Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna, dear Gurumaharaja.

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Thank for answering my letter.

I should have explained mysef better

HpS - ASA --   AGTSP   paoho...   We have been wondering what has happened to you!    Several days with no communication.     First decision is:

Am I going to serve God or the Devil. 

God.

The devil has faster parties and better whiskey but in the long run prospects don't look so good.

I’ve been there. No more, enough.

Second decision is which Acharya am I going to select to approach God?    Jesus, Mohammad, Caitanya? 

Lord Caitanya

Are you fixed in staying under Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet eternally? 

Definitly

His ISKCON?

Yes, indeed

Next we got GBC details etc.    Varna-ashrama details.   These are still part of our transcendental service.  This is where things can start to get very practical and very detailed.

I would suggest first thi​ng is your Ashrama.  There really are only four: B'cari, Grhasta, V'prastha and Sannyasa.   If you start inventing Brahmastra, Grhacari etc you are an easy target for Maya. 

Right! I was wondering…I felt that my mind was trying to decive me.

You don't have Sastra to tell you what to do.  Good people don't know how to relate to you.
No bona fide ISKCON organization is going to suggest something other than Varna ashrama Dharma.

The junta agreed when I brought up the white issue…Maybe they don’t know either. Here you turn white as to say: girls, watch, I’m available.

This is one dis-accord [amongst the many more accords] that we may have with Hrdayananda Maharaja.  We remember him saying that there is no such thing as "Vedic Culture" in Vedic tradition, but then next day we saw in Prabhupada's books the statement, "Vedic culture, Varna-ashrama-dharma". We did not want to bring it up, so as not to create a polemic, argument, over a more minor point, but there it is.

I just say that I like Krishna west, I don’t endorse everything they say.

We are b'cari, grhasta, vanaprastha or sannyasa, or sastric approved subdivision. Yes, we can take to some mixed, mental concoction for illusiory sense gratification,

Yes, I was suspicious of myself…trying to enjoy out of frustration.

but we will only get mixed clarity of intelligence and a mixed chance of human body in this life or the next.  Of course, Krsna, Guru, will still try to help us and engage us in pure devotional service and get us back on the track.

So, now you are a B'cari. Dress in peach colored clothes in the temple, and as much as possible outside. Dress in secular dress as needed for Sankirtan, but for short term contact for preaching purposes only.

Still not sure about wearing ropes [robes?]. For me are not comfortable, and it’s kind of unnatural to me… Definitly for giving class, altar service, festivals…but those dipers [diapers?] I don’t like, really.

ASA - Not sure about what are "diapers". Wear peach colored yogi pants and a kurta?

Who is experience great succes in the modern world? Russia, China, USA?   Krsna West or some other entity is designed to connect with the successful material culture?    No, that is not the idea. There is no, "Main Stream Successful Culture".  Are we right?

There is only a "Main Swamp Confused Culture", and yes, Lord Caitanya shaved off his Sikha, but he didn't take a Sannyasa name, so we have to adjust but with intelligence.

Yes, That’s pretty clear to me. Mingle with people for preaching, to enrich human culture, no play their games.

We offer our advice to you and others.   It is very nice discussing with you, but victory, rather than seeing your life becoming a defeat,

I consider myself a winner. I’m a warrior of Lord Caitanya’s sankirtan movement!

depends on good advice, and good advice comes from many counselors. Talk with Mathuresa Das, Omkara Das. . .

I’m gonna talk to more people…already to junta as I mentioned.

The Peru yatra, to our vision, is a mess in terms of administration. The USA is a mess.

I sadly agreed. That frustrate me again and again. That’s when NIMSAR comes as a sane (more or less) proposal to change things.

Men can marry men and give each other a big lusty good-by kiss in the airport and the Supreme Court agrees!

1. In any case don't deviate from ISKCON management structure. If it comes to the fact that the ultimate managing authority, the GBC, is itself fallen, then we can go directly to Prabhupada for adminitrative solutions.

No problem with that. You’ve been by my side in my worse moments in ISKCON. You know that. I’ll never quit ISKCON and Prabhupada or deviate.

They told me that Daru Krishna is leaving Narayana’s maharaja group ‘cause he wants to do things in his own way…No surprise. He always wanted that.

2. Always be a part of the solution. Always think how I can improve the situation, help others, rather than run away and get my own benefit.

Yes, sir, I’m still helping in Chosica but from education perspective, with NIMSAR, etc. (despite that faultfinding and back stabbing continues, I don’ mind)

3. Always keep your Sadhana. FMP.

No problem with that.

4. Wear orange as a B'cari. Consult with Guru, Brahmanas et al, about changing Ashrama and then if you are going to go into Vanaprastha Ashrama, then wait until reasonable arrangments have been made by sane family (ISKCON) memebers and formal aggreements made, even signed documents, fire sacrifice, then change color.

 OK

The Witch will howl and gnash Her teeth in dismay but you will be safe and strong. Your wife will be safe and strong (She may even have a little mustache). Your nation will be safe and when you die they will make a tomb for you in central Lima and write on it: He was a Cool Dude, and people will come to offer flowers at your tomb and pray for benedictions (and unless there is a proper roof, pigeons will also drop splendid offerings on your monument).

And by the way...   Where is our Word Doc for the NIMSAR Regional Encounter and we know about the Youtube posting.  Ambo/Vrsa have been pretty professional to tell us where it is.
I’ll tell to our president Gandharva prabhu
HpS - We noted it on our response to the Ekadasi report.

You are one of our ASA Main Guys.  Monkey and Piggy et al, don't care really what you do, too much, as long as you keep making these great blog posts.

Yes, GM, I’m getting excited about write here.

I have more hot topics related to my ISKCON perspective!

Thank you very much. I was going through a bad moment. But still, I think a have to consider my ashrama. I’m contemplating Karuna krisna and Patraka examples. They both went home and authorities suggest wearing white. I’m not sure if it applies in my case.   

HpS - Yes, that's another thing. Some temples have a standard that only B'caris living in the Ashrama can wear Saffron.  Main thing is to dress so that people know that you are in B'cari ashrama. Change to Vanaprastha in a sane way and don't spend too much time worrying about it. Sankirtan!!!

See you soon.

The LAD

HpS - Yes, we will be in Peru in January!    Also, we have lots more work to do with ISKCON Education Ministry.    We are doing a lot here.

NOw to the DTC.

Purn  Dear Gurudeva:

Please, accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Sorry, I don't write you more often. I have to improve.

ASA(Monkey Piggy) - Yeah!

I am working as a school teacher after two years of taking care of Sarasvati at home. So, I am adjusting schedules. I get up at 5:15 am, chant 4 round and Gayatri, and then I wake up the children (during breakfast, we read pastimes of Krishna. I chant the other 12 round during the children play time and at my 1 hour lunch time (and in the afternoon if I couldn't finished them all). 

At school, I have got 14 children (4-5 years old). every morning, we wake up Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra doll Deities and offered them the flowers or leaves that the children bring from their gardens. while they are working or playing, the mana mantra is playing and before lunch and at the end of the day, we dance with some devotional music. We enjoy these moments a lot. It is very curious, that every year, when the children listen the "Govinda" song, at least one of them, tell me that his or her mother, has got that song in the car. they love this song. Every week, we watch a chapter of the Little Krishna movie and they like it a lot. This is all I humbly can do at school, thanks to Krishna's mercy.

At home, Nimai and Sarasvati are growing well. I'm trying to give them a good example but my husband's is much better than mine.

About the Gurukula, I organize it every Friday afternoon, after school. By the moment, since the weathers is still good, we meet at a nice rural property where the children have planted flowers and vegetables for Krishna. every session consist of greeting, chanting Japa, Bhajan and aratic, reading of Srimad Bhagavatam for kids, craft and gardening. The number of children is increasing, so my house is getting insufficient speaking about space. But that is what we have. In two weeks, we will be meeting at my house Friday afternoons. I am considering about extending the meetings to Saturday mornings too, when we could do more activities, specifically, thhe ones that need to be don in an open area. Could you, please, give me your advice and blessings to do things right and with humility?

Thank you for everything.

hoping you are doing fine when reading this message. 

Your humble servant,

Purnamasi devi dasi

HpS - AGTSP ---   This is a pubic school?  You can include so much ISKCON activities!   Sounds very, very nice.   We have noted every point.   Do you have Mother Tapasvini's Sunday School Curriculum and School Organization materials?

Please accept my humble obeisances dear gurudeva.
All glories to Sri Sri Adi Gaura Nitai! All glories to Srila Prabhupada
How is your health?

ASA - Common question.   We answer it often. Basically it is good. We have bee having stomach pains for few days but honoring a lot od yogurt prasadam seems to have reduced them Everyone has these situations.   Of course, our Donkey is 67-years old so he is starting to diminish. That is good.  We will have another.   Only hope that it is in the shadow of Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet.   ISKCON>

I feel very good for many things. One of them because I can be on japa joe again, taking your wonderful and merciful association which inspires me a lot. Really.
There are many changes in my life now. I moved to the temple and I'm living here with bramacarinis (very good devotees with a lot of cualities) more than 2 months ago and I will stay till I go to Mayapur on November. This has been my challenge before I left and as any challenge, Krsna test us all the time. Specially our false ego. But anyway, I can learn a lot about myself all the time. Devotees helps us to do it and even sometimes hurts I'm very grateful for that because they help me to see my faults, my attachments and then I can realize what is what I have to improve. 

Studying BG opened my mind very much. I can realize one thing about my obstacles: everything is related with my false ego. Whatever bother me is because of this. If everything is being controlled by Krsna, why should be there something to bother me? So, I can to be rational and understand this but sometimes my feelings are very influenced by my mind and to deal with any situation may take me few hours till I deal well with my mind . My question is If I try to let go all these feelings, thoughts and disagreements, Is this detachment? Or, How far one should let them go and not involve oneself knowing that our service is not to correct others? not see their faults but faults in ourselves...?

On the other hand I remembered that you told me what we are doing is karma-misra-bhakti yoga, but I understood karma yoga as to follow varna-asram-dharma which is imposible in Kali yuga. (at least varna because we are lees that sudras). And those who usually has followed their dharma as ksatryas, sudras, brahmanas or vaisyas were very advanced and commited men with very high principles which doesn't exist now. We have only the tendencies but nothing more. So, according to my understanding, We could say that we are doing bhakti yoga contaminated with material desires? Is that a good meaning? I would like to learn more about varna-asrama-dharma. I think is a very interenting topic.

I know you like to know news about this yatra but I don't know so much.. The most important thing is that the authorities is changing from now till the end of this year.

I'm glad that you will be in India from February to May. It would be such mercy being there with you guru maharaja. We could make a short film or something. (Thank you again for bring me the camera. It's a good one.)

Please guru maharaja, tell me what can I do for pleasing you or at least what do you expect from me?

your servant...

who has much affection to you, 

Bhaktin Belen

ASA - One devotee commented to Prabhupada that all of the devotees in the Western world were Sudra, and Prabhupada said like, "Yes, but there are tendencies."

We just read it in the Gita purport that Srila Prabhupada says that at first we are attached to a certain kind of service: Be a Mother, be a King ... Art ...   Yes, karma-misra-bhakti-yoga is materially contaminated Bhakti yoga.   But we know the goal. We see it in intense Kirtans, Srila Prabhupada's association - pure love of the Gopis, Vraja vasi.      But we are still attached to our mode of working.  ​Arjuna can give up the fruits of the battle. Duryodhana cannot, but Arjuna is still acting like one attached to the MODE of working.  Later when the intellectual understanding is strong we can do a service even if it is contary to our Karma.

Then our connection becomes meditating on Krsna all the time and finally just purifying our motives.

You are a lady. That has not disappeared in Kali yuga, so that is part of your Karma yoga.  If you are advanced to pure Bhakti yoga you don't have to adjust your Karma, Jnana or Dhayana.    They just follow automatically.

O.K?     Follow the process. Krsna will give us intelligence how to relate to other devotees. Some are 50% crazy so we have to become expert at avoiding their crazy moments and being friendly with their sane aspects.

We will be in BsAs in a few days. January.

Todas las Glorias a Sri Sri Guru y Gauranga y a su sankirtana eterno

Todas las Glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaj, PAMHO, estámos en Perú - Puno, después de una Marathon en Bolivia organizado por P. Maturesha y P. Jagadbandu, fué inolvidable y hermoso  tener la asociación de buenos devotos sankirtaneros, 8 chicos pocas chicas , clases de sankirtana de p. jagadbandu reestableció mi fé en sankirtana y de tratar de incluirnos en el rasa del sankirtana  quedé último lugar jejeje lo siento fuí muy floja, mi hermano burro base 30 años se sentía muy cansado física y mentalmente, llevamos viajando desde febrero y quedando poco tiempo en un lugar y pensé en algún momento volver al lado de mi padre para tomarme un descanso y hacer otras cosas, la mente está atacando mucho por preocupación del cuerpo pero como soy muy indecisa me repongo y digo que tengo que cumplir al menos este año en seguir viajando. Gurudeva, perdone mi falta de madurez.

Por otra parte P. Gadai Gauranga quedó 2do lugar y P. Adveita Thakura 1er lugar en la marathon, tanta energía que tienen para hacer sankirtana mis hermanos espirituales siempre me inspiran, y yo lamento mucho tener este cuerpo de mujer y ésta mente!!!, pero ahí estámos dando libros en las calles, moriremos en el campo de batalla que mejor que dar la energía al sankirtana que entregarnos en la vida material.  

Ahora en Puno, estamos recuperando fuerzas, tuve que ir al doctor nada grave, espalda y cintura mucho mejor, un poco de ejercicios para este cuerpo oxidado, y hatha yoga y descanso, menos horas de sankirtana pero ya reponiendonos para entrar a bolivia nuevamente y hacer una maha marathon de 20 dias con Gadai Prabhu. También debo decirle que estamos viendo los pasajes a India, una página muy buena y fidedigna donde devotos ya viajaron, ésta semana compraremos el pasaje de sao paulo a delhi India entre 20 de enero al 5 de febrero de 2016 y verlo en india!!!, ufff!!! no paro de meditar en éste viaje con gadai prabhu, gadai es un buen amigo y devoto que dá fuerzas, protección y ayuda espiritual.

Sadhana; 25 rondas (tratando de cumplirlas el mismo día o sino al dia siguiente), 4 principios estrictos no deseamos hijos gurudev, nuestro cuerpo es debil para traer un niño, las silas son nuestro mejor hijo, lectura de la ciencia de la autorrealización (soy muy sinverguenza porque distribuí mucho este libro pero no lo leí) tambien S.B. canto 1 cap. 7 castigo del hijo de drona, mangala artik 5:00am el sol sale muy rápido aquí y aveces nos está ganando, vamos a mejorar esto y 3 gayatris, buena vista de la casa de nuestro amigo percy; lago, sol, luna, estrellas y ovnis filosofamos un poco.

pasatiempo de sankirtana; le diré que los policias ahora se han vuelto nuestros amigos tanto en bolivia y peru y nos dan más libertad para poder entregar el amor de Srila Prabhupada personificado en sus libros y ahora paro a cualquier persona en la calle y no hablo tanto solo le pido donaciones y se llevan en menos de 1 minuto. Muchas gracias querido gurudeva por tratar de incluirme en éste servicio tan hermoso es prema mismo el sankirtan y yo todavia no lo concibo en mi ser tanto amor que srila prabhupada me está dando con sus libros.

Su hija que trata de entender la misión más sublime que dejó Srila Prabhupada

muriendo de a poquito pero feliz... :)

Nadiya Nivasi Dasi 

HpS - ASA ---  !     !    !             Va a India solamente para 15-dias?  20 Enero hast 5 Febrero?

Pienso es cierto que todos que leyen esta Blog son claro en sus mentes que solamente le gusta ayudar Vd en su servicio como pueden.  Ser abierto cambiar su modo de Sankirtan acuerdo de sus abilidades. Sigue lo que Krsna quiere: Morir en lo calles, o recibir y entrenyar otros en un templo etc.​
 

Todas las glorias a Sri Caitanya y Nityananda

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Gurudeva por favor acepte mis reverencias.

Quisiera comenzar pidiendo una disculpa a usted y a los devotos que puse en ansiedad con mi Situacion personal,

ASA - HpS -- Es un honor ser occupado con su situacion personal. Vd es una buena persona.

. . . es cierto que he tolerado muchas situaciones pero pienso que Krishna me ha puesto aqui por una razon. Mi poca inteligencia me hace dudar cual es mi utilidad. Gurudeva, Solo pido su bendicion para poder rendir mis sentidos y deseos a su servicio. Mi intento por protegerme a mi misma  de las garras de mis deseos es una guerra perdida. Quisiera poder entender cual es el significado real de rendicion al Guru, rendicion a los deseos de Krishna.

Disculpe mi egoismo al tratar de terminar mi servicio en la escuela. He decidido continuar; cancelé mi ticket a India por ahora. Fue una decision impulsiva.  Mi deseo de visitar el Santo Dham sigue vivo, pero quiero hacer lo correcto, estar preparada para ello.

Esta experiencia me mostró que soy muy debil sin Sādhana y el santo nombre. Mi canto de japa ha sido muy desatento ultimamente, estoy regresando a intensificarlo,  tambien mis oraciones.

Gurudeva, perdone a este discipulo que aun no puede levantar los brazos hacia Krishna

solo nos queda la esperanza de que al final Draupadi levanto los brazos

Mis humildes reverencias Guru Maharaja.

Su sirviente,

Govinda Pramodini DD
HpS - ASA -- Eso es su servicio. Cantar 16-rondas entusiastas cada dia y seguir los cuatro principios fuerta mente.  Entonces va a ser tan glorificado como Reina Kunti, Draupadi, Rukmini.....    Todo esta movimiento depende y su fuerza. Con buen Japa y 4-principios es claro, su inteligencia va a ser claro, buen indicacions de libros y consejo de otros, y va a ser bien clar que hacer!​

I think you have been doing well in all your decisions.

Hare Krishna,

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

I'm David Leyton, I'm writing you from Santiago de Chile. how are you and your health Maharaj?

HpS - ASA - Normal

Thanks for your aswers. In the last letter, you told me i should talk to Madan mohan Das about my therapies but i haven't seen him yet.

Sorry maharaj, but i would like to ask you a last question about it. My last therapy was Biosintesis, in this session two therapists analised my inner energy and they look back and interpreted my past lives. One of them told me that i was a Franciscan monk and i took a poverty vow that it is still in effect. How could i know if this is true?, if it was true, How could i finish this vow?

ASA - I don't know. Personally I would be very, very doubtful of such claimed powers as to see into previous lives.   Chant Hare Krsna under Srila Prabhupada's protection and everything nice will follow.

About service, Gita devi dasi is a Bhakti Vriksa Leader and she wants me to run a new Bhakti Vriksa group. We are very happy (My bride-to-be and I) about it because i feel that it is a very important experience to give all that i've learnt to others. Please give me your bleasing for my new step. What would you recommend me to do?

ASA - I don't know what are the requierments to be a Leader, but it sounds O.K. in general. Try it with a clear understanding of the responsibilities between her and a few others and then judge by the results.

Thanks for your patience and for reading my letter.

Haribol!

 ASA - Jaya!!!      Let us​ the results of your Bhakti-vrksa work.