Letter to: Yamuna

Los Angeles
16 January, 1970
70-01-16
My Dear Yamuna,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated 12 January, 1970 and I have noted the contents.
I am so happy to know that the activities in London center are progressing with such great success. It is our desire that we shall always be engaged fully 24 hours in the service of Lord Krishna; in this way our lives will become perfectly joyful simply by singing and dancing and taking Prasadam. So if you carry on your service to Radha and Krishna according to the prescribed rules, your love of Krishna will increase more and more; this you are seeing practically by the Grace of Krishna.
So far colors that may be offered to the Deities, all colors may be utilized just suitable to your scheme. But black should not be used for the Deities dresses or for Temple decorations.
Krishna as He is appearing in our Temples is in the Kisora age, and the dress which I have introduced is His dress of Kisora age. In our Temples the Deities, Radha and Krishna are worshiped as Laksmi-Narayana with all the opulences of Their Majestic Lordship in Dvaraka. The worship of Radha-Krishna as They appear in Vrndavana is a very advanced stage, so we worship Them in the Temples as Laksmi-Narayana. Actually there is no difference because Laksmi-Narayana is directly the expansion of Radha-Krishna. We are following the prescribed method of Temple worship as it is the effective program for developing the highest perfection of pure love of Krishna.
If Prasadam is to be honored in the Temple room, the curtains may be drawn before the Deities while the devotees are taking Prasadam. The best arrangement is to honor Prasadam in a separate room for the purpose, if possible.
The arati articles may be returned to the same places, especially the conch shell, but the deeps, lamps, should be set down from their places because they must be washed.
I am very glad to learn that the three girls from France are advancing nicely under your tutelage. Please continue to train them up to chant regularly and to always keep engaged in Krishna activities. As ideal householder girl, you are giving them the best example of Krishna conscious life. Please offer my blessings to them and to all the devotees.
Hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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