Letters to the editor

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaj

Dandavat Pranam unto your lotus feet.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu.

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Mukta Pravu and Rituraj Pravu who are organising your Manipur and Shillong trips respectively have been contacted by my father and after discussing and deliberating, finally have come up with a tentative schedule for North-East (from 25th Oct to 7 Nov) given below:

28th Oct- Arrival at Manipur

28th to 30th Oct- Stay at Imphal, Manipur

31st Oct- Flight from Imphal to Guwahati and then to Shillong

01st Nov- Stay at Shillong

02 Nov-Shillong to Guwahati and then flight to Silchar

03rd Nov- 5th Nov- Stay at Silchar

06th Nov- Silchar to Kolkata/Delhi etc.

Guru Maharaj, I must concede that the above schedule doesnt contain any information regarding your visit to Mayapur, Kolkata as they have no contact with the authorities concerned. So we all have a prayer unto your lotus feet that you kindly scrutinize the above mentioned and inform us any required changes as accordingly we shall be making preparation for your tour.  Also the 3rd Nov-5th Nov is the duration of stay at Silchar so Guru Maharaj, if you desire and presuming everything is conducive, the seminar may be held on any of these two days(most likely at 3rd Nov). Please forgive us and we are awaiting your further instruction.

Dandavat Pranam unto your lotus feet.

Hare Krsna

HpS - Hare Krsna!   AGTSP. Paoho.  Your work is of the highest quality. We are very inspired by your association and hope it continues naturally so that you can make great contribution to the movement of Lord Caitanya.

First, how is your Pita-sri, esteemed father? He is guru for all of us!  Mother, family? Friends?

Second, we talked with Dr. Samaresh in Kolkata and Tapan-misra Das et al from Mayapura. Mayapura is one of the most important places we have to visit for developing these Bhakti-sastri, Bhakti-vaibhava programs. They will be available in Mayapura from the 5th of November, so best we think of finishing the tour in Mayapura from 4th through 7th. Then we go to Delhi 7th morning and camp at the Temple during the day and go to the airport at 9PM.

Next 31st is Ekadasi on our Calendar so that is a very bad day for travel.

Then, we arrive in Kolkatta after 19-hours of travel through four countries at 12.20AM on the 26th with a 70-year old American body.   Hmmmm.    Best it stay in Kolkatta for Thursday to Saturday nights at least and then go to North East returning to CCU (Kolkatta) by the 4th morning LATEST. We have to check with our Authority, Dr. Samaresh and see how many days he wants us to stay with him. If he wants to travel with us.
If we travel too much we will only be in autos and airplanes.
Maybe only one place in Northeast this time and then other places in March.
O.K. This is becoming more clear. Next we check with Dr. Samaresh.
I think because it is so late that we cannot organize any Symposium but we can organize Colloquia. That means we meet with the Professors and their friends and anyone else who can conventiently come. Jaya!

Please do my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Just as you asked me by phone here I am sending you some letters from my authorities and from those who are aware of my spiritual process here in the temple of Sri Sri Radha Madhan Gopal in Mexico City.

This is the letter from the temple president.

Hare Krsna

Maharaja Hanumatpresaka Swami.

PAMHO. AGTSP.

What i can said  that he is a good boy, hes good doing his service , preacher and sankirtan devotee, he attends bhakti vrksa groups; and one way or another his deals with people has made this programas successful  and eveybody likes him a lot, he is little bit passionate and he needs to improve his sadhana bhakti, and preferably chant his rounds early. I think he is excellent and i think is good that he takes second iniciation, he deserves it. he counts with my recomendation and approvation without a problem. Im very glad to salute you and i hope you are ok, wishing that krishna keep blessing your wonderful service and that Srila Prabhupada blees us with your association here in Mexico Yatra.

your servant Maharsi Das

This is the letter from my sankirtan leader:

Hare Krsna

Maharaja Hanumatpresaka Swami.

PAMHO. AGTSP.

With regard to the person of Vrajendra Kumara prabhu as far as I am concerned, I have observed a great development in the distribution of books because of his sincere effort in following the sadhana bhakti, the chanting of japa and a strict discipline in reading the books. The Sacred books of Srila Prabhupada, mainly SB And the B.G .. On the other hand I feel that he can improve in some aspects of personal dealings with his authorities or senior devotees respecting the principle of authority beyond what he considers a competent leader. Other things to improve are to struggle with their intense desire to want to excel over others in the sense of wanting to be the center of attention and the containment or transmutation of their repressed anger. Surely in my role as a temporary leader I am not very exemplary for him and that is why it costs him much more to deal with these things. Beyond the things that he can improve, I see a young man with many desires to grow in spirit, to share the consciousness of Krsna and with great potential and that is very rare to find and worthy of highlighting. No more for the moment and waiting for the best resolution for him from his point of view I respectfully bid him at his feet.

His insignificant servant Jayadeva Hari Dasa (JPS).

This is the letter of my Siksa Guru, and my spiritual guide of the temple:

HH Hanumatpreshaka swami

The devotee Vrajendra Kumar is a very enthusiastic person and in harinam he makes everybody chant, dance and be happy, he is very dadecated distyributing Srila Prabhupadas books. He is a warrior because im seeing him steady in hard moments, he is good friend and companion of devotees and also detached  and charitable, he shows determination and he doesnt like to see faults in other or criticize.  He is compassive and share magnanimity. He have facility to reveal his mind in confidence  and likes to respect his authorities. 

Somethimes he is stubborn for which he NEEDS to have knowledge  about the scriptures. Nowadays he seems more dedicated to read and study Srila Prabhupada books, so we are sure that He will have a unequivocal conviction .  For me he is a good candidate for secund Iniciation.

pamho agtsp

Adhoksaja Dasa dasa Anudas

This is the letter of my spiritual brother and Head pujari:

Hare Krishna

Dear Gurumaharaja, i see that Vrajendra Kumar is a great devotee and his mood is to be always enthusiastic and he is very active in preaching, i can understand that one person is brahamana when he has quilities to teach and study scriptures and he has those qualities. I see that his service and his work can improve if he takes second iniciation, hopefully you can give your mercy and then obtain pure devotional service and be more successful in his spiritual life.

please accept my obaisances dear Gurumaharaja

His insignificant servant Sacinandana Das 

I ask and pray please excuse my offenses 

Thank you so much Gurumaharaja for all your pacience, and my only hope in this world is to really understand all the mercy that you shower upon us.

I am looking forward to your response. 

your donky servant:

Vrajendra Kumara Das

HpS - Highly Esteemed and Venerable Donkey Servant,
Such very nice letters. Very nice to be in contact with these people that we know. Is Bhakti Sastri now a requirement for Second Initiation? Have you taken that diploma???

Hare krishna Gurumaharaja

Thank you so much for answer our dull letter.

I will not take much time, i will try to just answer the two points 

(1) monther Astasakhi and Maharshi Prabhu were and are agree of me taking second iniciation, the mistake was mine

Maybe is not clear for you anymore, but you ask me to call you on Past Gourapurnima to receive gayatri mantra and I never called.

 (2) I accepted that was time for me to enter grihasta asrama and the fact to develop my gentlemen qualities (necessary for a good function in this asram).
 Then a meet Valeria, was introduced to Krishna counciousness a year ago approximately and since then she render service to Radha Madhan Gopal and their devotees. She comes from a family with high spiritual values. Her father after work dedicate his time to missionary work in Church and her mom is also a devotee of Christ. Both are now very favorable towards her practices in KC
Valeria used to render service very seriously in a Christian church. She is not my fiancé, she doesn't have first initiation and she doesn't want to take a   Serious commitment with me without a guru
Gurumaharaja I will write you back with my social community, authorities etc letters that you request as well
Your servant
 Vrajendra Kumar das

HpS - Esteemed VKD,

Thank you for the very nice letter, written like a Dvija, twice born gentleman. It is very nice to meet Valeria through your comments. We will look at your next letter.

We have been working on an ASA-Encyclopedia. We will post it in the Archives. We just added the following article:

ISKCON

Improvements

(rev. 2017 Aug 10)

There is a collection of Śatakas (One hundred verses) by Prabodhananda Sarasvati, Uncle of Gopal Bhatta Goswami, wherein he describes the glories of Śrī Vṛṇdavana Dhama. It is Sri Vrndavana Dhama Mahimamrta. It is one of our most favorite books.

It is very curious to change each reference to Vrndavana in the song to ISKCON and then meditate on ISKCON. For example:

15 May the land of ISKCON where Subala and the other wonderful cowherd boys, who are all dear friends of Sri Krsna, play, where Lalita and the other splendidly beautiful young gopis, who are all filled with love for Srimati Radharani, enjoy transcendental bliss, and where Sri Sri Radha-Krsna thirst to enjoy wonderful transcendental amorous pastimes day and night, become manifest in my heart.

16 To drink: the freely flowing streams are filled with clear sweet water as nectar. To eat: the dried leaves from the trees are foods as palatable as one could desire. The warm breezes are just as one would have them. To reside: there are clean mountain caves and other suitable residences. Alas! Alas! How unfortunate I would be if I wished to leave ISKCON!

17 ISKCON is like the incomparable essence of the ocean of pure love of Krsna, or it is like the sweetest island-bracelet decorating that ocean of love. I pray this land of ISKCON, which the great sages experience sweet as nectar, give me shelter until the moment I leave this body.

18 I meditate on wonderful ISKCON, where there are millions of lakes, ponds, and wells, all filled with water as sweet as transcendental nectar, where there are many gardens filled with blossoming transcendental flowers and fruits and unlimited wonderful trees and vines, where there are numberless transcendental deers and other animals who move here and there, and where there are many beautiful transcendental groves.

19 Whose heart would not be enchanted by ISKCON where Sri Radhika-Madanamohana enjoy many pastimes, where there are many trees and flowering vines, where the ground is paved with jewels, and where the birds, deer and other animals are all maddened with transcendental bliss?

So, there is that ISKCON, no? Srila Prabhupada is its Founder and Acharya and it is perfect in every way. Let us aspire to be eternal members of Srila Prabhupada’s eternal Sankirtan party.

There are some things, however, that we think should be changed in the earthly ISKCON. These are our opinions and our first opinion is that many of our opinions aren’t perfect. Look at the revision date to this article.

Mangala-arati song in Vrndavana, Krsna-Balarama Temple - We were sitting in Prabhupada’s Samadhi while the Mangala Arati was going on in the main Temple and Dhananjaya Das was there. He had been Temple President there in the association of Srila Prabhupada and had a dynamic relationship with Prabhupada. It seemed we had a similar opinion. The Temple Mangala-arati song was changed when the Samadhi for Srila Prabhupada was established and a separate Mangala-arati performed there. In our opinion the Gurvastakam, “Samsara davanala…”, should have been kept for the Main Temple and gone on just as it had when Srila Prabhupada was in his manifest presence. Then with the addition of Samadhi service another song should have been added, such as, “Oh he vaisnava thakura…” etc. Dhanjaya Das pointed out that the Temple song, “Vibhavari sesa…”, was an Arunadaya kirtan, a sunrise Bhajana, as the song itself directly says, and Mangala-arati is never done at sunrise.

GBC Lifelong Position – As far as we know there is only one letter where Srila Prabhupada says that the GBC position should be for life. See the article on Epistemology, Letters from Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada may have said “Why change GBC position each year? They can serve for as long as they have life” and the secretary wrote “for life”. In one place Srila Prabhupada says that the life in this body is finished at 50-years old, maybe you can push it to fifty-five. So our opinion is that GBC Secretary should usually be no older than 50-years. Then younger, more energetic man can move in and the retired devotee can then be source of good advice as a Sannyasi or Vanaprastha.

Nrsmha-pranams in Spanish countries is sung, “Prahlada ahlada da dayine”. There is no second, “da” before “dayine”.

Temple President post has been terrible minimized with exaggeration of diksa-guru and over centralization of power in GBC.

Sannyasis in ISKCON are the supreme spiritual authorities (see SB 1.17 near the end) and GBC is the ultimate managing authority. Sannyasis, Brahmanas, need to be honest and brave to have their important influence in ISKCON.

Vaisnavi is a term that we never hear Prabhupada use in the Prema-dhvani after the Aratis. In his books it usually means Maya-devi. If that is what you mean, “All glories to the assembled Maya-devis” then O.K. Other references are for the prostitute who tried to corrupt Hari-dasa Thakura and for Diti who tried to kill her sister’s babies. Prabhupada uses it for the wife of Siki-mahiti who was one of the most intimate associates of the Lord and for his sister also. We think it should not be emphasized because it puts a bodily stress on the Vaisnava like saying “Atmi”. I wonder why Jayapataka Swami uses it so much? We have had really transcendental experiences with him.

Peach colored cloth for B’caris - If you are not married don’t wear white. It lets everyone one know if you are a B’cari or a G’hasta. Then we have a clear culture in our dealings with the opposite sex etc and make it hard for The Witch to get us. If you are not following B’cari ashrama strictly then dress in civil clothes.

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja.

Por favor acepte mis más respetuosas reverencias.

Todas las glorias sean para Srila Prabhupada!

Gurudev, quiero agradecerle profundamente el habernos visitado en Santiago. Muchas gracias Gurudev por todo Su esfuerzo, ya que a pesar de estar enfermo casi la mayor cantidad del tiempo, Usted no dejó de predicar, dando las clases en el templo, conferencias, y atendiendo preguntas de los devotos y personas en general. Espero que pueda mejorarse pronto.

Es admirable la fuerza y la determinación con la que Usted se mueve en el servicio devocional. Gurudev , muchas gracias por aceptarme como su discípula, a pesar de mis eternos anarthas.. Es difícil lidiar con tantos anarthas, y a medida que el tiempo pasa, aparecen más y más. Por favor deme Sus bendiciones para poder algún día dejar de ser una Kanistha Adhikari. Por favor denos Sus bendiciones, para que en nuestra familia nunca olvidemos a Krsna, y podamos algún día ser bendecidos con el servicio devocional puro. 

Gurudev, sé que no podré plantearle mis preguntas antes que usted viaje a Perú, entonces quiero hacerle mis preguntas aquí. Disculpe si no soy muy experta al hacer preguntas. A veces tengo muchas dudas, pero no sé cómo plantearlas adecuadamente.

Gurudev, para el Curso Bhakti Sastri del próximo año, qué puedo incluir? Tomando parte del programa de estudio que Usted realiza?. Me gustaría mucho poder incluir en el curso, las cosas que Usted da en el Curso BS.

¿Cuánto tiempo debe durar idealmente el curso Bhakti Sastri?

¿Cómo puedo tener acceso al libro de "Educación en el Hogar?

¿Cómo puedo conseguir el manual de Introducción al Bhakti Yoga actualizado?, el que actualizaron en España?

Guru Maharaja, muchas gracias otra vez por Su compasión para con todas las personas, gracias por Su ejemplo, ojalá algún día pueda tener esos sentimientos que tienen los grandes devotos hacia todos, sin distinción, y aprender a perdonar, y tantas otras cualidades que no tengo.

No quiero adularlo, sólo agradecerle. Espero no hacerlo sentir incómodo con mis palabras.

Mis eternas reverencias Guru Maharaja.

Disculpe por favor cualquier ofensa.

Su aspirante a sirviente.

Priya Sakhi Devi Dasi

HpS - Hare Krsna. We will write simply in English so www.translate.google.com can translate clearly. Thank you for your interest in education. First thing we need to do is get our magazine on education in ISKCON going in Spanish. What is happening in terms of this with Jagat guru Das?

We were waitng for Laksmana agra ja Das to write with his opinion on the quality of the translation of Mataji's book into Spanish and then start study groups. We can send it to you. Do you want to do that? Who will help you start the groups?

We posted our study guides for Bh Sastri in the Archives in English. They start with "tpp-". Are you and authorized Bhakti sastri center through the Ministry of Education? The requirements are on the website: iskconeducation.org.

Hare Krsna!!!!  Thank you so much for you efforts. Our respects to your family!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!! All glories to Guru Maharaj HpS!!

Hare Krishna !!

Dear Guru Maharaj,

PAMHO....at your Lotus feet.

HpS - ASA -- Lettuce feet.

So true....we are such a miserable lot.....trying to stay afloat in this terrible ocean of Maya!! Long, long ago....Manipuris took pride in their inert humility, their high level of bhakti, vividly depicted in their folklore, the vibrant dance forms and the performing arts...the land,  they say...the Gods took to dancing. Today,we see a dwindling Vaishnava tradition....just like clutching the weeds by a drowning man!! But their is still Hope....there's a lot of work to be done....we are identifying our drawbacks and starting to revive the almost lost culture. Having grown up in a Vaishnava family, it is painful to see demonism flying haywire.

Usually , most local temples have a pair of Jagannath. So most carts carry two Jagannaths. In some, we see just one Jagannath enjoying the yaatra!! While in some we see all the three deities. Ohhhh....talk about Gandhi..on this day....everywhere....Jagannath goes...the meek Gandhi follows ...if lucky enough, Gandhi lands up around the neck of Jagannath....beautifully adorned amongst the flowers...no dearth of lotuses and water lilies...just the right season!!

Sending some photos.....from Serou. The kirtan hall was almost full ....thank you Guru Maharaj for your blessings! The Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra pics  are from local temples.

In all humility,

Your miserable , fallen servant,

Sarada Gaurangi DD

HpS - Of course, took a long time to answer this letter. Traveling and so many people want to talk.  We want to help revive the Manipuri culture.   Seems that an agreement between Peru and Manipur would do a lot to help that. We can have brother and sister and another visit Peru and teach dance, drum, music etc. and students could go from Peru to Manipur for credit to study.

Wonderful fotos!