Letters to the editor

Dearest Esteemed Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

A few days ago it dawned on me that I was postponing my service to Krsna. I kept making promises to him that once I have a permanent assistant professorship job, I will start a preaching center or temple in whichever city or town I am in. But then I realized, that I cannot postpone it. My greatest fault is postponing the important tasks, paying useless attention to meaningless issues, mismanaging my priorities, and most importantly I lack time (and money) management. Time management, especially or particularly in my sadhana and money management in terms of not wasting money in material things and using money to serve Krsna. Instead of setting aside time for japa, kirtan, reading Prabhupada's books, engaging in the tasks which will liberate me, I focus on the temporary only. And the reason for this is my attachment to fulfillment of my desires. I am so attached egoistically to certain perceptions of me and others' perception of me, that I give all my mind's attention to only this, instead of internal development. Most of my time I complain to God...you have given that devotee this or you have given this karmi that much. Why have you not given it to me? It is hard for me to accept that the Lord has given me exactly what I need. Bitter medicine to the ears for me, but a truth I have to learn to accept. I compare myself to others and complain. This is where I waste my time. I was highly inspired by your words: "Life is like a Battle of Kuruksetra. May die at any moment, but that is not our concern. Our concern is to fight from our assigned position and accept what Krsna arranges." This has motivated me to give up my time wasting complaining, and to just serve the Lord with what I have, from the position I am in. However, it is easier said than done, especially for a lazy lethargic like me. Before I can start preaching, I need to cultivate internal spiritual depth. I need to get the association and blessings of the Vaisnavas. At least I can start from there. That is something my mind can easily accept. I can start from inviting Vaisnavas into my house and holding kirtan and bhajan sessions at my house. However, I don't want to procrastinate...I don't want to just leave it to the future. It must start now. Maybe a New Year's resolution. I contemplate on where my life is going, where I will live, what I will do, who I will be with. But wherever or whatever it may be, I know I want my Guru, my parents, and Vaisnavas to be a part of it. I want them to come to my house and stay so that I may wash their feet, serve them, and take their blessings. I want to have a temple in my house in the main living room where I would offer arati and puja every morning and evening before and after work. I know this is the life I want, no matter whom I marry, where I work, what my profession is, or where I live. Writing to your blog Guru Maharaj is like a personal journal to Krishna that opens your heart to guru and Krishna.

Your aspiring servant,

Aja Govinda Das

HpS - Yeah!   Good idea!       Of course, one of the best ways to cultivate the internal development is to act in KC externally. Chanting with the Jaw and Paws will change the heart.

Push inside and outside.

Is there anyone you can invite to your house for KC activities???!!!  Of course, even Pantheistc ideas are the first step. Get a cow, keep it in your apartment and invite people to come and feed it straw!

Who are you associates there???

Hare Krishna Hare Rama

Todas las Glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Todas las Glorias a Ud Guru Maharaja

Querido Gurudev

Aqui le escribo desde  Argentina. Estamos en primavera, pero ya se siente la llegada del verano en unos pocos dias. 

Este año no estuve comunicado con ud. No escribí al blog ni me conecte a japa joe. Le pido disculpas. Este año espero retomar el contacto de forma continua con Ud. 

Este año hice el modulo 1 y 2 de Bhakti Sastri, y el año proximo si todo sale bien, sigo con los modulos siguientes. 

Estuve asociandome con devotos seguidamente. Eso me mantiene en el sadhana, adoracion a la deidad, etc. Pero en momentos de soledad, a veces me cuesta mucho controlar la mente. Sobre todo en el canto de japa, siento que no lo estoy haciendo con la conciencia adecuada.

Siempre medito en Ud y en Srila Prabhupada, y estoy muy agradecido. Todo avance que yo pueda tener, es gracias a su misericordia.

El proximo año espero ser util para su sankirtan y predica.

Muchas Gracias por leer mi carta y mi reporte anual

Mis reverencias a Ud, Guru Maharaja

ss

Devarsi Narada das

HpS - ASA - Good to hear from you. If you are always thinking about us then why don't you send some news from time to time!!   If we are Krsna conscious then life is a great experience at every moment!

We will attach a photo!

AgtSP!

Agt Nitai Nimai!!!

Hare Krsna Maharaja!    I´m Budanath das from the little mountain.

HpS - We live on Hillcrest Dr.  It is not even a little mountain, but the view is down hill in all directions. Maybe we will live on Govardhana soon and get back to our service to Radha and Krsna in spiritual bodies!

I here, too, it's cold, fog.

I would like to share with you a little my thoughts. I, as always, sometimes better, sometimes worse, but out of mercy, growing in Krsna consciousness.

If God, Krishna, is a person, then, a person like me who walks half mystical half-devotional paths (I recognize that it costs me to be pure). When objects begin to lose their literal meaning, when things and people tell you things, and they communicate things to you from other people, some not physical (I do not mean ghosts in bodies of people, I know the differences), but that reality begins to have another sense of time and place, without past or future, better no pre post concept, only line concept of contacts.

Is this a stage of the personal fulfillment of the powers of Krsna, and then, perhaps, of the realization of Krsna and his associates?

HpS - The way you describe it, it could be. It is such a different state of consciouisness that with such a little description we can't say if it is Spiritual of Material.  Sounds useful!!

Is this why, if it is true, that you first have to make friends with Krsna's associates, God, in order to access Him?

HpS - If by "God" you mean Maha-visnu et al, yes we most likely will get realization, contact with them first, but Lord Caitanya gives a glimpse of Radha Krsna right from the very beginning.

If true, this process is a shadow of the original mystical process that is the association of Krsna ???

HpS -  Huh?

These are things I ask myself, that I want to share with you, I imagine looking for advice and revealing the mind confidentially, like old acquaintances, friends. And respect and pride for your advice, your listening, like that of an old friend, because although I am so stupid, one way or another I have these concerns.

Is it in the purest state to go mad spiritually?

HpS - Socrares said that to ordinary people it would seem that way, but to good Christians and ISKCON Dudes it would be comprehensible.

I have to admit that I am not reading anything lately, but I try to meditate on Krsna and the teachings of Prabhupada with the things that happen to me every day. In general, my life is quite mystical, but many times I am afraid that it is only an illusion and not a real spiritual advance.

It is a fear, only that, I do not want to complain about Krsna, he has always behaved with me beautifully, it is just that I am afraid of being stuck or confusing Krsna's association with the material magic of Krsna.

If I speak without precaution I would say that Krsna is happy with me, that is why he lets me advance, but his friends who do not feel as committed as Krsna, tell me that I have to improve a lot, a lot, that I am very ugly for Krsna to see me.

Thank you for all your work, for being there teaching us the sweetness of Krsna's association and for answering the letters.

That goes well, I hope to write before next time.

Hare Krsna

Jay Radhe Jay Krsna Jay Vrndavan

HpS - Read a little of CC daily!!!!!  Five minutes befor each meal, read something. It becomes and addictive habit. Then you will have an intimate counsel, because, yes, we can get caught on the mystical material platform, for billions of lifetimes!  Don't miss Prabhupada's association.

HpS - Jaya.  O.K. We won't publish it. Thank you for the news. In ISKCON Srila Prabhupada is our Acharya and we all try to serve him!

Hk dear guruji agtsp pamho Agtssgg 

One of my realizations in this year is that we are very fortunate to be part of this sankirtana movement down your steps so thank you so much for accepting us as you spiritual students .. Realy i apreciate a lot your endeavor to serve srila prabupada.

Talking about us ; we are in brasil traveling as vanaprastas all week we have to travel to doferent citys sometime in car other in airplane this weekend we go to buzios to holi festivalfor chant hare Krishna kirtan for thousand people. Sometimes its getting very austere for one family with a 4 year old daughter so in january we are leaving to india for some months vrindavana and participing in elachakra kirtan mela and mayapur kirtan mela, krishna realy blees a lot .. I found or i decide wath to focus in the service .

Our family its god harini and karuna are a nice devotees and they do a nice service 

, our shilas are worshiped as elder sons and we are chanting japa every day minimum 16 r and srimad bhagavatam canto 2 now, japa notebook and other books ...

I hope all well about your health , and service , we pray to krishna for blessings for you dear guru maharaja.

I hope meet you in india i will see your dates we will follow some days 

Your, insignificant and trying to serve 

Nanda nandana dasa 

And family 

HpS - Jaya!   Yes, we heard you had left for Brazil and then India.  Your life is wonderful!       Yes, we will get a phone in India and then you can call us!   Chant Hare Krsna and Krsna will reveal His plan for you, no?

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I hope you are in good health.

HpS - 70-years old the Donkey is failing, but quite good for the American standard!   AGTSP!

It has been a while since my last letter. I always have it in the back of my mind to write but time gets away from me and gets transferred to my kids. Funny because they seem like they are my deities that I worship everyday, just like Prabhupada  said. Our actual Gura-Nitai are just standing on our altar, kind of neglected. I keep suggesting putting them to sleep but my husband insists that they stay there. They are merciful Lords :)

So.... we have been working on settling down in Calgary, Canada. We live on our own in a small house, living simply. My husband graduated and got his B.Ed and is now teaching grade 2 students in a charter school. He's very busy. I stay at home with the kids. It's austere but I know that the children benefit from it!!!  And I guess it will be more busy around here with a new one on the  way! I guess I'm meant to be a mother :)

We have also started a little kirtan program once a month. We rent out a room in a community center for two hours and have some kirtan and prasadam. Very simple but effective. We feel it is necessary for Calgary since our temple does not cater too much for new comers. But anyways...

I don't want to say too much. I miss you and would like to visit you some time your are close to the west coast. By what our calendar says, you will be in the Seattle are next June. Maybe we will travel then. 

Your aspiring servant,

Rasa-mandali dasi

HpS - ASA -- No fotos of your kids and husband?  The news is great. How many people come to the program. What Prasadam do you serve? Is there an ISKCON temple in Kala-Giri?