Letters to the editor

HpS - ASA: Regular Thursday Class with. . . .

. . . ISKCON Hawaii, www.e-sanga.org

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/4/20/24/

Hare Krsna Gurumaharaja, Pamho ! AgtSP! 

Gracias por sus respuestas.

Estoy confundida con las fechas para México. 

En el último Kapi Dhvaja dice que es del 29 al 3 de Junio . 

Acabo de ver una carta de Gadhadara de Monterrey que dice del 31 al 3 de Mayo. 

Por favor me podría decir cuál es la fecha correcta? 

En base a Su respuesta terminaré de escribir mi carta para enviar al blog. 

Muchas gracias y disculpe la molestia por favor 🙏

-0-0-0-

TlgaSP! Pfanrh. Es poco flexible, pero, si... estamos programado por programas in Peru hast 28, entonces podemos comenzar enfocado en MEXICO(!!) 29 May.

We wrote to Sesa Das, Srivasa pandita Das, Hari-lila, Radha-krsna, Nila-mani, Gauranga-darshana, Atula K Das, Gopi-gita, Subra Devi Dasi et al:

AGTSP!

Esteemed Teachers, Students and Educational Administrators,

Paoho... We sent a previous letter about our efforts to organize a Sastra-sam-mela on the 4-7th of June. Of course, the physical idea was in Houston, Texas but because of the Karuna-virus we have gone virtual.

We got strong letter response from Bali-mardana Das and Srivasa pandita Das in San Jose, California, and with Bali started meeting each Friday.

Srivasa gave excellent list of questions, topics.

This is like a Last Call for Registration. 

With Bali we were going over the hoped participation and then from that setting the topics and the sessions. We hope that Gauranga and Atul can be available in the mornings (for us, evening for them) of 5th and 6th. Maybe Gauranga can also give a SB class on one day. Of course, we have to consider the quality of the connection. We can discuss general BOEX, North American relations, Vidyapitha relations... We also want to promote some participation of Latin American educators.

The above list includes our desired core team,but we can include more people as observers and general participants. This is the first year.  We hope it to be a family affair.

O.K.

First is who am I?   I am HpS  and I want to discuss the content and distribution of the Bhaktivedanta Purports through Academic means with others.

Second who are we?  So far it is formally me, Srivasa and Balimardana. That's enough. We have their ideas of what they want, but who else is going to join.... What are you aims?

Third  - Schedules etc.

We are meeting with The Balimardana Das on Fridays. Please join!

nunc aut loquetur pacem in sempiternum tenere

Speak now or forever hold your peace

AGTSP. Paoho.

Some people listen to the Lord in the Heart!

We are much more gross!!!!! We listen the the Lord in Gluteus Maximus.

No, he is not a Roman general like Anti Virus.

When our eyes hurt and our bottom aches, we know it is time to stop writing letters.

"Death is God's way of telling you it's time to slow down"

Did we do enough today?? We try to answer three reports before we look at Blog letters. Try to answer some of the old stuff.... but we try to keep those with the current Kapi Dhvaja Priority Code (KDPC) in the Title field up to date.

'O'ink!

Nice letters. Nice questions. Nice Guru, Srila Prabhupada.

Gotta do some more rounds!! Go walking with NGD! Hay fever has started. Have to edit Carlos' biography for Dr. Samaresha and send a letter of registration to the June 6th educators.

We will post it all here.

Thank you!!!!

Hare Krishna Your Holiness, please accept my respectful obeisances. 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. 

Thank you very much for your kind reply and sorry for not contextualizing the questions to better understanding. Now I´m going to try to do it.

The subject is in two senses.

1) We observe that the influence of cultural differences is not only in relation with the geographical origin (Mexican, American, Hindu culture, etc.) but also in the differences that come from education, generation, time, etc. So, How is it possible to achieve a conciliation and progress at the social-group level, if, although in theory we understand that CK is beyond material designations, sometimes these cultural, material designations seem to be stronger than we think in our relationships and projects as a social group?

ASA - One example would be how can Men and Women actually relate, even if they are not Pure Devotees? Of course, for many of these the answer is Varna-ashrama-dharma, no? Such an excellent system, no? So, so, much of this in the Bhagavatam: SB 1.7.15-16, 42-48... Just the first canto!

2) On the other hand, we have the concern to understand about identity and a sense of belonging from a psychological perspective.

ASA - Most of the cultural things above would be integration at a psychological level also, no?

We would like to understand How internally -on a psychological level-, the identity of a devotee is structured when it is influenced by so many mixed cultural factors?

For example, there are several authors who analyze the lack of cultural identity of "Mexicans". They explain that, actually there is no defined "Mexican culture", since it is too complex, almost impossible to define.

ASA - Yes! That is exactly what I was thinking also!

In other words, the identity problem in Mexico is existing for a long time (and probably in many other countries).

ASA - It seems universal, no? Racial purging, refugees...

Additionally, when we translate this situation into the Hare Krishna context is also an incredible mix.

ASA - That is the solution, no? Kalau dose nidhe rajan... This Age of Kali is an OCEAN of faults. The family identity is bad. The national identity is not clear, bad. The religious identity is bad... What does it mean to be a Jew, Catholic... but there is one good thing, 'mahan gunah'. just by chanting Hare Krsna, we can identify our selves with Krsna and Krsna's devotees (TlgaSP!). NOI 4-6 gives great, basic, instructions on this.

We live too conditioned by the culture where we grew up, attached to food, language, beliefs (not only religious), in a postmodern, western, capitalist, globalized system and mentality, etc ... And added to that, we aspire to follow practices from a distant tradition. Even when people ask, what are we? There are a dozen responses: "we are a movement", "a spiritual culture", "a philosophy", "a tradition", "a lifestyle".

ASA - Yes, we are All Things to All People. 😎 That is why the SB has 18,000 verses and then Lord Caitanya added the CC etc. We are one thing to Maharaja Pariksit people, another to Queens of Dvaraja people.... Hansadutta told us that Srila Prabhupada said, that every psychological circumstance you can encounter, you will encounter in SB... We are trying to get a deep dialog going with Jungian community. They are among the best in the West in psychology.

But it seems that we do not understand neither the culture in which we are inserted, nor do we know or understand the Gaudiya Vaisnava culture.

ASA - Rupa Goswami says that in the beginning there is a tendency toward impersonalism, but later we start to understand the KC culture and fit in. The ISKCON culture... as an Institution 😮 , and as a society of friends 😉 , and and and as our personal, individual, relationship with Srila Prabhupada. 🙂

How is it possible for a person to identify with a “new culture” without a deeper understanding of both?

ASA - https://vedabase.io/en/library/iso/11/ Yes, we have to understand where we are starting, but not perfectly. Just enough to understand why we want to change, and what assets we can take with us, then we can focus more on why our destination seems attractive.

How internally does a devotee assume and identify himself as a Vaisnava and how does his psychology work?

ASA - Vaisnava is devotee of Krsna. In the beginning, Karma-yoga, the identification is extenal, with rituals, but then it passes through Jnana, Dhyana and then pure Bhakti not mixed with blind following of the inferior steps. I chant my rounds (karma yoga) with understanding of the process (jnana) and concentration (dhyana, mysticism) and with real motive to change my motives (bhakti). Rupa Goswami describes this in Nectar of Devotion.

I hope I have not further complicated the topic and that it is useful to devotees. I apologize to you for perhaps so much speculation from me.

HpS - Are our answers to the topics correct? Of course it is a 45-minute presentation with 15-minutes of questions and answers, no? We will have to focus and then connect people to more classes etc.

Aspiring to serve you,

Govardhanesvari dd

Hare Krsna Srila gurudev

Agtsp !!

A heartfelt pranam at your feet.

ASA - '@'pop~ AGTSP!!!

Thank you for considering me as a friend . Scripture says that guru is a teacher and also a friend . I am grateful to you for being there for me always although I am not able to really be a disciple yet.

ASA - ...but you can be a Correspondent, and as soon as possible so that your Bhava is good for you next birth. What is your Bhava now? If you left your body now, what would be your next birth? Just like this one?

On work front currently I am doing my masters in anatomy.

ASA - French poet said that every young man before he got married should take a course in anatomy.

Its a 3 years fulltime masters program . We dissect cadavers , teach medical/ nursing students and do a thesis work . Its boring to be honest . Don't know what life has in store for me.

ASA - Behind "life" is a very Naughty Boy!! Completely egoistic. Only thinks of one thing.: How He can be happy. He has your consumption in store for you. He wants to gobble you up! Again and again!

Gurudev you took up vanaprastha and sanyasa at very young age of 28 I think.

HpS - Yes.

1) How were you able to keep away from loneliness which sometimes keeps coming at that age?

HpS - We have always been very solitary. We read about life a lot. Much less dangerous than actually living it. -[;o]]]... Have friendly work associates eg. service in the Temple with other. Deity worship. Dress Krsna every day. Cook for Krsna. Complain to Krsna.

2) Even after hearing , reading and seeing from our environment we understand by brain that material life is miserable and Krsna consciousness is the only truth . Why is it so that still we are not able to detach ourselves?

HpS - We can hear so many things! https://www.camel.com/ Camel cigarettes speak about the glories of smoking. The information has not reached our deep, extended, intelligence. Got free will. Some times we hear but we don't accept. We hear and it changes our heart but our senses and mind may still be above the influence, but it is like the tree full of cobras tha has its roots destroyed, when the rainy season [death] comes, it just washes the tree and the snakes away!

Do you love Srila Prabhupada? What if you saw him and he said, "I don't love you! Go away!". That's a test of how we are changing.

3) If for bharat Maharaj who was at level of bhava bhakti had to come back to material world for 2 more times , for citraketu and so many devotees who were so austere and from my vision very elevated had to come back ...what chance do devotees like myself have even for a human birth let alone birth in Iskcon gurukul or liberation?

HpS - Not much... 😎 You will probably be the dog of a rich lady in New York (Vegetarian Yogini). https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0geKI8XVLxe9CEA0nlXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE0MWhlNjU0BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjk4NDdfMQRzZWMDcGl2cw--?p=poodle&fr2=piv-web&fr=crmas#id=2&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dogbreedanswers.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F08%2FPoodle-2.jpg&action=click but she will buy a CD of Srila Prabhupada's Kirtan and you will spend all day listening to it, or maybe.... Try to make progress step by step, then no matter what your next life is it will be better than this one. More fun. We will all meet again. https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrJ61vnVLxecVgAl09XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE0MWhlNjU0BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjk4NDdfMQRzZWMDcGl2cw--?p=great+dane&fr2=piv-web&fr=crmas#id=2&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.k9rl.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F11%2FGreat-Dane-drools.jpg&action=click

4) we chant the siksha astakam "na dhanam na janam etc " but when in reality it does happen and many things like health , looks , wealth , family , friends , etc are taken away why do I still lament for it? ASA - Same answer as above. Little by little. We have a lot of Karma!!! Everyone is different!

5) how to really practice "tat te nukampansu samiksumana SB 10.14.08 practically in real life and still have a kind heart and not be frustrated ?

HpS - Cook nice Bhoga for Krsna and then honor Prasada.

thank you for the time and efforts you are giving to help me

Rturaja-krsnadas

HpS - Thank you!!! B'cari life means no wife, but it does not mean no mother, sister, aunt, daughter. Of course we surpass these eventually.