May 23, 1976 Montreal
My dear Nandevara das,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your telephone message from my secretary and on your recommendation I am accepting Allan (spiritual name Taraksa das) for first initiation, and the following devotees for second initiation: Dyapaka das, Jitarati das, Dayalaji das, Gauranga das, and Jaganmatha devi dasi.
You can hold a fire sacrifice and you can have Taraksa's beads chanted on by one of the sannyasis. Give the beads and spiritual name at the time of initiation. For the second initiates, after the fire sacrifice, you can give the men their brahmana threads and play the tape of gayatri mantra into the right ear. I have enclosed a copy of the gayatri mantra for them to follow. The initiates are promising to follow the principles of no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, and no gambling, as well as chanting a minimum of 16 rounds of japa daily. This promise is made before the Deity, the spiritual master, the devotees, the fire, like this, one should very strictly keep this vow and make progress in Krishna Consciousness. The brahmanas must keep clean externally by bathing regularly, and within by always chanting Hare Krishna. The symptoms of the brahmana are explained in the Bhagavad-gita and one should cultivate these qualities in their devotional service.
I hope that this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/pks