San Francisco, California, April 3, 1969: My Dear Brahmananda, please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 29, 1969, with enclosures. I am glad that you have received the consignment from Calcutta, and when I go to New York, I shall see what is the quality of the khole. Then if it is nice, we shall have to order many kholes like that.

Your statement that my visit in New York for only eight days causes you sadness causes me sadness also. When Rupanuga wanted me in Buffalo, I did not directly confirm it, but I asked him to consult with you. So after his consultation, you have agreed to his proposal and should not be sad at all.

But I know the cause of your sadness, that you want me for a longer time there in New York, and similarly, I also want to stay there for a long time because I like New York more than all other cities. This is because my first attempt was begun there, so I have got some affection for your great city.

I think if possible you should also accompany me to Buffalo, and if possible, Rayarama may also come with me so that we can stay together at least up to April 22. If you like you can also come with me to Boston. This would be a very nice idea but I do not think your occupations will allow you to come with me and stay for a long time. But the proposal for me to come back to New York from Columbus is nice. I think I shall arrange like that. So there is no cause of becoming sad.

Our meeting and separation in the material world is like the flowing tide of the river. During the flowing tide of the river, so many different floating articles meet together, and with the flowing, they again become separated by the movement of the waves. That is the way of the material life.

But our separation, although it resembles exactly in the material way, it is completely different. In the spiritual world, separation is more relishable than meeting. In other words, in spiritual life, there is no separation. Separation is eternal, and meeting is also eternal. The separation is simply another feature of meeting.

I think from Columbus I will have to go to New Vrindaban, and after staying a few days there, I shall come back to New York. If there is call from London, I shall go there from New York. About Trinity College lectures, I think I can stay in Hartford for the days I have to lecture there, and the fees may be charged $100 per lecture as the New York City College has offered.

I do not know if they will agree to this, but I think we should not make the fees very cheap. You arranged my lecture in the City College on the 8th or 10th of April, and I also requested you in my previous letter that the lecture may be arranged on the 10th, but you have not mentioned anything about this in your letter under reply.

In my last letter from Hawaii I also informed you that I shall be able to stay in New York from September till the end of December if there is nice engagement. So you can arrange for the meetings as many as possible from September to December. In the meantime, you may make arrangements for from the 10th until the 15th of April, as you like.

I hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami