Letters to the editor

HOW TO HAVE

FIRST CLASS SENSE GRATIFICATION

My experience of western world

Before writing my experience about western world, ie. in my case, Mexico. I would like to tell you Little about my background. Im coming from a very simple Vaishya family, i born in small village near Lord Budhha's birth place in Uttar Pradesh, India and i grew up in metro city Mumbai, and joined ISKCON as fulltime devotee in Iskcon Mayapur at age of 17, after that i got engaged in preaching in middle India and at last the Lord took me to Sri Vrindavan Dham.

I never lived longtime in any of big Metro city. I lived mostly in villages. I have never visited any place out of India, So when i came to Mexico, it was my first time going out of India, and first time seeing the western world. And amazingly after living just serval months here, i got strong Realizations of the material world.

To be honest everything was shocking for me. I saw how everyone is trying their best to have ‘FIRST CLASS SENSE ENJOYMENT”.

Mostly because i can see the difference with India. In india we have dairy and vegetables shops every corner, and here every 2-3 km we can see Supermarkets replete with Meat and Alcohol. I was shocked! I couldn't help to compare everything with my birth country, India. Also was shocked by the numerous cases of divorces and teen pregnancy; just next to our house I witness the case of one unmarried and pregnant 16 year old. People is very intoxicated by the pleasures of sense enjoyment, and looking every day for more and more pleasures.

śrī-prahrāda uvāca

matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā

mitho ’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām

adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ

punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām

Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chewing that which has already been chewed.

This was my clearest realization. In india of course there is also materialistic persons trying hard to have sense enjoyment, but here have ultra level FIRST CLASS SENSE ENJOYMENT is primary goal. As Prahlad maharajá mentioned repeatedly chewing that which has already been chewed, the fibres of sugarcane. They have got blind till the level that they can do anything to have that sense pleasure. 

But all has been a lesson to me, by seeing all this I realize the need to be very serious in my Krishna Consciousness, because im been blessed and in so many ways: born in such a holy land, got the association of vaishnavas, got such a great Spiritual master (His Holiness Radha Govinda Maharaja) and Srila Prabhupada and through their mercy got to know Patita Pavan Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Sankirtan and of course through their causeless mercy got to know the glories of Sri Vrindavan Dham.

Before coming to West I saw the forces of the material desires, because India is now inundated with the same propaganda for sense gratification but definitely in west are stronger. People come to the west looking for material advancement and they get trapped. All this has opened my eyes to take seriousness in our Krishna Consciousness.

By Ranchor Krishna Das

HpS - Amazing. Typhoid, Super-markets, God gives the education with an open hand! Maybe even we dull headed snaked will get some message. Third letter :>>>

Thyphoid days, gift from Vrindavan

Almost a month after returning from Vraja, running to class my body collapses in vomit and pain. for the next days I watched almost as a third person how my body was becoming weak. 

The last 3 days before I got my IV treatment I couldn’t stand from bed, my skin was itching and red from all the blood capillary explosions.

I was rejecting all liquids, so even drink water or soup was painful and immediately rejected. 24hrs for a week my GIT had painful cramps. At some point even the sip of water taken along with my pills was vomited leaving a biter taste in my mouth and the disgusting odour coming from the body. I was really a bag of trash as Sastra says, the body was the disease.

I couldn’t move from bead to bead when I was attempting to chant. Most of my mind was focusing on the bodily condition. I didn’t pass the test. Most of the japa was done on clicker, just mumbling the Names.

And the mind start to play games. I realized that I ask for krishna’s help to recover and to stay, why not to just go to his eternal service? I talk to Him just until I couldn’t handle myself. But which power I have? i didn't have ANY actual achievement! so irrelevant at this point. I’m attach to pride, recognition and knowledge.

At this point my mother was injecting medication 3 times a day. With a bunch of liquids and a Srila Prabhupada japa recording on my window. Mom was able to take me to the hospital for IV medication. 

Nobody was able to really help. No husband, no mother, father o even doctors. Medication just took me back to my asymptomatic diseased stage, the Body.

By Govinda Pramodini

HpS - Amazing!!! Hare Krsna. You are our leader. Two more letters.

AGTSP - Paoho

Consulting with Dr. Samaresh, Swami Yadu, here is the current suggestion for our travel to Spain (and India). Any comments?

1. Sep 14/15 - Nashville to Madrid.
2. Oct 1/2 - Madrid/Delhi/Mumbai to Govardhana Eco Village (GEV) with Yadu Swami.
3. Oct 5 - GEV to Delhi/Noida with Yadu Swami (and G. Darshana Das?).
4. Oct 12 - Delhi to Madrid with Yadu Swami.
5. Oct 15 - Madrid to Lima.

We must make decisions on this and book quickly.

Hare Krishna maharaj.

Please my humble obeisances.

I have been following your sites and lectures for some time now. They are giving me such bliss. I am in contact with some great devotees here in Richmond, VA. I have been so blessed in this way. I have been given the service of writing articles for the temple so that we can get more publicity, as you know we are very small. My two closest mentors have been in Vrindavan for the past few weeks, and are returning in a couple of days. Soon they will move to DC, which (although it's not too far away), has been very painful for me. Because of them I have always had positive role models in Krishna Consciousness. I have been serving Tulsi Maharani while they have been gone. These services have been very purifying for me.

I'm working on my bachelor's degree, but there are some complications because I had to take a break (for some health reasons) and wound up owing the college some money. So I am paying it now and taking courses at community college until I transfer somewhere else to finish. They have my transcripts on hold. I also work. It's supposed to be part-time at the , but it has really turned into a full time gig. All of this, and cooking for my husband has become difficult to balance with my sadhana. But I am not giving up. I think Krsna may be testing me.

I have also started Bhakti shastri here just recently. We are on the third module of Bhagavad gita. It is also very purifying for me.

I have noticed that when I chant, sometimes my heart's desires are revealed, even when I am trying focus. So I have uncovered a strong desire to have Gaura Nitai deities at . So I am chanting and praying for that. I am also praying to increase my japa, so that I can become a nice initiated and serve Srila Prabhupada in that way. I am working very hard materially, but I am looking to truly the spiritual platform.

Please come to Richmond soon. I am eager for your association.

Your servant,

Kelsey Watlington

HpS - ASA --- Thank you for the letter. Kelsey. SOrry that it has taken us so long to answer. As we reach 72-years old we have to admit that we can only spend limited time on the computer and we are also lusty and lazy so that our mail suffers.

You seem to be doing great!

No disciple can take everything that the spiritual master is offering, so you, we, have to set priorities eg. maybe Bh. Sastri as a formal course is too much now. Talk with super soul, holy names, other devotees and then you can figure out your service priorities. Jaya!

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Todas las glorias a Hanumatpresaka swami

Mis reverencias gurudeva

Tengo varias preguntas de hace un tiempo. Se las escribo en español para poder expresarlas bien.

HpS - ASA - Responderemos en inglés, pero será sencillo para que translate.google.com pueda hacer un buen trabajo.

Gracias por su ejemplo constante y apoyo.

Aquí van:

• ¿Un alma puede reencarnar en el pasado ? (escuche de un devoto que lo leyó de un libro de uno de los goswamis. Esto tenía relación a encarnar junto a un devoto puro del señor al cual uno estaba apegado. Por lo que encarnaba en la época que él vivió)

HpS - I never heard of that happening. 😮

• ¿cómo se puede lograr dormir menos para aprovechar el tiempo para avanzar espiritualmente?

HpS - Maybe you can't sleep less. Maybe you have already minimized it to what your body needs. If you do hard physical work then your body needs to rest and repair the machine. In general by learning how to eat and work better. It is individual and depends on the kind of service and body you have. Experiment.

• ¿cómo librarse del deseo de distinción, ganancia y adoración?

HpS - By experiencing the natural happiness of giving distinction, profit and adoration to KRSNA!

• ¿cómo librarse de ser egoísta?

HpS - Same as above. By getting knowledge of your real ego.

• En el significado del 11.43 de la Bhagvad gita Prabhupad menciona “ha de saberse que las actividades de Krishna son diferentes a la de los demás. Lo mejor es seguir los principios de Krishna; eso hará que uno sea perfecto” ¿Cuales son esos principios?

HpS - For example, Krsna would take rest with 16,108 beautiful Queens but still get up for Brahma muhurta. We should not try to imitate His special activities by marrying 16108 beautiful women, but we should adopt the principle of getting up for Brahma muhurta even if our wife is beautiful.

• ¿El señor en su forma original, Krishna sólo aparece en la tierra en este universo?

HpS - I think so.

• En el verso 9.34 de la Bhagavad Gita ¿el Señor se refiere a adoración como adoración de la deidad?

HpS - Can be the Deity but also the Holy Names or Krsna through the Parampara or Krsna in Braja or Paramatma.

Maestro. Tú estas aquí para corregirme, enseñarme, guiarme. Disculpa porfavor mi ignorancia, mi arrogancia, mi egoísmo y todas las faltas que aún no puedo ver. Hare Krishna.

Una última pregunta. ¿Porqué de refiere a usted en plural?

HpS - Because I feel very stupid thinking of myself in the singular. I have not real existence without connection with Guru and Krsna. Whatever I do or say is the result of my, and other's, efforts.

Espero no quitarle más tiempo del que me merezco, ya le he hecho perder bastante.

Gracias gurudeva.

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada.

HpS - Now we go to our Hawaii class. Our back right molar aches rather strongly. It has happened in the past but gone away. Giving class with a diminished mouth. 😀

Thank you much!

HARE KRISHNA

AGTSP

AGTGN

Please maharaja my must humble obeisances at your feet!

HpS - ASA -- AGTSP!!

Hoping you find yourself in good and wondering you whereabouts I salute and thank you for the time you take to answer to all of us!

Dear maharaja, I have to ask you something, because I found myself deeply sad about the fact of no having the opportunity of going to the temple in the daily program to learn in the BG and SB classes, so I'm wondering about a technique or tool to study by myself. Also you told me in one of your past answers to one of my letter that I " have to with ISKCON on a broader basis than Panama, maybe you (refering to me)* will go how a different country for a while"... my question is, what country do you recommend?

HpS - Jaya. No recuerdo haber hablado de ver a ISKCON más allá de Panamá, pero sí, si puedes, es muy agradable hacerlo. Por supuesto, México sería genial. Póngase en contacto con algunos devotos allí y luego visite y haga algún servicio.

Estudiar cuando no puedes ir físicamente a un templo se puede hacer al obtener un compañero de estudio. Haga un arreglo para leer las mismas cosas con algún devoto y luego póngase en contacto por teléfono una vez a la semana y discuta lo que lee, etc.

I sent you a report of my sadhana in an early letter, hopefully you get to read it.

Awaiting for your enlightening advices:

Andrea bhaktina.

HpS - Estuvimos en viaje y no pudimos leer todas las cartas. Esperamos oir mas de Vd. despues de unos dias. Lea las cartas a las demas devotas. Tiene desafios similar, no? 😀