Letters to the editor

Hare Krsna Dear Maharaj,

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada.

ASA - Jaya!

Please accept my humble obeisances.

Thank you for replying to my last message Maharaj. I was scared you had not received it. As soon as I saw the email of your reply, I was very happy. Thank you Maharaj. I really wish your health is in the best condition.

HpS - Material world! This is material world, EVERYONE gets diseases, even just as an example to others.

I'm sorry again, I haven't updated you recently. My last message I believe I mentioned to you that I went to India. I didn't really discuss in detail what I did. Anyway, I went for a month and we first went to Vrndavan for 10 days.

HpS - Did you die? That would have been very fortunate!!

This was my favourite part of the trip. Then we went to Bangalore for a friend's wedding. Actually this is the reason I got a ticket to India in the first place haha. The wedding was nice. And then to Punjab for my cousin's (Surbhi) wedding. My mum came for this one as they were begging our whole family to come. So i met her in Delhi, after Bangalore, and from there we went to Punjab. VERY VERY FANCY. Too fancy, in fact. For me it was too much. But in India, it is still considered barely anything.

If i get married in the future, I want a very simple wedding. Similar to the ones my parents had, just with more family and friends.

HpS - I was there. It was magical. I did the fire sacrifice. The Gurukula boys chanted mantras, Headmaster's wife rushed Acyuta priya Devi Dasi off and they decorated her very nicely. Dr. Samaresh Bandyopadyay was there. Then as we were rushing back to Lucknow from Naimisaranya, your mother asked what day it was and when we told her she started to laugh like a mad girl, and then explained that her sister, your esteemed aunt, had been married on exactly the same day one year earlier!

Anyway, I feel a connection when I'm Vrndavan and I love the environment there. I hope I can go back every year. I really need to get a job here so I can properly save up money. I also need to buy a car over here.

HpS - Maybe Krsna will send you something were you meet people.

Another thing, as you know I'm very confused and indecisive and still am not sure about what I want to do yet. I already finished 1 year of Business and this year began and I just thought I can't continue studying this if I don't enjoy it... I've thought about doing a degree in Creative Industries or Design. Something like this. But also there is the notion that these kind of careers will have no jobs and are not in high demand. Too much confusion. Please bless me to figure this out. So for the time being, it happened that I'm not studying this semester. I was planning to do simple electives and nothing major but the style of teaching at uni doesn't appeal to me. It was too boring. I love to learn. but not the way that is done here... With this quarantine anyway, perhaps it was a good pause. I'm trying to engage myself in as much art at home as I can. I'm painting, sewing, and trying other things. I painted Baladev on a t shirt for one.

HpS - Jaya. Harer nama eva kevalau. Chant for an answer!

Yesterday I saw your interview in Manipur with a lady from Impact TV. It was seriously SO AWESOME. I loved it. The way you speak is so humble and genuine. And I learnt so many things. I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but I've always wanted to make a documentary of devotees. I wanted to interview them and ask how they came to Krsna Consciousness and what inpsired them to join, etc. I think it'd be a gem for future generations. I need to get to this. Too many ideas. Too much laziness.

HpS - Become a Journalist! Learn that!

My chanting hasn't been the best lately Maharaj. At some point I wasn't really chanting properly. I feel guilty but I didn't have enough of a drive to do it. I'm very sorry. Anyway, Sakhi Rai prabhu (you may know him) tries to inspire and engage me so he kind of gave me the idea to be strong. So I'm now just trying to do 4 a day. It's nice. I'm re-building that shakti. My father was best teacher in these things. I miss him in these regards. He always gave me so much spiritual knowledge. I wish I was more inquisitive and interested before. I could've learned so much. I'm happy that you have this forum where I can keep in touch with you. It's perfect. Please bless me to be a better devotee and person Maharaj. And after this Corona Virus is over, I hope you can visit Brisbane soon.

HpS - Ha, Ha, Ha... It will never be over. It will just change its name. Sometimes it is called "Snake Bird", etc. Krsna pushes and Krsna pulls!

We were actually planning to go to Baku in July, for my grandfather's 70'th birthday. But this whole virus has changed the plan of everything. Who would've guessed that 2020 will end up like this. I realised that it's better to just go out and do things. Travel. Everything. Because we never know when there is zero opportunity to do it.

Wow. Ended up to be quite a long message haha. Thank you Maharaj for reading and caring always.

HARE KRISHNA

Yours servant,

Lakshmi

HpS - Respects to Bhima, YOur mother, sister, uncle, aunt!! Chant for what you want. Krsna will answer. Do you want become very, very, very rich?? Beautiful as the Goddesses in heaven???

Hare Krsna Dear Guru Maharaj,

  Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

  All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

  All glories to Guru parampara.

  How is your health ?

HpS - O.K. considering time, place and circumstance. Probably like yours!!

No temple services for last 14 days. Working from Home.

Rest as usual, no change in life.

  Don't browse internet now a day. Just focused on office

  Work and spiritual activities only. ASA - Ahhh! Arjuna learned how to make killing people his spiritual activity. If he can so that I guess we can connect less violent things with Krsna eg. cooking for Krsna!

  There are many thoughts, how can serve Krsna more better

  way so that i can get more closeness.

  Nothing much to write, re-planning for BG, SB, Kirtan.

  HG Jibesh Das is doing well, studies going on. He 

  remembers you a lot.  

your fallen servant,

Girivaradhari-Gopal Das

HpS - With whom do you work? ?

Dear HH Hanuman Presaka Swami Maharaj, 

Please accept my humble obeisances, All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to your divine lotus feet.

I’ve been thinking a lot about your character and your unassuming nature lately. While I’ve been contemplating my place in the world of ISKCON and even my place in this world in general, it is challenging to understand how to stay sincere while sharing/preaching Bhaktivedanta philosophy; how to relate with another without falling prey to their doubts; or even how to convince a person without religious connotations or pressures. To be able to preach effectively is a deep skill I have yet to have, and I hope to learn this and so much more from you.

HpS - AGTSP paoho sorry it has taken so long to answer!!! Even now we can't read everything, so best just to read what we can now and maybe read it later!!! So sorry!!! But was so nice to see you all in Boise. Our heart is still full with all the association, thank you.

This past spring, as we attended your Jung Philosophy lecture at the Boise State University, I was really appreciating your “Teacher’s Hat”. I could see you as, not an ISKCON sannyasi, but rather, a learned college professor who had ACTUAL experience in the world and of what you spoke. You did mention you were a part of a religion, but your depth of character showed me that, you were much, much more than just a member at a church. You were a professor, a lover of psychology, some could call you a jnana yogi, some a Jung enthusiast. And with all these different facets of character, and the depth that comes with, people become attracted. Not superficially, but deeply. Deeply they become attracted to their own true characters, to their own completely beautiful and pure personalities they know very well, but which have been covered by ignorance, sleep, and dust of material nature.

You specifically have helped many grow to understand who they are, and that depth of character does not come easily. It doesn’t just take becoming attracted, becoming Harinama initiated, Brahman initiated, Sannyasi initiated. It comes from true-life experiences, or some may call it, the ‘hard knocks’ of life. Knowledge needs to be realized and Maharaj you know that. You know that although the process is blissful, the likelihood for the majority of us to come out from these battles with maya, free of wars scars, is actually pretty unlikely. And you have given shelter to so many who have had the pious credit, the courage, the open heart and the humility to do so. Personalities such as Radhika Raman Prabhu, Murari Prabhu, Kamagayatri Devi, the Palakalas, Nitisara Prabhu and those who have taken guidance from you such as Ananta Rupa Prabhu, Gopal Hari Prabhu, Balabhadra Prabhu, Upendra Prabhu and his family. Because of these devotees, I, a “free, American girl” could come to Krishna Consciousness and be inspired. Because, although very sound and soul jerking, Krishna Consciousness is not just the philosophy. Krishna Consciousness is about character, it’s about sincerity, and purity. It’s about being honest with yourself, seeing where you are at, striving to feel and know your relationship with Krishna, and maintaining good thoughts of and for other devotees.

So, I am inspired by your character, Maharaj, and I feel blessed by you for I suppose so many reasons. I hope to continue learning from you and your devotees. I aspire to be a good devotee to help represent your work. I’m inspired to lead a good example, maintain my vows and fulfill the yoga system as thoroughly as possible with Krishna in sight and mind. Please bless us here in Boise. May your great work and the works of your devotees continue throughout the world as long as possible. 

Your aspiring servant,

Anadi Radha dasi

Hare Krishna Gurudeva, please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

All glories to Hanumatpresaka Swami!!

We are making four reports for the Blog:

1. Progress of SOLARIS No 5

2. Budgets and payments

3. Calendar of virtual activities of your Sankirtana in Peru from April 01 to 15

4. Progress of SOLARIS as indexed, academic Journal, in LATINDEX

This is the first, Progress on Solaris 5, by the mercy of Sadai Nimai-Nitai, and the valuable help of Purnamasi Devi Dasi in Spain. we hope to send a report per day.

Articles in Spanish delivered and to be delivered before April 15:

1.      UNDERSTANDING TEACHING IN THE KAMAKURA ERA OF TWO OPPOSITE BUDDHISMS BETWEEN YES / Rebeca Maldonado (Mexico) / delivered

2.      FROM INTER-CULTURALITY TO INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE. THE BUDDHA CARRYING THE CROSS / Miguel Ángel Polo Santillán (Peru) / delivered

3.      IMAGE OF EASTERN SOCIETIES AND INDIA IN THE PERCEPTION OF LATIN AMERICAN AUTHORS / Murad Ahamad Khan (India) / delivered

4.      EDUCATION, NATURE AND THE PARADIGM OF SAGRADO / Héctor Béjar (Peru) / to be delivered

5.      SUSTAINABILITY AND RETURN TO DIVINE WISDOM THROUGH THE CHILD'S EDUCATION / Rosario Godenzi (Peru) / to be delivered

6.      EDUCATION AND NARRATIVE / Luis Amaro (Mexico) / to be delivered

Confirmed articles in Spanish, delivery deadline: May 31:

1. Ramon Mujica (Peru)

2. Itzel Barrera (Mexico)

3. Mónica Cornejo (Spain)

4. Lili Galván (Peru)

5. Cecilia Montero (Chile)

Articles in confirmed English, delivery deadline: May 31:

1. Patricia Llosa / MET (USA)

2. Ravi Gupta / (USA)

3. Sven Doehner (Switzerland)

HpS - He is living in Mexico, no?

4. Samaresh Bandyopadhyay / U. of Calcutta (India) to be confirmed

HpS - I think it will be difficult for him. We just talked with him with Radhika and he is very sick.

Interviews

HpS interview with Kalyan Kumar / President of the Natriona Academy of Fine Arts LALIT KALA AKADEMI / India. On EDUCATION, THE SACRED, AND ECOLOGY (is that okay?) HpS - Not at this point. He left Lalita Kala Academy some time ago.

Miguel Polo interview with Berta Meneses (Spain)

Reviews submitted

The interweaving of Vedanta Philosophy in Greek Civilization: Transcendental Dialectic (Volume 1) / Dra. Dolores Chávez (Lalita Gopi DD)

Sri Isopanisad. Secrets of other times. Prof. Luis Amaro (Aristasena d.)

Gurudeva we need to know your opinion on these points:

1.      We are establishing a minimum of 10 items per number (they can be 11, 12 or 13, but minimum 10, is that okay?

HpS - Seems that it should be at least that number. So much to say!

2.      As SOLARIS is an intercultural magazine in which the language in which the author writes is respected, then of the 10 or 12 articles the proportion would be: 10 articles (6 in Spanish, 4 in English), 11 articles (7 in Spanish 4 in English or 6 in Spanish 5 in English). Something similar if there are 12 articles. What is your suggestion?

HpS - Again seems fine. About half in each language.

3.      If we have more than 12 articles, we select between 10 and 12 and we pass the rest to the next number, is that okay?

HpS - These are details that the Managing Editor, Editorial Board can decide, no? Seems like no problem scheduling articles for an advanced issue if it is O.K. with the author. Of course, sometimes they may want to look for another publisher for faster release.

4.      In each number we want to put two interviews (one in Spanish and one in English). For this number 5 you could interview Dr. Kalyan Kumar on EDUCATION THE SACRED AND ECOLOGY, is it possible?, is that okay?, it could be to another academic and another subject as well.

HpS - Above! We have been out of touch with him for some time.

5.      Regarding reviews, we also want to review books in English. According to the standardization process to index SOLARIS, the style to review is as follows:

·        The reviews are two to four pages long (A-4 format, 12 point New York Times font, 1.5 line spacing).

·        Considering that the review is a descriptive summary of the most important thing in a book, at the beginning you should refer to the author and the book within your work and also give a first assessment of the text and place it in the context in which it was written.

·        The review should be developed according to the structure and index of the book and also to the vision or understanding of the writer of the review.

·        Within the review you can use or place quotes or texts from the reviewed book.

·        The title of the review must have: The full name of the book, the name of the author, the year of publication, the publishing company and the place where it was printed.

·        A JPG file (in good resolution) of the cover of the reviewed book must be attached to the review.

6.      The deadline for the delivery of the interviews and reviews in English is Wednesday May 6 (Nrisimha Caturdasi)

7.      One last question: are you going to write an article in this issue of SOLARIS?

That is all for now, Hare Krishna respected GURU-MAHARAJA, his insignificant servant, Abhiram Thakur das.

HpS - Sorry it has taken us a week to see this and respond to it. Of course, that is reality and maybe we are not ready for such a big Journal at this point. Of course we have talked with Prof. Walter Leon and Hector in the last few days and there are topics that they can address that seem very useful for the Journal.

I feel that we really need to discuss the character of the Journal with our Editor, Miguel, Directors and Advisory Board of NIOS etc. We seem to need a much clearer Vision and Mission statement. As the building goes up, the foundation must go down. Thank you.

======================================================================================

Hemos hecho cuatro informes para el blog:

1.      Avances de SOLARIS No 5

2.      Presupuestos y pagos

3.      Calendario de actividades virtuales de su Sankirtana en Perú del 01 al 15 de abril

4.      Avances de la indexación de SOLARIS en LATINDEX

Este es el primero, por la misericordia de Sadai Nimai-Nitai y la valiosa ayuda de la madre Purnamasi esperamos enviar uno diario.

AVANCES DE SOLARIS No. 5

Artículos en español entregados y por entregar antes del 15 de abril:

1.      LA COMPRENSIÓN DE LA ENSEÑANZA EN LA ERA KAMAKURA DE DOS BUDISMOS OPUESTOS ENTRE SÍ / Rebeca Maldonado (México) / entregado

2.      DE LA INTERCULTURALIDAD AL DIÁLOGO INTERRELIGIOSO. EL BUDA QUE CARGA LA CRUZ / Miguel Ángel Polo Santillán (Perú) / entregado

3.      IMAGEN DE LAS SOCIEDADES ORIENTALES E INDIA EN LA PERCEPCIÓN DE LOS AUTORES LATINOAMERICANOS / Murad Ahamad Khan (India) / entregado

4.      LA EDUCACIÓN, LA NATURALEZA Y EL PARADIGMA DE LO SAGRADO / Héctor Béjar (Perú) / por entregar

5.      SOSTENIBILIDAD Y RETORNO A LA SABIDURÍA DIVINA A TRAVÉS DE LA EDUCACIÓN DEL NIÑO / Rosario Godenzi (Perú) / por entregar

6.      EDUCACIÓN Y NARRATIVA / Luis Amaro (México) / por entregar

Artículos en español confirmados, fecha límite de entrega: 31 de mayo:

1.      Ramon Mujica (Perú)

2.      Itzel Barrera (México)

3.      Mónica Cornejo (España)

4.      Lili Galván (Perú)

5.      Cecilia Montero (Chile)

Artículos en ingles confirmados, fecha límite de entrega: 31 de mayo:

1.      Patricia Llosa / MET (USA)

2.      Ravi Gupta / U. de Oxford (UK)

3.      Sven Doehner (Suiza)

4.      Samaresh Bandyopadhyay / U. de Calcuta (India) por confirmar

Entrevistas

Entrevista de HpS a Kalyan Kumar / Presidente de la Academia Federal de Bellas Artes LALIT KALA AKADEMI / India. Sobre LA EDUCACIÓN, LO SAGRADO Y LA ECOLOGIA (¿está bien?)

Entrevista de Miguel Polo a Berta Meneses (España)

Reseñas entregadas

El entretejido de la Filosofía Vedanta en la Civilización Griega: Dialéctica Trascendental (Tomo 1) / Dra. Ma. Dolores Chávez (Lalita Gopi DD)

El Sri Isopanisad. Secretos de otros tiempos. Prof. Luis Amaro (Aristasena d.)

Gurudeva necesitamos saber su opinión de estos puntos:

1.      Estamos estableciendo un mínimo de 10 artículos por número (pueden ser 11, 12 o 13, pero mínimo 10, ¿le parece bien?

2.      Como SOLARIS es una revista intercultural en la que se respeta el idioma en que escribe el autor, entonces de los 10 o 12 artículos la proporción seria: 10 artículos (6 en español, 4 en inglés), 11 artículos (7 en español 4 en inglés o 6 en español 5 en inglés). Algo similar si son 12 artículos. ¿Cuál es su sugerencia?

3.      Si tenemos más de 12 artículos, seleccionamos entre 10 y 12 y el resto lo pasamos al siguiente número, ¿está bien?

4.      En cada numero queremos poner dos entrevistas (una en español y una en inglés). Para este numero 5 usted podría entrevistar al Dr. Kalyan Kumar sobre LA EDUCACIÓN LO SAGRADO Y LA ECOLOGÍA, es posible, ¿está bien?, puede ser a otro académico y otro tema también.

5.      Con respecto a las reseñas también queremos reseñar libros en inglés. De acuerdo al proceso de estandarización para indexar SOLARIS estilo para reseñar es el siguiente:

·        Las reseñas son de dos a cuatro páginas (formato A-4, tipo de letra new york times 12 puntos, interlineado 1.5).

·        Considerando que la reseña es un resumen descriptivo de lo más importante de un libro entonces al comienzo se debe referir al autor y al libro dentro de su obra y también dar una primera valoración del texto y situarlo en el contexto en que fue escrito.

·        La reseña se debe desarrollar de acuerdo a la estructura y al índice del libro y también a la visión o comprensión del que escribe la reseña.

·        Dentro de la reseña se puede usar o colocar citas o textos del libro reseñado.

·        El título de la reseña debe tener: El nombre completo del libro, el año de la publicación, la editorial y el lugar donde se imprimió.

·        Se debe anexar a la reseña un archivo JPG (en buena resolución) de la caratula del libro reseñado.

6.      La fecha límite de entrega de las entrevistas y reseñas en inglés es el miércoles 6 de mayo (Nrisimha Caturdasi)

7.      Una ultima pregunta: ¿usted va a escribir un artículo en este número de SOLARIS?

Eso es todo por ahora, Hare Krishna respetado GURU MAHARAJA, su inútil sirviente, Abhiram Thakur das

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and your glorious service.

I was very blessed to get your holy association when you visited ISKCON Houston during your holy auspicious Vyas Puja celebration. I am very happy I was able to get the association of my godbrothers and godsisters, from all over the USA and other countries.

HpS - We also met Mrs. Aja-govind Das, no? We can't remember exactly. If our memory serves us she was a very nice person.

Guru Maharaj, you have inspired devotees all over the world, even with the use of web and video conferencing and tele-conferencing tools. I remember attending your Bhakti Shashtri and Bhagavatam sessions using Zoom and other tele-conferencing tools. This really inspired me.

Now with the Corona virus outbreak, I also started using Web Video Conferencing with Skype for our Vedanta Student Club at Texas A&M University - Kingsville (TAMU-K).

We started our online Skype weekly Bhagavad-gita readings today and will continue this online every Tuesday evening. We were able to connect over Skype to students who already graduated from TAMU-K and read Bhagavad-gita with them also.

Thank you for inspiring us with your great example of using web and tele-conferencing tools to read Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Your glorious and illustrious example has inspired many generations to come.

Your humble aspiring servant,

Aja Govinda dasa

HpS - Jaya! Maybe soon many will be returning to village centered life, and then it will be easy to isolate Pandemics, talk to your neighbor and have time to develope mystic powers! (Eg. piezolectric crystals in our pineal glands.

Please read the K Dh and put the KDPC from their in your reports!!! ! We need your mercy!!! We need your student's mercy!

Hare Krishna dear Maharaja!

Please, accept my respectful obeisances...

AGTSP

I hope you are as healthy as is possible...

HpS - We are. AGTSP!. Now is months after you sent this letter! 2020 April 7. We are 72-years old and can die at any moment from heart fault, influenza, brain stroke etc, but more and more intelligent! 😎

I'm writing to you to sent the link to the post that Dr. File made on his social networks about the meeting with you. He is very bussy on TV right now, just like last year after you leaved Chile; that time, a few days after, he appeared on the cover page of a very big newspaper (his first important cover page), and I know that was just because of Your association and Krishna... 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5EWkK4gvkE/

He wrote the next text to complement the images:

"Chile is no longer in the darkness of oblivion. We walk towards unity. Protests in the streets are an indication of the need for a respiritualization to change the demonic face of society. Thank you Hanumatpresaka Swami and friends for the hospitality and a space of spirituality in the middle of an insane asylum. Hare Krishna"

My wikipedia account still blocked... I have not done new efforts to solve that... I will try next days, probably this coming weekend. Please Maharaja forgive me...

Your disciple Arjuna Das asked me to upload on Monkey Warrior blog his offering to you at your Vyasa Puja day. So, here it goes:

"AGTSP Pamho Gurudeva. Eternal thanks to you, You are an example to me about how to occupy everything to help in the mission of Srila Prabhupada, always, in body and soul. Eternal thanks to You, because You allow us to be part of this movement, always giving us Your mercy and just because of Your mercy I can keep fighting and trying to keep myself free from criticizing and offending.

I'm chanting 16 rounds every day and keeping 4 principles, also working on Education and The Sacred, 2020 Project.

I hope I can satisfy You.

Your eternal servant, 

Arjuna Das."

That day (night), your Vyasa Puja, I saw the ceremony from Houston through Youtube alive channel, and I shared (whatsapp) the link with some of your disciples. Ceremony Was beautiful... especially the cake!

HpS - It was incredible!! Could only tolerate it as an offering to Srila Prabhupada, that he can make a Mercedes from a bicycle! Once in a lifetime is enough. Somebody else can be The Guru next time.

Here in Chile people keep fighting against the corrupt neoliberal government, and the police still killing and doing more other darkest things... big fires in Australia, Brasil, also in Chile (Valparaíso) a few days ago... the whole world is burning... I heard some times from some devotees "Kali Yuga is moving along forward very fast"... I read a news from China a few hours ago about a chinesse scientist who made some "genetical edition" to alterate the aspects of 2 embryos and gave the announcement "now we can create genetically edited human beings"...

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/30/business/china-scientist-genetic-baby-prison.html

And they still creating wars, violating nature, enslaving all living entities... they have took possession of all religious institutions to drive people away from the relationship with God... and playing to supplant Krishna, but doing it in the worst possible way... this is what human being is about on this planet...

I'm so confused living in this world, more than never before... but I will keep on my fighting and trying to do my best untill my last breath... and I just hope and ask to God that I be able to remind Krishna, Srila Prabhupada and Hanumatpresaka Swami in that moment...

Thank you for everything you do for us... eternal gratitude to your lotus feet...

Your aspiring servant.

Carlos Rold.

HpS - Thank you. Yes, Kali-yuga will progress. Spring will be followed by Summer, Fall and WINTER!! but we are so fortunate to have Srila Prabhupada's mercy, instructions!!! Am I right? Where would you be if he had not entered your life!! So rains Kali-yuga will come ... but ... we have umbrella and can give them to others, and if enough people want then Krsna will send a Maharaja Pariksit, but mostly we think that this Age is good to push us our, like Maharaja Pariksit, and give chance to "learn the hard way" to others.