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Actually we experienced this when we came to preach the Hare Krsna movement in the West. When we came to New York in 1965, we never expected that the Hare Krsna maha-mantra would be accepted in this country. Nonetheless, we invited people to our storefront to join in chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, and the Lord's holy name is so attractive that simply by coming to our storefront in New York, fortunate young people became Krsna conscious. Although this mission was started with insignificant capital, it is now going nicely. The spreading of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra in the West has become successful because the young people were not offenders. The youths who joined this movement were not very advanced as far as purity was concerned, nor were they very well educated in Vedic knowledge, but because they were not offenders, they could accept the importance of the Hare Krsna movement. We are now very happy to see that this movement is advancing more and more in the Western countries. We therefore conclude that the so-called mlecchas and yavanas of the Western countries are more purified than offensive Mayavadis or atheistic impersonalists. (More...) Srila Prabhupada: At our first meeting, he ordered me to preach Krsna consciousness in the West. I was then twenty-five years old, a married man with two children. I tried my best to carry out his orders and started managing Back to Godhead magazine in 1944, when I was still in household life. I started writing books in 1959 after retiring from family life, and in 1965 I came to the United States. (More...) Srila Prabhupada: No, that is not my purpose. I started my movement simply by chanting Hare Krsna. I chanted in New York in a place called Tompkins Square Park, and soon people began to come to me. In this way, the Krsna consciousness movement gradually developed. Many accepted, and many did not accept. Those who are fortunate have accepted. (More...) Please accept my blessings. Your letter dated December 21 along with the picture of the new house was duly received by me while I was in Boston and we enjoyed the few days of meeting together in that Temple. It was a great transcendental pleasure to meet you all. Your statement in the letter, "All glories to Sankirtana, Prasadam and Srimad-Bhagavatam'' is very welcome. Before coming to your country, when I was in India and I was planning to come here, I was thinking in the same way. I was thinking that my preaching work in this country would be a difficult job for me on account of the country's position being completely different from the principles of Bhakti cult. At that time I was also thinking of chanting and dancing in Sankirtana as well as distributing prasadam in the matter of my preaching Bhagavatam. So this planning has by the grace of my Guru Maharaja and Krishna become successful in the practical field. Forty years before when two of my eldest God-brothers came to London with this mission they simply devoted their time in lecturing in some renowned public place and inviting some leading politician to preside over the meeting. You know very well that when I began my preaching work in New York I never followed this policy of lecturing amongst the stereotyped politicians or elites of the society. And if I would have followed such a policy, I think I would also have gone back to India without any success. I think this policy of Sankirtana, Prasadam and Srimad-Bhagavatam has been successful in all the centers. Please therefore follow this transcendental policy with heart and soul and make your center as spiritually opulent as far as possible. (More...) This whole institution was started singlehandedly without any capital. I went to your country with only Rs. 40/- and 200 sets of books. So if we take the capital of the whole business, it was the books and the Rs. 40/-. The Rs. 40/- was not even touched because Indian Rupees currency could not be spent in your country. In 1967 when I came back to India the Rs. 40/- was paid for the taxi cab. The 200 sets of books was sold, and I was maintaining myself with great difficulty. Now by the grace of Krishna books sales have increased tremendously, and whatever money we are spending it is from the books sales; or whatever money is also being squandered that is also from the book sales. (More...) Pushing on this movement, I had to face so many difficulties throughout since I left my home. I lived in Delhi at Sakur Basti because the rent was cheaper there, and I could not even take an apartment in Delhi. Then I was provided with a room at Chippi Walla, Radha Krishna temple, wherein I was able to keep my publication office. (More...) Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 20, 1974 from New York. I am very glad to hear of the continued success of the Library distribution program. You know it that I also was selling my books in this way to the schools and colleges and libraries. I would write, then publish, and then distribute without any help. So how much pleased I am with you that you are helping me in this mission. So you go on with your work. Krishna will help you. You are sincere in your purpose. This is very important engagement of visiting the professors, and the colleges and libraries, and getting the standing orders. This is the most important engagement. Do not doubt this. (More...) Please accept my blessings. I have just received one telegram from Brahmananda Swami. He said that there is one Chinese initiated devotee there who is giving money and has already translated three chapters of Bhagavad-gita. This is very wonderful. You can immediately print those first three chapters of Bhagavad-gita into a book. And let him translate three more chapters and then print that into a book. Then three more etc., etc. In this way we can introduce our Bhagavad-gita As It Is in Hong Kong also. He also stated that the temple can be maintained by the Indians. That is good. Let them give some donation for Krsna's service and gradually they will also become Krsna Conscious. Brahmananda Swami seemed to think that you need more men there. His telegram reads, "Trivikrama alone, more men required urgently.'' I do not understand what he means by alone. What is this alone? Vaisnava is never alone. When I first came to the United States I was seemingly alone for one year. But I never felt alone. I always felt the presence of my Guru Maharaja. Myself, I was cooking, I was printing books, I was selling books, everything seemingly alone. But I did not lose my determination. Actually you should know this, you are never alone. So local men are coming daily. By good association, good preaching, nice prasadam etc., they can all become devotees. This is Lord Caitanya's mission to go to every town and village and create Vaisnava spirit in the local men. I have also sent one letter to Pancadravida Swami in Bangkok that his party can come there sometimes for big programs if you can arrange. Keep in touch with them. Their address is; Pancadravida Swami, c/o D.H. Carturchand, 238 Samteng St. Bangkok, Thailand. Please keep yourself strong and fixed up in Krsna's service by following all of our regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds daily, rising early, attending mangala arati and attending classes. I hope this meets you in good health. (More...) Please accept my greetings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 11, 1975. After long years it is pleasing and surprising to receive an affectionate letter from you. I think I met you sometimes in the year 1958. Since then in 1965 I came to America and started this missionary activity from New York in 1966. Now the Society has got about 100 branches all over the world. And, everywhere we have got Deity worship; Guru Gauranga, Radha Krishna, and Jagadisa. (More...) So after ten years of struggle, in 1965 I went to USA, and by the grace of Krishna it has become successful all over Europe, America, Canada, and Australia. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita; yad yad acarati sresthas, tad tad evetaro janah, sa yat paramanam kurute, lokas tad anuvartate [Bg. 3.21]. "Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.''. Your donation to this movement and your becoming the Patron Member is a very great thing, and it will ensure others who will also follow in your footsteps. So I am very much grateful to you. (More...) Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 22, 1975 with enclosed copies of your new Swedish Back To Godhead magazine. It is very nicely done. The printing and paper are very good. You have published on the first page the first photograph of my preaching in America. It is an historical photograph. Even though I was alone completely in a foreign country, still I was not appearing forlorn. I was confident, that can be seen in my photograph. (More...) Your plan to have my quarters on the 11th. floor is very nice. I have made some alterations to your plan however and if possible you can implement then when you are designing the rooms. Enclosed is a copy of the 11th. floor plan with alterations. When it is completed, then I shall go there. New York is very special to me because I started there without anything except faith in my spiritual master and Lord Krishna. I am very glad to see that things are developing there nicely. (More...) Prabhupada: (laughs) Yes. I have already written that. I was thinking that "What shall I do here? I have come here. As soon as I shall impose these four principles they will say, 'Go home.' " But I took that risk. I never said anything palatable. Against their activities, "You don't do this, don't do this." [break] (More...) Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/?g=2382 Previous: [none] Next: [none]
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