Letters to the editor

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Pamho, agtsp!

My apologies for taking so long to write, life has been a bit overwhelming lately and I don't know where to begin. I'm still dialed in here in LA, struggling to make art that will speak something of value to my generation and to the world, to make them better people, maybe one day transcendental people.

HpS - We are doing EXACTLY the same thing in South America. Of course, the danger is that we fall into the same trap as Vyasa-deva when he wrote things just too indirect. HK!

Meanwhile I'm trying to keep my own head above water in this crazy city.

ASA - We are trying to keep from dying of cold/fever.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but the oil business never really worked out for me. It seems like some of the others are doing ok with it now, but I'm too introverted to have had the interest to stick with it. Of course since you asked, if anyone is interested in learning about the health benefits of hemp oil I'm happy to connect them with someone who can tell them more.

HpS - I will send you some names.

Every day I see more and more people taking interest so I kind of regret not doing it, but "better to perform ones own duties imperfectly than another's perfectly." I swapped phones with my mother btw, so I have a new number you can reach me at (803 x x x ) and I don't seem to have yours saved in here either, so please remind me how I can reach you by phone.

ASA - We will Text you.
 

Currently I'm showing new work in galleries and putting stuff on consignment, and painting live all over the city. I've also been collaborating with your god -brother Baradraj prabhu, who trained as a painter personally under Srila Prabhupada and designed the famous Bhagavad Gita museum in LA. I've been assisting him with some of his recent paintings and he he also wants me to help him start a new spiritual art collective in Topanga. I'm excited about some of his ideas and I'm grateful to have his association lately.

ASA - Su, Su, Super! Cultural conquest.

Apart from that I'm just been working odd jobs and trying to find a decent summer job to pay off some of my debts so I can focus more on what I really want to do. After more consideration I think it definitely makes sense for me to officially move on to grhasta ashram; because I do want to get married eventually, just not until I halfway get my life together. Otherwise I feel awkward even going to the temple because people think I'm either a Krishna West troublemaker or a poser brahmacari... (but really I'm nothing so dramatic, just ordinary nonsense.)

Please let me know when we can talk on the phone. I have a lot of doubt and frustration lately and I really need your help!

Your spaced out servant,

Ekāśma Dāsa

HpS - Who are your local 'gurus'?  Focus on that. Getting some local associates to give you perspective. If you can stay b'cari and go directly to Sannyasa you can be of more use to 20-women than you can be to one by marrying her, but... the Good Lord told Kardama that the fastest path for him was Grhastha Ashrama with a "veritable cow of plenty", M. Devahuti.

Again, who are, can be your local gurus.

We will be working with Mukunda dutta Das and Prabhu Nityananda from Dallas on the ISKCON Education Journal.

SUPER PAINTINGS!   If any of our readers want some, how can they buy them????   Sell them???

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!! All Glories to Sripada!! All Glories to Guru Maharaj HpS!!

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your Lotus feet.

The ISKCON cart has come all the way from Mumbai , by the divine mercy of Srila Prabhupada and Sripad Maharaj.  Here, Rath Yaatra is celebrated as a local festival Kaang,   the Manipuri word for 'cart'. It is a great event. Right from Snan yatra , each locality prepares for the 9 day festival of Rath yaatra. The biggest one is of course, the Govindajee Kaang. The rest of the carts start the yaatra only after Govindajee Deities have moved on to the cart.Vaishnava devotees offer fruits  (especially pineapples, figs, pears and mangoes),vegetables (especially cucumber and maize),Sweets ( made of puffed rice and Jaggery, laaloo is considered to be a favourite item....). When the yaatra is just about to start,  the items are lined up just in front of the cart and devotees loved to watch the offerings going just right under the wheels to be run over...and then partaking the run over Prasadam. The cart is stopped every now and then , devotees making their offerings to the sweet Lord with the arti. The traffic is a real problem on this day as carts from various localities go for the yaatra on the main road....but no one complains...we are all happy with it. The Sankirtana is simply amazing....the chants of Harinama....Hari haraye.....Dasa Avatara ...with the sounds of kartala , Mridanga, Drums..clarinet....is indescribable.The Sankirtana goes on and on....non stop . Rath Yaatra day is a state holiday here.

The evening programmes are carried out in most of the local temples....again Sankirtans...Hari Katha...Manohar Sai....followed by 'choidep chongba', dancing in front of the Lordships at aarti . This is followed by Khichri and Ooti ...Pakora...subjee prasadam. This goes on for 9 days...till Purna Yaatra. On dwadasi we have 'Ningol Paali', special khichri prasadam for Matajis.I have just highlighted the little I know. The festival has a great asthetic fervour which is hard for me to describe, I am so sorry for my limitations Guru Maharaj, please forgive me. I wish someday we would be able to invite you here during the Rath Yaatra.

HpS - You manipuris are very big misers!   You have the greatest thing in the world but your are keeping it to yourselves. I have not heard of such a wonderful Rathayatra even in Puri.

I am sending you just few photos....the White cart is that of Govindajee temple. The rest small ones are the local temple carts.

HpS - So, just Jagannatha, Jagat-Gandhi, goes on the cart, not Baladeva nor Subhadra. Also, we can see that the cart does not have to be big to be beautiful.

We have constructed a simple kirtan hall at Serou, the land donated by a Mataji. Registration has been completed ...we had a wonderful nagar kirtan there on 2nd of July. We had kirtan at the hall. And distributed Khichri prasadam .I shall send the photos for Serou in my next letter. My letter is too long.....I know you are so busy Guru Maharaj but I feel so good when I share our little, little activities with you. Thank you so much.

Your most fallen servant, forever craving for Your mercy,

Sarada Gaurangi DD

HpS-ASA --  When we hear from you and Yamunesvara Das we are all so enlivened. We hope to see you soon.

Hare Krsna Gurumaharaja

Please, accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Sril Prabhupada

We have been working on the agenda for the meeting on Friday the 14th, and the purposes are basically the following:

• Receive the report of the programs in progress, both in Chosica and Lima and what are their doubts, difficulties and achievements to date.
• Know the new educational proposals and what are their expectations and objectives.
• Know your opinion about it.

We also suggest the following program:

4:30 - 4:40 Purposes of the meeting (Karuna Krsna dasa)
4:40 - 5.00 Presentation by SS Hanumatpresaka Swami on MOE and ASA
5:00 - 5:10 Jagat Pavitram dasa program summary reading.
5:10 - 5:25 Exposition by Laksmana-agraja dasa
5:25 - 5:40 Exhibition by Isvari dd. and Candramukhi dd.
5:40 - 5:55 Exhibition by Abhirama dasa
5:55 - 6:10 Exhibition by Yugala Kisora dasi
6:10 - 6:25 Exhibition by Jiva Sakti dasa
6:25 - 6:45 Conclusions by Hanumatpresaka Swami Maharaja and Karuna Krsna dasa

(Sorry for the germanic structure but it's only a point of reference, It coud be a liitle bit more flexible).

We'll be waiting for your kind answer and suggestions

Your servant

Gandharva dasa

HpS-ASA - Es ist sehr gut, mein herr! !     !
ISKCON Peru Uber Alles!

We want to go to the Arati!  That is at 6.30PM, no?

Then, we have public program at 7.00PM to 8.00PM, so we can have a general discussion with us, KKD, BhBhusana Swami? He will be there we can invite him to join as he likes, no???

All Glory to Srila Prabhupada

All Glory to the Sankirtan movement by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

And All Glory to the sincerely devotees

Please accept my humbles obeisances

Dear Guru Deva

On these days I visited more places making some programs with new people and chanting Hare Krishna.

HpS ---- Haaaaa.  Ray!

I hope that you are in good health, I am very inspiring by your visit so I just can saw you short time.

Thanks for all your activities.

Your crew member Aniruddha Krishna Das

HpS - We will meet you 26th July, 6.30AM when we get to Mexico? We will be there until 3.00PM

...Por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias
Todas las glorias a Sri Guru y Sri Gauranga
Todas lsa glorias sean a Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Todas las glorias a los Vaisnavas reunidos

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj, reciba mi afectuoso saludo, aquí me encuentro leyendo su libro "desde rusia con amor", es muy inspirador! el cuerpo burro estuvo con gripe pero intentamos predicar bastante a pesar de las dificultades. Estamos esperando su visita a chile, asistiremos a una distribución de libros masiva para colectar en motivo de su llegada. 
El salón de las deidades esta bello, se sienten todos los bailes de Gauranga y Nityananda con sus devotos, tuvimos la misericordia de compartir con Tulasi algunos meses, un amigo discípulo de SS Dhanvantari Swami, se encargó de cuidarla y hacerla crecer. Es algo muy elevado! ese kirtan es muy hermoso y esa conexión con su forma de planta es sublime... comprender esa entrega es muy lejano para mi, pero me deleito con estos pasatiempos... desafortunadamente ahora con el frío esta por abandonar el cuerpo, pero la vivencia quedó en mi corazón y estoy muy agradecido...
Estoy ansioso de tener su asosiación prontamente, esperamos poder servirlo dentro de lo que sea posible y hacer comoda su estadía. No se me ocurre mucho para contarle pues acá en el templo usted sabe lo que hacemos diariamente. Estamos tratando de apegarnos más a krishna y verlo en todas partes. Su aspirante a sirviente bhakta martin.

HpS - Hare Krsna. translate.google.com.  It has been very nice to talk with you here. We are now fighting with a fever and using all that our Yoga has taught us. Bhakti yoga includes all the other Yogas. We seem to be winning so far.

If we when we can do nice preaching programs.

We are using the heater in our room as little as possible and even if we do use it, it does not heat the room too much.

We will die of cold one day for sure. We have to learn to live on the heat within and let Krsna take care of the external body, give us inspiration how to take care of it.

We talked about traveling, no?

Again, one Temple President asked Prabhupada to instruct the Brahmacaris that they should not travel. Prabhupada responded that the Grhasthas could adjust things for their comfort but the B'caris and Sannyasis did not have the facility. What they had was the opportunity to travel, so the authorities should not restrict them, but they should not do it capriciously. They should co-ordinate their travels with the President so that he can also adjust the Temple service.

Prabhupada's standard was that anyone living in the Temple and following the program could be initiated after six months, but for second initiation there was more care and qualification. The GBC changed first iniation to one year after Prabhupada I think because they mistook the statement in the Vedas that the disciple and guru should inspect each other for one year before initiation. That is for second initiation as far as I understand.

So, hope to hear from you of all these practical adjustments and see you more in the next few days.

Actually the "regular" program should produce many new results that we can talk about.

Hare Krsna, maharaja please accept my obeissance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you!

it s been a long time since I don t write anymore but my last letter was like chaos letter, haha, and Im sorry for that last year was intense for me in many aspects but mainly my espiritual life.

now Im traveling with some devotees aroun europe and united kingdom i meet many devotees and many Gurus here the asociation is little bit diferent but i feel great. I want to thank you all your advices when I was so bad you answer me with one verse of the SB and I have that verse deep in my heart. 

Other thing is that I feel compromise with you because I told your desciples I want to take iniciation with you but at the end nothing happend and I meet other Guru here and have more comunication and relation I dont know if this is bad or if some persons are going to be mad with me.

HpS - No, is fine. We are all working in ISKCON with Srila Prabhupada as our Acharya.

but Im just trying to be sincere I dont know if this is the right way but please forgive all my ofenses

YS: Bhaktin Fernanda

HpS - Thank you. Hare Krsna. Please engage all of us in your service to Krsna.