Letters to the editor

 ISKCON Educator and Mentor- His Grace Prana Das

His Grace Prana Das departed this material world (1-6-23), around 6. a.m. IST in Vrindavan Dham at the Bhaktivedanta Hospice. Many of you may know of His Grace Prana Prabhu.

He joined ISKCON in the early 80’s and has served most dedicatedly in the area of education in Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., the USA, and India. He played instrumental roles as a teacher, principal, education consultant, and curriculum developer, for early, elementary, and Higher Education, was a great mentor and trainer, a Sanskrit curriculum developer, and a teacher at the Mayapur Institute of Higher Education. He assisted Mother Urmila in digitizing the Learn to Read Series. Most recently (the last 5 years), he has developed online interactive learning for children (bhaktilearning.com).

Between 2014-2018, I had the good fortune of Prabhu’s association during the startup years of establishing Goswami Academy at ISKCON Houston. He served as one of the visiting education consultants. Not only was he very knowledgeable and expert in the field of education, but Prabhu was a kind, caring, compassionate, and wonderful devotee. I feel very fortunate to have had his association. Please join me in prayers to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Radha Krishna for the departure of this great soul.

Below is a must-see YouTube video in-depth link that features Prabhu joining ISKCON, his early years, services, and words of wisdom in our bhakti journey…

https://youtu.be/9WOjtWFdCho?feature=shared

HpS/ASA - We can only repeat what Subra Devi Dasi has said. We were fortunate to get Prabhu's association. He was compassionate in seeking us out when we were in his Yatra and always a friendly intelligent person.

Where is he now?

Will he be in Nadiya with Nimai???

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj.

Please accept our humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you very much for coming to Houston and staying here and giving your association to community.

Me and wife is very thankful to you that since you gave us Brahmin diksha we are able to serve lordship more.

Now we can cook for deity we do more then couple of times in week, also we are dressing Gaur Nitaya and Radha Giridhari and Girirajji, because of your mercy and lord blessings we got opportunity to do abhishek of Radha Giridhari on Janmastami, my wife Sumitra Radha got opportunity to Aartik on Goverdhan Pooja day.

HpS/ASA - We, agtSP, feel very fortunate to be in NMDh. We are trying to contribute!

You are already in Goloka, Nabadvipa, no? You just have to wake up!!!

We are trying to keep ourselves engage in more and more active devotional service.

Both Kids also help us in serving Radha Neela Madhav.

I am planning to visit my parent in India last week of Jan.

Please always keep us in your shelter.

Your Aspiring Servant

Devendra Krishna Das

Sumitra Radha

HpS/ASA - AgtSP. Thank you!!! What are exact dates of your visit to India?

ASA[E] Guru-tattva.. Diksa guru retires.

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja

Please accept my humble obeisances

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

All Glories to your enormous service.

I hope you get much better health.

HpS - Our donkey's health is pretty good for 75-years old.

Had littel fever, probably just like you, but recovered quickly.

Hearing, sight, memory are like 40% gone. That won't come back in this life time. It is good. We want to stop watching the movie of mangos and pick real mangos for Krsna!

Would be nice if we died right after sending this letter and you died right after reading it and then we both took birth in Nabadvipa with Nimai, no!!!

We remain firm with all our vows and also with the service in the initiation committee, I wanted to apologize for my mistake in misunderstanding the words in English, I will strive to improve, in fact I am practicing English with a devotee of the Indian community 🙏.

HpS - Your English is better than my Spanish! 😄

In December we helped aspiring devotees for Hari nama initiation and brahminical initiation of Jayapataka Maharaja, we had a very good association with older devotees.

HpS/ASA - Such a nice service!

My letter is mainly addressed to you to tell you about Bhakta Carlos Rold, a devotee of many years who has always felt very enthusiastic about everything related to making your sankirtan grow.

I am a witness of how he has made an effort to qualify and prepare himself.

For a year now, he has been following the four regulative principles, maintaining his sadhana, connecting to FMP, doing practical service in the Iskcon Chile temple, singing its 16 rounds (he tells me that when he cannot finish them, he sings them the next day, adding to the corresponding ones),

he has also approved [passed] the Disciples course and is about to finish the Introduction to Bhakti yoga course.

Also Bhakta Lucciano Macchiavello would also like to formalize his entire process in a certain way, he tells me that he has known you for more than 17 years and that no one like you has understood it, he has never stopped following your institution of donating milk and butter for the deity.

Gurudeva an important question, do you think in the future granting formal Refuge and possible initiation to Bhakta Carlos Rold and perhaps formal refuge to Bhakta Lucciano Macchiavello?, Both devotees have been following his instructions for years.

Your would-be servant

Manjuali Devi Dasi

Santiago de Chile

HpS - Maybe even more than a year ago we decided that we are too old to give any more 1st initiation. The Diksa guru takes Karma. It is a job, and it is a job for a young man. Last time we did it. Few months ago. We felt really crushed.

🙂

However, that does not mean that we cannot be Guru's for Carlitos or Machaivelli.

In Srila Bhaktivinode's 'Jaiva Dharma' one fictional Sannyasi, saint, Babba Mahasai, is preaching, teaching, guiding a young man from Kolkata when he visits Nabadvipa.

Then Bobba Mahasaya tells him that he is ready for initiation, but that he, Bobba Mahasaya is 90-years old and that if he initiates him, he will die, so they should go and see Vaisnava Thakura Bobba who is only 75-years old.

Young man. 😃

VTB says that it is an honor to do the ritual if BM recommends The Young Man (35-years old).

So, that is what we feel.

Carlos and Machiavelli are our friends!

What more can we want!!?

It is an honor if we can be their friends and counselors always.

We are recommending Yadunandana Swami in Spain as a very nice Diksa guru. Radha Krsna Das in Houston.

O.K.

Hare Krsna Beloved Gurudeva:

AGTSP, PAMHO

I am a little concerned about your health. So I hope this meets you in really good health.

This is letter is going to be brief.

On January 9th we will arrive to Houston along with Palika dd.

We kindly ask for your blessings so that we can see your very good self again

C U soon Gurudeva

Trying to be your disciple

CMDD

HpS/ASA - AgtSP.

Monkey and Piggy want to know if you are bringing Ulysses? ???

Mahaprasada of Radha Madana-bihari?

Alfahores?

Think Radha and Nila madhava will be ecstatic to see you.

Visiting 16,108 houses of Krsna.

All glories to You 🙏

AGTSP 🙏

Dear Guru Maharaj,

I wake up regularly before the onset of auspicious Brahma muhurta and then after taking morning ablution I perform mangal aarti, Harinama japa etc.

Sometimes I may fall sick and unwell given to my poor health. Only except those days, I wake up regularly at a same, pre-determined time. But henforth, I would try my best to maintain a fixed time at all cost.

HpS - So nice. Sometimes we can only chant in our mind and must rest! For us it is only a few days a year and even if we can't get to Mangala arati, we are awake during that time.

AgtSP!

Dear GuruMaharaj, some suggested me that I should wait for my second sacred initiation as my husband is yet uninitiated. Is it ok that I remain contended with the first one? Should I aspire for the second also? I am totally confused. Pls enlighten me.

HpS - Hmmm... I don't know the details. In general, Harinama diksa is sufficient to go to Vaikuntha, Goloka, Rasa-lila!!!

Second initiation in some ways is a formality.

Not a meaningless formality.

Boy and Girl may be ship wrecked on an island in the ocean.

After one year they decide that it is very proper to be married, that maybe even it is God's arrangement that they were put in this situation.

So, they say many prayers and promises and are always writing everything down, and then have two children, and after four years a boat finds them and they go home with their family.

Of course, their family is crying in ecstacy!

So much happiness.

Everyone is very happy to meet their new son/daughter/grandchildren.

Family priest(s)... herd them into the church as soon as possible and have a formal wedding. Everyone very happy.

They are very happy.

So second initiation need not be a formality.

What does your esteemed husband think?

Other family?

Devotees?

If you want to worship installed ISKCON dieties, then it is important.

It is also nice example for others.

Your husband may think that way, "I am not ready to take responsibility for Harinama Diksa vows. My wife is more advanced than me on the path. We all have our own progress to make. I am very proud that she is taking the responsibilities of Second Initiation".

I don't know details.

Some thoughts.

O.K.???

Your fallen Servant

BRDDasi

Todas las glorias a Goura Nitay Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Querido Gurudev después de un tiempo le escribo para reportar mis actividades Hace una semana estoy en Chile visitando a mi familia después de 3 años que no los veía, . Toda una osadía llegar acá pero lo logre, tuve un pequeño problema en migración que solucionamos además de esto mis rondas cada día mejor siempre debo mejorar buscando técnicas para que sean buenas (postura, dicción, no dormir) lo estoy logrando y eso me gusta

Mi lectura esta muy bien con el LAD leímos todo el año cada día Bg, cc, Sb y la lectura que hago a las devotas a las que les leo en este momento pare porque estoy haciendo tramites acá renovación de documentos que son necesarios, pero les avise que retomaré cuando llegue.

Con respeto a la adoración de mis deidades esta muy bien lo hacemos con mucho cariño me preocupo por su ropa, collares de hecho compre hilo y mostacillas para llevar. Limpieza del lugar etc... También estoy haciendo un jardín que de apoco va creciendo he sacado flores para el altar y eso es maravilloso. Estamos distribuyendo dulce pasadam los días martes a las personas y nos gusta mucho hemos visto la evolución de como el prasadam hace su efecto

Espero mejorar este año con las bendiciones Srila Prabhupada, sus bendiciones, mi esfuerzo diario y así lograr un gran servicio se despide su humilde sirviente Raman reti Devi dasi

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All glories to Goura Nitay. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Dear Gurudev, after a while I am writing to you to report my activities. A week ago I am in Chile visiting my family after not seeing them for 3 years.

ASA - 😲

Three years. Sobrinos de 4 ya son 7!

It was quite daring to get here but I did it, I had a small problem in migration that we solved. In addition to this my rounds get better every day I always have to improve by looking for techniques to be good (posture, diction, not sleeping) I am achieving it and I like that

ASA - HpS --- Us also!!! Our chanting may be mechanical but it allows us to see that in the future it may be actual association with Radhika and Gopal.

My reading is very good with the LAD, we read all year every day Bg, cc, Sb and the reading that I do to the devotees to whom I read at this moment stop because I am doing procedures here renewal of documents that are necessary, but they Let me know that I will resume when I arrive.

With respect to the worship of my deities, it is very good, we do it with great affection. I worry about their clothes, necklaces, in fact, I bought thread and beads to wear. Cleaning the place, etc... I am also making a garden that is slowly growing. I have grown flowers for the altar and that is wonderful. We are distributing sweet Prasadam on Tuesdays to people and we really like it. We have seen the evolution of how Prasadam has its effect.

HpS - Even Tiger likes Burfi if made and offered with love! 🐯

I hope to improve this year with Srila Prabhupada's blessings, his blessings, my daily effort and thus achieve great service. Says goodbye to your humble servant Raman reti Devi dasi

HpS/ASA - Who are your family in Chile? What are they like? How is the Yatra, Temple??? Nation?

Your photos - Garden, Prasadam look like your mind!