Hare Krsna.
We are packing and running to the airport. It is a little hard to see and hard to breath, but not hard to chant.
Symposium was a great success. It is definitely the last thing that we will organize. We can only sit in the benches and make comments to the coach if he joins us at times.
NOw we write.
We will be on the Editorial Board for the new Ministry Journal if Nityananda Das from Dallas joins.
O.K. See you little later.
Hare Krishna Dear Gurumaharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Recently you wrote on blog: "Branches must have a President (and Vice-Presidents with different areas if desired), a Secretary and a Treasurer. Secretary must post a Report regularly in the Blog (every fortnight can be good). Then we can work out details."
As Online Vedabase may be branch I would like to post quick report.
Recently finished importing of letters and transcripts.
In last few days researched best way how to handle search and index pages (e.g. Trascript Index Page, Letter Index Page). Found good solution and made simple app so every language will have separate settings, so we can use language specific stemming, stop words, ....
Plan for next 2-3 days is to finish Transcripts and Letters pages, so users will be able to comfortably narrow down/filter results. After that Library section (Books, Transcripts, Letters) can be consider ready.
Importing of Spanish TLC stopped for moment as there seemed to be differences in paragraph due to different versions. (Latest TLC in English is quite different from original edition in English) Will resume after launch of new version.
Still many things to do (explore page - intro text for new people, personal bookmarks/notes, tutorial videos, ...)
I will try to report regularly.
Your servant Prahlad Nrsimha das
HpS - Don't be a Branch. Be Flower. Make your personal reports like this. Did anyone volunteer to help with the Spanish TLC. Don't push your self if no one responds.
Hare Krishna Dear Gurumaharaja.
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
We are slowly settling in Slovakia now. Found tiny apartment in which we will live from July, right after Rathayatra in Czech.
I am happy to share with you that after years of struggle my morning sadhana is good. I am chanting all of 16 rounds every day at morning.
HpS - Very, very wonderful. Bhakti yoga is described as the path of progressive rules and regulations. I made a decision at one point that even as a brahmacari I would have two dhotis with no holes. Step by step we advance in our rules.
Also I am wondering how much I can really influence as it seems in my astrological chart there was shift of periods and therefore it is possible for me to wake early. It would mean that my 'devotional service' is controlled by material nature. Like when for last years whole universe was makng obsticles, and however I tried I always failed, which hopefully disappeared :)
We are all fully transcendetal souls, but is it really in my power to behave transcendental in this body? I understand that big devotees can be over material influence, but is it even possible to act differently than what body is programmed for by universe/planets for normal person who is in beginning stages of devotial service?
HpS - This is exactly the content of BG, no? As we surrender to Krsna He takes charge of our Karma. He can make us strong enough to control external forces, but if He wants to take away our power, like He did with Arjuna, then He can do that also.
So, when the mode of goodness is prominent we take advantage of it. We get up early as much as we can. As we advance we may still be in an externally tamasic situation but internally it does not disturb us. We see Krsna wants this and we work within that framework. Arjuna fought the battle.
It seems to me, that on my level it depends purely on mercy what can I do. Like there is no free choice, only mercy.
HpS - No, you have some free will. You can see that. YOu can make little choices, one more sweet ball or two.
Otherwise having marathon to have new Vedabase ready for launch date.
ASA - UG - Hare Krsna!
After launch of new version I will either work fultime on the project or find some IT karmi job depending on situation.
Your servant Prahlad Nrsimha das
HpS - Please continue to work on this no matter what, a lot or a little. We all love it.
HpS - ASA -- Incredible!!! Is there a good 'Hello' page for people on different levels who may know nothing about Srila Prabhupada's books and a way to buy them?
Will be. There will be link from home to ‘Explore’ page which should fulfill this.
How many candles will there be on the cake. We can have a cyber-cake competition. Cyber gifts.
6 candles. Best gift is to be visiting her :)
[One question [little confidential [Is vedabase.com a Ghrhasta, Sannyasi, B'cari or Vanaprastha? Is it s B'cari or a B'carini. Should we offer Saris or Dhoti's for it's birthday. Hmmmm.]]
Well, in Czech language vedabase.com is she (as for example library, cow are, contrary to English). So seems like she is B’carini. When will be right time I would like her to marry with nice Online Education Project guy :)
HpS - Maybe "She" could be married to Vausesika Das, or other Sankirtan page. Read books, distribute books.
Dandavats!! Any suggestions for our travel in India?????
Don’t have any suggestions. And unfortunately (most probably) we will not be there to see you. :(
What do you think of the Vanipedia?
#$%&&^%$# . But still devotee, so better than any perfect materialistic site.
We feel it is unfortunate project, as Visnu Murti Prabhu has big capacity to inspire people to help, but sadly their valuable time is spend in useless tasks (e.g. making millions of predefined search results which should be instead generated automatically by search engine on demand).
HpS - ASA -- Maybe someone can comment. I know Vidadghda Das, Senior scholar, likes it for collecting relevant citations for him. I think he like the fact that it also searched letters and lectures. Haaaaa Ray! Vedabase.com is about all we need in many aspects.
All glories to Sri Sri Goura Nitay, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Dear Guru Maharaja, please accept my respectful obeisances.
Beforehand I apologize for marking this letter as “urgent”. The truth is that I felt the need of doing this, because there will be time enough between the date you read it and your arriving, to can do something about the next situation. As an earlier occasion, I would like to ask you for discretion. You have edited my letters before to answer me without making evident what I will expose in here, so I humbly hope this time be the same.
ASA - So do we.
I see myself in need of letting you know about a situation that has been happening for years, and I feel that it would affect you somehow.
From what I can see, in our yatra, the administration is being quite negligent despite the critical situation we are going through, which has been hidden to the visiting gurus. I hope by this letter I can really help them. Moreover, their visits are used to give initiation to devotees who are not fulfilling the minimum requirements, and that way, trying to mitigate a bit the shortage of devotees in active service. Which in turn has been useless because most of the initiated devotees have left the temple few months later of have received harinama initiation, so with the second initiations.
Before his stroke, this situation used to happen a lot with His Holiness Jayapataka Swami. A reality we all knew, but for many reasons it was allowed to happen. Nowadays you are the spiritual master who visits us most often, and that is why is very frequent to see devotees quite “new” in the movement wanting to take initiation with you and making all kinds of “arrangements” to achieve it. I have been trying to let all this in Krishna’s hands, of trusting in the process and in the criterion of the devotees, but the truth is that as time passed, the situation has not changed but has gotten worse.
You have been introduced to temple residents, who just for living there assume that their initiation is assured and they ignore all the process and regulations to achieve this. I usually read many of the letters they write to you and it is quite hard for me to stay out of it.
Our spiritual family has been failing for years, and nobody has been capable to face it and inform it to you. The truth is that I think that I have the duty of doing this before you get here again and everything looks like it is perfect.
HpS - ASA -- Thank you. You are very faithful to your name, "Parasurama Das". We honestly thank you and I think any sane devotee will thank you for expressing your opinion here. We read on. Thank you.
Priya Sakhi DD mataji and I want to have a meeting with you to clarify this situation. I know she asked to prabhu Amara Gouranga Das (temple president) to give you a report about your disciples, but I think it won’t happen and it’s necessary that you be aware of all this.
HpS - Thank you. Are you following the standard well yourself: Rounds, Principles, Morning Program, Sankirtan...?
This year I am going to be your servant again. I think in the previous visits, I made some mistakes (trying to be even and at the same time accomplish my labor in a good way) that I would not like to repeat once again. I want you to know that if you prefer that anybody else be your servant I understand that, and I would not have any problem in deliver my service to another devotee.
HpS - We are just servants of Srila Prabhupada, so your service to him in helping us is fine. We can all improve.
To be honest, I feel in my heart that being there would keep in rule some situations that could make you feel uncomfortable, although you have always been very patient with all of us.
I know very well that many times we abuse of your time and that may have caused you problems with your GBC authority.
HpS - No, never problem caused from GBC authority.
Examples of it are the programs where some devotees have led Sannyasis of other lines, or those kind of private conversations that some devotees ask for where none of us is present, and your words are misunderstood and used to justify some behaviors. That is why, if you let me serving you, I would like to be there and take care of your times so that your programs has the success Srila Prabhupada would expect from his representatives.
HpS - We have only visited Sannyasis from other lines when approved by Temple authorities like Rama-Kelli Das et al. Any instructions we give are public, like letters to this Blog.
I believe that, even when we are all qualified to be brahamanas, nature gives us some faculties that we must use into service. And well, I am a servant of Parasurama and therefore I want that nature have a purpose.
HpS - Hare Krsna. Parasurama in ISKCON! Srila Prabhupada's example. We only should offer criticism if we are well wishes.
Finally, and about your question of the people who will attend the conference about Pranam Yogico, I’m extending invitations to masters of different martial arts and outstanding students interested in these spiritual and energetic topics. It has had a good reception and I hope they can attend the conference.
This conference will be held in coordination with FENAJUDO (Federación Nacional de Judo), of which my sensei is the president.
I designed the promotional flyer, so I need a text that makes reference to the topic that will be discussed and some sastras to add to the dyptichs that will be delivered to the attendants. Could you please help me with it?
I am very grateful that we can hold this conference; I know it will be well received.
Waiting very enthusiastic for your visit, your servant
Parasurama Avatar Das,
Santiago – Chile.
HpS - Pick one verse you like from the First Canto Chapter on the Birth of Maharaja Pariksit, and we can title it, "Qualities of a Prince". O.K?
Thank you again. Maybe there will be some "Urgent" answers to your letter.
[sent also by email, but not sure if those addresses are working]
Hare Krishna Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I am preparing everything to be ready for launch on Vyasa Purnima.
Today I found that New Relic, service which helps me to monitor server and application performance, offers service which normally cost $199/month per server for free to 501(c)3 nonprofits.
Can I register for their free service on behalf of NIOS?
So far I asked them some questions and we have scheduled meeting for Monday), but I would need your permission to apply for the service in name of NIOS. Please let me know if I can procceed or if I should cancel it.
Your servant Prahlad Nrsimha das
HpS - Hare Krishna. As far as we can see go ahead and send copy of any agreement to us.