Srila Prabhupada, His Movement & You

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Letter to Hansadutta, dated July 31,1977

July 31st, 1977

My dear Hamsadutta Maharaja:

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your feet. I have been instructed by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupad to thank you for your letter dated July 25th, 1977.

You have written to Srila Prabhupad saying you do not know why he has chosen you to be a recipient of His mercy. His Divine Grace immediately replied, “It is because you are my sincere servant. You have given up attachment to a beautiful and qualified wife and that is a great benediction. You are a real preacher. Therefore I like you. (then laughing) Sometimes you become obstinate, but that is true of any intelligent man. “Now you have got a very good field. Now organize it and it will be a great credit. No one will disturb you there. MAKE YOUR OWN FIELD AND CONTINUE TO BE RITTVIC AND ACT ON MY BEHALF.”

Srila Prabhupad listened with great enthusiasm as I read to him the newspaper article. His Divine Grace was very pleased: “This article will increase your prestige. It is very nice article. Therefore the newspaper has spared so much space to print it. It is very nice. It must be published in Back to Godhead. Now there is a column in the Back to Godhead called Prabhupad Speaks Out. Your article may be entitled, ‘Prabhupad’s Disciple Speaks Out.’ Yes, we shall publish this article certainly. Let this rascal be fool before the public. I have enjoyed this article very much. I want my disciples to speak out… backed by complete reasoning. ‘Brahma sutra sunisthita,’ this is preaching. Be blessed. All my disciples go forward. You have given the challenge. They cannot answer. This Dr. Kovoor should be invited … for Dr. Svarupa Damodar’s Convention on ‘Life comes from Life.’ He can learn something at this scientific conference.

“Yes, you should certainly get some ISKCON Food Relief money. For your program American money collected and sent for food distribution. That is my proposal. Three hundred people coming is no joke. You mentioned so many nice preparations. I would like to eat, but I cannot. At simply hearing these names (of preparations) is satisfying. Just thinking this morning of you, and now you have written me.”

[Last paragraph illegible]

Your servant,

Tamal Krishna Gosvami
Secretary to Srila Prabhupad
[signature appears on original.]