When we were in Butler PA, this summer for the for the 60th aniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the USA, We visited the home of Sally Agarwal, where Srila Prabhupada first stayed as their guest when he arrived in America. We heard many sweet stories of his stay in Butler, and how Sally’s daughter referred to Srila Prabhupada as Swami Jesus.
…I am obliged to your good daughter for awarding me a good degree as SWAMIJESUS which is actually a great honour for me. Some time the Lord speaks through innocent child and I take this honour as sent by Lord Jesus through an innocent child free from all formalities of the current society. Lord Jesus preached the message of God and I have taken up the same mission, and it would be a good luck for me if I can follow the foot prints of Lord Jesus who preached the message of God in spite of all persecution. Lord Jesus is a living example how one has to suffer in this material world simply for the matter of preaching the message of God… (letter to Sally Agarwal)
Full Letter
Camp: C/o Rammurti Mishra
100 West 72nd. Street
Studio 501
New York 23, N.Y.
November 19th 1965 [handwritten]
My dear daughter Sally,
I beg to thank you for your kind letter of the 16th instant and I have noted the contents carefully. I am glad to learn that you had been to your parents house for a few days and now you have returned home. I am still more glad to learn that you are going to observe the third birthday of Miss Kamala Agarwal on Saturday next. On this occasion I should have presented her some ornaments but as I am a Sannyasi I can simply offer my blessing for her long life and good prosperity. She cannot now read otherwise at least I should have presented a set of my books. But you set aside one set of my books for her future reading when she will grow up a beautiful and educated girls with full god consciousness. I am obliged to your good daughter for awarding me a good degree as SWAMIJESUS which is actually a great honour for me. Some time the Lord speaks through innocent child and I take this honour as sent by Lord Jesus through an innocent child free from all formalities of the current society. Lord Jesus preached the message of God and I have taken up the same mission, and it would be a good luck for me if I can follow the foot prints of Lord Jesus who preached the message of God in spite of all persecution. Lord Jesus is a living example how one has to suffer in this material world simply for the matter of preaching the message of God. In Bhagwatam also there is another example like Lord Jesus. He is Prahlad Maharaj a boy of five years old but because he was a great devotee of God and preaching the message of God among his little class mates, his atheist father tried to kill him. So the atheist class of men are always inimical to the devotees of God even though such devotee happens to be the atheist’s son like Prahlad.
I proposed for starting the restaurant with a view that you may become one of richest family in America. One can become rich only by trying his luck in business. It is not possible by serving other. One should have independent source of income that is possible only if one is engaged in business or in land lordship. If you can invest $20,000/- in a property in New York which is worth $100,000/-, you can have at least $1000/- per month as the rent of the house. So that in 15 years time you become the proprietor of good house in New York which would fetch you $1000/- rent per month. That is my next proposal. I think you can invest $20000/- some way or other and if you can please do it immediately because that is chance also.
You can send me $40/- and it will help me going over California. I have decided like this. I am expecting a letter of reception from California and if I get it then I shall start for the country otherwise by the first week of December next I shall return to India. If I return to India then I shall return your money before I start otherwise I shall spend it for my California journey.
I hope you are all enjoying good health and with my blessings for you all, I am
Yours affectionately,
The Hare Krishna Movement 