Letters to the editor

🐒

ASA - Calendar (Tom Brown, Secretary, Anjana Suta Academy)

ACRONYMS

• ACT = ASA Camp Time. Eg if we Camped in Boise, Idaho, it will be Boise, Idaho time.
• EP = Evening Program
• GTM = GoToMeeting, https://meet.goto.com/382688053. Using your phone, +1 (571) 317-3122, Access code: 382-688-053
• MOE = Ministry of Education

NEWS

1. Breaking Sankirtan News: WhatsApp Group, ASA chatter.
2. Daily Sankirtan Reports: www.monkeywarrior.com.
3. Monthy Sankirtan Report: www.JayaRama.US

PLANS

Daily:

1. Japa Joe: 16-rounds before Mangala Arati, 1:30AM+ @ GTM
2. Full Morning Program (FMP): Local Temple/Camp 4.30AM @GTM

Weekly:

~ASA Sunday Morning SB Workshop: HpS/Upendra Das, 7.30AM Houston Time @GTM

Calendar:

August

Base Camp Houston until 2 September.

15-Sa. - Farm Kirtan. Zoo Kirtan.

16/Su - Srinivasa Das returns from India.

23 - ekadasi begin jhulana yatra. Radhika raman Das retires as Department Head.

25/tu - Hawaii SB

27[th] lord balarama appearance!

29/sa - Sugarland, Ksiti Kapoor Ashrama.

September

2[we] - HOUston to Nashville to Tandavika Das ashrama and Abhiseka Das ashrama.

4[fr] - janmastami, Sri Sri Radha Natabara ashrama.

9th - Nashville to Houston.

16[we] - Radha-astami!

23[we] - vamana dvadasi to madrid with

anantesvara Das for Ayurveda documentary.

26 - Madrid to Udipi, India, Ayurveda treatment and interviews.

October

20[tu] - Guadalajari to Madrid, Spain.

21[we] - ekadasi. continue trip, Madrid to Dallas.

26 - Houston to Peru, Chile, Mexico.

November

~23 - Mexico to Houston.

Rest. REST. R E S T . 😃

PROJECTS

1. Science & Vedanta - Ayurveda Documentary
2. Media Resource Center - Houston.
3. Sastri Education - MOE.
4. ASA Encyclopedia.
5. Kirtaniya Sada Harih.
6. Srila Prabhupada came to us in a vision and made us an ISKCON GBC Secretary (of our Bead Bag).
7. Wherever you go whom every you meet tell them about Krsna.

🙂

🙂

🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

🙂🙂🙂🙂

🙂🙂🙂

🙂🙂

🙂 HK(rsna) 😆

Todas las Glorias a Srila Prabhupada🙏

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja, por favor reciba mis humildes y respetuosas reverencias 🙏

Tengo todo listo, bueno espero que todo salga bien 👍

HpS - Simplemente intentábamos ilustrar un punto que Srila Prabhupada mencionó sobre nuestra enfermedad estadounidense, y luego aplicarlo a sus noticias. Latinoamérica sí se ve influenciada por Estados Unidos y sus enfermedades a veces, ¿no?

Por lo tanto, hay que tener cuidado de que el cambio de lugar, trabajo, etc., forme parte del mismo sistema y principios, y que simplemente se trate de mejorarlo. No se trata de destruir lo establecido para crear una "nueva idea".

¿DE ACUERDO?

Estoy completamente DE ACUERDO con lo que usted me dice, no tengo otra cosa que decir. Prácticamente sin querer estaré como un monje dentro de un templo.

Como dijo San Francisco de Asís: "Yo necesito pocas cosas y las pocas cosas que necesito, las necesito poco".

Mis ofensas hacen que no pueda despertar, para mi es muy difícil dejar de cometer ofensas, es la verdad, ¿si no soy sincero cómo me ayudaría el Señor Krsna?, pero, el Señor Krsna fue muy bondadoso cuando puso sus pies de loto sobre la tierra de Vrindavana que hasta las enredaderas de los arboles le colocaban sus frutos grandes con miel en los pies de loto del Señor, también se dice que las pastoras de Vraja se preocupaban por los dulces pies del Señor, pues tenían el temor de que las espinas lastimaran los pies de loto del Señor, pero estas espinas se volvían blandas al sentir los pies de loto del Señor Krsna.

Yo me pregunto ¿algún día dejare de ser ofensivo para que los pasatiempos amorosos del Señor Krsna moren en mi corazón?

Mientras tanto sigo aquí tratando de despertar!!!

Bueno Guru Maharaja, disculpe y perdone mis ofensas y perdone por ser tan ofensivo y solo ver defectos y cometer ofensas hacia los devotos y las entidades vivientes, algún día seré una mejor persona🙏

Guru Maharaja me despido y que el Señor Nrsimha nos proteja a todos. 🙏

Hare Krsna.

Gadai Gauranga Das

HpS - I think Krsna is always trying to engage us in His pastimes in our heart. Yet, we feel we have so many other duties in the Sankirtan movement.

He will take care of many of them.

We just need peaceful time for Radha lila.

Dear Siksha Guru Maharaja, Hare Krishna; please kindly accept my most humble obesisances; all glories to Srila Prabhupada; all glories to your own good self for your lifetime of exemplary service to Prabhupada and Krishna.

I trust that all is going well for you in your devotional service.

HpS - We feel that is kind of like writing to Arjuna during the Battle of Kuruksetra. 😆

My rounds are done thins morning, and since the house in peaceful for the moment, I feel like putting aside my online reading from Srimad Bhagavatam to write this letter to you. As writing is not something that I am very accomplished at, I need to be able to have a quiet space, like when the whole world is asleep, for me to say those things that are there in my heart. How I wish the whole world could hear such things.

My morning sadhana continues as usual. My chanting is the most valuable period of my life. As I chant, I reflect on how I am now an old man, although much of the time I don't feel old. I wonder how and when I will leave my body, and whether Krishna will allow me to think of Him at that precise moment of my passing. Will I be alone, or will I have a devotee nearby keeping me company as I pass: I should be so lucky. Thoughts such as these often come to mind during my japa, instead being attentive to the service of chanting itself. I am reminded of the verse in Bhagavad gita 6.26, wherein Krishna says "From whereever and whenever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under control." Arjuna was absolutely right in expressing his description of the restless mind.

When I am chanting I do so out of sheer desperation, knowing that my life has been lived for the most part, and my future seems and feels so uncertain. I chant because it is my only hope for peace of mind and a meaningful existence. I chant because it is all that I know; It is all that I have in life; it is the only thing that has ever had any meaning to me. Chanting has given me a sense of purpose. It is all I can do, and thus it is all I need in order to exist. My Deity worship is also a vital part of my daily sadhana, but I really feel the strongest connection to Lord Chaitanya with my japa. I just wish that I could chant more nicely, more sincerely, and with more humility. This much alone would relieve me of so much stress and anxiety.

Books still go out during my Uber driving, though some days nothing goes out, and nobody is inquisitive about anything. A couple of Bhagavad gitas, some Higher Tastes, Perfection Of Yogas, Bhakti Yoga, and some On Chanting Hare Krishna pamphlets and other small books have been going out. Oftentimes passengers have been going through some very stressful events of their own, and when they get into the car, they seem to immediately pick up on some very different energy that is totally foreign to them. Even though they don't know anything about me, they spontaneously open up about their own sufferings. And even though they don't always take a book, they are eager to hear something to help them along in life: something that makes sense, something that tells them there is still hope for some peace of mind, and a meaningful existence. It's then that I feel energized to speak about Krishna, about karma, about bhakti. It's a truly amazing experience to serve by sharing what very little I know, instead of lecturing as if I know better and I am on a pedestal or on a Vyasasana: a truly amazing experience.

On a final note, all of these things I have shared are due to your causeless mercy. Your coming to our home during this last visit made all the difference in the world to me. It gave me hope that I am not completely outside of Lord Chaitanya's movement, and that my efforts to execute devotional service are still very real. I confess that I am very stubborn about how things are in my life at present. Still, my association with the morning classes hosted out of Hawaii have had a profound effect in inspiring me with great hope. As you well know, the association from that sanga is seasoned with devotees who have given more than 50 years of their lives to serving Srila Prabhupada, and their classes are amazingly complete with so much maturity and realizations. Their personal realizations go beyond the mere sentiments of academic study and daily mechanics of sadhana.

I will close here, before my foolishness continues to embarrass me further.

Your lowly servant,

Balabhadra dasa

HpS - ASA -- We have, agtSP, some nausea, eyes hurt, life in the material world is a great festival of contrasts.

We could not suffer unless we got some enjoyment. Otherwise there would be no contrast.

I think we are all going to end up in Nabadvipa in our next life with Nimai.

There is space in His Nabadvipa lila for everyone from Nityananda to Chand Kazi, no?

I am trying to find Sankirtan partners all the time.

Now we are working on DVAD and hope that we can connect well with Bhakti Raghava Swami.

Hare Krishna Dandavat Pranam

H H Hanumat Presaka Swami Guru Maharaj

Please accept my humble obeisance unto your Padma charan that I had retired from the University Service in April, 2024. Yes I am continuing daily murty Pujah including Mangal Arati and Sandhya Arati in my home. Chanting 16 round into two and more. In addition to this newly I participate Nama Sarbanam of Manipuri Narative form of Chaitanya Charitamritam occasionally. I found some senior devotees of ISKCON Imphal in the Nama Sarbanam.

Your fallen servant,

Yamunesvara Das Yamuna Manjari

HpS - Super.

Your family??

HpS / ASA -- I thought, agtSP, that we sent this a few days ago.

Here it is now.

Waiting for your thoughts.

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

I am writing this proposal to you inspired by your constant forward-looking vision and your clarity in anticipating the strategic needs of our society.

Considering the current challenges of fragmentation, generational turnover, and community management within digital environments and social media platforms, I believe this is a critical moment to equip leaders and devotees with cutting-edge management tools that are rigorously grounded in śāstra.

For this reason, I would like to propose a four-part online seminar series (one weekly session) titled:

"Engineering with Soul: Structure, Leadership, and the Regulatory Trinity (Śas) for the Future of ISKCON"

The core objective is to approach administration not as a secular, bureaucratic burden, but as the sacred engineering that the Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana utilized to provide structure, continuity, and reach to the mission of Mahāprabhu.

The proposed syllabus is structured as follows:

• Session 1: The Regulatory Trinity (Śāstra, Śiṣya, Śāsana)
• An analysis of institutional order. How to transition from abstract inspiration to the creation of operating handbooks and digital management systems that bring order to the daily practice of the community without suffocating its spiritual essence.
• Session 2: The Brahminical Paradox and the Profile of the Leader (Dāsa)
• How to resolve the intrinsic tension of training intellectual and spiritual profiles to manage complex systems. Training operational cadres under the four pillars of CC Madhya 17.15: Su-snigdha, Paṇḍita, Sādhu, and Ārya.
• Session 3: Crisis Management and the Anatomy of Conflict
• The 5-stage mental model of crisis (Vision ➔ Planning ➔ Detail ➔ Problem ➔ Drama). Organizational strategies to absorb the frustration of technical errors without turning them into ego conflicts, dismantling the "sunk cost fallacy" in decision-making.
• Session 4: Outreach Strategy and the Culture of Restraint (Lakṣmaṇa Rekha)
• The institutional response to complex environments and ideological tensions. How designing external sustainability and wellness projects serves as a practical bridge of utility to alleviate real suffering in the world while safeguarding the unalterable core of the mission.

Gurudeva, your vision and guidance are essential to opening this necessary space for discussion within our line of authority. I remain at your full disposal to coordinate the dates and times that best suit your schedule. We can host the sessions via Google Meet, GoToMeeting, or whichever video conferencing platform is most convenient for you.

If you agree, I can send you a one-page executive summary detailing the further development of each module.

Your servant,

Nikunja Bihari Das

Querido Gurudeva,

Por favor, acepte mis más respetuosas reverencias. Todas las glorias sean para Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Le escribo esta propuesta inspirado por su constante visión de vanguardia y su lucidez para anticipar las necesidades estratégicas de nuestra sociedad. Viendo los desafíos actuales de fragmentación, relevo generacional y la gestión de comunidades en entornos digitales y redes sociales, considero que es un momento crítico para dotar a los líderes y devotos de herramientas de gestión de vanguardia que posean un anclaje riguroso en el śāstra.

Por esta razón, deseo proponerle la realización de un ciclo de seminarios por videollamada de cuatro encuentros (un encuentro semanal) titulado: "Ingeniería con Alma: Estructura, Liderazgo y la Trinidad Regulatoria (Śas) para el Futuro de ISKCON".

El propósito central es abordar la administración no como un trámite burocrático secular, sino como la ciencia sagrada que los Seis Gosvāmīs de Vṛndāvana utilizaron para dar estructura, continuidad y alcance a la misión de Mahāprabhu.

El temario propuesto se estructura de la siguiente manera:

• Encuentro 1: La Trinidad Regulatoria (Śāstra, Śiṣya, Śāsana)
• Análisis del orden institucional. Cómo pasar de la inspiración abstracta a la creación de manuales operativos (handbooks) y sistemas de gestión digital que ordenen la práctica diaria de la comunidad sin ahogar la esencia espiritual.
• Encuentro 2: La Paradoja Brahmínica y el Perfil del Líder (Dāsa)
• Cómo resolver la tensión intrínseca de formar perfiles intelectuales y espirituales en la gestión de sistemas complejos. El entrenamiento de los cuadros operativos bajo los cuatro pilares de CC Madhya 17.15: Su-snigdha, Paṇḍita, Sādhu y Ārya.
• Encuentro 3: Gestión de Crisis y Anatomía del Conflicto
• El modelo mental de las 5 etapas ante la crisis (Visión ➔ Planificación ➔ Detalle ➔ Problema ➔ Drama). Estrategias organizativas para absorber la frustración del error técnico sin transformarla en un conflicto de egos, desarmando el "sesgo de costo hundido" en la toma de decisiones.
• Encuentro 4: Estrategia de Prédica y la Cultura de la Restricción (Lakṣmaṇa Rekha)
• La respuesta institucional ante entornos complejos y tensiones ideológicas. Cómo el diseño de proyectos externos de sustentabilidad y bienestar actúa como un puente de utilidad práctica para aliviar el sufrimiento real del mundo, protegiendo el núcleo inalterable de la misión.

Gurudeva, su visión y su respaldo son indispensables para abrir este espacio de discusión tan necesario en nuestra línea de autoridad. Quedo a su entera disposición para coordinar las fechas y el horario que mejor se adapten a su agenda. Podemos realizar las sesiones a través de Google Meet, GoToMeeting o la plataforma virtual que sea de su mayor comodidad.

Si le parece bien, puedo enviarle una síntesis ejecutiva de una página con el desarrollo detallado de cada módulo.

Su sirviente,

Nikunja Bihari Das

HpS/ASA - Hare Krsna!

Tom Brown is wondering if you will teach people which end of the banana should we peel from! He sees that most people use the wrong end.

Today Param-padam Das sent us a syllabus for his proposed Bhakti-sarva-bhauma course. It was similarly highly analytical and Euclidean logic as your proposal.

🤔

Also, today in the Blog is Yamunesvara Das' description of his program of study from more Manipuri tradition.

I think that Sarva bhauma Bhattacharya was developing such management systems for Maharaja Prataparudra.

Maharaja had to manage an empire: Civil engineering projects such as water, flood, bridge, dam, management.

Reserve grain resources for lean years.

Military training and then mobilization in times of conflict.

They had clerks that could recall practically speaking everything they had ever read, and needed 20 milligrams of warm ghee everyday to maintain their brains.

Many of the Sanskrit terms you use in the document are unfamiliar to us?

Are you able to base your structure on some specific documents or even symposia that you have taken?

Our objective should be to develop rural life and brahmacari intelligence as soon as possible, no?

Yet, as you we think you are saying. We have to live within the tools that we have right now, no?

Do people in Argentina have the kind of analytical intelligence that your syllabus proposes?

Thank you!!