Letter to: Giriraja

72-01-03

Madras

My dear Giriraja,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 30th, 1971.

I am not surprised that Mr. Rathanam Iyer has decided to cancel the program you were planning. I was not eager to accept his proposal in the beginning because it has been our experience that it is never good to have to depend upon others for our preaching. I am sorry that now that it has been advertised in the newspapers that I am coming to Madras, if I do not come our prestige may suffer. Anyway what is done is done. The fact is that I am the only one in India who is openly criticizing, not only demigod worship and impersonalism, but everything that falls short of complete surrender to Krishna. My Guru Maharaja never compromised in His preaching, nor will I nor should any of my students. We are firmly convinced that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all other are His part and parcel servants. This we must declare boldly to the whole world, that they should not foolishly dream of world peace unless they are prepared to surrender fully to Krishna as Supreme Lord.

I have read the text of your speech delivered to the Rotary Club and it is very thoughtfully prepared. Try to arrange as many speaking engagements like that, and simply repeat what you have heard me say in lectures and in our books, and the spiritual effect will be very potent. I am very pleased with your preaching attitude. Now you can finish up making members and distributing the books you have and then you can come and join here in Bombay. On about the 11th of this month we will be going to Jaipur most likely. Srimate and Kausalya devi are trying to arrange a five day pandal there. They are preaching very nicely also, making engagements and potential members. So if we go there there will be a good field or making many life members. As you have asked, the books are being dispatched to you today and Tamala informs me that Dinanath and Pancajanya have gone to Madras to assist you.

I hope this meets you in good health

N.B. It may be that the Governor of Madras will invite me as his guest. If this happens I will come to Madras. So far the time being you may remain in Madras making members, and by my next letter I shall let you know definitely whether I am coming. If I come you can arrange lectures in all the prominent halls and all over the city you can advertise "A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada speaks."

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami