Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Maharaja and Devotees;

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

On Saturday, July 8, 2023, Maharaja is going to be busy in doing home programs in Richmond, Virginia, so it won't be possible to have our regular Saturday Morning workshop on July 8, 2023.

This coming Saturday and Sunday, we will have two consecutive classes for our regular SB workshop.

The Sunday class will be held to cover for class we are going to miss on Saturday July 8, 2023. On this Saturday we will be reading from CC Adi lila, chapter 14, verses 70 onwards.

Thank you to everyone for valuable association.

YS

Upendra dasa

Hare Krishna Gurudeva

Please accept my obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Today I want to ask you about your understanding regarding the golden age, the 10,000 years of Krishna consciousness in Kali Yuga.

A while ago I read this quote:

The Brahma-vaivarta Purana, an ancient scripture, describes a conversation between Lord Sri Krishna and Ganga Devi that occurred in Dvaraka. Speaking on behalf of all the sacred rivers, Ganga Devi expressed all her fear of the coming of Kali-yuga (the age of rifts) and the imminent departure of the Lord back to the spiritual world. She said, “Oh Lord, we can see that Your pastimes are ending and people are becoming more and more materialistic! You have been very merciful to us, however, after Your departure, all the sinners of Kali-yuga will come to bathe in our waters and we will dry up, taken over by sinful reactions."

  Smiling, Lord Krishna replied, “Be patient…in five thousand years, My mantra-upasaka (worshipper of the holy name) will appear in this world and spread the chanting of My holy name everywhere. Not only in Bharata-varsa (India) but all over the world people will chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Through this chanting, the entire world will become Hari-bhakta, devotee of Lord Hari. And since the devotees of Lord Hari are very pure, all those who come in contact with those devotees will be purified from sinful reactions. Such pure devotees will visit Bharata-varsa and purify it from all sinful reactions by bathing in its holy waters. That period of chanting Hare Krishna in the whole world will last for ten thousand years."

The question arose in me as to who this mantra-upasaka was. Naturally my answer was Lord Caitanya, but it did not exactly agree with Krishna's dating of 5,000 years from the time.

HpS - Don't know the document, translator or context. Hmmm. Yet, think Sivarama Swami reespects this citation. Seems like Lord Caitanya and then it has a section glorifying His Sena pati as doin the rest of the work in India and outside of India.

That matches Srila Prabhupada very well.

I kept researching until I thought of asking a devotee who knows this topic in detail.

Prabhu Hare Krishna from Mexico is a scholar who has thoroughly studied Vedic culture. After watching a video in which he shares the prophecies of the Kali Yuga, I asked him about the text that I quoted at the beginning and he replied:

Regarding the disappearance of Krishna, the most accurate calculation was made by the late friend Dr. Narahari Achar with the best astronomy programs, when the Naksachatra of the star Roghini was on the 8th day of the waning moon of the month of Sravana August. -Sept. Prabhupada in his purports says that it was September. This was in the year 3167 B.C. 

In 1896 the year 5000 was fulfilled after the departure of Krishna. Kali yuga began on February 18, 13102 B.C.

So according to astrological calculations, the mantra-upasaka may be Srila Prabhupada, since he was born in 1896 and with this it would be understood that the golden age began with his birth, only 127 years ago.

What do you think about this reflection?

Thank you very much Gurudeva

my obeisances

your servant

Piyari Mohan das

HpS - We don't really know. Bh. Siddhanta Sarasvati was a GIGANTIC astronomer and from him through Srila Prabhupada we don't have any exact details.

Have you read this text and purport:

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/8/5/23/

Hope this year of the 10,000 is very good year for you to pay your debts to anyone.

Hare Krsna. 🐵

Brother ass is getting chronic chest pains. They diminish if we keep our priorities,

1. Our first priority is Kirtanya sada harih. [Hari Bolo! Hari Bolo]
2. Our second priority is dictated by the first. Ie. whatever plans, projects, thoughts and perspectives the Holy Names want to keep as Their companions, that is what we accept.

Hare Krsna, Beloved Gurudeva:

AGTSP, AGTU, PAMHO

Sadhana - Gurudeva I was not present all days in FMP due to on April 12th I have a surgery in my eyes the technical name is eye iridotomy (the thing is that I had I inherited from my father the narrow angle in the eyes and if I did not have an operation there could be the possibility of going blind). The surgery was a sucess Hurray Krsna. ¡¡¡¡ Now I can cross that off my list.

ASA - ... and the Black Witch will add two more things to the list. 😟

Jambavan, before submitting his resignation letter of Miraflores asked me to be in charge of pujari. I was very honor with his offer, nevertheless, I told him that I am busy but my desire is always serve the deities so I was going to be part of the pujari team.

I am not going to enter in details here, but then all the situation started to turn unbelievable, the same authority supports the same "lady " to be part of the junta in Miraflores and all her family involved in the service including the treasure hahah (very subtle). Anyway. Jambavan wrote a very complete, concise and chronological explanation about all the things that happened.

Some devotees including me denounce these facts and some authority replies in one paragraph of his letter and I am quoting " this handful of devotees that are pushing these accusations do not have the right to talk about morals and ethics."

I was shocked when I read this. Palika dd, for instance You know her SHE IS A LADY. Anyway Gurudeva, I am pretty disappointed about this whole situation. We as devotees, we were just requesting something fair and sane for ISKCON Peru and then this authority threatens us

I quote again: " in relation to disturbing the peaceful conduct of the affairs of ISKCON and that they are taking the risk of being restricted of participating in ISKCON:

Well, I can say that I have Krsna, SP's ISKCON, You, some really good friends devotees in my heart and I treasure within it, all the unforgettable things that I experienced being a devotee. I have my deities, my japa, gayatri. And that "the authority" can not take those away from me.

HpS - Sometimes there is lack of communication and "authorities" are acting on that. Sometimes they have been captured by The Witch, as we all can be, like Jayatirtha Das' situation and we have to work sincerely to keep our little part of ISKCON sane and work to keep the International Society sane.

One time the big temple in Berkeley, San Francisco, was going into the hands of Kritana ananda Swami when we was leaving ISKCON. President, local GBC, GBC Executive Committee had all given up on it. Six city lots big in very prosperous part of Berkeley, but we decided to do what we could and that rallied everyone and then they said, "thank you, we can do it from here"!

It is very painful and the level of corruption and impudence has already exceeded my tolerance limit

HpS - NoI 3 ... Niscayena. How much tolerance? Unlimited

How much? UNLIMITED.

??? U N L I M I T E D ???? This is Srila Prabhupada's movement and we will struggle with proper, healthy, happy, proportion to do our share to see it a good institution.

On the other hand, Karuna Krsna das called Janapavana das to request that some of the furniture that you left in the ashrama be stored some place else due to he is going to rent the asram. So in my house I have your bed, one altar, one cabinet (this one is locked I do not know if you have valuable things in there), one desk. I am attaching the pictures. So, Gurudeva what do I do with these things?

Patraka das is requesting if he can have the altar for his gorgeous silas and deities.

HpS - ASA --- None of the things "belong" to us. We bought the bunk-bed for the Ashrama. There is another top part. The table, the altar are just part of the room.

The cabinet has some stuff.

LoB bi-lingual hard copies etc.

Some nice stuff.

It can all be distributed to proper persons.

Gandharva Das had the keys?

Is there a combination lock?

I think I have the combination.

Well Gurudeva this is all I have to inform

See you tomorrow in FMP

Your eternal servant

Candramukhi dd

HpS - Thank you for the news. Which is crazier? ISKCON Peru politics or Peru National politics?

😎

AGTSP

Paoho

Here is the registration link to the spectacular Avant Premier of the second of our four-part movie series: Diary of a Traveling Creature, The Ultimate Trip (USA), this Friday. Please join and invite others.

us. https://bit.ly/dtc2ap

cont. from here : https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/13964/

ND: My words for this time are written down in italics dark blue.

Dear Guru Maharaja, Hare Krishna.

PAMHO AGTSP

In my regular reading, i.e. I was not searching for a quote on the topic, I read this:

The executive head must always be alert to the safety of the prajās, both man and animal, and inquire whether a particular living being is harassed at any place by another living being. The harassing living being must at once be caught and put to death, as shown by Mahārāja Parīkṣit. >>> SB 1.17.10-11, from the purport

---

[Not advocating death sentence here, and not against it, according to time, place and circumstances.]

Food for thought. Replace ‘executive head’ for ‘GBC’ / leader, and ‘prajas’ for ‘all devotees serving under GBC / leader’.

In my arrogant understanding, harassment is one of the easy-to-detect symptom of a materially conditioned consciousness, personally and socially.

There is harassment everywhere, however as, a hopefully progressive, bhakti yoga sadhakas, the idea is to curb it down, personally and socially.

It fascinates me how Srila Prabhupada is uncompromising, direct and strict about how to deal with a person who is harassing someone else.

Any leader who has “prajas” should carefully attend to and be aware that there is no harassment in his community, or if there is, act accordingly / firmly.

More could be said, there are different aspects.

Your servant Namacarya Das

HpS/ASA - Thank you for this comment. Sorry took us almost two weeks to answer. Kapi Dhvaja, Blog posts, ASA Carnival on Face book etc, hope give some idea of the intense programs and travel last few weeks!

ND: I feel grateful and uplifted by being in the possibility to have an email/blog exchange with you. In my mind, I am still in a "snail" mail era - letters travel a few weeks over the globe to reach the destination. So, usually, I do not mind if there is no 'fast' reply or comment to what I write. Also, it gives me time to digest the content. Moreover, I try not to burden you with much of my thoughts, comments and general letters.

Am hoping it will get lighter when we get back to Nashville, but thinking that it may not. Now we have to learn to be continually absorbed in the association of devotees.

That is Vaikuntha, no? The ground, trees, everything is Krsna's devotees.

Jaya Jaya Harinama.

I think that replacing King for GBC is stimulating. I do it, but also we must see that the protection that a Brahmana gives is different than the protection that a Ksatriya gives, no?

ND: Strictly speaking, do the brahmanas give protection? It could be said, YES, by words (advice). 

GBC is Ksatriya spirited Brahmanas?

ND: Uhh, yes, maybe. In Kali yuga things are messed up. I am worried we (ISKCON, gaudiya devotees, etc) shy from protection of those who cannot protect themselves. All in the name of "I am not a ksatriya", or "it is your karma" 'understanding'.

Also, kind of harassment ... Kali was cutting of the legs of the bull and beating them. Emotional abuse may require a different punishment than death, no?

ND: Yes. That is my understanding. 

SP in the given purport does not make any distinction. I suppose he made a general statement. 

That is a challenge - SP often/sometimes writes generally with a strong direction so devotees use his words to coerce others in the direction of a written word. It is fine to use Acarya's words as a personal inspiration and it is another thing to coerce the surroundings into that.

Another point - I do not mean to offend. Following this discussion, what if we consider SP authority/"king" at the time when he was present, and how he dealt with harassing persons (i.e. those who were harassing others) and situations (verbal, emotional, physical harassment)? Did he emphasize the protection as he said in the purport? Yes? No? If not, why? If yes, how?

Namacarya Das

HpS 2023 04 17 ---- https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/9/30/, Nice perspective, no? One story seems nice. Guru-krpa Swami who was notorious for strong dealings with sub-ordinants et al, told us that one time in Hawaii Srila Prabhupada called him into his room like 9PM at night and then began to question him about his service, GBC work, organzing book distibution etc and chastising him in strong worlds.

He said that it was so intense that he began to tremble to hold back his tears

Then Srila Prabhupada looked at him and smiled, and said, "So now you know what it feels like to be on the other end of the stick". He said it was like a warm glow of sunshine in his heart. His harsh dealings in administration was so changed by the one experience, and he felt nothing but gratefulness for Srila Prabhupada banging on his head for some time.

So many stories of how Srila Prabhupada applied "protection". For me, the fundamental way he gave us protection was to give us knowledge of Hari kirtan as protection. Like Prahlada when harrassed by the agents of Mr. Kasipu.

Punishing devotees, Brahmanas is a very fine service! Yet, it is something someone who takes the power of GBC must do.

More.. !!

HpS - Thank you. More Chanting, More SB, More Knowledge. How is your Pa, Pa, Pa, Wife/Nirkula Devi Dasi, etal.