Letters to the editor

Dear Guru Mahārāja,

All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. Please accept my humble obeisances.

I would like to ask a question. Please reply if and when you feel inclined and have the time.

(Though this itself raises a thought: Kṛṣṇa is Time—so what does it really mean to “have time on one’s hands?”)

According to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

“In this Age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyāsa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man’s begetting children in his brother’s wife.”

(CC Ādi 17.164)

https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/adi/17/164/

From this verse, a doubt arises regarding Vaiṣṇavas entering the sannyāsa-āśrama despite this clear śāstric statement.

I am aware of the explanation commonly given—that what Gauḍīya (and other Vaiṣṇava) traditions accept is tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa, not ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsa. In brief, the tridaṇḍī serves Bhagavān, whereas the ekadaṇḍī aspires to become Bhagavān.

However, apart from this explanatory distinction, I have not been able to find a direct śāstric reference that explicitly supports this conclusion in a way that fully satisfies me.

I am not suggesting that the explanations given by the ācāryas are wrong. Still, since our teachings are grounded in śāstra, it seems reasonable to expect more than “only” an explanatory interpretation when something is followed—or not followed—despite an apparent prohibition.

Thank you very much for your patience and guidance.

Your servant,

Namācārya Dāsa

HpS - We need maybe one, two, full size volumes on Sri dharma, Sannyasa Dharma, just edited from Srila Prabhupada's books, no?

He gave us the library and now we need to extract timely topics, and make puppet shows, movies.

How is this: https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/6/13/

Todas las Glorias a Srila Prabhupada!!

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja, por favor reciba mis respetuosas reverencias.

En la carta anterior usted me responde lo siguiente:

HpS- Jaya. Un mes, agtSP, y tres semanas para responder esta carta. Disculpen la demora. Mucha presión durante esta gira de tres meses: EE. UU. [Nashville + Dallas], España [India], Latinoamérica [Chile, Perú, México].

Súper, súper resultados.

Si no respondemos a las publicaciones importantes del blog, intente enviar otra con la palabra "URGENTE" en el campo del título.

Todos sus mensajes son urgentes.

No tengo mensajes urgentes, por lo pronto 🙏

¿Cuáles son las noticias ahora?

Por lo pronto ninguna noticia, todo sigue igual.

¿Aún ganas el templo de Madre Laksmirani Devi Dasi?

No entendí la pregunta o quizás el robot no lo traduce bien. 😊

HpS - I also do not understand. 🙂

¿Dónde está?

Estoy en la ciudad de Huancayo - Perú.

¿Algún Sankirtana?

Por lo pronto no estoy haciendo Sankirtan con los libros de Srila Prabhupada, porque tengo la columna vertebral lastimada, justo cerca a la parte de la cintura. En la actualidad mí Sankirtan es hacer servicio en el templo de Madre Laksmirani, el templo se llama "Nimai Nitai" y está en el centro de la ciudad de Huancayo.

HPS/ASA - We saw that Jayananda Das was in a wheel chair from the progress of his cancer and they gave him charge of the Gift Shop in the Temple in New York, but it was on the third floor above the restaurant and nobody went there. Yet, he started putting signs down next to the restaurant. Offered free gifts for people to come and visit, and very soon he had people coming, books, cassettes of music, everything selling.

He was such a challenge, that whatever our body or situation is, we can always find a way to get results if we make the endeavor, no?

Super.

Bueno Guru Maharaja, me despido y que el Señor Nrsimha lo proteja siempre.

Hare Krsna.

Gadai Gauranga Das

Hare Krishna worship Gurudeva, please accept my humble obeisances 🙏🏻👣🪷💖All Glories To Srila Prabhupada! All Glories To You eternally My Gurudeva! 🙏🏻🙏🏻👣🪷💖🎶

During a merciful transmission from Japa Joe, while I was asking You Gurudeva a question, I received a message through another medium, quite painful for me....But I think we learned a lot from it🙏

I remember Srila Prabhupada saying that for Krishna, this material world is a game, but for us it is not; we must be very careful to get out of here.

I'm actually always asking Krishna to purify me soon. And by His mercy, this year began with many trials and it continues to this day 😊

Please Gurudeva continue to pray for me, so that I may understand your sweet heart and please you eternally.

For me, everything You say is extremely important 🙏👣🪷

My trip to Peru to see you couldn't happen because of Krishna's will. I did everything I could...!!! but I tried not to force the trip, trying to follow your instructions, Gurudeva. I remembered so much when You told us about Your trip to India and Your trip to Peru. Your experience that when you tried to force the trip, the experience wasn't good.

May you have a beautiful Rama Navami celebration! Gurudeva.

Always, always, always wishing to please You: Japa Prati Jalpa Radha Devi Dasi

PS: We did 2 dances rehearsals for Sita Ram! . We always learn while we dance! May I always be refugee in his mercy, Gurumaharaja Lotus Feet 🙏🏼👣🪷🎶

HPS - Thank, agtSP, you. Chile, Peru, Mexico, were all very intense and productive. Now we are in Houston.

ISKCON Houston.

It does not matter where we are on the map.

Basically things are about the same all over the world now.

Just be a good devotee where you are and then do what you can to serve others in their progress to being good devotees, no?

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja

Pamho

"HpS-Seems nice.

When do you get up regularly?

Can you lead the full morning program, got basic Bhakti sastri education, cook kitri and halavah?"

First I usually get up between 8 or 9 am now a days, some days are exceptions and I woke up at 6 or either at 10. But since since I'm living here with my whole family is more hard to follow a strict sadhana than when I was living in a temple for obvious reasons, there I was waking up to mangal arati and going to milk cows in the early morning (milking right after tulsi puja usually).

And second yes, specially the cooking kitri and halavah, I don't consider myself a specially good singer and everytime I hope someone else could do it but I enjoy doing the puja.

And lastly I would take brahmana iniciation mostly for being able to worship the deities and being able to have my own deities such a shalagram shila and others.

Anyways excuse me for not answering before, all this days have being quite "strange" to say the least and the festivities were not helping on having more time.

As usual how is your healt? That old car need some fixing? Or is it still good to drive?

Hare Krsna!

:D

HpS - Back in USA, Houston, as you probably know.

Brahminical culture means up by Brahma murhurta, Mangala arati, Kirtan, SB etc.

We have found that in so many circumstances we can do this without disturbing people around us and then often many of them begin to join us.

Kind of like Vibhisana in Lanka only different. 😆

All the Silas are early risers.

What is happening with your career status?

That is also a Brahminical symptom. Got long term vision.

Thank you!!!

Respected Guru Maharaja, all glories to Srila Prabhupada. Please accept my humble obeisances.

Nirgata and I were asked to share our understanding of the current situation in Pula with the local, national, and/or broader community, or with anyone who may wish to read it. Therefore, we prepared a summary, which I am sharing with you in full.

HpS - Let us, agtSP, look!

---------------------------

This is a summary response to an inquiry about the current situation and happenings in Pula. We will try to be as objective as possible in sharing OUR PERSPECTIVE and accept that there may be, or are, different experiences. 

At the present moment, there is a dynamic devotional service to Kṛṣṇa at Pula, the ISKCON property, centered on harināma saṅkīrtana. Some devotees organize programs, small festivals, and casual gatherings with singing and reading. During this time, they organized and invited some inspiring devotees, including a few sannyasis. There are even new people coming to those programs. Among local devotees, some regularly attend, and others visit occasionally, while others practice Kṛṣṇa-bhakti in different locations (such as their homes or other temples). 

At the same time, looking at the community as a unit, there are indications of intolerance, discord, narrow-mindedness, and prejudice—particularly an unwillingness to accept views, beliefs, or practices that differ from one’s own.

Starting around a year ago, there were open, inclusive discussions in which anyone interested could participate. At one point, an incident involving local and national management, as well as the GBC secretary, occurred. This led to feelings of insult and defensive reactions among some individuals toward another person, which in turn caused hurt. At that stage, those gatherings and the dialogue itself came to an end.

This situation could be addressed through respectful communication among all parties regarding the coordination of services, property maintenance, and finances. Moreover, if necessary, by using ISKCON mechanisms such as ISKCON Resolve.

If these efforts do not lead to a resolution, civil legal avenues remain available.

HpS - We have applied the principle that first we go to three GBC secretaries then we can go to Srila Prabhupada directly. It has been acceptable to leaders.

At present, from our part, some lingering grievances may still be present, though there is no fundamental animosity toward any individual.

For any further details, please feel free to contact us.

THE END

Trying to serve,

Nirgata Devi Dasi and Namacarya Das

HpS - ASA - Seems very nice. We have our comments on the general principles in other posts.

Hari Bolo!

All Glory to Srila Prabhupada, all glory to all devotees.

Please accept my humbles obeisances unto you.

Dear Gurudeva: In these days filled with violence and ever-increasing wickedness, by His mercy I have continued to chant HARE KRISHNA, in fact, I almost never do rounds of 108 mantras; I usually chant 110, 115, or even 200 mantras per round, because I’m not often satisfied with my pronunciation of each mantra.

I’ve also continued studying SP’s books, just as we follow the tireless preaching activities you share with us, I'm finishing reading the Madhya lila, and the SP’s lectures of BG, and I’ve been writing some essays on the Puranas, as well as reading many of the books published on iskcon desire tree by various acaryas, such as the Sad Sandharbas.

I’ve tried to speak only about Krishna with everyone I can,

I don’t have a fixed home to live in—I’m a nomad—and I live only by Krishna’s mercy. I don’t make elaborate plans either, because, as you’ve told me, Krishna has other plans. 

Sometimes, people who follow different traditions also invite me to pray with them in a group, but it’s very difficult to organize programs with local devotees. Unfortunately, preaching is becoming less common these days. Honestly, I’m afraid to approach certain devotees; I don’t want to offend anyone. It’s very sad to see the devotees’ faults, such as the feminist rhetoric that criticizes SP and other acaryas. 

However, we pray that Nitay Goranga will help us in their mission. That is why it is more inspiring to watch and follow programs from other countries. Without a doubt, your efforts and example help us to not lose hope. I'm glad to see other people taking an interest in KC, I see my own smallness in carrying out SP’s purposes and in becoming a true servant. That is why I pray to be able to continue in that direction

Your crew member Aniruddhakrsna Das.

HpS - Thank you.

Srila Prabhupada writes in the NoI etc that he also feels sometimes that there is no help from some of the people who should be the very closest to him by institutional relations.

As you comment at least we should be GBC Secretaries of our bead bags in all circumstances and then we can see what Krsna wants us to do in terms of institutional relations. Community relations.

Srila Prabhupada showed "a lifetime in preparation". Maybe several lifetimes for us.

On the other hand, great political leaders can have a deep personal realization at any moment and the whole world can change in a week.

Gauranga!

Maybe suggest some dialog on specific topics here in our Blog?