Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna, Gurudev.

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I am writing to share a recent experience.

I spent five days in Brazil, associating with His Holiness Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami.

As Srila Prabhupada says in text 5 of the Upadesamrita, the association of advanced devotees is the most precious thing there is.

I can tell you that this association created a turning point in my spiritual life: a before and an after.

I had the realization that I was unconsciously identifying with the mind and believing I was my emotions. Due to traumas from my childhood and the past—such as losing part of my family in an accident and the subsequent abandonment by my first wife—I associated bhakti and relationships with suffering and loss. Suddenly, I realized that I am not my body, but I am also not my mind.

HpS/ASA - ❗

I understood that devotional service, Krishna Prema, is an extremely powerful device. However, due to those fears, traumas, and my identification with the mind, I was not being serious in my spiritual life. I was chanting my rounds at any time, not waking up early, and eating food prepared by anyone. Somehow, I was unconsciously boycotting my progress out of fear of suffering. Today, I think about how I wasted my time and held back my progress all these years. I feel ashamed; I have associated with so many advanced devotees who made great sacrifices to visit us, and I was simply asking childish questions. It's like having invited Albert Einstein to my home only to ask him what 2 + 2 is: a complete waste.

This realization has given me an impetus and a strength that I cannot describe in words. It is a great mercy. Since that moment, I am determined to follow your instruction to wake up early and chant my rounds during the Brahma Muhurta. The truth is, it's another level, another reality. Chanting the rounds before sunrise is the perfection of life; the day truly flows in a different way.

The auspicious month of Kartik is approaching, and I am meditating on my vows. I truly want this Kartik to be special and to take advantage of the mercy of Radharani and Damodara to advance as quickly as possible. I feel that I have already lost a lot of time, and it is time to become serious so that I can become your disciple. You always said it, the instruction was clear: "wake up early and chant your rounds," but out of fear and identification with the mind, I did not want to listen.

By the mercy of Guru and Krishna, and because this process is scientific, this anartha is gone. Now I am sure that there is no danger in advancing towards Krishna; that Krishna consciousness and the Holy Name are the greatest benediction a living entity can receive. I truly want to worship the Holy Name and to be a positive instrument in the Sankirtan movement and in Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON mission.

Thank you, Gurudev, for your austerities, for your extremely clear vani, and for always being there for us.

Your humble servant,

Nikunja Bihari das .

HpS/ASA - I think I can relate to what you are describing fairly well. I have always related it to:

"...because they are too materially absorbed, the conception of retaining the personality after liberation from matter frightens them. When they are informed that spiritual life is also individual and personal, they become afraid of becoming persons again, and so they naturally prefer a kind of merging into the impersonal void.", https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/4/10/

So, we kind of make our Sadhana practices something kind of impersonal and they float around without personal commitment. Verse relates to your realization? BG 4.10. Purport includes the "adau sraddha verse..."

Hare Krishna, Gurudev.

Por favor, acepte mis humildes reverencias.

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada.

Le escribo para compartir una experiencia reciente. Estuve cinco días en Brasil, asociándome con Su Santidad Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami. Como dice Srila Prabhupada en el texto 5 del Upadesamrita, la asociación con devotos avanzados es de lo más preciado que existe. Podría decirle que esa asociación generó una bisagra en mi vida espiritual: un antes y un después.

Tuve la realización de que, inconscientemente, me estaba identificando con la mente y creyendo que yo era mis emociones. Debido a los traumas de mi infancia y del pasado —como la pérdida de parte de mi familia en un accidente y el posterior abandono de mi primera esposa—, asociaba el bhakti y los relacionamientos con el sufrimiento y la pérdida. De repente, me di cuenta de que no soy mi cuerpo, pero tampoco soy mi mente.

Entendí que el servicio devocional, Krishna Prema, es un dispositivo extremadamente poderoso. Sin embargo, debido a esos miedos, traumas y a mi identificación con la mente, no estaba siendo serio en mi vida espiritual. Cantaba mis rondas en cualquier momento, no me levantaba temprano y comía alimentos preparados por cualquiera. De alguna manera, boicoteaba inconscientemente mi avance por miedo a sufrir. Hoy pienso en cómo desperdicié mi tiempo y frené mi avance todos estos años. Me siento avergonzado; me he asociado con tantos devotos avanzados que hicieron un gran sacrificio para visitarnos, y yo simplemente hacía preguntas de niño. Es como haber invitado a Albert Einstein a mi casa solo para preguntarle cuánto es 2 + 2: un completo desperdicio.

Esta realización me ha dado un ímpetu y una fuerza que no puedo describir con palabras. Es una gran misericordia. Desde ese momento, estoy determinado a cumplir con su instrucción de levantarme temprano y cantar mis rondas durante el Brahma Muhurta. La verdad es que es otro nivel, otra realidad. Cantar las rondas antes de que salga el sol es la perfección de la vida; el día realmente fluye de otra manera.

Ya se acerca el auspicioso mes de Kartik y estoy meditando en mis votos. Realmente quiero que este Kartik también sea especial y aprovechar la misericordia de Radharani y Damodara para poder avanzar lo más rápido que pueda. Siento que ya perdí mucho tiempo y es momento de ponerme serio para así poder convertirme en su discípulo. Usted siempre lo dijo, la instrucción fue clara: "levántate temprano y canta tus rondas", pero por miedo y por identificación con la mente, yo no quería escuchar.

Por la misericordia de Guru y Krishna, y porque este proceso es científico, esta anartha se ha ido. Ahora estoy seguro de que no hay peligro en avanzar hacia Krishna; que la conciencia de Krishna y el Santo Nombre son la bendición más grande que una entidad viviente puede recibir. Quiero realmente adorar al Santo Nombre y poder ser un instrumento positivo en el movimiento de Sankirtan y en la misión de ISKCON de Srila Prabhupada.

Gracias, Gurudev, por sus austeridades, por su vani extremadamente claro y por estar siempre para nosotros.

Su humilde sirviente,

Nikunja Bihari das.

Please Gurudeva accept my respectful obeisances to the life-filled dust emanating from His merciful lotus feet. You are taking us to Vrndavam!

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada!

All Glories To You, Our GuruMaharaja!

We've spoken with the respected Prabhu Abhiram to give you some dakshina. And he very kindly replied that it would be difficult to send you if it's a little money. So I want to tell Gurudev that, no matter how expensive it is to send you via Western Union, please send me your details so I can send you some dakshina. It's the least I can do for helping me so much. I don't have much money to send, but whatever I have, I want to send it to you. Please give me your mercy so that I can somehow reciprocate.

Very grateful, asking for forgiveness for unintentionally committing any offense, I await your response.

Radha Japa Prati Jalpa Devi dasi

asa - he, agtSP, is right. western union etc are useless. maybe start an ASA account with Ambarisa Das, vrsabhanu devi das et all and then we can use it for ASA work in Cordoba, Are Gin Tee Na.

Watch for devotees traveling to USA, Mexico etc. and they can hand carry it!!

Please accept my humble obeisances to the dust of Your adorables Lotus feet🙏🙇🏻‍♀️🌺🎵🌹💐💖

🎵💐💖🌹All Glories To Srila Prabhupada!🎵💐💖🌹

🎵💃🙇🏻‍♀️🌹💐💖🙏All Glories To You our Spiritual Master 🎵💃🙇🏻‍♀️🌹💐🙏

When I read the last verse you posted on Anvesaka, about chanting the holy name, I felt worried, because I don't remember asking your permission to increase the number of rounds. I only remember being excited when I read that Srila Prabhupada said: Never decrease, always increase. !!!! This motivated me a lot. And that's why I increased my chanting. As you say; Better late than never. So I ask your permission, the dust of your feet, to increase my number of rounds! and to always be able to perform the days of Ekadasi vrata better and better. In general, to increase the quality of my service to You.

Thank you very much, eternal thanks Sri GuruMaharaja ki Jaya!!!!!!!!🙏🙇🏻‍♀️🙏🙇🏻‍♀️🙏🙇🏻‍♀️🙏🙇🏻‍♀️🌹🌺💐💐🌺🌹🎵💃🎵💖🌹🙏

always trying to please the adorable and sublime dust of His lotus feet:

Radha Japa Prati Jalpa Devi dasi 🌹

HpS/ASA - I guess, agtSP, we can chant more rounds any time and it does not mean that we have to chant that number of extra rounds the following day.

if we make some formal commitment to chant more rounds daily, then we have to do that.

we can make a promise to chant more rounds during this kartika month, but not every kartika month, no?

i guess you and others have our permission to chant more rounds like that.

asa(e) sankirtan; writing

Please accept my obeisances to your adorable lotus feet, which I miss so much watching dance🙏💐💖🌺🌹🎵

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!🙏🙇🏻‍♀️💐🌺🌹🌺💐🌺🌹🌺💐💖🎵

All Glories To You our Spiritual master!!!🙏🙇🏻‍♀️💐🌺🌹💖🎵💖🌹💐

I hope I can please Uncle Gismo and that he will engage me in His service🙏🙇🏻‍♀️

always trying to please him:🙏🙇🏻‍♀️🌹🌺💐🌺🌹🎵

Radha Japa Prati Jalpa Devi dasi 🌹💖🎵💃

I've been writing garbage since before I was a devotee, and when I first encountered the movement, the figure of Krishna and his beautiful face inspired me so much. He was and is my sole inspiration for writing. You and Srila Prabhupada's immense love! Everything combines to make my heart write. I never think, "Now I'm going to write." Sentences just come out, and I have to run to get paper and pencil so my songs or poems don't get lost.

Now, by Your mercy, I'll take some time out of the week to write. It's so beautiful. And then, do I send you my writings? In fact, before sending you my poems and songs, I always thought, while laughing, "Where is the current Ramananda Roy?" to show him my writings and see if they're appropriate, and if they don't have rasabasa... but I never asked who could read them before you. I just sent them to you. Please forgive the mistakes. So, what should I do? I've accumulated a lot of junk😅, a few more songs for Govinda... How should I refine them? Can I send you what I'm writing and polish it little by little? Whatever you say, it'll be a pleasure to continue.

I would like Uncle Gizmo to engage me in His service. Thank you, Gurumaharaja, and please forgive any unintentional offenses in this letter.

. I'm trying to please you:

JPJ Radha devi dasi

HpS/ASA - AgtSP.

First

write once. then edit right after you write for better grammar, choice of words, rhythm and rhyme.

Second

look at it after one week and edit again or shred it and use it for fire starter.

after one week you will not be able to remember the personal thoughts that you had while you were writing and which your reader will not know.

you will be able to read it much more like your audience is reading it.

Third

post it to the Blog and HpS/ASA will comment as best they can.

Hare Krishna, Maharaja and Devotees.

We have lost another disciple of Prabhupada today, Vishvareta Prabhu. I met him in India in the 80's and reconnected with him in Miami. He, without a doubt, was my very good friend. Anyone that came in contact with him will say the same.

He departed today in the glorious month of Kartika surrounded by devotees. Oh, if only I could be so fortunate.

I am sharing a picture of him and me in New Vrndavaba 1986. This material world is so temporary and we (more me) are baffled to believe we will be eternally healthy and good looking.

I plan to be more active here as long as no one is offended

YS

Jaya Krishna das

HpS/ASA - AgtSP!! We had little contact with Prabhu. Of course, his son, Bhakti Visvareta was famous for being attended by by Prabhupada and leading Kirtan even as a child.

We will chant the Maha-mantra in front of his picture, and ask other so also chant!!

If you like, keep a picture of him prominent in your Ashrama and chant Maha-mantra in front of it as you decide, no?



Hare Krishna Gurudeva

PAMHO - AGTSP

I'm sorry for not connecting to the programs for a while. On the one hand, it was because I forgot after you didn't connect during a lapse in your travels, and also because I woke up late.

A few months ago, I felt a lack of motivation in my spiritual life, and some days I didn't chant all my rounds. Thanks to Krishna, I was now able to chant those missing rounds.

This whole earthquake in my consciousness is basically due to my sexual desire.

Krishna has shown me that it's time to take the step of getting married. Once I became aware of that, my sexual desire changed completely, and my mind became quite calm in that regard.

I wish to fulfill this role well. I've been avoiding marriage for nine years, but it's no longer healthy for me to continue struggling.

My obeisances, Gurudeva.

HpS/ASA - agtSP!!! paobw..... One thought.

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/3/21/15/

Kardama and Devahuti is indicated from Srila P'pada as a Grhastha manual!

Thank you!