Vrindaban, India, August 2, 1967: My Dear Students, please accept my blessings. I am always thinking of you, and I am feeling separation. I wish to return at the earliest opportunity. I cannot stop my western world activities and I have taken leave from you for only six months; and it may be that on or before I will come to you again. So continue your activities with great vigor. I shall always pray to Krishna for your steady advance, but try to follow the principles which are necessary to strengthen oneself in the matter of spiritual advance.

Never think that I am absent from you. Physical presence is not essential; presence by message or hearing is real touch. Lord Krishna is present by His message which was delivered 5,000 years ago. We feel always the presence of our past Acaryas simply by their immutable instructions.

I hope you will understand me right and do the needful. Kirtanananda says from my bodily feature that I am improving. I am also feeling like that.

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami