Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter requesting initiation, dated 26th March, 1970, along with your beads for chanting, and I am very happy to accept you as my initiated disciple. Your initiated name is Mahananda Das. I have chanted your beads duly, and they are herewith returned to you.

I am very pleased to know that you have been strictly living according to our Krsna conscious way of life in the matters of daily chanting sixteen rounds, following the four basic restrictive principles, and working hard in Krsna's service. Please continue to live in this way and the success of your life in Krsna consciousness is assured. Always chanting the Holy Name, Krsna, observing the regulative principles, and working in the service of the Lord are the essential program for advancement in spiritual strength.

You have written one interesting line, that Maya seems to have a special interest in you. So it appears that you are intelligent enough to detect the tricks of Maya; that is very nice. We should always remember that Maya or darkness and Krsna or the Light are existing side by side. So if we keep ourself always in Krsna Consciousness or in the Light of Krsna Sun, hardly there is any chance of being covered by darkness or Maya.

But a little inattention may cause our falling down into the clutches of Maya. The path of Krsna Consciousness is compared in the Vedas with a sharpened razor blade. If you carefully manipulate it, the blade helps by clean shaving; but a little inattention causes a bloody cheek. So this example we should always remember and carefully manipulate the blade of Krsna Consciousness.

I am pleased that you are so enthusiastic in spreading Krsna Consciousness, so as soon as you find opportunity you try to expand our activities by opening a branch.

Hope this will meet you in good health.