Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna, honorable Maharaj, H. H. HpS 🙏🏾

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

PAMHO

to your lotus feet 🐵

Thank you for your MERCY every single day...

These questions are about sunday classes.

Upendra Prabhu talked about Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya Lila, chapter 17. Thanks for his comments.

I have some doubts about this lecture.

In the harinamas, when we go out into the streets, I have seen people get excited and dance, but there are others (few afortunately) who completely reject the Holy name. Why are animals more receptive to the chanting of the Maha Mantra? They are living entities are supposed to be more savage and less evolved than us.

HpS - First, animals and humans are both influenced more by Lord Caitanya than us.

Even with Lord Caitanya it may be that some animals, like some humans, respond.

Spiritually bad animals, like spiritually bad people, do not.

O.K.

Holy Names can directly touch the soul, by pass the Karma, gross body.

Why does this happen, Maharaj? Are animals nobler and more receptive to accept the holy name?

HpS - Usually they are less receptive, and trees worse, but the Holy Names from Sri Gauranga and deep power.

Maybe Human beings may pretend that they do not like it, but deep down, the holy name will gradually cleanse their hearts?

Just as the people who listened to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and became Vaishnavas because Krishna is the Supreme personality of God, completely pure, were present. However, when we go out on Harinama, if we fail to captivate anyone after our journey, does this mean that we are not purifed enough, that is, we are not performing a correct sadhana? Or is it the karma of the people that prevents the chanting from reaching their hearts?

We know Lord Caitanya is the most merciful Lord to the fallen souls and the poor ones, yet there are people who reject him. Is His mercy the same for them, or would they have to surrender and ask for His forgiveness first?

HpS/ASA - In general, our experience is that different people in different communities, countries, respond differently. USA people are more mechanistic. Japanese people have been more inclined to hear from Monks with trust.

Yes, it seems we can improve our chanting!

I can directly see how this can happen.

Yet, there is certainly an effect on them by hearing the Name, even consciously or unconsciously, and certainly when presented by devotees following Srila Prabhupada's instructions.

I have another question about the relationships with relatives.

It is said about service to the Lord that by performing it we are nourishing the source and everything else will be nourished; however, I had a conversation with a very Catholic person, and it made me wonder as well. For example, if I serve to a sick person, a relative or another person who needs anything, in this way I am serving Krishna and offering my service to Him, does that service have the same value as, for example, serving the Deities?

this question arises because my family, my closest ones, do not understand devotional service. They believe that by going to the temple and attending to the Deities or in my house when they see me offering flowers, incienses, bhoga to my Deities, so I am neglecting my relationships with family members. They are convinced my priority is just adoring Krishna and go to the Temple.

How should I manage this kind of topics with my family? Thank you for your guidance, Maharaj, your time and patience 🙇🏽‍♀

HpS - As far as I know, there are identical questions in the Bible, Koran etc.

If we follow the process given by an authorized Acharya like Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya, the Prophet Mohammed, Lord Jesus Christ, then our spiritual understanding will gradually wake up, just like someone awakening from sleep and dreams.

Then we will see the position of God and all of His children.

We can serve our relatives for selfish motives.

We can worship the icons in the temple for selfish motives,

or we can see how the fingers, hands and arms are related to the whole body and serve them in proper perspective.

Some one is scraped in a travel accident and their is some mild blood flow. Yes, we should clean and dress the wound, but that is silly if they are suffocating to death.

We want to serve God and His family, and as we wake up we can see how they are related.

Half awake, we should keep a full morning and evening Temple program etc. and serve all of our brother and sisters in the world during the day time.

Many more details, but that seems like some basic thoughts.

O.K.?

Your silly but very thankful servant,

AGTSP

AGTHPS

Annie from Lima 🐦

Todas las Glorias a Srila Prabhupada!!

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja, por favor reciba mis respetuosas reverencias.

Guru Maharaja, mi mudanza a la ciudad de Tarapoto solo duro aproximadamente dos meses y medio, ahora estoy nuevamente por Huancayo, al parecer estaré nuevamente por aquí, y quizás sea por corto tiempo, después no sé que pasará.

Hago planes, pero al parecer hay una fuerza sobrehumana que los cambia, debe ser el Señor Supremo Sri Caitanya. No lo sé.

A Huancayo llego su SS. Bhakti Arjava Priti Vardhana Swami Maharaja con su sirviente Prabhu Jaya Prahlada.

Su Santidad estuvo una semana en Huancayo, en el templo de madre Laksmirani, Maharaja dio entrevistas en las radios locales y algunos canales de televisión de la región, también dio conferencias en unos auditorios, y gracias a Srila Prabhupada tuve la misericordia de tomar su santa asociación y servirlo.

A Maharaja y a su sirviente les gusta cocinar y nos enseñaron algunas recetas, fue una experiencia muy bonita e increíble. Maharaja fue muy misericordioso con nosotros y muy tolerante con nuestras deficiencias.

Aquí le comparto algunas fotos.

Bueno Guru Maharaja, me despido y que el Señor Nrsimha lo proteja siempre.

Hare Krsna.

Gadai Gauranga Das

-0-0-0-

All Glory to Srila Prabhupada!!

Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja, please accept my respectful obeisances.

Guru Maharaja, my move to the city of Tarapoto only lasted about two and a half months. Now I'm back in Huancayo, and it seems I'll be here again, perhaps for a short time. After that, I don't know what will happen.

I make plans, but it seems there's a superhuman force that changes them. It must be the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya. I don't know.

His Holiness Bhakti Arjava Priti Vardhana Swami Maharaja arrived in Huancayo with his servant Prabhu Jaya Prahlada.

His Holiness spent a week in Huancayo at the temple of Mother Lakshmirani. Maharaja gave interviews on local radio stations and some regional television channels. He also gave lectures in auditoriums, and thanks to Srila Prabhupada, I had the grace to enter into his holy association and serve him.

Maharaja and his servant love to cook and taught us some recipes. It was a very beautiful and incredible experience. Maharaja was very merciful to us and very forgiving of our shortcomings.

Here are some photos.

Well, Guru Maharaja, I bid you farewell, and may Lord Nrsimha always protect you.

Hare Krishna.

Gadai Gauranga Das

HpS - Jaya! I have never heard Maharaja's name or pastimes before. Where is he from? Is he ISKCON Sannyasi?

Thank you for the news. In any case Srila Prabhupada spent a lifetime in preparation, so maybe we will have to spend twenty life times in preparation, but in any case we are already experiencing the development in Bhakti Yoga that is promised.

HpS/ASA - No, agtSP, content in the letter!

Would like very much to hear from you.

Thank you.

Diary of a Dreaming Creature

It 😎 is at 5.11PM. Sunset was some time ago, here in ISKCON Houston.

Very nice letter from Miguel, Terkadamba Devi Dasi, Dallas, but should take a break now for our eyes etc.

Been pretty good day.

1. Japa Joe 📿🐵
2. Full Morning Program in the Temple ⛪
3. Meeting with:
4. Atul Krsna Das on the Bhakti-sarva-bhauma diploma.
5. Tandavika Das about Guru-puja in Nashville.
6. Rest and Reading. Mail.
7. Preparing for meeting with Uncle Gismo and H. G. Gopinatha Das from Hewlitt-Packard this evening.
8. FEP

Thank you for your association. Sankirtan!

💪💪💪🐵🐷

Please adored Gurumaharaja accept my humble obeisanced to Sweet dust of Your lotus feet🙇🏻‍♀️🙏🙏🙏💖🌷🌹🌷💐🌻🌹🌷💐🌻🎵🎶

HpS/ASA - We feel really unhappy when people talk about "the sweet dust of our lotus feet". It seem kind of like what a lady might feel like if her husband washed her feat in public and sprinkled the water on his head and the head of others. 😆

In Vaikuntha I guess we all have lotus feet (or lotus hooves) but here they are maybe just venerable as chaste ladies, austere Sannyasis, no?

AgtSP!!!

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada!!!🙇🏻‍♀️🙏💐🌻🌹🌷🌻💐💖

HpS/ASA - 👦 🐒 🐖 Jaya! !

All glories To You Gurudeva!!!🙏🙏🙏🎵🎶🙇🏻‍♀️💐🌻🌹🌷🌹🌻💐🌻💐🌷💐🌹🌻💐🌷💖

We have been concerned about your throat for a long time, and we are very happy to be allowed to talk about this on the blog. How can we help? ... I always think that a little tea with honey and perhaps ginger would help... but I really don't know what is good for your dosha.

If any well-intentioned disciple knows what is best for you, it would be so good if they could help you so that this stops once and for all. It is very painful to think that your throat might be hurting from the inflammation caused by making that sound that helps you continue speaking.

I think—please correct me if I am wrong, beloved Gurudev—that although, as disciples, we cannot advise you, and that is taken as offensive, there is also the example of the gopis, who did not care about going to hell if they had to give the dust of their lotus feet to cure Krishna's headache. And... even though we may not be advanced or pure like Them, I think it's normal to feel pain if you see the most beloved person in the world suffering, and you know how to help, but... for fear of offending, you don't help.

So... I sincerely hope that some devotee who knows how to reduce the swelling in a throat that's draining... water? from Her lotus nose, can help stop this and allow you to have some peace of mind, at least about this.

Please forgive me if I've caused any offense... I've long wished this could finally stop bothering you.

On the other hand, it's so lovely and inspiring to see my brothers and sisters wanting to follow SDG Srila Prabhupada so well! My deepest respect to all! I hope we can all understand how to improve our service and relationship with You. Better and better, clearer and clearer...!!! Jaya Gurudeva! Your class was so wonderful; it was exactly what I needed to hear.

Always aspiring to serve the dust of her fantastic lotus feet;

Japa Prati Jalpa Radha Devi Dasi

HpS/ASA - Very nice ayurvedic doctor here, Ananta isvara Das. South Indian Brahmana boy.

Very, very nice.

I hope that he and Nikunja and others can all be in touch.

Maybe a Latin American Tour.

We have some specific medicine, daily: Chaywan Prash, specifically blended for our nature. Is very strong.

Other than that our throat, eyes, ears, skin, heart are all under systemic care that seems to be the best remedy.

Of course, when we get up in the morning we have to wake up everything, so there is some coughing to clear the throat.

In general, it is o.k. Weaker that ten years ago, but still functional.

I hope to get a new one when this one is finished!!!

Thank you!!!

I think you speak for many people.

Hare Krishna Gurudeva, please accept my obeisances.

Gurudeva, I have no problem with the ISKCON authorities, nor am I very close to them.

My service is outside the temples. I currently hold no authority, but I was thinking of taking Maharaj Yadunandana Swami as my Siksha guru. What do you think?

HpS/ASA - Seems very fine. ISKCON is Srila Prabhupada's body, no? So, we should see the the Head, Shoulders, Arms, Belly, Legs are as healthy as possible.

My service is outside the temples: cooking for my deities, chanting 16 rounds, reciting the Srimad Bhagavatam, observing the Ekadasis, chanting the Gayatri, and worshipping my household deities.

HpS - Your attitude seems great. Just work to become a part of the institutional Sankirtan more and more. You must protect the GBC. You are their Mother!

My father's name is Hugo Morales; he is 71 years old. He is a retired math teacher. He is currently not working but owns some properties in Peru that he rents out and runs a small business with my mother-in-law.

My father has known ISKCON since 1994. His friend, who was also a vegetarian at the time, introduced him to it. From then on, my father always taught his family and friends about Krishna consciousness. Thanks to my father, I was able to read Srila Prabhupada's books. He taught me to sing the Yapa chant, to cook, and to worship in our small temple at home.

Nadiya Nivasi Dasi

HpS/ASA - You are such a fortunate person. Become a devotee on the level of Narada Muni by the grace of Lord Nityananda and our Founder Acharya!

Come with us to the Next Letter! ➡