Letter to: Rupanuga — National Hotel Moscow U.S.S.R. — 21 June, 1971

My Dear Rupanuga,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 9th June, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. Just yesterday afternoon I came to Moscow, U.S.S.R. and am staying at the above hotel. This morning I saw some of the historical buildings of this city. They are very nice. On the whole we can say Moscow is very wonderful city. They are very neat and clean. There is arrangement for washing the street and foot path daily, which is never expected in American cities, especially. N.Y. Arrangements are being made through the embassy to hold some meetings of our philosophy; reports will follow.

Your letter dated 2nd June I have replied separately. The idea is that unless we produce $15,000.00 worth of books cost price, then the expense of $1,500.00 per month for press upkeep from the book fund will be economically a great loss. Therefore the press has either to increase the production value or have to maintain the expenditure from outside jobs. One of our books is printed in 6 months, then the cost increases by $9,000.00 over and above the actual cost price. So it will be a great luxury; not economically very sound. So far as printing of Penguin series KRSNA book; I have stopped that printing for the time being. Let us finish the hard bound and then we shall attempt it. So far Bhagawatam chapters, I understand from Aravinda that these chapters from 2nd Canto were finished being laid out ten months ago, and the same sound is vibrating, "almost finished." So let me know what it means, "almost finished."

Krsna Das is one of the best workers in our Society but since he is married his temperament has changed. That is very regrettable. Kindly try to get him back and engage him in Krishna Consciousness. I allow my disciples to marry just to invigorate their energy for service; not for making a lost child. But at the present moment I am seeing Krsna Das has left after marriage; Jaya Govinda has left after marriage; Woomapati has left after marriage; Mukunda has left after marriage; I do not hear from Shivananda. So it is very discouraging. The wife is the subtle chain of Maya. So unless one is strongly Krishna Conscious like you, it is very difficult. That is the risk of family life. Still other students are doing very nice, like you, Shyamsundar, Gurudas, etc. But the reaction to married life is now very prominent in our Society. The Vedic system is therefore to train people in brahmachary life. Otherwise people with wife become attached to this material world. Those who are grihasthas, therefore, should always look to the example of Bhaktivinode Thakur. Married life is not bad-if one is very much advanced in Krishna Consciousness. Otherwise, there is difficulty. So we should be careful, and GBC members especially (they are grihasthas); they should exhibit exemplary life like Bhaktivinode Thakur, so that other members may not fall down. Also there are many instances in our Society that due to the wife being advanced in Krishna Consciousness, the husband has become reformed. So our business is to make both husband and wife advance in Krishna Consciousness. That will help our movement.

From Yogeswara I have heard that he proposes to move the Deities from the temple in Hamburg. That is not a very good proposal. For whatever reason, still it is a failure. That becomes not temple worship but idol worship. Just like in the presence of Mukunda the Deities were attacked. That means they are not very serious.

So far book distribution by Chapin associates, I understand that the contract is made for returning books. That is a false hope. I am not very much hopeful for this agreement. Brahmananda Maharaj arrived in Bombay and he told me how on similar terms one such agent took 50 T.L.C. and after six months returned 47. That means three books distributed in six months. And I also have had such experience in India. So this kind of sale is a false sale, so avoid this means of distribution. Cash payment and non-returnable; that is sound business.

Regarding new sources of income, the Indian communities are no support. How many Indians you will find in your country? You should not depend on false support. Anything which will attract your own countrymen is good support. But our main support should be distributing magazines. That program I have already given. Other income we should not very much count on. We should count on distribution of magazines and books. Even incense business is not a very sound proposal. If, somehow or other, we can distribute our magazines & books, that is big propaganda and the success of our movement. Here in India they are simply depending on life membership program and it has proved very successful. Practically they are maintaining all expenses on Sankirtan and book distribution.

There is very good chance for this movement in India. We can open 100s of branches; not with Indian members, but with American and European members. The idea is that the Indians have been systematically educated to give up this spiritual life, but when they see Americans and Europeans taking to this spiritual life, they come forward and want to help us and things change also. Their hopeless life becomes bright. So if another 50 to 60 men are available for Indian propaganda, it will be a great success. Practically we have got 4 or 5 centers in India now in important places. So please see if you can spare 100 men for India propaganda work. I wish especially, also, that our GBC members hold their annual meeting in Mayapur on Janmastami and Vyas Pooja Day.

It is very nice the "Black Sankirtan Party" is having such success. Then we can mitigate the black-white controversy. We have no such distinction of black and white but if we can organize this "Black S.K.P." then the government will take notice that our society is mitigating the problem of black & white.

So presently we are here in Moscow, situated in a very comfortable hotel. We are three; Shyamsundar, Aravinda, and myself. Shyamsundar is busy taking many photos. So now let us see what work we can do for Lord Chaitanya. I will be leaving here for Paris on the 25th instant. In Paris I will remain one day and then immediately fly to San Francisco to participate in the Rathayatra ceremony of the 27th; from there to London for their festival on 4th July and then I will return to N.Y.C. shortly after. All mail may be sent to L.A.

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

A.C.B.S./a.d.b.

Sriman Rupanuga Das Adhikary
c/o ISKCON Washington
2015 "Q" Street N.W.
Washington, D.C.
U.S.A.