Letters to the editor

Dear Guru Maharaja

Hare Krishna

PAMHO AGTSP AGTHPS

I am currently in Portland, Oregon.

My father has had cancer for sometime and its turned to the point it looks like he will be leaving his body very soon. He hasn't eaten anything really for about 2 weeks.

HpS - Yes, we heard from Sugopi-radha Devi Dasi this morning during the FMP that he did depart!

He wears a Tulsi necklace that he let me put on his neck a few weeks ago. I read BG Chapter 2 today to him. If I chant Maha Mantra to loud it disturbs him, he gets a head ache. That's been something since I been a devotee and he has heard HK/HR. So I chant quietly under my breath and when he is pretty out of it I chant louder. I also am putting Ganga water that has had Tulsi leaves in it in his water.

Over all it seems like a fairly honorable death. He has gotten to say his peace with family members....

In the middle of this letter my father has left his body now. I was chanting, my mother was chanting, most importantly Srila Prabhupada japa was playing, he had a leaf of Tulasi in his mouth before his last breath.

HpS - Wow! I am really humbled! So nice!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Hanumat Preska Swami! All glories to the assembled devotees.

Yours,

Nanda-braja Das

HpS - Ask other devotees who are maybe more educated that us but as far as we know, this is a wonderful departure!

Srila Prabhupada said that it is like a close relative, father of some little girls, leaving from San Francisco in 1935 to go to work in China. Everyone is there saying "Good-bye", parents, wife, brother, in-laws, parents. There is an ocean of tears and smiles, but no one thinks that this is the end of him!

There will be letters.

Occasional screaming over the 10,000 miles of static filled phone calls, and in the end everyone will meet again with big reports and stories and gifts.

It is natural that we feel sad when a close family member goes, but it is with the above perspective!

When they go it is very important time. It is a big transition, no? They may be in-transit in the subtle atmosphere. Keep a picture. Chant with the picture there. After a ten(?) days have a festival and invite devotees to participate and offer Kirtan and first plate of Maha-prasadam to picture and describe departed family member and beg for well-wishes in the Kirtan.

Then it is very individual if we have more contact etc!

Send us photo for the Blog!

Hare Krishna, Respected, Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeiscances.

It is just amazing for me to see how you are so actively preaching in spite of your advanced age. Very inspiring for me.

HpS - ASA -- "even the old men of Mathurā became fully invigorated with youthful energy and strength by regularly seeing Him" (https://vedabase.io/en/library/kb/45/#bb91550 )

I was waiting for my report to be answered/published by you, the link is- https://monkeywarrior.com/reports/detail/169/

Just now saved another with link- https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/11239/

Now after so many days, some states have opened up the lockdown while others are still continuing. Most of the trains are not running, except for a few special trains. So, my engagements are sadhana and Gita Classes, study of Madhurya Kadambini in depth and the course of Academic writing. Cases of Corona are increasing day by day while most of the people are in uncertainty- of what next? Whether their Job will continue? Students are worried if at all any companies will visit college for campus selection? I am about- when will I start my next preaching venture. 

Just now I read the article - http://www.jayarama.us/peru/archivos/guru-tattva-es.txt

It was very comprehensive. I have a doubt. Srila Prabhupada gave very clear instructions regarding sex life- 'only for begetting good children within married life' in books. At the same time I know that ISKCON gurus do offer diksha to people who are far away from this position.

Mostly couples (even initiated) meet at least once a month. Also, during Srila Prabhupada times, I heard an incident where a devotee indulged with a prostitute in Mayapur because his wife was not ready for 'illicit sex' with him. Then Srila Prabhupada told that illicit sex within married life is not too sinful. Of course, I don't have any reference for it, since it is not available in Vedabase. I seriously doubt that if this rule is strictly applied, how many devotees would be eligible for diksha? What is situation of those who still are getting diksha?

Could you please clarify? I wonder if Srila Prabhupada was sure if his Grihastha disciples were actually following this rule strictly? I mean as they were coming from a different background. I find it difficult for people from a deeply cultural background. If you think it ok, please clarify.

HpS - ASA --- It is a broad topic to us and a narrow topic. In Srila Prabhupada's books it seems very simple, very direct, very precise. Every other thing is illicit, creates some material reaction!

Yet, I hear the same as you, that people are initiated and are accepted by their 'Gurus' as initiated disciples even though they are engaged in Avedic Stri Sangha.

I discuss it in the 'guru-tattva' file. Maybe some ISKCON Gurus are so powerful that they can carry married couples who are relating outside of strict Prabhupada standard, but Hansadutta told us that that was the real cause of his falldown, not 'I am the enjoyer', but 'I am the best friend', like Prabhupada. Bharata Maharaja fell for that vanity with the deer also, no?

Then, if people are posing in ISKCON, feeling supported by their 'Guru' as regular devotees, but are actually deeply conditioned by sensual attachment, then it created big confusion for us, others, about what is the comportment of an ISKCON devotee!

That is our current understanding of the situation.

In the article we point out that we cannot function as Diksa guru, but we can certainly function at Vartmana-pradarshika guru is the devotees want to get back on the path.

Your aspiring servant,

Purushottam Keshav Das

HpS - ASA --- Thank you for the news!!! Who is in the Ashrama with you?? Where is it geographically.

We chant that B. Caru Swami has good atmosphere on the subtle platform at this special moment.

Hare Krishna dear Maharaja!

AGTSP AGTHPS PAMHO

I hope you are as better as is possible... what about your allergy?

HpS - ASA -- It is a great honor to hear from you. AGTSP!!! Our energy is good. Our disease/old age is progressing is balance. Allergy really dropped to 1% when we took more control of our diet and started more exercise. Still, yes, for one, few, days it was FUERTE!!

How is Rodrigo's family.

We are seeing our visit to their Kiosko.

I'm fine, but with a laryngitis due to a sudden change of temperature I suffered on Monday by night for one hour approx (I'm no longer anymore that indestructible young man of 20 years ago); anyway, maybe I never be fine at all in my whole ambits of life, you know, material world, kali yuga, karmic reactions... but Krishna is so good with me, He is so nice... also as you are... my life is going better and better since I met you...

HpS - ..and ours since we met you! Hope we travel together for a long distance more! Where are we going??

I'm writing just to let you know that I keep trying everyday with wikipedia. They are the most demanding people I have ever met in my whole life (even more than my ex wife!), so much so that it is easier for me to follow the 4 regulative principles than satisfice wikipedia requirements!

HpS - Very interesting. We have lost the handle on our notes of suggested changes by Dr. Samaresha. The birth date is wrong for one thing. When you finish it we will let him know who did it! You will be able to see Srila Prabhupada's Calcutta! He used to play football against Bhakti-svarupa Damodara Swami when they were both in University of Calcutta. They didn't know that for many years and one day they suddenly realized it: So you are the Manipuri Rocket!! Oh, and you are the Bengali Crocodile!!!

I had to ask for help to a closely friend, he is a hacker and works in a very important enterprise of data security, digital safing [security?], etc. I try to not spend the whole day in front of the screen, pc or mobile phone, just because I don't like it at all, but I have to do it anyway. So, this friend has helped me a lot, and he can do it because his work is precisely spend all day and all night in front of the screen handling the mouse and the keyboard. He has creating wiki accounts with different IP addresses, and wiki police discover us always, they are really the best. We were forced to do this because they never unblock my wiki account, and they blocked the first wiki account that my friend created to upload the biography. Later, we upload the new text that you revised, and they rejected again this time because we were using calificative adjectives, they only want neutral texts, so, I rewrited the text and eliminate every single calificative adjective, and they rejected it again wihout a precise reason, but saying that they not knowing us like wiki editors. So, my friend is editing another wiki texts and, besides, it seems like is because there are no references from the books and the information we say about Professor Samaresh. I have spend time searching on the web, and only found 2 Amazon links, but we cannot publish this links in wikipedia, they don't promote commercial stuffs. I found just one link I think will serve.

https://www.amazon.com/Pracyaprajnapradipa-Professor-Samaresh-Bandyopadhyay-Felicitation/dp/B00WJ4SAIO 

https://www.amazon.com/Thoughts-Synthesis-Science-Religion-Singh/dp/8190136909

http://www.bibangalore.org/uploads/1/4/4/3/14433808/sep-oct_2018.pdf

So, please, I need more time, and also more info and references, but they are not available in the web. I have realized that Professor Samaresh ir really a living legend, because he is very famous among the world of scholars of indology, but he is such a mystery into the internet world. This is personal to me now, wikipedia won't beat me, I just want to post the bio. For the meantime, we will do another new try uploading the spanish text and later an english new one that I wrote a few a hours ago.

Thank you very much for the opportunity you give me to try to do something for you.

HpS - AGTSP. Rest a little and I will try to get more more references. Please keep reminding me!

Your aspiring servant,

Carlos Rold

HpS-ASA --- Your aspiring servant. Are you going to move to a village and grow potatoes, corn and beans with devotees? Karuna virus go away, come again another day!

For the ASA Encyclopedia, Uncle Gismo, we want to have a section "Bachelor Beans". Does Namacharya Das have notes for this? Can we write it with Kunja-bihari Das and Sripad Rupanuga Das?

Yes, I have some notes. Should I send them to you as a PDF file?

HpS - Can you send them as a editable file? Word document? That would be very nice!! Everyday we are struggling and even learning how to honor Prasadam better and better.

Hare Krsna Maharaj, PAMHO, AGTSP,

You are the soul who has given us glimpse of what a disciple, there might be many others. but for us you are the man.

ASA - You are utterly lost. We, Monkey and Piggy, know with all certainty that HpSwami is 77.37% nuts! Yes, crazy, but.... Srila Prabhupada can make useful tools even out of MUD! AgtSP! Use HpS as a manifestation of SP's mercy!!

...please find a introductory video on Iskcon Bhagavatam Mahavidyalaya. It seems it is in Vrindavan

https://youtu.be/0dpnntOST4U

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trying to follow

wish could physically die for you,

killing ego is difficult than killing body

harsh

ASA - Yes, it grows back in so many evil forms: Pig, Monkey, Scientist, Man, Machine, Horse!!!

We can't look at the Vidyalaya stuff right now. We have to cut the bush next to our path or it will push us and our guests off the path into The Pit!! Then Hawaii class. We will keep the references. We hear about them from the MOI Executive committee and maybe they are doing a program that is a little independent.

Hare Krsna,

Please accept our most humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

We wanted to share some comments about todays morning discussion.

In regards to how devotees can preach within their profession as a doctor, psychologist, counselor, etc.. Our thoughts are within a therapeutic setting it is most conducive to follow some Vedic standards to help preserve the devotees' mind and purity.

For example, because therapy or having a medical visit with a patient is a confidential atmosphere, we suggest a female doctor or therapist to request female clients if possible.

This of course, is not always possible and especially with therapy, the plethora of what is going on in someones mind and desires comes out.

Another topic of interest is when is it appropriate to encourage the use of psycho-tropic medications and when is it not. We like to help clients come to the mode of goodness standard through the most natural means possible. Sometimes therapies such as REBT, CBT, DBT, solution focused therapy, Adlerian therapy can help clients understand how to best control their mind and desires. Also encouraging them to increase their spiritual coping skills such as prayer and studying their Bible or following their yoga routine can help, but if they want to take pharmaceuticals due to extreme distractibility or depression, should we encourage it?

HpS - Don't know? Guess it is O.K. in some circumstances. I read from ONE book that Srila Bh. Siddhanta Sarasvatis said, that Bang, Marijuana might bring someone to a higher consciousness by allowing them to see things from a non-concrete perspective, but it would definitely have bad side effects, so it should be abandoned as soon as possible and actually never be taken up if they could do Nama Japa, or meditate on the Virata Rupa etc. May be it was a bogus book.

If it could mean saving them from suicide, this seems to make sense.

HpS - Yes...

But otherwise, we are sometimes unsure. It seems if someone is a devotee, we discourage it. But what if someone is a devotee and may be suffering from a diagnosis such as bipolar disorder? There seemed to not be time this morning to talk about this subject, but we are curious about your thoughts on this subject.

HpS - Like we say it is a very detailed topic but yes in general it seems to be correct for certain people.

Another awesome topic brought up was engaging those in systematic study according to their level of motivation. I would say with our group due to possible time constraints, independent reading is at times hard for the group. So we encourage reading two texts independently. We also read together and review points of interest found in the texts we read independently and re-read these points again. Besides sharing our answers to the study questions and answering a general topic discussion question, we are mostly reading.

It seems this is a great way to avoid speculation and to have any group come together for the purpose of association and to improve our motivation to study and read, even if they lack a qualification or title such as Bhakti Vaibhava or Bhakti Sastri.

Devotees who are sincere and following devotee standards could lead the group and correct any philosophical questions or deviations new comers attending the group may bring up.

HpS - Yes.

It also is nice if there is at least 3 devotees such as Sudevi, Lalita, and I, and if we are not able to answer a question properly, we usually ask our husbands then share with the group the answer.

ASA - Chanakya Pandita said, one person is good for Puja and meditation, two people is good for study, three for music, four for travel and for making war, as many as you can get.

Let us know what you think of this standard? Newcomers and those interested in reading may have too low of motivation to participate in a formal Bhakti Sastri program, thus, a reading group like this can be the alternative. We are starting Light of the Bhagavat tonight!

ASA - Yes.... Seminars on one book one one theme eg. Rupa siksa, Chapter 19 of the Madhya lila are very useful and popular. Of course, you could relate them with a larger diploma, but that is not necessary.

Thank you Gurudeva!!

Your lowly servant,

Kamagayatri Dasi

ASA-HpS - Thank you. Life is very short, so keep some general priorities and then improvise. Live life one day at a time.