Letters to the editor

¡Hare Krsna! Querido Guru Maharaja, por favor acepte nuestras entregadas reverencias

¡Todas las Glorias sean a nuestro muy misericordioso Srila Prabhupada y todas las glorias a sus fieles seguidores!🙇

🙇

🙇

Orando porque su energía sea buena y favorable a su predica. Agradecemos mucho que nos mantenga conectados a las instrucciones de Srila Prabhupada… ¡Sí, Sí, Sí! Oramos sinceramente para Lord Krsna, nos permita continuar con su asociación por siempre.🐒

😊

Gracias por su respuesta al correo anterior y por sus correcciones, enviamos el reporte de esta quincena:

Durante este periodo no tuvimos actividades significativas, únicamente mantenemos las transmisiones en Facebook de las diversas clases que usted ha dictado, especialmente las clases sabatinas en compañía de Upendra Prabhu.

Poco a poco estamos subiendo las grabaciones al canal de youtube, ahí también, pueden encontrarse algunas clases en español de Srila Prabhupada.

Respecto a las grabaciones en Santa Eulalia, tal como usted sugiere, en cuanto nos sea posible nos comunicaremos con Abhirama Prabhu.

Proyectos: Tenemos varios archivos de distintas clases y seminarios que usted ha dictado (la mayoría son “solo audio”). Estamos intentando compartirlas en ASA Carnaval, aunque nos disculpamos por no ser capaces de compartirlas con la velocidad que quisiéramos. Observamos que requerimos un mejor equipo de cómputo que nos permita editar los videos de manera más rápida y eficiente (estamos trabajando en ello).🤓

💻

Continuamos intentando avanzar de acuerdo a nuestras posibilidades,🐒

muchas gracias por su paciencia.🙏

___________________

Enlaces de contacto:

Plataformas 💻

https://www.facebook.com/asacarnaval

https://www.youtube.com/@asacarnaval

https://issuu.com/asacarnavalhps

Para mejorar su búsqueda consulte:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wwrOywwqci1IEkJsz3s055t0bGLIqRbj/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106345441462837247827&rtpof=true&sd=true

Correo:📨 [email protected]

Equipo coordinador:

Isvari Radha Devi Dasi / Abhinanda Das / Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi

___________________

Ese es nuestro reporte por ahora Guru Maharaja, por favor disculpe las fallas, imploramos sus bendiciones para poder ser útiles de algún modo en este magnífico carnaval. Muchas gracias por la inagotable inspiración que nos brinda. 🙇

🙇

🙇

🌻

Siempre a sus órdenes, su aspirante a sirviente

Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi

ASA Carnaval

-0-

I will do [Hare] Krsna! Dear Guru Maharaja, please accept our dedicated obeisances.

All glories be to our most merciful Srila Prabhupada and all glories to his faithful followers!🙇

🙇

🙇

Praying that his energy is good and favorable to his preaching. We really appreciate you keeping us connected to Srila Prabhupada's instructions… Yes, Yes, Yes! We sincerely pray for Lord Krsna, let us continue his association forever.🐒

😊

Thank you for your response to the previous email and for your corrections, we are sending this fortnight's report:

During this period we did not have significant activities, we only keep the transmissions on Facebook of the various classes that you have taught, especially the Saturday classes in the company of Upendra Prabhu.

Little by little we are uploading the recordings to the YouTube channel, there you can also find some classes in Spanish by Srila Prabhupada.

Regarding the recordings in Santa Eulalia, as you suggest, we will contact Abhirama Prabhu as soon as possible.

Projects: We have several files of different classes and seminars that you have taught (most are “audio only”). We are trying to share them at ASA Carnaval, although we apologize for not being able to share them as quickly as we would like. We note that we require better computer equipment that allows us to edit the videos faster and more efficiently (we are working on it).🤓

💻

 We continue trying to advance according to our possibilities,🐒

 Thank you very much for your patience.🙏

___________________

Contact links:

Platforms 💻

https://www.facebook.com/asacarnaval

https://www.youtube.com/@asacarnaval

https://issuu.com/asacarnavalhps

To refine your search see:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wwrOywwqci1IEkJsz3s055t0bGLIqRbj/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106345441462837247827&rtpof=true&sd=true

Email: 📨 [email protected]

Coordinating team:

Isvari Radha Devi Dasi / Abhinanda Das / Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi

___________________

That is our report for now Guru Maharaja, please excuse the shortcomings, we implore his blessings to be of some use in this magnificent carnival. Thank you very much for the inexhaustible inspiration you give us. 🙇

 🙇

 🙇

 🌻

Always at his command, his would-be servant

Karuna Shakti Devi Dasi

ASA Carnival

HpS/ASA - 'Everyone you will meet, will be more honest, more educated, more sincere than you. The only thing you have to offer them are the words of your spiritual master", Srila Bhaktisiddhanta to his Sannyasis being sent out to preach.

Our Spiritual Master is Srila Prabhupada.

We are all try to just illuminate his words.

Thank you all!

Hope you see the resources Krsna is sending: Tools, people, intelligence, and grab them!!

🙂. . . 🙂 . . . . . 🐵 . . .

AgtSP.

asa[e] friensdship

Querido Gurumaharaja

Por favor acepte nuestras respetuosas reverencias.

¡Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada!

Muchas gracias por su constante asociación a través de los diferentes espacios tecnológicos, también agradecerle por aceptar invitaciones como Mayapur tv español que nos permiten más oportunidades de clases con usted y muchas gracias por sus noticias en el twitter. 

Estamos agradecidos por su visita pasada a México, también reflexionando sobre algunos puntos para poder entenderlos.

Porsupuesto entusiastas por cantar nuestras rondas, observar las regulaciones prohibitivas e incrementar las positivas como el sravanan y kirtana, también tratamos de seguir algunos programas regulares online del templo.

Con mi esposo continuamos sirviendo a la Deidad en el templo, realmente es una gran fortuna mantener la mente, sentidos ocupados con las Deidades, al inicio mi esposo no tenía mucha habilidad estética pero posteriormente se esfuerza con delicadeza y paciencia al intentar peinar a Goura y Nitay. Sino tenemos hijos podemos volcar nuestros sentidos en la forma Supremamenre bella de una manera formal. 

Por otro lado, he estado reflexionando en algo que usted ha mencionado en algunas clases acerca de saber desarrollar amistad con las personas que tenemos problemas, incluso si tenemos diferencias administrativas pero que no debemos dejar que toque la amistad. ¿Cómo lograr esto ? Suena tan elegante y civilizado que nos gustaría alcanzarlo sin una postura diplomática disforzada.

Usualmente nuestros amigos son los que aprueban nuestros pensamientos y modo de trabajo, y sino piensas o actúas igual es su enemigo y trata de destruirle si es posible o intenta desacreditarlo, he podido ver grandes amigos y luego grandes enemigos tratando de destruirse y faltandose el respeto, el que humilla más es el mejor, esto es muy contrario a la conciencia de Krsna. 

Pienso que una palabra clave es el respeto, pero hoy en día se cuestiona mucho si tal devoto merece o no respeto, esto es interesante, con seguridad en las Escrituras podemos encontrar la respuesta.

Talves podría dar el ejemplo de una pareja de esposos, hay una línea tan delgada para perderse el respeto por cualquier situación, sin embargo, si se cultiva la apreciación como vaisnavas, como personas, con la educación que nos dieron nuestros padres y los consejos de Conciencia de Krsna, por lo menos podemos naufragar como enemigos respetuosos y honestos, pero como pasar a otro nivel de una amistad real en medio de las diferencias ? 

Muchas gracias por su gentil atención.

Por favor disculpe nuestras limitaciones.

Que el Señor Nrisimhadeva proteja su sankirtana y energía para el placer de Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Vuestra eterna aspirante a sirviente.

Asta Sakhi dd 

-0-0-0-

Dear Gurumaharaja,

Please accept our respectful obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Thank you very much for your constant association through the different technological spaces, also thank you for accepting invitations such as Mayapur tv español that allow us more class opportunities with you and thank you very much for your news on twitter.

HpS/ASA - Ooof! We hope these are of some benefit. Yet all of us, you, me, everyone, in the ultimate issue, just have to speak on behalf of Guru and Krsna! If we can see them smiling and patting us on the head then it is wholly satisfying.

Of course, how does that pat come if not from the comments of God brothers, Godsisters...

We are grateful for your past visit to Mexico, also reflecting on some points in order to understand them.

Of course, enthusiastic about chanting our rounds, observing prohibitive regulations and increasing positive ones like sravanan and kirtana, we also try to follow some regular online temple programs.

With my husband we continue to serve the Deity in the temple, it is really a great fortune to keep the mind, senses occupied with the Deities, at the beginning my husband did not have much aesthetic ability bu]t later he strives with delicacy and patience when trying to comb Goura and Nitay. If we don't have children we can pour our senses into the supremely beautiful way in a formal way.

On the other hand, I have been reflecting on something that you have mentioned in some classes about knowing how to develop friendships with people who have problems, even if we have administrative differences, but that we should not let friendship touch. How to achieve this? It sounds so elegant and civilized that we'd like to achieve it without a fancy diplomatic stance.

Usually our friends are the ones who approve our thoughts and way of working, and if you don't think or act the same, it is your enemy and try to destroy it if possible or try to discredit it, I have been able to see great friends and then great enemies trying to destroy each other and disrespecting each other , the one who humiliates the most is the best, this is very contrary to Krsna consciousness.

I think that a key word is respect, but today there are many questions about whether such a devotee deserves respect or not, this is interesting, surely in the Scriptures we can find the answer.

Maybe I could give the example of a married couple, there is such a fine line to lose respect for any situation, however, if appreciation is cultivated as Vaisnavas, as people, with the education that our parents gave us and the advice of Krsna consciousness, at least we can shipwreck as respectful and honest enemies, but how to go to another level of real friendship in the midst of differences?

Thank you very much for your kind attention.

Please excuse our limitations.

May Lord Nrisimhadeva protect his sankirtana and energy for the pleasure of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

She your eternal servant aspirant.

asta sakhi dd.

HpS - Of course NoI 5 tells us that a symptom of friendship is to:

• give gifts,
• give auspicious eatables, and especially,
• to talk confidentially.

This is in the Madhyama adhikari level and of course applys in any VAD circumstance. It applys in family relations, administrative relations etc.

Madhyama adhikari goes from Diksa to Bhava, no? So many levels of making these exchanges. Yet in all of them there is still some impersonalism. We should be able to feel that. It should make us hungry, but not frustrated [!], to move to the Uttama adhikary level, NoI 6 of making friendships.

Of course, all these friendships are in relationship to our Only Friend, that dark complexioned youth who is just waiting around the corner for you too walk up to Him by accident one day.

😲

"Ho, Asta-sakhi Devi Dasi, what's up?"

Of course, at that point we fall in the ground in complete shock and what happens after that I don't know.

Having friends who help us be a friend to our Best Friend.

-0-

Do you think Radha and Candravali want each other dead? 🙂

Of course, not. They love each other like anything! They only hope that all their competition inspires the other even greater service in their mood.

[They are cousins]

In Europe one big monotheist died, and his biggest opponent, gigantic atheist, was seen by atheists friends to be crying copious tears, in great convulsions.

His friends and students asked:

Sir, why are you crying, lamenting. He was your greatest enemy and now he is dead!

The atheist looked at them in deep, deep grief and said, "Yes, yes, yes, that is true, but do you not understand! Now with whom will I argue all these points? Toward whom will I direct all my anger and rage?"

Is of some help, perspective:

At the end of the day we chant and dance together. Apologize if we were a little to rough in the fight, but understand that we have different jobs, positions, to represent.

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/4/12/3/ ???

asa[e] - sayuja mukti

Hare Krishna, Gurudeva,

Please accept my hopeful obeisances.

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada,

HpS/ASA - AgtSP! Thank you for your Blog post! We were talking with some Senior ISKCON devotee a few days ago and a thought was that 'AgtSP' should come before anything else. 'Ekaki amara, nahi paya bala, harinama sankirtane', (Ohe, Vaisvana Thakura).

Without SP we cannot chant, follow principles, respect each other... .

AgtSP!

Is correct?

We had detail conversation with HG Partha Pratim Prabhu about our own desire and Anarthas.

It came out, we never wanted to serve Krsna, we want Sayuja Mukti (merging with Krsna Body).

Moreover in this world we want Opulence of Fame of Krsna, but we wanted to famous as Renunciant, so that every other famous person ( beautiful, powerful, rich, knowledgeable) will bow down in front of us.

ASA - Even Arnold Schwarzenegger? 😲

We have accepted that we can not become Krsna, so we will try to become as close to him as we can, by even merging in him.

HG said that only good quality /hope is our attachement to you.

We did not know that we envy Krsna so much, that we are ready to eternal Spiritual suicide.

Can you kindly elaborate more in on desire of Sayuja Mukti? Can you add more of your expert comments as Guru ( finding fault with disciple for Disciple's benefit).

Who in scripture was also suffering from this disease? What steps we can take be cured from this disease?

rarest of the offender

Harsh Pradhan

HpS/ASA - Thank you for this question!

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/2/5/

This has been in the back of our mind forever.

We hear about this desire.

SP writes about it a lot, no??!

Yet, he also says that Mayavada, Sunyavada, philosophy is 'incomprehensible'.

We first read this long before initiation or living in SF temple. We were trying to understand Buddhist philosophy.

Eg. God is a circle with its center everywhere and no circumference. We were going mad trying to 'comprehend' it. Then we read Prabhupada's above comment, and 🙂 aaaah. It all made sense.

What does it feel like to merge with Krsna's body or become Sunya, zero?

It seem like a completely silly question.

It is like, "What does it feel like to be dead"? 😄 😄😄

I have heard that SP said the closest we can come to understanding Sayujya mukti is to imagine what it would be like to wake up in the morning and there was no one else in the world except for you.

Hare Krsna!

Very interesting, no?

Would all the bakeries still be working?

-0-

I can only understand wanting unobstructed fame, power etc.

Even that I'm seeing I have childish ideas of what these are. It is like a three year old child thinking that unlimited power would be to eat as many cookies as you wanted whenever you wanted etc.

Now that we are inspired in this meditation, and we have been informed how really great God really is we can start to imagine really big power.

Eg. Benediction of Vrkasura.

Ooof. Scary. Empty. We just want to be servants of Krsna, in so many indirect ways, always at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada (with you?).

Of course, our personal power, ability, beauty, can continually develop in service in ways that not even Krsna can predict.

That is our realization.

We've seen at moments how deeply rooted these desires for fame are. I suspect that you, me, HG Partha Pratim Das, are doing everything, EVERYTHING, 99.999% for selfish desire.

Only hope is that Radha is more powerful than Durga.

Mercy is the essence of justice, not truth.

O.K.?

Respects to Prabhu.

From Yahoo.Com:

Hare Krishna, Hanumat Presaka Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Attached below is a first initiation letter of recommendation for Sunita Telhan.

Your servant,

Giri-govardhana Dasa

ISKCON D. C.

HpS:

A A A gSP! Paoho... !. It is so nice to get your association.

On the basis of this official recommendation, our personal contact with Mataji and recommendation of others, we are certainly very happy to act as ISKCON Diksa guru for Mataji.

Very happy.

In general we have stopped giving Hari-nama Diksa because of our advanced physical age and can certainly recommend devotees like Radha-krsna Das in Houston to perform the function, but in Mataji's case it seems appropriate.

What Mataji's date of birth?

The ceremony will be in Rich Mound when we visit in a few weeks?

Thank you.

Hoping you find some engagement for us in your Sankirtan!

Hanumatpresaka Swami

Hare Krishna Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada! 🙏

I hope all is well with you Maharaja.

I just wanted to write something, and to have your association and to hear from you.. and maybe this post could be useful for others too?…

ASA - fIVE gOOD rEASONS tO wRITE! 🐵

I’ve had the good fortune to hear some of your classes and kirtans on YouTube lately, it has been very inspiring. Also I’ve read back through a lot of your DTC posts.. there are many gems of wisdom there. Thank you.. 🙏

Just to share some background, and thoughts I’ve had lately, if I may..

I am a practicing Brahmacari, and overall my experience has been quite nice. Asrama life seems to make following Srila Prabhupada’s program quite easy-chanting 16 rounds, following the 4 regs, etc… it is just nice to be in a place where devotional service is always flowing.. one can take shelter simply by showing up to the programs.. quite a blessing really.

HpS - One time Jayananda Das said to us that Krsna consciousness was eating and sleeping in the best of company, only eat Prasadam and sleep in the Brahmacari Ashrama and you will have no problems!

I really like to give Srila Prabhupada’s books to people face to face, on streets, campuses or whatever. But aside from that initial contact it is hard to connect with people and help them along; I don’t feel so capable of doing that in my current state.

Maintaining relationships with people can honestly be quite difficult, even with others in the asrama, who we’re supposed to be close to and friendly with. Sometimes things feel competitive. Maybe that’s just normal for us in Kali-yuga?.. Would you have any advice how to improve our relationships/behavior/attitudes with other devotees?

ASA/HpS - The answer to that question really seems to be a vast majority of the content of SB, CC etc! When the NoI came out I read Text Five and it helped so, so much. I could then begin to see that there are different kinds of devotees and we talk in intimacy with them differently.

Then of course, Text 10 talks about all kinds of people from Vikarmis to Srimati Radha and gives us hints how to deal with them.

Beyond that, again, Hansadutta told us that SP said that every psychological circumstance that you can encounter is in SB.

Take the stories to heart.

Put them in modern dress.

Do dramas out of them.

Then you will relate to people as expertly as Narada Muni! 😯

I read in a recent blog post, one devotee said something about feeling lonely as ever, even in the community of other devotees and your response was very interesting:

“From reports that I get, most

American devotees feel the same. Once a crocodile, a crocodile until death.”

It made me wonder if it’s just part of the karma of being born American to have trouble getting along with others and wanting to dominate everything.

HpS - Hmmm. Lot of variety in Americans, but I would say that seems we will have a lot of that mentality.

Maybe horses instead of crocodiles.

Just have to learn how to use it in Krsna service.

We really, all, only have one Best Friend, and until we get His association we will feel lonely.

Anyways, I hope I’m not rambling on too much, but thank you for your time! I don’t know if I’ve made any sense here.. but I would be glad to hear anything you have in response..

I feel like a little ant that is just starting to realize the fact that I am only a little ant, with a lot of work to do (to return to Krishna)!

Hare Krishna, thank you again Maharaja. 🙏

Your servant, Abhaya dasa

HpS/ASA - 🐜 . . . 🐒 You are in Chicago Temple, no? Respects to Kishor Kishori.

Hare Krishna Maharaja, please kindly accept my most humble obeisances; all glories to his divine grace, Srila Prabhupada, who has established this worldwide mission of Lord Chaitanya for the benefit of all souls; all glories to your good self, for your many years of selfless devotion to Srila Prabhupada.

I was chanting one of the "Gopinatha" prayers by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and reading over the translation. As I was reading the translation I began to realize more fully how these prayers were meant for me, just to help me realize my precarious position. It's kind of like "Now listen hear Balabhadra, you really don't understand you're in some pretty serious trouble here." There is no way that I can deny that my heart is still full of unlimited desires. How is it that I am able to keep up with my practice of sadhana bhakti in light of this truth is beyond me. There are times when I feel the need to shed tears because I feel so helpless and so useless as a devotee because of so many desires that don't allow me to be more sincere and determined in my life.

This summer marks 40 years since I received brahman initiation and when I began performng full time Deity worship, and yet I don't feel very brahminical at heart. But I do find that I feel hopeful when I have some small opportunity to give someone a book about Krishna consciousness, sharing what little I can. I'm not exactly a stalwart or empowered preacher or book distributor. The online classes that I give help to uplift me and keep me enthusiastic, although sometimes no one else is online, and I am alone. Still, I maintain these online classes even if no one shows up, because I heard on more than one occasion that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta had said "if no one comes to listen, then preach to the four walls." And so, that is what I do, to try and stay enlivened in my devotional service. Keeping up with my sadhana of chanting my rounds, following the regulative principles and being able to serve Sri Sri Radha Govinda on my altar is certainly of great solace, and thus I can feel some measure of hope.

HpS - AgtSP! Are you able to do some worship of Radha Banki-bihari?

I felt the need to write this small bit because I feel like I am in your association when I take the time out to share. I wish that I had more physical association of older devotees, such as yourself. I find great comfort and hope when I listen to the classes of older devotees: in particularly those who are disciples of Srila Prabhupada, but who are less known by the greater world of ISKCON, because of their of simple living as Vaishnavas. The Bhagavatam classes that come out of Hawaii each morning are especially enlivening. The devotees in that group are seasoned with some five decades of devotional service. So often their realizations are out of reach of the younger, lesser experienced devotees. Upfront they are "rank and file" devotees. In reality I consider such stalwart Vaishnavas to be the "unsung heroes" of Srila Prabhupada's movement. How I wish I could be worthy of their mercy and personal association.

I will close here, hoping that I have not committed some offense to any devotees, especially to your good self. I beg for your forgiveness in advance, if I have done so.

Your lowly servant,

Sriman Balabhadra dasa

HpS - Very nice. We just started a Whatsapp group to organize our ASA visit to Boise, and included you!

More news as it comes.