Appropriately, Prabhupada had described himself as “a man not to be disappointed.”  He was convinced that if there were a center where people could come hear from a pure devotee, the genuine God conscious culture of India could begin in America.  Yet because he had made his plans dependent on obtaining an expensive building in Manhattan, his goal seemed unreachable.  Still, he was persistently writing to prominent devotees in India, although they were not interested in his plans. 

“Why should they not help?” he thought.  After all, they were devotees of Krishna.  Shouldn’t the devotees come forward to establish the first Krishna temple in America?  Certainly he was qualified and authorized to spread the message of Krishna.  As for the place, New York was perhaps the most cosmopolitan city in the world.  He had found a building – not very expensive, a good location – and there was a great need for a Krishna conscious temple here to offset the propaganda of the Indian Mayavadis.  But Krishna bhaktas to whom he was writing understood Lord Krishna to be not simply a Hindu Deity but the Supreme Lord, worshipable for the whole world.  So they should be pleased to see Krishna worshiped in New York.  Krishna Himself said in theБхагавад-гита, “Give up all other duties and surrender to Me.”  So if they were Krishna’s devotees, why would they not help?  What kind of devotee was it who did not want to glorify the Lord?