AGTSP pamho. Here we are in Madrid. Things are pretty good. We are planning our work and working our plan. Guess well see what letters there are and andwer quick. The gotta prepare for the Japa Yoga seminar tonight! The cute heaven link seems cool!
Buck
D I A R Y O F A T R A V E L I N G C R E A T U R E
By Buck White (PIGGY)
Hare Krsna Dudes! AGTSP paoho. Here we are in Madrid. It was a mad ride to Madrid from Radhadesa.
Ha! Ha! Ha! Re! Seriously, it's like 9.39PM and HpSwami has just finished talking with Partha-sarthi Das on Skype and answering about 7-letters or something on this blog. In the middle of it he gave a class on The Secrets of Japa.
We are in the middle of Madrid. It is very very old streets, building, butcher, beer, book, accordion shops here. We went walking with Yasodananada Das, Jayanta Das, Bhaktin Maite, and Sa-nanada Devi das (a few days ago she was Susana), and got a new little carry-on roller bag for HpS. The one he has is too big for the limits here in Europe!
He likes it.
We're here for one week. Then on to Barcelona.
The Internet is good. We are giving seminar in the morning on summary of cantos 4-6 and evening on Japa. We can use all these in our Bhakti vaibhava work. We want to finish it all by 1st March and submit it with the BhSastri tests to Bhakta rupa.
So, much stuff, but basis for us always staying close to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and chanting the Maha-mantras. More and more we have no other shelter. Our body energy is small, our hair has a lot of white, our body energy is not fixed, it would not surprise us if at any moment it would just flow off center and leave the body.
If that happens, what do you have????
Better have a real fine connection with the Holy Names!
What is your transcendental relationship with Krsna? How do you dance with the blades of grass in the field of Goloka?
(If you hold down the "shift" key when you hit the "enter" key you dont get two lines advance, just one.)
Now it's 9.49PM. Our bed time. Clock wakes us up at 1.15AM. We got 22 rounds done. We missed the last three because we though class was at 7PM but it was 1/2 hour earlier. O.K. We will chant them tommorrow morning.
Hare Krsna. Please help us stay in the most intense place for helping Krsna in His pastimes!
Good night to everyone!!
Oink! Oink! (Whoop! Whoop!) (E=MCxC)
Paoho, agtSP, ki jaya.
WELCOME Maharaja.
I wished I was on arrival, but it has been impossible. Nor can I go to Madrid as desire, but I have no money. But I've become very happy to know that you're going to Avila, and we see how we can organize to come see you ... call back tomorrow to see if they know when you come to the farm.
Now I am with my brother working the land and are a bit tight in every way.
I would love to talk with you by phone if possible still, when you say Maharaja. Tomorrow will call the temple to ask the trip and try and talk to you, but the next day or when you tell me the answer.
These last days vrata japa has been horrible, I have succumbed again ...
I have really wanted to see Maharaja.
You know if you're traveling less?
Sorry
HpS AGTSP pamho. We are in Madrid. It is 8.58PM. Sorry also you can't come here. I don't know wherer is Avila?? But Saturday we are going to the Mother Earth Project. Maybe that is Avila. Really we don't have much to contribute in a very intense personal fashion. These letters are Really very very nice. But please call the center here in Madrid. We always want to be of service to you. You are not an ordinary human being. You have to get free from the Witch and do you service more and more!.
Hare Krishna. kkkkk
HpShhhkjjkn n
My dear Maharaja,
Dandavat pranams. Ram Ram.
I went through your letter again. I understand what I wrote earlier is what you are saying.
I like the verse SB 7.9.28. http://vedabase.net/sb/7/9/28/en
I have to modify the translation while reading it.
bhṛtya-sevām refers to the service of devotees of Krishna. It does not refer to serving only Narada or spiritual master.
It appears from the translation that the verse states that it is foremost duty to serve guru. The verse talks about the devotees of Krishna (not just guru). Actually, it is our duty to serve Krishna's devotees. Guru is included in this verse because guru is Krishna's devotee.
Like Prahlad Maharaja, we should not leave the service of His devotees. From absolute perspective, Krishna loves everyone and everyone is part of Krishna. As a general rule, we should serve and help people around us.
If I make above statement in temple's Bhagavatam class, I will be banned from the temple.
Your servant,
Gaurav
HpS - Jaya! Hare Krsna. We just finished the evening program. Like 15 very nice devotees here for disussion on Japa. Cold. Madrid is in Winter. I think, that if you bring up honest doubts then most devotees of ISKCON are going to respect your challenges. Of course, there are fanatic EVERYWHERE. My only effort was to show how Srila Prabhupada translates and takes the verse. He quotes it very purposefully in the song he wrote when he came to the USA.
There are places where he makes translations that differnet groups would feel are distortions. I can't explain all these things. I have a very specific service, but my conviction is based on dealing with ideas like you are presenting, as well as 35 years of practicing the ideas. Also, of course I come from a Christian, Episcopalian, tradition which has a certain idea about Guru, Christ, also.
So, following the previous conclusions, all I can suggest is that if you find value in Srila Prabhupada, you continue to associate with him, and if you have honest doubts about his statements, then keep them. Continue reading. Read the whole Caitanya caritamta, and that is the best way I kow of to consider these philosophical points in depth.
As far as I understand, it is not only that there is right and wrong, Vaisnava and non-Vaisnava, ideas. Even with Nimbarka Swami himself, Lord Caitanya was discussing these ideas of Guru, Radha, Rama and Krsna in contrast, etc. So, there is much to understand, and I can only suggest that for the most part you just do something like read the whole Caitanya caritamrta step by step, and then you can see the Acharya. You can make your first decision if he is actually presenting the ideas of the previous Acharyas as they would want or not.
Hare Krsna! Jaya! 8.54PM
Little more letters then I will read the Krsna book!!!
AGTSP!!
Mis reverencias Dear Gurudeva
Well, my book have about 100 pages, is not to big, is just the necesary, cause I dont like to talk very much, I like to " sintetizar" my ideas and write exactly what I want without look for words complicated, but , of course ussing a beatifull and poeltry lenguage. Is very eassy to read and understand. I think is ok. The format is A4 at the midle, with nice pictures inside, I insiste, the last chapter is all about Krsna is very good, I hope people like it.......?????!!!!!!!.
Why you said I have the devil inside????? Im a good person, but, yes, maybe sometimes, or always, without my true dessire come to me. GO OUT!!!
2 rounds! OK!!! JAYA!!!!
Thank you very much. HARE KRSNA!!
HpS - Hare Krsna, Senora! Thank you so much your letter! I don't remember that we said that you have a Devil inside. Maybe the Devil put it into our letter when we weren't looking. Of course, we all have some devilish desires in our hearts or we wouldn't be in the material world, but you certainly seem to be on the right path. Your book is in Spanish, no? Some day also English??? How is Anna and Oscar? No, news from them for long time! We have reached Madrid! More news in the other Blog posts!!! Jaya!
My dear Maharaja,
Dandavat pranams. Ram Ram.
Arjuna surrenders to Krsna in the beginning of BG, no? But then he has so many doubts, but they are sincere doubts, and an Acharya should be able to solve them or pass us to someone who can solve them, no?
Can you see Prabhupada as fixed in that position?
Yes. I can see that as explained below.
What I have found that accepting the basic principles given by Krishna's devotees like Prabhupda, Tulsidas etc has removed all my doubts. Yes. If I accept those principles stated by Prabhupada, then my doubts are solved. Those basic principles are stated below. That is beauty of the teachings of Gita, Prabhupada and other devotees.
Self is beyond matter. It is sat chid ananda and it is part of Krishna. I belong to Krishna and only Krishna is mine. As self is beyond matter, no material object belongs to me. Everyone and everything belongs to Krishna. Krishna is in everyone and everywhere. In this world, I am supposed to use the material objects in service of Krishna i.e. living entities.
Accepting above statements of Prabhupada (and other devotees) has removed all my doubts. So, I can see Prabhupada teachings as means to remove all the doubts.
What is my problems? I don't fully realize those principles. I need to work on realizing them more and more. That is what I am working on. That is what qualifies me to be a "sadhak" - one doing sadhana bhakti.
As my doubts are solved, I don't need to claim Prabhupada, Tulsidas etc as perfect. My life is the example of their perfect teachings. I don't have to prove anything.
sanatana dharma is dharma of the soul. That does not change. There is also dharma related to the body. That changes with time. The teachings of these devotees related to material dharma can be wrong or may not apply. For example, there were not many gays few hundred years ago. Now, the populatoin of gays is increasing. Material dharma related to body will change as people change. But the dharma of the soul will not change. Soul will always remain sat chid anand and part of Krishna among all these changes.
I hope we are in agreement now. Please forgive my offences.
Your servant,
Gaurav
HpS - Jaya! AGTSP We have reached Madrid! Was normal six hours of travel by car, plane, car from door to door. We heep chanting the Maha-mantras under the eternal shelter of Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet and rely on Krsna to give us intelligence to organize our effor to find Mother Sita and give Her Rama's Ring (the Nectar of Instruction).
Yes, basically I think we are in agreement. Then do you plan to continue contemplating the advice and meditations of great Saints as part of your effort to realize the presence of Lord everywhere?