Letters to the editor

Dear Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I am little hesitant to write because you wrote that you have 30-something un-answered letters. On the other hand, I see that you usually, if not always, encourage people to write here on the blog.

HpS - Yes! We must get the energy to answer letters properly. Please don't hesitate. At the end of each day the Monkeys would reassemble and recall the days experiences in searching for Sita, Sankirtan.

I do not want to give you more burden on your eyes, etc. 

~~~

Work - there is one more month of the summer season and renting to go. As for now, we are satisfied with the results (income). The other, let's call it no-summer-job - I was accepted in another elementary school. School and contract start on the 9th of September. It happened that there were at least two elementary schools which wanted that I worked for them. It felt nice to be wanted. In contrast when experiencing going from one job apply to other and be rejected.

HpS - What do you teach?

~~~

In your previous letter, you asked how I know devotees from Serbia? From cca. 2000. to 2005. I was visiting there for a few festivals. Also, many devotees from Serbia were coming to Pula for our summer camp and they used to stay for a few more days after the camp, so we had some quality time together. 

Programs in Pula, in our local center/temple, are more sporadic than regular. However, these programs are sweet and heartful, in my opinion. 

~~~

In one blog letter, you wrote that "historically in Gaudiya movement, there have been deviant branches, "gurus" who did things that we can't even discuss.". Is it too much to ask you to say something more about it? I am aware of the after-Caitanya era with sahajiya "bhakti groups" about which Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote. Did you thought about that, or something else, a little more close to today?

HpS - There is an academic group of ISKCON professors in Gaudiya Vaisnavism that Saunka rsi Das organizes. I went to one of their meetings and they were making academic presentations of their work. I started to write one of the incidents that they have passed here and realized that it is just took terrible.

Of course, there is the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown is an example of Christian deviation. If you want to hear of Gaudiya insanity, past and recent, then call us.

For Balarama-Purnima I read about Him. A question or observation appeared. When Balarama was intoxicated and he invited Yamuna to come to him. She did not want to. And Balarama got angry. In our life, we try hard to control anger (lust and greed too). And all-powerful God goes angry because a river does not want to listen to Him. Sure, it can be explained that it is a lila (pastime). Or that God is God and He can get angry wherever and whenever He wants. I will not argue with both of these. Still, the idea stays that He gets angry if somebody does not want to do what he asks to be done. We, on another side, go through life trying to not get angry on many things that happen to us. I am trying to find the connection/inspiration.

HpS - Beat me! Beat me! If Lord Balarama becomes angry with us it is wonderful. Usually all we get is strick reactions from Maya like a machine. If it will benefit us then He acts that way. Hiranyakasipu would honly relate to Krsna in anger, so Krsna related that way. "Their is a very thin line between love and hate", said Bhisma?

"Yes," Said Amba.

Another incident is how he fastly killed Romaharsana Suta just for not giving him respects. Imagine it happening in the local temple. There is God arriving in some local assembly. One person does not offer respect and God kills that person right away. Of course, we have all-merciful Lord Nityananda! Who tolerated being hit in the head with a bottle by drunk "brahmanas". Ohh, ahh, paradoxies in gaudiya vaisnava siddhanta... Well, at least, they make me think about God, Absolute Truth from different angles of vision.

HpS - Gotta know the details! Gotta be there! Tenth Canto... We want to be kicked. We want Mommy and Daddy to take away the candy sometimes. Yes, Lila, lot of details. Anger is expression of intense love.

~~~

In my regular Bhagavatam reading, I am at Siva, Sati, Daksa situation. When Sati went to Daksa's yajna alone and got not respected (nor Siva nor her), she told Daksa, her father that "I am going to give up this body which connects me to you". It looks like she was giving much importance to this bodily relation. I mean to say, from when she was born, her body changed at least a few times until that moment. [from BG: Since every living entity is an individual soul, each is changing his body every moment, manifesting sometimes as a child, sometimes as a youth and sometimes as an old man. ] Still, she felt the connection to father strongly and wanted to relinquish it. And had done that. So I wonder, Brahma gets illusioned, Balarama gets angry, Sati kills herself because her father does not respect her husband (who is also a great devotee), Dhruva kills way too many Yaksas even after getting darshan with Visnu and being fully (or almost) purified. And then I am here at the beginning of Kali-yuga with all my shortcomings trying to improve my character.

HpS - A Ksatriya to our understanding is not so self controled. He is a man in the mode of passion. He expects his companions, wife, Brahmana counselors to really push him to act this way or that way. So Dhruva got into the combat with the Yaksas. They didn't have to fight. They came out and charged, no? So Maharaja Dhruva just got into the immediate scene and yes, his grandfather slowed him down. A Brahmana is selfe controled. Lonely guy.

We see Krsna, Narada Muni did, but still we got attachments. The Darshana is not complete, though very high. So Krsna arranges pastimes to stimulate our down and dirty attachements to get them up and out. SOmetimes in dreams, sometimes is actual physical scenes, no?

~~~~~

These are just a few thoughts here in this report. Apart from that, we still have the roof above the head, a bed to lay on, kingly feasts to offer to Krsna, and we are very much thankful for that and many more blessings (vaisnavas, guru, Bhagavan compassion) in our life.

Thank you!

Your servant, Namacarya Das

HpS - Hey respects to Mataji. Does she help with the rentals?

<pre class="ql-syntax" spellcheck="false">Hare Krishna dear Gurudeva, PAMHO, AGTSP! I have spoken with Gino, to do the initiation ceremony both together in Madrid on the 22nd. It is better for me to go to Madrid from Valencia than to go to NVM. Is it okay for you to do so? HARE KRISHNA </pre>

HpS - You have to check with Jayanta Das. I think Madrid temple didn't want fires in their building?so it was scheduled for NVM. Barcelona??

Hare Krishna Maharaja!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Please, accept my respectful obeisances...

Today you gave this following instruction through FMP: "send to the blog the menu you cook today to offer to Krishna"

Well, I'm living right now in a place without kitchen, so I offered apple and avocato. I send you a picture of my makeshift altar.

Thank you very much, all glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I was reading here in the blog some letters between you and Rodrigo, very deep feeling I felt... Some times I miss him...

What about me? Only problems, with my origin family, with my spiritual family, with my job, with people around... especially I've got conflicts with me or myself... I'm so tired... but it is so wierd because I can feel the Krishna's presence. I don't know what to do... so I just trying to get shelter in the Maha Mantra.

Your aspiring servant,

Carlos Rold.

HpS - Thank you. Thank you for your constant association, intelligence. Avacado. Can use a rice cooker. They work anywhere. Avacado and rice for Krsna!!

I am in a tornado of stuff too. Srila Prabhupada was in the same tornado preaching in Bombay with no money before he came to USA, but each evening after his Sankirtan he would recollect his intelligence, bathe, cook for Krsna, Sing for Krsna, Dance for Krsna, and take Krsna's Prasad!! Happy life.

Hare Krishna! I send you some drawings :)

HpS - We look for them.

Hare Krishna! Maharaja you mean much to me!

I really am inspired by you and I love the way you present Krishna Consciousness and connect so many topics back to this philosophy. I have tried to also follow your ways and promote Krishna Consciousness in this broad universal style.

From 2018 until now I have sort of distanced myself from devotees and the movement, there was a lot going on in my mind I needed to sort things out, re-calibrate my existence and find direction. I have a tendency to be a "people pleaser" and I noticed in temple settings I would lose my personality and morph into whatever the devotees around me wanted me to be.

I felt this wasn't right on my part and sometimes I felt taken advantage of. I also feel that in general many devotees are very sectarian and do not present Krishna Consciousness in a way that is attractive to new comers. Plenty of people visit the temple each week, very few stay or come back. I felt that there is a better way to connect with the public.

Partially this is why I have created a new image for myself, I have sort of positioned myself on the fringes of the movement so new people feel comfortable talking to me, I am very gentle with them and gain their trust before nudging them forward. I have noticed some benefits to this. In the last few years I helped to cultivate 20-30 new people about half of which are very serious, they are practicing more than myself. They are full time engaged in an ashram, traveling sankirtana or at their house. The other half are still at the very beginning stages but they are interested and it's only a matter of time until they fully jump in.

Although my practice has dwindled still I would talk with these young people and answer their questions or try and guide them to a temple or anything to help them, this somehow kept me engaged in devotional service from a distance.

I regret distancing myself from the movement and the fact that my sadhana went down to nearly 0, the only thing I managed to do is sometimes chant in my mind, listen to a kirtan, or just think about how glorious Srila Prabhupada is. I can't regret it too much though because I see now that life is not a straight line, there are many bumps and turns and this is what forms our character.

After my friend Prahlad commited suicide, my sister died of cancer, and my girlfriend of 5 years left me I had a lot to process. I just turned 28 yesterday and over the past month I have realized it is time to get back on track. I was doing a temporary job which had me traveling and staying in a hotel up by Chicago for a few weeks. While there I got to visit the temple and celebrate Balaram's appearance day, Janmastami etc. It was very refreshing to spend the night in the ashram, go to Mangal arti, and serve along side devotees. I remember how beautiful this movement is. So now I am doing much better than I had been. I chant on my beads and read each morning, I hear lectures and all of the old feelings and inspiration I once had are returning.

ASA - !!

For future plans I have come across a chance to work with some Russian devotees from the Sri Caitanya Saraswath Matha, they have a project in the arts district in downtown LA. They have these big domes where they host events, have artists display their work, they are attracting the young new age hippies, and subliminally planting higher consciousness into the mix. The project is called "Wisdome-LA" here is a link https://wisdome.la/

I don't really know what to do, but this seemed like something that would fit with my style and nature. As I get serious again I feel that this online preaching will take off and help connect many people with Krishna consciousness.

Hope you are well and thank you for all the wonderful things you are doing!

Hare Krishna, Dandavats

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

HpS - It is very nice to hear from you. Your results seem fantastic! Of course, the danger is SB 1.3, no? Last part. Vyasadeva got involved in preaching TOO indirectly and was not satisfied..... so, it is your fine line to draw!

More news as it grows! Daniel in the "City of the Angels"!

Querido Gurumaharaja 

Por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias!

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada! 

Oramos para que Sri Nrsimhadeva siempre proteja a Sri Guru. 

Últimamente he tenido algunas experiencias que me llevan a cuestionar algunas cosas.

Recientemente una madre pujari me quito un servicio con mentiras, mentiras que me hicieron poner en dudas la veracidad del jefe de pujari quien parece ser un caballero, así que no sé si mi actitud estuvo peor que la mentira. 

Si bien es cierto todos anhelamos un servicio y tenemos el derecho de luchar por el, pero esto se ve turbio cuando hay falta de veracidad. 

Por otro lado, anteriormente, me tocó asistir a un Istha gosthi en donde tuvimos que presenciar muchos desacuerdos de nuestra comunidad de devotos mayores, todos enfocados a una buena causa, el bienestar del templo, pero habían tantas versiones y cada quien defendía su verdad. 

Como devota menor traté de apegarme a la etiqueta vaisnava y mantener una posición neutral y tratar de entender que hay razones fuertes de nuestros mayores, felizmente tuve otro servicio y pude retirarme más temprano, es triste ver actitudes y escuchar palabras ásperas incluso de menores a mayores o de caballeros o las damas, como Usted nos ha aconsejado "únicamente Krsna y Balarama matan a los demonios en Vrndavana"  

Considerando la gran importancia del fin de estas situaciones, que no se cuestiona y se entiende perfectamente, que tan saludable puede ser para la vida espiritual de un tercero como yo, neófito, que no aporta nada, presenciar estas situaciones? 

Cada verdad es bien fundamentada y siempre hay no menos de 2 versiones, debo creer , debo dudar ? 

Queda refugiarse en Sri Guru, las Escrituras sagradas y los Santos Nombres. 

Recuerdo más o menos una historia que Usted contó:

Había un burro... este burro no sabía decir no a nadie ni nada. Nunca decía que no y todo aceptaba.

Un día alguien se le acercó a la oreja y le dijo algo, de inmediato el burro movió la cabeza y orejas en señal negativa. Todos sorprendidos porque el burro había rechazado una petición.

Cuando preguntaron que se le había dicho para que reaccione con tal determinación, dijeron que le habían preguntado al burro "si podía ser presidente del templo" 

Su torpe pero eterna aspirante a sirviente 

Asta Sakhi dd ( otro burro )

HpS - Hemos pasado dias fuertes en casi la misma conflictos en administracion en Peru. Oooof! Si puede ayudar Krsna y Balarama, muy bien. Si, no, puede tomar refugio abajo de la cama.

Si alguien es ofensiva, codicioso, en su servcio, desea fama, comodo... podemos entender que tiene un apego material, y sus amigos y enimigos son todo an ilusion creado por Maya y su mente.

No preocupamos lo que dice un hombre loco. Es locura. Evitar convertir en enimigo de nuestra enimigos y ver cual es su delusion, apego, y como podemos ayudar ellos, y posible entonces ellos puede ayudar nosotros con nuestras apegos. Muchos ciegos regresando al cielo.

O.K???