Letters to the editor

On Tuesday, May 8, 2018, 10:31:03 PM CDT, Atul Krsna Dasa wrote:

Maharaja….this is what i had sent….

Respected Maharaja….Sahasra dandavat pranama apnar padapadme….

Up to this point, the BOEX (ISKCON Board Of Examiners ..for sastric study,..) has developed standards for the sastric degrees starting at one end (bhakti sastri) and working up….Problem with this approach is that we don’t really know where we will end up…

What about if we looked at all the 4 degrees simultaneously, from a broad perspective, based upon the statements Prabhupada made, then filled in details accordingly…?

Considering this…from a broad perspective, based upon the statements Prabhupada made…what would you consider to be symptoms of the respective degree holders in terms of their:

acar …(behaviour)

vicar ..(knowledge)

pracar…(missionary commitment)?

Bhaktisastri?

Bhaktivaibhava?

Bhaktivedanta?

Bhaktisarvabhauma?

Looking forward to reading your thoughts on this at your soonest convenience…

Thank you very much...Your servant, Atul Krsna Das,   BOEX Chairman

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Hare Krsna. A Latin American GBC, Executive Committee Meeting Started at 8AM. Now it is closing at 10.15AM. Ooof. Our eyes are better but still some struggle.

1. I have a lot of ideas about the diplomas, Sastric Education. I would like very much to talk with you about it.

2. Basically, as we see it now, there are so many ways to associate with Srila Prabhupada through his books, but he specifically suggested these formal studies. It was not just a passing mention as some people say but he persisted in this for much time.

3. Is there a collection of the room conversations and letters on his formation of these formal studies? Even a history of the application etc would be good, but is a big project.

4. We feel that ISKCON management does not appreciate education in our institution sufficiently. One response to this is that educators in this perspective have to enlighten them.

5. That these diplomas mentioned by Srila Prabhupada were to correspond to Secondary School (Bh. Sastri), Bachelor (Bh. Vai). PhD (Bh. Vedanta) and Professor (Bh. Sarvabhauma).

6. We think it is very important that Prabhupada mentioned that each diploma should include the previous books. Then Bh.Sastri, BG, would be a Secondary School reading. In Bh. Vaibhava the student would teach it to Bh. Sastri students and read Bhurijana Das's commentary for example.

Prabhupada expected the Sannyasis, Bh. Vai, to know the Mangala archana Prayers and I would also say that we should be testing on knowledge of the basic songs and prayers of the full morning and evening program.

Thus we could say that at first initiation one should be able to follow the full morning program. At Second Initiation (Bh. Sastri) one should be able to lead the full morning program and at third initiation, Sannyasa (Bh. Vai) one should know the word by word meaning of the full morning program.

Then the same development should be there for knowing BG verses for example.

8. The verses are a specific topic that I would like to discuss. For example, one could become Bh. Sarva Bhauma and never know, "nityo nityanams, cetanas cetananam... Katha 22.13) because it is not in the verses of the texts we are studying. So we would prescribe important verses from the Purports as well as verses in the Texts themselves. We would also require review testing on the verses. Not memorize for the test and forget. We would also require strict testing only on singles Padas of verses if that is all Prabhupada uses. Of course, one does not have pass 100% on any of these things. Different tastes for different people.

These are some of our miserable ideas.

We have invested a tremendous amount of blood in developing systematic Sastric education and would like very, very much to discuss it with you.

Can you be available on-line June 21-24th for our American Regional Education Symposium? Physically it will be in Alachua, Florida and your participation will be super useful.

We see that systematic Sastric study should inspire spontaneous study, be fun, and be based upon developing skills of how to associate with others in this endeavor.

At your service, Mate,

HpS - ASA.

ASA - [TB] -- Got rounds to chant. Got no brains. Right eye disfunctional. Had great talk with Abhirama Thakura Das, Great FMP including Daily SB class.

The English --Art and the Sacred-- video is dynamite. Sent letters and lnks off to 30-people around the world.

Nice letters from Pablo, Priya, Mandara everyone.

Waiting for files from ART Das and then will send my Agenda Items to Tapan misra Das for the MOE meeting on Saturday.

---> We have this image again and again of a bunch of monkeys picking up roasted split peas from the ground around Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet and then he calls one of them and ties a scarf around his neck with a message in it and says, "Lalita!" or "Rupa" or "..." and the monkey jumps up and down a few times and whoops and heads off down the path like a rocket, hell bent for delivery.

You don't gotta have brains to work in this outfit. You just gotta use the tools you have when the Boss calls for them.

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja.

Por favor acepte mis más respetuosas reverencias.

TLGASP

Espero se encuentre muy bien de salud.

HpS - ASA -- Casi la misma como Vds!  <img alt="devil" height="23" src="http://hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/devil_smile.png" title="devil" width="23" />

Gurudev, quiero escribirle para contale que no puedo entrar más a FMP por Startmeeting. Algo pasó con mi telefono, y ya no puedo entrar <img alt="crying" height="23" src="http://hps-d6.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/cry_smile.png" title="crying" width="23" />. Hace más de 2 meses.

HpS - ASA ---- Hmmmm Muy triste. ¡Esperamos que puedas unirte pronto!

Gurudev, estamos con el Curso para Disípulos, con 12 estudiantes y un co-facilitador de México.

Seguimos con el servicio de cocina y pujari de Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, 2 veces al mes.

HpS - Qué cocinas

Kamalangi dd, está haciendo una publicación mensual para los niños de la congregación. Libros de pasatiempos del Ramayana, para pintar.

HpS - ASA --- Super. Puede enviar por aqui!

Bueno GM, esperando que éste reporte lo encuentre bien.

Su aspirante a sirviente.

Priya Sakhi dd

ASA - ¡Hare Krsna! ¡Todos los aspectos de tu servicio! ¡Eres un ejemplo para todos nosotros! Conviértete en un Paramahamsa pronto. Los libros  para pintar!

<cite>Hare Krsna Maharaja!</cite>

<cite>AgtSP</cite>

<cite>Agt Gaura Nitai</cite>

<cite>How are You? I hope You're better than your conjunctivitis.</cite>

<cite>HpS - Much better but still right eye is still distorted.</cite>

<cite>Here in Nueva Vrajamandala everything is fine. I'm doing the service with the fields.</cite>

<cite>HpS - Hmmm!    You must be a saint or insane!    Everything fine in the material world.</cite>

<cite>Thanks to Radha Govinda Candra, my sadhana is fine. My rounds are good rounds (at least for me).</cite>

<cite>I am going to Vrajamandala Parikrama this year, I will also be in Vrndavan in Katyayani vrata</cite>

<cite>Varuna is fine. He tells me he's singing every day, at night, before going to sleep ... it's possible not every day ... hahaha, but some days for sure ... it's nice. He is beginning to understand what is important, in some way. I am trying to introduce him into the knowledge of the inner or higher being, and of the external or lower self. Introspection.</cite>

<cite>I ask him how is his relationship with Krsna and the child Jesus, and he says "very well". Agree!</cite>

<cite>I have seen classes of Yourself in Lima and Mexico, sooo nice classes and is a pleasure see You in video.</cite>

<cite>I've also seen the Art and the Sacret movie, in Spanish, so beautiful ... one of the best movies I've seen. Amazing exhibitions It get to my soul.</cite>

<cite>I hope you have had very good celebrations of Sita and Nrsimha.</cite>

<cite>Here I leave a poem in image. It is as if the author were thinking of Vrndavan, and that he is far from Vrndavan and Krsna.</cite>

<cite>https://sway.com/iRadpGpqLKoETfD3?ref=Link&loc=mysways</cite>

<cite>The story of Princess Kaguya. Studio Ghibli.</cite>

<cite>HpS - AgtSP.   We hope you and Yadunandana Swami and all the rest are on the airplane when NVM and R-G- Chandra take off - zoooooom - for the Spiritual World.   We hope to be in Spain within the next few months. When is a good time to come?</cite>

Hare krishna guru maharaj, por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias, espero que se encuentre con buena salud... agradecemos su esfuerzo inagotable... le comentaré un poco de las actividades que hemos realizado...
primero le agradezco infinitamente su visita a buenos aires argentina y las otras ciudades, por el tiempo que me dió para responder mis preguntas y por su amor hacia los devotos... luego de su visita tuvimos muchas realizaciones y nos encontramos muy entusiastas actualmente... después de la primera visita a buenos aires, nosotros con el grupo de brahmacaris fuimos a brasil en una gira de predica, estuvimos en un templo de sao paulo, cerca de avenida paulista, hicimos sankirtan ahí y como usted dijo, había mucha gente, fue muy auspicioso... luego de unos días viajamos a nova gokula en pindamonhangaba, ahí estuvimos 1 dia y junto a otro devoto nos encontramos con chandramukha swami, con ese devoto que participa de labores administrativas estabamos pensando en presentar un proyecto para las personas nuevas que se acercan al templo y a maharaj chandramukha swami le pareció interesante, y nos invitó a viajar con él. entonces tomamos unos dhotis, un bolso, el krishna book y partimos a la misión... viajamos junto a él y estuvimos unos días en el templo de rio de janeiro, luego estuvimos en el templo de teresopolis llamado vraja dham, y asistiendo a programas de predica en centros de yoga y meditación... luego fuimos a goura vrindavana y estuvimos con maharaj purushatraya swami algunos días... llegamos hace unos días a buenos aires argentina y estamos muy agradecidos por la experiencia, krishna nos cuidó muy bien todos esos días, muchas aventuras... ahora nos esperan nuevos desafios, nos dieron mas responsabilidades, como este proyecto para las personas nuevas y hacernos cargo del programa "miércoles de kirtan"... en brasil tuvimos un seminario de 3 dias sobre el maha mantra, y fue una muy grata experiencia que me ha llevado a mejorar mucho mas el canto, y eso mejora todos los aspectos de la vida... esperamos mantenernos ocupados en servicio constantemente, paso a paso... finalmente quería comentarle que la lectura del krishna book fue muy gratificante, por primera vez creo que obtuve una conexión un poco mas profunda con krishna y sus pasatiempos, así que esperamos seguir así... nuevamente le agradezco lo que usted hace en mi vida y en la vida de todos sus discípulos y bienquerientes, le ofrezco mis mas sinceras reverencias y esperamos verlo en chile en noviembre si es que krishna lo desea, su aspirante a sirviente mandara sakha das...
 

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Hare krishna guru maharaj, please accept my respectful obeisances, I hope you are in good health

ASA - AGTSP paoho. Anybody who has a material body has bad health!!   Our right eye still has terrible focus.

... we appreciate your inexhaustible effort [AGTSP!!!]... I will comment a little on the activities we have done ...
first, I thank you infinitely for your visit to buenos aires argentina and the other cities, for the time you gave me to answer my questions and for your love towards the devotees ... after your visit we had many realizations and we are very enthusiastic at present .. After the first visit to buenos aires, we with the brahmacaris group went to brazil on a preaching tour, we were in a sao paulo temple, near a paulista avenue, we did sankirtan there and as you said, there were many people, it was very auspicious ... after a few days we traveled to nova gokula in pindamonhangaba, there we were 1 day and next to another devotee we met chandramukha swami, with that devotee who participates in administrative tasks we were thinking of presenting a project for new people They approached the temple and Maharaj Chandramukha Swami found it interesting, and invited us to travel with him. Then we took some dhotis, a bag, the krishna book and we left for the mission ... we traveled with him and stayed a few days in the rio de janeiro temple, then we were in teresopolis temple called vraja dham, and attending programs of preaching in yoga and meditation centers ... then we went to goura vrindavana and we were with maharaja purushatraya swami some days ... we arrived a few days ago in buenos aires argentina and we are very grateful for the experience, krishna took good care of us all those days, many adventures ... now new challenges await us, they gave us more responsibilities, like this project for new people and take charge of the "kirtan Wednesday" program ... in brazil we had a 3 day seminar on the maha mantra , and it was a very pleasant experience that has led me to improve much more the singing, and that improves all aspects of life ... we hope to keep ourselves busy in service constantly, step by step ... finally wanted I told him that reading the krishna book was very rewarding, for the first time I think I got a deeper connection with Krishna and his pastimes, so we hope to continue like this ... again I thank you for what you do in my life and in the life of all his disciples and well-wishers, I offer my most sincere obeisances and hope to see him in Chile in November if he wants it, his would-be servant will send sakha das ...

ASA -  Hari Bolo!!!!   Wonderful.   Are you wearing Safron colored clothes or white?   If you are B'chari why not wear Safron like the Pancha/Adi-yajna.  Inspire people. Be sage from THE BLACK WITCH you wants to eat your brains.
Keep in the association of senor b'caris and Sannyasis and become (?) a Sannyasi and go back to Goloka for important work soon.

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja.

Por favor reciba mis más humildes y respetuosas reverencias.

Guru maharaja deseo hacerle solo una consulta: deseo mudarme a una nueva casa para compartir con devotas porque en mi casa el karma familiar no me deja avanzar espiritualmente, claro alli hariamos mangala artik diariamente. Le parece una buena idea?

Otra pregunta : deseo empezar a armar un programa de kirtan y titeres, he pensado empezar a crear historias basadas en las escrituras y contarlas a través de los títeres, empezaré a hacer muñecos tambien para ello, quisiera invitar a esta nueva casa que alquilare a devotos o devotas que tengan experiencia con titeres o kirtan y empezar a hacer un programa, que le parece? Por favor cualquier sugerencia de su parte es bienvenida para mi .

Muchas gracias Guru Maharaja.

Divya Drsti d.d

_________________________________________________

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja.

Please receive my most humble and respectful obeisances.

Guru Maharaja, I want to ask you one question: I want to move to a new house to share with devotees because in my house the family karma does not let me advance spiritually, of course we would do mangala artik daily. It seems a good idea?

HpS - AGTSP.   As far as we can understand it seems like a great idea.

Another question: I want to start putting together a program of kirtan and puppets, I have thought to start creating stories based on the scriptures and tell them through the puppets, I will start making dolls for it too, I would like to invite you to this new house that I will rent to devotees or devotees who have experience with puppets or kirtan and start doing a program, what do you think? Please, any suggestion on your part is welcome for me.

Thank you very much Guru Maharaja.

Divya Drsti d.d

HpS - ASA --- It all sounds very nice.   You don't need complicated visual presentation. The most important thing is the audio part. Maybe recorded background noise, some Raga music. Then you can show pictures as you speak or have dolls that you hold up. Just a little visual and good audio and your message goes straight to the heart. Have something: Extracts from Purports, whole books, DVDs that people can take with them. Get contact names. Become WONDERFUL.