Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Gurumaharaja! Pamho!! AgtSP!!

Divya-drsti d.d asked me to send you this letter :

Hare Krishna Guru Majaraja

PLEASE RECEIVE MY HUMBLE AND RESPECTULL OBEISANCES

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

Gurudeva Im in Mayapur now with m Gaura Gadadhara. Im considering the posibility to come back to Perú in One or two months, originaly it was planned to stay until october but the weather is too hot here. I can not sleep well I feel tired most of the time. My idea was to do ayurvedic therapy here yes Im doing it but I dont really feel very well.

So if I come back to Cusco I would like to do some wokshops to learn how to do and perform puppets shows to preach with, as well learn to play armonium and continue working as a tour guide.

I ll maybe rent a room to leave in Cusco, I could rent un apartment to share with matajis as well but I have to look first Who would like to live there. For me its better not no come back to leave with my family because my family karma is heavy it doesnt help to advance.

I feel bad and sad to have the desire to come back to Cusco and leave the holy Dham, I feel sad because maybe I dont have a small peace of Bhakti or Im very small advance in a spiritual way or maybe its Just the time to come back.

Please I would like to hear your sugestiones.

Im so gratefull with you Gurumajaraja for All your inspiration.

Thank you very much.

Your Servant :

Divya Dristi DD.

HpS - Hare Krsna. In Kali-yuga the Holy Dhama is the best place where you can chant 16-nice rounds, follow 4-principles best as an offering to Srila Prabhupada. I could not stay in India too long the first time either. Maybe you should go to ISKCON Hriskesa. It is like Cusco, no? But even a few months in Mayapura is very nice. See if you can adjust more, but first thing is regularive princples. Start ashrama in Cusco, puppets (selling books) and Bhajan (Selling books) is great. You are great!! Krsna loves you very much. He loves Spanish-French Tour Guides.

Hare Krishna Gurudev!!

Please accept my humble obeisances,

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada,

Tomorrow more letters with july visit to argentina, questions and news. Struggling to improve this bhakti yoga practice. Gaura Purnima, HH Bhakti Sundar Goswami´s visit, med school, uff.

As you said we are trying to base our community in SB.

I want your advice in this issue.

Our program from Monday to Friday is as follows:

4:30 mangala aratik+kirtan+nrisimha

5 to 5:20 am tulasi puja, nod, siksastakam, 10 offenses

5:20 -6:40 japa (until 7 during weekends)

6:40-7:10 SB class (7 to 8 during weekends)

7:10 to 7:30 govinda, guru puja+kirtan (8 to 8:30 during weekends)

7:30 off to work

I noticed that most devotees attend to the first part of the program until japa and then leave. Then very few devotees attend SB class.

I understand that the main program is MAngala aratik+kitan+nrisimha+japa+SB. Then as you quote from NOI 3, anything else is nice but less important.

So i will propose to avoid the secondary programs and stick to the main during the week days.

I´m thinking in this for the week days:

Option 1:

4:30 to 5 am mangala aratik+kirtan+nrisimha

5 to 6:30 am japa

6:30 to 7 am SB class

7 am Govinda

7:10 off to work

Option 2:

4:30 to 5 am mangala aratik+kirtan+nrisimha

5 to 5:30 am SB class

5:30 to 7 am japa

7 am Govinda

7:10 off to work

Which option is better for you? What is your advice?

Devotees supporting option 1 they say that Srila Prabhupada said that japa is more important than Reading, and is better to chant japa after the aratik for the meditation.

Devotees supporting option 2 they say that giving SB class right after the aratik will make that all devotees attend the class.

Thank you for the inspiration Gurudev,

At your service,

Nikunja Bihari das.

HpS - Thank you. Very nice. Depends on local circumstance, but what we do is: Some Japa and CC before Mangala arati. Can even be couple minutes of reading, but steady.

Then do some reading right after Mangala arati. Again it can be a few minutes. We did CC after Mangala arati in San Jose where everyone had to go to work by 6.30AM and with 15-minute classes evderyone was enthusiastic and in such a short time we finished the hole book. Then do some class later, after Govinda, in terms of who can join. Everyhone can read the same stuff, eg. weekly assignment, and then discuss it on Saturday.

Hare Krishna dear Guru Maharaja !

Please, accept my obeisances...

All glories to Srila Prabhupada !

I'm writing to you because I need the slide show with the fundamentals and theoretical framework about this year serie of events "Education & the Sacred". I'm coordinating some meetings with Dr. File an also another personalities vinculated to education down here in Chile, my objective is invite them as conferencists and collaborators. I'm assistant in this work for your disciple Arjuna Das and NIOS Chile.

We need the slide show as soon as possible to translate it into spanish and that way we can use it as our first battle horse in this new production. Please, Gurudeva, forgive me, but I really need it soon because at april 24 I will travel to México as Brand Manager of a fashion design trademark, and I will come back to Chile at june 4, and I really want to advance during these coming days with the meetings, connecting people and places for the "Education and the Sacred 2019".

Dear Gurudeva, could you, please, send the slide show to my email address: [email protected]

After translate it I will share the whole information with your disciple, my very dear friend, Abhirama Thakur Das, so they will can use it for the Lima production.

Thank you very much for your mercy with this fallen and foolish one that I am, you are so good that you allow me to serve you...

Your aspiring disciple and servant,

Carlos Rold.

HpS - AGTSP. paoho. It is on our clip-board. We will get it done as soon as possible.

AGTSP

All glories to U

Please accept my humble obeisances ____'0_

Hare Krsna Dear Gurudeva,

How are U?...

HpS - About 1/3 as sick as you. 😀

Finally I can write to U... these months have been very exhausting... Working at school, getting ready for my degree, etc.

Still having some issues with health and finding a proper diet for this donkey, but happy that at least I can get up early and chant rounds...

Our sadhana can be much better, but worship and chanting are fixed... need to read more. Family is getting more involved in this philosophy... they are ok

Work at school is very absorbing, but I love to learn and share it with my students... Actually I learn a lot from them.

well things seem well for now

thanks a lot for all your help and support

Your servant

HpS - Thank you Patraka Das. Maybe you will be The Indra in your next life (A Brahmacari Indra (Short time)).

Our respects to your mother and sister. Does Candra-mukhi Devi Das et al visit them? Invite them to events?

Hare Krsna dear Gurumaharaja

Please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I hope your trip to India has been profitable.

HpS - Super, but not without investment of years of our life. "You can die for something or you can live for nothing", Rambo.

You are always in our thoughts occupiying a very important place in our home and our heart.

I am writing to greet you and present this report of activities that have been carried out since a month ago. First of all, I would like to tell you that the appointment has been taken with pleasure by most educators so this has allowed me to start my activities with enthusiasm.

• In the first place, we have made contact with Mathuresh prabhu, in charge of the Bolivian Yatra, Divya Priya devi dasi (GBC representative for Ecuador) and Karunya Nitay prabhu, director of the educational program in Ecuador. The representation is now official in all three countries.

HpS - Super...

I will make the arrangements to travel in the year to Ecuador (Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca), and if it is possible, to south Peru (Cuzco and Arequipa) and Bolivia (La Paz and Cochabamba). In the same way we are working closely with Karuna Krsna Das, national education program director.

• I have been in touch with Tapana Misra prabhu by mail and today we have had our first telephone conversation. Prabhu has answered my questions with great kindness and I will be reporting to him as well as to you.

I have talked with the educators of Lima, at first, one by one and then they were called for a meeting this past Sunday. Karuna Krsna das, Jiva Sakti das, Jagat Pavitram das, Isvari devi dasi, Abhinanda das and me attended. The meeting was fruitful and nice, agreements were signed, the most important being:

• To comply with the MOE requests: semiannual report, register in the MOE's database, subscribe to MOE publications and attend the coordination meetings that will be every three months, in addition, a group has been created on Facebook to address issues of greater urgency.

HpS - Get ahold of the Blue Baboon (LAD). He is old. He is cantakerous, but he has a heart of gold.

• To propose as Bhakti sastri examiner to Baladeva prabhu and Jiva Sakti prabhu as administrator. In case this proposal does not prosper, we suggest Jiva Sakti prabhu as examiner and Candramukhi devi dasi as administrator. The final decision is in Mathuresh prabhu, the National Board and your hands. From then on, we must request the license to the BoEx.
• To create two working groups, one for Introduction to Bhakti yoga and another for the Disciples course. These work groups have the task of standardizing both courses, that have been imparted very differently by different devotees. The idea of fund is to create a structured course that can be facilitated in provincial cities on the basis of a coherent study guide. The course of Bhakti sastri will continue as it is until Bhakti sastri and Bhakti Vaibhava standarized courses are ready, that it will happen in two years, according to Tapana Misra prabhu.

HpS - The Boex is working on Intro to Bhakti yoga course guidelines and posting a list of good courses that are available around the world. Be sure to put all this stuff in Abhirama's "Jayam". Your Spanish version will be great.

• I am in talks with Hari Purana prabhu and other members of the Chosica community who see fit to develop education programs for children (more and more children among the devotees!). I spoke with Tapana Misra Prabhu and he will put me in touch with a team of devotees from India who are developing a similar project. Meanwhile, I have recommended Sunday school and later develop a home schooling program as the natural previous step for the Gurukula.

HpS - Yes. Keep after Tapan-misra Das. Also contact Gopi-gita Dasi in Dallas. [email protected]

First of all I am attending the most urgent matters but I need a strategic plan. Any suggestions Gurumaharaja?

HpS - Vidya vadu jivanam. If you chant good rounds. Keep you DOnkey well, then Krsna will send plans. Catch them. Who are you? WHo are your associates? Then a plan based upon the personal relations of intelligent associatiotes.

*******************************

On a personal level:

As you already know, we have been in Chosica for 2 months, happy because it is where we feel better. We are serving Sri Sri Radha Madana Vihari on weekends at kitchen, attending Mangala arati (we live three minutes from the temple!) and teaching the Introduction to Bhakti yoga course to three students of the university where I teach and my sister in law. My wife is doing well, studying (and falling in love with the Bhagavad Gita, in her own words) and successfully deciphering her mission in the movement of Lord Caitanya. I go to work in Lima three days a week and the rest here, more serene, more controlled, more safe. Simple life, high thinking ki jaya !!

We hope to see you soon, dear Gurudeva.

I will send my report next month.

Your tiny servant

Gandharva das

HpS - I hope we can buy our Lima ticket in the next few days.

Hare Krsna dear Maharaj,

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Please accept my humble obeisances!

I am not sure if you've read my last message. You responded to 2 parts but not the entire thing. I have copied and pasted it to the end of this message just in case. I had some questions there. Sorry for any inconvenience Maharaj. I know I am very annoying XD.

HpS - NOT IN THE L E A S T!

I have begun Uni now. We are 6 weeks in and I utterly dislike like my course.. I have had as many breakdowns as you can think of 😆

. Mainly because I don't really enjoy the course content - I am studying the Bachelor of Business Management. I actually got accepted into the dual degree with Bachelor of Arts but I dropped that before my course begun. I thought I didn't really need it (since I don't really know what I'm doing anyway) and any extra time at Uni is seen to me as quite unnecessary.

Anyway, I have talked to so many people about my dilemma. They've either suggested me to change courses or do this or that, but none of it seemed to really appeal to me. I'm a very confused person. But, as of last Friday after Harinam, I had an epiphany and I thought, perhaps I should just stick out my course (even though I may dislike it) and just accept all the opportunities that Uni offers me. And on the side, I can do all the activities I am passionate about and hopefully everything will fall into place. I hope this thinking will last me the next 3 years of my course 😂

HpS - ASA --- To us studying business seems crazy. Seems to us you have a female machine. You should pray to Krsna to send along a great prince on a white horse who will be overwhelmed by your beauty, wonderful voice, clever mind and carry you away to his castle in the sky (and also have place for your mother and sister and brother and aunt and.... so visit). So you should study Nursing at the Uni so that you can bandage his and his soldiers wounds when they come back from fighting dragons.

Of course, this is probably the worst advice you have got so far, but in general look and see if there are any good teachers there and take whatever courses they have.

. Assignments have already begun and I am not very enthusiastic about them.

Besides that, I also attend the weekly 'Urban Monk' program at UQ for students. It's a great program and hopefully that, Harinam and Saturday Feast can keep me sane throughout my course, as did Harinam during Year 12.

I won't blabber on much else for now. I'll save you the sanity.. I know you have much more significant issues to deal with than to read my complaints.. Sorry Maharaj. Anyway, anytime I have a question, I tend to ask you so I'll definitely be messaging some point soon hehe.

HpS - ASA --- Your questions are for a lot people in similar situations. Many people will read these dialogs.

As per my sadhana, I am chanting 12 rounds everyday as of now. Sometimes I do not complete them and I record these so I can catch up later. I know it's not ideal but I'm trying to improve. I hope, by your mercy, I will be able to chant 16 rounds soon with complete faith and conviction, and after that, officially take your shelter.

ASA - At 12-rounds you can marry a Baron. At 16-rounds a prince.

I also went to a Japa retreat recently run by Mahatma Prabhu. He's so sweet and humble and I was really inspired. It was amazing. Sometimes I believe if I could just drop my studies and join the Ashram, then I can concentrate more on Krsna Consciousness. But, since I must study, I have to figure out how to think of Krsna at all times and see how everything is still connected to him and how I may serve him doing my required duties.

I hope your health is in the best condition Maharaj and I pray that you visit Brisbane some time soon. We need some mercy down here (mostly my fallen self actually).

Please guide me. I am too lost.

Your servant,

Lakshmi

HpS - We answered two more questions below. Thank you. Any news from Sriman Raktaka Das?

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Please accept my humble obeisances!

I haven't written to you in a long time..

HpS - We are slow to answer this letter! AGTSP.

Sorry Maharaj. We just came back from India around 3 days ago. All of us got sick within the one week that we were there. I myself am still recovering a little bit. Pity that we got sick there so we couldn't enjoy as much. We were in Vrndavan for 3 days and before that in Ludhiana, Punjab. All of papa's relatives wanted to meet us.

HpS - Yes, people were talking about your visit.

Vrndavan is always nice. Even in 3 days, you can fall in love. I would love to spend more time there but we always have these short trips. Perhaps in the future I may go myself or with some friends and stay in India longer, do some tapasya.

In Azerbaijan, the temple is also very nice. The devotees are very welcoming and everyone is so ecstatic. The mood is quite different there. I can see. Here in Brisbane, the devotees seem dull in comparison. I mean everyone meditates differently so I can't really speak on behalf of anyone but when I saw basically the entire temple jumping up and down during Arati in Azerbaijan, I thought there is something different here. Kirtan should be most jubilant experience, no? Why just stand when you can dance? It really is so nice when you see other devotees dancing in ecstacy.

My mother's family is beyond loving. They're so sweet and kind. We had quite a nice time in Azerbaijan. We spent 3 weeks there. We even drove up to some mountains where it was snowing because all of us kids had a burning desire to see snow. It was soo fun.

Anyways, I hope your birthday/ Vyasapuja was spent nicely with LOTS of Prasadam and wonderful Kirtan. One day, we would all like to attend personally. Hopefully your health is in best condition, Maharaj. We are waiting for your visit to Australia again, please. It will be so nice. We need some awesomeness :) That has been lacking lately!

I am now high school free. Well I have been for more than 2 months now. But it doesn't end there :( I am forced to go to uni and study more. yay. Uni will start in less than a month and my course will go for 3 years - Business. I actually got accepted into a double degree with Business and Arts. But now, I really don't see the point. In fact, I don't even see the point in studying business because it all seems to be basic knowledge and common sense. But, I have to study something at least and Business seems an easy route. I hope that I can achieve something fruitful with this. And somehow dovetail it to Krsna Consciousness... I really need to get my sadhana in check. Right now, I am chanting 12 rounds a day. I'm not sure about the quality but I'm trying to improve. And the timing.... Definitely not in the early morning XD. I need to start rising early. Soon hopefully I'll be chanting 16 rounds Maharaj. Please bless this fool and give her some intelligence so that she may know what is good for her actually.

As usual Maharaj, I have some questions ;)

What happens to the animals that pass in Vrndavan? Are they reborn or do they go to the higher planets?

ASA - We don't know. We think they go to Goloka.

Also, the Brijbasis? Do they go to the same Goloka Vrndavan that ISKCON devotees go to? Becuase their love for Radharani and the Holy Dham is unmatched. Perhaps even greater than some of us, due to their simplicity and generosity.

ASA - We don't think all ISKCON devotees go to Goloka immediately. There are Life Members who eat chicken and initiated devotees who have problems like Daksa.

I had so many questions in mind but that is all I can remember at present XD. Sorry for the trouble. I know I can be very annoying at times (if not always lol).

I wish your health and well-being is in the best condition always. Hopefully your stay in India is pleasant and uplifting :) GAURANGA!

Please accept my most humble obeisances.

Your most fallen servant,

Lakshmi