Letters to the editor

HOW TO LEAD MANGALA ARATI

Once I, T. Brown, approached Uncle Gismo, who was seated in Samadhi next to his thing-a-majig, and asked him how to lead Mangala-arati.

Sri Gismo Uvaca (The Blessed Uncle Gismo Said): In ISKCON there are three ways to lead Mangala-arati: The right way, the wrong way and the ASA way. Even the ASA way has varieties but now, I shall describe one. (Sound of heavenly 'Uuus and Aaaas')

First, with love!

If you haven't got pure love then at least do it clean. I mean the Kartals and drum should never be louder than the Bhajana, Gurv-astakam. The frame should not detract from the picture. The frame should stand unnoticed but magnify aspects of the picture.

Learn the translation, word-by-word, the grammar. If with meaning you sing, your heart will certainly ring.

It's not two parallel mono-logs.It is a dialog. Got it?  Both sides should listen to the other, not just chant.

2/3 of the time should be Maha-mantra: HK HK --- KK HH ... Skc, Pn... HK HK... and Haraye namah ... Just the first and third line of that song. Look for the explanation at the end of 'CC, Adi-lila, Chapter on "Lord Caitanya in His Youth"'.

Your hands should not separate from your body by more than four inches and foam can come from your mouth only as long as it is of good quality and digestible like cotton candy.

Any other questions?

T.B. - Seems like enough for now.

U.G. - Haaa Rummfff. (One of the Professor's 'bija-mantras'.

Hare Krishna Beloved Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada,

Thank you so much for answering my previous question.

Now i have two more questions, if you can please kindly answer them!!

1) In Dvapara yuga the dharma was deity worship. What were the Istha Deva of that yuga? Cause Krisna was present himself at the end of that Yuga, so were Radha Krisna murtis worshiped in the temples? Or was mainly Mahavisnu or Sita Ram?

HpS - AGTSP! I don't know. It was probably like now, different groups worshipped different Murtis. Tamasic people Lord Siva, Rajarsic Surya, Sattic Lor Varaha, Nrsmaha, Visnu...

2) Yudhisthira was the son of Yamaraja, and Vidura was Yamaraja in his previous life. But we read in Mahabharata that Vidura was uncle of Yudhisthira. How can we relate this two statements?

HpS - Also don't know. We can be on the phone talking to someone and also see them acoss the street and signal to them with our hands.

Thank you so much Gurudev,

At your Lotus feet,

Nikunja Bihari das.

HpS - More letters!

Hare Krsna Beloved Gurudeva

AGTSP PAMHO

I hope you are fine

ASA - AGTSP! Paoho. Let us hope that Krsna is fine!!!!

One friend of mine, she is a devotee, wrote to me a few days ago. She told me that she has been suffering from “demons attacks”, she described the situation to me, she is sleeping but she feels the presence of someone in her bed, and yesterday happened again.

So for me the demon is just a bad energy, I try not to even say his name I just say the evil, but she is convinced that she is in danger, she chants the holy name, I do not know why this happens. I told her to put a picture of Pancamukha Hanuman and blow her conschell but what else she can do?

I think that the worst thing is to give power to that thought, we have to be convince that the lord protects us. Actually I have heard that some devotees have suffered the same, It happened to me once or twice but I just do not give them energy or my attention

What is the proper way to approach these things?

Thanks a lot Gurudeva

Your eternal servant

Candramukhi dd

ASA - Hmmm! Again we do not know the details, the specific things in the situation. We cannot learn all those in Blog posts, but of course the best shelter is "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Nitai-Gauranga, Nitai-Gauranga"

More and more louder and louder!!!!!

Use your intelligence to give her more advice and ask advice from local people.

Hare Krishna

Agtsp pamho

I've yet to find a donate button,

I wish to do my Seva and this is one of the ways I can contribute to the vishnavs.

How does one go about this.

Ys.mj.

HpS - AGTSP. We take donations in hand while we are traveling. You can mail checks to 2129 stratford rd., murfreesboro, tn 37129; usa made payable to NIOS. Your big smile at the people you meet and chanting Holy Names is best donation. Then BOOKS!! Please write with current news.

Uncle Gismoe is leased with you.

Hare Krsna Dear Maharaja,

PAMHO, AGTSP!

All glories to Disciple Succesion!

I hope the health of your body is better.

Regarding your health, I have a query: Why is there no heating in your sanyasi ashrama house? Are there problems installing heating?

I know that you are very predisposed to do austerities and everyone's duty is to take care of their health.

Please perdon me my offenses

ys Isvari dd

HpS - AGTSP! Paoho.... No! There is heating. The whole building: (https://www.bing.com/search?q=902+hillcrest+murfreesboro+tennessee&form=EDGTCT&qs=PF&cvid=f801d7f295d843a6b99e87a2076ec299&refig=0fe2a208d2654c8fd6207bd6b62c8392&cc=US&setlang=en-US&PC=HCTS) click on the picture, is not heated, but the small room where we work and the bathroom have electric heaters. They are O.K. They are a little rough. Some cold air comes in, but it is O.K. We wear a sweater as needed. Thank you! Hope your bodily situation is peaceful!!