770813 - Letter to Jayapataka from Tamal Krsna

August 13, 1977

From: Tamal Krishna

My dear Jayapataka 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 7th August, 1977, and I have also received your letter dated 8th August, 1977.

Daily, Srila Prabhupada inquires, “Any news from Mayapur?” His Divine Grace is very concerned to know how the events transpire at the Holy Dhama. When your latest report arrived, I did not hesitate to read it to His Divine Grace early in the morning at 6am.As soon as He knew that it had arrived, He asked to have it read to Him. Srila Prabhupada heard your report hardly without any comments. I asked Srila Prabhupada if He had any special instructions for your good self in how to handle this entire attack incidence, but Srila Prabhupada said, “Jayapataka Maharaja is doing everything as I want him to do. Krsna is directing him from within.” Prabhupada was pleased to know that Bhavananda Maharaja is observing strictly chaturmasya, and said that this was the correct thing for His Holiness to do. When His Divine Grace heard that a renowned astrologer commented that the ultimate result will be establishing ISKCON very firmly, Srila Prabhupada asked me to write you regarding this astrologer. As Srila Prabhupada’s health is not at all good, He has been interested lately in having His horoscope done. His birth details are as follows: He was born on the Nandotsava day in the year 1896 at 4pm in the afternoon in Calcutta. Srila Prabhupada would like you to go to the astrologer and have the astrologer caste Srila Prabhupada’s horoscope. It would be a complete a report as possible in which the astrologer can tell everything of Prabhupada’s life so far (this way we will see how accurate he is) as well as what the immediate and extended future holds. Srila Prabhupada wants to know about His present ill health, wants to know how long He will live (and what is the fatal day), and anything else that this astrologer may forecast for the future. Please get all of this done and send it immediately to Srila Prabhupada.

Regarding Prabha Visnu prabhu, Srila Prabhupada has taken a very personal interest in his preaching activities. His Divine Grace has great faith in Prabha Visnu and has decided to financially back his preaching activities. Srila Prabhupada called to see Prabha Visnu at 3am in the morning just after His morning bath and said, “I congratulate you. There was a Bengali poet, a zamindar named Michael Madhusudan Datta. He became a Christian and spent all his money. Indian Christian means extravagant. Indian becomes Christian to eat meat and drink wine. He married a British woman and settled in England and spent all his money. Then he has to ask money from so many Indians, but no one would give any money. But one Vidyasagara thought, “Such a big man and he needs money, I should give him.” So the poet congratulated the donor: No one dared to pay me except you. You have the courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother.” Srila Prabhupada went on to say, “You are a Britisher. The British empire expanded b [? ] courage. America is also an English creation. They were famous for [? ausi. ] and expansion. So you have to show that Englishman’s courage [?fields -] Bangladesh and Nepal. Nepal has the se [ ?? ] can establish a stronghold [?] foreign [ ?]Formerly the Bri[panded ?] consciousness Krsna has given y[ ?]

Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother. In Bangladesh take foreign exchange and print books there, never mind the quality.” Srila Prabhupada has therefore fully authorized Prabha Visnu to preach in Nepal as well as Bangladesh, and His Divine Grace says that you should take responsibility for these two preaching centers as their GBC. So Srila Prabhupada will be supplying monthly to Prabha Visnu prabhu so that he can remain preaching in Nepal. Regarding Bangladesh Srila Prabhupada wants that Bengali literature may be printed there and we will pay for it from foreign funds. This literature may be used by you in West Bengal for distribution. So try to arrange eventually to have your Bengali literature printed in Bangladesh and we will pay for it with foreign exchange, which will very much please the Bangladesh government.

I was very sorry to hear that you are not getting the money that you were meant to get for ISKCON Food Relief. According to the GBC Resolutions passed in Vrndavana it is stated, “Each temple shall donate a monthly amount to ISKCON Food Relief on the following allocations: small temples - $50, large temples - $150, medium temples - $100, maha-large temples - $200.”It simply astounds me how the GBC men can be so callous that they give their words in front of the assembled Vaisnavas in the holy land of Vrndavana and then fail to keep their word. Enclosed please find a copy of a letter which I have written to all the GBC which I hope will bring results. It must bring results, because there is no way that the temples can avoid fulfilling this obligation of living up to this GBC resolution. Food Relief money is essential here in India for our preaching.

Srila Prabhupada was glad to know that you are increasing the food distribution program by distributing foodstuffs donated by the West Bengal Health Department. However His Divine Grace emphasized, “The food distributed must be prasadam. Not that we go to some village and cook there and distribute. It must be cooked on our premises and offered and then sent for distribution. But whether this distribution in different places will be too much a strain on our man-power?” So Srila Prabhupada has raised the question of whether we can actually handle much [sic] a big distribution program since as you say you have to send your representative to these outlying villages each time for distribution. So is it too much of a strain or not? If it is possible for you to handle it it would certainly be wonderful with so many advantages as you yourself have pointed out.

I am writing Adi Kesava Maharaja to inquire from him what he has done about producing the Gurukula recording.

I am curious to know from you what has happened with the Rs. 1,00,000 sent to you for beginning construction on Srila Prabhupada’s house? I have written you in a previous letter many questions regarding the funds allocated for this house and I wish you could reply me those questions.

I pray that this finds your good self as well as my dear God-brother Bhavananda Maharaja in the best of health and Krsna consciousness. By the grace of Sri Radha-Madhava may we be able [ ?]nquer over all oppos[ing] elements and establish firmly the glorious [?] Caitanya Mahaprabhu [?] every town and village throughout this worl[d]

Your servant,

Tamal Krsna Gosvami

Secretary to Srila Prabhupada