710409 - Letter to Rupanuga written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1971

Letter to Rupanuga (Page 1 of ?) (Page Missing)

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

CAMP: ISKCON; P.O. Box 387; Fort, Bombay-1; INDIA
9th April, 1971

My Dear Rupanuga,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22nd March, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. You say that Bhagavatam printing is going on, but what about Bhagavad Gita As It Is? Some San Francisco Indian friends promised to pay $20,000, for this. So somehow get this money and manage to print Bhagavad Gita as quickly as possible, without stopping. Best thing is to get Bhagavad Gita printed on our own press, some soft bound and some hard bound, regularly sewn. Now in N.Y. we have got large space. If required we can increase by another press, but try to get all our books printed on our own press.
You write to say that you are relocating in N.Y. but I have received a letter from Satsvarupa saying that he cannot leave because of some financial difficulties. This complaint is practically coming from every temple. Why there is financial difficulty?
What GBC man from India has written that GBC member should be "disentangled from local management"? I have no information who it is. I never advised GBC men to write like that. Why should the presidents give up their posts? GBC work should go on but the temples must be looked after simultaneously. Of course for better management you can go to N.Y.; yours is special case. But this was not my advice. This instruction should be given to all that I never advised that they give up the post of presidency. I asked Tamal if he had written any such direction, but he denied. I do not know which GBC member has advised like that. Jagadisha was also divorcing himself from temple management but found the devotees enthusiasm slackened and so he has returned to the temple schedule. The temples must be maintained.
So far as "youth work" is concerned, it can be taken up, but our process must be followed strictly. Anyone may come but our process must remain the same. The men are expected to shave their heads and wear robes; they must attend classes, read our books, chant 16 rounds, attend artik, go for street San Kirtan, take prasadam only, etc. To have any separate institution apart from the temple, that we cannot do. Everything must be within the scope of our activities, then this "youth problem" can be solved. Our process is proven as the only effective means. If the government or any other organization gives up a place, then we can train up such youth in our own way and surely they will come out sane. That place given will be a temple. So the process remains the same, except on a larger scale. Not that there is a separate division of ISKCON to handle youth problem, but that we have a bigger temple to accommodate them is all, and then the people will see practically how we are doing the highest welfare work.

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