Letters to the editor

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I hope you had a rejuvenating trip to the holy dham! I'm anxious to meet with you when you return to California... it feels like it's been such a long time! I haven't heard any response from the last two letters I sent, so they should be in the blog history in case you missed them. Maybe you were busy, or no internet in India? I can also try to resend if you like...

HpS - AGTSP!   Paoho.  We just talked with you on the phone!   Yes, we only answered URGENT letters while traveling.  Too much physical interaction with devotees to also answer letters.  Resend them if they are important...       Was very nice to hear about your Sankirtan and Cat-Boy-Dog cure for Parkinson's syndrome.  So much possibility for preaching in this area of Art and the Sacred. Abhirama Das is supposed to be signing the Memorandoms of Understanding with the National Library et al in Peru and then reporting here.

Life here in California isn't easy, and I'm still living hand to mouth, trying to do something worthwhile as an artist; but somehow or other I manage to keep all my vows and have some kind of morning program in the temple or in the van if need be and I study as often as I'm able, but not as much as I'd like. I'm working hard to carve out a niche for myself in spiritual art and like you said Krishna seems to provide everything I need for service.

Recently my sankirtan has been focused mainly on music festivals. As far as I'm concerned it's by far the most fertile field for preaching to young people in the US, so I was seeking help from devotees who have a similar vision. Since I'm kind of on my own out here, my options are limited, but at the same time I have a great opportunity to engage sincere devotees who have a hard time fitting into mainstream ISKCON.

What we do is set up a big tent and an art display and perform Kirtan by the path so all day people stop in and chant with us and I collect contact info and distribute books and paintings. My friend Arya does massage and sells wellness products, chanting beads, etc and later on I set up by the stage and paint live. The whole time people come and sit by me and ask questions and I use my art to tell them about Krishna and meet tons of really favorable, open minded people of all ages from all over the country. It's hard to find words for how amazing the last few weeks have been. By your mercy, every time I have some doubt or frustration Krishna intervenes in my life and makes a way for me to move forward.

I'm starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel... I've got so much positive feedback and some promising leads too, and I feel like it's only a matter of time before I'll have more time to start going deeper into bhajan again and doing more to directly support your preaching also. I'm having so much fun right now, and I see so much potential with this, but at the same time sometimes I worry that I'm just being whimsical by doing what I like for Krishna. Please let me know if there's more I could be doing to serve you, Maharaj. More than anything else I just want to know that you are satisfied with my service...

Your humble servant,

Ekashma Das

HpS - Yes, it is so nice to do painting in public. It naturally attracts people. They like to see the Puris being cooked, they like to see the art being drawn. Watch "Category B".

Hare Krsna Beloved Gurudeva

AGTSP PAMHO

Gurudeva. The last 2 years were very hard for me,

HpS - ASA -- For Sita, Draupadi, they had like 14-hard years in the jungle then it got worse.

but also very healing and rewarding. With my therapy, yoga, bhakti yoga. I have learned a lot and grow up a little bit I guess. With ups and downs but always trying to have iur association and other good devotees.

Nowadays I am doing vinyasa yoga and some days yoga pilates these combined with our sadhana helps a lot. Morover I have a page on facebook which is called "Armonizate con Candra" ( Harmonize with Candra). There I put some tips about relaxation, gym [gem, gym, would gimnasio] therapy etc. People come to my house.. and I give therapy there in the little cottage that we have in our garden. There I use aromatherapy there some Prabhupada's books also and I have the opportunity to preach also a litlle bit, I am starting doing also some essences that I learned in some workshops.

HpS - Sounds very nice. Don't change, just become perfect at what you are doing. I can tell you about one aroma therapy story of Prabhupada.

One of my patient is Melina Lavado, Jambavan's sister. She is now chanting some rounds and trying to follow the fastings and feastings.

We continue giving classes once a month in Wilson, Pujari once a week!

HpS - Jagannatha and Gaura-Nitai!

We renewed our contract with Alas Peruanas University , my mom and sis are ok. We basically are calm. Ulyses and Mia accompany us.

Well that's it. We are fasting nirjala until noon

Thank U for your association

Trying to be useful

Candramukhi dd

HpS -- Again. Don't speculate too much about how to do different things. Just work mostly on what you are doing, which sounds O.K., and how to improve it (a lot (rapidly)).  Have fun with Krsna!

HARE KRISHNA GURUMAHARAJji,

Dandawat Pranam.

Please accept my most humble obesence. All glories to GURU and GAURANGA.

Dearest GURUMAHARAJji, I am Bishambhar Gauranga Das from Silchar (India). I wish You can recall me! {Your Superman das}

Hope You are fit and fine and have reached to USA nicely.

A year back on this very day I was given the great privilege to take initiation under You as Yours disciple. I still recall that day as the most memorable day of my life. So remembering that day, today I am mailing You. In this one year I found many love and affections from KRISHNA. I whole heartedly thank KRISHNA to allow me to serve You when You came (last month) at Silchar. Is Your new walking stick comfortable, as because it was a bit longer than Your previous stick. Hope to meet and serve You more and more as soon as possible.

Thaaaaaank Youuuu GURUMAHARAJji for allowing me to be Yours disciple and also to serve You.

Please forgive me if I am disturbing You by sending this mail.

In India a professor can register only 8 students under his/her guidance and I was the 9^th student under my supervisor. Since 2015, I was not yet registered. It was this February (27^th) that I was supposed to occupy one recently vacant seat. But my supervisor denied taking me as his PhD scholar. According to him my work on meteorite study was completely experimental and for these experiments I would need machines for analysis which he could not access me (as because no machines are available in my department)!! So, now I am stuck. Now I feel that I am dame big looser. I don’t know what to do. I am even confused that why KRISHNA gifted me the meteorite!

Please forgive me for sharing my materialist sorrows with You.

Yours obedient das,

Bishambhar Gauranga Das

HpS - Thank you!   I also don't know. We should be checking on the utility of our path at every step, no?  This material world is crazy and always changing. We come to this human form of life after many millions of births, so any progress we make as devotees as eternal. What ever problems you have Lord Caitanya can turn them into BIG assets. So go ahead with your attempts to connect you life with Krsna's service. Talk with local devotees and send us more news.  The cane is very , very nice!

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Querido Gurudeva

Por favor acepte mis humildes reverencias

¡Hare Krishna Gurudeva! Espero que se encuentre muy bien, aquí Bhakta Rodrigo de Santiago de Chile.

ASA - Somos en el sendero de purification of Lord Chaitanya, so our future is bright.

Entendemos que usted estuvo en India muy ocupado, con muchos programas, reuniones y actividades. Por eso NO escribimos antes.

Lalita Madhava dasa me dijo que usted recibió y leyó nuestra carta, escrita en afiche surrealista*.

*Hoy martes estuvimos en el Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda (donde usted dio una conferencia y la película La Luz del Bhagavata), estuvimos  viendo una muy importante exposición de Pablo Picasso.

Escribimos ahora mientras usted se encuentra en USA.

El motivo de esta carta urgente es el siguiente:

DALÍ,  nuestro perro, de mi familia, dejó el cuerpo este domingo a las 8:20 de la mañana. Pasaron cosas muy especiales, por eso cuento todo a usted. La historia es muy larga, espero poder resumir.

Dalí vivió 12 años y 6 meses. En enero se enfermó, el veterinario dijo que el perrito  tenía un tumor en la parte final de su columna (mi madre debe hacerse varios examenes, porque tal vez ella tenga un tumor en su cerebro).

Debido al tumor  el perrito perdió fuerza en su cola y piernas, y se arrastraba por el suelo. El veterinario le dió vitaminas y corticoides, entonces Dalí pudo caminar pero con mucha dificultad.

Este sábado en la tarde noche, Dalí se enfermó, tuvo muchos vómitos y estuvo muy muy mal.

(Mi padre y yo compartimos habitación y Dalí dormía con mi padre).

Mi papá estuvo toda la noche preocupado por su perro, yo despertaba a ratos y miraba a Dalí.

Como a las 8 de la mañana mi padre me despierta, porque el perrito estaba muy mal.

Entonces yo con un algodón puse tilak en su frente y cuerpo y el algodón también tenía agua del Ganges y agua de Radha Kunda.

Dalí estaba muy tranquilo, con mucha paz mientras yo lo tocaba con tilak y cante Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya y otros mantras.

Mi padre y yo estabamos junto a Dalí, pero mi padre salió de la habitación para tomar un baño y me doy cuenta que Dalí empieza a moverse (tiritar) para dejar el cuerpo y entonces yo tomo mi  mp3 y mis audifonos y los pongo en la oreja de Dalí.

Todo esto fue como 15 segundos antes que él dejara su cuerpo.

Dalí  murió con tilak y agua de Ganges y Radha Kunda en su cuerpo, y se fue escuchando "Jaya Radha Madhava" de labios de Srila Prabhupada. Escuchó cantar a Prabhupada mientras moría.

Yo siempre pensaba en Dalí y mi mayor deseo para él era que en su próxima vida tomara cuerpo de ser humano y fuera devoto.

En la noche del mismo domingo mi padre tuvo un sueño, y ayer lunes en la mañana mi padre me contó su sueño:

En el sueño Dalí le decía a mi padre "no llores por mi papá, oren  por  mí , yo voy  a tomar otro nacimiento".

Dalí tuvo cuerpo de perro, pero fue un gran amigo para mí y un hijo para mi padre. Mi madre y mi hermano Claudio amaban a Dalí.

Dalí muchas veces tomó Caritmrita, comió una vez maha prasadam de las Deidades del Templo, puse Tilak muchas veces y agua de Ganges y Radha Kunda, y todos los días escuchaba el Maha Mantra de manera indirecta (desde mi computador), el Maha Mantra cantado por Srila Prabhupada y Usted y otras canciones Vaisnavas. También hace 10 días aproximadamente puse en la boca de Dalí dos hojas de Tulsi.

Arjuna tiene su tienda de bicicletas muy cerca de mi casa, Arjuna es uno de mis mejores amigos y uno de mis Siksa Guru. Arjuna conoce a mis padres desde hace años y conoció también a Dalí. Arjuna hace poco estuvo en mi casa para ver a Dalí cuando estaba enfermo. Mañana miércoles Arjuna vendrá a ver a mis padres.

Tal vez  DALÍ fue uno de los perros más afortunados de Chile.

Este viernes su cuerpo va a ser cremado, por eso el carácter de urgente de la carta.

¿Qué puedo yo hacer para ayudar a Dalí en su viaje? ¿Cuál es el consejo de usted?

Mil gracias Gurudeva por ocupar su tiempo en leer esta carta.

Con mis reverencias eternas,

su inútil aspirante a sirviente,

Bhakta Rodrigo

HpS - ASA -- Hare Krsna!!   Muy interesante. Pienso qu ha realizado todo que puede realizar para el. Aparece que su proxima vida puede ser de ser humano - tomando Prasad, oyendo Krsna katha de Srila Prabhupada.

Es natural sentir separacion de un amigo, como el a ido en un barco, pero, no es que no mas exista. Entonces, continuando con sus propias esfuerzas de purificacion y si piensa de el orar para su bienestar. Ya es suficiente como yo entiendo.

Nos vemos en Julio, no?  Hay eventos entonces?

Cual era el trabajo de su Papa?

Hare Krsna.

5.20PM. The sun is going down. It is getting dark. We get depressed this time of day, year. You also?   There are no leaves on the trees. We have not really seen one human being all day. It is pretty good. The alarm went off at 1.15AM. We got up  and turned it off and then dozed again until 2.48AM. Then we jumped into Japa, Fool Mourning Program.

Then we Cut, Scanned, Uploaded the TPP-CB and sent the Link to CMDD and Patraka Das. They asked for it.  We cooked pop-corn in ghee with walnuts for Lord Nrsmha deva's breakfast and then baked two potatoes for His lunch. Seems to be going pretty well.

We feel depressed alone in our mind and stomach many times but when we try to chant externally we become quite animated. It is strange. Seems to indicate a real purification deeper than the mind and body.

Booked the ticket to Boise: 1st June. It was like $182.80 today and would have been $235 tomorrow and a two hour longer flight.

Got the Auto Sales papers off with Rufus to Tandavika Das and he called asking which Docs to sign. I told him, but now he just called and said he is on the road (45-minute drive) to deliver them. That's strange. Maybe he wants a little Vaisnava association. We can do some Kirtan for Radha Natabara maybe.

We have 25GB to use within three days so we looked at what's on the YouTube. We found Radhikas Sad Sandarba lectures from the Silicon Valley from a long time ago and listened for three hours. Of course, we sped it up to 2x speed and still could have gone faster. Was very enlightening.

We've answered all the letters older than three days and one more even older. We are catching up. Now we'll do some Japa and get a USB drive to mail the "LOB" movie by Oscar to Giridhari Swami in Hong Kong.

Lot of other things happening. We chant Hare Krsna in the middle of it all. We will go from Brahman to Paramatma to Bhagavan.

You too?

HARE KRISHNA DEAR GURUDEVA, AGTSP, AGTYOU!

I HOPE THAT WHEN YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL, YOU ARE HEALTHY.

ASA - Could be better, could be worse. We have to conquer our senses more!

I WRITE IN ENGLISH LIKE A CHILD, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS BETTER FOR YOU.

I´M VERY HAPPY TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE COMING TO SPAIN AND AT THE SAME TIME, I FEEL PAIN, BECAUSE MAYBE, I AM NOT ABLE TO GO TO MADRID,  BUT I HOPE I CAN ARRANGE IT!

HpS - I think you should be able too do it!  God helps those who help themselves.  You see the Calendar we are discussing with Jayanta Das. 3-6 morning in NVM. Then 6-12th in Espiritu Santo. Maybe go back to NVM a little more if that is convenient for devotees who want to come to visit with us, no?

DURING ALL THIS TIME, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LISTEN TO MY HEART TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT MY NATURE AND WITH THE HELP OF KRISHNA AND A BOOK (ABOUT PERSONAL GROWTH ) NOW I CAN KNOW WHO I AM.

HpS - Wonderful!  Yet, even Krsna does not always know who He is!

DUE TO THIS I AM NOW STUDYING COUNSELLING IN THE SPANISH ASSOCIATION OF THERAPY CENTERED IN THE PERSON AND COUSELLING (CARL ROGERS) THIS ASSOCIATION HAS VERY GOOD TEACHERS, THE DIRECTOR ACADEMY HAS A VERY NICE CURRICULUM. WHEN I READ ABOUT HIM, I IMMEDITALY I THOUGHT OF YOU, " I AM SURE THAT GURUDEVA WOULD LIKE TO MEET HIM" I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HIM ON THE PHONE, HE LOOKS LIKE A GOOD PERSON TO ME. SO IF YOU WANT I CAN ASK HIM.

ALSO I AM LEARNING TO DEVELOPE WEB AN DESING, WITH THE  LANGUAGES OF PROGRAMATION  HTML Y CSS. (INTENERT TATTVA) 

ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE ARE TRYING TO HAVE A MONTHLY  PREACHING PROGRAM,  ARROUND THIS AREA.

 THERE ARE SOME GROUPS OF YOGA, THEY ARE IMPERSONALIST BUT AT SAME TIME THEY ARE QUIET OPEN.

SO THE IDEA IS TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUR SPACE  BETEWEN THIS GROUPS, PRESENTING THE MAHA MANTRA WITH A THERAPEUTIC APPROACH, AS A MEANS TO DEVELOPE THE CONSCIOUSSNES AND THE SELF-HEALLING. 

WE ARE PREPARING OUR FIRST PRESENTATION, ALTHOUGH, WE DONT HAVE A DATE STILL.

SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH OUR NEW LIFE, OUR RELATIONSHIP AS A COUPLE IS MORE MATURE, SO THERE IS A BALANCE AND I THINK THAT THIS IS POSITIVE FOR OUR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSSNES. I AM STILL TRYING TO TRANSFORM  MY LUST IN LOVE. 

THAK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GUIDE Y COMPASSION, I HOPE, SOME DAY, I CAN BECOME YOUR DISCIPLE.

I TAKE YOU ALWAYS IN MY HAERT,

BHADRA V.

HpS - Very, very nice. Carl Rogers was a nice person when we read his books. They are dealing with reality so it is the same no matter what name it has, but some are Mayavadis and some are Brahmavadis.  They both are transcendental in a general sense but one set is envious of Krsna as a person and the other just doesn't know about him. Go ahead with full enthusiasm!  See you soon.