Letters to the editor

Dear Maharaja,

Pamho agtsp

All glories to your service. 

Apologies. I know I am not writing to you enough. This is ultimately my own misfortune.

I have found a way to listen to your lectures that devotees have put on YouTube over the years, offline. This, of course, is great for hearing while working. I still paint houses. Unlike Socrates, I haven’t put down my tools yet. Many lectures from Huston Temple. I also found a great resource that other’s on this blog may appreciate. One industrious devotee from the Hawaii online sanga, which you have frequented for many years, has posted videos of your PowerPoint show lectures! Here is the link to the channel for those who are interested. They are the same lectures which are available on soundcloud, but with the ever enlightening presentation you designed to aid our learning. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/z3y687k6qiG1

Your lectures continue to give me great strength in krishna consciousness. I am eternally in debt to you.

Last few months have been challenging, with study, work and family. Currently I have a few weeks break from university, which has allowed student Dhruva to get some rest. 

I have completed more courses in Anthropology, Philosophy and religion, and still more to go. Learning a lot. Picking up a lot of tools for Sankirtan. I’m being careful not to stick my head out as a devotee too much. I don’t think confidence is appreciated too much at the bachelor level. 

HpS - ASA - General Patten had one young Lieutenant as an Aide d'camp and in the beginning whatever General Patten told him to do he just said, "Yes, Sir". Then at one point he screwed his courage up and made some comment about one of General Patten's comments, and General Patten looked at him with a strong stare.

The the young lieutenant screwed his courage up more and said, "General Patten, with all respect I don't think you became a General by always being a "Yes Man"".

General Patten's gaze softened a little and he looked at the Lieutenant with compassion and said, "Yes, that's a fact, but that's how I became a Colonel."

Your good disciple, Dhanesvari DD, is also studying to improve her qualifications in accounting and bookkeeping. She is doing voluntary seva and work experience assisting in the local temple’s treasury.

ASA - https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/10/23/

I attempted the official ISKCON second initiation exam a few weeks ago. By the mercy of the vaisnavas I past. But, due to my misfortune, it was too late and my diksha guru, HH Devamrita Swami, left. I’m not sure if he even knows I sat the exam. I decided that I should try the formal pathways by sitting the exams. But definitely I have mixed feelings about the whole experience. It’s challenging, I’m sure, for the authorities to deal with someone like me because I do not spend much time at the temple. I have been progressing in Krishna Consciousness, ever so gradually, mainly through your association, through my own personal study, sadhana and contemplation, and through our deity seva at home. Therefore, I understand that it may be difficult for authorities to asses me with confidence, and in some ways I might even pose some kind of threat to the existing structure due to my independence. I don’t know.

HpS - Hmmmm! It seems you should come by the Temple every now and then and say hello to the President and see if you can lend a hand on some projects. Tell him what you are doing, and that should be enough for him to be satisfied with your efforts. As far as I can tell your independence is great.

Regardless, probably due to some offence I have committed, i could not get second initiation this time and I am left to further contemplate, “Who am I. What is my relationship with guru and Prabhupada. And, what is my position in ISKCON.” 

I recently did manage to get a special service. It’s in the back, cleaning in the paraphernalia room. It’s a good place to be.

Bhagavad Gita 18.66 

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.”

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.81.16

kvāhaṁ daridraḥ pāpīyān

kva kṛṣṇaḥ śrī-niketanaḥ

brahma-bandhur iti smāhaṁ

bāhubhyāṁ parirambhitaḥ

“ ‘Since I am but a poor, sinful brahma-bandhu, not brahminically qualified although born in a brāhmaṇa family, and You, Lord Kṛṣṇa, are the shelter of the goddess of fortune, it is simply wonderful, my dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, that You have embraced me with Your arms.’ ”

I would like to take the service you have offered me regarding the interview of Dr Mabbett for Education and the Sacred. Dr Mabbett said he is still a great Nagarjuna scholar. My first steps would be to get to know his work so that I can extract his wisdom through appropriate questions. What are your thoughts and advices in this regard, Maharaja? 

HpS - It seems wonderful. Just get to know him and what his passion is. Why he has been so devoted to his topics. It certainly doesn't seem to be for any gross goal. In general we are asking people with what community they identify and what are the definitions of sacred and educated in those domains. Is there any message that he wants to leave behind?

I will leave it at this for now, and save further topics for future correspondence. 

Though terribly unqualified, undeserving, and ungrateful, seeking some particles of dust from your lotus feet. 

Dhruvānanda Das

Dhanesvari DD, Suryani D, and Sarasvati D. 

HpS - Hare Krsna! Our respects to the Matajis. They are our inspiration. Make a big sound that will be heard clear across the ocean.

Dear Guru Maharaja, Hare Krsna. Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Yesterday this school year came to the end. If you remember, I started a job at the elementary school last September. It went fast, it had difficult days, got some observations and distributed prasadam to some professors (they all loved it). Mother of a child I was assisting send me a message with words of gratitude.

Summer season with tourists started a few weeks ago.

Some japa rounds were not chanted and are duly noted down.

I worked a lot from last September and for that reason I did not studied sastra so much as previous years, but managed to read few books by Srila Bhaktivonoda Thakura and the two books by Hrdayananda das Goswami.

It could look that I lost some taste for direct Krsna bhajana / nava vidha bhakti. If I had any ... However, many days I yearned to open Srimad Bhagavatam or do japa. And when I did it, there is/was satisfaction arising inside myself. 

Went to Ljubljana (Slovenia) for a day of kirtana. And again and again, sitting down (or dancing) while performing Krsna sankirtana was nice. Also went to Ratha yatra in one town in Croatia. When Candramauli Swami saw me, he asked if I want to lead kirtana. I gratefully accepted, but said only if some organizers asked me, and that he does not tell them to do it. After a while, I got the microphone.

Krsna bhakti is deep, broad and at times cryptic process.

Life is sour

Life is sweet

Depends on the perspective

and on the heartbeat

Your servant,

Namacarya das

HpS - AGTSP . So very nice to hear from you after so much time. Do you have daily SB in the morning???? Really, really, really hope the very, very best for you. You can follow the example of Bhakti-vinode Thakura in your Ashrama, no?

Paoho....!!!

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you!

Thank You for giving me shelter at your lotus feet.

HpS - AGTSP! paoho.. . . We might more likely be described as having lettuce feet. Srila Prabhupada has DRAGGED us forward. We only want to act as his and your servants in this Parampara relationship, in any little help we can give as Siksa guru.

I must have done some nice karma in my previous life that I got shelter at your lotus feet. I am forever indebted to you Guru Maharaja for showering your mercy on me and accepting me as your disciple although I have so many faults and I am not deserving.

Guru Maharaja, I would like to give a small Introduction about myself. I was born in Tamil Nadu and was bought up in Nagpur. My upbringing was in a very pious orthodox brahmin family. My mother tongue is Telugu. My parents stay in Nagpur. I have an elder brother staying in Kolhapur.

I started my journey in Krishna Consciousness only when I spoke with my husband (Srinatha Krishna Dasa) last March. He introduced me to Krishna Consciousness and slowly I got convinced of the philosophy and accepted it slowly. I was fortunate to get the association of Arudha Mataji who guided me and introduced me to Madhuri mataji who was also there in Pune with me at that time. She taught me about Vaishnava sampradaya and guided me in each step as to how to become a good grahastha. I started to follow the regulative principles a year back.

After getting married, I started to chant 16 rounds and slowly started serving Lord Krishna. As you had told, a grahastha should compulsorily do deity worship, we welcomed our deities and started worshiping them. Taking care of them includes daily sponge bath and dressing and once in a week abhishekh. We have also started worshiping Tulasi maharani after you asked us to do so during your visit to Dallas.

By the mercy of Sri Radha Kalanchandji, I got some services in the temple which included making garland for Sri Chota Radha Kalachandji, working for a day in Temple Gift Shop and alternate Sunday helping with cooking for Raj Bhoga.

I have started to read Bhagavad Gita, with my family members. We have completed 1^st Chapter. I am also reading Lilamrita to get to know more about Prabhupada. At night, before sleep, we read Krishna Book.

Guru Maharaj when you had come to our house for the Ratha Yatra, we got an opportunity to serve you. We feel so fortunate. I got inspired by your humbleness Guru Maharaj. Though you never met me before but still you made me comfortable in your conversations. I have never met such a humble soul. After your association I felt as if somebody is there to protect me and now I am safe for this lifetime.

It is always wonderful to meet you Guru Maharaja and be under your association. But this time in Houston it was more special as you gave shelter to me. I hope and sincerely beg to Krishna that my actions do not bring disappointment to you and I can be of some service to you in your service to Srila Prabhupada. Please let me know if I could serve you in any way possible.

Your aspiring servant

Divya

HpS - It has been very nice to meet you. I have told several people that Srinatha-krsna Das has been blessed with a very nice partner in your Grhastha Ashrama. As we all go on doing service to Krsna under Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet we will know each other deeper and deeper.

From the very beginning eg. BG 4.34, SB 1.1.1-3, this movement derides blind faith and starts with just aiming at reality distinguished from illusion for the benefit of all. Such simple goals allow us to consider our Christian heritage or Brahmin heritage. Is it real or not. Is Srila Prabhupada's heritage real or not.

Have you read: http://jayarama.us/kd/guru-tattva.txt ?

Thank you!

AGTSP!

paoho

We are still in the Bolvian, National, Festival. Mathuresha Das, Om Kesavaya Das, Apsara gopi Devi Dasi. The altitude and cold are taxing our strength, but so much help in accomodations. Gandharva Das is doing a Seminar for the Ministry of Education now.

We went over our things to do. Shorted our files, priorities and things are going pretty well. We looked at the Blog mail and answere the oldest and very nice letter, from Harsh. He is our old, old friend. He is a very determined person.

O. K. Lettuce look at the Yahoo mail then we will talk with Caturatma Das with Mathuresa Dasa about the administration challenges in Peru.

Thank you!

Got 16-rounds done.

hare krsna maharaj, PAMHO, AGTSP

report on every ekadasi... previous letters in black color, this letter in blue color

you asked some questions on https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/10214/

[Not talking to my or wife's parents due to in laws problem.

ASA - Gawd! Are they fifth class devils from the 10th dungeon of Hell!! At least they should be able to talk to you. Hi! How are you? Any progress on this problem? Hows the weather? Did you vote for Modi? ]

no they are not devils, but once we start talking, then they start asking us to take this facility that facility , come for this event that event, why wife is not working, why getting up early etc etc.. things we can not answer in this stage and then we loosen up or fizzle out to them

Not eating prasad daily. But no onion garlic food ensured.

ASA - Lazy Man! Don't have to sit in the cold river in the winter or surround yourself with fire in the summer, but, our austerity - COOK for KRSNA! He will share what you offer with great happiness! Teach Mr. Pariksit to cook! ]

parikshith does not stay with us, in our cooking we have failed multiple times. not enough salt, may be lazy to learn, but things are tough alone, with a stupid mind.... krsna and parampara helps a lot

latest development

1.

attended online mangal arti 430, so woke up early in that, some days (15%) devilishly avoided saying krsna its enough, seems its not working out, even though he woke up us at 3am.

krsna exists !!!!!! we just dont want to see him.

2.living like nomad, hopping jobs and city , money and association, balance is what we are seeking.

3.one faculty (peer) initiated in some bhakti marg, where guru is important. asked us lot of questions on Prabhupada, Bhakti, Jnana, Levels........So we felt enriched and some use to Prabhupada.

4.i think we have puruvara, yayati, saubhri muni.... want to enjoy ..........i dont know we should or not but have got heavy sanskarars of that sort...... this creates trouble in 4 rules. so three rules intact

5.living in fog, some times willing shot ourself in frustration, and then co-workers. But krsna exists...

(two legged animal )

Pigeon+monkey+horse+dog in human body.

HpS - Hare Krsna! Very nice to hear from you. We are in Tiqiupaya, Bolivia. There is a National Festival and about 40-devotees here. It is very nice with lots of variegatedness and many devotees after years of struggling with 3/4 regulative principles taking the blessings of everyone, they are accepting this as a New Year.

Learning to cook for Krsna. Do you have a fixed number of rounds/day that you will do until the next report?

How long will you stay at your present location?

Sounds like you can talk a little with in-laws. That is enough. Every little bit has a lasting result. Even if they don't agree, they heard it. https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/7/5/30/?query=matir+na+krsne#bb45422 . Look at these ? three verses! Good strategy for preaching to your in-laws?

Let us see the progress by the next report!

Hare Krsna! AGTSP. Paoho. Here we are in Tiquipaya, Bolivia. It is the national festival and is cold in the shade (and our room is in the shade mostly).

We are suffering a little bit from headache and nausea, but keeping up a pretty good pace with our reading and writing.

Two hours of lecturing last two days: Every Devotee is a Book Distributor (Purport Distributor (Maha-mantra Distributor.))

Monkey got a letter from his uncle, a monkey's uncle!

"Esteemed Nefue, Tom,

This is you uncle, Bleecher. We make everything white.

Thank you for the book: Hare Krsna and the Good Life.

We red it three times and understand that better than bleaching our passions white is to use their engines to move us toward THE GOOD WORLD, we are learning specific how to do that and can see that more we follow the four lusty principles avoidance, then we ca trust our intuition as to what please our deity.

Thank you for the book!"