March 13, 1985

White House officials said tonight that President Reagan was extending a ''personal invitation'' to Mikhail S. Gorbachev, the new leader of the Soviet Union, to meet in the United States in hopes of improving relations between the two countries. The officials said Mr. Reagan would ''prefer'' a meeting in the United States because talks between American and Soviet leaders over the last decade have taken place abroad. The officials said Mr. Reagan's message would be delivered Wednesday to Mr. Gorbachev by Vice President Bush, who is leading the American delegation to the funeral of Konstantin U. Chernenko, the Soviet leader, who died Sunday evening. Thoughts of Legacy A ranking White House official said Mr. Reagan ''was beginning to think about his legacy.'' The official added, ''He wants to meet Gorbachev at a mutually agreed-on date; he wants to work out an accommodation on arms control.''

An article yesterday about the use of Mahler's music in dance misidentified the theater in which the Joffrey Ballet is performing. It is the New York State Theater.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1985 International President Reagan will seek to meet with the new Soviet leader, Mikhail S. Gorbachev, in the United States in hopes of improving American-Soviet relations. A ranking White House official said Mr. Reagan sought to meet Mr. Gorbachev ''to work out an accommodation on arms control.'' (Page A1, Columns 4-6.) World leaders gathered in Moscow to pay their respects at the bier of Konstantin U. Chernenko, who is to be buried beside the Kremlin wall today. Vice President Bush arrived bearing what he called ''a message of peace'' from President Reagan. (A1:4-5.)

Saying the Manhattan District Attorney had ''significant new evidence'' against Bernhard H. Goetz, a judge yesterday authorized a new grand jury to investigate Mr. Goetz's shooting of four teen-agers on a subway train last December. The District Attorney, Robert M. Morgenthau, refused to characterize the new evidence. But under state law a district attorney may seek a judicial order for a new grand jury only if he finds evidence that was not available to the first grand jury. The law permits a prosecutor only one additional opportunity to present a case, and a judge must review the new evidence before a new grand jury can be authorized.

The financially troubled Castle & Cooke Inc. said today that it had agreed to merge with the Flexi-Van Corporation, a transportation equipment leasing company controlled by David H. Murdock, the West Coast financier. The deal, which will create a combined company with a market value of about $600 million, is expected to help Castle & Cooke escape from severe debt problems that have threatened to drive it into bankruptcy. Under the agreement, Flexi-Van, based in New York, will become a subsidiary of Castle & Cooke, the Hawaii food and real estate company known mainly for its Dole products. Present Castle & Cooke shareholders will end up owning 55 percent of the new company, while Flexi-Van shareholders will own 45 percent on a fully diluted basis.