Letters to the editor

My dear Maharaja,

Dandavat pranams. Ram Ram.

>>We hope you are getting enough rest yourself

Yes. I am getting some rest but not complete. I think unrest is due to not seeing family members as manifestation of Krishna. If I see them belonging to Krishna and acting according to Krishna, then I won't be upset and would be at peace. At least I know the truth and trying to accept it. One day, hopefully I can rest with mind absorbed with presence of Krishna.

>> Guru and the Deity are also forms that Krsna authorizes to receive service.

Seeing everything as manifestation of Krishna (vasudeva sarvam) does not mean that Guru and Deity are not representative of Krishna. The result of deity worship and the knowledge from Guru is to see everything as manifestation of Krishna. It is beautifully explained in following verses:

SB 3.29.21: I am present in every living entity as the Supersoul. If someone neglects or disregards that Supersoul everywhere and engages himself in the worship of the Deity in the temple, that is simply imitation.

SB 3.29.22: One who worships the Deity of Godhead in the temples but does not know that the Supreme Lord, as Paramatma, is situated in every living entity’s heart, must be in ignorance and is compared to one who offers oblations into ashes.

SB 3.29.23: One who offers Me respect but is envious of the bodies of others and is therefore a separatist never attains peace of mind, because of his inimical behavior towards other living entities.

SB 3.29.24: My dear Mother, even if he worships with proper rituals and paraphernalia, a person who is ignorant of My presence in all living entities never pleases Me by the worship of My Deities in the temple.

SB 3.29.25: Performing his prescribed duties, one should worship the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead until one realizes My presence in his own heart and in the hearts of other living entities as well.

>>That was Dvidvida and Mainda's problem,

I am not philosophical and don't understand the story of Dvivida and Mainda. Want to keep bhakti (sharana gati) as simple. Sharanagati (Taking refuge in the Lord) is a very easy and great spiritual discipline!  Bhagavan Ram has said - 

Akrudev prapannaaya tavaasmeeti cha yaachate |  Abhayam sarvabhootebhyo dadaamye tad vratam mama ||  (Vaalmiki Ramayana  6/18/33) 

 "He who once taking refuge says "I am yours"  and desires my protection,  I make him fearless from all beings – this is my vow, my rule."

I think you are also teaching the same. You want me to accept RAM AS MINE and say to Him -  I AM YOURS. If I sincerely say to Ram that I am His, then what is the PROBLEM.

Guru (you, Swami Ramsukh Das etc) has shown me Ram and taught me that I am Ram's. He has opened my eyes. But after opening of my eyes, I can directly see Ram. I should be still be respectful to teachers but that does not mean that they are mediator in my relationship with Ram. MY RELATIONSHIP WITH RAM IS ETERNAL. IT ALWAYS EXISTS. GURU REMINDS ME OF MY ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP. THAT IS IT. ACCEPTING THE ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH RAM IS NOT DISRESPECTFUL TO GURU BUT IT GIVES HIM PLEASURE.

Right now, I am trying to see Krishna in everyone and everywhere. He is mine  and I am His. By accepting Ram as mine, I am trying to be peaceful, fearless, without doubts ........

Your servant,

Gaurav

HpS -  Jaya  AGTSP  pamho.    Is very nice letter.   I often think of these verses, also BG 4.34 and 4.35. I think one subtle point that we are trying to clarify is based on this text where Lord Caitanya say,

naham varni na ca grha patir ... 

Can you find that?   He says that he is not a participant in the Varna ashrama system or I would add a Guru as in the formality of Varna ashrama.  He says that He is just a servant of a servant of a servant, 100 million times, of the maste of the Gopis, Sri Krsna.  So our conception is that in Vaisnava diksa we see that our Guru is representative of Rama, Krsna, and that our relationship of service to Gopal through him is eternal.  Guru is like glasses.  End of BG one purpot Prabhupada says this.  can you find it???   The experience of Krsna is direct but through the transparent via media of Guru parampara.

Is subtle many aspects to understand.  We are running now to airport.  Wait for your thoughts!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai

P.A.M.H.O.

Dear G. Maharaja:

I hope you are well and their activities too!!

sent a summary of my activities of end year :
I finished my sophomore year very well in university, I'm with summer vacation now.  only 2 years  more  to complete the profession.

-I'm singing better my 16 rounds of japa

-I'm making garlands for their lordships on Sundays 3 months ago in the temple.

-I go to temple 2 times a week, and Sunday classes in bhagavad gita.

-mangala arati i’m doing 2 times a week (started now on vacation) in the house.

I follow 4 principles: yes

I am attending to sri sri krishna murti and Sri gopal murtis (prabhu raga sindhu das and your wife bhaktin yoria , give me this gift )in my house.

Please you give your blessings for me to worship their lordships of the best possible way!!!

G.maharaja am trying hard to improve my spiritual life, Lately my mind is very wild and uncontrollable, I'm harboring a lot in the words of Srila Prabhupada and the devotees. (Maya strikes my mind is the daily struggle Difficult)

Please accept my humble obeisances, and very grateful to you and your time to read this report.
(please accept my apologies too, for my bad English)

you have a good year 2011.
your aspiring servant
Bhaktin Carla Porras Alfaro (graphic design student)
Santiago, Chile  

HpS - Jaya!   AGTSP   pamho.  You are a little soldier in Arjuna's army fighting those @#$%^  Kauravas who tried to humiliate our Draupadi!   Don't fail in your fight!    Keep shoulder o shoulder with the other soldiers.  Do what Ajruna says! 

Dear gurudeva!!!,   Pamho, agtSP,algtHPS!!!,

We finished Bhakti Sastri, and came on sankirtan marathon to Andwerp,we will stay here until you come to Radhadesh. I will have to learn to go out in the internet too!            I would be very happy to have initiation.My parents are coming the 4th of Feb.I shall contact Hrday Caitanya so that he can writte the recomendation.             Mangala Candrica asked me to invite you to come for the monthly maha sankirtan and give seminar, dates are to be decided, Partha is organizing it normally but he will not be there.         Your sincere servant (all the sincere I can be in this conditioned state).  

Bhaktin Susana

HpS   -  Jaya!    AGTSP    pamho.   Just finishing answering and writing 26 letters.  So, nice.    Please. more details on the Sankirtana Seminar???       We see you in like 22 days, no?!              You are going back to Godhead!         That makes Krsna happy!!  We see you in just a few days then!  We se  

Pamho, AgtSP, AgtYGM,

Very Dear Gurudeva,

I hope You are very fine. Well I must say that I didn't receive the KDh even when apparently prabhu Patraka resent me it yesterday, I think it is a facebook problem. I was reading the letters and Your answers and I think this page is awesome! 

Regarding my news I have good ones! Guru Maharajas I'm chanting 16 rounds again and I think I can keep myself in them. I think it is due to the benedictions of Prabhupada for being involve in this marathon to a certain extent. I continue waking up early at 3 am except for a couple of days that I couldn't do it. But each more I'm getting use to be awake early and with less sleepiness each time it is becoming easier to chant the rounds, although I have today much to improve still. Happen that I had a kind of jet lag effect because my irregular sleeping hours in my near past but now it is returning to the right way, it was difficult though.

I have nice news from the front of Sankirtan. Krishna used me to distribute two Bhagavad gitas to two of His forgetful eternal servants (just like me, though now I'm remembering something Thanks to You my dear Maharaja!) I've been going out every day but although my distribution haven't been so espectacular, everyday I went out Krishna helps many people specially the fortunate ones who take the bookies home :)

I have a goal, I know that to receive initiation by You Gurudeva we must chant 16 rounds during 6 months and then another 6 months more. So in my calendar it is marked that I start at Christmas, so if I chant till next Christmas would be it possible? Although I have to say that I'm still fighting for getting 16 nice rounds, so maybe that answer my question right Maharaja?

Well I must end this one because I've just seen that maybe it is too long.

I love You very much!!! Thank You for everything!!! Please let me be Your infinitesimal servant!

Your eternal servant

Bhakta David Vinces

ps: Dear Maharaja I'm arriving Lima tomorrow around noon I hope to see You soon.

HpS - AGTSP   pamho.  Thank you such nice letter and with a humble smile let us also say, "thank you for stopping at the right time also!"

Your Sankirtana results are wonderful.   You can do this forever.        We chant 16 rounds for one year so that we are sure that we can promise to chant them for ever. But Bhaktivinode Thakura says, "avasya raksibe Krsna", Krsna has given us this service, so surely he will help us to do it!  Doesn't matter so much on our body. Krsna will help us!    Such a simple deal!

So many people are coming for this weekend.  I guess we will all sleep in the Temple Room.   We are in Chiclayo but go to Lima on Wednesday.  SO nice to see you there!  So many nice devotees for you to meet!   RR  i to certain extent       ..........I

All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Dear Maharaja, please accept my most respectful obeisances

Here is Bhakta Rodrigo Hernández from Santiago, Chile. My 16 rounds are fixed in 80% and my 4 regulative principles are ok.  My health is fine. Working hard and little money!! And many personal projects for this 2011!  

HpS - AGTSP    paoho!!!!  Of course, to be the devil's advocate is always to get up early and get all 16 rounds done!  Then the protection we get from Krsna is wonderful!! 

 I received your letter about publishing "Light of the Bhagavata" in Chile. Thank you very much!  Today (Tuesday, December 28^th), the president of ISKCON Chile and me went to the editorial room of Editorial Cuarto Propio. We talk with Marisol Vera (owner of the publisher). Probably, Editorial Cuarto Propio will distribute the "Bhagavad-Gita as it is" in all major bookstores in Santiago and maybe in all Chile! Marisol Vera is very interested in helping. I told her that maybe you will be in Chile during July 2011. So, a meeting would be great, in order to discuss all the details of "Light of Bhagavata". She wants to meet you! It's so good to know when you travel to Chile, so we can make good contacts for Conferences!  Maybe this year can be Biblioteca Nacional de Chile!! Maybe! 

HpS - Very nice. We are trying to plan our travel based on conversations with devotees like you.  Our ears suffer from the travel but seem to recover the next day!  We should have plans soon.

This 2010 I made the contact with Universidad Católica (Hamlet and Arjuna's conference). It would be nice if you can to write to Professor Claudia Lira for greetings. 

HpS - We  write to her with copy to you.  Was very, very nice program. Many people were attracted. Buddha and the Bhagavata is nice theme.  We wWe will

I would like that she writes an article for Utsaha 2. It's a good idea?  Prabhu Jagat Guru, Kriya Sakti mother and me are working on Utsaha 2. We want to make a more professional and international magazine. Perhaps the second number might be ready by April 2011.

I am very happy. This January 4th I will travel to Perú for 12 days to be in your Vyasa Puja! My mother gave me the ticket! She understands that Krishna consciousness is very important to me.

 See you soon and Happy New Year!! To your Lotus feet,Your eternal servant

Bhakta Rodrigo Hernández (translation by Nadia Villar)

HpS - Looking at them, we don't have lotus feet.   Have you got lotus feet!   Haw!  Haw!    Haw!    I think Srila Prabhupada has lotus feet.  Many devotees report seeing him floating when he was walking.  I hope that you made arrangements to stay someplace for the Vyasa puja!   We are in Chiclayo and get back to Lima on Wednesday night!   It will be very nice to see you. You have such a rich spiritual life!  Ou

I am very happy. This January 4th I will travel to Perú for 12 days to be in your Vyasa Puja! My mother gave me the ticket! She understands that Krishna consciousness is very important to me.

See you soon and Happy New Year!!

To your Lotus feet,

Your eternal servant

Bhakta Rodrigo Hernández

(translation by Nadia Villar)

We think you could write an article on "philosophy, science and religion" How they relate them, things they have in common and differences. Is it an interesting topic for you? 

HpS - Our question would be, "How was the first number received?"  In terms of the first response you can use them to participate in the second one, no?

Esteemed Mataji, Paoho!    AgtSP!!!!!!   Thank you for the letter.  We read it yesterday with Candramukhi and Patraka Prabhus just before we left for Chiclayo.  What is your experience of the book distribution during December?   Your life seems to be pretty good.  You need association of ladies like Candra-mukhi and others who are single now.

Yes, Prabhupada's suggestion is that it is nice for ladies to be married.  That can even mean Vanaprastha from the very beginning, but there is some gross form to meditate on and help organize the mind.

However, Krita-karma Das explained to me that Prabhupada also gave a very, very nice deity of Krsna to mothe Salavati and told her, "You are too old to get married (smiling), so you should marry Krsna!".   She was very pleased and took Prabhupada's offer and married Krsna, and it seems that Krsna also married her.

 Nice deal, huh?

 Srimati Rukmini gives some nice idea about all of this: http://vedabase.net/sb/10/60/45/en

 In general, since we are Sannyasis we cannot help much in this perspective in detail.  For that you should look for Ashrama gurus, other single ladys, nice Grhasthas, to give you advice and help. In general it is Kali yuga so arranging these Varna-ashrama things is not easy, in general if our marriage is 80% O.K. then don't try to improve it. That's about the best we can hope for in Kali-yuga, according to our contemplation.  And usually it is not 80%. So we take shelter of nice devotee association and the Holy Names to compensate for the 20-100% lack of nice Ashrama situation in Kali-yuga.

O.K?

Pray to Krsna, try to find nice situation but enjoy what Krsna offers you as the best position to satisfy His desires!

Please use the blog in the Kapi Dhvaja, you can bring up points like these in general and then everyone can get our opinion good or bad.

PLEASE also send your annual report to: [email protected] if you have not already!

Thank you!!!