Letters to the editor

Dear Guru Maharaja:

All the glories to Sri Sri Radha Krishna

All the glories to Srila Prabhupada

All glories to you

Please accept my humble obeisances

I am writing to tell you that the temple authorities are going to recommend me for a second initiation and I´m going to take the exam soon, but more than that I will try to explain what means to me.

I've been living in the temple for a year and a half, now I consider the devotees as my family, because they accompany me, they support me in my projects and they inspire me. They really make me feel appreciated.

ASA - Super, super, super!

Before knowing the devotees I didn´t know the love that I can have for Krsna or the spiritual master , maybe this love is not very developed, but I have the seed.

There is something that I consider of great importance in my spiritual life, and it is my relationship with the deities, Gaura Nitai mean everything to me. One of my great desires is to serve them as pujari, if I take second initiation, devotees will train me as such.

More than a year ago we wrote each other, this is a part of the letter:

"I want to express my desire to take initiation when you come to Buenos Aires, I am in a very special moment in which I feel that I must take a more important step in my spiritual life and be able to serve you in a more formal way, I would like to take that commitment. I have the blessings of the devotees, I am about to give the initiation exam and follow the whole protocol of Iskcon in order to be initiated. I would like to know if you can give me your blessings to continue with this process of the exam and everything that implies the possibility of taking initiation.

HpS - Yes. Not only our blessings but our plea that it is all successful. We need EVERY soldier we can get to this point, every member of the choir that we can get.

I know that initiation is only beginning, my purpose in this life is to feel the love felt by the gopis for Sri Krsna.

HpS - Srila Prabhupada says that is a very, very big aspiration, but ..... by the mercy of Gaura Nitai, so much is possible. "

Nobody had called me a soldier before, this was a before and after in how I see myself, I am no longer just a fragile girl, you made me a soldier to serve the mission of Srila Prabhupada. Every time I feel bad or tired, I remember this, and I am encouraged to move on.

I know that I have a great aspiration and that I totally depend on the mercy of Gaura Nitai and yours.

Always praying for your welfare

Your servant

Kirtida Devi Dasi

HpS - It sounds very nice. When we are in Buenos Aires we can have individual and group discussions of how to develop our life as Dvijas, twice born.

As usual, we are running with these programs of Sankirtan. Now starts the evening program.

These Blog posts are life to us.

Hare Krishna Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances, AGTSP

I'll tried to condense this as I know your very busy. I had a couple important questions Maharaj, and I humbly seek your guidance.

I returned from Korea to Oklahoma here at Fort Sill. I've remained vegan/lactose-vegeterian since Korea (picked at often for it by fellow Soldiers, I kindly explain karma if they truly inquire).

I spent a good fortune of my military pension bonus on returning my mother (Bhaktin S) back to the USA from Europe (despite her felon warrant for DUI). She unfortunately started at her bad habits again while at her mother's residence and was arrested & extradited/charged. I bought her an attorney to get her the best possible outcome and her final sentencing (conditional plea of guilt) she must serve 2 years, possibly more based on a parole board.

I also gave away her property (many sacred deitys from Mayapur and some Shila stones) at B. Temple on the temple owners advice. On the eve of Gaura-Purnima, to my surprise many devotees eagerly appeared and accepted them into their homes. I still had two legitimate Narasimha-Shaligrams in a wooden box that no-one could accept. I took them back to Oklahoma and had an opportunity to travel to Dallas where I visited the Kalachandji Temple. I met the devotee visitor manager there. Surprisingly, I learned the manager & family knew a particular family from B. Temple very well and had housed them during a few visits several years ago.

I explained I needed a home for the Shilas and they graciously accepted. It was a breath of fresh air being around fellow devotees for a time.

Did I do the right thing Maharaj? I feel like the Lord was pushing me to do this for Her.. It's the duty of the oldest son to protect his mother correct?

http://vanisource.org/wiki/SB_8.9.9 (translation & purport).

I still want to become a M.D. -- I'm looking at re-enlisting in the Army soon and have two options towards this goal:

1. Join a particular unit where I could achieve better training and experience. If I do this, I could leave Oklahoma this year yet at the cost of a few more years of service.

2. Go back to state college in the Army Reserves and use the GI bill to complete this Bio. degree (yet remain in Oklahoma for 18 more months).

I still want to go to Med. School through the military. I want to believe the plan I'm following now is one of service and not selfishness. I don't know what else I'd do at this point. Maharaj.. I humbly ask you to advise what you believe is wise. . .

I wish I had more devotees nearby to associate with. I'm striving to get back onto the bhakti footpath (not the warpath).

Hoping to improve everyday in service, to make this lifetime worth something

-RMG

HpS - AGTSP.... Thank you for the news. It is very nice. A look into the USA Armed Forces. I feel a little proud to be an American after I hear this. At the present I rather ashamed that we have not got a better man than Mr. Trump for President.

M. D. sounds fine. Main thing is set some standard for Japa for a certain period. eg. two rounds/day for the next fortnight. Then do it. Assess the results and head to Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet. Japa :>> Sankirtan.

I can't make much distinction between the two service options. They both seem viable to me. Chant HK and maybe some one else can give you more expert advice.

I think you are a real good son. Yes, it seems the Silas are going where they want to.

Keep a nice Diary and later share it if Krsna wills.

Hare Krsna dear Maharaj!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All glories to you! Thank you for always showering your mercy upon me.

HpS - ASA -- AGTSP! We are self interested devils but Srila Prabhupada gives us an example that we cannot deny.

Please accept my humble obeisances.

Thank you for your last response. I was eagerly waiting for it. It's always delightful, as usual :).

As per uni, study is alright I guess. I have complained too much already and it is doing no good 😂

. So I guess I must simply appreciate what I have right now and see where Krsna leads me. I haven't been studying too much lately, procrastinating as usual 🙃

. And like always, we regret it afterwards. But still, no lesson is learnt. Anyway, hopefully one day I may reach a stage where I won't need incessant amounts of motivation.

HpS - I had an upper division organic chemistry class. I would read the next day's topic before the class and then then professor would lecture on that content. As he was lecturing I would just ask myself, was that in the book? Will I remember that? And teh answer was yes, yes, yes. So I didn't have to take any notes. There were two Chinese guys taking notes like mad and looking at me like I was some oddity.

Then one day I slipped, didn't read before, then I had to write like mad because I didn't know if it was in the book! Reduced labor! More time for water skiing or ...

I haven't really made any new friends yet. I generally just go to my classes and head home. So I don't keep much time for socialising. Even then, most people have made their group of friends already and at this point, it's quite hard to join in. Anyway, I don't find it my ultimate goal to befriend myself with everyone. Whoever I talk to, I am nice to. Maybe next semester I'll try to expand my friendship circle.

HpS - Tell them how nice the Spring weather is! Chapter Ten, Krsna says among seasons I am Spring. You are their Guru. Unless you save then who will?

At temple, things are going well. Regular Harinam and Saturday Feast attendance. Friends are alright, drama as usual 😂

. I try not to involve myself. I try to just engage myself with activities and the program and not get too caught up in all this. There is simply no benefit.

I've got some questions Maharaj!!!

1. I've actually been meaning to ask you this for a while but I kept forgetting. Previously I asked you if I could use my father's japa beads. You didn't really recommend it. But, at that time, we were moving houses and all stuff was packed in boxes. And I couldn't locate my original Japa. So I continued to use my papa's. And now, I think I have perhaps 'contaminated' it by now so.... What should I do? Is it alright to continue using it? Is it bad that I have been? If so, please forgive me for my foolishness. HpS - I don't think it is good. It would be kind of like smoking his pipe or something. You should apologize to Them. Put them on your altar and include them in the Arati as Krsna's paraphernalia. Then get your own.
2. On another note... What if there is a person who is interested in some of the Krsna Conscious philosophy, not too much in depth yet. And they are gay. I read somewhere that being gay is an extreme form of lust. If devotees preach too hard on this matter, the person will feel rejected from ISKCON, giving it a bad reputation. Ultimately, everyone needs to be renounced I guess. But, at the end of the day, Krsna loves everyone. And anything anyone does Krsna appreciates, isn't it? Anyway, what is your point of view on this matter, should it be allowed? Promoted even? Everyone says time, place and circumstance, does this relate? HpS - ASA --- Go to our Website, www.jayarama.us, go to the Archives, then download asa-encyclopedia.docx, then go to the article, homosexual, then ask your next question on the topic. Then, then, then...
3. I have some more controversial questions but perhaps it is not best to ask them publicly and display my foolishness even more 😆 HpS - Better to be known as a fool and correct the problem than to be known as intelligent and end up in real hot water.

Thank you Maharaj for always clearing my doubts. I appreciate the time you spend to reply to my messages. I know you are a very busy person. My apologies for any offences I have made.

I wish your health is in best condition, and so, you may visit Brisbane some time soon :). Please!

Your fallen servant,

Lakshmi

HpS - Hey, what is the news about the Bhimasena?? How are your Aunt, Uncle, Grandmother. I just realized, you are one half Muslim lady, no? That is very nice!!

AGTSP

Dear guru maharaja

thanks for your reply. Yes we hope to see you in July. I read on twitter that you are hit by a fever, we pray that you will have good health soon.

your servant

nara narayana rsi das

HpS - AGTSP paoho. Thank you. Yes, we get attacked by hay fever very very sharply one day and then nothing for several days. This body is a disease. May we both die a lot every day!

Dear Guru Maharaja, Hare Krishna, please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada !

Last year, after I finished the education thing I was doing, the summer season with renting apartments activity kicked in in full force. I was into that work through the summer trying to do all the needed stuff related to that. At the end of the summer I got one (another job). It happened quickly (but not hastily) and smoothly. It's interesting that for that 'new' job I needed a level of education which I got a few months before. The new job does not have anything with business education I was doing. So, now I am working as an assistant in the regular public elementary school classroom for children who have difficulties in following the classes, be that physical, psychological, emotional, … I started in the beginning of the September and in few weeks this school year will end.

HpS - So nice!!

Because of that my online presence is scarce. Well, it is not just because of that. Other reason is that I prefer to relate to people "face to face", not "screen to screen", if possible. Of course, one and only regular internet no-job activity is reading this blog.

In the beginning, middle and end of all these activities I continue with japa yajna and was reading few books by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Got great inspiration from him while seeing his broad understanding of vaisnava tattva. Also I was gifted with a book by Edwin Bryant (Advaita das?) about Bhakti yoga and Bhagavata Purana. I remeber you sharing some of his work about Bhagavata history, so I believe you know about him. For me, this is another nice book.

HpS - He is astounding person! One devotee told me with a smile, "Devotees don't know if he is a demon or a devotee, and demons don't know if he is a demon or a devotee". A lot of academic scholarship is demoniac. He has helped me a lot with his books.

Meeting with devotees are not so frequent as before. But I am happy to say that many times after we meet, I leave with a feeling of gratitude and enrichment.

Kind of, I have difficulty writing my wanderings and thoughts here, as I see some other devotees are experiencing. Maybe is just not a habit ... and also lacking of time to put thoughts into writing words.

Thank you!

Your servant, Namacarya das

HpS - Thank you. God, after not hearing from you for so long we were afraid that you had joined a Croatian circus and were traveling around the world as an acrobat. Send us more news after a few weeks!

Hare Krishna amado Gurudev

Por favor acepte mis más humildes reverencias.

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada.

Le escribo estas líneas para contarle que desde que tomé iniciación a sus pies de loto, he tenido servicios fijos cocinando y haciendo pujari para sus Señorias Gaura-Nitay y sus Señorias Jaghanatta, Baladeva y Subadra. También estuve comprando las flores para las deidades y cocinando para las fiestas en Wilson Mandir.

Estoy fijo en mis rondas (16 rondas) y siguiendo los cuatro principios regulativos.

Para el mes de febrero me dieron el cargo de encargado del pujari y he estado fijo y entusiasta en el cargo que me dieron las autoridades de Wilson Mandir. El día 6 de abril pasó un incidente en el templo, me robaron mis pertenencias mientras hacía servicio (célular y dinero), esto me deprimió mucho y me creó una gran ansiedad y estrés porque estaba confundido con lo sucedido. No pienso alejarme de la Conciencia de Krsna y mucho menos de su asociación, ya que por su misericordia es que sigo llendo por el camino correcto.

En estos momentos estoy alejado de los servicios en el templo, ya que por el incidente que le comenté, mi salud se ha visto afectada, he estado llendo al médico y me están haciendo pruebas para descartar alguna enfermedad seria ya que tengo mareos, vértigo y desequilibrio.

Ruego que me disculpe por no haberle escrito el reporte antes, pero quiero que sepa que cada día he estado meditando en Ud.

Su sirviente,

Meghapuspa das

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Hare Krishna. Gracias por su carta. Krsna te está diciendo que tienes que protegerlo de los ives. La madre Yasoda siempre estaba ansiosa porque su bebé se quemara o fuera atacado por chacales. Mantén tu posesión cerca de ti. Mantenga a su bebé cerca de usted.

Ayude a los templos de ISKCON a desarrollar mejores programas de seguridad.

No dejes ISKCON. Aprende cómo evitar a los demonios en ISKCON. En nosotros mismos

Envíenos más noticias sobre su burro (mente y cuerpo) y el pasajero en el burro.