Letters to the editor

Dear Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances and all glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
It is so nice to see this forum and so many sincere disciples and followers leading by their steadfastness, always trying to improve their service and ask honest questions.  I feel very meek in their presence and yours.  This is a good feeling, to feel like a dog in the presence of great souls.  Hopefully with devotees mercy and yours I can be pitied and still be able to associate.

Mother Aruddha and Radhika Prabhu just came to Portland [OREGON, USA] and led a very important seminar on homeschooling which has been a great educational basis for starting a co-op in Portland.  I have tried to assist the community by maintaining a google group for Vaisnava Portland Homeschoolers to stay motivated, exchange ideas, and arrange further meetings.  This week I have helped organize our second Vaisnavi gathering that has focused on simple kirtan, prasadam, and exchanging ideas.  I am excited that Nick Prabhu and I will have our first home program, where Vaisnavi Prabhupada disciples will be speak on Krsna Conscious motherhood.  We are also humbly asking blessings for the coming of our child in three weeks from these devotees and you Maharaj.   [AGTSP paoho. We can only hope that you go on improving more and more an already auspicious situation!] 

I feel very motivated Maharaj to help serve this group of mothers and children interested in a homeschool co-op and want to raise our child in a Krsna Conscious homeschooling household.  I pray that Mother Aruddha and you will sympathize with my efforts and guide us in this endeavor or else my independent endeavors without Krsna and guru will feel very much in vein.  Aruddha said that if the parents maintain the principles, rise early for Mangal, chant, and make prasadam the child will naturally want to follow and be like the parent, no force is involved.  This is a good motivation for me to get my act together.  Mayapur and L.A.s live web cams help me participate in mangal arati now, and stopping my work as the preschhol manager (now I am 8.5 months along) has finally given me the blessing of being able to chant....no excuses ever again!

I am fickle though Maharaj.  I remember when I was 18, moved back to Boise after being in the ashram, and you said that intellectually I am my age but emotionally I am 12.  I still act this way when I do well for a few days then break that steadiness.  How can I look at death in the face now more than ever especially as I become a Mom which makes it even more vital and important?  What Bhagavatam section can most shake me up for the better or famous saint???  I want to convince myself whole heartedly that this is it and I am at the end of the rope.  I beg for your mercy to follow through on my promises to you and Krsna.  I want Wormwood to have nothing to write to Screwtape...! I think the only way to do so is to replace his letters with my own letters to you and Krsna.

Maharaj, you are very kind to listen to this banter.  Please forgive me for my many offenses.  I hope to stay in contact and be a better devotee for you and Prabhupada and the merciful Vaisnavas.

A very fallen servant,
Kamagayatri dd

 [There is no Magic Bullet that I know. Just pick up the books of Srila Prabhupada that inspire you, KRSNA book, Caitanya-caritamrta, are fine, but main thing is association. Get some reading partners: With the family, with local devotees, with friends by telefone and internet.  Write in a few weeks how you have worked for that association. We hope to give some inspiration for people to join us wih the Kapi Dhvaja.  Tell us how is can do this more and more!  Hope our new devotees appearance day is super] 

My dear Maharaja,

Dandavat pranams. Ram Ram.

Yes, basically I think we are in agreement.

Thank you. I appreciate your responses.

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?

Obviously yes. It is not easy. Only good thing is that I am born in Kaliyuga and have the knowledge of bhakti. Such birth is even rare for devatas. Hopefully, I will utilize this opportunity.

There are places where he makes translations that differnet groups would feel are distortions.   I can't explain all these things.

Gosvami Tulsidas accepts that his writings are full of faults. He asks the readers to fix the faults in their minds while reading his writings. I apply the same to Prabhupada. I don't have any doubts. I also don't need any explanation. If Krishna inspires from within, I fix the writing and continue reading on.

Read the whole Caitanya caritamta, and that is the best way I kow of to consider these philosophical points in depth.

yes, I continue reading on. I read pastimes of Ram and Krishna. I don't read them for philosophy. I read them for ananda (bliss). I experience ananda when I give up philosophy. There is just pastime of Ram, there is just love of Ram and there is happiness in meditating on Him. No need to analyze it. No need to go in detail. Just enjoy the beauty of His form, beauty of His lila, beauty of His love for His devotees.................. There is love, happiness and beauty everywhere.

One more thing is that I have simplified my life. I don't go into philosophical details. Actually, philosophical details seem simple. More difficult thing is to realize those concepts. I am more focussed on realizing topics. For example - "Everything belongs to Krishna." This statements contains all the philosophy. I  need to realize it. Now, I don't even need philosophical books etc.. Don't need philosophy also. I just want to realize basic principles of bhakti. Don't want to become great devotee. I am happy to be a simple devotee with simple philosophy.

Your servant,

Gaurav

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

http://www.cuteheaven.com/happy-new-year/

  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!!!