A G T S P !
Paoho.... Oink! Oinnk! Whoop! Whoop! Click!/Click! (How does Patrak Das translate, "Oink! Oink! Whoop! Whoop!" into Spanish? What does a pig or monkey say in Spanish? "Click/Click" is what we guess a scientist would say.)
Here we (Monkey/Piggy et al) are still in Houston, Texas, ISKCON. We look out from our second story, royal apartment in the new Sannyasi Palace. It is very nice facility. We have a sitting room, bedroom and private bath. There are three more rooms like this and a common library/conference room, dinning room and kitchen. It is all on Radha Lane, which has two of six planned houses done.
It is three minute walk past all devotee houses to Radha Nila-madhava's Temple, but we always try to remember that the buildings are not the best measure of the Bhakti. The service of the Deities, the Sankirtana, the Sadhana are also very important, essential.
You can see from the letters that we are struggling just like you - some better, some worse than us. We just caught up all the letters to three days ago! We have 14-letters there to answer. We are suffering like anything from social and political violence that we get ourselves into because of our arrogance and also because we are trying to serve Srila Prabhupada as Sannyasis.
Also, we are satisfied with the intellectual contribution that we can make in classes and counseling. There is so much we could write:
~ Who - Hari lila Das has been so, so, attentive to Lord Nrsmhadeva's needs and our Sankirtana partner. Also prominent is Radha Krsna das B'cari, but many more here.
~We talk with Nitai-gaurasundara Das about every three days and Dr. Samaresh each week. We are doing Web-page development for the Ministry and increasing Sastric studies. We have a letter to answer from Dinadayal Das and Braj-bihari Das in this regard, and we have to do our BhVaibhava study next. It is 5PM. [We have to get some confidential ecstacy daily].
~NIOS development involves work with Dr. Samaresh, M. Jambavati's book and trying to develop our relationship with Goloka Education. You can google their web page. Whatever it says there they actually do.
~~ It seems that a lot of this is being able to get these all projects on a simple calendar, priority list and then progress little by little. Hansadutta told us that he had to go full-bore on one projects and get it done. He could not keep may rods in the fire at the same time. It is tough for us also and we have a LOT of anxiety that we are taking proper care of things. We must chant more and surrender all these plans to Krsna.
~ ~We just woke up Lord Nrsmhadeva and the Berkeley Temple altar. We offered Them a pint of water. We cook for the Lord daily now! Garbanza beans and split green-peas, carrots, parsely, ghee and salt. For breakfast fruit and milk. Some Maha-prasadam from Radharani and Nila-madhava. In the afternoon, maybe fruit and milk. After class, some fruit.
~ ~ ~ Today we did Japa Joe! (After two hours rest last night). Mangala arati - more Japa. [About 7-people for Mangala arati. Radharani is so beautiful.] Had a two hour nap. We gave Temple class, listened to Hawaii class, we give it tommorrow, pretty nice work on the Japa Joe power point show for Proffessor Campbell, had a two hour nap, will present at the 'Simple Living High Thinking' weekly meeting in the Gauranga Hall. [It is for Non-Indians, Westerners. Nice program!] (We were not supposed to do this, one class a day, but it was scheduled without Hari-lila Swami's knowledge) then run back to our Ashrama in the Sannyasi Palace and do our Bhakti Bhaibava Partner Study Meeting wit Sri Hari Das.
~Hmm? Letter to Braja and Dinadaya????
~ ~ ~ Now we will just write our ideas for the theme for NIOS annual event. What do you think. Then we have to do our Bh. Vai, SB 4.9 studies and take a quick bath following our Sannyasa Guru, B. S. Damodar Swami and chant 12-more rounds to keep up with our25-32/day.
Ha! Ha! Haw Ray! When we write it all down. It is insane. Seems like six hours/day rest in three 2-hour naps. We could eat a little better and probably reduce and regulate our sleep a little more. So, you can see, we are not Uttama adhikari yet but we are in progress. We offer our respects to the so, so many more advanced devotees in ISKCON than us. When we look out at the devotees in front of us, we can honestly look at each one and think, "Yes, in terms of his position it is quite possible that he is more advanced than we are". We don't know.
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NIOS 14TH Annual Symposium on Cultivation of the Human Spirit
14th September 2013
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Twelve hour: Akhanda Sankirtana- 6AM - 6PM
Theme for Publications and Event: LADIES FIRST
Let us consider the primacy of the compassionate feminine nature in approaching the most intimate aspects of Divinity as personified by such ladies and Laksmi, Mary, Kahdijah, and also the primacy of developing a good idea of education and opportunities for character developement for girls so they can play their primary role in creating a world where we can be one in peace, prosperity and friendship with a common cause.
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~ 5.24PM: Post this theme suggestion to NGD and Dr. SB et al for their suggestions. What do you think? BhVai. Bath, go to Temple at 6.30PM. Thank you!!
