Letters to the editor

Hare Krsna Gurudeva . Please accept our  obeisances to your lotus feet.  

HpS - ASA - AGTSP! Actually our feet are not much swollen at all. I think it is 90% being caused by sitting at a desk. This is not natural for us. We need a platform to sit and write and sleep. I guess we will try to change it as soon as possible.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you 

Its been a while since i havent write you . i guess i didnt know how to do it so i let time passes . but i dont want to do that anymore . 

im chanting all my rounds . trying to read more . thats helping me . and trying to coordinate your coming (actually rati manjari is the one doing all the hard work) . there is a big disconection bettween all of us. im trying my best but its no easy . still we keep trying. there are many things i want to speak to you . but im not able to do it here. maybe when you come here . i would love that Gurudeva . i hope your physichal health its ok . thank you for everything .Who want to serve  Sarad Bihari Dasi

HpS - AGTSP!   Thank you. It is simple, no? We will be disconnected with each other to the degree that we are disconnected with Krsna. So, we have to have more, better Japa, Kirtan, Sankirtan, books, Deity, Temple service etc. for Krsna!

He is very generous, no?

You must be experiencing that. All the efforts we try add up, forever. So keep on working!! Everything that you do that is hard, for Krsna, has permanent, broad effect.

Of course, we can discuss specific details when we are in BsAs, but we can't help 25-people with 3-hours of individual consultation each in one week. So lets start with general questions now.

Takes head work but once the principles are really clear then the details are more natural.

A G T S P !        Paoho/bw....  It was a typical miserable day in hell. We sit in our warm cabin on the good ship Lollipop looking out the one tiny porthole, with no air, onto a scene of diminishing sunlight, adventing automobile lights, cheap liquor stores, pawn shops, nice corner markets, Walgreens Drug store and little snow in the air.

Brother Ass and Tommy the Tooth are a little better. Seems the simple anti-biotics have had quick effect.

Today was the ISV, BhVai class and individual conversations with a few devotees. Now we head to a Bh. Vrksa program West of Chicago Central by about one hour. Tomorrow initiations and Sunday Love Feast! What more can we do. We are putting our grain of sand into the bridge but the magic will be done by Sri Krsna!!!!!

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We just answered all the Yahoo mail.

Now lets rummage through the Blog letters.

We hope we find Mother Sita tonight!

All Glories to Sri Guruji Maharaja and Gouranga Maharaja

Radha Krsna Ki Jay and Goura Bhakta Vrnda Ki Jay

I am submitting my humble obeisances unto Guruji’s padmacharan and asking two questions for my personal advance knowledge.

Eka-kundalah : (Meaning) wearing only one earing.

Translation : Sukadeva Gosvami Continued ……. He pleases His personal associates, the heads of the demigods, by the sweet vibrations emanating from His mouth. Dressed in bluish garments and weariang a single earring, He holds a plow on His back with His two beautiful and well-constructed hands.

Guruji Maharaja, what it really meant? Please high light the underlying.

HpS - ASA - Very nice to hear from you, Manipur vaisnavas. I don't know. I read a few other places also that Lord Sankarsana, Balarama only wears one earring. Maybe somebody who reads this letter and answer knows and can tell us. Lord Balarama also likes blue cloth. I don't know why He has that preverence either??

Vaisnavanam yatha sambhuh: Sambhu, or Lord Siva, in the ideal Vaisnava. He constantly meditates upon Lord Rama and chants Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare Hare. Bhagavatam     3.23.1.

In this quotation  why Lord Siva as an ideal Vaisnava worships and meditates upon Lord Rama but not Bhagavan Krsna and chants Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare Hare not the complete solah nama : Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare. 

HpS - I have had the same question before. I looked some places in the SB and could not find any more information. I think the "Rama" upon whom he meditates is Lord Sankarana. We chant Hare Krsna and let Krsna send the news if he wants to.

What are the differences between a Banaprastha and a Sanyas? Please clear my darkness.

HpS - ASA - First is Brahmacari, the Grhastha, then Vanaprastha. In this stage one goes to the "Vana" forest, to live a life close to God and increase his Japa etc. He may keep his own house and wife with him, but completely celibate. Then in San-nyasa, complete "nyasa", reunciation. The wife goes home to offer leadership to family and now man depends completely on God and travels and preaches and now no contact with wife, not even talking. Or couse, we adjust this in ISKCON to Kali-yuga, West, but is very powerful tool for helping us become fully sirrendered, efficiatnt tools.

Yours fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

Hare Krishna Gurudeva
Thank you very much for your quick response.

Please accept my humble obeisances

At one point in your answers, about talking to devotees who can help improve the situation, or conversing with devotees who are in the same situation,  I have talked confidentially with some devotees, and some devotees have already made the decision to go to other countries, some are trying to go live out of town and start preaching centers, and others decided to emigrate to other countries in Europe, USA,  and South America, India ... then the temple being left with new people (That's good, because most devotees do), but devotees take years, and are very good devotees are bored of seeing that the movement will not grow, does not want to be a family, much less work together, and they decide to go to other yatras, and good many others go to another organization, or just keep your faith in Krishna but leave to attend the temple.

Once you told me, don't look at those who come, or who leave the movement, you follow the road to Krsna, and that I do, and that many do, but we are in the material world, and is equally sad situation.
As you say, everywhere there are problems, and we will never get perfection.
But it would be pretty much our family Iskcon, if all those defects and problems, WERE united, educated, and happy 100%, 

I'm alone in my point of view, and the things that I observe in my surroundings.
 

Maybe there are people who are in the same situation, maybe they are not.
 

I hope at some point find that sweetness back in motion, as when it comes to movement of srila prabhupada.

Thanks dear Gurudeva, for your advice and words of wisdom.
I will write often, so maybe some of your ideas can help to change the vision to improve our private life as a devotee, and in our movement.
 

Maybe it is Karma, maybe I have to learn something from all this that I am feeling.

Your eternal servant!

Monkey - Piggy --   A G T S P !    "The result of Krsna consciousness is that one becomes increasingly enlightened, and he enjoys life with a thrill, not only for some time, but at every moment." - BG 18.76.
 

So, we can see any problem situation as an ecstatic opportunity to spread Krsna's service!  Jaya!

"The magic will not be done my ME, nor YOU, nor anyone else. The magic will be done by Krsna when we become pure devotes of Krsna."

Preach, teach where ever Krsna has put you right now. That is the best way to understand if you should make any change.

AGTSP
paoho.  Here we are in our assigned cave in Lunt Street in Kishor-Kishori's palace in Chicago. Outside there are snow flakes in the air. It is dark and cloudy. We are in the city with Pawn Shops, Anti-Ugly Shops, Check-Cashing Shops, small Markets, and a Dentist.

Karuna Nidhi Das from Madras volunteered to take us to the dentist and pay all the expenses. Was only $30 for the Dentist and $18.09 for the anti-bioitic. We almost froze to death on the walk to Walgreens after the visit to the Dentist. He was across the street. He x-rayed us and it is as suspected for Bhakta Tommy. He stood out from his fellow teeth as a kind of dark color and surrounded by a little trim of blood. "You have a severe gum disease and the only thing I can do is to pull your tooth, or give you a prescription for an anti-biotic and pain killer and then you can see you Dentist when you get back home."

So, we opted for the #2-treatment without the pain killers, and here we are back in the Temple.
 

Another body part back to Godhead!
 

Today:

• Up at 1.15AM. 
• Some Tpp - CB/16 writing,
• CC 2.11, 
• Japa . . .
• Mangala arati .. .
• 5.30AM teleconference with Rama-giridhari Das in India about South America education symposium,
• BhVai Study Partner meeting,
• 7.30AM Temple SB class,
• 10AM Hawai SB tele conference/class,
• light lunch and consultation for Bhakta L. Skywalker,
• 2PM Dentists . . .
• 6PM Spanish Bh. Vrksa program.

When we were out walking two people said, "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna....". Several more must have thought about Krsna when they saw us.

O.K. We got 17-nice rounds done. Of course, Brother as is weak but happppy. Now little Letters, Rest and Bh. Vrksa, no? 

Even a dog can take part and dance in ecstacy!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and sri gaura nitai 

Hare Krishna guru maharaja

I hope you're well, my letter is anonymous this time, I do it for one reasons.

So no one will be offended and will not disturb the mind of any spiritual brother, and my mind. Gurudeva I respectfully write this, and I hope you can understand me and guide. 

I am a disciple of you, I have a quiet spiritual life, with ups and downs like everyone else, but always conscious of Krsna, chant my 16 rounds and follow my principles, I have consistently sadhu sanga with some friends and devotees who visit the temple often, I am almost 10 years in this beautiful movement Srila Prabhupada, I've always been a calm and quiet person, I never like to be popular, or destacar in any activity in the temple, whenever my services were in love and selflessness, always follow all the devotees of senior devotee to new bhaktas, for me was always the same respect, At first it was difficult to adjust to some people, the yatra is a little strange, people talk a lot of other, inventing things, speaking ill of one for the other, and honestly I was raised differently, my education and values family is completely based on otherwise, often cry  for this situation, but my faith and love for Krishna were provided are larger, and ignore all these situations.

and I was always conscious of Krsna, I always stood my ground, always follow your advice, and so I could get where I am now in my spiritual life. I lived every stage of these years with my strong faith, I have gone through many stages in my spiritual life, beautiful moments,  difficult times too, I've state of bride, with devotee, and not to result in anything, by that currently devotees make what they want and already nobody wants commitments, my best friend's devotees, became distant people, I think it bothers them my personality or my life, I have good economic and spend little time I realize that it makes them uncomfortable, my parents have always given me the best, and I really like  study, be presentable and more, apparently my friends and other people that are uncomfortable, but I do not understand why this situation ever happened, by the grace of Krsna, I have had the privilege of meeting other yatras outside my country too.

I told you a little about my life for my yatra, which a lot has happened and I'm still present in this beautiful movement, but you know, since almost my 30 years old, I realize that there are things that do not make me completely happy, I'm happy when I go to the temple, I see the deities, but then I feel uncomfortable. I struggle more with my mind, and feel not good in my yatra, for which I am grateful to be received at the house of Srila Prabhupada, I love being a devotee of Krishna, I love to  sadhu sanga with all the difficulties and moments that are not pleasant to me.

but I'm at a point where I wonder how I can feel better? Krishna and the rounds are my only friends, why I keep standing firm, but you know this is a bit strong to say and every time I think about it I apologize to Krishna, there are people who are not devotees of Krishna (Karmis), which behave much better and politely that some devotees and this causes me a big impression, I know very well that I'm not perfect, nobody is perfect and does not judge anyone, and I have never discussed with anyone but you now. My question to you is, if I do not feel good in a place where I wanted help with my services, and which took nearly ten years and have never seen a change good for the yatra,  I can find a new yatra where I can feel comfortable, maybe not 100%, because there are conflicts everywhere, but perhaps feel that beautiful temple to feel like my home.

 what you think, you guru maharaja my current situation? I feel bad for having these feelings, I hope you do not feel offended by my letter, and I hope to help more devotees sit well with your response.

what advice you give me, and that guidance would be best in this situation?

Gurudeva Thanks, and sorry for the extended menu.
excuse my bad English and thank you very much for being my guide, thanks to my family, Krishna, Srila Prabhupada, and thanks to you, I have my active spiritual life.

says goodbye, your eternal servant.

Haribooool

HpS - ASA - Jaya! AGTSP. Thank you for you English. It is 97%  comprehensible. You question is a big question and it is not answered in a brief letter. One thing is that to give detailed advice we have to know details of the situation, and that is not so easy unless we live in the situation also.

So first suggestion is that you should talk about this with local devotees, people.

Second is SB 5.18.12. Sometimes karmis, jnanis, yogis appear to have good qualities, but put them in the same situation as devotees and you see that these are only superficially good qualities.

Another thing is that ISKCON is not the only religious community on earth. So  we can find people who are devotees from other religious groups also who can have good qualities, but if start to participate in their community like you are participating in ISKCON then you will see the same problems.

This is the material world. When Srila Prabhupada was asked by a reporter in Berkeley, "are there problems in you temples?", Srila Prabhupada said that, "this is the material world. There are problems everywhere". Even when KRSNA was personally present in VRNDAVANA there were demons coming and cause MISCARRIAGES for the girls!

You Yatra is not Vrndavana and Krsna is not personally present, no? So we can expect problems. They push us to get out of this place.

Best change of Yatra is to go back home, back to Godhead.

Soooo.... Yes, always look for better association. Preach to people who are in a lower situation if you can and if they don't want to listen then show a good example.

Don't expect perfection. Look for Yatra, within your Yatra, of nice people.

I see sooooo many problems in ISKCON, with devotees my age. I try to correct them, work with devotees like you.

Keep giving us your association through this Blog! This is a Yatra.

AGTSP!!!  Write again as you need to! We will try to help as we can!!!