Pequeñas reflexiones

3 weeks, 6 days ago by Cruz Santa in Personal Sadhana Reports, Hot Topics

¡Hare Krsna! Querido Guru Maharaja, por favor acepte mis humildes reverencias.

Todas las Glorias sean a Srila Prabhupada y todas las Glorias a sus fieles seguidores, manifestaciones de la ilimitada misericordia de nuestro Divino Acarya. 🌻🌻


Querido Gurudeva, orando siempre porque su energía sea buena y favorable a su sankirtan, con el corazón lleno de agradecimiento hacia usted, escribo después de algún tiempo de no hacerlo. Antes que otra cosa, quisiera agradecer por el maravilloso chat grupal “anveSaka” además de practico es sumamente inspirador, nos recuerda constantemente nuestra relación con Krsna.


Por otra parte, felizmente, enviamos en tiempo y forma nuestra insignificante aportación para la compra de los audífonos (Un amigo lo envió directamente a Devendra Prabhu por Zelle). Siempre estamos deseosos de poder hacer algo para usted, muchas gracias por darnos la oportunidad. ¿Usted, se ha adaptado favorablemente a usarlos? ¿Están facilitando su comunicación?


Aunque sabemos que a cierta edad la pérdida auditiva es apenas normal, también observamos que en ocasiones el volumen del kirtan (especialmente en espacios pequeños) puede poner en riesgo la audición clara, quizá es algo que debemos cuidar en nuestra sociedad. 🤔


Cambiando de tema, celebramos el Vyasa Puja de Srila Prabhupada, escuchamos con especial atención las memorias de varios devotos. ¡La misericordia de Srila Prabhupada nunca deja de sorprendernos y nos motiva a actuar desde la posición en la que estamos! Me maravilla que por el afecto sincero y mutuo que él y sus discípulos tienen, sus discípulos fueron capaces de llevar a cabo tareas hercúleas e imposibles para cualquiera. ¡Guru es la expresión de la misericordia de Krsna! 🙌


Escuchamos con el corazón algunas ofrendas, que esta vez dedicaron algunos Maestros espirituales y devotos, me sentí reflexiva, conmovida y motivada. ¡Nuestra bendita deuda es infinita! Por mi parte, tal como usted indicó, tan solo trato de fortalecer mi relación personal con Srila Prabhupada y sus fieles representantes. Apreciamos que el proceso que nuestro Acarya nos entrego es fidedigno y funciona, en nuestros momentos más oscuros, hemos escuchado a Srila Prabhupada decir “¡canta Hare Krsna!” y ha sido como revivir. También frecuentemente le recordamos a usted diciéndonos “¡Haga lo que le corresponde y Krsna se hará cargo!” y por su misericordia sin causa, siempre ha sido así. Muchas gracias. 🙇


Gurudeva, en la ofrenda que usted dedico a nuestro Fundador Acarya dijo: “Quizá la próxima vez que nos encontremos, Su Divina gracia y todos los miembros de ISKCON estén en Navadvipa con Nimai” Y yo solo puedo orar para poder ser parte de ese coro, oramos por vuestra misericordia para siempre ser empeñados en esta trascendental misión, siendo útiles, cerca de usted, cerca de Prabhupada. 🙏


Muchas gracias querido Gurudeva, siempre a sus órdenes

Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi.


-0-0-0-


Hare Krishna! Dear Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances.


All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to his faithful followers, manifestations of the boundless mercy of our Divine Acarya. 🌻🌻


Dear Gurudeva, always praying that your energy be good and favorable for your sankirtan, with a heart full of gratitude toward you, I am writing after some time.

First of all, I would like to thank you for the wonderful "anveSaka" group chat. Besides being practical, it is extremely inspiring and constantly reminds us of our relationship with Krishna.


On another note, we happily sent our insignificant contribution for the purchase of the hearing aids in a timely manner (a friend sent them directly to Devendra Prabhu via Zelle). We are always eager to do something for you. Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity. Have you adapted favorably to using them? Are they facilitating your communication?


HpS - We feel so guilty that devotees are investing so much time and monkey (money) into our body! We can only hope that it is useful.

Yes, the hearing aids do help.

We are 90% more effective in personal conversations and questions and answers in classes.

It is also a good system for telephone calls and teleconferencing, but a good set of headphones might have handled that also.

We only agreed to this system after three doctors and two software engineers promoted it.

Thank you!!!

I wish we could just use a WhatsApp Group that Tom Brown could manage but we have to burden Steve White, his cousin, because you can't hide phone numbers and real names of people on WhatsApp groups.


Although we know that hearing loss is only normal at a certain age, we also observe that sometimes the volume of kirtan (especially in small spaces) can compromise clear hearing. Perhaps this is something we should be more aware of in our society. 🤔


HpS - Yes, Jaya advaita Swami sent a whole essay around to all the Temples a few years ago. I have ear plugs and leave the room if it is too loud. 😃


Changing the subject, we celebrated Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa Puja, listening with special attention to the memoirs of several devotees. Srila Prabhupada's mercy never ceases to amaze us and motivates us to act from the position we are in! I marvel that because of the sincere and mutual affection he and his disciples have for each other, his disciples were able to accomplish Herculean tasks impossible for anyone. Guru is the expression of Krishna's mercy! 🙌


ASA - Srila Prabhupada says that anyone who follows the discipline of another person is that person's disciple! So in that very practical sense if we are chanting 16 enthusiastic rounds daily and following the four principles strictly, we are all Srila Prabhupada's disciples. Of course, 99.999% unless we are hearing, reading, studying, Srila Prabhupada's books properly we are not chanting enthusiastic rounds. From that and the chanting! We will learn how to relate to other siksa disciples of Srila Prabhupada in siksa, administrative and diksa roles.


We listened with our hearts to some offerings, which this time were dedicated by some spiritual Masters and devotees. I felt thoughtful, moved, and motivated. Our blessed debt is infinite! For my part, as you indicated, I am simply trying to strengthen my personal relationship with Srila Prabhupada and his faithful representatives. We appreciate that the process our Acarya gave us is trustworthy and works. In our darkest moments, we have heard Srila Prabhupada say, "Chant Hare Krishna!" and it has been like coming back to life. We also frequently remember you, telling us, "Do your part and Krishna will take care of it!" and through your causeless mercy, it has always been that way. Thank you very much. 🙇


Gurudeva, in the offering you dedicated to our Founder Acarya, you said: "Perhaps the next time we meet, His Divine Grace and all the members of ISKCON will be in Navadvipa with Nimai." And I can only pray that I may be part of that choir. We pray for your mercy so that we may always be engaged in this transcendental mission, being useful, close to you, close to Prabhupada. 🙏


Thank you very much, dear Gurudeva, always at your service.


Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi.


HpS - Thank you so, so much. We added our favorite dog/salute photo. Even dogs were joining Nimai's kirtan, no?

Srinatha Krsna Das and his brother are working on the ASA(e). Maybe the fifth time it will get a practical step forward. Then we can have an encyclopedia of Tom Brown's view of life. I will have hime contact you if you have any work in progress!


Support you right arm bears.

Reflections on Balabhadra's Prabhu letter

asa[e] iskcon


Hare Krishna, Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Dear Gurudeva,

Thank you so much for your association! The mere possibility of our Sunday sanga makes ISKCON worthwhile, even if everything else in the organization were wrong. Just this possibility alone makes it worth being in ISKCON.

Regarding the Panihati festival we discussed one Sunday, we saw one of the principles taught in this pastime: we can do nothing without the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Raghunath Das Goswami could not get rid of his family ties without the mercy of Lord Chaitanya. This brings to mind, and we wanted to take the opportunity to comment on the class, and also on the letter from Balabhadra Prabhu in Boise, Idaho, who was upset with his congregation and wanted to move somewhere else. https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/15617/


We don't know the details, but in a sense, it might be okay for him to go to another congregation, although we would like to share a bit of our personal experience, because we have also had the same feelings.


We remember when you also expressed your feelings about your congregation. We recall you saying that you disagreed with the politics of the temples and didn't want to get involved, and that you were determined to sleep on a park bench and freeze to death chanting Hare Krishna. Then your invitation to go to Peru arrived, and there your perspective changed.


HpS - It was not exactly the Congregation. They were a little irrelevant to the issue. It was the administrators who demanded that if we were going to domicile under their Temple roof that then we should use our preaching position to support their political agendas. Oooof! Other Sannyasis in ISKCON report the same pressure. Think Sannyasis in any religion will report the same thing. It is natural.

The other side is that Sannyasis should!! cooperate with the administration. Respect there role. Several times with Srngi and Parasurama it is pointed out that in certain aspects killing the king is worse than killing a Brahmana.

When we got the invitation from Peru it did not change our attitude, it just allowed us to go on in ISKCON institution, because we encountered a President who didn't want political subservience from us.

Thank you.


Our realization is that when we felt frustrated with the congregation, it was due to one of two reasons: the first, due to "overdelivery," meaning, overexerting ourself. When you do more than you can, you expect more than you should. If we make an artificial renunciation and push ourselves more than we are able, naturally, our expectation is greater.


HpS/ASA - NoI 2 ? Niyama agraha.


The other factor is that we want to control things somehow. Sometimes we believe we know or understand what is best for the congregation, to be the "best friend."


However, sometimes, by the mercy of Krishna and even Prabhupada, everything is under the supervision of the internal potency. The analogy you give, that Maya is like swimming in the ocean, is very clear. Sometimes the waves knock us down and carry us away, and sometimes they bring us closer to the shore. We have noticed the same in our own spiritual life. Sometimes we swim very hard, but then we rest and realize that only the Lord's mercy can help us. Then, one stops swimming, lets go, but then the waves of Maya start dragging us away again. It's a balance between controlling and exerting ourselves, and then allowing Krishna's mercy to act.

When one finds this point of balance—which we could also call humility—we understand our position, what our contribution is, what the devotees need, and how we can best serve the mission. When the congregation gives us something back that is uncomfortable, the response must be to look inward and see if we are not incurring these faults: doing more than we can (with an incorrect expectation) or controlling too much.


HpS - Same in the marriage and family community, no?


We have noticed that when devotees leave due to this pattern, their Krishna consciousness does not improve. We cannot kill our soul. Bhagavad Gita 5.15 is very clear in this regard. (And the Supreme Lord does not assume responsibility for anyone's sinful or pious activities. However, the embodied beings are bewildered because of the ignorance covering their true knowledge). We believe that ISKCON is one of the best hospitals for the soul, to get rid of our material consciousness and enter into our spiritual consciousness.

We felt like we were in a tsunami, wallowing in suffering, until we met Srila Prabhupada. The synthesis of his message is: chant Hare Krishna as much as you can, never stop chanting. That is like a boat with oars that will take you in the right direction.

Our recommendation, both for ourself and for the devotee in Idaho, is that when we feel hostility from our congregation, we can withdraw, dance, share a kirtan and prasadam with the devotees. In that way, it is very easy to enter into the internal potency. Afterwards, we can simply withdraw and do our personal service at home, relating to the congregation in that way.

This is better than wanting to cut ties with the congregation, because this is the world of duality: the congregation is not all good or all bad, it's a mix of both. We have to learn to take the good and tolerate the bad for our own purification. And if we purify ourselves, the congregation will too.


Gurudev, these are our reflections. I would like to hear your comment and your opinion on the matter. Do you think they are correct, or are they just our own speculations?

Your foolish servant,

Nikunja Bihari das.


HpS - Seems like 90% what we would say, and I think 90% of what Bala bhadra Das would agree, and I think that you me and he all kind of smile and say that it is easier to understand the basic philosophy than to apply it sometimes. 😃

Also, of course, there are details. You know that First Aid is great, but being trained as a full Medical Doctor allows you to relate to so many strange combinations of the diseases.

Thank you!

More of this later!!!!!




Hare Krishna, Amado Gurudeva,

Por favor, acepte nuestras humildes reverencias.

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada.

Querido Gurudeva,

Muchas Gracias por su Asociación!! El solo hecho de tener la posibilidad de este sanga los domingos ya hace que ISKCON valga la pena, aun si todo lo demás en la organización estuviera mal. Solo con esta posibilidad, vale la pena estar en ISKCON.

En referencia al festival de Panihati que discutimos un domingo, vimos uno de los principios que se enseñan en este pasatiempo: no podemos hacer nada sin la misericordia de la suprema personalidad de la divinidad. Ragunath Das Goswami no pudo deshacerse de sus lazos familiares sin la misericordia del Señor Chaitanya. Esto me trae a la mente y quería aprovechar a comentar sobre la clase, y también sobre la carta de Balabhadra Prabhu en Boise, Idaho, que estaba enojado con su congregación y quería irse a otro lugar. https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/15617/

No conozco los detalles, pero en un sentido, puede que esté bien que se vaya a otra congregación, aunque me gustaría compartir un poco mi experiencia personal, porque yo también he tenido los mismos sentimientos.

Recordé cuando usted también manifestó su sentir respecto a su congregación. Recuerdo que usted decía que no estaba de acuerdo con la política de los templos y no quería comprometerse, y que estaba decidido a dormir en el banco de una plaza y morir congelado cantando Hare Krishna. Luego llegó su invitación para ir a Perú, y ahí su perspectiva cambió.

Mi realización es que cuando me sentí frustrado con la congregación, se debió a una de estas dos razones: la primera, por un "overdelivery", es decir, por esforzarme de más. Cuando uno hace más de lo que puede, espera más de lo que debe. Si hacemos una renuncia artificial y nos esforzamos más de lo que podemos, naturalmente, nuestra expectativa es mayor. El otro factor es que queremos controlar de alguna manera. A veces creemos que sabemos o entendemos qué es lo mejor para la congregación. Ser el “mejor amigo”.

Sin embargo, a veces, por la misericordia de Krishna e incluso de Prabhupada, todo está bajo la supervisión de la potencia interna. La analogía que usted da, de que Maya es como estar nadando en el océano, es muy clara. A veces las olas nos tumban, nos llevan, y a veces nos acercan más a la orilla. He notado lo mismo en mi propia vida espiritual. A veces nado muy fuerte, pero luego descanso y me doy cuenta de que solo la misericordia del Señor puede ayudarme. Entonces, uno deja de nadar, se suelta, pero luego las olas de Maya lo empiezan a arrastrar de nuevo. Es un balance entre controlarnos y esforzarnos, y después permitir que la misericordia de Krishna actúe.

Cuando uno encuentra este punto de equilibrio —que también podríamos llamar humildad—, entiende su posición, cuál es su aporte, qué necesitan los devotos y cómo puede servir mejor a la misión. Cuando la congregación me devuelve algo que es incómodo, la respuesta es mirar hacia adentro y observar si yo no estoy incurriendo en estas faltas: hacer más de lo que puedo (con una expectativa incorrecta) o controlar demasiado.

He notado que cuando los devotos se alejan por este patrón, su conciencia de Krishna no mejora. No podemos matar nuestra alma. El Bhagavad Gita 5.15 es muy claro en este sentido. ( Y el Señor Supremo tampoco asume la responsabilidad de las actividades pecaminosas o piadosas de nadie. Sin embargo, los seres encarnados están confundidos a causa de la ignorancia que cubre su verdadero conocimiento). Creo que ISKCON es uno de los mejores hospitales para el alma, para deshacernos de nuestra conciencia material y entrar en nuestra conciencia espiritual.

Yo me sentía en un tsunami, revolcándome en el sufrimiento, hasta que conocí a Srila Prabhupada. La síntesis de su mensaje es: canta Hare Krishna todo el tiempo que puedas, nunca dejes de cantar. Eso es como un bote con remos que te llevará en la dirección correcta.

Mi recomendación, tanto para mí como para el devoto de Idaho, es que cuando sintamos hostilidad por parte de nuestra congregación, podemos retirarnos, bailar, compartir un kirtan y prasadam con los devotos. De esa manera, es muy fácil entrar en la potencia interna. Después, simplemente podemos retirarnos y hacer nuestro servicio personal en casa, relacionándonos con la congregación de esa manera.

Esto es mejor que querer cortar con la congregación, porque este es el mundo de la dualidad: la congregación no es toda buena ni toda mala, es una mezcla de las dos. Tenemos que aprender a tomar lo bueno y tolerar lo malo para nuestra propia purificación. Y si nosotros nos purificamos, la congregación también lo hará.

Gurudev, estas son mis reflexiones. Me gustaría escuchar su comentario y su opinión al respecto. ¿Le parecen correctas o son solo especulaciones mías?

Su tonto sirviente,

Nikunja Bihari das.

Informe colecta audífonos

2 months, 1 week ago by jayanta in Hot Topics

Reverencias a todos.

Este es el informe de la colecta de fondos en España para los audífonos de Gurudev.

Informe a los devotos a través de un chat de whatsapp de discípulos que tenemos en España y la respuesta fue:

Adiras 108 euros

Gadadhara 108 “

Jaganmohan 50. “

Jayanta. 92. “

Krisna Kirtan 50. “

Mathura Mani 80. “

Purnamasi. 108. “

Yugala. 20 “

TOTAL. 616 “

Ha sido un placer hacer el servicio

vs

Jayanta das


HpS/ASA - I feel, Srila Prabhupada Ki Jaya! very ashamed. Why should people be spending money for ear phones for me.

If people donated what they actually thought it was worth to them, that is fine. Spiritual life is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy, rather practical activity in the foreground of spiritual life.


They do help, but like so many devotees my social and physical background, our eyes, ears, heart, skin, joints, voice are disintegrating so that the elements can be recycled into new bodies.


We need to spend 27% of our time packing up to leave for our next body.


The rest is just for our regular Sankirtan development using the tools and potency Krsna provides us.


Paoho!!

We hope we can use technology to serve you and Srila Prabhupada's Sankirtan movement.

Hari-bhakti-vilāsa unnecessarily ritualistic

2 months, 1 week ago by Namacarya das in Hot Topics

Dear Guru Maharaja, Hare Krishna!

Please accept my humble obeisances (to all your divine forms of a monk, monkey and piggy.)

All glories to AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada!


You mentioned (in different talks) something like that Hari-bhakti-vilāsa is unnecessarily ritualistic.

Is that from this purport, or is it from somewhere else?


https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/madhya/23/105/#bb1108811


Thank you!


Your servant Namacarya Das


HpS - I, agtSP, thought that we already answered this important letter.

The above link seems like what we read, but we also have some recollection of hearing SP talk about it in like a letter etc.

Same thing.


For us it just points out that the major points are repeated with depth and perspective again and again and again in the SB, SP's purports etc. so that we have sufficient info to be intimately connected to him and Krsna.


Then, we must appreciate other important literature in the basic perspective of Srila Prabhupada's comments.


I think Jaiva Dharma is an example of this, that it was also written with very specific time and circumstance content and we have to understand it in terms of SP's books.

We can, must, use all the books, buckets and brooms in the world in KRSNA's service, and SP's books are the proper perspective, no?


Thank you so much for your association.

Hope you find your position as leader of ISKCON!