previous Letter :10953 ..... date: 20200406,From Locked down home in Varanasi
HpS - ASA -- AGTSP!!!! Professor Harsh! the Kapi Dhvaja Priority Code (KDPC) is not KDPC. That is like thinking that the CD is music!!! Oink!!! Whoop! WHoop!
The KDPC is in the Kapi Dhvaja i the letters to the Editor section each issue. People put it in their Title box and then we give priority to those letters and put KDPC there instead of the current code.. Let see what you got to say!!
Hare Krsna Maharaj,
PAMHO, AGTSP
Things are improving, at least Spiritually if not materially ( why care too much). We figured out that our reading is not like chapter by chapter, but topic by topic. So currently we limit ourselves to canto-2, we are reading, integrating, writing Virat purusa Chapter 1,4,10 from canto 2.
HpS - That is very nice. Donkeys read diferently than Monkeys, but they both go to Goloka.
another thing we figure out in ISKCON until unless read (black ink and white paper) and think we can not get the essence. We read Gaur arti did not sing that much , sang in mind. The line " jana man lobha", never realized till this point " is attracting the minds of all living entities in the universe"...
HpS ! !
started focusing on this line and got absorbed, like going in the movie, imagination going on the lines of prayers. I am sure you must have experienced the same many many times.
ASA - Often, you are a smaranam dude of the nine.
it never happened in temple, we got lost in mrdanga, kartal, sound, diety form, but not able to get to such depth.
dont know what species we are. only similar mortal being we got is you..but still we are far away.
hope to get initiated this trip of yours in Varanasi. The bridge seems to be okay. lets test it.
hope we can go ahead, in your foot steps.
trying to use boat of human body,
registration plate harsh
HpS - Such a nice letter. NOW!!! Read the KDh and put the current KDPC in the next Title box and God will send a chariot driven by white horses from the sky and put a samosa under your Christmas tree or something similar!!
Hare Krsna gurudev
Agtsp!!
Accept my pranam at your lotus feet.
HpS - Lettuce feet. AgtSP!!
Hope you are in good health
HpS - We have two teeth missing, our hearing and eyesight are going. Our short term memory has dimished. We always have mucous coming, some vertigo, but we have hope that science will adjust all this tomorrow and we will become immortal in this present body. How about you! (He.! Haw!)
and avoiding exhaustion due to excess work load .It must be difficult for you with corona virus pandemic in USA .
HpS - For us it is almost identical with our regular schedule here. Work in the office all day and go walking in the fresh air with NGD each evening. Sha Ping once a week.
I am OK physically . Fear of sudden death from corona virus has kind of made me realize that I need to reach the standards soon.
HpS - Yeah, other wise you will come back as. . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
a member of the same family and start up where you left off in this life time. Ayeee!!! We may be in an ISKCON gurukula together!!!
I am chanting few rounds but still far away from the ideal standards. Cooking my own food mostly .Its difficult to get groceries due to lockdown .Small aarti and just hoping Gaura nitai being merciful will accept it .Regulations are OK 3.25/4 with intoxication with coffee sometimes but slowly stoping that too.I am too materialistic I guess and micromanage finances.
HpS - You are a pretty good guy! Just need a good Temple authority.
Am getting dreams of deities some nights now
ASA - TB/BW - Cool!!!!!!
..and chanting in dream these days which is rare ..guess indication that I need improve chanting before I die .This has not happened before .I go for a walk in the woods to relax my mind . Seems to work for me .
Last time u asked if I have friends ,honestly speaking no devotee friends here . Its a small community here at center (most are matajis) and I don't want to be too intimate with them or they might misunderstand my intentions . Guess I have to accept the fact that maybe its Krsna's mercy that I am suppose to be alone in this journey . Hahaha...forced sanyasi :)
I hope to meet you soon after this pandemic gets over and become a disciple again .
Hare Krsna
Your trying to be servant
Rturaj Krsna Das
Shillong
HpS - Hey, you are our friend! We really are happy when you write. Tell us about your job??
Hare Krsna dear Gurumaharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I hope everything continues correctly. I am writing to report on some activities and ask some questions and for some advice:
HpS - Our first advice is to be pretty proud of your efforts to help Srila Prabhupada's movement, thank you.
HpS - The Boex has just finished a collection of BG questions that they think are pretty standard, but it may be some time before they roll those out. In general, to quote Bhakti vijnana Swami from Russia, we are not fruitive workers. The diplomas and titles actually have real value, but the essence is 1. developing friendship centered around studying Srila Prabhupada's books, 2. That will naturally develop into regular meetings and systems of association, 3. Then we can learn facts, ideas, and have evaluations.
HpS - Me too. It is nice. It is self propelling. I find more and more depth in the Purports, structure of the book. I really wonder if I can get beyond just a few Cantos in this whole life time! CC is more pastime driven.
HpS - We started that, no? You join the Regional meetings with USA. There is Param-padam Das in Argentina. Do you know him. Then Nara-narayana Rsi Das. He is there also and wanted to help. Whatsapp us and we will try to get you their email address.
HpS - NOI and whatever closed topic seminars that anyone wants to and is qualified to do. Eg. Rupa Siksa, CC Madhya 19.
HpS - You say, "was". Were they victims of the Karuna virus? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlVfVBFdMaM (extracting gold from a messy place).
That's all gurudeva
I await your recommendations and thank you very much for the opportunity to serve you.
HpS - Our practice, which I can recommend, is to read a little of different books every day. Involve others sometimes and do it alone others. We do:
CC before managala arati.
NOD (Iso now) after.
SB regularly developing things and focus with the community and your intest
Lilamrta during breakfast
NOI each evening
KRSNA book and hot milk before taking rest. All for the purpose of distributing them. Hear them and they will come out of your mouth, mind, heart.
Your servant
Gandharva dasa
Gauranga!
Hanumat Preshak Swami. Humbles and Glories.
Greetings from Santiago Chile.
While I was in Mayapur, Jayapataka Swami told me "You should go to Chile " 🌎 with no explanation why.
Anantagauranga Prabhu is from Chile and suggested that I could get a job teaching English in Santiago. 📚 It sounded like a good idea so I came here to give it a go.🛬
Then the carona hysteria lockdown shipwrecked me inside the ISKCON center. 😱I was given service in the kitchen to be of some use. 🥖Jayapataka Swami told the devotees that he was happy that I am here. When Jayapataka Swami is happy everyone is happy.
ASA - Except the Demons. 😎
The temple is managed by Bhakta Sebastian and a few other new devotees. The president comes once a week, in the afternoon. The GBC does not have a strong presence.
It would help if the GBC and gurus had more time to spend in Santiago! ⏳Jayapataka Swami came last year and gave a boost of inspiration.🚀
HpS - We have been spending one month every year, but our trip was cancelled this year by the pandemic. As far as I know Bhakti Bhusana Swami also comes regularly and Maha-visnu Swami and Hari nama ruci have been coming. Of course, you are there setting the proper example of Goloka life!
Sebastian wants initiation from Mahatma Prabhu and Bhaktin Phyllis is striving for Maha Vishnu Swami. Elroy for Bhakti Bhushan Maharaj. Bhakta Liisiano wants to get in line with your disciples.🗿
HpS - Is that Bhakta Luciano?
x x x (Censored because it is a comment of a lower category.)😁
It didn't take long for everyone to figure out that I am in a much lower category.
HpS - They are very clever that way! (Ha! Ha! Ha!)
You asked for suggestions so this is mine. Have some real senior devotees come to Chile and stay.🐒
HpS - We discussed that above. I think it may be that you are only getting a view of the Yatra during the Pandemic. Again, we spend 1/12 of our time there each year and run into other "senior" devotees often there. Write again with 1. How you actually fought the battle to improve your participation in the situation and 2. How you joined that with another devotee who was doing the same!!
"Inch by inch, it's always a cinch", Vaisesika Das
Sus Mishra Bhagavan Dasa
Esteemed Piyari-mohan Das,
AGTSP. Paoho. Thank you for the very long letter with so many thoughts, questions. We will try to write more about these themes in the DTC. One point that really struck me is the post of Temple Commander. This is a title that Srila Prabhupada used. I think that the Temple President was more like a older, respected Brahmana who could represent the Temple on developing its strategy and the Temple Commander was the direct, on site manager.
Of course, a lot of management is leading by example. Other than that it is like learning to be a cook for Krsna, or a Pujari, or a street book distributor etc.
The main thing is that unless it is based upon Vaisnava relations it is practically impossible in Kali-yuga. BG is the instruction to do your Ksatriya duty, but as service to Me, Krsna.
We chant Hare Krsna and work together as friends. Those who are not on the Madhyama level have to be innocent, willing to accept instructions based on the scripture and Acharya's instructions.
Whatever service we take the Supreme Lord personally takes the responsibility to see that it is successful. I have been Temple President several times. It is not my nature and Krsna appreciated that and I did not do it well naturally, but it was necessary, so we did it.
Most important thing is Vaisnava relations, we (like to) hear and discuss SB together. chant Japa, Kirtan together and then spread these things together.
Of course, Temple, GBC authorities can fit into #2, but in any case we always have proper relationship with the Administrative side of our institution, even if that means fighting to correct polluted management situations.
There can be no ISKCON as a healthy institution without GBC Secretaries and Sannyasis.
You are also doing the magazine. It seems very nice. Again, 1, 2, 3 above. We are committed to Vipalvah as General Editor for this year. Everyone knows this, then we want to be only a resource on the advisory board.
Live in the temple, share an apartment outside, stay with parents etc. etc. We can't give too much detailed advice because we don't know the details.
Let us look at some other letters.