Letters to the editor

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to this wonderful Gauranga sankirtana that is saving my life, for if I had never known ISKCON, my life would be meaningless.

Please accept my humble obeisances at your wonderful lotus feet, which are my eternal refuge. Dear Gurudeva, I am infinitely grateful to you for receiving your beautiful association; it has truly helped me so much.

I have recovered my 16 rounds and my sadhana, which I was losing a little. You and Maharaj Yadunandana Swami have given me back my life, and I feel very happy in Krishna consciousness.

My life has no meaning without spiritual life and without the association of the devotees, and above all, the connection with the guru is very important. I felt that I reconnected with you.

Thank you very much. Dear Gurudeva, I am not a good person; my character has become difficult, but if I can say something good about myself, it is that I have unwavering faith in Krishna, the guru, and the devotees.

I would never leave this connection. In every moment, good or bad, I have never thought of leaving ISKCON, so I will always try to hold on as tightly as possible to Prabhupada's and your dhoti. My health is not good right now; I have too much stress and anxiety, perhaps due to my very high thyroid levels, but I am going to cure myself with Ayurvedic medicine, japa mala meditation, sadhana, deity worship, and Hatha yoga.

I have a tendency not to express what I feel and to keep my pain to myself and not talk about it, but I feel that this affects my thyroid even more, so I will try not to stress myself and express myself better.

HpS - Jaya!

And my current partner gives me a lot of affection, helps me in my spiritual life, makes it easy for me to travel and do parikrama in India, I receive from him the affection of both a mother and a father 😅, and I feel that my life depends on him.

He provides me with a lot of protection, so I'm fine in that sense. Please forgive me if I don't talk much in person sometimes, but I want you to know that I admire, respect, and appreciate you very much, Gurudeva.

It's been 15 years since my initiation, with ups and downs in my spiritual and material life, but my faith is always loyal to Srila Prabhupada and to you. Thank you for these 15 years of connection to Sanatana Dharma. I know that your body is tired, especially your eyes and ears, but please forgive me for sending a rather long letter this time, and I will make the next one shorter. Thank you very much for your love, care, and protection that you are providing to all of us. Thank you for helping us advance in our spiritual life little by little, because without a guru, nothing is possible in this world, absolutely nothing. Your disciple who clings to your lotus feet, Nadiya Nivasi Dasi.

HpS - AgtSP! Thank you for your association. From our point of view you seem to be doing O.K.

Yes, ups and downs, but I don't know if I could have done better if I were in your position.

Even if we don't perfect our service in this life we will take our progress to the next life.

Become a pure devotee as soon as possible!

Hare Krsna!!!!

Send us more news as things develop.

Think you have many interested readers here.

ASA-E -- Guru, Diksa, HpSwami

Hare krishna 🙏

por acepte mis humildes reverencias 🙇

Todas las glorias a Srila prabhupada

Todas las glorias a usted

Espero se encuentre muy bien de salud,hace unos días estando conectada en el horario de japa joe en línea,usted me pregunto si tenía nombre espiritual (Diksha) le contesté que aún no, que esperaba fuera muy pronto,la verdad es que mi respuesta fue esta porque considere que no era el medio apropiado para hablar más sobre el tema.

Hace algún tiempo hiba a escribirle para pedirle que usted fuera mi maestro espiritual iniciador (Diksha) pero empeze a leer las cartas publicadas en el blog que usted ya no estaba iniciando y por tal motivo ya no le escribi.

Considero importante mencionarle que estoy en conciencia de krishna aproximadamente hace nueve años y desde hace ocho años hago 16 rondas diarias y llevo los cuatros principios regulativos, siempre que tengo la oportunidad me conecto a japa joe y al programa de la mañana mangala arati , dependiendo del lugar donde usted se encuentre,escucho sus clases que quedan grabadas, a las clases del día domingo casi no me he podido conectar por temas de trabajo...

S.S Hanumatpresaka swami 🙇Usted tendría la bondad de darme refugio y ser mi maestro espiritual iniciador por favor 🙏..

Su Aspirante a Sirvienta

Claudia Garcia Hernandez

==-=-=-=-==

Hare Krishna 🙏

Please accept my humble obeisances 🙇

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

All glories to you

I hope you are in good health. A few days ago, while I was online during Japa Joe time, you asked me if I had a spiritual name (Diksha). I replied that I didn't yet, but that I hoped it would be very soon. The truth is, I answered this way because I felt it wasn't the appropriate medium to discuss the matter further.

Some time ago, I was going to write to you to ask you to be my spiritual initiator (Diksha), but I started reading the letters posted on the Blog and saw that you were no longer initiating anyone, so I didn't write to you.

I feel it's important to mention that I've been in Krishna consciousness for approximately nine years, and for the last eight years I've been doing 16 rounds daily and practicing the four regulative principles. Whenever I have the opportunity, I connect to Japa Joe and the Mangala Arati morning program, depending on your location. I listen to your recorded classes. I haven't been able to connect to the Sunday classes much lately due to work commitments.

His Holiness Hanumatpresaka Swami, would you be so kind as to offer me refuge and be my spiritual guide and initiator? 🙏

Your Aspiring Servant,

Claudia Garcia Hernandez

HpS - Hare Krsna! AgtSP. Thank you so much for your letter.

It is just a fact that our body is old and cannot handle the Karma of initiation. Srila Prabhupada says that anyone who does a ritual ceremony takes Karma.

We were supposed to die about December 23, 2024 but we started taking cardiac medicine, following Ayurvedic prescriptions etc and that seems to have helped.

So, we started traveling again.

Then, there are people like yourself, like Carlos Rold here in Chile, who have been aspiring for initiation from us for years and are finally ready, and we thing, "Well let us just initiate them as a special case", but then we think of the result, like thinking of the result of eating one more piece of pizza and the result it not good.

Your request seems kind of like asking a six year old to please drive you to the market in the auto.

😆

On the other hand, we can act like Siksa guru, give advice, even how to relate to Diksa guru.

Any devotees you know who are initiating?

Thank you.

Are you in Mexico, Leon?

Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaj. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We have moved to Dallas Guru Maharaj. We moved here first week of February and our house in Atlanta sold on 23rd February. By Kalachandji's mercy, the house sold in record time for the area. We also found a house for rent in walking distance to the temple. 823 S Beacon st, Dallas. So everything worked out nicely by your and Kalachandji's mercy.

HpS/ASA - Hare Krsna. In walking distance of Goloka.

Now we are able to visit the temple everyday and our sadhana has also become much better because of that. We are in the association of devotees everyday which helps us focus better on bhakti.

I had a question Guru Maharaj. Sometimes they don't have speakers for the evening Bhagavad Gita class and they asked me if i can give class but i told them I'll start after i finish my Bhakti Sastri which I'll finish this September or October. Should i wait until i get my bhakti sastri or should i try to start giving class? I dont know if i am qualified to give class Guru Maharaj. Please guide me.

HpS - Yes. Just read the purport with attention and then discuss it with the participants. If you finish that then go to the next verse or another verse and read it.

Simple.

Effective.

Your humble servant,

Sri Rama Krishna Das

HpS - Lettuce look at some more Blog posts, no?

It is 7.26PM here in Santiago.

85 degrees.

Congress on Education was super, super, super intense. Thousands of participants, leaders, Spanish, Three Sannyasis.

Our body is very old and delicate.

Krsna keeps allowing us to make little, unique contributions.

We see so, so, so many problems in ISKCON. This is natural, no? We see that hamoniums, accordions can deviate us to sense gratification from hearing the Holy Names.

Have to be used with care, no?

Dear Guru Mahārāja,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda, all glories to your service, and all glories to all the Vaiṣṇavas.

I am writing with a repentant heart to beg forgiveness for the time I have wasted and the many opportunities for service that I have neglected. I can see more clearly how laziness, distraction and attachment to material comfort have covered my intelligence and caused me to fall short of your instructions and expectations. Whatever progress I have made is only by your mercy, and whatever distance has come between my ideal and my actual life is entirely due to my own lack of sincerity.

I deeply regret my sinful nature and carelessness that have arisen in my rebellious thoughts, words and deeds, and I pray that you may kindly overlook these faults and allow me to begin again.

By your mercy, I have understood that human life is very short and extremely precious, and that every moment not used in Kṛṣṇa’s service is simply a loss that can never be regained. Remembering Śrīla Prabhupāda’s emphasis on strict sādhana and practical engagement in devotional service, I feel ashamed that I have not fully taken shelter of the process you have given me and have frivolously allowed myself to become victimized by maya.

Instead of using my time for hearing, chanting and service, I have too often allowed myself to be distracted by temporary goals, self-aggrandizement and sense enjoyment. Now I am praying for the strength to give up these tendencies and to realign my life completely with your instructions.

With this mood, I wish to humbly submit one earnest request at your lotus feet. I desire to dedicate myself as a full‑time brahmacārī in your service, under your guidance and under the authority of your representatives. I understand that this ashram requires strict celibacy, simplicity, obedience, and full engagement in devotional service, rising early, attending maṅgala‑ārati, chanting the prescribed rounds, following the four regulative principles, and accepting whatever service is given without personal consideration. Knowing my conditioned nature, I do not trust my own strength, but I have faith that by your mercy and by the association of serious devotees, I can be re‑trained and gradually become a useful instrument in your mission.

Therefore I beg you not to reject this fallen soul. Please kindly engage me in whatever full‑time brahmacārī service you consider appropriate, be it temple service, preaching, menial work, or any other duty that will help purify my heart and keep me always close to the shelter of your instructions. If you so desire, I am ready to adjust my external situation, relocate, or accept whatever austerity is necessary to live as a proper brahmacārī in ISKCON, always remaining loyal to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s society and to your lotus feet. Kindly correct me, guide me, and chastise me as you see fit, but please never withdraw your mercy from me. I am presently in the United Kingdom but also have a passport for Australia, where I was initiated (via ritvik) in 2018.

Your aspiring servant and unworthy disciple,

Janardan-hari dasa.

HpSwami - Hare Krsna. We cannot immediately place your form and actions.

Under what circumstances did we initiate you??

Please Gurumaharaja accept my humble obeisances to Your feet. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!!

Jaya Gurudeva!!!

I hope you had a good trip to Santiago, Chile

I'm leaving for Santiago tomorrow night. Please forgive me, I would have loved to arrive in time to greet You. But I was given a week's leave 😊, and I preferred to stay until Gaura Pournima with your wonderful Gurumaharaja Association. I'll be traveling alone; sadly, neither my husband nor my son will be able to come with me. But I'm happy to have this opportunity to receive your Darshan, beloved Gurudeva!

Here are some photos of my students from the workshop I started this year. They're already waiting for me to return so we can resume classes. They love Hindu dance and traditions. I still have so much to learn and improve in my teaching technique.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Her pathetic attempt at being a maid:

Japa Prati Jalpa Radha Devi Dasi

HpS - AgtSP. Paoho. Seeing you here is like seeing the sun appear on a Spring day.

Thank you.

Hope this event is great help for your spiritual progress back home!!!

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances.🙏

All glories to you and Srila Prabhupada. 🙏

Thank you so much for your encouragement 🙏🙏

Here is the general prayer request from the temple:

Dear devotees,

Hare Krishna

I have been informed that Mitreya Rsi prabhu (Michael Parr), a disciple HG Radha Krishna Prabhu, will be undergoing a spinal surgery tomorrow that will be performed in two stages. One surgery will be performed on Monday (2/16/26) and the second one on Thursday (2/19/26)during the same week. The surgery is to reconstruct aspects of his spine including placement of spinal rod, pins, screws, and spacers. He will be an inpatient for at least a week, if all goes well, he will be discharged on Sunday, 2/23/26. He will then transition to physical therapy.

Please keep him in your prayers for a successful and speedy recovery.

And here is one reply:

Hare Krishna I came in Monday and with Krishna's mercy I will be discharged today (Friday). Mondays surgery went well Thursdays was delayed and lasted three hours plus . The pain is strong but is being managed by medication for the most part. I've been up and walked so I'm doing well thank you. I hope to make it to the temple within a week or two. I miss it greatly.

He goes very often to the nightly Bhagavad Gita class and yes I think he was in some branch of the military.

One time you started a sketch book and gave it to me to add to it. Then it went to Bhakta Angel, and finally it was to be completed by him as the last person in the "art chain".

Thank you Guru Maharaja!

Your servant,

Jaya Hari das

HpS - Yes, agtSP, I think he is the former Navy Corpman that we all know and love.

Gave us apple juice that went to Lord Nrisimha.

Thank you.

Certainly hope his body is aligned perfectly with his service.