Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! 

Thank you so much for Vijaya Prabhu’s Treasures of the Brhat Mrdanga book and the prasadam. We are very inspired by the nice forward that Vaisesika Prabhu wrote. Hope to dive further in soon.

HpS - We, agtSP, were just looking up topics that we liked and reading clips from it!

The painting of Sri Advaitacarya that I sent was posted on Facebook by a devotee. On His appearance day I impulsively sent it to you. I really love the painting so I wanted you to see it in case you hadn’t seen it before. 

Maharaja, I want to apologize for my long letter I sent last month. At the time it seemed like the right thing to send but I can see now that a lot of it was unnecessary and maybe too personal and vulnerable and much too long. Been really struggling internally. 

Maharaja, I’ve heard you talk about becoming too institutionalized within ISKCON a few different times throughout the years and I’m just wondering how to understand this more.

And maybe it’s not something I can understand at this neophyte stage?

I’m just always dealing with this rugged individualism that I was brought up in and heavily conditioned by, so for me the institutional aspect of ISKCON seems to be something I need to lean into more?

I’ve had some very profound and instructive dreams recently where you had answered some questions I have really struggled with. 

Anyway, thinking about you being back in the Murfreesboro camp and hoping this finds you very well with no more mouth pain.

Maharaja, would you be able to visit us in Boise this year? 

Your aspiring servant, 

Nitisara das 

HpS - We, agtSP, are struggling to answer this Blog timely. We are lazy, and actually limited. This letter seems to have had a FMS/BPC but we missed it!!!

Noted all of your good concerns.

Becoming institutionalized would seem to relate to 'niyama agraja' as in NoI 2. We go through the institutions rituals because it accommodates our sense gratification, gives us friends and family etc.

Yet, the rituals, eg. Japa Vrata, pushes us to reflect, "Why am I doing this?". If we are sincere and take advantage of this natural push from the Sadhana, then we really ask the question and we can see for example how we joined ISKCON, took up some service, for a certain vision, but now we have lost that.

It has repeatedly happened to me and I guess of course others, even you!! Then I took a month off in Braja as it offered itself to get back on track.

It may take a month every now and then to adjust for six years of institutional conditioning.

Helps?

So, much more detail in Prabhupada's books.

It seems that we will be based in Nashville until mid-May unless we die during this breath. By then, any travel plans should become clearer, but really seems that we should stay anywhere we can prepare for a change of body, engage in strong Sankirtan with deep meaning.

🙂

Another letter!

Hare Krishna, Beloved Gurudeva,

Please accept our humble obeisances,

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada,

We were quite depressed, unmotivated. Your teeth problems, reminded us that you are leaving soon (according to your predictions, odana sasthi this year).

HpS/ASA - Well, yes, agtSP, it is a prediction, but it is like a scientific prediction, based upon available evidence, and a practical date for getting necessary things done.

We were PUSHED to consolidate our preaching efforts, and that resulted in the four movies.

You, so many devotees, should also do the same thing as you get older. Seems Prabhupada was considering what he had done and updating his consolidations in his Purports.

Around October we were certified 40% deaf, and eyes, mental faculties, about the same. Now our vehicle seems to be about 55%.

Only one out of the five movable windows on our Mercedes works.

Yet that is quite enough to good work.

On the other hand, what do any of us know. This might be our last breath or we live in this body until we are 86-years old?

So we started to think that we can no longer bother you with our issues, and that we really did nothing for you but bring problems.

HpS - Please engage us in your Sankirtan according to our utility!

The mind, friend or foe!! Glass, half empty or half full.

When we started to see everything black, we called His Holiness Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami, asking for help.

Next day he called us, while he was at Mayapura.

That gesture touched us, we realized that Guru and Krishna are always with us.

After a week, we regained our practice, enthusiasm, the glass was half full.

Good japa, daily reading of Srimad Bhagavatam.

Then in FMS you quoted that letter from SP to Jaya Tirtha Prabhu: “You cannot survive without my mercy and I cannot survive without your mercy. This mutual respect. this mutual love, is Krishna Consciousness”. [We edited the previous a little to what we remember reading and repeating]

Touched our heart, gratitude!! We told maharaja about our recovery and quoted that letter to him. He replied: “ Hare Krishna Prabhu. I am always here for you”. We know It's the same with you, you are always there for us.

We hope we can serve you for the whole eternity.

Your aspiring disciple,

Nikunja bihari das.

Ps: We sent a present by post mail with Manu, our elder son, who is in the United States now.

HpS - We got it. A Russian copy of NoI. I have not integrated it with our museum of different language NoIs, but it is in the process. Then we hope to publish a report. Thank you!

Any more news about B. D. Damora Swami or others is certainly nice.

I keep thinking that we can all be together in the Nadiya in the universe where Lord Caitanya is personally present in our next lifetime. It makes me realize how much more purified I need to become.

Every day we learn some more about becoming stronger, more efficient devotees.

Expect some of our readers are doing the same, but even faster than we are.

Let us go to another letter and chant final 3-rounds to 16.

Dear Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

When I heard that the NIOS Campus Project was becoming more and more real, I began to wonder at the most basic level.

Who I am?

A spiritual soul eternal servant of Krishna, but now in maya.

With the body of a man, already old, married to a wonderful devotee: Raman reti devi dasi.

Professor for many years, with a supposed Brahminical tendency, with completed master's studies in university education.

Who we are?

I think those of us understand the objectives and projects of ASA and NIOS well enough to want to cooperate more. Those of us who sufficiently understand the idea of the NIOS campus and can contribute something from our large or small position.

I was wondering, do I, we, fit into the NIOS campus project? As a visitor or resident?

The first thing that came to mind is: What would I be looking for? A comfortable refuge? Economic development in the USA? Or really contribute something, be an added value?

Then, I remembered a famous saying and paraphrased it:

Don't ask what NIOS can do for you, ask what you can do for NIOS.

And with my wife we began to let our imagination fly. What would happen if we were accepted into this project?

Firstly, we would go with the idea of taking vanaprastha. On campus there might be a house for girls and another for boys, so that would be ideal. We would work hard on whatever you need. In parallel, I can be trained by you, dear gurudev, to take sannyasa. And if Krishna wants, and I think it would be the perfection of life, to take sannyasa from your hands.

My wife is very pro-active and with high social skills, she is an artist, she is a specialist in the education of children with different abilities (she currently handles a couple of cases of children of devotees). She would be very useful to the community of devotees that is formed.

Personally, I have many years of teaching experience and studies, including ISKCON courses. I think it's time to share my experience with devotees who are enthusiastic about education. Furthermore, I would like to help create the curriculum, which I believe would be very innovative based on your ideas, dear Gurudev, and mine as well. I would like to include theater (I have good experience at Newton School and others) and other cultural-educational manifestations according to the people involved.

Anyway, these are some ideas. In reality, other projects we had were diluted. May be this one aswell. This project of yours opens up a whole new panorama for us. Actually, nothing keep us here.

We will see what Krishna wants.

Thank you very much for your daily inspiration. You are our reason for living.

Your servant,

Laksmana-agraja das

HpS/ASA - Super, SUPER, S U P E R! Thank you. Taken us 2-weeks to answer but I think with an old vehicle working on 50% cylinders that is to be expected.

Your perspective on your contribution is very nice.

It is a challenge to everyone.

Sri Hari Das arrives Wednesday and with his association we may be able to move ahead faster.

Of course, AGTSP.

Now we have to rush to bathe, puja, printing, packing and going to Murari Farm for Gaura-purnima.

Todas las glorias a Goura Nitay

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Querido Gurudev comienzo mi reporte contestando las preguntas que formuló en la carta pasada. El templo de Chile está bien con muchas devotos nuevos que no conocía jóvenes con mucha energía, estuve haciendo pequeños servicios cocinar a la deidad con madre Ambrita Ganga y limpiar. Muy sorprendida por los hermosos murales que tiene el templo donde devotos lo hicieron con mucho amor para krishna y la comunidad

Con respeto a mi familia somos 4 hermanos, (Francisca, Javier y Felipe) mis padres Julio y yennifer) están juntos hasta ahora y tengo 3 sobrinos (Julieta, Ignacio y Julián ellos viven 2 fuera de Santiago. tengo una hermosa familia con muchos colores cuidados y comunicación les escribo a diario y fue maravilloso verlos, también me dedique hacer trámites qué necesitaba realizar (carnet de identidad, chequeo médico, ver a amigos etc...) con respecto a mi sadhana muy bien rondas cada día, lectura diaria con LAD y las devotas, atendiendo a las deidades (ofrecer alimentos, bañar, vestir y decorar... Además estoy nadando y encontré un trabajo asistiendo a pequeños a nadar y adolescentes a mejorar la técnica de nado tres veces a la semana dos horas diarias, y con orientación una vez a la semana

También fui a sacar la foto y marcar mis huellas digitales para el carnet de legalidad en el país por último LAD mando un reporte de nuestro interés por el proyecto campus de NIOS donde me sumó a lo que puedo hacer en la orientación para niños

Se despide su sirviente Raman Reti Devi Dasi

-0-0-0-

All glories to Goura Nitay

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Dear Gurudev I begin my report by answering the questions he asked in the last letter. The Chile temple is doing well with many new devotees that I didn't know, young people with a lot of energy, I was doing small services, cooking for the deity with mother Ambrita Ganga and cleaning. Very surprised by the beautiful murals that the temple has where devotees did it with a lot of love for Krishna and the community

HpS/ASA - 👍

With respect to my family, we are 4 siblings, (Francisca, Javier and Felipe) my parents Julio and Jennifer) are together until now and I have 3 nephews (Julieta, Ignacio and Julián, 2 of them live outside of Santiago. I have a beautiful family with many colors care and communication I write to them daily and it was wonderful to see them, I also dedicated myself to doing paperwork that I needed to do (identity card, medical check-up, seeing friends, etc...) regarding my sadhana very well rounds every day, daily reading with LAD and the devotees, attending to the deities (offering food, bathing, dressing and decorating... I am also swimming and found a job helping children to swim and teenagers to improve their swimming technique three times a week for two hours a day, and with guidance once a week

I also went to take the photo and mark my fingerprints for the legality card in the country. Lastly, LAD sent a report of our interest in the NIOS campus project where I was added to what I can do in the orientation for children.

His servant Raman Reti Devi Dasi says goodbye

HpS - Very, very nice. I hope our Kapi Dhvaja, Blog and Tweets keep you informed about our Sankirtan and health and we can be of use to your Sankirtan.

Go on expanding more and more.

You have such nice gifts to share.

Hare Krishna Beloved Gurudeva,

Please accept our humble obeisances,

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada,

Here are our web pages:

https://nicasioayurveda.carrd.co/ version en espanol

https://nikasioayurveda.carrd.co/ english version

Thank you,

your servant.

Nikunja Bihari das

HpS/ASA - Thank you!!!

AGTSP.

As usual there we innumerable, marvelous Vyasapuja offerings, and this year we edited them into one Word file for later appreciation.

Finally, today, we got a chance to open the file.

It is about 30-pages long!

After 3/4-hour we Google translated all the Spanish to English.

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