Letters to the editor

Me llamo Isaac, tengo 38 años y vivo en Barcelona.

Conozco el movimiento de Consciencia de Krishna desde hace 3 años. Y desde entonces estoy haciendo servicio en el templo Iskon de Barcelona.

Le conocí a usted en una de sus visitas a este templo, y desde que recibí su misericordia cuando al final de una clase me arrojó el collar de guirnaldas que llevaba puesto, he deseado recibir su refugio. Desde entonces, han pasado más cosas que han despertado ese deseo, pero no me voy a extender tanto ahora! :)

Algunos de sus discípulos, con los que he tenido la suerte de entablar una bonita amistad, me han recomendado expresarle este sentimiento y entablar una relación con usted escribiéndole aqui en este blog, como primer paso.

Y siguiendo su consejo aqui estoy, esperando que a usted le parezca bien y me permita poder seguir comunicándome y expresándole mis sentimientos, dudas, y con suerte, algún consejo o instrucción.

Esperando su respuesta, reciba mis más humildes reverencias. Hare Krsna.

              HpS - ASA -  Jaya!    TlgaSP.   Ud. es la misma Isaac quien es en nuestra taller de Japa cada manana???    Muy bien encontrar a Vd.  Que haces?   Cirugano, Brain Surgeon?????     Estamos fijand nuestra visita a Espana en dos cartas previos.

All Glories to Sri Sri Goura Nitai!

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

P.A.M.H.O.

Dear Hanumat Presaka Swami,

In this letter I would like to present myself, I'm Rafael Nitay, I'm 22 years old, from são paulo, Brasil. I was born a devotee, and grew up in sao paulo. I work in my family business, since I was 13 years old, and I use to go to the temple in Sao paulo before it closed, and New Gokula. I have association with devotees in namahattas that are a weekly appointment, and association with the devotees in BBT Brasil, where I attend most of the programs and classes.I follow the four principles and chant my rounds. I have family in USA where I know a few devotees as well, I usually go to NY, Alachua, Miami, and recently visiting my family in Santiago-Chile, got to know the temple and the devotees, and I have been in a relationship with one of your disciples(Candrarekha Devi Dasi). I'm really enthusiastic about the movement in Brasil and in the rest of the world as well. In Chile as well as Brasil I have been in association with disciples and well wishers of yours, and I have watched a few classes of you in internet as well, and they speak very good about you sir, and I’m very excited to meet you in Santiago Ratha Yatra, and attend your classes.

This would be a little about myself, I’m really thank full for you letting me write on your blog and for your time reading this letter. I would like if its ok for you to write more questions on your blog in other occasions. I really hope I can serve you in one opportunity.

Your well wisher and servant aspiring,

Rafael Nitay - São Paulo - Brasil

              ASA - HpS - Jaya!  AGTSP... Please accept our humble obeisances and thank you so much for speking Inglish!!!!            -{:O)+           Then we maybe will see you in like one week, no?   Are you one meter tall with bright red hair and weigh 80KG.  Ha!   Ha!   Ha!   Is so ridiculous to have personal relation with people without ever seeinng them.     !     Your Sankirtana sounds great  !          Hope to see everyone and try to remember everyones body, email, and diksa names and lilas.           Jaya Jagannatha!    Rafael Nitay!

(pasting the first letter, and for easier flow of dialoge, writing at the bottom)

Hare Krsna dear Guru Maharaja.
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

By some recent (and not se recent) circumstances happening in Pula Yatra, I am thinking about this instruction by Srila Prabhupada:
"Now we have got so many students and so many temples but I am fearful that if we expand too much in this way that we shall become weakened and gradually the whole thing will become lost. Just like milk. We may thin it more and more with water for cheating the customer, but in the end it will cease to be any longer milk. Better to boil the milk now very vigorously and make it thick and sweet, that is the best process. So let us concentrate on training our devotees very thoroughly in the knowledge of Krishna Consciousness from our books, from tapes, by discussing always, and in so many ways instruct them in the right propositions."  (Srila Prabhupada's letter June 22, 1972)

I wonder, when is proper time to "Boil the milk"? Should we stop trying to preach (doing public programs, prison programs and similar activities) and find out how to at least try to solve our inner problematics.
When I say "stop the preaching", I mean not in a rude way. Of course, we can try and will give Krsna to others, but for time being, concentrate in which way the yatra should function, and concentrate to develop programs (and do them) for training our devotees.

The idea behind the scene is that we, as devotees, associate seldom, and when together, try to fix the house for future temple, or discuss different preaching activities. That seems nice, but actually, there are misunderstandings, arguing on different points that we do not address, specially not in an organized and mature way. Also, what happens is that  new people come and after some time leave. There are many causes why they leave, but among them is the not-nice situation/relationship between devotees.

Guru Maharaja, I hope I succeed to convey my message. Surely, if needed, I will give more details.

Thank you!

Your servant Namacarya das
 

HpS -  AGTSP   paoho.  This is very nice topic.  I think a  simple answer is that Srila Prabhupada set a standard of full morning and evening program for internal, milk boiling, and then we can go out with confidence.  Do you find this?  The lack of internal adjustment follows when there is no basic full moringnig and evening program (of course more basic 16 rounds and 4 principles with devotion).

Nd >>> Would that mean that without devotees following standard of full morning and evening program and specially if not following fully 16r & 4 regs, should not preach? I do not know details of every devotess home program, but I think that not everybody has the 2nd basic standard, and with some the 1 basic is also questionable (chanting 16 rounds everyday).

         HpS - Is very individual.  Look for Satyaraja Kahn in NOI. That leads to disucssion in CC of what is a "Neophyte pure devotee". He may have many faults, but he is sincere. He is usually carried away by bad associatioin and just hasn't heard well about what to do and not to do, but he is sincere and therefore he (and his preaching) are worth respecting.  Of course he may have eggs mixed in with his cake "Prasadam" and think that because they are "mixed in " it is not eating eggs.
So, some maybe should "preach". Especially if it is just passing the "letter" along, distributing books, but really should be careful to do preaching what you are not living.

* Do you mean to say that "full morning and evening program for internal, milk boiling, and then we can go out with confidence" should be in the temple (our temple is not functional in that way, only regular program is Sunday Feast)?

HpS -   No, no....  So many will have Temple with their family, Sankirtana partners.  Can do so much by staying in touch by phone etc. now.  Can call a friend after Mangala arati if you are alone and ask how was his Kirtana!

  HPS:   Lord Caitanya doesn't play Kartals or Mrdanga in His lila. Rama has a bow, Krsna has his flute.            Hmmm...   Thank you for the news.   We have some more ideas to send....    Soon!

Nad >>> In Deity worship - If Gauranga in His lila does not play karatals or mridanga, is it proper to decorate Him (and Nityananda) with these instruments?

                HpS >    ?????????????????????????????? AGTSP... Paoho.....???? ????  ??///   Oink!   Oink!   WHoop....  Whoop...       Uncle Gismo says that he has no scientific infomation on this topic, but the general principle is don't speculate, but GN are very merciful and may accept the Kartals.  He has heard that Prabhupada said, not to make Krsna in to a Hat Rack.  Hanging all kinds of stuff on Him   AND   that we could offer Lord Balarama a club, but we shouldn't FORCE Him to carry it.    Hmmmm?

All Glories to Sri Sri Goura Nitai!
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

P.A.M.H.O.

Gurudeva, in the matter of the answer you gave in my last report, I'm really grateful for your interest in this specific subject, and get deeper in the matter of relationships, and the seriousness in the relationship in a devotees couple, I would like to thank you a lot for your time since are more important things for you to deal in your blog.

You have asked me what was my thinking about your explanations, well, I fell really sorry that in the movement a lot of couples are getting divorced, and don't look to the relationship as a commitment, where one should look from the same level of commitment that one does with the spiritual master, one should bee strong to move forward regarding the obstacles that may appear in the way (of course not putting one off the couple in serious harm of one integrity, like physical abuse), so I think that actually even in occident we have to take responsibilities from ourselves and the decisions that we take, regarding the age we found a partner, (older male/younger female - older female/younger male) because one look for someone that one need to complement the spiritual life and the material life. In nowadays, the women must be submissive always in the same way, and the man protect her in the same way, but this have been forgotten, and when you miss the center of everything that is Krsna, that's when everything deteriorates. Maya is too strong…that's why we always must focus in Krishna and give Him more importance than anything and look to our partners as if they where Krsna themselves, the rest it's is responsibility of our decisions, and based in the Karma of each individual.
That's my opinion, and I feel very comfortable being honest with you Gurudeva, and I do agree with you that one should not swim against the flow, but we must always be realistic, Prabhupada warn us, and we are responsible for our acts and decisions. I focus in Krishna and in couples that can be an example all the time for me to look up, and be a good wife the day Krishna thinks it's best to get marriage in the future. :)
I'm really great full for your interest in this subject again , and always guide me in the best way. And as a devotee of Krishna I'll improve everyday , being responsible and a good disciple and serve Krsna, Prabhupada and You in the best way. We are really looking for having your association here in Santiago… a lot of activities, Ratha Yatra, questions, etc… hahaha
We will meet in the next report dear Gurudeva, I hope your health is improving… Thanks for everything always.

Your Humble servant,
Candrarekha devi dasi
Santiago - Chile

Jayaaa Gurudevaa !!!

    HpS - ASA -  Jaya!   Very nice.  Muy bien.   Si falta como  2 weeks and 2 days until we are in Santiago...

Todas las reverencias a srila prabhupada

Por favor querido gurú maharaj  acepte mis mas humildes reverencias

gurú maharaj tengo una duda acerca del mahabharata, cuando los pandavas tienen que pasar el ultimo año de su exilio escondidos sin que  nadie los pueda reconocer de lo contrario volverían al bosque. Mi duda es que, cuando llegan al reino de virata para pasar el ultimo año el ultimo año de su exilio y yudhisthira es aceptado por el rey como su consejero personal como es que nadie reconoce ha yudhisthira si  por ser una persona que nunca había mentido flotaba siempre 10 centímetros sobre el suelo como es que nadie se dio cuenta de ello?

Desearía que me ayude ha despejar esta duda  querido gurú maharaj hare krsna.

         HpS - Jaya.  TlgaSP.  Pfanrh.   Hablamos en INgles.  Utiliza traductor!    Hrdayananda Gos said that Madhvaachary said tha the Mahabharata that we have is corrupted.  The Gita is fine, but the in the other parts things have been added, things have been taken out and things are in the wrong place.

So, we can't be sure about M. Y.  floating as he walked.  Did P'pada discuss this?  Haven't seen it in his books!??

Second, this was Dvapara yuga, and so many people had mystical powers. Asvattama had a jewel that grew from his head like teeth grow in our mouth, right?  So many different people had different  magical abilities. Thus maybe wasn't unique that M.Y. walked off the ground. Others could have done it also.

Jaya!  Hari Bolo!