Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Maharaj,

I read your latest DTC and am concerned over your health and praying fervently that Krishna keeps your body (and mind) running smoothly for His work. You are such an amazing inspiration and example always. Supersoul speaks through you directly.

I went to a vegetarian festival down in Richmond this weekend and we sold over 700 books and meditation kits. We were selling Yogi Dogs (vegan Prasad hot dogs) and it went great.

HpS   -  Ahaaa . Dog Eaters for Krsna!

Lines all through the day. Everybody got a meditation kit with Prabhupads books and beads who purchased a hot dog. 

I just took my GRE a few days ago and it went well (the proctor saw car keys in my hands during the break and assumed I was up to something) so she made a note*. By note, if the testing company thinks I cheated, they will hold my scores and I would have to re-take the test (after 3 months of studying for it). I’m hoping it doesn’t affect the release of my scores. The ‘education’ system here is extremely frustrating.

Besides that, I am also in the process of buying a home (to help out my mother). It’s stressful but it is for Krishna and parents (first gurus right?). This isn’t something I thought I’d do a year after graduating college but I am letting Supersoul guide me. It will be utilized in the service of devotees. 

 Please send blessings that I may be of service to you and Srila Prabhupad and keep Krishna in the center always.  Maybe a prayer that I can gain control over my emotions and mind. 

Personally, I have moments where I get mad ---not at Krishna, but just in general and that tends to spill into other parts of my service. How do I keep calm and gain better control over my actions?

HpS - NOI 1. Anger comes from frustrated desires.   What is it that you want that is not happening and that is making you angry?   Is it good anger?

I look forward to hearing from and wish you the very best in South America. Can’t wait for you to be back!

Jai Nitai-Gauranga!

Your attempting to be servant,

Sarita

HpS - Sounds good!    Why does Krsna make you look bad in your GRE test?  Hmmm????   Thank you so, so, so much for your efforts and austerities. In our opinion you are the top 5% of people on the planet in terms of personal sacrifice for others.

All Gloritis to A.C. Prabhupada Maharana and Sripada Maharaja

Sri Guruji Maharaja and Gouranga Mahaprabhu

Radha Krsna Ki Jay and Goura Bhakta Vrnda Ki Jay

Dandavat Pranam

Thank You so much for Guruji's reply and advice me from time to time. Please accept my humble obeisances unto Sri Guruji's pdmacharan that the matters written in the previous letter is about personal sakhi & Manjari. In which direction (the eight gates of Vrndavan) and under whose sakhi’s guidance (the 8 sakhis) and what will be the duties?

            I had read the 7^th sloka of NOI and the 4.10 BG but it does not related directly with my questions. In the mean time I had discussed with prabhu Partha Sarthi Das in his house and discussed about the metter. He suggested me that such rear matters are discussed mainly in the book “Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu written by Rupa Gosvami in Sanskrit”. We need to read the book in English Translation not Prabhupada’s Nectar of Devotion. I will try to collect the book in English translation at the earliest then it will help me in future

            Again in some local books, the names of the eight Manjaris are not same and their doors and direction also not same. What will be the real names, directions, and their respective duties for Krsna?

HpS - Yes, there are details of all aspects of devotional service in Rupa Goswami's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Srila Prabhupada's Nectar of Devotion is a translation of practically speaking every verse of the BRS.   Then Danurdhara Swami has a book, "Waves of Devotion" which helps very, very much to make "Nectar of Devotion" very clear.

In Text Eight of NOI it gives the general details. Basically we have to become expert at Sadhana Bhakti first, then Bhava bhakti, then in Prema Bhakti we will understand our Siddha svarupa in Goloka. This is not a light thing. Until we ar following the four regulative principles of ISKCON very strictly for many years and chanting at least 16-very enthusiastic rounds for at least six years we can't even begin to understand these things.

It will be Fairy Tales for the most part.

How is your Sadhana Bhakti? Have ready and understood Srimad Bhagavatam completely?  Caitanya caritamrta?  Many people give the "Names of our Sakhis" etc very cheaply, but this Gopi bhava is something very, very elevated. Even Narada Muni has hard time to really understand it.

            This time, the programme of Saturday Sankirtana is performed in better way. I hope, gradually the number alos will automatically increase.

            I will see, Guruji Maharaja’s time table in the near future.

Yours fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - Just finished these very intense programs in Peru and Houston and looks like we will go to India in February of 2017 for sure and leave our body Novemer 2024.

HARE KRISNA

Por favor acepte mis mas humildes reverencias.

     El miercoles pasado celebramos el Kirtan en un parque grande de Villalba. Vinieron Jajanta y su familia, Hari Cakra, Irina y sus hijos, mi hermana, mi hija, una persona que conocí haciendo Sankirtan que se llevó un libro y yo. Estuvimos cantando, bailando, comiendo Prasadan y compartiendo entre nosostos y con esta persona el placer trascendental de cantar los Santos Nombres. Nos lo pasamos muy bien incluida esta mujer que decía que había notado algo muy bonito y especial al cantar el Maha Mantra. Estoy muy contenta porque está muy interesada y siento que Krisna también está feliz por ello. Quiero hacer esto una vez a la semana aquí en Villalba. Siento que no hay nada más importante que dar a conocer los Santos Nombres y que Krisna me guía a través de S. Prabhupada. Y creo que es porque todos los días, en mi sadhana me entrego a Krisna. Le doy todo mi cuerpo, todo mi esfuerzo, toda mi alma y toda mi mente. Le entrego mi vida porque no quiero hacer nada más que servicio devocional. Ahora estoy saliendo a hacer Sankirtan todas las mañanas de lunes a viernes. También he animado a mi hermana a que lo haga y sale conmigo de vez en cuando. Krisna es maravilloso porque me bendice siempre que salgo a distribuir libros conociendo a personas que están interesadas y que puedo ayudar de alguna manera. Siempre hay personas que se llevan libros y siento como un poquito de S. Prabhupada se va con ellas. Y eso me da mucha alegría. Percibo que él está conmigo en esos momentos y que está contento. También estoy muy feliz de que usted esté contento con todo esto que hago.  Mi próximo proyecto es ir a Segovia, la provincia vecina, a hacer Sankirtan junto con otros devotos. Mi intención es ir por la mañana temprano y estar distribuyendo libros hasta el mediodía. Despues, hacer un poco de turismo con los devotos. Ya se han apuntado dos: Yus y Kirtan y junto con mi hermana  seríamos cuatro. Le mantendré informado.

     Por otro lado, también quisiera decirle que el próximo fin de semana iré al Ratha Yatra de Barcelona con otros devotos: Jaga Mohan, Yus, Kirtan y mi hermana. Me hace mucha ilusión; todavía no conozco el templo de Barcelona y lo mejor: poder estar con el Señor Jaganatha, Baladev y Subadra. 

     Ahora y para terminar me gustaría hablarle de mi hija. Ella se llama Sara y tiene casi ocho años; los cumple en agosto. Es una gran devotita; aparte de llevar muy bien su sadhana, la gusta mucho ir al templo  y siempre está pensando en Krisna. Pone fotos de Krisna por todos los sitios, hasta en su tablet. La gusta mucho oir musica devocional, está aprendiendo a tocar el armonio y ya se sabe alguna canción que toca en los kirtan que hacemos en los parques. Le voy a mandar unas fotos en las que sale ella tocando. Y lo último que ha hecho es pedirle a Yadunandana S. refugio como Sicsa Guru. Maharajas le dijo que sí con agrado porque le estuvimos diciendo cómo es su sadhana y le pareció bien. A mi me dió mucha emoción; espero que siga así. Yo haré todo lo posible para ello. Y como yo la hablo de usted, también siente mucho aprecio y respeto hacia usted.

     Le mando unas fotos de nuestros Kirtan en el retiro y del Kirtan en Villalba el otro día.

     Sin mas, quedo a su servicio.

HpS - ASA ---- Puede ver por que nuestra respuesta es tan lento para esta carta en nuestras DTC.  Gira de Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Huston.       De su carta su vida, hija, todo es super.   Mantenga 16 buenas rondas como base y por el paso de tiempo va a desarrollar una mundo de espiritualidad increible. Ocupa otros en Sankirtan!

Hare Krishna Dear guru maharaj, Please accept my dandavat pranams, All glories to Srila Prabhupad.

I have been thinking about writing a letter, but have been busy with lot of changes in life. I have been blessed with a baby girl Sphurana in January. please bless the baby.   I have been reading the news letters and blog occassionally and getting back to my routine life. I wanted to meet you when you come to Houston, but could not make it. Apologies for my laziness.

HpS - Well, we are slow in answering this letter so how can we criticize you any more than we criticize our selves, but we get our rounds done well, mangala arati, sankirtan.   I guess you Sankirtan is taking care of your family materially and spiritually. How old is your daughter?   We will be in USA until December so we can talk!!!
Keep your priorities, otherwise even wolves have families!!

Its nice to see the instructions you give to different disciples. I will try to make it when you come to Houston next time

your servant

Nilachala chandra das

All Glories to Sri Guruji Maharaja and Gouranga Mahaprabhu

Radha Krsna Ki Jay and Goura Bhakta Vrnda

Dandavat Pranam

Please accept my humble obeisances unto Guruji's padamacharan that I am reporting my personal sadhana and weekly the nama sankirtana of our team along with Banomali Prabhu and his team. Last Saturday, chanting of mala one round loudly with all the bhaktas after distributing malas for new invitees and those initiated bhaktas who came without mala. We  are looking both qualitative and quantitative.

Everything is possible only Guruji's aasirbad.

Yours fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - So very very nice. How is the University and the Manipuri State?   If you can send some pictures that will be very very nice. You just add them by Browsing your computer at the place below.

Our respects to Vanamali. From the DTC you can see what we are doing.

AGTSP
paoho

Esteemed Regional GBC Secretaries, friends and intelligent Enemies et al.
We received very encouraging letters from Swami Hanuman and Jayapataki Swami. Thank you so much.
After the 'Psychology and the Sacred' symposium, we had intense event like one day, week, after another in Cusco, La Paz, Cochabamba, Chosica and Lima.
Then without chance to lie down to rest for 34-hours we transited back to Houston with 5-hours in-transit it Mexico City, and then five day Bhakti-vaibhava Seminar in Houston followed by this super-intense, "Third Annual Norther American Symposium on Education with ISKCON", here in Houston.
All this stuff has been very intense and very productive.
This is 90% of the reason we have not answered Jayapataka Swami's letter yet and also because we wanted to get our Summary Video of the event up where you could see it. A picture is worth a thousand words [and since a video is 24-pictures per second it may be worth more].

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dx_aHNMxT4

Maharaja asked us some bio-data on the participants:
Dr. Ravi SIngh (Nitai gaurasundara Das). Our friend and many of you know him also in Tennessee for many years. He is Director of local psychiatric hospital, excellent devotee. President of our organization, NIOS (North American Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies). He was a leader in RSS in India in his youth but not so active in Indian politics after becoming ISKCON man. His brother is currently President of the Indian Lawyers Association etc.
Dr. Ravi Gupta (Radhika Ramana Das) - He spoke about 'Maps of the Mind'. Ramon said that 'he was pure gold'. Of course, he is very prominent in ISKCON and currently chair of department of religion at his university in Utah.
Ramon Mujica - Director of the National Peruvian Library. EXCELLENT Jungian and philosophical scholar. Great devotee of Santa Rosa of Lima. Great sense of humor. Family has been Ministers and founders of Museums for generations. Visited ISKCON center for three days in a row with his father when a youth.
Dr. Darrol Bryant - He is one of the most active and respected scholars in the area of interfaith dialog at this point. University of Ottawa. Our contacts in India were impressed he was coming.
Beverly Zabireskii - Co-founder of the Jungia Society of New York and the wonderful, powerful Philemon Foundation. They are editing and publishing so many unpublished works by Jung. Prabhupada said that of all the Western philosophers, Carl Jung seemed to have the most sense. She was also drama critic for the New York Times.
Cecilia Monterra - As we know, French sociologist. Married a Chilean businessman. Served as Director of Social Services for Chile. Became disgusted seeing people as statistics, so changed to spirituality and has now several books published by big presses. She said that she knows what is going on in South America and there was no even like this anywhere.

Om Bhakti - Our ISKCON Indian classical musicians from Chile. They have been on grants two times to study in India. One of the best I know in or outside of India. They 'Wowed' the Psych audience and also did 30-minutes at the Yoga day festival with 1,600 participants.
Sudip Chakravorty - He is Ambassador for India in Peru. He gave us help HELP H E L P.   He even paid the hotel stay for Om Bhakti. He was in ecstacy for the program and gave a relaxed, funny Inauguration address that was amazing.

Kalyan-kumar Chakravorty - He was Director of Primary Education for Uttar pradhesh (like 600,000 school kids) et al. We made a fanastic video clip of him while we were in India and it was played with subtitles. He has clear idea of global strategy. Also turns out he is very close friend of the Ambassador so they exchanged several phone calls about the event.

IN PERU
Eduardo Gastelemundi - President of Psychiatric Association. Father founder of one of the best universities of Peru and friend of Ramon since childhood. He organized a meeting with Beverly, HpS and NGD with the Freudian society.
Juan Vega - Director of Graduate Studies at best Jesuit University in Peru. His Director chastised him when he heard about the event that he had not arranged a daytime event on their campus while everyone was there. he did it and Radhika and Darroll went. Never had such serious and intelligent questions, Radhika said.
Bustamantes - Head of Buddhist Society. He said that Nirvana is not Voidism. It is more like concept of Brahman in Hinduism. Very practical answers to questions about suicide etc from audience.
Miguel Polo - Director of Philosophy at San Marcos University. The oldest university in South America. Big congress organizer. Lost becoming Dean by 5%. Very friendly, sharp, Buddhist ethics scholar.
Dolores Chaves (Lalita-gopi) - Senior Professor from second biggest university in Mexico. Gave incredilby informed presentation on meditation in the modern world. Director of the Ethics and Morality training program for her university.
Hector Behar - One of Che Gueverra's generals. Excellent thinker. On the United Nations Committee against hunger. One book a year. Teaching in six universities. on Radio constantly. UN estimate is that 1-million people a year commit suicide. That is more than all the deaths from all the wars in the world. Psychology is a very necessary science.
Some more but stop here.

They all said the next even should be Art and the Sacred and planned for 2018. Then we bring Mahaprabhu's show from Uraguay and art critics from around the world. Of course, psychology will fit in without effort.
We are just like passengers on the boat at this point
There is more, but that is a general principle of where this stands. These are ALL doing people with wonderful followers. It is like preaching to the four Kumaras.
The co-ordinatig back bone is the Journal. Solaris. It is in Spanish and God willing it will come out in English next and then the next issue will go into production. Planning annual now.
Please help us, direct us!
Thank you.