Hare Krsna Gurudev.

Mis respetuosas reverencias.

Todas las glorias sean para Srila Prabhupada!

Gurudev, el verso al que me refería era el 3.5.7 del SB. En realidad me surgió la duda al leer el significado de éste verso y también porque escuché una clase donde Hrdayananda Das Goswami expresó que él siempre tuvo el deseo de predicarle a las personas inteligentes, y que él ahora lo puede hacer.

Tendríamos que definir primero ¿qué es inteligencia? y así saber ¿quiénes son las personas inteligentes? o como bien dice Srila Prabhupada; son aquellos nacidos por segunda vez, o sea, quienes toman un maestro espiritual...?

Creo que me surge esta pregunta, porque a veces veo muchos defectos cuando voy al templo. Veo que no se cuida la limpieza, los modales, la etiqueta entre los devotos, y eso me hace pensar que como devotos debemos volvernos personas más educadas, ser limpios, etc., pero hay casos en los que nuestra educación desde casa no ha sido la mejor, y no modificamos esos malos modales, y pienso que no nos ayuda en nuestro progreso espiritual, ni en la prédica, o el ejemplo que queremos dar para que las personas que se quieran unir, vean que servir a Krsna es lo mejor que se puede hacer.

Otra duda que le presenté, sobre el pie de página en los libros de SP. La preocupación de los devotos en el curso BVB es, que hay personas que pueden leer estas citas y pensar que es una forma de mala discriminación, o racismo.

Yo no tengo problemas con estas citas. Yo las entiendo bien y creo que es muy importante que las expliquemos y seamos representativos en nuestro actuar. Como usted dice, Srila Prabhupada nunca hizo esta discriminación mala. Así que nosotros debemos actuar de esa manera.

Gurudev, disculpe si es muy larga la carta. Espero se entienda.

Por lo general no revelo mucho mi mente.

Muchas gracias por todo su esfuerzo y paciencia.

Su aspirante a sirviente

Priya Sakhi dd

-0-0-0-

Hare Krsna Gurudev.

My respectful obeisances.

All glories be to Srila Prabhupada!

Gurudev, the verse I was referring to was SB 3.5.7. Actually the doubt arose when I read the meaning of this verse and also because I heard a class where Hrdayananda Das Goswami expressed that he always had the desire to preach to intelligent people, and now he can do it.

We would have to define first what is intelligence? and thus know who are the intelligent people? or as Srila Prabhupada says; are those born for the second time, that is, those who take a spiritual master...?

I think this question comes to me, because sometimes I see many flaws when I go to the temple. I see that cleanliness, manners, etiquette among devotees are not taken care of, and that makes me think that as devotees we should become more educated people, be clean, etc., but there are cases in which our education from home has not been the best, and we do not change those bad manners, and I think that it does not help us in our spiritual progress, nor in preaching, or the example that we want to give so that the people who want to join, see that serving Krsna is the best thing that we can do. Can be done.

HpS - Of course, problems will always be in the institution. This is the material world. Look at SB, no? Problems from Brahma loka to Patala loka, but Hari Kirtan allows us to see those as aspects of the Yuga dharma, Hari Kirtan!

Then we can contribute our positive influence as Krsna desires. Apparently He stopped Bhisma from influencing the Game of Dice so that Kali yuga could progress.

Another doubt that I presented to him, about the footnote in the SP books. The concern of devotees on the BVB course is that there are people who may read these quotes and think that it is a form of bad discrimination, or racism.

HpS - Yes. It is a big controversy, challenge. Not just us, every religion in the past. Sincere people will be patient to understand everything, but of course we should help. I like keeping Srila Prabhupada's text as original as possible and then putting in footnotes to give perspective.

I have no problem with these appointments. I understand them well and I think it is very important that we explain them and be representative in our actions. As you say, Srila Prabhupada never made this bad discrimination. So we must act that way.

Gurudev, excuse me if the letter is very long. Hope it's understandable.

I usually don't reveal much of my mind.

Thank you very much for all your effort and patience.

Your would-be servant

Priya Sakhi dd

HpS//ASA - Nice letter. Expresses curiosities of many people. Thank you. Let us go to another!!! Much fun Sunday morning.

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Hare Krsna Gurumaharaja

Please accept our respectful obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I hope you are in very good health and that your sankirtan is going very well.

HPS - Ha! Ha! Hare! AGTSP. We are in good health but our eyes, balance, memory etc are going.

I tell you that educational matters have been a bit slow in recent months. As I told you a while ago, I asked the Latin RGB for a hearing to clarify some points concerning the representation service.

Maturesh prabhu was kind enough to grant us a space at his monthly meeting to present our case. It finally happened this morning, Tapana Misra prabhu and I were able to be present, explain who are the regional representatives and what are our responsibilities and duties. The devotees (Jayapataka Swami, Guru Prasad Swami, Bhakti Sundar Swami, Hanuman prabhu, Kaunteya prabhu, among others) were interested in the regional representation program and asked questions about who is in it.

We obtained their support, so a document will be issued shortly that will be presented to the temple presidents so that there are no doubts about what service we have to do. The gears also moved and Guru Prasad Swami said that Mexico should have a representative immediately (despite the fact that I have insisted for two years) and the same with Paramatma prabhu and the Caribbean. All this seems to have a happy ending.

ASA - Ha! Ha! Hare! The Witch will counter attack... but Soldiers of Rama will defeat her again. Thank you.

Personally, I tell you that I have rejoined my Bhakti Vaibhava studies (3rd Canto), this time with Param Padam prabhu. The work that the devotee does is top notch, I knew his program was good, but I didn't know how good.

ASA - Maybe it was not so good a few years ago? Yet, he has persisted and showed us the real BHAKTI in Bhakti Vaibhava and now it is very great???

I have also been very lucky to join a very interesting group of 12 devotees: Baladeva das, Rupa Gosai das, Maha Bahu das, Priya Sakhi dd, devotees from Argentina, Peru, Chile and Mexico, all committed, all inquirers. The course is demanding and Param Padam a very good teacher and best friend.

We continue to live among the mountains, content with our saddhana and the small Jagannatha temple we serve with love and simplicity. Indira Sakti dd is studying Bhakti Sastri with Param Padam das, so Krsna has fulfilled a nice dream.

I hope to tell you more news soon.

Your servant

Gandharva das

HpS - How did you find the PanAmerican Symposium. We could not stay because of the date was changed at the last minute and we had earlier commitments. Also, we pushed, PUSHED, P U S H E D for translations of everything but did not see any except for ours.

Maybe ASA will do something under its own management???

Thank you!

Canto Three: Vidura x Uddhava x Maitrey >>>> Creation of the World and Manu.

Hare Krsna.

We are in the Boro.

Health is good for 74-year old donkey.

Chanting HK///HR, and the Holy Names engage us in Sankirtan.

Details at: https://www.jayarama.us/archives/KapiDhvaja/kapi-dhvaja-220430.pptx

🦧

. .

M. Guru-bhakti Devi Dasi texted:

"Hare Krishna Maharaja & obeisances!

AgtSP!

The dates you mentioned are open & I'm blocking them for you."

HpS - ASA -- AGTSP... paoho.... Thank you so much.

We talked with Sananga Th. D. again about the general Sankirtan program we really hope to develop during this visit, and then he suggested that we certainly talk with your good selves, co-ordinating super successful event.

We arrive 21st June and leave for Madrid 20th July.

We are fixing that Mr. Pablo Rivasplata will also be with us during that time from Peru.

He is the Director of Photography for the movies we are doing.

[The first one is 99.999% finished and very good.]

He is totally profession person, trained in Hollywood, worked for 15-years in Minnesota, director of photography for best television channel in Peru and stayed with us in our Peru Ashrama for several weeks to shoot there.

With him we will be editing work we are shooting now in the USA, and very excellent material from Peru.

During this month we hope to shoot a lot more stuff about the people, history, festivals and buildings in NMD: Temple, Restaurant, Farm, School... !

We will use part of that for our current movie but... ... we were thnking that we can do maybe three more videos about NMD of television broadcast size. Let us say 24" each.

What do you think?

Themes?

The work would be first class quality.

Other thing that we can do is offer "Beginners to Masters Class in Sankirtan Cinema Production".

Of course, Sriman Pablo can do direct training one weekend and say two weeks later the students could come back with projects they have done.

We might have Yadubara Prabhu on line etc.

It might become an annual event for NMD.

Could screen movies every night(?). We have ours and then others may have theirs.

Prizes?

Fees, limited registrations?

So, that is a summary of our thoughts.

S A N K I R T A N !

Perspective from you all? The Sarva???

🌴 🌴🦆🌴

AGTSP

paoho

🐵 🐵  🐵

🐵

 

Back from Rich Mound!

Getting adjusted to great Sankirtan partner, Jaya Hari Das; local community; sensual arrangements.

Movie exigencies.

Now it is 8.18AM

By Guru kripa, and little effort on our own part, we have 15/18 rounds done. Had some V-8 / Orange juice blend that Jaya Hari Das made for offering for Lord Nrsmhadeva.

O. K.

A nap.

Up since 1.58AM

See you in a few mow mints.

Hare Krishna Maharaja, please kindly accept my most humble obeisances; all glories to his divine grace, Srila Prabhupada; all glories to you for your selfless and ceaseless service to Guru and Gauranga.

HpS - I guess some of our activities are selfless. Five percent? AgtSP!!! Thank you for your letter.

It has been a very long time since I have taken time out to write to you, but I think of you often and I find myself wishing that I had the drive and enthusiasm to keep in regular contact with you as so many of your initiated disciples do.

HpS - Some devotees join our programs regularly. Fifty, sixty???

We have different postion in Srila Prabhupada's Sankirtan, no?

Trombone, trumpet, clarinet, flute - Some of us boom, some of us toot.

I wish that I had such shelter of initiation as they do. There was a time in my life when I did; it seems like another lifetime ago. As I write this letter I can feel the hidden emotions arise within due to the nature of things in my life. I have always been afraid of replicating the enthusiasm of those earliest years of my devotional life: perhaps for fear of being hurt again.

There were a couple of times when Srila Prabhupada came to me in my dreams assuring me that I am still connected to him and to Lord Chaitanya's movement, but as wonderful and auspicious as such dreams are, they are still just dreams: ...

HpS - ASA --- Hey, being "awake" is dreaming while being absorbed in your senses, no? Experiencing on the mental platform can be better than the mental platform absorbed in the sensual platform.

... in my awakening state I often find myself extremely hesitant, fearful, and reluctant to go thru the formal process of re-initiation. Even I find myself envious of those who have such shelter. That is why I try and find the shelter and comfort of siksha guru. Is that enough? Sometimes it doesn't feel like it.

ASA - Diksa guru marries us to Krsna, parampara. If the priest who marries us has a deviation for some time, do we have to have another wedding?

On another matter, I have been sick with the common cold for the past week now, although I am now in convalscence. It wasn't covid, as my wife and I have both tested negative several times. As a young man I never gave any thought to the common cold: I simply went thru it, tolerated it, and came out some 3 weeks or so later. As an older man I can feel the very real threat of death, because of the of pain when I coughed, or the headaches due to not breathing nicely thru my sinuses, or the aches and pains in muscles and joints, or the pain because of being unable to sleep due to a combination of all these things.

I am reminded of Srila Prabhupada's statement in one purport in 13th chapter of Bhagavad gita, wherein he says "unless one has a pessimistic view of material life, there is no impetus for spiritual life."

I have had to compromise my sadhana greatly because of the cold. But by Krishna's grace I have at least been able to maintain my japa daily, as well as daily performance of mangala arotika and an evening arotika, and listening to some classes daily.

HpS - Good God, you all! You super man!!

On a final note, I remember very clearly how you have said more than once that the problems here in this temple are the same everywhere in other temples, and I have never doubted that.

Still, there are times when I wonder if it wouldn't make sense to move to a community where I could feel a greater sense of acceptance, involvement and peace of mind. Wouldn't it make sense to move, even though the problems are the same everywhere? I have lived here for well over 22 years now, and since the very beginning I have cried, and my wife and I have tried to stay and make things work for our devotional service, trying to accept all the reversals in our devotional relationships here as Krishna's arrangement, as part of the process of our personal purification.

HpS - Each Temple is different, no? Big temples like Los Angeles with many departments, and small temples where every devotee has a different relation with the Temple President. Different cultures in temples in different communities.

Always problems but they may change shape. Of course our contributions to the problems we bring with us, no?

This purport might be really inspiring. You know it? https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/8/2/30/

At times I find myself envious of the success of other devotees around me, when here I am, having devoted 45 years of my life to serving Krishna, and I feel like I have nothing to show for it. At times a devotee would try and assure me that I am a very senior and very important member in the community, when I feel nothing like that. Is this intelligent thinking on my part?

HpS - Well, we are probably better off than Ajamil. Ha! Ha! Ha! He didn't have too much to show after forty years of work.

We surrendered to Krsna by the process of initiation, so that means He has never given up on us. So that means that we are making progress.

Look at the Ajamila.

One small service he did was name his kid, Narayana.

That was enough to foment a powerful reaction.

Boing.!!$!

!! Bink!

B! onk#!

Even now I ask myself, "Is this Krishna telling me something, or just some trick of Maya?" One thing I know for certain, without the shelter of a spiritual master, it could be anything. I sometimes reflect on Lord Chaitanya's final instruction of His Sikshastika prayers, wherein He prays "I know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so, even if He crushes me by His embrace, or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord unconditionally." It's the rejection part that hits me.

HPS - It says that Radha rani then thought a prayer of advanced devotion. So maybe we need some evidence that Krsna is getting some benefit out of our efforts. I don't know your situation in much detail, but just seeing how your home is a very nice Ashrama makes it clear that Krsna is staying there and taking service.

That's all we want.

Prabhupada was a 'lifetime in preparation'. We are all different, no? Maybe we are two lifetimes in preparation. Then we can play Duryodhana and Dhrtarastra in Krsna lila.

I feel very lonely without the shelter of your association. I can't always feel comfort in the association of your initiated disciples: Maybe it's because I am not your initiated disciple and they are. Maybe it's because of the mood of the community. Or maybe it's just because they are all so much younger than me.

I will be participating in the upcoming Kirtan mela in Spanish Fork on Memorial Day weekend. I am hoping that I can discover something that will shed some light and understanding in my devotional service, and the event will not merely be some sort of emotional experience of momentary enlivenment because of the festive occasion.

HpS - Devotional service in not a matter of sentimental speculation nor imaginitive ecstasy, rather it is practical activity in the foreground of spiritual life.

So, look for practical preaching programs that you can lead and practical programs lead by others where you can make a significant contribution!

Eg. "Food for Lions"!

And with this much having been said, I will close here. I am always hoping to find shelter at your lotus feet.

HpS - Right now they are rather covered, unless one has better vision than we do so see them.

I am sure that inasmuch as Krishna shook hands with Lord Brahma in the beginning of creation, Srila Prabhupada is waiting to shake your hand on your way back to Godhead: Hare Krishna.

HpS - Maybe scratch us under chin?

Moooo!

Your lowly servant,

Balabhadra dasa

HPS ---- AGTSP. I think a lot of others will get good impetous from this post! See you spiritualize bag of bones, muscle and nerves in about two weeks, no?

.