Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Hanumatpresaka Swami, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I have met you several times before and heard many of your lectures and I very much like your understanding/position (as far as I understand it) on the guru-tattva issue.

I am trying to find someone that will initiate me on behalf of Srila Prabhupada. I have been following the four regulative principals and chanting 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mantra every day for many years. In the last 2 years I only had one slip into sex and that was with my married wife and this was only after she was begging me every day for a long time - geez, this material world is a very dangerous place where even those with the best intentions and working very hard for righteousness get dragged down. it even happened to lord Siva and Parvati (but I know, that is no excuse).

I have been doing practical service and sankirtana for many years and have an authority that I am on good terms with at a ISKCON temple.

I just want to serve Srila Prabhupada for the rest of my life and I accept Prabhupada as my Guru and the uttama-adhicari that will fully guide me and give me all spiritual care. But I am of the understanding that I need to have a person to do the initiation ceremony and I was wondering if you would consider to be the initiator. 

Thank you for considering my proposal.

Your servant Bhakta Joe Blow

HpS -  AGTSP   pamho
Actually, Joe and I have been at blows about this for quite some time in a private exchange of e-mails, but I was begging that we just discuss it on this blog like this because it is a topic that everyone can appreciate.
We've posted a good extract of our current thoughts on Guru-tattva at: www.jayarama.us/kd/guru-tattva.txt. I think Joe has read them pretty well. He is a rather scholarly person.
I would like start with two points. First is that two our comprehension Lord Balarama, Lord Nityananda, are the ultimate form of Guru. Of course, we discussed this before on this Blog and we feel that not everyone accepts the necesity of going to Krsna, Rama, Jehovah, through Guru, but I think that Bhakta J. B. and us are on accord with this idea, no?

We can all see God, but to see him more clearly we have to look at Him through Lord Balarama.

Then next point is that even in Goloka there is Guru-tattva:

SB 10.16.22: Lord Balarāma then saw that Nanda Mahārāja and the other cowherd men, who had dedicated their very lives to Kṛṣṇa, were beginning to enter the serpent's lake. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Balarāma fully knew Lord Kṛṣṇa's actual power, and therefore He restrained them.

So, there is no limit to learning more and more about Guru. We feel very suspicious about people who don't have many questions to resolve about Guru. However, that doesn't mean that we can't understand enough to engage in practical service to Krsna through Guru today.
So, that's our first point. There is a lot more to know, but we can know enough to go ahead with certainty, and the best way to advance is by serrvice.

Our second point is that everyone does this job of Guru and Disciple and Guru and Disciple differently. We are people. So there has to be room for individual adjustment on all levels. That is natural, delightful.

O.K. Joe, now it's time for you to pick up your horn and make your blow!
(Of course others can also comment, remembering that this is an unlimite topic. Keep our words short and practical)

esteemed gurudeva...please accept my humble obeisances...all glories to srila Prabhupada, patita pavana!<img alt="" src="http://hps-d6.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/01.gif" title="" />

Thank you for answering, and I am deeply sorry to have made you feel sad...<img alt="" src="http://hps-d6.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/17.gif" title="" />I was also sad knowing that I couldn't keep my vow...my example is not that good, but it is due to Guru, sadhu, sastra's mercy that I am chanting again, and this is the greatest blessing I have received. Again, thank you gurudeva...for your patience. Hope to see you soon, in japa vratta.

At your feet, your fallen servant

Visnupriya devi dasi

HpS -  Jaya.   AGTSP   paoho.   Here we are in the little center in Madrid. We came from the "farm", New Vraja Mandala, yesterday and all did big Harinama Sankirtana, Sunday Feast lecture. Our fever is like 85% finished, but could come back unless we rest properly.
Thank you for your respects. However, we also have to note that whenever we feel disturbed by our disicples we thing two things: 1) Srila Prabhupada has tolerated so much selfishness from us for so, so, many years, and because of that we have been able to continue in devotioinal service and become purrified. How can we not be tolerate to our younger Godbrothers and Godsiststers, to our disciples, students. 

 <img alt="smiley" height="20" src="http://hps-d6.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.gif" title="smiley" width="20" />

2) You're going to have to suffer the same austerities with your kids, disciples!  Haw!    Haw!    Haw!

3.30AM, other devotees are starting to get up and bath and get ready for Mangala-arati so we should also head that direction. We have eight rounds done and wrote one page for our 100 pages of essays for our Bhakti-vaibhava Diploma. Satisfying, Japa, reading, writing. At 9.30AM we continue our journey to the West by taking flight to Brussels. There we should meet Partha-sarthi Das and Prahlada and M. Bhadra and other devotees! One night, then like 20-hours of travel from ISKCON Brussels to ISKON Houston!
Seems that this is the last year we will travel like this. Seems we will leave this body in about 13-years more. Get ready!
You both get ready too!    If you don't chant your rounds you will become a hippopotamus!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Dear Guru Maharaja, we are working to try to satisfy you, we sing at least 16 rounds daily. For a year and a half we are in the Grihasta Ashram my husband Prabhu Erick very supportive and we both work hard and strictly follow the 4 principles, attend the temple at least 5 days a week and I have a fixed service these days making wreaths for their Lordships.

We make regular Sadhana and study the books of Srila Prabhupada. Unfortunately my health is very unstable, and I suffer from severe headaches due to a Angioma. The medicine is sometimes harder than the disease and is difficult to give this body the rest it requires, but we stand trying to serve the Vaisnavas in spite of bodily misery. Recalling the statement that you gave in an earlier letter "is a reason why everything happens, so do not worry"

Sometimes we have trouble finding the balance between work, the fulfillment of our duty at home, the temple service and study. We have little time to do sankirtana, but we are trying to distribute at least one book a day, we get it regularly.

By the mercy of the Vaisnavas, My Mother and my 4 sisters are supporters of Krishna consciousness, one of my sisters is a good Bhaktin, she performs services 3 days a week in the kitchen of the deity.

We gladly waiting your upcoming visit to Mexico and we are infinitely grateful to Krishna by his causeless mercy.

Your  aspiring  servant
Bhaktin  Cruz  Santa  

HpS         AGTSP     paoho.  Thank you so much for your effort.   Yes, the balance takes time to develop.  That is the wonderful adventure, Sadhana Bhakti.  You are very lucky to have nice family.  Maybe we can meet them when we are in Mexico on the 8th - 11th! 

Gour premanande...HARIBOL!!

Esteemed Gurudeva...

Please accpet my humble obeisances...all glories to srila Prabhupada!!!!

How are you gurudeva? I am writing to tell you that i am better than before...thanks to Srila Prabhupada's mercy, and Sri sri Nitai Visvambhara, i have been chanting my 16 rounds..."whatever happens I'll chant them all" ...is my vow. This has given me a lot of spiritul relief, and has imporved my heart..now I feel that I can serve vasinavas better.  :) thak you for your unvaluable support. -----------I am working at the drugstore with Gustavo, we are very different as regards habits, character, etc, but we get along..we always talk about Krsna..that makes me really happy. ---------I am reading a book called My revered Spiritual Master by Srila Gour govinda Swami Maharaja...I love his lectures, and books. 

Chanting the Maha mantra is what I always want to do, so i wanted to thank you for your help. I really miss your association gurumaharaja.  

I am also trying to communicate Srila Prabhupda's message as much as I can, i know that i cannot do anything by myself...everything is Krsna, Guru, and Vaisnavas causeless mercy.. .so, i pray everyday, to their lotus feet.

there are more things to tell you, regarding my spiritual life...I'll write  again to you next week.

At your feet....

aspiring to serve you...Visnupriya Devi Dasi

HpS - Jaya!   AGTSP!!!!     pamho.   Honestly it is a fact that devotees we have initiated, when they don't chant and follow the process it makes us sad.  When we hear that people are returning it makes us happy.  If you do this then eventually you will get stronger and stronger!!!

AGTSP!!

Please accept mis mas humildes reverncias.
DEAR MAHARAJA, PLEASE, DONT LIVE THE BODY!!! I KNOW THIS CAN SOUND SELFISH, BUT WITHOUT YOUR POWERFULL MERCY, MY ADVANCE IN KRSNA COUNCIOESNESS MOST BE MORE DIFFICULT!!    PLEASE, I WANT TO SEE YOU IN JUNE!!!! PLEASE, DONT STOP WRITE TO ME, TAKE CARE OF YOU PLEASE!!
WITH ALL MY HEART AND DEVOTION, YOUR ETERNAL SIRVIENT, CRISTINA.
JAYA GURUDEVA JAYA GURUDEVA!!

HpS - Jaya!  AGTSP   paoho.  We are still in our body. We are still in te Castle in Bihuega, Spain.  The afternoon sun is shining into our room acoss the veranda. We have just finished two hours of letters and now we will go (5.30PM) to visit the cows. Play the flute for them, come back for evening program and then work on our Bhakti Vaibhava stuff some more.
Thank you for your letters to us, but also get advantage of the very nice devotees in Peru!!!

AGTSP!!

Im sorry, Im my last letter I forgive, to give to you mis mas humildes y respetusas reverencias. This time, twice. Please Dear Maharaja, take care off your health!! I dont want you to live the body!!! NO PLEASE!! I want took iniciation with you, without your mercy, what Im gonna do?? Yes, this place is very dangereous, so, more rounds! more devotion quickly!!! I dont want to live this body like that.

I need more love to Krsna! Dear Maharaja MERCY PLEASE!!

With all my heart and respect, your eternal and imperfect sirvient, Cristina. ♥
MAHARAJA HANUMAT PRESAKA SWAMI KI JAYA!!   SRILA PRABHUPADA KI JAYA!!!!!  

HpS - ASA  AGTSP!!!!!!