Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna, dear Gurudeva!

Please accept our humble obediences.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I hope you are in good health and thank you for the darshan you allow us to receive from Their Lordships Radha Nila Madhava, the devotees, and from you.

HpS - We, agtSP, feel ashamed that we can only offer such meager association. We would like very much to be with you in Peru.

I wanted to inform you that two weeks ago I finished teaching a course on home deity worship for the devotees of the Miraflores temple.

We divided the course into two parts: the first was for beginner devotees interested in starting worship using images and paintings of deities (Panca Tattva and Srila Prabhupada).

During the second session, we taught murti worship using mantras for waking, offering food, and preparing the deities for sleep, as well as basic puja and care, and some reflections from Srila Prabhupada's books and the Pancaratra-pradipa.

HpS/ASA - Super!!!

We had an average attendance of 12 devotees, and I hope they were satisfied with our performance.

On the other hand, I am writing with some concern about the noticeable decline in the quality of worship at a particular temple.

1. What happens when a contingency measure becomes the rule?
2. What did Srila Prabhupada say about exceptions?
3. Is it better to worship the deity incorrectly than to stop worshipping at all?
4. What happens when devotees take on duties that are not theirs to perform?
5. Does this affect their fulfillment of their prescribed duties?
6. What about negligence in cleanliness and punctuality?

Thank you in advance for your response.

Your servant

Gandharva das

HpS/ASA - Jaya!!! AgtSP. On an institutional level we should report problems to the local GBC Secretary. If no proper action is taken, then we can report to regional gbc (for latin america).

We can also report to national council if there is such, other temple presidents.

first principle is to love the deities. second, their cleanliness. third, the punctuality of their regular service. fourth, the details of the rituals, offerings, bathing etc.

that is the institutional level. if no response from local and other gbc secretaries then there is the executive committee, then taking direct action in terms of your responsibility to Srila Prabhupada!

of course, this is institutional response.

gopis are good citizens of nanda maharaja's village, but behind that they have their friendship relations. try to work on that level even more than the institutional level.

thirds they have direct connection to KRSNA even though so many transparent via media. we have to have that direct relationship to Srila Prabhupada.

set and example yourself as much as you can.

basically the same answer for deity worship and comportment of administrative and brahmnical leaders. eg. are they chanting their rounds?

how can i set a proper example of how to do these jobs? correctional responses by higher authorities. working as a friend.

running my own or participating an exemplary branch of the institution.

some ideas.

basic principle is to chant hare krsna and expect specific inspiration from him

Hare Krishna, Gurudeva

pamhO, agtSP

We are trying to internally convince ourselves to increase our participation in the local ISKCON. We were inspired to search for the seven purposes of ISKCON. We became a little confused regarding the priorities of these aims. Therefore, we humbly request you to kindly deliver a lecture on the seven purposes—similar to how you present Param-Pada and BhVai for temple audiences, and NOI, LOB, and Science and Religion for audiences outside the temple.

HpS - AgtSP!!! ! ! Thank you.

We searched on the internet for 'seven purposes of iskcon' and the https://krishna.com/the-international-society-for-krishna-consciousness-iskcon/seven-purposes-of-iskcon/

krishna.com link was the most helpful that showed up.

it mentions that they were a part of the incorporation document for iskcon in new york.

did srila prabhupada ever mention them in any other place?

the seem to echo the introduction to his SB, no?

:::

for us, local temple begins with mangala arati, kirtan and srimad bhagavatam as mentioned in NoI.

the community that regularly attends and builds those programs is our 'local temple'.

with them we develop other sankirtan activities.

of course, we have our 'local temple' based upon our media connections. in the beginning for iskcon this was BTG, letters, traveling preachers, telephone, regional festivals.

now we have more 'social media' so we develop different communities.

is it practical to expect much of a geographically 'local community' where you live?

do people have to travel too much to different occupational sites to be able to live in one colony?

Haré Krishna Gurudev: Pamho. Toda gloria a Srila Prabhupada y sus seguidores fieles.

Me alegra saber que volveremos a vernos este año y espero que su entusiasmo permanezca siempre fresco.

Leo regularmente el blog y el chat de whatsapp donde podemos ver sus actividades.

En lo que a mí se refiere ya llevo mas de un año viviendo en Brihuega y acudiendo regularmente de lunes a viernes al programa de la mañana en NVM. Suelo llegar a las cuatro y vuelvo a casa después de la clase de Srimad Bhagavatam. Hago algún pequeño servicio para el proyecto de NVM: coordino las clases de SB y algún servicio burocrático para el futuro “Camping” y otros proyectos nuevos.

Por lo demás, mi vida sigue igual, tratando de seguir las pautas que nos impuso Srila Prabhupada. En el japa, a veces pienso ¿que se necesita para traspasar el apego por el proceso por el apego por Krishna (priti) ?, afecto hacia la persona Krishna. ¿se necesita una misericordia especial adicional?. Puede que nos guste el proceso (el camino), pero el apego a Krishna parece algo diferente.

Ahora estoy aquí en Brihuega con Sarasvati, que está de vacaciones. Purnamasi viene los fines de semana y Nimai viene este fin de semana para celebrar su cumpleaños (3 de Julio).

Bueno, no me gusta extenderme mucho en las cartas.

Espero que podamos vernos pronto y pueda serle de alguna utilidad el su estadía en España se despide

su sirviente

Jayanta das

=-=-=-=

Hare Krishna, Gurudev: Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his faithful followers.

I am happy to know that we will see each other again this year, and I hope your enthusiasm remains ever-fresh.

I regularly read the blog and the WhatsApp chat where we can see your activities.

As for me, I have been living in Brihuega for over a year now, regularly attending the morning program at NVM from Monday to Friday. I usually arrive at four o'clock and return home after the Srimad-Bhagavatam class. I perform some small services for the NVM project: I coordinate the SB classes and handle some administrative tasks for the future "Camping" site and other new projects.

Otherwise, my life remains the same; I am trying to follow the guidelines Srila Prabhupada set for us. While chanting japa, I sometimes wonder: what does it take to move beyond attachment to the process and reach attachment to Krishna—*priti*, or affection for the person of Krishna?

HpS/ASA - AgtSP!!! Rathayatra is one way, no? By pulling the cart we are pulling Jagannatha from the Isvary bhava of Dvaraka to the Madhurya bhava of Braja, no? Then chanting for Jagannatha every day should have the same effect.

Is some additional, special mercy required?

We might like the process (the path), but attachment to Krishna seems to be something different.

I am currently here in Brihuega with Sarasvati, who is on vacation. Purnamasi comes on weekends, and Nimai is coming this weekend to celebrate his birthday (July 3rd).

Well, I don't like to make my letters too long.

I hope we can meet soon and that I can be of some service to you during your stay in Spain.

Your servant,

Jayanta das

HpS - Your letters are like lilfe to us. See your gross body soon!

Hare Krishna Maharaj

dandavat pranam

all glories to Srila Prabhupad.

today you posted in Bhagvatam group that ,

"Unless one is very advanced, he is unable to utilize everyone’s contribution to further the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement",

https://vedabase.io/en/library/noi/4/#

in Ramayan, lord Ramachandra accepted a small squirrel service also,

but unfortunately

Some money collectors in iskcon are saying

“ Less contributions are not accepted to further Krishna conscious movement “ . 

What are your comments on this ?

HpS - By "Less" do you mean, small???

In general I always hear just what you are saying in ISKCON that any donations, big or small, for Krsna are gratefully accepted. NoI discusses enthusiasm and Srila Prabhupada explains that even a dictaphone, machine, can be used in Krsna's service!

Jaya!

Thank you.

previous node: 16309

Hare Krsna UG,

we got a response of HpSwami on node 16309 and pic, then submitted that to claude.ai. asking what HpSwami wants to say ?

it says--

What a beautiful and profound teaching from HpSwami!

The bicycle image with the guinea pigs is a playful but deeply wise analogy. Here's what it likely means:

The Bicycle Analogy for Chanting

A bicycle only works when both wheels are moving together and you are actively pedaling — it cannot balance if you're standing still.

Similarly:

• One wheel = Chanting/Japa (the external practice)
• Other wheel = The right internal mood/attitude (sincerity, humility, desire)
• Pedaling = Your consistent personal effort
• Balance = What happens naturally when both work together

What this might mean for your situation:

You're perhaps focusing so much on the debt of rounds (the mechanical counting) that you've lost the joy of the ride. The guinea pig isn't stressed about cycling theory — it's just riding!

Also notice — the guinea pigs are small and humble, yet they're racing with full enthusiasm. Prabhupada's answer "a devotee is a gentleman" points to this natural, unforced quality.

The deeper message likely is:

Don't try to balance while standing still (overthinking). Just start pedaling gently and balance will come on its own.

Start with fewer rounds done with full attention rather than stressing over the debt.

What does this resonate with you?

HpS - ASA -- AgtSP.

When robots rule the world.

The world turn inward to find deeper meaning.

We will start reading Madhya Lila; 19.167 onwards up to verse 19.180.

(Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructs Srila Rupa Goswami)

Thank you to all devotees for their dedicates service to ASA ~~ SB workshop class. H. G. Nikunja Bihari Prabhu will help us with Spanish translation seva for Maharaja's class and reading notes of CC.

H.G. Mitravinda Mataji will help us with seva of back up translator; in case there are technical difficulties.

Maharaja, thank you for engaging everyone in reading systematically books of Srila Prabhupada's.

YS

Upendra Dasa

H.H. Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami | Ep. 190 | EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - YouTube

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