Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 21, 1969, and I have carefully read the contents. Regarding your plan for marrying with Kancanbala, I do not think that there is any immediate emergency for finding some one to replace you on the Back To Godhead staff. You have mentioned in your letter that Kancanbala will not be available until at least the month of June for marriage, so there is no necessity for bothering about this for now. By that time or soon after there may be arrangements made where you can continue your work for the press department as well as support a wife. If the press operation can be moved to New Vrindaban then that will be the best arrangement for you because you could live there without any worries about rent. So for the time being go on with your work as usual and don't bother youself with this matter.

Regarding your question about why we dress the Deities in very opulent fashion and not as simple cowherds boy and girl, this is an intelligent question and the answer is that according to the regulative principles we cannot worship Radha-Krishna now. Radha-Krishna worship is meant for persons who have already developed spontaneous love of God. In the training period we are only worshiping Laksmi-Narayana. We worship Radha-Krishna because Laksmi-Narayana is there also, but actually we do not worship Radha-Krishna with our present Deity ceremonies; we are worshiping Laksmi-Narayana. Narayana is there when Krishna is there, but actually we do not worship Radha-Krishna in Their Original Form. This is why we should worship Radha-Krishna in Their Laksmi-Narayana feature with all respect and reverence. If we deviate from this standard then we shall be prakrta sahajiya, or a person who takes things very cheap. We worship Laksmi-Narayana, and because Radha-Krishna includes Laksmi-Narayana, there is no necessity of installing a Laksmi-Narayana Deity. It is just like a king who is engaged in administering justice. Actually that business belongs to the justice department. But what is that justice department? It is all part of the kings energy, and the king also has the power to execute this function.

Regarding the blood and puss from the sky during the battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksa, you should know that if Krishna desires blood, puss, fire, or whatever He desires may fall down from the sky.

So far as old copies of Back To Godhead which you have enquired about, I do not know where they all are. Either they are in my room in India or they are lost.

Please convey my blessings to the other devotees of New York. I hope this will meet you in very good health.