Letters to the editor

Bhakta Tom and Bhakta Buck:

We get the Bhagavata Pradipika each month from Sriman Gauranga Darshana Das and the Vidhyapitha (place of knowledge) of the ISKCON Govardhana Eco-village near Mumbai, India.

Fine devotees!

Fine community!

🐗 🐗🐗

Issue Dec 2020 (#42)

~The Beginning Citations about book distribution are very nice. Especially SB10.2.37. We want to put that in our ASA(Encyclopedia).

~The first article "God at the Gate" is nice summary of Bali Maharaja and Vamana avatar. Very complete. We were wondering if there was not enough distinction between blessings of Brahmanas and blessings of devotees, some citations for the explanation about why Prahlada blessed Bali to conquer the demigods.

Our question is will common folk who will not read the story in the SB, read it in this format?  It takes some time and effort. Is it better for GDD to focus on video, pptx, shows of these subjects?

These are real questions. We are looking at the Vidyapitha as a source of real inspiration and knowledge and trying to take lessons from their work for the ASA.

~Prayers for Giriraja

No reference for these nice prayers!  Where are they from? Didn't Gaura tell Raghu to add the sweets?  What is Kaja?

~Magnifying Krsna Element

Nice summary of meeting of Vyasa and Narada Muni. Didn't Vyasa suspect the cause of his despondency? SB 1.4.31. We have an intuitive understanding our our problem, and then Guru makes it scientifically clear.

We remember Narada giving this very nice description of the fault in Vyasa's literature: SB 1.5.15, 'Your work is progressive Vyasa, but as the article points out, people will take the minimum austerity and the maximum concession'.

"Närada also narrates his journey from promiscuity to perfection." - Narada was promiscuous in the beginning?  "Def: promiscuity - Having or characterized by many transient sexual relationships."

This was in previous life, no?  Not narrated in the SB, no? Where? More story.

~Both the Ishopanisad Subodini and the NOI Subodini, study guides, that are promoted in this months issue are not available at Amazon. Go to www.vidyapitha.in to get on the periodical's mailing list.

com. We wanted to buy the Kindle copy!

😩 😬

Ayeee! We die a thousand deaths!

Go to www.vidyapitha.in to get on the periodical's mailing list.

The information of study materials is very important for us. New prayers of some real interest. Being able to link the Journal to new people in KC is important.

...but unless they make progress to direct study of the SB etc, is it is effective to maintain such a professional effort. Of course, some people may read this their entire life and never get to the SB direct, but is it good use of GDD effort to write these instead of making movies?

Maybe so?

Hope he writes to us here at the ASA with some comments and suggestions

On Monday, November 30, 2020, 03:38:09 PM CST, mishra-bhagavan das wrote:

Thank you for writing. Humbles and Glories. La esposa y yo visitamos a mi hijos en Colorado por Thanksgiving. Aron Mataji offers you dandavats . 🙏

I like the special Thanksgiving preparations like cranberry sauce, mashies, gravy, pumpkin pie, and the like. My son Navadwipa Chandra is a pretty good disciple of Rohini Suta Prabhu. His wife is Initiated by Jayapataka Swami. They teach their children to chant Hare Krishna.  My granddaughter is learning to play mrdangam. 🐄

Over 500 people bought Srila Prabuupada's books from me since I returned from Chile. Though I was hoping to hang up the book bag after achieving this goal, your disciple Nandabraja Dasa gave me a stack of" the Light of the Bhagavat " to distribute. Asi que pedi otra caja de "Karma la Justicia Infalible " al BBT. 📚

A challenge of performing sankirtan is that we are never done. Even after Vasudeva Datta took the sinful reactions of the entire universe and emptied it out, the universe quickly filled back up with suffering conditioned souls that need the mercy of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.🌄

Tu sirviente Mishra Bhagavan Dasa 🤠

HpS - ASA --- He is leaving a path the whole world can follow!

Brown Tom // White Buck here.

Hare Krsna, have you read the letters today. Lot of variety. We had to push a little to finish. Little headache.

We talked to Dr. Samaresha for half and hour yesterday in India.

Classes have been very enlivening.

Bhisma deva.

Lots of things happening, but at the end of the day we can take hot milk and read the KRSNA book. See Krsna's pastimes.

Hare Krishna

All glories to Srila Prabupada.

HpS - We asked KK to join this Blog and answer the following question. He is psychiatrist in USA, from India, and wife is also psychiatrist.

How much money needed to sustain family?

Before we approach this question we need to understand the concept of charity (Daan). Even before that we have to accept that we need money to sustain our family. For that we have to work one way or the other way. Money is important but how much we need for sustaining the family is a very interesting question.

There may not be any direct answer so let's first learn about Daan. 

How much charity needs to be done according to scriptures. 

Scriptures lay down a varying proportion of one's income (ranging from 10% to 50%) to give away in daan.

Skanda Puran - According to Skanda puran one should 10% of one's justly earned income on good deeds or works of pubilc benefit.

Bhagwat puran : He quotes learned people to recommend dividing one's fund into five equal parts.

1) One part should be used for Dharma e.g Supporting Sanayasis , helping temples (daan).

2) Second for Yash (public works like for hospitals, food).

3) Third should be re-invested for generating more wealth.

4) Fourth for material things

5) Fifth for one's family and friends.

 Charity should not result hardship to donors family or loss of livelihood  

Coming to the first question, how much money... Money we need to sustain family is the money where we can also do some charity for Krishna Consciousness. So people who have decent jobs should be doing more charity .

The amount may vary but the basic ground rule is the same. Earning money with intention to support Krishna Consciousness. But also not at the cost of time needed to do your chanting and other services. Hare Krishna.

ASA - Thank you. This is very nice discussion of principles and then individuals can start to apply in their own circumstances. Very specifically, someone like yourself: Husband, wife, two children... professional people, how much is needed per year to keep house, transport, food, health, recreation ?

Hare Krsna Dear Gurudev,

  Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

  All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

  All glories to Guru parampara.

  Writing after 2-3 month later.

HpS - Yes!!

All is going as usual. No major update.

  same routine - Japa, reading, office, temple seva, scripture discussion etc.

HpS - Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, He!

  Jibesh is doing good book distribution in west bengal. He frequently 

  Inquires about you. His spiritual practices are good.

HpS - All best wishes for him. Ask him for a Sankirtan story that you can post here. We hope all obstacles in his spiritual life are removed.

your fallen servant,

Girivaradhari-Gopal Das

HpS - Write a little more often! If you are chanting you have stories to tell.

Thank you for all the help.

Hare Krsna querido Gurudeva

Por favor acepte mis rendidas reverencias.

Todas las Glorias sean a nuestro muy misericordioso Srila Prabhupada!

Y Todas las Glorias a Usted querido Gurudeva!

Deseo que su salud se encuentre mejor, lamentamos enterarnos de que su cuerpo ha causado algunos problemas últimamente.    El nuestro es la principal fuente de tormento en estos días, intentamos refugiamos en sus palabras “Tener un cuerpo, es en sí mismo una enfermedad” así que hacemos lo que nos corresponde para cuidar de él y toleramos el resto.

Guru Maharaja, durante las clases recientes de ASA, hemos estudiado la conversación entre Uddhava y Vidura...  Sin duda los pasatiempos de nuestro Señor, nos dejan ver un poco de su magnífico carácter; entre sus innumerables cualidades Su misericordia me parece sobresaliente.

¡Cuán misericordioso es nuestro Señor!...  Él acepta la acción de Putana y la eleva a una posición de madre, pasando por alto la mala intención que ella tenía y por otro lado, en cuanto Lord Indra se arrepiente nuestro Señor lo disculpa de inmediato, a pesar de una mala acción acompañada de la peor intención, Sri Krsna lo acepto amorosamente, sin reparos, sin reproches e incluso lo reprendió en privado, no lo avergonzó...

"Misericordia" es un término que utilizamos frecuentemente, pero ahora pienso en lo lejos que estoy de comprender su significado en su sentido amplio y profundo...

Según leí, misericordia significa "tener un corazón solidario" y se dice que se manifiesta en; amabilidad, ayuda al necesitado, instruir, aconsejar, consolar y confortar pero se manifiesta especialmente en el perdón y la reconciliación... ¡Maravilloso!

Para mí, la misericordia parece ser es una cualidad divina e incomprensible; y ahora observo que cultivarla puede ser muy difícil sin abandonar el apego a la "Así llamada justicia". ¿Es así?

He pensado que algunas veces, cuando hay diferencias entre devotos. La persona que se siente ofendida, pide una sanción para los ofensores - "¡Queremos justicia!” - Y el aparente ofensor también busca justicia (todos tienen sus razones válidas)

Entonces, el maestro espiritual no imparte un castigo (quizá no es la justicia que esperamos)... a cambio ¡él otorga su misericordia, para beneficio de todos! Parece ser que, la decisión de tomarla o no, es nuestra ¿Podría ser así?

¡Es difícil entender la misericordia del Guru! Porque es ilimitada y además ¿quizá requiere de cierto grado de rendición, fe y un poco de inteligencia? 

Gurudeva, muchas gracias por brindarnos su misericordia sin causa de tantas y tantas maneras. Por favor perdóneme por distraerle, quería comentar estos detalles y tratar de entender un poco de esta incomprensible cualidad. Gracias por todo.

Su aspirante a sirviente

Karuna Sakti DD

=--=--=--=

(Translated by Gaggle) Hare Krsna dear Gurudeva

Please accept my bowed obeisances.

All Glories be to our most merciful Srila Prabhupada!

HpS - ASA - !!

And All Glories to You dear Gurudeva!

I wish your health is better, we are sorry to hear that your body has caused some problems lately. Ours is the main source of torment these days, we try to take refuge in his words “Having a body, is in itself a disease” so we do our part to take care of it and tolerate the rest.

Guru Maharaja, during recent ASA classes, we have studied the conversation between Uddhava and Vidura ... No doubt our Lord's pastimes let us see a little of his magnificent character; Among his innumerable qualities, His mercy seems outstanding to me.

HpS - The Personified Vedas say that this is His foremost quality.

How merciful is our Lord! ... He accepts Putana's action and elevates her to a position of mother, ignoring the evil intention that she had and on the other hand, as soon as Lord Indra repents our Lord excuses him from Immediately, despite a bad deed accompanied by the worst intention, Sri Krsna accepted him lovingly, without qualms, without reproach and even rebuked him privately, did not embarrass him ...

"Mercy" is a term that we use frequently, but now I think about how far I am from understanding its meaning in its wide and deep sense ...

As I read, mercy means "to have a caring heart" and is said to manifest itself in; kindness, helps the needy, instructs, advises, comforts and comforts but it manifests itself especially in forgiveness and reconciliation ... Wonderful!

For me, mercy seems to be a divine and incomprehensible quality; and now I see that cultivating it can be very difficult without giving up the attachment to "so-called justice." Is that so?

HpS - ASA - I remember one story of Harishchandra. He was a King who had to make some decision in his court to kill some criminal. That was the truthfull application of justice, but after so many experiences he came to the conclusion that mercy is the essence of justice, not truth.

I have thought that sometimes when there are differences between devotees. The person who feels offended asks for a sanction for the offenders - "We want justice!" - And the apparent offender also seeks justice (everyone has their valid reasons).

HpS - !

So, the spiritual master does not impart a punishment (perhaps it is not the justice we hope for) ... in return he grants his mercy, for the benefit of all! It seems that the decision to make it or not is ours. Could this be so?

HpS - The question is not clear to us. Krsna is Spiritual Master as Paramatma and He is rewarding and punishing while sitting in our heart. He gives knowledge to the Diksa and external Siksa gurus also, to punish, or not. Yes, if we are not really surrender and only superficially ask for chastisement, then Krsna may not give it, even though we need it, but He chastise as He wants.

It is difficult to understand the mercy of the Guru! Because it is unlimited and also perhaps it requires a certain degree of surrender, faith and a little intelligence?

Gurudeva, thank you so much for giving us your causeless mercy in so many ways. Please forgive me for distracting you, I wanted to comment on these details and try to understand a little of this incomprehensible quality. Thanks for everything.

Your would-be servant

Karuna Sakti DD

HpS - So far you have been a strong example of the proper life and from what we hear a good friend to others.

Go ahead. You will wake up and see everyone in their proper relation to Krsna and laugh about any friends and enemies you had.