Letters from Srila Prabhupada Vol.1 1947-1969 (in pdf) - Krishna Path

68-8-3 Montreal
7th August, 1968
My Dear Nathan Baruch,
Please accept my blessings. I am so
glad to receive your letter, without date.
(In future, while corresponding, please
try to put the date of writing.) I received
your letter a couple of days ago, but could
not reply you due to the mail strike. It is
expected that the mail strike will end by
tomorrow, as it is announced about their
settlement, but still I am not certain. I am
therefore replying your letter by posting at
Boston. Hope you will receive it duly.
Your letter is very encouraging, and I
think in future your enthusiasm and energy
can very suitably be engaged in the
transcendental loving service of Krishna.
Everyone of us has got a certain amount of
good energy derived from Krishna, and
when that energy is employed under the
expert direction of Spiritual Master, one's
life becomes successful. That is the secret
of Krishna Consciousness. The Spiritual
Master must be bona fide representative
of Krishna, by disciplic succession, receiving
orders from the superior, and the
disciple must agree to abide by the orders
of the Spiritual Master. This is the simple
method of spiritual advancement; if you
remember this principle it will be very
nice. If you can carve Radha Krishna
Murti very nicely, it will be a great service
to the society. There is a quality of wood,
which is very hard and strong and black
and heavy ; in India we call it iron wood. I
think it is called ebony here. If you can
carve Krishna from this ebony wood, and
Radharani from another wood, one which
is very hard, and of golden color, and
from this same golden wood, Lord
Chaitanya (all of Them 24" in height, and
Radharani a little less) then you can begin
this work immediately. I'm so glad to
learn that you are eager to serve Krishna
in every way possible. This mentality is
AUGUST, 1968 475
very rare, and I guess that you must have
been engaged in Krishna's service in your
previous life. To begin eager to serve
Krishna is the greatest achievement after
many many duration of pious life. So I entrust
you to begin this work immediately.
And concentrate your energy making this
art perfection. So far Radha Krishna Murtis
are concerned, you have many pictures
in San Francisco, and you can do accordingly,
and so far Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Murti is concerned, I am giving you a
rough diagram herewith. (Murari has got
one diagram drawn by Goursundar under
my supervision which you can also see.)
So far Samkirtan is concerned, that
should be continued in all circumstances.
Chanting of Hare Krishna, Samkirtan is
our life and soul . Side by side, if possible,
then you can attempt for the ISKCON restaurant
and Krishna Prasadam distribution,
but this I think is secondary. I can
understand from your letter that you have
varied energies, and you want to employ
all of them into the service of Krishna.
Please try to do as above mentioned, and it
will be a great pleasure fo r me and a delight
for all others.
Hope you are well and I shall be glad to
hear from you by return of post. Please
convey my blessings to all the disciples
and inform Krishna das that I have received
one letter from his good mother,
and I shall reply it within a day or two, and
I am very much obliged to Krishna das's
mother for her kind letter to me, and hope
she is well and happy.
Your ever will-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
68-8-4 Montreal
8th August, 1968
My Dear Brahmananda,
Please accept my blessings. You will
be pleased to learn that I have got now immigration
permission and identification