Letters to the editor

Gauranga! Every day is a festival in Sridam Mayapura, West bengal. Today is especially festive as it is the celebration of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's Dissapearnce day.

In December 1974  Dina Bandhu Prabhu the Portland temple president announced that we were going to Vancouver, Canada for this festival. Devarsi Dasa explained to me that in Hare Krishna we celebrate a death day as much as a birthday because that is when a devotee goes back to godhead. It was a new concept. We loaded into a couple of vans, picked up a few more in Seattle, another carload in Northern Washington at a little farm, and the devotees from New Saranagati. We were greated by Bahudaka Prabhu and a roaring Hare Krishna kirtan as we pulled up the driveway into ISKCON Vancouver. The next day we had mangals, Tulsis and a class by Srila Prabhupada about his Guru maharaj.

That  morning we fasted and cut up for the feast that was supposed to be served at noon thirty.  Instead the 12:00 arotik was so ecstatic that Sukadeva led Hare Krishna kirtan through the 4:00 arotik. Fianally the prasadam came out in 50 gallon drums. Three Subjis, rice, chutley, pakoras, puris, sweet rice, gulabjamins, and more. In those days there was no oil in Krishna's kitchen in North America, everything was cooked in ghee and other dairy products. The strawberry halavah had so much butter you could have floated a boat. Aw memories, memories.

41 years later I am still feasting with the first class prsadam made by Bhakt Vidya Purna Swami's boys at the Gurukula Brahmana school. They produce their own ghee, from their own cream, from their own cows. It is a good meal. Maharaj said that "The rules of Bhakti Yoga should be presented at different levels so that a person can accept them. All the rules are there so that we can remember Krishna. The principle is the idea to think of Krishna." 

One hundred and one thousand visitors came to Sridam Mayapur Chandrodaya mandir on Christmas weekend. To engage them in Krishna Conciousness as Gita Mela was constructed. This was a themepark with many booths. Visitors poured through a big golden and white archway with releifs ofdemigods and clubs guarding it.

The first thing the folks see is a wax museum type diorama exhibit of various pictures from the Bhagavad Gita. The three modes of nature, changing bodies, the senses as horses carrying away the souls, a man eating like a pig becoming one, naked lady into a tree, and a starving bird in the cage getting the cage cleaned.  Other booths were for japa, kids corner, books, questions and answers, and more. A main stage had rotating show of Indian dance, Hare Krishna kirtan, and Bengali lectures on the Bhagavad Gita. 

Sri Mayapur International School had their own Hari Nama sankirtan party and an art exhibition. There were many Hari Nama Naga sankritan parties all over ISKCON Mayapur. Along with them are dozens of sankirtan devotees ditributing Srila Prabhupada's books to the crowd. Laxmi Moni Devi Dasi spoke about Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati opening temples all over India and preaching in Burma, England, and Germany. Srila Saraswati said "We should call at the door of each and every seeker of the truth. Bearing on our head the baggage of reak truth for them."

I hope this meets you well, Your servant, Mishra Bhagavan Dasa

ASA - Jaya!!  Incredible!!!   Now, please try to write some poetry for the next letter also!!!!   Thank you so much!     We have one foot on airplane for South America.

Hare Krishna Maharaj,

PAMHO.    All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 It was so wonderful to see you, learn from you and have your association in Richmond.  It really recharged my spiritual batteries… especially when you casually asked in a very serious tone “what is your position in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission?”

Been trying to figure that out and since I can’t preach at work without stepping on toes, the best thing would be to go back to the college campuses. DC colleges all have bhakti clubs but no activity, so the goal is to get that up and going (unless you suggest something else!)

Been keeping up with readings and joined Subala Sakha Prabhu’s weekly conference calls (SB and BG) which keeps the mental energy stimulated. Also taking the BV College Disciple Course online as per Divyanam prabhu’s  recommendation.

I've been working on the ‘get-up-early-and-get-rounds-done”--- I still do rounds scattered throughout the day, but the bead bag does get heavier as the day goes on so with your mercy, I hope to be able to combat that and get.it.done.

At first I found it coincidental that all the questions I came to Richmond with, but didn’t ask, were  answered or talked about in your lectures. If that’s not paramatma speaking directly to me, I don’t know what is.  It definitely cleared out the "spiritual pipeline" for lack of a better word. As you always say “back to Godhead!”

 Everything is back to being God-centered. Not after career aspirations and nonsense, but still have some sense of ambition channeling towards sankirtan movement. I also hear you playing the flute a lot in my head...(random tidbit you should know?)

But just taking it one day at a time. Hoping to become a “formal refugee” soon and eventually qualify to serve you.  Definitely need to build a strong knowledgebase so I can preach forward so please bestow  your mercy upon me.

I pray that your health progresses and your projects are going successful.

humblest regards,

Sarita

HpS - ASA --- It was also very nice to see you.  DC clubs seem fine, but you can preach everwhere. You can display your effulgence, and your smile. Prabhupada says that these are two potencies of a purified soul and you can use them to attract people. Once they want to talk you can say,well my old Indian Grandpa used to say... and then cite Prabhupada!

"I am the taste in water, the light of the sun, fragrance of the earth."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yt2aH42JE (Sunshine)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkGS263lGsQ  (Originally sung by Radharani)

Know your level, know there level, give the proper medicine.

Hare Krisna mi Querido Guru Deva espero que se encuentre bien por favor acepte mis humildes reverencias TODAS LAS GLORIAS A SRLA PRABHUPADA. 

Por aqui todo va bien por su infinita misericordia, sigo haciendo servicio en el Templo de Madrid.

Espero que venga pronto a Madrid.

Intentando ser su humilde sirviente Jagamohan Das

HpS - Hare Krsna!!

All glories to Rai and kanai

All glories to Srila prabhupada

All glories to you Pamho Dear gm.

Sorry that I don't write ofthen,

ASA - You are like Clint Eastwood also, you don't talk much, but when you talk, your paint brush talks for you.  -[;o)

I try my best to get in fmp with my bad internet. This year was very good full on changes, thanks for your guidance we are following the 4 principles , japa but not much into the temple .....so much work to do, and the crowd its hard for us to deal means we have to develop more tolerance:) we go to other temple and parikram.

HpS - ASA --- Its a fact. It is nice during the afternoon when the Temple is closed to outside people, then at 4.30PM

By the time we are working in cow projects to protect the and regular basis (food and medicines). It's amazing how wonderful and mistreated they are of course in the streets. Also we joined the sublime foundation (its a NGO that is focused in to green transition and selsuficiency working together with Bliss in iskcon ) so if radharani allow us we will start preaching soon in a small level to create awareness about the situation in imfia.

And give easy and useful solution we are invited for ELS meetings its only one week. I want to ask you so may things but I will. ask when you come :0). By the way we spoke with prasanta mataji about any seminar that you could give so we need dates to arrange the programs, everything according to what you prefer to teach. I'm been lit bit sad because I'm leaving soon so I'm trying to keep my mind full busy even if I know I will take vraj with me.

HpS - Afects a lot!  Hmmm.  It can make you go mad.  Better to never leave Braja, just go disappear in the forest and die of exposure, than leave Braja, but....  if you don't go out, how will other people learn of the wonderful land of Vrndavan???  As long as you have any little thought of Braja while traveling outside, the Gopis can keep you on the remote control and you will be connected with Braja.

It's affects a lot, so I'm learning acupressure and biomagnetism to help other. It's not easy so much to study and I have memory deficiency. Please take care I heard your health its not good so I will try to look afther you from far maybe some reiki will be good if you allow me Ys Vraja bhandar Rcd

HpS - ASA - We are posting the details here in the Blog, but we arrive in Delhi roughly the 18th night and leave for Kolkatta the 21st morning. So I guess we will stay in Delhi or maybe squeeze in a trip to Vraja.

Later, the, 25th - 29th we will be in Braja!

AGTSP
paoho
Our visit to India has been a little complicated, but now we are getting it fixed. We will arrive in Delhi, Friday, 25th March. We can get an early flight so we can be in Vraja early to teach in the afternoon if you like. Then we have to get back to Delhi by late 30th, Wednesday, night, so we could teach from 25th afternoon to 30th afternoon.
We are doing a lot of work with Bhakti-vaibhava. We are members of the Executive Committee of Ministry of Education. Also, we are doing a lot of preaching using Light of the Bhagavata and Carl Jung as outreach tools, This has allowed us to do programs with Nobel Laureate candidates etc.
We have very intense study of NOI also, I guess Bhakti-vedanta level.
Finally we taught NOD, Southern part at Radhadesa for many years, and we integrate it with Western theater tradition for using it also for personal development and as a preaching tool.
We could give Teacher's seminar???   We could introduce people to the these courses.
LOB
NOI
NOD
BhVai
Carl Jung and the Bhagavata.
Ministry of Education Development.

Please engage us as you can. We would almost certainly have many disciples and friends who would also want to join the courses.
Nitai-Gaura, Radhe Shyama, Jaya Krsna-Balarama!
Hope to meet you soon.

--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 12/22/15, Damodarashtak das <[email protected]> wrote:

 Subject: Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education
 To: [email protected]
 Date: Tuesday, December 22, 2015, 2:05 AM
 
 Hare Krishna
 Respected Maharaj,
 Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories
 to Shrila Prabhupad.
 I am writing you on behalf of VIHE Director, H.G.
 Prashanta devi dasi.
 We received information from one of your
 disciples some time back that you would be in Vrindavan soon
 and are interested to offer some seminar at the
 VIHE. 
 I wanted to know the dates when you will be in
 Vrindavan.
 Thank you very much,
  
 your servant,
 Damodarashtak das
 
 Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education
 www.vihe.org
 
 

Land Delhi 10.45 PM, February 18th. Go to Temple. Zzzzzzz. Harsh booking room for us 18, 19, 20th nights. Surely one or two more can squeeze into the same room.  Maybe go to Vraja for the day, but really is short time.

21st, Sunday, we have Jet 903 at 8am or so to Calcutta. Next we will fix a night there and look for a Huzar Duari ticket on the 22nd. That gives us 23 to prepare then ILS meetings etc. for one week.

One extra day or so after in Mayapura and then to CCU airport and maybe direct to Manipur!! for few days...   ...