Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna dear Gurumaharaja

Please accept my humble obaisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I hope you are in good health and preaches continue with more force.

ASA - Jaya!

I write and delete this letter many times, and to be honest I'm not sure how to write this letter. For first time in my life I felt that I disappointed someone that really loves me, who gave me the more precious gift ever and showed mercy upon this cover with anarthas soul.  I jump your autorithy and I acted in a capricious way, moved by my own desires. I feel so embarrassed, but I beg for forgiveness. I can do nothing without your blessing.  Instruction is our primary relationship and I forget.

HpS - ASA --  Yeah, yeah, a few superficial irregularities, but basically you seem to be acting as a very nice. Thank you.

Just before to travel to India I was in a unconfortable situation, trying to fix my mind on my service in the school but fighting with the desires of family life. When I approach to elders they were trying to help me; my parents and even some of them under your request (like CC and subhra), looking for prospects for me. It became and spiral of interchange of life perspectives and information to end in nothing, I just felt unfaithful and a waste of time. I was talking at that time to my now husband Ranchor Krishna Das, but in the end I stop to talk to everybody. I stop my prayer to the Lord for a good husband. I just realized how silly I was to ask Him that when he can fulfill everything! He can create and destroy everything in a blink.

When I reached Vrindavana finally I felt in peace. I didn’t have knowledge of how to start to see vrindavana. I was reading the book that you recommend me, but still was hard for me. After just one day I saw Ranchor, he was there. He help me and the family that I was traveling with to take darshan in the different places in Vrindavana, Barsana, Gokul, Radhakund-Syamakund, I did with him my first vrajamandala parikrama and also my first Govardhan parikrama. I felt greatful.

I feel that Krishna knew my hidden desires in the heart. Ranchor and I were very honest about our expectations and direction in grihasta life, and we find a very similar perspective. He inspires me very much in devotional life and is very supportive in a personal aspect. He talked to my parents and we talked to his Siksha guru and they agree with the idea of us together. And Im a rasal [rascal], because even you were in my mind all the time, many details in Vrindavan remind me your person, I just remain coward and never write to you. I just beg for your understanding and trust that I took a good decision in my association.

We interchange garlands in Noida temple and sign papers in Delhi, the same day I flew back to Houston. Was maybe after one week that i realized the whole situation. Since then we were been reading SB, Queen Kunti together trying to focus our mind and soothe the separation.  We were being learning and asking from different grihastas details about how to keep a good relationship with each other keeping Krishna in the center. Mind is little bit more peaceful.

HpS - ASA --  Finding a perfect marriage situation in Kali-yuga is like finding a Brahmana in Las Vegas.  From your descriptions it seems like you have acted in sane fashion. This is Kali-yuga. Varna-ashrama-dharma is the best use of a bad bargain. If you stick to devotional service as you have then your marriage will be nice. Can be super-nice (as service together). Ranchor seems like he might have been a Mexican in his last life??!

In my service to Goswami Academy I feel confident managing the classroom and interacting with the other staff. Im also trying to improve in my teaching skills, I took a TOEFL test; it was around 4hrs long, so soon I will have the chance to start college English classes. I got my degree evaluation and seem that is equivalent and complete in the U.S. According to the evaluating agency I completed Bachelor of Science in Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

HpS - Wow!   You can revive dead bodies, turn lead into gold, rescue super-man from Kryptonite!   That is a pretty heavy degree.

Reading some points in SB about varna asrama dharma, sadhana going in a bumpy road, and japa sometimes hitting the 16 very late, fighting with our eating.  Working some Krishna art projects (sculpture and paintings). We took Guru disciple course with Anuttama prabhu, very interesting and inspiring ( Srila prabhupada ki jay!), lots of association here in Houston.

Dear gurudeva, I don’t know how all this blessing are coming to us, I just know that is by your mercy and Srila Prabhupadas. Please keep this family at your service, and consider our ineptitude our disease..

Another enjoyer monkey

Govinda Pramodini Devi Dasi

HpS - Congratulations.   Number one, get up early and get your rounds done!!!

Bigger deals are yet to come.

Hare Krishna Dear Maharaj, Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine feet, All glories to Guru and Gauranga, Hope you are fine in your health.

HpS-ASA  -- Don't look divine.    Guru-Gauranga, Ki Jai!    Our health is O.K., but we are mentally deranged, conditioned soul, you know.

This is Ranchor Krishna Das from Vrindavan Dham. I know you don't know me. I just want to introduce myself to this family and want to tell about my relationship with Govinda Pramodini Dasi.

I was born in Mumbai near Radha Ras Bihari Ji temple (which is also called Srila Prabhupada's office).  My whole family stay there and father have a small business there. So, I used to go to temple from my childhood because my school was in front of ISKCON Gate. So I was attending everyday Darshan Aarti before School.. dancing with Saffron Brahmachari, offering flowers to Prabhupada and that special delicious Sweetrice Prasad and later I also started to go Sandhya Aarti everyday and then I came in contact with my Shiksha Guru His Grace Praneshwar Das, he was head of ISKCON Youth Forum (IYF) and then after meeting with him I started to chant 16 Rounds everyday at that time I was in 8th grade,  slowly I became a part of IYF and started to serve, assit in preaching and also started to serve Praneshwar Prabhu personally.

Actually my parents were not positive with of My Krishna conscious life they were always chastising me even sometimes beat me for going to temple I was feeling so sad to be in home I had desire to become full-time to help in Srila Prabhupada's movement. So I am just waiting to be 18 and then join Ashram but my Siksha Guru not supported me and told me to finish my studies and then join,and I agreed with him and continued my studies..some years passed like this but slowly my father became so Anti ISKCON. And he started to become more violent on me, not allowing me to go to temple and also chant, at this time I was in High School in 12th grade, at that time I decided to ran from home and joined Temple with the blessings of my Siksha Guru.

So,I joined Sridham Mayapur as full time Brahmachari at age of 18, I was serving in Mayapur Institute department there and after year so, my Siksha Guru took me to another preaching project in middle India, I was serving there for next 4 years as a Youth Preacher in colleges with him before coming to Vrindavan, meanwhile I got my both Harinaam and Brahmin initiation from his holiness Radha Govind Goswami Maharaj. 2 years before I decided to change my ashram and started to serve in Braj Mandal Parikrama and started to do some Restaurant business with my friends.

Last year my Shiksha Guru told me about Govinda Pramodini. Actually he is online Bhakti Sastri teacher, he has online Bhakti Sastri group in Dallas, Texas and then we started talk nearly everyday and share about Krishna consciousness and started to read Srila Prabhupada's books together.. teachings of queen Kunti,Krishna Book and share our realisations. We really like each Others thoughts and everything. I met Govinda Pramodini for the first time personally in India at with my Siksha Guru ,we spent some time everyday together and I took her everywhere in Braj, she did her first Vrindavan and Govardhan Parikrama, we were so happy together. actually I didn't met such a wonderful devotee in my life with such a wonderful service attitude towards Krishna and also Vaishnavas.

These days, I really feel deep in my heart that she is the one and together we can serve Krishna nicely and I also got approved her from my Siksha Guru and together me and Govinda with my Shiksha Guru and my guardians decided to get engaged and get paper marriage.

And after taking blessings from My Gurudeva, My Guardian and Govinda family, her parents and all the Vaishnavas we got engaged on July 5th, in ISKCON Noida temple.

Actually, Maharaj we know ,we did everything in rushing and fastly but at that moment I was thinking I don't want to lose her, I was afraid and finally we did everything.

I'm really sorry that I didn't took your blessings at that time. Please forgive me and consider, accept me like your fool Son and Please shower your mercy on us. so, that we can serve in Srila Prabhupada's movement nicely.

Begging for your Mercy,

Your Humble Servant, Ranchor Krishna Dasa

HpS - Very interesting.    It seems like an ISKCON novel.     I think everything will be very nice if at heart  you just take marriage like Deity worship. It is a service that you do to Krsna and you have to learn how to do it. In the beginning the specific personal relations are important but just as important is the dedication to taking marriage as a service to Krsna.

Please send us news from time to time about your service!!!   Very nice to meet you and hope to be of great service to you, and hope that Krsna's plans for you are revealed in a very practical and steady way!!

AGTSP
Paoho

Saturday is very, very hard for us.  WE have two classes and that is a lot of work for us in one day on the internet.
The it is 32 degress centigrade here, so we suffer from the heat, mosquitos, bad allergy, hay-fever. The traffic outside is lots of trucks, cars, ambulances. All of this makes life hard.
Then we don't have any intimate association in our Karma-yoga, people calling us about their passion in with Carl Jung.
I think that you all have just the same problems as us.

We need more exercise than we are getting. Devotees here are content with brisk walks but we need intense exercise. They finish the evening walk in 44minutes, but when we did it at our own pace last Friday we did it at 33 minutes and we see that we could progress a lot more in that line.
We can only do so much of this administrative and preaching work each day, then we want some "sense gratification" so now we are reading

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks14/1403241h.html

It is boring in many ways, but it lets our mind stop thinking and get systematic stimulation from the mode of goodness-passion.
We could just read the KRSNA book and live on water and Goloka maybe. Real possibility, but if we are to stay in this world then we have to feed and read somethings for our Stupid Ass.

Hmmm.

O.K.  We answered all the mail to four days ago. Responed to one more disciple report. In your association had dalh and rice from Mrs. Desai, fruit and nuts.

Let's go walking and see you at Noche Sabado Vivo!!

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaj.

Dandavat Pranaam unto your lotus feet.

HpS - All glories to Srila Prabhupada (AGTSP!). We feel that we still have like "lettuce" feet. We still have material desires mixed with our desires to serve Krsna.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

PAMHO.

Guru Maharaj, I am inspired by your kind reply and spiritual instruction. As material profession, I am Divisional forest officer and I work in Guwahati. I have to be in this stupid profession every week Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.

Although  few, I have got the association of some disciples of His Holiness Bhaktiswarupa Damodar Maharaj and His Holiness Subhag Swami Maharaj, at Guwahati. We have regular Bhagavad Gita discussions on Sunday evenings where we exchange thoughts and concepts on Vedanta.

HpS - Very, very, very nice!  Expand it to include new people. Expand it to once more a week like Wednesday evening. It does not have to be everyone, maybe just one or two people who live closer to you during the week. Sunday and then once during the week makes a very strong program. Then Krsna can inform us how to make more adjustments (BG 10.10-11)

Guru Maharaj, please grace me to make myself render unalloyed service to your lotus feet through Kapi Dhvaja this  time onwards.

I am very pleased to learn about your kind India visit. I am eagerly waiting to have the darshan of your lotus feet. Therefore, I shall certainly come to Mayapur during your period of stay there. So kindly let me know. Also, Guru Maharaj, we have most humbly requested Haridas prabhu to make arrangements for your North East visit.

Again Dandavat Pranam unto your lotus feet.

Your most fallen servant

Krsna Swarup Das

Silchar

HpS - What are you discussing in your Sunday programs?    We mentioned to Yamunesvara Das in another Blog letter answered today that we are going to fix start fixing our India tickets with the next few weeks.  We have exchanged two letters recently with Hari das Das from Nigeria.

AgtSP

Agt Guru and Gauranga

Jay Sri Sri Radha-Krsna

Hare Krsna Maharaja

Budanath das from the little mountain.

I hope you are fine in all aspects.

HpS - ASA  ---  Hare Krsna. This is the material world, no?  It is painfully hot, we have allergy, hay-fever, for many days now. Today it is especially strong. We are surrounded by vikarmia and karmis et al, but we have your association and so, so many other nice devotees. Krsna is in our hearts, cave, NGD house, SB!

Throughout these weeks I have had many good days, others less so, and this last week a lot of work.

I have not read too much, I have to adjust my schedule better and obligations.

I tried to write every day the most important things to tell you when I want to write, but in the end I never remember writing it. Whenever I have the feeling that I will not write something right, and take long to write.

I have had many accomplishments, really, and every day I am happier with my life, like I could die happy now, or something.

HpS - Sadhan Bhakti has two divisions: Relief from material distress and the everything starts to become harmonius, aspicious. Then comes Bhava bhakti.

One thing I wonder. Once I read in the books of Srila Prabhupada, I do not remember whether in translation or meaning, when one encounters the Devas or celestial entities, must continue without entertained with them because it can slow down your spiritual advancement. But at the same time mystic yogis seek these meetings to check on that platform are performing.

When the devotee tries to see Krsna in everything, and it begins to perceive more and more, I guess that goes through these phases in a natural way, relating it to Krsna directly. finally, after all, are the qualities of Krsna embodied with matter in the material platform ... right?

HpS - ASA - Try http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/2/2/21    The answer to this question can have many different aspects. Arjuna acquired mystical powers, deva-shakti, weapons for fighting for Krsna, but as you say it is also a way to see if we are advancing in devotional service. The surest way is to see how much we are attached to Krsna-katha!!!!

If one perceives the Devas, you can also perceive the mighty asuras, their opponents in the same plane right? My question whether, is right that the devotee use his friendship with the Devas to fight the asuras, but I'm wrong is normal in traditional Vedic culture, right?

HpS - As we mention above this can be normal thing, use divine powers to fight the Asuras FOR KRSNA.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu didn´t use their weapons against Jagai and Madai, and Nityananda told him it was not his incarnation to kill asuras, but I imagine it was also because Jagai and Madai repented and threw themselves at his feet thanks to Nityananda.

HpS - Yes!

My question is, is not a something different feature an incarnation that comes to relieve the weight of the darkness of the universe, as justice in person, that the person who defends the devout and the innocent from harm from the bad? I have always read that a devotee is not indifferent to the suffering of others, and not allow damage to the devotee or innocent.

HpS - In terms of "material" good and "bad", organic food, giving charity to poor people, a devotee does this in a civilized fashion, seeing that these are beginning steps to go to Bhakti yoga. So it is natural to act in this way. Arjuna was right, he should have revenged Draupadi and Yuddhisthira, but that by itself was not enought. He had to fight because it was a part of a larger plan for Krsna.

Thank you so much for everything and hope not to bore you.

I think a lot about your person, I hope to spend some time in the future with you in Peru or India. Have your association.

Manjaris are growing in the tulasi forest.

Yours, one fool of this world.

HARE KRSNA MAHARAJA, GOOD DAY, I SEE YOU IN THE TIME OF THE SOUND INSIDE THE HOLY NAMES AND MEMORIES. SOOO NICE YOURS NEWS. NECTAR.

HARI HARI!!!

HpS - Hare Krsna!!!!

All Glories to Sri Guruji Maharaja and Gouranga Mahaprabhu

Radha Krsna Ki Jay, Goura Bhakta Ki Jay,

Dandavat Pranam,

Please accept my humble obeisanses unto Sri Guruji's padmacharan that in checking in the block (Blog) recently I found one letter heading After India written by Abhimanu Prabhu who is working in Bali in the  Bhaktivedanta Academy and Bhaktivedanta Dharma School.  I had met one Abhimanu Prabhu who is also an Amirican during my Bali tour. He knew Guruji also very well. Is this the same Abhimanu or another one? I had written letters and send some photos also but he did not communicate me in future. In future, if Guruji reply his letter please mentioned my name as reminder. His mail address also might change or not, but no reply.

HpS - Yes, he is the same person. We were serving together in San Francisco and on many projects for B. S. Damodara Maharaja. We will tell him to contact you as we are in contact with him.

Guruji, I had already mentioned that we are eagerly waiting  Guruji's tentative time table of North East India, specially for Silchar, Agartala, Guwahati and Imphal for taking arrangement and air tickets. I think, now Haridas Prabhu also might be  in Nigeria so no telephonic conversation and mail.

Not only that,  I am eagerly waiting Guruji's final suggestion for going to our Mandir or Not. After Guruji's reply I would arrange a meeting for all the initiated bhaktas for discussion and taking final decision about the  modalities Gurujis visit in Manipur.

Yours fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - I answered two letters from Haridas Das that he sent from Nigeria. He suggested a schedule that did not leave any time for visits to Bombay, Kolkatta or Vraja. We are taking little time to get opinion of Bombay (Rama-giri-dhari Das), ISKCON Ministry of Education, Kolkatta devotees, so that we can do the best during our six weeks in India.

It is three months until we arrive in India, so it seems that we still have a little time to hear from anybody about their requests, but yes, we should start buying tickets within the next few weeks.

About going to the Mandir, do you mean Thoubal Mandir? As I understand they are keeping an old standard that is not inline with Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON method. Is that correct?

Of course, we would want to ask Banamali Das about his opinion. If he says it is alright and gives suggestions about how to adjust the details, that would be alright. Other wise you can origanize your own programs in your own homes to start with, no?

In any case you can invite people to your home and accept invitations from them and have Kirtan, Lecture (Reading and Discussion), Kirtan, Prasad. Then BG 10.10-11, Krsna will give  us intelligence how to expand more and more.

In NOI Text Seven, in the paragraph beginning, "The conclusion is...", Srila Prabhupada paraphrases the Bhakti-rasa-amrta-sindhu verse, "Adau sraddha...". The exact Sanskrit is in BG As It Is Purport to Text 4.10.

This verse describes the different levels of spiritual development. Look at the translation in BG and then the more detailed explanation in NOI and tell us where you see your level of development. Let us discuss this in some detail and you can also discuss it with the devotees there.

We need to become Uttama adhikari devotees as soon as possible so that we can help others!!!