine),

Please accept my blessings. I have just recently received one letter from your good husband Hrdayananda Prabhu and he has recommended you highly for initiation. So I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple and have given you the spiritual name Anangamanjari Devi Dasi. Anangamanjari was one of the gopis and younger sister of Srimati Radharani. Also I have chanted on your beads and they are enclosed herewith…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Radhavallabha (Bill Schoenbart)

Los Angeles

5 July, 1971

Gainesville

My Dear Radhaballaba Das (Bill Schoenbart),

Please accept my blessings. At the request of Sriman Hrdayananda Prabhu, I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. Your beads are chanted and they are enclosed herewith. I have given you the spiritual name Radhaballaba Das Brahmacari. Radhaballaba means Krishna, who pleases Radharani...

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Tilaka (Evalyn)

Los Angeles

5 July, 1971

Seattle

My Dear Tilaka Devi Dasi (Evalyn),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your kind letter dated 11th June, 1971 asking for initiation and you will be glad to know that I have accepted you as my duly initiated disciple. Your beads have been chanted on and are enclosed herewith. Your spiritual name is Tilaka Devi Dasi. Tilaka means victory personified.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Bhagavan

Los Angeles

7 July, 1971

Detroit

My Dear Bhagavan das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 6th July, 1971 along with ten pairs beads for chanting as well as daksina presentation by check, $305.00. Thank you very much. You will be glad to know that I have gladly consented to initiate all those boys and girls recommended by you and their beads are enclosed herewith, duly chanted on, as well as their letters. Also enclosed, please find five gayatri mantras and four sacred threads also duly chanted. So all these beads (six of the seven pair enclosed) as well as sacred threads, may be presented by fire yajna, and you should oversee the ceremony as priest.... The three beads for the Chicago devotees I am keeping and I will dispatch them just as soon as Bahulasva sends me their names, as I have just today requested him.

Please offer my blessings to the others. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Batu Gopala (Ed Englehart)

Los Angeles

8 July, 1971

Detroit

My Dear Batua Gopala, (Ed Englehart),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5th July, 1971 and have gladly accepted you as my duly initiated disciple. Please find your beads enclosed herewith and chanted on by me. I have given you the spiritual name Batua Gopala Das Brahmacari. Batua Gopala was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya...

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Laksmi Narayana

Los Angeles

8 July, 1971

Detroit

My Dear Laksmi Narayana,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 6th July, 1971 and have noted the contents. I am so pleased to know that you have been recommended by Sriman Bhagavan das Prabhu for gayatri mantra initiation...

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. This letter for cleanliness may be explained to other Brahmanas

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Gaura Hari

Los Angeles

9 July, 1971

Victoria, B.C., Canada

My Dear Gaura Hari,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully… I am so glad to accept the devotees recommended by you for initiation and their beads and letters are enclosed herewith.

Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Urukrama (Jefferey)

Los Angeles

10 July, 1971

Chicago

My Dear Urukrama (Jefferey),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your kind letter dated 7th July, 1971 and at the recommendation of both Bhagavan das and Bahulasva Prabhus I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple... I have given you the spiritual name Urukrama Dasa Brahmacari. Urukrama is a name for Krishna and means one whose activities are glorious...

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Makhanlal

Los Angeles

14 July, 1971

Seattle

My Dear Makhanlal,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter undated and have noted the contents carefully. Yes, you have my blessings for the gayatri initiations of Jaya Deva Das Brahmacari and your wife Tilaka Devi Dasi. I am enclosing herewith a tape of the gayatri mantra chanted by me along with two copies of gayatri mantra and one sacred thread, duly chanted on by me, as well. The process should be that you let each of them hear the tape individually (through earphones). Show them how to chant on the fingers. Let them read the mantra and listen to the tape. Then, on my behalf you can present the sacred thread to Jaya Deva. Then hold a fire Yajna as you have seen done so many times before…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Eugene L. Baum

Brooklyn

20 July, 1971

St. Louis

My Dear Eugene L. Baum,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your kindly presentation of $20.00 for my book fund... And just as soon as you are recommended for initiation by Vamanadeva, I will be glad to accept you as my duly initiated disciple.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Krpasindhu (Rick Holtzman)

Brooklyn

20 July, 1971

Toronto

My Dear Krpasindhu (Rick Holtzman),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your kind letter dated 7th July, 1971 and you will be glad to know that I have accepted you as my duly initiated disciple. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and are being returned personally by Jagadisa Prabhu, who is here now in N.Y. I have given you the spiritual name Krpasindhu Das Brahmacari. Krpasindhu means Krishna, the ocean of mercy.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Visnujana

New York

28 July, 1971

My Dear Visnujana Maharaja,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully… So far the three boys you recommended for initiation, anyone you recommend, gladly I will initiate them. So do you think I shall send their beads duly chanted? On hearing from you I shall send them beads duly chanted…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

Letter to: Sukhada

London

4 August, 1971

Boston

My Dear Sukhada Devi,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your kind letter undated and delivered personally by Harer Nama Prabhu on 1st August, 1971 at New York. Upon his recommendation and the recommendation of Satsvarupa Prabhu I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple and have given you the spiritual name Sukhada Devi Dasi. Sukhada means one who is always giving pleasure to Krishna… I have chanted on your beads and they were returned to you personally by Harer Nama; you should have received them by now. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Sankarasana (Stephen Bridge), Parasara (Ron), Pulasta (Chris Pinkard)

London

12 August, 1971

My Dear Sons,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of His Grace Visnujana Maharaja I have gladly consented to accept you three as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads are duly chanted on by me and are enclosed herewith. I have given the spiritual names as follows:

Sankarasana Das (Stephen Bridge): Sankarasana is another name for Visnu.

Parasara Das (Ron): Parasara was the father of Vyasadeva.

Pulasta Das (Chris Pinkard): Pulasta means name of a great sage…

Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

Letter to: Bhakta dasa

London

18 August, 1971

San Diego

My Dear Bhakta Das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9th August, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully… If someone needs to receive Gayatri mantra, which is necessary for caring for Lord Jagannatha, then at your recommendation they can be initiated by mail. I will send you one tape made by me of Gayatri mantra. They should simply listen one at a time, privately, through the right ear and at the same time repeat each mantra, while reading it from one paper. You can also explain beforehand how to count on the fingers. Then, if the devotee is male, give the sacred thread. Then hold a fire yajna as you have seen done before. Send the thread here to me before the ceremony is to be held and I will chant Gayatri mantra on the thread(s) personally…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. So far your getting married is concerned, it is better if you can remain brahmacari.

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Letter to: Amogha, Hanuman

London

25 August, 1971

Malaysia

My Dear Amogha and Hanuman,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated 20th August, 1971 and have noted the contents… Upon your recommendation I have gladly accepted Neo Che Wee as my duly initiated disciple and his letter and beads are enclosed herewith.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well, wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Karandhara

London

26 August, 1971

Los Angeles

My Dear Karandhara,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 23 August, 1971 and undated respectively and have noted the contents. At your recommendation I have consented to accept Philip Murphy and Freda Tepler as my duly initiated disciples and their letters and beads are enclosed herewith. Also enclosed please find two sacred threads duly chanted by me for Ramesvara and Dhruvananda as per your recommendation. So hold a yajna and get these threads on their bodies… Enclosed also you will find one letter from Jagatguru Das Brahmacari from ISKCON Salt Lake City. He has asked to receive Brahmin initiation…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Gaura Hari

Nairobi

24 September, 1971

Victoria, B.C., Canada

My Dear Gaura Hari,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very encouraging letter dated 4th September, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully… At your recommendation I have gladly consented to accept Guy as my duly initiated disciple. His letter and beads are enclosed herewith. Also enclosed are three sacred threads duly chanted by me as well as four papers with Gayatri mantra for the four devotees you have recommended for second initiation. You should secure the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra from Makhanlal in Seattle. Let each devotee hear the tape privately, one at a time, and through the right ear. They should have the paper in front of them and hear and repeat each word. Beforehand you can show them how to count on the fingers, and beforehand hold a fire yajna and get the threads on the boys' bodies.

Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Sukadeva

Nairobi

24 September, 1971

Phoenix

My Dear Sukadeva,

Please accept my blessings. Just recently I have received one letter from Pavanadeva Prabhu requesting second initiation at the recommendation of both yourself and Karandhara. So I am enclosing herewith one sacred thread, properly made and duly chanted by me and also one paper with Gayatri mantra. The procedure should be as follows for presenting Pavanadeva with sacred thread: First you must secure a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra from Karandhara in L.A. or Jayananda in Berkeley. Let Pavanadeva hear the tape privately and through the right ear. He should recite, after me, the words aloud. Beforehand you can show him how to chant (count) on the fingers. Then you must hold a fire yajna before you get this thread on his body...

Hoping this will meet you all in good heath.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Bhakta dasa

Nairobi

25 September, 1971

San Diego

My Dear Bhakta Das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14th September, 1971 and have noted the contents. Also I have received the two sacred threads enclosed and they have been duly chanted by me. At your recommendation Paratrikananda, Surya das, Annapurna and Lilasakti may all be given Gayatri mantra. Enclosed please find four copies. The procedure for initiation should be as follows: First of all secure the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, either from Karandhara in L.A. or from Jayananda in Berkeley. Then you can hold a fire yajna. Then the devotees should hear the tape individually, privately, and through the right ear. They should repeat each word. Then you get the threads on the boys' bodies...

Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Danavir

Nairobi

27 September, 1971

Portland

My Dear Danavir,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11th September, 1971 and have noted the contents.,, At your recommendation I have consented to give second initiation to both Sriman Traidas and his wife Pramada. Two copies of Gayatri mantra are enclosed herewith as well as one sacred thread duly chanted by me. First of all you must secure one tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra. Makhanlal in Seattle has one copy. Then you must hold a fire yajna for the two devotees as you have seen so many times before. Then let them each hear the tape through the right ear, privately and individually, reading the paper and repeating each word. Beforehand you can instruct them how to chant on the fingers. Then you can get the thread on Traidas's body…

Hoping this will meet you all in the best of health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Rajamohan (Kelly Cristoph), Gauramohan (Rodney Purcell), Kumkum (Kathy)

Nairobi

28 September, 1971

Dallas

My Dear Sons and Daughter,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Mohanananda Prabhu I have gladly consented to accept you three as my duly initiated disciples. Also I have received your check as daksina for $75. Thank you very much for the same. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are enclosed herewith. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

(Kelly Cristoph)--Rajamohan Das Brahmacari. Rajamohan means Krishna, the one who captivates even the king.

(Rodney Purcell)--Gauramohan Das Brahmacari. Gauramohan means the attractive feature of Gauradesa, or Bengal; that is Lord Caitanya.

(Kathy Prabhu)--Kumkum Devi Dasi. Kumkum is the red powder which is used extensively by the gopis and Krishna.

Hoping this will meet you all in good health, and working hard to make our ISAVASYA school a grand success.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Sriballavah (Vin Fiocco), Pranaballavah (Bruce Webster), Kamalavati (Elicia Heller)

—

Nairobi

13 October, 1971

71-10-13

Denver

My Dear Sons and Daughter,

Please accept my blessings. I have just recently received one letter from Sriman Tulsidas Prabhu and at his recommendation I have gladly consented to accept you all as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads are all chanted and they are enclosed herewith. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Sriballavah Das Brahmacari (Vin Fiocco). Sriballavah is another name for Narayana.

Pranaballavah Das Brahmacari (Bruce Webster). Pranaballavah means Krishna. Vallabha means beloved and prana means life.

Kamalavati Dasi (Elicia Heller). Kamalavati means the goddess of fortune.

Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/adb

Letter to: Tulsi

Nairobi

13 October, 1971

Denver

My Dear Tulsi das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter from Denver dated 3d October, 1971 and have noted the contents… At your recommendation I have accepted Vin, Bruce and Elicia as my duly initiated disciples. One letter and their beads are enclosed herewith.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Ksama (Lynn Edwards)

Calcutta

6 November, 1971

Amsterdam

My Dear Ksama Devi Dasi (Lynn Edwards),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your your kind letter requesting initiation and, at the recommendation of Dhananjaya Prabhu, I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. I have given you the spiritual name Ksama Devi Dasi, Ksama means forgiveness. Your beads have also been duly chanted and they are enclosed herewith…

[TEXT UNCLEAR]

life and your future will be very bright.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Kirtanananda , Vrindaban Candra, Silavati

Calcutta

6 November, 1971

My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja, Vrindaban Candra, and Silavati,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters just now…

My sanction is there for Prisni dasi receiving Gayatri mantra. It should be done by the tape method; Karandhara has a tape of me reciting gayatri mantra and he knows the proper procedure also.

Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.adb

Letter to: Gunagrahi

Delhi

16 November, 1971

Buffalo

My Dear Gunagrahi,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23rd September, 1971 and have noted the contents… Enclosed please find one letter for initiates as well as two copies of Gayatri mantra and two sacred threads also duly chanted on. Two beads duly chanted by me have been sent under separate post. Hold a fire yajna and give Gayatri mantra to Kavi and Atmarama. Rupanuga has a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, so you can get this from him. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. So the fire yajna can be held for all four devotees.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.pdd

Letter to: Sridama

Delhi

17 November, 1971

My Dear Sridama das,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 4th November, 1971,… Unless ________ you will find two copies of Gayatri mantra and two threads duly chanted on for your wife Manmohini dasi and Satyahit das Brahmacari. Hold a fire yagna and give them Gayatri mantra. Rupanuga has a tape of me chanting Gayatri mantra, so you can get a copy of this from him. The tape must be heard through the right ear only by the initiates...

I hope this meets you in good health and cheerful mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Bhakta dasa

Delhi

20 November, 1971

My Dear Bhakta das,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of October 24, 1971, and have noted the contents carefully… As per your recommendations, I am sending under separate parcel the initiation beads for Lynne Stowers, duly chanted on. Her name shall be Srila Dasi. I am pleased that she has become my disciple, now let her very seriously take up this process and she can know it for certain that there will be no more coming back to this place of miseries.

Letter to: Hamsaduta

Delhi

20 November, 1971

My Dear Hamsaduta,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of November 3, 1971, and I am very pleased to note that things are improving nicely in Europe in general… I have not received any letters from Peter Kaufmann and Jan Plantoner for initiation, but as soon as I do I shall be glad to accept them as my disciples, on your recommendation.* I shall send under separate cover sacred threads for Bidhan Candra and Jaya Gaura das Prabhus, duly chanted on, as well as two copies of Gayatri mantra. Hold a fire yajna and give them both Gayatri mantra. Yogesvara had a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, so you can get this from him. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. If letters from the two boys come I shall be sending their beads also. So if you like you may wait and the fire yajna can be held for all four devotees...

I hope this finds you and your good wife, Himavati dasi, in strong health and cheerful mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

*Just while posting this letter, I have received their letter and 100.00 marks. ACB

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Sri Galim

—

Delhi

20 November, 1971

71-11-20

My Dear Sri Galim das,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 7, 1971, and I am encouraged to note that things are going on nicely at Austin center under your supervision… I have received the letter from Hayden and Bill Prabhus of October 14, 1971 but there is no mention of initiation. I don't think I have received any other letter from them. However, because you have recommended them, as soon as I shall receive any letter from them requesting to become my disciples, I shall gladly accept them…

I hope this finds you well and cheerful,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Sudama

Delhi

20 November, 1971

My Dear Sudama,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of November 4, 1971, and I am very pleased to hear that you have got some more devotees to assist you… As you have recommended, I am sending under separate parcel a set of initiation beads for Randy Prabhu, duly chanted on. His new name shall be Rama Dulal das Brahmacari. I am also sending one copy of Gayatri mantra and sacred thread duly chanted by me to Shatyananda das. Hold a fire yajna and give Gayatri to Shatyananda. If you do not have one, you can get a copy of a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra from Karandhara. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. The fire yajna can be held for both devotees…

I hope this meets you in good health and cheerful mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to:Mathuresh (Andrew Day), Raghavendu (Martin Lewis), Vijay Laksmi (Jill Lewis)

Delhi

21 November, 1971

My Dear Sons and Daughter,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Satsvarupa I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted on by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given all of you the spiritual names as follows:

Andrew Day

Mathuresh das (The Lord of Mathura)

Martin Lewis

Raghavendu das (The moon in the Raghu dynasty)

Jill Lewis

Vijay Laksmi dasi (The Queen of victory)…

Hoping this will meet all of you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.pdd

Letter to: Satsvarupa

Delhi

21 November, 1971

My Dear Satsvarupa,

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of November 7, 1971 xerox copy, and have noted the contents carefully.

I have sent under separate cover the initiation beads for Andrew Day, Martin Lewis and Jill Lewis, duly chanted on. Their new names shall be Mathuresh (The Lord of Mathura), Raghavendu (The moon in the Raghu dynasty), and Vijay Laksmi dasi, respectively. I am happy to accept them as my sincere disciples, now you give them all good advice how to push on this Krishna Consciousness Movement.

[TEXT MISSING]

Letter to: Locana

Delhi

24 November, 1971

My Dear Locana das,

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of November 3, 1971, along with the six letters requesting initiation and the daksine sum. By your recommendation, I am happy to accept the six as my disciples and their names shall be as follows: 1) Joan Cerando.Ratnesvari Dasi; 2) Larry Batcheldor.Lokanatha Das; 3) Barbara Batcheldor.Vrajasundari Dasi; 4) John Warren.Yogescandra Das; 5) Beverly Warren.Varahadeva Dasi; 6) Tom Hopke.Nalinikanta Das. I am replying all of them separately also…

I hope this meets you in good health and cheerful mood,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Ratnesvari (Joan Cerando), Lokanatha (Larry Batcheldor), Vrajasundari ( Barbara Batcheldor), Yogescandra (John Warren), Varahadeva (Beverly Warren), Nalinikanta (Tom Hopke)

—

Delhi

25 November, 1971

71-11-25

Berkeley

My Dear Sons and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Locana I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Joan Cerando

Ratnesvari dasi

Larry Batcheldor

Lokanatha das

Barbara Batcheldor

Vrajasundari dasi

John Warren

Yogescandra das

Beverly Warren

Varahadeva dasi

Tom Hopke

Nalinikanta das

….Hoping this will meet all of you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/pdd

Letter to: Damodara

Delhi

3 December, 1971

My Dear Damodara,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of November 25, 1971, and I have noted the contents carefully. Enclosed please find one copy of Gayatri mantra and one sacred thread duly chanted on for your wife, Mrganetri dasi. Hold a fire yajna and give her Gayatri mantra. Rupanuga has a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, so you can get this from him. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear…

Thank you for the enclosures. I hope this meets you in good health and cheerful mood,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Karandhara

—

Delhi

3 December, 1971

71-12-03

My Dear Karandhara,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of November 13, 1971, in which you have recommended that Sriman Howard Sorgen and Srimate Jo An McNamara be accepted by me as my disciples. I am very glad to accept them as my initiated students, and I have given their spiritual names as Ganga Narayana das and Jaga Mohini dasi respectively….Enclosed please find two copies of Gayatri Mantra and two sacred threads, duly chanted on. Two beads duly chanted by me have been sent under separate post. Hold a fire yajna and give gayatri mantra to Yasoda-jiva and Siddhesvara. You have a tape of me reciting Gayatri Mantra. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. So the fire yajna can be held for all four devotees…

I hope this will meet you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Bhutatma

Delhi

5 December, 1971

My Dear Bhutatma das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter dated 11.17.71, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure…. Enclosed please find three copies of Gayatri mantra and three sacred threads duly chanted on. Hold a fire yajna and give Gayatri mantra to Babusvar das, Gangarama das, and Bhagavat Acarya das. Karandhara has a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, so you can get this from him. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear.

I hope this meets you in good health and cheerful mood,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Locanananda

Delhi, India

8 December, 1971

My dear Locanananda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 29, 1971, and I am very pleased upon you that you have opened Geneva, Switzerland, center for pushing on the revolutionary Movement of Lord Caitanya…

Upon your recommendation, I am very glad to accept our devotee, George, as my duly initiated disciple. I shall be sending his beads, duly chanted, under separate post. I have given him the new spiritual name: GURUGAURANGA DAS.

If you can arrange for the translating of my books, that is most pleasing to me. I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Bhagavan

Delhi

10 December, 1971

My Dear Bhagavan das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 22, 1971, along with beads and letters from several devotees at Detroit temple. I am very glad to accept these students as my duly initiated disciples and their names shall be as follows;

Brian Tibbits. Indradyumna Das

Ilene Tibbits. Krpamayi Dasi

Heidi Paeva. Hrisakti Dasi

These are all very nice boys and girls, and I have very much appreciated their attitudes of devotion and surrender as displayed in their letters to me. I have replied them under separate cover. Their beads, duly chanted by me, as well as three copies of Gayatri mantra and three sacred threads, also duly chanted on, are sent under separate post. Hold a fire yajna and give Gayatri mantra to Kaliya Krishna das, Batua Gopala das, and Ichhamati dasi. I think you have got a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, so use this tape. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. So the fire yajna can be held for all six devotees. Also, I have sent beads of Sukasagari dasi, duly chanted. In cases when beads are lost, it is not necessary to give new ones to the spiritual master for again chanting. Once the disciple received the Hare Krishna Mantra from the spiritual master, that is an eternal blessing, whether these beads or those beads.

I hope this finds you in good health and cheerful mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Guru-gauranga

Delhi, India

10 December, 1971

My Dear Son,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Locanananda I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual name: GURUGAURANGA DAS.

I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Locanananda there in our Geneva Center. I hope this will meet you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Rupanuga

Delhi

10 December, 1971

Brooklyn

My dear Rupanuga,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 2, 1971, and it has given me great pleasure to hear such encouraging news from you…

These things may also be included in your New York festival… I gladly consent to accept Surita and Paul Darling as my duly initiated disciples, as recommended by you. Their beads and 1 copy of Gayatri mantra plus one sacred thread, also duly chanted, are sent under separate post. Hold a fire yajna for all three. One thing, the Gayatri tape must be heard through earphones into the right ear. Their names shall be: Surita. Sunita Dasi. and Paul.Apurva Das.

Hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Sousilya (Stuart Rose), Gadagraja (Eugene Baum), Dayala Candra (David Peterson)

Delhi

10 December, 1971

My Dear Sons,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Brihaspati I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Stuart Rose--Sousilya Das

Eugene Baum--Gadagraja Das

David Peterson--Dayala Candra Das

I am so glad to learn that all of you have been such a great help to Brihaspati there in our St. Louis Center… I hope this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Kirtanananda

Delhi

12 December, 1971

My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of November 17, 1971, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure… I am very glad to consent to accept the nice boys and girls you have recommended as my duly initiated disciples. I have replied them under separate cover, and have also sent five sets of beads duly chanted, along with five copies of Gayatri mantra and five sacred threads, also duly chanted on, by separate post. Hold a fire yajna and give sacred threads and Gayatri mantra to Karnamrta, Srutakirti, Kuladri, Harikesa, and Devaprastha. I think you can obtain a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra from Rupanuga. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. So the fire yajna can be held for all ten devotees.

The spiritual names of the new initiate

Elliot Kidd: LAMBODARA DAS

Gene Laska: GARIYAN DAS

Mike Cassady: MANGALANANDA DAS

Juba Tolent: NAVAYAUVANA DAS

Dale Fawley: DULAL CHANDRA DAS

…I hope this will meet you and your party all in good health and cheerful mood,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Sivananda

Delhi

12 December, 1971

My Dear Sivananda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 1, 1971, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure… I received a few days back a recommendation from Srivatsa to accept Joachim and Gabi as my disciples, and I have done so and sent their beads to them. However there was no mention of Jeanne Pierre. So by your recommendation I am glad to consent to accept him as my duly initiated disciple, and I am sending his beads duly chanted under separate post. His spiritual name shall be _________.

I hope this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Murti (Bill Walsh), Mahati (Sue Walsh), Adhideva (Hayden Larsen)

Bombay

17 December, 1971

My Dear Sons and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Sri Galim I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows

Bill Walsh: MURTI DAS

Sue Walsh: MAHATI DASI

Hayden Larsen: ADHIDEVA DAS…

Hoping this will meet all of you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Sri Galim

Bombay

17 December, 1971

My Dear Sri Galim,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 4, 1971,.. I am also very glad to accept Bill Walsh, Sue Walsh and Hayden Larsen, upon your recommendation, as my duly initiated disciples. I am also replying them herewith. I am sending three sets of beads, duly chanted by me, under separate post…

I hope this meets you in good health and lively mood,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Rsabhadeva

Bombay

28 December, 1971

Laguna Beach

My dear Rsabhadeva,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 7, 1971, along with letters from the four persons requesting initiation. Upon your recommendation, I have consented to accept all of them as my duly initiated disciples, and I am replying them below…

Hoping this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood,

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Saci Dulal (Richard), Bilvamangala (David), Avhinava (Don La Douce), Novina (Sally)

—

Bombay

28 December, 1971

71-12-28

Laguna Beach

My dear Sons and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Rsabhadeva I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Richard/ Saci Dulal Das

David/ Vilvamangal Das

Don La Douce/ Avhinava Das

Sally/ Novina Dasi…

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Kesava

Bombay

1 January, 1972

My Dear Kesava das,

Please accept my blessings. I have received your two letters, one dated December 15, 1971 and the other without date, requesting initiation and sacred threads for many boys. So as you have recommended them I will be sending their new names, beads, and threads in a few days…

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

—

Bombay

10 January, 1972

72-01-10

My Dear Sons and Daughters,

Von Paul Read/SMARANANANDA DAS

Barbara Read/SAMSARAMOCHAN DASI

Bob Quirk/BHUBHRTA DAS

Jeffrey Spicher/PAVANA DAS

Royal Frank Affrisco/DEVADEVA DAS

Anthony Burt Alves/DAIVATA DAS

Laurel Alves/PARAYANA DASI…

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Makhanlal

Bombay

10 January, 1972

My Dear Makhanlal,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 29th November, 1971, and I have noted the content with great pleasure. Below find one letter for initiates, please. Because you have recommended, I am happy to accept them as my duly initiated disciples. Seven beads, two copies of Gayatri mantra and two sacred threads, duly chanted on by me, have been sent under separate post. Hold a fire yajna and give Gayatri mantra to Tulasi Manjari and Rukma. I think you have got a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. So the fire yajna can be held for all nine devotees...

I hope this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

—

Bombay

10 January, 1972

72-01-10

My Dear Sons and Daughters,

Von Paul Read/SMARANANANDA DAS

Barbara Read/SAMSARAMOCHAN DASI

Bob Quirk/BHUBHRTA DAS

Jeffrey Spicher/PAVANA DAS

Royal Frank Affrisco/DEVADEVA DAS

Anthony Burt Alves/DAIVATA DAS

Laurel Alves/PARAYANA DASI…

Hoping this will meet all of you in good health and determined spirits.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Aksaya

Bombay

16 January, 1972

My Dear Aksoja,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of 14th December, 1971, and I am happy to accept you for Gayatri mantra. One copy of Gayatri mantra and one sacred thread duly chanted by me have been sent under separate post. Hold a fire yajna and your president, Dhananjaya, can give you Gayatri mantra. Hamsaduta and Dayananda have copies of tapes of me reciting Gayatri mantra, so you can get it from one of them. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. So the fire yajna can be held for all three devotees.

It seems there has been some confusion about the spelling of your name. The above spelling is correct.

Letter to: Bhakta dasa

Bombay

16 January, 1972

San Diego

My dear Bhakta das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated, along with requests for initiation by six persons. Upon your recommendation, I am gladly accepting them as my duly initiated disciples and their letter follows…

I hope this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Georges Imbert, Kritanga, Gilles Minot, Kriti

Bombay

16 January, 1972

My Dear Sons,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Dhananjaya I have gladly consented to accept both of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Georges Imbert. KRITANGA DAS

Gilles Minot. KRITI DAS…

I hope this will meet you both in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Pratyaya (Harry Pettee), Duradharsa (Dennis Weatherman), Saranam (Sharon Robinson), Aja (Marnie Watson), Atmavana (Elaine Carnerie), Ahah (Norah Haas)

—

Bombay

16 January, 1972

72-01-16

San Diego

My dear Sons and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Bhakta das, I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Harry Pettee/ PRATYAYA DAS

Dennis Weatherman/ DURADHARSA DAS

Sharon Robinson/ SARANAM DASI

Marnie Watson/ AJA DASI

Elaine Carnerie/ ATMAVANA DASI

Norah Haas/ AHAH DASI…

I hope this will meet all of you in good health and cheerful mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Abhirama

Bombay

17 January, 1972

Baltimore

My dear Abhirama,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 19, 1971,.. Upon your recommendation, I have accepted Jim and Michelle Conway as my duly initiated disciples, and their letter follows.

I hope this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Annuttama das Brahmachary

—

ISKCON Bombay

January 17, 1972

LT_720117_D1

My dear Son,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Damodar I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual name of ANUTTAMA DAS…

I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Damodar there in our Washington, D.C. center... I hope this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Annuttama das Brahmachary

2015 "Q" Street N.W.

Washington, D.C.

USA 20008

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Ranadhira

Bombay

17 January, 1972

My Dear Ranadhira,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 12-22-71, and I am very much pleased that you are making such nice advancement in Krishna Consciousness and that you are always thinking in so many ways how to best serve the Lord… I have accepted, upon your recommendation, Bill and Kathy Bowes as my duly initiated disciples, and their letter follows.

I hope this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Tosana

Calcutta

20 February, 1972

My Dear Tosana,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 4 and I have noted the contents. I am glad to hear that you are always keeping engaged in Krishna's service and chanting Hare Krishna. As you chant, try to hear each word very carefully and always complete your sixteen rounds. Regular and attentive chanting, along with following the four regulative principles will keep one pure. Simply by following these principles and chanting Hare Krishna one can make his life successful and perfect.

So far your two lost beads are concerned, you can simply add two more beads, and because I have already chanted on all the others, they will be sanctified also.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Ravindra Svarupa

Nairobi

25 January, 1972

Philadelphia

Dear Ravindra Svarupa,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 12, 1972 and have noted the contents carefully… The initiation of Michael Stein is approved and beads are being sent in separate cover.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

MS.jdb

Letter to: Satsvarupa

Nairobi

29 January, 1972

San Antonio

Dear Satsvarupa Das;

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 12 and have noted the contents carefully… The initiation of David and Susan Shomaker, Bruce Jacobs and Daryl Nauyokas are approved by me and their beads are following in a separate cover.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

MS.jdb

SPIRITUAL NAMES BELOW

D. Shomaker--Bir Raghava

S. Shomaker--Birmala

B. Jacobs--Bir Krishna

D. Nauyokas--Bir Laksmana

Letter to: Sri Galim

Bombay

4 February, 1972

My Dear Sri Galim,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 17, 1972, and I am pleased that, despite some difficulties, you are progressing steadily in pushing this Krishna Consciousness Movement in the Austin city… Upon the recommmendation of Visnujana, I am gladly accepting you for 2nd initiation. One sacred thread duly chanted by me, and one copy of Gayatri mantra, are included in a letter to Satsvarupa, and he may come there, since Dallas is not far from Austin, and hold a fire yajna and give you Gayatri mantra. I think he has got a tape of me reciting gayatri mantra. One thing, the tape must be heard through earphones into the right ear.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Mangalamaya, Madhupuri

Calcutta

20 February, 1972

My dear Mangalamaya dasa and Madhupuri dasi,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 30, 1972, along with the very nice poem entitled "Birth of Lord Krsna." I am very pleased to hear that you are feeling yourselves very much satisfied in Krsna Consciousness. One thing, in Nairobi, I went there with Madhudvisa Swami who is not my normal secretary, and because of that by mistake he has recommended to initiate Tom and Carol Woolfe from Philadelphia Temple, but he did not know that I had already initiated them from India a few weeks before, but because some of my disciples are sending two or three copies of the same letter to various places where I might be, he found their request-letter in Nairobi and the mistake was made. So you can disregard the second initiation and the beads may be kept by you, because I have chanted on them, and at the appropriate time I will inform you where to send them to some new initiates…

Hoping this will meet you both in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Tosana

Calcutta

20 February, 1972

My Dear Tosana,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 4 and I have noted the contents… So far your two lost beads are concerned, you can simply add two more beads, and because I have already chanted on all the others, they will be sanctified also.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Rupanuga

Calcutta

22 February, 1972

Brooklyn

My dear Rupanuga,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 9, 1972, along with two copies of the MacMillan Co. contract… Upon your recommendation, I am glad to accept as my duly initiated disciples both of the girls you mention. I shall be sending their beads duly chanted by me under separate post, and also I shall be writing to them separately (please find enclosed). Also, I am including three sacred threads duly chanted herewith, so you may hold a fire yajna and give Gayatri mantra to Ravindra Svarupa, Brahmavitta, and Pancaratra, in the usual manner, with tape heard through the right ear. The fire yajna can be held for all five devotees...

Hoping this will meet you in very good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Trai

Sridhama Mayapur

1 March, 1972

My dear Trai Das,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated February 15, 1972, and I am very much pleased that you have assumed the president's post for Berkeley centre… As you have recommended him, I am glad to accept Karnamrta das for second initiation. Enclosed find one sacred thread duly chanted by me, and you may hold a fire yagna and give him gayatri mantra. I think you or Kesava may be having a copy of tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, so he can hear it through earphones into the right ear so the public may not hear it. Instruct him in the principles of brahminical life, namely, to be always pure or suci… Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

Letter to: Gadi (Joseph Magyar), Bhudara (Marc Malcomb), Sridhara (Richard Whitenhurst)

Calcutta

4 March, 1972

Gainesville, Florida

My dear Sons,

Joseph Magyar. Gadi das

Marc Malcomb. Bhudara das

Richard Whitenhurst. Sridhara das.

I am hoping this will meet all of you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Amarendra

—

Calcutta

4 March, 1972

72-03-04

Gainesville, Florida

My dear Amarendra,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 22, 1972, and have noted the contents carefully… Kindly keep me informed how your election comes out or any publicity you will get in the newspapers. Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

n.b. Upon your recommendation I have accepted the three boys as my duly initiated disciples, and I have replied them on back.

Letter to: Tarkikchuramoni

Sydney

8 April, 1972

Pittsburgh

My dear daughter,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Bibhu I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. Your beads have been duly chanted on by me and they are sent under separate post. Your spiritual name is Tarkikchuramoni Devi Dasi...

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.nkd

Letter to: Bhakta dasa

Sydney

9 April, 1972

My dear Bhakta dasa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 19, 1972, and I am very much pleased to note that you are making steady growth in all aspects of devotional service, especially in the department of selling so many books monthly… I have consented to accept Susan Tumminia as my duly initiated disciple, especially as you have recommended her because she never talks nonsense. That silence, or only speaking of Krsna-related subjects, is first sign of the advanced devotee, because a man or woman may be wearing something so that we might think, Oh, he is like this or she is like that, but we cannot really understand what a person is until they speak something words, then we can understand, Oh, this is nonsense, or, here is a devotee. Her letter follows.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Citsukhananda

—

Auckland

15 April, 1972

72-04-15

Mexico City

My dear Citsukhananda,

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated 3/10/72, duly forwarded to me here in New Zealand from our Bombay branch. I am very much pleased to hear that Mexico City center is developing very nicely under your expert supervision,… Upon your recommendation, I shall accept Jan Prabhu as my duly initiated disciple, and his letter follows.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Received: check for $100.00

Letter to: Ujjal

Auckland

15 April, 1972

Mexico City

My dear Son,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Citsukhananda, I am very glad to consent to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and I am sending your beads, duly chanted by me, under separate post. I have given you the spiritual name of UJJAL DAS. I am very pleased to hear that you have been such a great help to Citsukhananda there in our Mexico City center…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Radha-Damodara

Tokyo

21 April, 1972

Edmonton

My dear son,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Paramesvari I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. Your spiritual name is Radha Damodara das Brahmacari.

I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Paramesvari there in our Edmonton center… Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.nkd

Letter to: Gunagrahi

Tokyo

22 April, 1972

Buffalo

My dear Gunagrahi,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 21, 1972 and I have noted the contents. Upon your recommendation, I am glad to accept Sriman Larry Kelly as my duly initiated disciple, and I am enclosing a separate letter to him. The extra set of beads that were mistakenly sent to Ayodhyapati Das may be given to him. Ayodhyapati may keep that name and disregard the second one…

Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.nkd

Letter to: Lalitananda

Japan

22 April, 1972

My Dear son,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Gunagrahi I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. There is one extra set of beads there which have been duly chanted by me, so you may take them as your beads. Your spiritual name is Lalitananda das Brahmacari…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Tokyo

4 May, 1972

Los Angeles

My dear Hrdayananda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 30, 1972, and I have noted the contents. I was ready to send some threads and gayatri mantras to Houston, but now you have moved, so I shall send them to Pusta Krishna instead. I am going to Los Angeles soon, you can stay there, and we shall speak some. Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Sridama

Honolulu

5 May, 1972

Miami

My dear Sridama,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 26, 1972 and I have noted the contents. So far South Africa, I think it is not possible for go there now. Better you concentrate your efforts to organize Miami center nicely.

I am enclosing three copies of Gayatri mantra and two sacred threads, and you can hold a fire yajna for Dharma, Rohini, and Ragavendu. Satsvarupa has a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra so you can get this from him. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear.

Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.nkd

Letter to: Anandavardhana (Axel Anderson), Jogindra Vandana (John Berg)

Honolulu

10 May, 1972

New Orleans

My dear sons,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Nityananda, I have gladly consented to accept both of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Axel Anderson,

Anandavardhana das (one who is always increasing in ecstasy)

John Berg,

Jogindra Vandana das (one who is worshipped by the great yogis)

I am so glad to learn that both of you have been such a great help to Nityananda there in our new Orleans center. Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.nkd

Letter to: Nityananda

Honolulu

10 May, 1972

New Orleans

My dear Nityananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 29, 1972 and I have noted the contents. Upon your recommendation, I have agreed to accept Axel and John as my duly initiated disciples, and also to give second initiation to Subrata. I am sending a separate letter for them. So far going to Dallas for the fire yajna, better you should learn how to perform it and do it there… Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.nkd

P.S. Satsvarupa has got a tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, so you can get that from him, and hold the fire yajna for all three boys. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear.

Letter to: Rupa Manohara (Michael McCloughlin), Vipina Purandara (Paul League), Brajera Pakhala (Richard Roland), Gopavrndapala (Eddie Dougherty), Kadambakanana (David Hardin)

—

Honolulu

10 May, 1972

72-05-10

Los Angeles

My dear sons,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Karandhara, I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Michael McCloughlin,

Rupa Manohara das (He whose form is all-enchanting)

Paul League,

Vipina Purandara das (the youthful boy of the forest)

Richard Roland,

Brajera Pakhala das (He who tends the calves of Vraja)

Eddie Dougherty,

Gopavrndapala das (protector of the cowherd boys)

David Hardin,

Kadambakanana das (He who plays in the groves where the kadamba flower grows)…

Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/nkd

Letter to: Gargamuni

Honolulu

11 May, 1972

Bombay

My dear Gargamuni,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5.8.72, and I have noted the contents. If you leave Bombay, make sure the school is in very capable hands such as yours, because this program is very, very important, not that you shall go away and things will stop… Regarding the second initiation for Paramahamsa das, I approve and his thread and copy of mantra have been sent under separate post. Now you hold a fire yajna, and there have been several other threads recently sent to Bombay, so you hold yajna and give them all threads. I think Dayananda can send you copy of tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, and this can be heard through the right ear by earphones during the yajna.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

n.b. There is one request for 2nd initiation from Yadavacarya das, but I have not received any recommendation from the temple president or a sannyasi.

Letter to: Ranadhira

Honolulu

15 May, 1972

Pittsburgh

My dear Ranadhira,

Please accept my blessings. We have received you letter dated 3.18.72 recommending Katila dasi for second initiation. Enclosed please find one copy of gayatri mantra. Hold a fire yajna and give gayatri mantra to her. Rupanuga has got a tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, so you can get a copy from him. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Bibhu

Los Angeles

21 May, 1972

Pittsburgh

My Dear Bibhu,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 18, 1972 and I have noted the contents carefully… I think my secretary has recently sent one copy of Gayatri Mantra for Kutila dasi and enclosed herewith please find one sacred thread and one copy of Gayatri Mantra for Mahendra dasa. Either you or Ranadhira can hold a fire sacrifice and present sacred threads to Kutila and Mahendra. One thing, you can get a copy of me reciting Gayatri Mantra from Rupanuga in New York but the tape must be heard through the earphones into the right ear.

Hoping this finds you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACB.sda

Letter to: Jayarge, Lindon Lomese

Los Angeles

25 May, 1972

Seattle

My Dear Jayarge and Lindon Lomese,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 22nd, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very much pleased that you have joined with us and that you are following all the regulative principles of Krishna Consciousness spiritual life. Upon receiving written recommendation by the president of our Seattle center, I shall be very glad to accept you as my duly initiated disciples.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACB.sda

Letter to: Balavanta

Los Angeles

28 May, 1972

Atlanta

My Dear Balavanta,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 25th, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully… Upon your recommendation I am enclosing one sacred thread and two copies of Gayatri Mantra for Surendra and his wife Kali, duly chanted by me. Now you hold a fire yajna and give second initiation to them. I think by now you are familiar with the process of playing the tape through earphones through the right ear, etc.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Bhagavan

Los Angeles

28 May, 1972

Detroit

My Dear Bhagavan,

Please accept my blessings. I have received the threads from you for the three boys and I am enclosing them herewith duly chanted by me. Now you can hold a fire yajna and give sacred thread to Parivrajakacarya, Santosa, and Indradyumna. Play the Gayatri mantra tape for them, and let them repeat the mantras along with my vibration, word for word, and then hang the sacred thread on their necks as usual. Teach them how to count on the finger divisions. This Gayatri Mantra function should be held amongst the devotees only. So you can hold the fire yajna for all five devotees. I am enclosing herewith also three copies of Gayatri Mantra.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACB.sda

Letter to: Maitreya (Mike Stitch), Mahasakti (Mark Jahre), Arijit (Allen Bigil), Mitravinda (Marsha Arslansky), Nandita Gokula (Nancy Bailey)

—

Los Angeles

28 May, 1972

72-05-28

Denver

My Dear Sons and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Tulasi dasa I am very glad to consent to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. I am giving him your beads duly chanted by me. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Mike Stitch/Maitreya dasa Brahmacari.

Mark Jahre/Mahasakti dasa Brahmacari.

Allen Bigil/Arijit dasa Brahmacari.

Marsha Arslansky/Mitravinda devi dasi.

Nancy Bailey/Nandita Gokula devi dasi.

Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACB/sda

Letter to: Narayani

Bombay, India

11 June, 1972

My Dear Narayani,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 27th May, 1971, and you will be glad to know that, upon the recommendation of Sriman Janmanjaya Prabhu, that I have accepted you as my duly initiated disciple. Your spiritual name is Narayani Devi Dasi. Narayani means the energy of Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I have also chanted on your beads and they are enclosed herewith.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Sivananda

Los Angeles

12 June, 1972

My Dear Sivananda,

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated 1st June, 1972, and upon your recommendation I am glad to accept Peter Brinkmann as my duly initiated disciple. His letter follows. Yes, I shall be glad to meet with you in London during Rathayatra in a few weeks, and at that time I shall be very glad to give you the Sannyas order of life, so you may prepare for that.

Meanwhile, Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Prajapati

Los Angeles

16 June, 1972

My Dear Prajapati,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter of June 6, 1972 and I have noted the contents. It is very nice to hear that all the activities are going on with full enthusiasm there in Boston. Upon your recommendation, enclosed please find one letter for initiates as well as 4 copies of gayatri mantra and 3 sacred threads duly chanted by me. Four beads also duly chanted by me have been sent by separate post. Hold a fire yajna and give gayatri mantra to Brhatratha, Cediraja, Somadasa, and Sarmistha dasi. Rupanuga has got a tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, so you can get this from him. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. So the fire yajna can be held for all 8 devotees.

ACB

Letter to: Rupa Vilasa (Robert McNaughton), Candrika (Carol McNaughton), Bhavatarini (Debbie Watt), Bhanutanya (Debra Wolin)

—

Los Angeles

20 June, 1972

72-06-20

My Dear Son and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Stoka Krsna I am glad to consent to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. I have given you your spiritual names as follows:

Robert McNaughton/Rupa Vilas dasa Adhikari

Carol McNaughton/Chandrika devi dasi

Debbie Watt/Bhavatarani Devi dasi

Debra Wolin/Bhanutanya devi dasi…

I am very glad to hear that all of you have been such a great help to Stoka Krsna there in our Dallas Gurukula…

Hoping this will meet you all in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Stokakrsna

Los Angeles

20 June, 1972

Dallas

My Dear Stoka Krsna,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter from Dallas dated June 14, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Upon your recommendation I am very glad to accept the boys and girls you have recommended to be my duly initiated disciples. I am sending their beads under separate post, and their letter is enclosed herewith. Now you may hold a fire yajna and give Gayatri mantra to Dhristaketu, Narayana, and Hiranyagarbha. I think you have got a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra through earphones into the right ear. I am enclosing the three sacred threads and copies of Gayatri mantra herewith. The fire yajna may be held for all seven devotees.

I have indicated in my previous letter of several days back some hints for giving Krsna Consciousness children their proper education. I consider this Gurukula school to be one of our most important aspects of this movement and it should be given all serious consideration by the members. If we are able to make a whole generation of our children into fine Krsna Conscious preachers, that will be the glory of our movement and the glory of your country as well. But if we neglect somehow or other and if we lose even one Vaisnava, that is very great loss. So I am very glad that you are taking your business very seriously and you may consult always with Satsvarupa in all matters of management and policy, and if he cannot answer to your satisfaction, you may also ask me something. For children it is a long time between 8:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., therefore they are naturally hungry long before the lunch time. If it is convenient you may add another period for light prasadam between those times. The children should e allowed to eat as much as they like, therefore if children are complaining from hunger we must feed them. On the second point, if someone is coming to our school for the first time, still, they must eat what we are eating, namely Krsna prasadam. Yes, everything should be prepared for the pleasure of the Lord, without any other consideration. Our policy is that the children should be so trained that they will enjoy performing austerities, it is not that we shall spoil them at

Hoping this will meet you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Hamsaduta

Los Angeles

22 June, 1972

Hamburg

My Dear Hamsaduta,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 20, 1972, and I did receive two letters from Wolfram Ossenbrink and Han Koster dated 29th May, 1972, but there was no letter of recommendation from you. So any way, I am very much pleased to accept the boys as my duly initiated disciples, and their letter is enclosed herewith. Also please find enclosed herewith three sacred threads and four copies of Gayatri mantra duly chanted by me. Now hold a fire yajna, and teach the other big officers in Germany temples how to perform this fire yajna very perfectly, and give Gayatri mantra to Astaratha, Surabi dasi, Sacinandana, and Cakravarti. I think you have got a copy of the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, so play it to them through the right earhole with earphones...

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Haripuja

Los Angeles

25 June, 1972

Pittsburgh

My Dear Daughter,

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter from Pittsburgh dated June 16, 1972, delivered to me by Bibhu dasa along with his recommendation, so I shall be glad to consent to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. I shall send your beads under separate post, duly chanted by me. Your initiated name is Haripuja dasi...

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACB.sda

Letter to: Kirtanananda

Los Angeles

25 June, 1972

New Vrndavana

My Dear Kirtanananda,

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter from New Vrndavana dated June 20, 1972, and noted the contents thereof… So far your naming of the new initiates, Syamasundara. tells me that there are several duplications, and this is not very much desirable. So in future, better to telephone or somehow contact my secretaries and get the names from them, and in that way there will be no duplication in the future.

I have duly received the check for $200 and I thank you very much for it. Enclosed also please find one copy of Gayatri Mantra for Varanasi devi dasi.

I shall be arriving in New York sometime in the afternoon of July 2, and I look forward to seeing you all there at that time.

Meanwhile, hoping this will meet you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACB.sda

Letter to: Giriraja

London

13 July, 1972

Bombay

My dear Giriraja,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 6, 1972, and I have noted the contents…. Regarding the boys you have recommended, their letter of initiation is enclosed and beads are sent under separate post…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

cc: Jayapataka.Mayapur

Letter to:Tilakainath ( Tom), Dhumrakesa (Doug), Gokulacandra (George), Pavamana (Paul)

—

London

13 July, 1972

72-07-13

Bombay

My dear Sons,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Giriraja I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. Your initiated names are as follows:

Tom/Tilakainath das

Doug/Dhumrakesa das

George/Gokulacandra das

Paul/Pavamana das

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Govardhan, (new98)

Paris

21 July, 1972

My dear Govardhan,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Sriman Bhagavan das, I have consented to accept as my duly initiated disciples both Srimati Jayaradhe Devi Dasi and Srimati Krsnamayi Devi Dasi, and I have also consented to give Gayatri mantra to Srimati Trisakti Devi Dasi and Srimati Krpamayi Devi Dasi. Enclosed please find two copies of gayatri mantra. The beads have been sent under separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for all four students, and give Gayatri mantra to Trisakti and Krpamayi. There is a tape of me reciting gayatri mantra there in Detroit, so you can play it for these two girls, through earphones into the right ear.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Sriman Govardhan Das Adhikary

ISKCON Detroit

ACBS/nkd

Letter to: Prahladananda

Paris

25 July, 1972

Austin, Texas

My dear Prahladananda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 7.13.72, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure… Upon your recommendation I am glad to accept Dorian as my duly initiated disciple. I am sending his beads, duly chanted by me, under separate post. His new spiritual name shall be Dharmabhavana das Brahmacari. His letter follows.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Batu Gopala

London

1 August, 1972

Cleveland

My dear Batu Gopala,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 24, 1972 and I have noted the contents… Upon your recommendation, I have gladly consented to accept Elaine as my duly initiated disciple, and to give sacred thread to Audolomy. Enclosed please find one letter to Elaine, and one sacred thread for Audolomy. Her beads are being sent by separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for both of them, and give gayatri mantra to Audolomy. Show him to count on the finger divisions, and have him listen to the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, repeating each vibration as I say it. You can get this tape from Bali Mardan Goswami in New York. Then hang the sacred thread over his shoulder in the proper fashion. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear, and the function should be held amongst the devotees only.

Hoping this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to all the others there.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.nkd

Letter to: Tulasi

London

1 August, 1972

Denver

My dear Tulasi,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 18, 1972 and I have noted the contents… Upon your recommendation, I have consented to accept Jan, Becky and Tina as my duly initiated disciples, and also to give gayatri mantra to Pranaballavah, Mahasakti and Nandita Gokula. Enclosed please find a letter for those who are taking first initiation, and two sacred threads for Pranabalavah and Mahasakti. The beads are being sent by separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for all of them, and gayatri mantra to Pranaballavah, Mahasakti, and Nandita Gokula. Show them how to count on the finger divisions, and have them listen one by one to the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, repeating each vibration as I say it. You can get this tape from Karandhara in Los Angeles. Then hang the sacred thread over each boy's shoulder in the proper fashion. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear, and the function should be held amongst the devotees only.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.nkd

Letter to: Anuradha (Jan), Bhaktilata (Becky), Rama Tulasi (Tina)

—

London

2 August, 1972

72-08-02

Denver

My dear daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Tulasi I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciples. I have duly chanted your beads, and they have been dispatched by separate post. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Jan—Anuradha Devi Dasi

Becky—Bhaktilata Devi Dasi

Tina—Rama Tulasi Devi Dasi…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/nkd

Letter to: Batu Gopala

Los Angeles

22 August, 1972

Cleveland

My dear Batu Gopala,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 18, 1972 and I have noted the contents. So far the fire yajna is concerned, you can wait until Janmastami celebrations in New Vrindaban, and they can take part in that yajna…

Upon your recommendation, I will be very glad to accept Sriman Paul Zarouny as my duly initiated disciple. He can take part along with the others at New Vrindaban. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.nkd

Letter to: Gaura Sakti

—

Los Angeles

22 August, 1972

72-08-22

My dear son,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 22, 1972 requesting initiation, and upon the recommendation of Madhudvisa Swami, I have gladly consented to give you Gayatri mantra. …I have given you the spiritual name Gaura Sakti das Brahmacari. Now you continue, as you have been, to give Madhudvisa and the others all help, and spread this great movement all over Australia.

Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: :Madhudvisa

Los Angeles

22 August, 1972

My Dear Madhudvisa,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your note along with the letter of Sriman Des Louragan, and upon your recommendation, I have gladly consented to accept him as my duly initiated disciple, and to give him Gayatri mantra also. His beads have been duly chanted by me and they have been sent under separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for these two boys and give gayatri mantra to Des (Gaura Sakti das). Show him how to count on the finger divisions, and then hang the thread over his shoulder in the proper way, after he has repeated, word for word, the mantra as I intone it on the tape. The tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Tusta Krsna

Los Angeles

24 August, 1972

My Dear Tusta Krishna,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 12, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully… I am very glad to understand that all of the programs there in Auckland are going on very nicely… And upon your recommendation I am very glad to accept the three boys as my duly initiated disciples. Their letter is enclosed.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Madhudvisa

Dallas

10 September, 1972

My Dear Madhudvisa,

Please accept my blessings. Regarding the recommendation for Ambika dasi to take second initiation from me, yes, you may give her. Enclosed find one copy of Gayatri mantra. Now hold a yajna, teach her how to count on the finger divisions, then play the Gayatri mantra tape through the right ear. Have her repeat along with my vibration word by word and then give her Gayatri mantra as usual. This Gayatri mantra function should be held amongst the devotees only.

Hoping this meets you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Aksojananda, (new98)

Los Angeles

15 September, 1972

My dear Aksojananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11 September, 1972 and upon your recommendation I am very glad to accept Anga das Brahmacari for the second initiation. Enclosed herewith please find one copy of Gayatri mantra and also one sacred thread, duly chanted by me. Now hold a fire yajna, and teach him how to count on the finger divisions, then play the Gayatri mantra tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra through the right ear. Have him repeat along with my vibration, word for word, and then hang the sacred thread on his neck as usual. This Gayatri mantra function should be held amongst the devotees only.

Hoping this meets you in good health,

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Aksojananda das Goswami

ISKCON Amsterdam

Letter to: Madhudvisa

Los Angeles

21 September, 1972

My dear Madhudvisa,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 13, 1972, and with great satisfaction I note that you are becoming very happy and satisfied in your duties there in Australia… As Caru has recommended, I am very glad to accept Rajgana and Devi Darsana for second initiation. Enclosed find two threads, duly chanted by me, and two copies of Gayatri mantra. Now hold the fire yajna and distribute the Gayatri mantras and instruct them how to chant on the finger divisions. They should hear the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra into the right ear and the ceremony shall be held only in the association of devotees. I am enclosing one copy of Gayatri mantra tape herewith, as you have requested.

Hoping this meets you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Kirtanananda

Los Angeles

23 September, 1972

My Dear Kirtanananda,

Please accept my blessings. Thank you very much for your letter from New Vrndavana dated 19 September 1972 along with the box of sandesh… Upon your recommendation I am enclosing two sacred threads, duly chanted by me, and three copies of Gayatri mantra. Now you may hold the fire yajna for Murari Gupta das, Ambarisa das, and Vijayadevi. Teach them how to count on the finger divisions and play the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra into their right ear. This ceremony should be held only in the company of devotees.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Jagadisa

Los Angeles

29 September, 1972

Toronto

My dear Jagadisa,

Please accept my blessings. Thank you very much for your letter dated September 22, 1972, and I very much enjoyed that slide of seeing the new deities in Toronto temple…

On your recommendation I am glad to accept these three students as my initiated disciples. Their beads are being sent under separate post, duly chanted by me, and their letter is enclosed herewith. Now you may hold a fire yajna and initiate them and give second initiation to Krpasindhu, Soulacarya, and Kaumadaki. Teach them to chant on the finger divisions and play for them the copy of the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra in the right ear.

Hoping this meets you in the best of health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACB.sda

Letter to: Mahendranath

Los Angeles

29 September, 1972

New Orleans

My dear son,

Please accept my blessings. On the recommendation of Nityananda I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. I have duly chanted your beads and they have been dispatched by separate post. I have given you the spiritual name of Mahendranath das Brahmacari…

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Nityananda

Los Angeles

29 September, 1972

New Orleans

My dear Nityananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 23 and I have noted the contents with care... Now hold the ceremony as per the enclosed instructions. During the fire ceremony you can also give the sacred thread and Gayatri mantra to Bhudara, which I am enclosing also herewith. Teach him to chant on the finger divisions and play the copy of the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra into his right ear Also I am sending the beads for Michael Lightfoot, duly chanted by me, under separate post. So you may hold the fire yajna, install deities, and give initiation to these two boys...

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Kirtanananda

Vrindaban

27 October, 1972

New Vrindaban

My dear Kirtanananda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 19, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care. Now we are in Radha-Damodara Temple staying,… Upon your recommendation I am happy to accept Sudhakari dasi for second initiation. Now you hold a fire yagna, give her copy of gayatri mantra and teach her to count on the finger divisions. You may play the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra into her right ear. The ceremony should be held in the company of devotees only.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Bhutatma, Kesava

Vrindaban

2 November, 1972

San Francisco

My dear Bhutatma and Kesava,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 3, 1972, and enclosed please find the copy of letter to the new initiates. Their beads are sent under separate post. You may hold fire yagna and give gayatri mantra to Lokanatha, and Gostavihari. Teach them to count on the finger divisions, and play the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra into their right ear. The yagna should be held in the company of the devotees only. Hold the fire yagna for all five devotees…

Hoping this meets you both in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Sivananda

Vrindaban

3 November, 1972

Berlin

My dear Sivananda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 20, 1972, from Berlin, and I have noted the contents with care… Upon your recommendation I am very glad to initiate the two German boys with first initiation, and their letter is enclosed herewith.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Kurusrestha

Hyderabad

23 November, 1972

Denver

My dear Kurusrestha,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 13, 1972, and I can well appreciate how the things are going on nicely in your Denver center… Upon your recommendation I have gladly accepted the five boy and girls as my duly initiated disciples, and their letter is enclosed. Also enclosed please find three sacred threads, duly chanted by me, and five copies of gayatri mantra. Now hold a fire yagna and give gayatri mantra to Arijit, Ananda Vardhana, Radha Damodara, Anuradha dasi and Bhaktilata dasi. Instruct them how to count on the finger divisions and play for them the tape of me chanting the gayatri mantra into their right ear. I think Karandhara has got the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra. The fire yagna can be held for all ten devotees.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Ravanantakara (Rick Knickerbocker), Makhana Taskara (Martin Framson), Rasalubhda (Lynn MacDonald), Sudarsani (Cynthia Greene), Madhuryalilananda (Elizabeth Hanks)

—

Bombay

25 November, 1972

72-11-25

Denver

My dear Sons and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Kurusrestha I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciples. I have chanted on your beads and they are enclosed herewith. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Rick Knickerbocker/RAVANANTAKARA DAS B.

Martin Framson/MAKHANA TASKARA DAS B.

Lynn MacDonald/RASALUBHDA DASI

Cynthia Greene/SUDARSANI DASI

Elizabeth Hanks/MADHURYALILANANDA DASI…

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Vamanadeva

Bombay

3 December, 1972

St. Louis

My dear Vamanadeva,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 19, 1972 and I have noted the contents. I am especially glad to see how nicely your St. Louis Temple is distributing Back To Godhead Magazine… Please find enclosed one sacred thread duly chanted by me. Now, hold the fire yajna ceremony and give Gayatri mantra to Socillia Dasa. Let him hear with earphones into his right ear the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra and teach him to count on the finger divisions. The yajna should be held only in the presence of devotees….

I hope this finds you and your all the temple inmates in the best health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.tkg

Letter to: Bhagavan

Ahmedabad

13 December, 1972

My Dear Bhagavan dasa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 21, 1972, along with letters of requesting for initiation by me. I have accepted all of them as my duly initiated students, and their letter along with beads are enclosed herewith…

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Rasada (Rick Joaquim), Dvijavara (David), Annada (Anita)

—

Ahmedabad

13 December, 1972

72-12-13

Paris

My dear Sons and Daughter,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated November 22, 1972, and upon the recommendation of Bhagavan I have gladly consented to accept you all as my duly initiated disciples. I have chanted on your beads and they are enclosed herewith. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Rick Joaquim/RASADA DAS

David/DVIJAVARA DAS

Anita/ANNADA DASI…

Now I am enclosing also one sacred thread, duly chanted by me, along with copy of gayatri mantra. Bhagavandas will hold the fire yagna and give sacred thread to Sri Gopala. He may play the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra into his right ear and teach him to count on the finger divisions. The fire yagna can be held for all the four devotees.

Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Atendriya (Andy Wiernsz), Bahusira (Bill Oliverson), Jitamitra (Judy Jones), Maharha (Mary St. John), Omkara (Oksana Olenczuk), Vajasana (Vicky Burt)

—

Bombay

23 December, 1972

72-12-23

New York

My dear Sons and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Sudama Goswami I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads are chanted by me and are enclosed herewith. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Andy Wiernsz/ATENDRIYA DAS

Bill Oliverson/BAHUSIRA DAS

Judy Jones/JITAMITRA DASI

Mary St. John/MAHARHA DASI

Oksana Olenczuk/OMKARA DASI

Vicky Burt/VAJASANA DASI…

Hoping this meets you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Sudama

Bombay

23 December, 1972

New York

My dear Sudama,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated November 27 and 28, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care. I am very, very happy to hear from you all the good news about New York center… Upon your recommendation, I have accepted the six new students as my disciples, duly initiated, and their letter and beads are enclosed herewith, along with sacred threads (four) and copies of gayatri mantra (five). Now hold the fire yagna and give gayatri mantra to Apurna, Gariyan, Mangalananda, Sudhanu, and Manjari dasi. Teach them to count on the finger divisions, and play for them the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra into their right ear. The fire yagna can be held for all eleven devotees.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Janajanmadhih (Jeffrey Balawajder), Anadi (Alann Hayes), Araudra (Auda Gen)

—

Bombay

27 December, 1972

72-12-27

Boston

My dear Sons and Daughter,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Traidas I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. I have chanted on your beads and they are enclosed herewith. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Jeffrey Balawajder/JANAJANMADIH DASA

Alann Hayes/ANADIH DASA

Auda Gen/ARAUDRA DASI…

Hoping this meets all of you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Bombay

27 December, 1972

Chicago

My dear Sri Govinda,

Please accept my blessings. Enclosed please find three sacred threads duly chanted by me, along with three copies of gayatri mantra. Now hold the fire yagna and give gayatri mantra to Vipina Purandhara, Sundhararupa and Jaya das. You may teach them to count on the finger divisions and play the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra into their right ear. Instruct them fully in the qualifications for becoming brahmana, and henceforth they must be very, very careful not to commit any sinful acts or otherwise I shall have to suffer as their spiritual master. The ceremony should be held in the company of devotees only.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Trai

Bombay

December 27, 1972

Boston

My dear Trai dasa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 7, 1972, and I am so much pleased to hear from you that the book distribution has increased five times than before!… Upon your recommendation I am glad to accept the three new devotees as my duly initiated disciples. Their letter and beads are enclosed herewith.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Brhatbanu (Brian Peverill), Jagadadija (Jean Luc Norroy)

—

Bombay

28 December, 1972

72-12-28

Amsterdam

My dear Sons,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Aksojananda I am very glad to consent to accept both of you as my duly initiated disciples. Your beads are duly chanted by me and are enclosed herewith. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Brian Peverill/BRHATBHANU DAS BRAHMACHARY

Jean Luc Norroy/JAGADADIJA DAS BRAHMACHARY…

Hoping this meets you both in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Jaggadeva, (new98)

Bombay

28 December, 1972

My dear Jaggadeva,

Please accept my blessings. With reference to a letter to me dated December 6, 1972, wherein Aksojananda Swami has recommended several students for initiation, I have since heard that he has left Amsterdam and he is supposed to be preaching in England, and I have heard that you are now the president of Amsterdam temple so I am informing you that, upon the recommendation of Aksojananda, I am happy to accept the two boys as my duly initiated disciples. Their letter and their beads, duly chanted by me, are enclosed herewith. Please find also three sacred threads enclosed, also chanted by me, along with three copies of gayatri mantra. Now if you have not got experience, then Hansadutta may come there for performing the fire yajna. Or if it is more convenient then someone may come from London, or Aksojananda may come for a few days and hold the fire yajna. Whatever, hold the fire yajna and sacred thread may be given to yourself, Hari Krishna, and Tirthasadhaka. You should be taught to count on the finger divisions and the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra should be played for each into your right ear. The fire yajna can be held for all five devotees.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Jaggadeva das Brahmachary,

ISKCON Amsterdam

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Revatinandana

Bombay

4 January, 1973

My Dear Revatinandana,

I shall continue to deal with the matter of second initiations. The sacred threads do not require so much postage to send airmail.

Letter to: Bhutatma

Bombay

5 January, 1973

San Francisco

My dear Bhutatma,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 18, 1972, forwarded to me here at Bombay. I am very happy to hear from you that everything is going nicely in the San Francisco temple. Upon your recommendation I am very glad to accept the six new students as my duly initiated disciples. Their letter is enclosed herewith. As for chanting on their beads, I have delegated Kirtanananda Swami to chant on the new devotees' beads on my behalf in your country. In Europe, Revatinandana Swami will chant on the new devotees' beads on my behalf. Because it is such long distance, therefore it is very expensive to send beads airmail from here, and there are so many instances of the beads being lost in that way. And I am getting now requests up to 20 or 30 each week, so it is practically becoming impossible for me to chant the beads when I am so far distant. Therefore the new devotees may send their beads to Kirtanananda in New Vrindaban, and he will chant the beads and send back to them. Is this all right?

Now hold the fire yajna and give also second initiation to Sarvadarsan, Yajnapati, and Hari Ballav. Enclosed please find three sacred threads, duly chanted by me, along with three copies of Gayatri mantra. Now hold the fire yajna for all nine devotees, and for the second initiates teach them how to chant on the finger divisions and play for them the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra into their right ear.

Hoping this meets you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Jagadisa

Bombay

5 January, 1973

Toronto

My dear Jagadisa,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 14 and 27, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am especially happy to hear from you about the huge distribution of books in the Canada Zone… Upon your recommendation, I am very happy to accept the two devotees for second initiation. Now you may hold a fire yajna and give Gayatri mantra to Adyodyapati and Madhuhara. Teach them to chant on the finger divisions and play for them the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra into the right ear. The fire yajna should be held in the company of devotees only, so long it is restricted to Gayatri mantra initiation only. Two sacred threads, duly chanted by me, along with two copies of Gayatri mantra, are enclosed herewith…

Hoping this meets you in the best of health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Letter to: Kirtanananda

Bombay

5 January, 1973

New Vrndaban

My dear Kirtanananda,

Please accept my blessings. Now I am getting so many requests to take first initiation from temples in your country, and once before I had empowered you to chant the beads on my behalf, so henceforth, as long as I am away from America and Canada, I am requesting all of the temple presidents in that zone of North America and South America to send the beads of the new devotees to you at New Vrndaban. The candidates for new devotees will send me their letters as usual, and I will give them names myself and enter in our records, simply you must chant on their beads and then return to them. Is that clear? Or, if you think it is better arrangement, I think that Bali Mardan has got many many beads in New York which we have sent him from Mayapur, so if you like you may get from him many sets of beads and you may chant them and, whenever requested by my letter only, you may send the new beads directly to the new devotees. Henceforth, then, I shall send copies of my letters of reply to the new devotees, wherever I am in the world, to you, and besides that the new devotees themselves will write to you and send you their beads. Similarly, I have appointed Revatinandana Maharaja in England to chant the beads of the new devotees on European Continent. Otherwise, in other parts of the world, I shall chant them as always.

Hoping this meets you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

N.B. How far further construction of New Vrndaban is going on?

Letter to: Krsnakatha (Kris Carlson), Anala (Anna Carlson) Riddha (Roger May), Maharddhi (Morley Walkowski), Rohita (Randy Hyndeman), Kala (Carl Mulder)

—

Bombay

5 January, 1973

73-01-05

Vancouver

My dear Sons and Daughters,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Bahudak I have gladly accepted all of you as my duly initiated disciples. You may send your beads to Kirtanananda in New Vrindaban for chanting on them on my behalf. There is no difference if I chant them or he chants them, I have authorized him in that way. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Kris Carlson/ KRSNAKATHA DAS ADHIKARI

Anna Carlson/ ANALA DEVI DASI

Roger May/ RIDDHA DAS

Morley Walkowski/ MAHARDDHI DAS

Randy Hyndeman/ ROHITA DAS

Carl Mulder/ KALA DAS…

Hoping this meets you all in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

Letter to: Damodara

Bombay, India

9 January, 1973

My Dear Damodara,

Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated December 28, 1972 is in hand and I have noted the contents carefully. Upon your recommendation I am happy to accept the six applicants as my duly initiated disciples, and their letter is enclosed herewith. You may request them to send their beads to Kirtanananda in New Vrndavana for chanting on them on my behalf. I have given that responsibility as it is too costly to send so many beads such great distance by air mail. Now I am getting so many requests for first initiation, therefore I have given that responsibility to Kirtanananda, and Revatinandana will chant on the beads for the European devotees…

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Hasyakari (Howard Bernd), Rathangapani (Randy Buchert), Varuthapa (Warren Havens), Laksmivan (Lawson Knight), Bhaktavatsala (Barry Butler), Bhaktilila (Linda Butler)

—

Bombay, India

9 January, 1973

73-01-09

My Dear Sons and Daughter,

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Damodara I have gladly accepted all of you as my duly initiated disciples. Now you may send your beads to Kirtanananda in New Vrindaban for chanting them, as I have empowered him to act on my behalf. Or you may write him and request him to send you new beads, as you arrange. I have given you the spiritual names as follows:

Howard Bernd/ HASYAKARI DAS

Randy Buchert/ RATHANGAPANI DAS

Warren Havens/ VARUTHAPA DAS

Lawson Knight/ LAKSMIVAN DAS

Barry Butler/ BHAKTAVATSALA DAS

Linda Butler/ BHAKTILILA DASI…

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Satsvarupa, Hrdayananda

Bombay

9 January, 1973

Dallas

My dear Satsvarupa and Hrdayananda,

Please accept my blessings. Your letters dated December 25, 1972, are in hand and I am very much encouraged also to see the nice photos you have sent me… Upon the recommendation of Satsvarupa, I shall be glad to accept John Partlin as my duly initiated disciple, and his letter is enclosed herewith, along with his beads, duly chanted by me.

Hoping this meets you both in the best of health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sda

Melbourne

10th January, 1973

My dear Kurusretha,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 16th, and have noted the contents carefully… Second initiations of Sudarsani dasi and Madhurya-lilananda dasi are duly approved by me. Enclosed you will find the Gayatri Mantra slips. You may have one fire ceremony and they may listen to the tape of me chanting the Gayatri Mantra in their right ear and repeat it…

Regarding the first initiations, they are also approved by me and their names are as

follows. Dan Swanson is now Dvijati Pujaka das, Christopher Beard is now Carucandra das, Phillip West is now Prabala das and Rebecca Strowger is now Rupa Ramesvari dasi. Will you please send one copy of this letter to Kirtananda Swami along with their beads of the aspiring devotees for I have authorized him to chant on the beads on my behalf…

I hope that this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/ms

Letter to: Sudama

Calcutta

26 January, 1973

Los Angeles

My dear Sudama,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letters dated January 9 and January 15, 1973, and I have noted the contents carefully… I have duly chanted the mantra for Brahmin initiation and sent the thread to Sriman Vaikhanas Das at St. Louis as you have recommended.

Hoping this meets you well,

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.tkg

Letter to: Turya

Calcutta

January 27, 1973

Mexico City

My dear Turya dasa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter of December 21, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. The reports that have come from our Mexico City temple have always been encouraging and I am glad to learn that now you wish to increase your service still further… I am enclosing the Gayatri mantra sheets for Laksmi-priya Dasi and Kusa Devi Dasi as you have recommended them. Now you can perform the fire sacrifice in the assembly of devotees only and teach them to count on the fingers. They may hear in the right ear the Gayatri mantra chanted by me on tape recorder. Every one of my disciples should become so nicely trained that they may all develop the brahminical qualities.

Hoping this meets you all well.

Your ever well-wisher,

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Letter to: Kirtanananda

Calcutta

28 January, 1973

My Dear Kirtanananda Swami,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10 January 1973, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. I can see that Krsna is giving you more and more facility for developing this New Vrindaban scheme…

Regarding your recommendations for second initiation, they may be given the sacred threads enclosed herein…. I am going on 2nd February to Melbourne, Australia, and then shall be returning to Mayapur for the appearance day of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

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Srila Prabhupada’s Letters on Ritvik Initiation

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