Letters to the editor

All Glories to Sri Guruji and Gouranga Prabhu

Radha Krsna Ki jay and Goura Bhakta ki Jay

Dandavat Pranam,

Please accept my humble obeisances unto Sri Guruji’s Padamacharan that writing to Guruji through this email or blog is the only means to communicate with Guruji. It is very helpful to me and other bhaktas spiritually because we discuss every letter in our team.

In my previous letter I enquire some questions regarding my personal Shakhi & Manjari, my duty under which Shakhi among the 8 shakhis or upasakhis another 8 Shakhis under one Shakhis and directions. I know nothing about Gita, Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrta, Sadhana Bhakti, Bhava Bhakti and Prema Bhakti. I am just asking only the way / steps to increase spiritual standard just like “if someone wants to become a doctor or an engineer their subjects from the 10^th - 12^th standard should be selected Math / Biology” likewise if someone  wants to enter the Goloka Vrndavan he/she should become a Shakhi and Manjari otherwise he/she  could not. The events of Shiva who enter in the form of a Shakhi, is the example. We should select of particular Shakhi among the 8^th Shakhis or Upashakhis and under their guidance our duties will be fixed like chamar seva, jal seva, dhup seva, barti seva, tambula seva, nrta seva, etc. and  one particular direction or site. During our life time, it should be done by sidhaka from Nabadwip to Goloka. On the other hand, the seva of Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Nabadwip should be done by dasa name of the bhakta sadhaka (physically).

With the acceptance (anumati) from Nabadwip (Caitanya Mahaprabhu) we will get the name of the individual Shakhi & Manjari, direction and duty. Only then we have right to approach Goloka. It is the systems of Manipuri Gouriya Beisnava in Manipur as parampara. After some sadhu sanga I came to know such spiritual advancement. That is why I innocently asked Guruji? If there is any mistakes from my side in such manner, excuse me and keep me in the footstep of Guruji as padadhuli (trnadapi suni cena tarorapi sahisunam…….  Another thing I mentioned about Nectar of Devotion of A.C. Srila Prabhupada is so good and helpful for all but I meant another book translated in English sloka wise meaning of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu of Rupa Goswami’s in sangskrt.  

I am doing my sadhana daily, mangal arati, chanting 16 rounds, reciting some slokas from Gita, Bhagavatam, reading selected religious books regularly. After retirement from service in the year 2022 some fixed system will be followed until then I request some relaxation from Guruji.

Please advise me does and don’ts frequently so as to enable me to increase spiritual level.

Yours fallen servant,

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - Hare Krsna.   There are verse, by verse translations of "Bhakti-rasa-amrta-sindhu" into English by ISKCON's Bhanu Swami and by a nice American professor named David Haberman. Then Danurdhara Swami has a elaboration on Prabhupada's "Bhakti-rasamrta Sindhu" named "Waves of Devotion".

There are so many lines coming down from Lord Caitanya, but ours is from Rupa Goswami. We take Rupa Goswami as the recognized Acharya representing Lord Caitanya. This is confirmed by the verse, "Sri Caitanya Mano Bhistam...", which occurs in the start of Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita.
Of course, there may be so many details and differences, but Rupa Goswami gives us the Upadesamrta as instructions for neophyte devotees and then the BRS as the complete science of devotional service.

According to this perspective your Siddha Svarupa, eternal spiritual body, will be revived as we engage in the process of hearing and chanting etc. We don't have to have it assigned to us.

"Nitya siddha krsna prema sadhya kabu...", quoted in the Nectar of Instruction.
The different levels of waking up to our Siddha Svarupa are described by Rupa Goswami as "Adau sraddha, sandhu sanga...". You can find the full verse cited in the purport to BG 4.10 Purport.

Prabhupada also paraphases it in NOI 7 or 8. 

The stage when we realize our eternal form in Vaikuntha or Goloka would be Bhava bhakti. Before that we try to realize control of our senses in service of the Holy Names and the Arca-vigraha, Deities, as prescibed by our Acharya, Srila Prabhupada.

Hmmm. O.K?     What level are you on now:  Sraddha, Sadhu sanga, Bhajana-kriya, Anarta-nivrrti...?

When we know this then we can take the medicine at that level to advance to the next level. Srila Prabhupada criticized so call Bobbajis at Radha Kunda who were giving Siddha-svarupa initiation to people who were still smoking cigarrettes etc.

We can realize our eternal service when we are free from the necessity of service to the this gross body. Of course we can hear about Radha Krsna pastimes if they inspire us to follow four principles more strictly etc, but to enter into these pastimes we have have no more material conception of life holding us.

Am I attached to thinking this is my job, these are my children, these are my clothes?

What do you think?

All Glories to Sri Guruji Maharaja, Sripada and Prabhupada

Radha Krsna Ki Jay and Goura Bhakta Vrindaki Jay

Dandavat Pranam

Please accept my humble obeisances unto Guruji's padmacharan that today I am so much happy to get Guruji's letter after a long cap. I had suspected on the ground that " Is there any mistack in my question or answer to Gurugis letter". After getting Gurujis reply all suspection or doughts  were all finishe. In future, I can wait any time Guruji's reply as ashirvat or amita.

Our Name hata / Nama Sankirtana is progressing week by week. We will add some new methods of bhajans and chanting one round loudly for all participates. Some one is suggesting to change the site week after week, but not yet finalize. Please suggest us any system or pattern performed in other countries and centres.

Yours fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - Hare Krsna, Prabhu. AGTSP.   One delay in our answering letters is that we are a little lazy. We fight with that. Another is we have so much service some times and we let our correspondence fall to a low level. That is not good. We should always keep correspondence at a high priority.

Third reason is that we are traveling sometimes and then so many people want to talk with us, so there is no time to answer letters, unless they are marked URGENT.

So, we are just now answering this letter. There are two more from your good self. We will see those and then answer all of them in the most recent one.

Thank you.

Hare Krsna, Prabhus,

AGTSP paoho...  We have sent and received some letters about the administrative situation in Peru. Jagajivana Das sent a couple and the complications of what we said, or what we were supposed to have said etc. have become astounding to us so we answered Prabhu's last letter with this proposal:

==========================

Esteemed Jagajivana Prabhu,
Hare Krsna
AGTSP!!!   Thank you for your quick response and valuable service.
Dealing with this stuff by e-mail is just ridiculous: I said, he said, they said, Ooof!
My program and what I preach to everyone in public and private is just to base your life on NOI. Beyond that I would have to hear in detail about what I was supposed to have said to make any personal response.
Incredible.
In any case, we have no plans for visiting Peru until at least January of next year, but one thing that I don't want to turn into too political an issue is that now we are the officially the Examiner for the Bhakti Sastri Diplomas. We have given about 75 of them, but I just can't handle the work anymore, so I have told several people that we want to resign from that position. Of course, if the Yatra wants to continue with the diplomas they need to make some arrangement with the Ministry of Education.
Beyond that, we are of course in personal communication at times on the administrative situation in Peru with Mathuresha, Caturatma, Laksmana, Candra mukhi, Yamunesvara, Omkara, Abhirama, Palika and so many more. I almost never bring up the points, but again and again get approached about the situation there.
So, a simple solution is that we will only deal with these things in our Blog. It is an open forum and there we can all see "What Maharaja said".
O.K?
We hope Krsna increases your Sankirtan unlimitedly

================

One comment that we received by mail is that "you have made
public negative comments concerning certain ISKCON officers, specifically M.
Ganga."    Honestly I can't remember making any public comments about any of these things, and I have always had very intense affection for Yamunesvara, Mataji and amost everybody on the National and Local Councils that I know. Some people I don't know.

Of course, yes, we all need comments from friends about how to deal with our practical life, and that is the thing that we have learned from Ateya Rsi Das, Bhakti svarupa Damodara Maharaja, Sesa Prabhu, and so many. Canakhya and Socrates both make the comment that it is better to have a wise man for an enemy than a fool for a friend.

So, what to speak of having a wise man for a friend. How can I make progress unless my intelligent friends point out my blind spots.

O.K. Enough of that for today.

Look at some of our letters.

Hare Krsna, Prabhus,

AGTSP.... paoho  and Bw.

Here it is 5.14PM, 88`F (31`C) outside, but Tom came by today and put in an exhaust-duct for our free-standing airconditioner.  It was only $110.    Great price for his effort, but machine is not doing much more than before. It makes it O.K. inside here but not super.

The swelling has gone down considerable in our hand and arm from the wasp sting. Don't know if it is Benadryl or just our Yoga.

Enough Brother Ass Katha.

In terms of Sadhana bhakti, we have had pretty good control of our senses today. We really have not done much in the way of recreation or relaxation. We get tired, then we rest a little, do any service that we can and that gets us back into priority service, even though we may not have a material inclination towards it.

We read and answered several administrative letters from Peru and India in our Yahoo account. There will always be so many things to deal with in administration, no?  It is in the mode of passion, so we don't expect first class results there. We expect second class results guided by our first class engagement, Sankirtan!  Judges, bakers and candle-stick makers may all be our Sankirtan partners in ISKCON, then we deal with administration in our institution in order to facilitate this.

" After hearing the vibration of the flute of Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs in Vṛndāvana remembered Him and began to talk amongst themselves about how nicely Kṛṣṇa was playing His flute. When the gopīs were describing the sweet vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute, they also remembered their pastimes with Him; thus their minds became disturbed, and they were unable to describe completely the beautiful vibration.", KRSNA book, Gopis Attracted by Flute.   So, Gopis are 1. Good citizens of Nanda Maharaja's village (ISKCON GBC), 2. They discuss these things with Their intimate friends (Sankirtan partners), and 3. They have their own unique, direct relationship with Krsna (Prabhupada) that is so intense that it can disturb the perfect performance of the first two function.

"Vyāsa was the spiritual master of Sañjaya, and Sañjaya admits that it was by Vyāsa’s mercy that he could understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that one has to understand Kṛṣṇa not directly but through the medium of the spiritual master. The spiritual master is the transparent medium, although it is true that the experience is still direct." BG 18.75.    So, our ISKCON Diksa, and Siksa Gurus, our Temple Presidents and GBC Secretaries, our Family Authorities are only authorities to such and extent as we have a direct experience of Srila Prabhupada through them. If we try to have a direct experience of Srila Prabhupada without including the aformentioned categories then we are missing a great opportinity, no?

We agree with this thesis and its presentation about 87-91%, what about you?

O.K. Let's offer some potatoe soup to Lord Nrsmhadeva and chant and go to NGD Ashrama.

Thank you!

Hare Krishna Gurudev!

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

Your last tweet read your arm was swelled up L I am sorry to hear about the wasp bite. I hope you heal quickly. As much as I despise western medicine, Benadryl does wonderful (temporary) things.

 ASA - Because of Benadryl our just regular Bhakti-yoga, it is reducing the swelling quickly.

A devotee was telling me about one of the forms of NrsngaDev during the time Hiryanakashipu was being disemboweled. The merciful lord pinched a nerve that would numb the entire body, so Hiranyakashipu would not feel the pain. It had me thinking (from a former medical standpoint) about how perfect the creation of the Lord is. Our bodies and their mechanisms are just constructed where you can see Krishna everywhere!

Just an update- so my GRE scores got cancelled and I’ll end up taking the test again...eventually. I still ponder why Krishna made me look bad and I guess my motives became too egotistical. It was His arrangement to make me humble and therefore, love Him more. We can’t love God when we’re too in love with ourselves. I’ll do better next time. 16 Rounds going well. My rounds have become more intense (in a good way). Morning programs also going well. Getting up early- in a lot of association so very blessed out J

I recently came back from Chicago from The Sanga Initiative (TSI) – a wonderful youth retreat of ISKCON youth from all over the states. We got together and discussed the infusion of Krishna consciousness in our hectic lifestyles. It was very inspiring- especially being able to share about college programs and outreach. A week before Chicago, I went to New Vrindaban and saw “old vrindaban” , a few miles down, where Srila Prabhupad originally started the temple. It was in a rundown shack at the bottom of a winded down grassy, bumpy terrain (a road named Aghasura Road). There were snakes in the basement but some original paraphernalia on the makeshift altar.  It was very austere and gave me so much appreciation for Srila Prabhupad and this movement.

Just preparing now for Balaram Jayanti and Janamastami!

 I wanted to revisit the topic of initiation. I 100% understand you are extremely busy Maharaj, so everything is at your convenience and your mercy. We last discussed a date on a Sunday feast during Kartik. October? I was hoping that would still be an option…I get butterflies just thinking about it. What do you think? Pretty please?

I heard you were coming for the opening of the Baltimore Temple in mid-October? Is that so!? My heart jumped out of throat when I heard that.

I listen to your lectures nightly and pray to be at your service. Thank you for your mercy Gurudev!

Your aspiring servant,
Sarita

HpS - We have to discuss with Braja Bihari Das about when we should go Potomac. We will try to call him tonight. Your scores being cancelled under such unfair circumstances is very, very, very intense. Seems that Krsna wants you to do very, very big service in this academic field.

What could that be?

Maybe you can take initiation in Vrndavan. Even if we are wrong in Vrndavan it is right. To have any service in Iskcon is perfection.

Hare Krsna maharaja, please accept my obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

By the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu I still here. Many things happened and still happening all the time but I can realise that I dont want to come back to this world. 

My father left his body 2 months ago, so please I beg you to pray for him. I just write this and it's like it had not really happened. I dont know. It was unexpected and still being difficult to digest when I think about it. I was in Argentina for one month. I had gotten the ticket and I've spent all the money for that and hoping see my father before he passed away but I was late. He left some hours before I arrived. Anyway I could see him for a while.  Then It was hard for me even to decide what to do whether staying in Mayapur or Argentina accompany my mother and sisters. But when I came back to Mayapur I decided that whatever I can do here even if they are not agree, is more powerful and helpful for them than coming back but I need to take advantage for being in the Dham. So now I'm working here in the Goshala by doing Visual Communication and in ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry as Video maker. I'm also translating books about Cows and Enviroment but I'm not sure If I will be able to continue with that service, because I don't have enough time to do everything although I would love to. 

So my mind is busy now and quiet. I started to work in a video to promote "Holy Jail" a book of HH Chandramauli Maharaja and I saw you in some pictures inside the book. So I wanted to ask you if you have videos or pictures from you preaching in jails that I can use. It would be very useful for me to make a good video. I can't believe that ISKCON is preaching in jails. I didn't know that. That's wonderful!

Please if you have any advise for me, let me know. Whatever. I don't know what else I can write you. Actually I can write a book about my life since I'm in Mayapur. Lol!

I miss Vrndavan a lot and  I have a very strong desire to come back but I just try to think that because there's no difference between Mayapur and Vrndavan I beg you to pray for me so One day I will be able to see Vrndavan here and everywhere! 

Thank you so much dear maharaja,

and please give me your blessings to come back to Godhead in this life and If it's not possible, give me your blessings to never turn away from Radha Krishna and his devotees and to develeop the greed to become a pure devotee of the Lord wherever it is that I'll be 

Hoping Lord Nrsimha protects you.

Trying to serve,

Syamasundari devi dasi.

HpS - AgtSP.

You took initiation from Mahatma Das?

We would also like to stay in Vrndavan, do something unique for Radha Krsna.

As long as we are chanting from our heart at the feet of Srila Prabhupada were are making progress out of illusion.

If an ISKCON devotee is thinking of us at our death then our future will be up in the greatest possible way.