Letters to the editor

Anjana-suta-academy
American Bhagavata Curriculum
[ASA – ABC]

Saturday Morning Workshop

AGTSP!  Paoho.
Prabhus, Maharajas, Matajis et al,

Starting 26^th August, next Saturday, we will be meeting at www.startmeeting.com or telephone at +1 701 801 1220, [Meeting # 992 055 489], at:

• 9AM Nashville time,
• 8AM Boise time,
• 7AM San Jose time.

This is an experiment to make the class late enough so that San Jose devotees can finish their Japa etc.

On the 26^th we will do:

1. A general overview of Sastric Studies in ISKCON;
2. Pada-padma, Cantos 1-2; and
3. Inaugurate our ASA, Bhakti-vedanta Curriculum Development Program.

We are trying our very best to accommodate everyone with these schedules and contents. The program will be recorded and available on line and there will also be a review for European devotees, in English, at 1.30PM Monday’s, Nashville time.

Please adjust your service to join us for the benefit of Srila Prabhupada’s whole Sankirtan movement.

Thank you so very much,
HpS - ASA

All Glories to Sri Guruji Maharaja, Sripada Maharaja and A.C. Prabhupada

All Grories to Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu and Goura Bhakta Vrnda Ki Jay

Radha Krsna Ki Jay,

Dandavat Pranam Guruji Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances unto Sri Guruji's Padamacharan that when I read the 9:24:45 of Bhagavatam Devaki, Pauravi, Rohini, Bhadra, Madira, Rocava, Ila and others were all wives of Anakadundubhi (Vasudeva). Among them all, Devaki was the chief.

46. Vasudeva, by the womb of his wife Rohini, begot sons such as Bala, Gada, Sarana, Durmada, Vipula, Dhruva, Krta and others.

47-48. From the womb of Pauravi came twelve sons, including Bhuta, Subhadra, Bhadrabahu, Durmada and Bhadra. Nanda, Upananda, Krtaka, Sura and others were born from the womb of Madira. Bhadra [ Kausalya] gave birth to only one son, named Kesi.

From the above slokas we came to know that Vasudeva had many wives in cluding Devaki and Rohini. But in sloka No. 46 Bala is mentioned. Is it Baladeva or someone? Again, in the sloka 47-48 another name Nanda is mentioned. Who is Nanda? Is it also the husband of Yasoda and king of Braja where Basudeva shipfted Krsna from Mathura? Lastly is Nandababa the son of Basudeva?  Please highlight me from the doubts.

Yours fallen Servant

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - Uuuuuuf!   I don't know. I thought Nanda and Upananda of Vrndavana were so sons of a Vaisya wife of Surasena, father of Vasudeva?   I am not so sure of this genealogy, but think I think, "Yes, the Bala is Baladeva, brother of Krsna".

ASA-Encyclopedia; Epistemology; Blind Faith
In BG 4.34 Srila Prabhupada says that blind faith and absurd enquirer are condemned. Krsna always gives us enough information to act. Whether we chose to act on what we know or don’t know, that is being faithful or unfaithful.
We have had experience of Srila Prabhupada through many media. Especially we have applied his instructions, world-view, many times and it is always true. We especially remember one time we were in a Kirtan after the Sunday Feast in the San Francisco Temple. We were guests, visiting from Sacramento and not yet initiated or even knowing much of anything,but we had purchased a pair of Kartals, hand cymbals, from the Gift Store and were trying to play then, 1,2,3 and; 1,2,3 and… and dance and chant along with the Brahmacaris. It was taking all of our attention: Spatial orientation, Temporal Discrimination, Tonal Discriminatin, Meaning; and then suddenly we realized that our mind and senses were completely under control. We could see that we were not our body or mind. We saw ourselves as master as it says in SB 1.2.

Then our mind asked, “If we are not this body, or mind, then who are we?” We were standing in front of Radha Gokulananda, Their Dieties, and we spontaneously could see Them as people, though in a statue form, and we responded that we are Your servants. Then our mind asked, “How can we learn to serve you, more”? The answer was that you have made progress by this process, ISKCON Yoga, so if you continue you will gradually understand everything just you have understood this.
Reminds us of the verse where Rama says “sakrd eva prapananam…”, if even once in clear consciousness we say that we are surrendered to you please save me, I give that person all protection to come to Me, this is my eternal vow.
So that was essentially my Diksa, initiation, by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada’s process.
Thus we have faith in what he says, trying to understand it properly, because if his process can put us beyond the body and mind then he and his activities and words must also be beyond them. He is not bewildered by his mind with blind spots and personal grievances against this person or that person. He is criticizing them out of the anger of love.
 

ASA-Encyclopedia; Immortality; Marginal Existence.
When we were at the University of California, Davis, we took several courses on theater, improvisational theater. We recommend them for everyone. Our yoga is Gandharva Veda, no -- Music, dance, drama?
One day our teacher was teaching us how to use our bodies. How to walk. Then told us, “Let your body tilt to the side until you are just about to fall down and then step to the side to catch it from falling. Then keep it off balance and falling to the left and keep stepping to keep it from falling.”
We always remember that. You can always dance on the edge.As long as you can breath you can chant.
H A R E !   K R S N A!
If your voice is inflamed so you can hardly talk, investigate. How much sound can you actually produce without unhealthy strain on your goal cords, throat?
Once you find out, then chant with what you have on the margin of real speech and experiment with the variety of chanting you can do.
“There are no small parts in the drama, just small actors”, Constantin Stanislavsky
Maybe you are not a major actor in the political situation. What can you do to make a change for the better? Investigate your Marginal Existence. Become very active within your limits.
“If you don’t think your one little voice can have any influence in the global politics, then you obviously have not passed one night with a mosquito”, One Black Lady.
At the time of death, during nine months in the womb, in your imbecilic infancy, can we still Dance on the Margin?
Hare Krsna/Hare Rama.
 

Gurudeva, please accept my humble obeisances. Your message did not come through. Could you kindly resend it?

Today, Srinivasa Prabhu and I read 6.10.9. It was a short class, but very nice. We discussed how every religion has the Golden Rule, para duhkha duhkhi, but everyone has a different definition of what para,  or other, means . Srila Prabhupada defines para in the broadest sense to include all living entities. Impersonalism means that we deny the status of para to other living entities.

We also discussed how it is a subtle form of sense gratification to feel anger towards others or pity towards oneself.

ASA - We went to a non-violence rally last night in the Boro. Protest Charlottesville massacre. We were thinking vidya-vinaya... Not kill our black and white brothers but do kill our for legged brothers.

 Yes, vaco vegam. It is such sense verification to be a victim and enjoy revenge our pity. Every year new revenge movies, no? The teacher who finally gets the chance for revenge on his students!

 There is nothing sweeter than the blood of my enemy!

Dear Guru Maharaj

PAMHO AGTSP

Dandavat Pranam

Good news, now is confirmed my travel booking.

26 September arriving to Vrindavan. I am so happy I can do service for you .

8.November,have  a flight from Delhi airport to Belgrade Serbia ,same day like you to Houston. If you will visit Mayapur ,my wish is to associate and serve you there too .I am so happy and exciting to see you very soon.

Your servant

Indradyumna Das

Hare Krishna

HpS - AGTSP!   Paoho.  We arrive 28th in Delhi at 10.40PM.   I guess we will be based in the Glory of India Temple and may be able to visit Vrndavana only one day!!!!

After that we've published the schedule with more details even today. Just use the filter, "Calendar Development" to see them. Nov. 4-6th in Mayapura.