Hare Krsna,
AGTSP
paoho . . . Here we are in NgD Prabhu's house. It is 5PM. We will write like fiends (We were fiends), read and post our comments on the Sankirtana news here in.
We have had SUPER meetings with local scholars, and are working on the Annual NIOS Symposium for September. It should be on the Campus.
Also, we are pushing, shing, shing, to have a regular KRSNA book Symposuim each week based from NIOS Nashville. Letters!>>>>
Esteemed Devotees,
Paoho AGTSP. How are you? We are in Tandavika Prabhu's house for Saturday and Sunday. We are keeping pretty good standard. Working constantly in KC, now we have to intensify it to come up to the standard of other stronger devotees in ISKCON.
It is 2.21PM we have 21 of our 32 rounds done. We are on schedule. We will check our list of Things To Do, and check in with a few devotees. Cell phone is free today, by the mercy of Caitanya-caritamrta Prabhu.
In checking the e-mail we have nice letter from one devotee who is disturbed by fall downs in ISKCON etc. So we have our edited answer to him following. We asked him to write to this Blog so we can all discuss these things efficiently. Use pen-names if you feel shy to talk of stuf here with your regular name. Also, talk in general rather than individual details, on principles, more than individual detials in this Forum:
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Hare Krsna,
J a y a! Srila Prabhupada, Ki Jai. Please accept our humble obeisances. Thank you for the letter and fotos. <img alt=":) happy" src="http://mail.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo1.gif" />
We are in Tennessee until 25th then we go to Boise, San Jose, Houston, Mexico...
Your letters and news are no distubance. So far I have been able to follow well Srila Prabhupada's basic program since even before the time of initiation. Beyond that I think I have not done such great things as many other devotees, so I have lots of room to improve.
Your news is honestly quite encouraging.
Of course, as always Srila Prabhupada is everyone in ISKCON's Guru, no? Right after Prabhupada left there was this development that the people named by Prabhupada to give initiation were now in the line between Prabhupada and the people newly joining ISKCON and they were the new "Founder Acharys" of their specific regions. I went through that phase personally with Hansadutta Prabhu in Berkeley. In any case, it was accepted by various people in various degrees, 0-100%, but within about 5-years or more it was rejected by mostly 80% as far as I can understand, especially as in the extreme case of Kirtanananda, who as I understand did not want people to read Srila Prabhupada's books, but rather only read his.
This is where I become confused.
Whether you, I, Guru-prasad Swami, Prabhavisnu Swami, Hansadutta, Maitreya Das, Ramabhadra Das, Svasa Das, Harivilasa Das, Lavanya-mangala Devi Das, fall down, we all still have very clear standard and example from Srila Prabhupada. If we call ourselves, "Prabhupada Disciples", that means, again as I understand, that we follow the four-regulative principles strictly and chant 16-enthusiastic rounds/day with out fail. Then of course, we advise, by our association inspire, others to do the same.
Is correct?
Of course, there are so many details, but that is the simple, practical situation as I have understood and as I understand Srila Prabhupada.
He chants his rounds, we chant our rounds, any body who wants to follow us following him, chants their rounds, anybody who wants to follow them chant their rounds . . . .
. . . . We have twenty O.K. rounds done now. We've gone from 25/day to 32/day this year. Is very nice. We can do better.
Jaya!
Again, we don't want to molest your good self either, but for us it has been very clear for so very long. We have to chant 16 enthusiastic rounds and follow the four principles strictly.
If we don't do this we are not fully Prabhupada disciples directly or indirectly, formally initiated or not formally initiated.
We may be progressive and headed to the standard, but we are not at the standard, yet.
Krsna, personally will help us follow this standard because through Srila Prabhupada He has personally set it.
Unless we follow this standard, or are sincerely trying to go to this standard, we will honestly won't be able to understand much else about ISKCON. It can only be understood practically by devotional service to it's Founder Acharya.
Jaya! Our fanatic ideas. <img alt=":) happy" src="http://mail.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo1.gif" /><img alt=":) happy" src="http://mail.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo1.gif" /><img alt=":) happy" src="http://mail.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo1.gif" /><img alt=":) happy" src="http://mail.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo1.gif" />
Can you write to our ASA Blog about this??!! So many people have the same comments and questions that we have and then we can all discuss it together there. You can use a pen-name if you want to, the Rationalist of Rome, <img alt=":) happy" src="http://mail.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo1.gif" />, or whatever you feel comfortable with.
In any case, we are always glad to hear from you.
AGTSP
paoho... . . . You are very nice association for us.
Ur fallen servant,
Hanumatpresaka Swami
Happy Birthday, Brother Donkey, Happy Birthday to You!
Heeee Hawwww! Heeeee! Hawwwww!
Well, we, Tom Brown and Buck White, just finished answering a lot of letters. Uncle Gismo and HpSwami helped a little. Actually, we are the guys in control here most of the time.
Today is the anniversary of the birthday of Brother Ass on the Gregorian Calendar. It is 10.49AM. We got 21 of our 32 rounds done.
Next we gotta get it together for a trip to the Campus to meet with Rabbi Rami about NIOS and our work here with them.
It is so, so, so dificult to preach. Especially for us who have NO qualifications. We try. We try because there is the a taste in chanting and reading.
Also, today, we should work on our essay on Health and Spirituality for Texas and Mexico. We already have one draft done. It definitely needs citations, but we have our books with us finally, Carl Jung etc.
Guess that's it. Thank you all so much for your association. Some Japa and we head through the rain and wind to the campus (finding a place to park is going to be a challenge).
Hari Bolo!!
Todas las glorias a Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu y su eterno Sankirtan.
Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada.
Por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias querido Maharajá.
Querido Maharajá, permítame ofrecerle mis respetuosas reverencias desearía que humildes pero eso en sentimiento muy elevado propio de usted y Srila Prabhupada que me inspiran a aprender.
Disculpe mi ofensa de no poderle enviar con anterioridad reportes de actividades, me da mucha pena enviarle reportes con pocas actividades, mi deseo sincero es poderle compartir cosas buenas y mucho servicio pero se que usted esta muy ocupado y necesita descansar como para que lo moleste con esto.
Ahora termine 1° semestre de universidad con promedio de 9.2 esa es mi insignificante ofrenda a su elevada personalidad llena de compasión y misericordia. Deje de tener un servicio fijo en el templo mientras estudiaba y las rondas empezaban a dificultarse mucho, la mente agarraba fuerza y al sentirme mas indefensa fui corriendo al refugio de Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhu Maitreya me ayudo mucho a mejorar las rondas y me invito a quedarme en el templo en vacaciones q con gusto acepte ahora me quede entrando a raja bhoga y cantando 16 rondas diarias acabo de pedir servicio fijo los jueves en la tarde de parafernalias, pido a krishna todos los días que me permita mantenerme fija por que ahora después de estas pruebas me e dado cuenta que soy muy débil y tonta, que necesito tener voluntad para poder seguir adelante.
Los ekadasi van muy bien poco a poco dejan de ser austeridad para convertirse en gusto, gracias por su inspiración y su instrucción siento como me va llevando de regreso a krishna, con mucho amor Querido Maharajá, el día de su sagrado Sri Vyasapuja lo celebramos en el templo en compañía de todos los devotos y estar cerca de usted por medio de la transmisión por internet, aunque hubo fallas le pudimos escuchar y eso fue lo mas importante. No le envié mi ofrenda escrita al blog ya que aun no soy formalmente su aspirante, pero pude pasar a decirla en el Sri Vyasa Puja gracias por permitirme glorificarlo y permítame por favor volver a glorificar su aparición trascendental antes de la desaparición de Srila jiva Goswami.
Gracias a Srila Prabhupada y a su inspiración, Gopal se encuentra bien se le atiende cada semana con adoración y canto, el servicio en el altar me ayuda mucho, aunque he cambiado el día de adorarlo a los martes por la escuela.
Maharajá le pido perdón porque no se como dirigirme a usted, porque no me siento cualificada para glorificar su misericordia, pero mi deseo ahora es alcanzar su refugio formal y no perder mas tiempo, como sus palabras bien lo dijeron es bueno ser paciente pero es mejor ser entusiasta.
Oro a Sri Krsna, porque siga bien de salud pidiendo perdone mis ofensas por favor.
Su aspirante a refugio Bhaktin Zareth.
HpS - ASA - Jaya! Gracias a Vd. Gracias a Srila Prabhupada quien ha nos dotado (has given us) esta buen cultura Vaisnava. Adelante, adelante, adelante. Busca sus gustos en el empiro de bhakti yoga de Srila Prabhupada, y cultivan. Cada persona es diferente. Cada tiene su propio desafios y ganancias!
Cuales su carrera de estudio???
All Glories To Srila Prabhupada!
All Glories To Sri Guru and Gauranga!
Please accept my humble obeisances.
Dear gurudev,
Yesterday I read the response of my Vyasa Puja offering and is so liberating feel that I can be as honest as I can and receving so merciful answer from You. Thank You a lot! The situation with my son and his mother is very complicated. They are fine but in the middle there is a lot of drama and novel situations. In resume I want to take care and raise my son but she don´t want me as his father. What happens in the middle? Whe know about the prengancy after finishing our couple relation. And after that she sent me an e-mail telling me that I´m gonna be father but after that she denied me any personal or indirect contact. The baby is about to born and I still don´t know where or when, she don´t want to tell me. I´m with lawyers and all that trying to give him my costudy so that I can see him and give him all the needs: money, health care, visit days. When I tried to talk with her in person she don´t want to talk, even if I always be comprehensive and patient, I was never violent or pressure trying to understand her. But she stills insist in have this position. Now I´m expecting and trying to have hope that when my son born she will be quiet and start to comprehend that the baby needs his mother and his father.
I´m trying not to judge her or being offensive, we all have traumas to resolve and if Krishna wants her to be the mother of my son is because she is special. Uff Krishna is teaching me a lot and I´m trying to learn. Thanks to devotees, family and You I´m passing through this pretty well, with anxiety but trying to comprehend the things better. I´m experimentig very directly what happens when one is situated in the mode of ignorance and I want start to develop more goodness with sincerity and stop suffering this kind of things just for being like an animal. And I´m realizing that the external situation can be a chaos but inside us everything can be expierenced very pacefuly when whe ask Krishna for comprehension. Well this is the resume, there are a lot of things more but I think that is not necessary I know that You can comprehend the essence of the situation behind the words. Sorry for the extension of the letter and Thank You a lot again. Please accept my apologies if there any offense in this letter, I´m a diplomated donkey. At Your service.
Jagadananda Pandit das.
HpS - ASA --- Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Yeah, keep trying to work on the problem personally, but really it seems that any real solution is going to require Krsna's action. So, Hmmmm, what does He want?
Awaiting the next episode of the never ending tele-novela of Jagad Pandita Das the Neo-Metropolitano!
Hare Krsna Maharaj,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Maharaj, I have honestly been trying to build up the courage to write this email for almost a month now. The update is we are very very very grateful to be under Radha Bankabihari's shelter and the Boise devotees shelter. Aruddha Mataji is our grihastha siksa guru (she always has been, but now it is much easier to consult with her regularly) and Srinivasa Acharya and Sangeetha are the perfect grihastha examples to emmulate- who can ask for more! It was a battle to get here, but with the phone turned off, limited internet access, and being engaged in service/reading/making prasad for deities 6 times a week we feel things are intense, but really good. Also, being on the altar everyday and Nick Prabhu practically being engaged all weekend in temple service has helped us see the necessity of scheduling our spare time nicely (reading, cleaning, etc.). I think both of us knew before moving here that this was the grihastha equivalient to 'moving into the temple' but honestly, Krsna must have known that this lifestyle suits our natures (a sudra/musician/artist/ 1/5 brahman nature???).
My point is that we are very happy with this arrangement. Before we moved, I let the Gupta's know that taking up this service would rest upon the condition that I would strive to aspire for second initiation. I have read what you are looking for Maharaj, in your guru tattva document and talked to Srinivasa about the qualifications you are looking for. Without sounding like a person who is trying to act falsely humble, I do want to say that with all sincerity I feel extremely unqualified. I am moving at a slugs pace in regards to the BhSastri and BhV (still in the Isopanisad and half way through first canto) and of course my husband has let me know I have a lot to work on in regards to character. I did feel an obligation to ask though due to the previous request made by the Guptas before we started to take on this service. Thank you for allowing me to inquire in such a stumbling way.
We hope your health is good and we look forward to your visit. Nick is doing good, chanting consistently everyday, and will be going on a previously scheduled music tour he was invited to do on Thursday after you arrive. He is glad he will have your association the night you arrive and morning after though.
Please let us know how we can best serve you, Also, please feel free to ask us any questions- were not sure if we provided a sufficient update. We can also be reached through Skype now too- we heard there might be possible classes through the SKype in the future?
Your servants,
Kamagayatri, Nick and Aja
HpS - AGTSP pamho. I don't think it is courage, it is more just having the strength to write. We are not hard to get along with though. We don't mind simple letters full of simple comments (if they are short). That way we can all hear about Boise, the Planet of the Trees!
Life sounds nice. make a plan to stick with it for some time, and then stop to review the situation.
Yeah, Nick's right! Hard to put up with a hard-headed woman like you. (Hilarious laughter). It's hard for ANYBODY to be married. Mother Yasoda was lamenting to Nanda Maharaja that he was impossible, that he let Krsna and Balarama go to Mathura... Just love your husband and your baby and try to get them back to godhead and everything else will be O.K, no?
We see you soon.
If you survive your present condition for three months, it's like 90% of a Second intitiation test in itself!