Letters to the editor

Hare Krisna. Mi querido Gurudeva Hanumatpresaka Maharaja espero que acepte mis humildes reverencias TODAS LAS GLORIAS A SRILA PRABHUPADA.

Muchas gracias por su visita al Templo de Madrid inspirar y repartir tanta misericordia.

Intentando ser su sirviente Jagamohan Das

HpS - ASA -- AGTSP paoho. Muchas gracias para su ausistencia, help, en mantener tan hermoso Templo!  Como esta adelantando?   Donde esta Vd. en el sendero descrito por Upadesamrta Texto 7, parafo comenzando: La conclusión es que 

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Todas las glorias a Sri Goura Nitai

Querido Gurudeva

Por favor acepte mis humildes reverencias

Hare Krishna Gurudeva. Aquí Rodrigo Hernández Piceros de Santiago, Chile.

Gracias por su respuesta a mi última carta y su nueva instrucción: “HpS - ASA -- Practica (possible en la confidentiality de sus propios cuartos (((('0')))) Bailando y cantando para krsna”.

¡Así lo haré Gurudeva!

Esta vez esta carta es por una pregunta importante:

HpS - ASA - Desculpa la demurra. Casi sin comunicacion para un mes mientras nuestra viaje a India y Europa.

Entiendo que Krishna es la Suprema Personalidad de Dios, también entiendo que los semidioses son sirvientes de Krishna, y entiendo que los semidioses también están para ayudar a las personas.

A mí me gusta mucho adorar a las Deidades en mi altar que está en mi casa:

En mi altar está Radha Krishna, Jaganath, Baladeva y Subhadra, Nrisimha deva, Goura Nitai y el Hanuman de madera que Usted me regaló, pero también está Ganesh, Laksmi y Shiva.

Ganesh, Laksmi y Shiva son semidioses, pero también son devotos de Krishna y ellos hacen servicio para Krishna.

HpS - ASA - Laksmi Devi no es Semi-diosa. Es como Radha. http://www.vedabase.com/es/sb/6/19/13

Y Senor Shiva es tambien no Jiva-atma. Es entre Jiva-atma y Visnu-tattva.

Por ejemplo, el Señor Shiva en el Srimad Bhagavatam canto 2, capítulo 4 es nombrado como “el maestro espiritual de todos los objetos animados e inanimados” y se dice que “Él es el mejor de los Vaisnavas”.

En cuanto a Ganesh, él ayuda a las personas a superar los obstáculos en la vida material y espiritual. Además Ganesh fue quien escribió el Mahabharata según le dictaba el sabio Vyasadeva (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1, capítulo 3 significado versos 6 y 7)   

Y Laksmi hace masajes (reflexología) a los pies de loto de Krishna y ella otorga bendiciones materiales. En mi caso me cuesta mucho ganar dinero, porque casi el 80% de mis actividades y trabajos son por amor al arte, no hay dinero para cultura.

Por otro lado, entiendo que Krishna quiere nuestro amor y devoción y servicio devocional. Y que Krishna no quiere que pidamos a él bendiciones materiales.

Entonces la pregunta es: ¿Está bien o mal adorar a Semidioses en nuestro altar si ellos son devotos de Krishna?

¿Shiva, Ganesh y Laksmi pueden seguir en mi altar o yo debo sacarlos del altar?

De verdad yo estoy confundido con todo esto. Por eso escribo a usted. Yo haré lo que usted me diga en su instrucción.

HpS - ASA --- http://www.vedabase.com/es/cc/adi/7/157  Eso es bien???? Mucha instruccion por Srila Prabhupada aqui. Siempre Laksmi con Narayana. Puede cantar el Sad goswami astaka cada dia y ellos va a removar todos los obstaculos en servicio devocional. Krsna es buen Padre. El conoce cuanto dinero enviar para nuestra servicio, pero, la cosa es entender cual es nuestra servicio. Vendiendo arte, platanos, sonrisas.. ?

Con mis reverencias,

Ss Bhakta Rodrigo Hernández de Santiago de Chile

Querido Gurudev: Pamho. TgSP y sus seguidores fieles.

Espero que se encuentre bien cuando reciba este mensaje. Solo quería agradecerle su visita a España y, aunque no tuve mucho tiempo para asociarme con usted, quiero que sepa que su asociación es muy apreciada. Espero que en la proxima ocasión pueda disfrutar de mas tiempo para asociarme personalmente con usted. Es muy inspirador.

Gracias de nuevo.

su sirviente

Jayanta das

HpS - TlgaSP.  Si, era rapido todo, pero bueno. La misma para nosotros.  Honestamente aparece que la Yatra esta adelantando. Mucho es basado en sus esfuerzas anterior, no? Esperamos que va a encontrar nuevo maneras para continuar con mas entusiasmo ayudando!!!   Noticias a veces, Vd. es un "postman"!!

Hare Krishna Maharaj, please kindly accept my most humble obeisances;

All glories to his divine grace, Srila Prabhupada.

I trust that you are doing well in y your devotional service.

HpS - AGTSP  paoho... Just got back from India, Europe... Little exhausted but recovering well. We stick the news in the DTCs!

Because I am constantly engaged in some mode of material energy I don't maintain adequate association by writing to you more often.  Even I tell myself to that this is important to maintain such association, still, I am a failure.  However, today I am feeling movtivated to write and share some things that have been taking place for a while.

ASA - Oh, goody! News from Gaura-Nitai's house. (Tom Brown) 

First is that because of your blessings, the blessings of his holiness Srila Candramauli Swami, and his grace, Sriman Candra dasa prabhu, I have been blessed with the service of preaching Bhagavad gita to inmates for close to a year and a half.  Most inmates have come and gone, but there is one in particular who has been very nice, very systematically studying not only Bhagavad gita As It is, but many of Srila Prabhupada's other books: Such as the Nectar of Instruction, Sri Isopanisad, and others.  He is very familiar with some of the Srimad Bhagavatam as well.  He chants on japa beads every day, though I am not sure exactly how many rounds: Still, he is chanting everday a fixed number.  There is another devotee who has been attending Bhagavad gita classes since the beginning of this year, and he is also very nicely learning the philosophy, and chanting every day, but I am not sure if it is a fixed number.  These devotees have nice pictures of Radha Krishna, the Panca Tattva and Srila Prabhupada in their cells to create a nice temple atmosphere (all things considered), and I try and explain a simple standard of showing proper honor and respect so that they can experience a greater sense of devotional enthusiasm in their lives.  It is such a moving experience to see their enthusiasm, particularly when the classes are over and I have to leave them behind: Hoping to see them again next week.  These inmate devotees are so much appreciative of the philosophy which not only gives them a whole new perspective about the meaning and purpose of life, but also gives them hope that their lives are so spoiled because of being inmates.  I could go on but it would be redundant to do so.

ASA - "lives are so spoiled " should be "lives are NOT so spoiled", no?? 

And yet at the risk of redundance, there is some other satisfaction that warrants sharing, and is somewhat relevant to the topic.  I was recentl contacted by an inmate who was one of my students.  He is home now with his family in Georgia.  He contacted me via text and cell phone from home, asking for me to supply with some additional books, japa beads, neck beads and photos for an altar.  I sent him all he asked for plus some audio CDs along with a small booklet of Vaishnava prayers as per the morning program.  Then again, another inmate who used to correspond with me from a prison in Indiana and is now free also contacted me with a similar request.  I guess it shouldn't come to me as a surprise considering my own background before I came to Krishna consciousness, but for some reason I am amazed at how some people can be so serious about Krishna consciousness as inmates, and continue to take it to heart after they have been released into the greater world of Maya.

ASA - Yeah, we were were corresponding with a guy for a few years and then when he got out he forgot Krsna!

We have Bhagavad gita classes here in my home every Sunday evening.  Bhakta Reilly, Mother Kama Gayatri, and one client of my massage business, named Bonnie, as well as my wife attend.  It is according to the study guide and everybody paticipates nicely.  I am giving thought to taking the Bhakti Shastri course, but I don't know if I can muster the dedication to complete the course.  Hence, I feel like a fool and a hypocrite because I am willing to give Bhagavad gita classes, but I am not willing to dedicate myself to the curriculum.  I don't understand Krishna's logic in allowing to do this service if I am not able exemplify the practice.  

Anyway, I wanted to take some moments with you, mostly to take shelter of your association by revealing my mind to you.  Please kindly forgive me for not being more of what a devotee should be like, especially for one who has been practicing for as long as I have: Hare Krishna.

Your lowly servant, 

Balabhadra dasa

ASA - Hey, we are all different - Ajamil, Daksa, Srila Prabhupada, HpSwami, Balabhadra. How is your morning program? You can do the BhSastri course in modules, bight size chunks. We get to Boise in like four weeks.

Hare Krsna Hanumat Presaka Swami!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Please accept my humble obeisances.

It's Bhaktin Marta, Jara Mara Hari Das's wife.

HpS - ASA -- AGTSP...   Yes, we were very honored to meet you in Madrid. JMHari Das is very fortunate person.

Hope you are feeling fine in all aspects.

HpS - The last trip was from Radhadesa to Murfreesboro. We got up at 1.30AM which is 7.30PM, 26th May, in M'freesboro, and we arrived at 2.30PM the 28th of May. That is ... 43-hours of travel!   The flight from Brussels was delayed by 6-hours because their radar crashed. Then we got to Newark, USA and no connecting flight, no hotel ...  So we didn't lie down to sleep for 43-hours, but we felt pretty comfortable the whole time. Weak, but we are recovering. Hare Krsna.

It was a big pleasure to share your association in Madrid's Temple. Thank you very much for your visit. Also thank you for opening this communication channel, this is really helpful for all us.

ASA - Oink! (Buck White)

I would like to ask you for some advice. I am sorry I didn't take the opportunity to ask you in Madrid, so I'm writing you now and telling you a bit about my situation. I'm trying to resume, hope to not bore you.

I'm into Krsna consciousness since two years ago. Despite difficulties I feel enthusiast with the process and also very grateful. I never thought I could feel happy like this.

I was born in Barcelona in 1979, no brothers or sisters, divorced parents, living with my father, no religious education, complicated childhood and adolescence. I studied architecture in the university. I enjoyed the studies but didn’t enjoy working as an architect after many years trying different architecture offices. My modus vivendi was unhealthy. Anxious, stressed! After a while I decided to change the scenario, I quit working as an architect, got a job in an organic food store, studied veterinary assistant. Then I moved into a little village in Cantabria (North of Spain) and got a job as a vet assistant, surrounded by very nice atmosphere, getting in deep touch with Nature, feeling impressed about how amazing and perfect Nature is. Happiness, Peace! 

During this process I met Jara Mara Hari Das in the vet hospital. We became good friends, he gave me Prabhupada's "The Science of Self-Realisation". I was satisfied and released by reading it, since then I'm trying to become a good devotee. I feel eternal compromise towards Jara Mara Hari Das for showing me the way. Today we are happily married and living in Madrid's Temple sharing home with Mataji's Ashram.

Now, four regs, complete morning program almost everyday. I'm chanting rounds everyday but not everyday I am chanting sixteen rounds. I am chanting Japa in the Temple with devotees for an hour. After that I'm chanting while working in the flower shop or while running in the park, no japa then, not counting either. I'm not reading much. I enjoy listening Srimad Bhagatam classes, listening devotees talking about Krsna. I enjoy Bhajan and Kirtan in front of Gaura Nitai. My favourite Prasadam is fruit. I enjoy taking care of Tulasi  and all other plants in Temple, home and shop. I also enjoy being part of this spreading Krsna's Consciousness movement. I'm trying to develop Love for Krsna, also unconditional Love towards others, towards life in general.

I've had many realisations since I'm in Krsna's Consciousness (thank you all!) but also some difficulties.

Main difficulty is to discern between false ego and self-esteem or genuine need. Or, how to realise we are not this body and this emotions, while being responsibles for ourselves in this material world. Or, how to identify what is spiritual and what is material since we are spiritual souls living in a material world.

Also, how to never forget to place Krsna in the center and how to do it.

Thank you very much!

Your servant,

Bhaktin Marta

HpS - ASA - AGTSP.  Thank you for the wonderful report. JMHari Das told us some of these things also. To take to KC so quickly you must have been a Nun or some such thing in your last or a previous life. Your questions, challenges, to come to the standard Sadhana requested by Srila Prabhupada are normal. It is like saying, "I have moved to the moon and things are different here.". Yes, there are so many things different in KC from material consciousness, so it takes time to adjust to living in a different world. For that there are so many books that Srila Prabhupada has given, and devotees who have learned from those books, Srila Prabhupada's lips, his personal actions, and those who have learned from those who have personally heard or seen him, but I personally heard him say that he would never die, he would live forever in his books.

So, what about reading everyday. Even with one or two study partners for obtaining practical knowledge? As you become purified you will be able to distinguish the impulses of the Supersoul from the false ego, also.