Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna, Maharash !

I am very happy to be here.

Estoy muy contenta de estar aquí.

I would like to see you soon.

Me gustaría verte pronto.

Mis humildes reverencias.

HpS - ASA

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We are happy you are here.

We hope more of you comes here.

We must pay higher powers like the city and the state for water and electricity.

We must pay for the air we breath.

How?

Chanting at least one Maha-mantra for each breath we breath?

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna!!

Let the Mantra generate our thoughts, desires, actions?

Will we become like mad people?

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Hare Krsna querido Guru Maharaja

Por favor acepte mis rendidas reverencias

Todas las Glorias sean a Srila Prabhupada🌻

🙇

Todas las Glorias a Usted que nos guía tras los pasos de Su Divino maestro. 🙇

Deseando que su salud sea buena y favorable a su Sankirtana, permítame agradecerle infinitamente por llevarnos (en línea) con usted a todos los lugares que visita. Este viaje a Richmond fue muy inspirador, me impresionó mucho la comunidad infantil. 

Por mi parte, algunas cosas han cambiado desde mi ultima carta.

Gracias a sus misericordiosas instrucciones, mi corazón está liberándose poco a poco de la culpa y el resentimiento, creo que he dejado de sentirme “Verdugo y víctima”. Estoy entendiendo que sentirme culpable es solo un disfraz para seguir siendo controlador y sentirme víctima es solo un escape para evadir mi responsabilidad. Estoy trabajando sinceramente para sanar y aprender de mi experiencia.

Debido a sus bendiciones, nuestro muy Misericordioso Señor, me ha enviado mucha ayuda...  

Hace tiempo, cuando le hable respecto a la separación con mi esposo, usted me comento que “para una dama indu hablar de divorcio es tanto como hablar de suicidio”. No soy indu, pero en mi experiencia podría decir que es totalmente cierto, es una experiencia cercana a la muerte🙈

…  En estos meses tome un curso sobre el duelo en el “Karuna Care education”, me ayudó a entender muchas cosas que estaba sintiendo a causa de la separación y me brindo estrategias para que estas emociones no sigan anclando mis practicas devocionales.

Es increíble, pero creo que -hasta ahora- estoy entendiendo (un poco) algunas instrucciones básicas en la práctica de la conciencia de Krsna… 1) ¡No soy el controlador!, 2) ¡Krsna es el supremo propietario! y 3) Mi relación con los otros, es con su identidad eterna y no con su cuerpo.

Por otro lado, empecé a estudiar el curso pada padma bajo la guía de SS Yadunandana Swami. Es una experiencia muy nectárea.

Estoy reuniéndome en línea con algunas damas vaisnavas de España, Argentina y otros países. Hablamos de distintos temas y proporcionan herramientas para mejorar nuestra comunicación, es un Vaisnava Sanga informal pero muy agradable, enriquecedor y práctico. 

También continúo con un servicio humilde en el templo (dos días a la semana). Puedo ver que tengo muchos aspectos a mejorar. Pero por ahora estoy tratando de sanarme y avanzar desde mi limitada posición.  Gurudeva, le estoy eternamente agradecida por mantenerme de pie y luchando a pesar de mis limitaciones ¿hay algo en que pueda servirle?

Por favor discúlpeme por aprender tan lentamente.

Gracias por su guía e instrucción.

Su aspirante a sirviente

Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi 

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Hare Krsna, dear Guru Maharaja

Please accept my deepest obeisances

All Glories be to Srila Prabhupada🌻

🙇

All Glories to You who guide us in the footsteps of Your Divine Master. 🙇

HpS - Only because he uses us to do so!

Wishing your health to be good and conducive to your Sankirtana, let me thank you infinitely for taking us (online) with you to all the places you visit. This trip to Richmond was very inspiring, I was very impressed by the children's community.

HpS - They seem pretty sincere, but of course as they grow up many material desires may manifest!!!

For my part, some things have changed since my last letter.

Thanks to your merciful instructions, my heart is gradually freeing itself of guilt and resentment, I think I have stopped feeling like "executioner and victim". I am understanding that feeling guilty is just a disguise to remain controlling and feeling victimized is just an escape to evade my responsibility. I am sincerely working to heal and learn from my experience.

HpS - Vaisnava! Useful soldier. General.

Due to his blessings, our most Merciful Lord has sent me much help...

Some time ago, when I spoke to you about the separation from my husband, you told me that “for an Indian lady, talking about divorce is as much as talking about suicide”. I am not an Hindu, but in my experience I could say that it is totally true, it is a near death experience🙈

… In these months I took a course on grief at "Karuna Care education", it helped me understand many things I was feeling because of the separation and it provided me with strategies so that these emotions do not continue to anchor my devotional practices.

It's unbelievable, but I think that -until now- I am understanding (a little) some basic instructions in Krsna consciousness practice... 1) I am not the controller! 2) Krsna is the supreme owner! and 3) My relationship with others is with his eternal identity and not with his body.

HpS - You can love everyone. Nothing make you not loving them and being their friend.

On the other hand, I started studying the pada padma course under the guidance of HH Yadunandana Swami. It is a very nectarean experience.

I am meeting online with some Vaisnava ladies from Spain, Argentina and other countries. We talk about different topics and they provide tools to improve our communication, it is an informal but very pleasant, enriching and practical Vaisnava Sanga.

I also continue with a humble service in the temple (two days a week). I can see that I have many aspects to improve. But for now I am trying to heal and move forward from my limited position. Gurudeva, I am eternally grateful to you for keeping me standing and fighting despite my limitations. Is there anything I can do for you?

HpS - You are doing it. Go ahead. Become as famous as Draupadi in Vaisnava history.

Please excuse me for learning so slowly.

Thank you for your guidance and instruction.

Your would-be servant

Karuna Sakti Devi Dasi

HpS - You are a rocket in your learning speed compared to us. We are forcing Srila Prabhupada to drag us!!! Hare Krsna. Expect unexpected miracles.



Hare Krishna Gurudeva

please accept my obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

How is the movie?

HpS - AgtSP.... O. K. 3.5 out of 5 points.

It is amazing what art in its various branches can do to bring people closer to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

On the day of Lord Ramacandra's appearance I put on the Lord Ramacandra movie, the one in anime, and my mother connected with it and watched. They also had prasadam that I cooked for Lord Ramacandra.

Well Gurudeva, I wanted to tell you that I have been wanting to follow his instruction for some time to compose music based on the songs of the acaryas, but the truth is that I have not done it very well.

In this incarnation I have had the tendency to not be able to follow a single instruction, or to give another meaning to the instructions I receive, this can be seen in my birth chart with Guru Candala Yoga, and it is true, I can see that difficulty in me . I tend to distort the content of the message and it is also due to my bad English, since the translations are in that language.

Lately I haven't composed much music, on the one hand because I don't feel musically resourceful and on the other because of motivation and atmosphere. I only play music as a therapy, to express myself.

I want to comply with his order, but I wanted to ask if besides composing songs based on acaryas' poems, can I make other songs based on philosophy or hobbies? Going from a direct platform to another that is broader to reach more people with the message.

HpS - As far as I understand Srila Prabhupada's ideas, the answer would be yes, but from a platform of nice absorption in the best song, the SB.

In 2018 I asked if I could make a record based on the Bhagavad gita and you told me it was a good idea. I explained to you that a Bhagavad Gita could be distributed along with the disc, but you told me that it was better to distribute only one chapter and if I remember correctly you suggested chapter 16, the Divine and Demonic nature, do you still think the same?

HpS - Don't remember the incident but is sounds nice. It is a good chapter.

Well Gurudeva, I have realized that what satisfies me the most is the writing, I verified that when making songs, where what I was most concerned about was the message of the lyrics. I still do not feel like a writer, but I would like to do it, and with them please you and the chain of teachers.

I'm really scattered, it's hard for me to stay with one thing and do one thing, but I have to adapt to my mind and body, see how I can serve Krishna with everything he touched me.

Thank you very much Gurudeva

your servant

Piyari Mohan das.

HpS - AGTSP. I hope that all the hurt and pain in your life and the lives of those with whom you are in contact gets adjusted soon.



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Hare Krishna Gurudeva

Por favor acepte mis reverencias

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

¿Cómo va la película? Es increíble lo que puede hacer el arte en sus diversas ramas para acercar a las personas a conciencia de Kṛṣṇa. El día de la aparición del Señor Ramacandra puse la película del Señor Ramacandra, la que es en anime y mi madre conectó con ella y se quedó viendo. También tomaron prasadam que cociné para el Señor Ramacandra.

Bueno Gurudeva, quería contarle que he estado un tiempo queriendo seguir su instrucción de componer música en base a las canciones de los acaryas, pero la verdad es que no lo he hecho muy bien.

En esta encarnación me ha tocado tener la tendencia a no poder seguir una sola instrucción, o a darle otro significado a las instrucciones que recibo, esto se ve en mi carta astral con el Guru Candala Yoga, y es verdad, puedo ver en mí esa dificultad. Tiendo a desvirtuar el contenido del mensaje y también se debe a mi mal inglés, ya que las traducciones están en ese idioma.

Últimamente no he compuesto mucha música, por un lado por que no me siento con recursos musicales y por otro por motivación y ambiente. Solamente toco música como una terapia, para expresarme.

Quiero cumplir su orden, pero quería preguntarle si además de componer en base a las canciones de los poemas de los acaryas, ¿puedo hacer otras canciones basándose en la filosofía o en pasatiempos?. Yendo desde una plataforma directa a otra que sea más amplia para llegar a más personas el mensaje.

En el 2018 yo le pregunté por si podía hacer un disco basándose en el Bhagavad gita y usted me dijo que era buena idea. Yo le expliqué que se podría distribuir un Bhagavad Gita junto al disco, pero usted me dijo que era mejor distribuir solamente un capítulo y si mal no recuerdo usted sugirió el capítulo 16, la naturaleza Divina y Demoníaca, ¿Sigue pensando igual?

Bueno Gurudeva, me he dado cuenta que lo que más me satisface es la escritura, eso lo comprobé al hacer canciones, donde lo que más me preocupaba era el mensaje de la letra. Todavía no me siento como un escritor, pero me gustaría hacerlo, y con ellos complacerlo a usted y a la cadena de maestros.

Soy muy disperso la verdad, me cuesta quedarme con una sola cosa y hacer una sola cosa, pero tengo que adecuarme a mi mente y cuerpo, ver de que manera puedo servir a Krishna con todo lo que me tocó.

Muchas gracias Gurudeva

Su sirviente

Piyari Mohan das.

Dear Maharaj

PAMHO AGTSP!

I have been doing some research on adults who were neglected as children (my husband, his mother and father both left his older sister and him under the care of a cook and cleaning maid to go to school on their own as his father lived out of country and mother lived out of town).

I’ve noticed he reacts to neglect with much more warmth than he reacts to love, and commitment from me. In fact he finds my commitment suffocating. When I didn’t speak to him for a week while living together (everything I came to even give him Prasadam he’s tell and shew me away), he was so much more loving (just in Feb), when I left home and moved to my parents’ place, again loving messages in March, then when I blocked him (unblocked him now) and didn’t speak for 2 weeks, showed some cold concern for me getting very sick.

He has trouble speaking his feelings, is very easily upset if I’m even slightly disappointed in him, told me I don’t woo him, wants to be the center of attention, praise, doesn’t let people in, doesn’t express, has developed several kinds of addictions (maybe as a result of childhood neglect), has an extreme desire to please his parents (make a 2-10 million dollar mansion for his parents) to maybe feel deserving of their love.

Its very tough to develop a relationship with such a person. How can neglect be used to grow the relationship and of course he doesn’t trust me. Maybe extreme wooing by another man’s desperate wife, has temporarily caused extreme attraction in him towards her. I’ve tried wooing him and he came back home, but it didn’t last and he went back.

I’ve been praying to Tulsi Devi for protecting my chastity. She even gave me rare chance of doing her Aarti in temple I felt as if she accepted my prayers. But I don’t know how to love my husband, help him come out of this unhealthy relationship with another man’s wife. Maharaj is there any diagnosis of these behavior patterns and how someone in a relationship with such a person should act with them?

HpS - Maybe, but I don't know what it is. The Jivas are part and parcel of Krsna. Ultimately He has given them some independence so to some degree even He does not know what they are going to do.

Eg. a father knows his 6-year old is not going to drive the car to the market and get a bank loan, but he knows that his son has the choice of doing his duty of feeding his dog or not, but it is an option that the boy has.

I have been in equally complicated situations in Temple management and one comment of Srila Prabhupada worked: Don't leave, don't deviate. Do the service that you KNOW Srila Prabhupada wants you to do eg. 1st chant 16-nice rounds live or die, then the four principles strict, etc.

Change your life around getting these done.

Then you will see that all the other options eg. live with husband, parents, brother, B'carini ashrama... will gradually become completely clear. You won't even have to think about them much.

HK/HR!!

Your home is in heaven. Your only happiness here is getting free from material attachments so you can go home!

Your aspiring servant,

Yajnaseni DD

Hare Krishna Gurudeva, PAMHO, AGTSP

Your trip to Richmond, VA surcharged our sprits and we immensely enjoyed your association. The whole home is feeling empty and taking time to readjust. Some how trying to engage more in Krishna activites and part of that I would like to take "Bhakti Vaibhava" class.

Kindly advice, suggest some ideas, where can I do ? Are there any in US to follow?

HpS -Jaya!!! There is no substitute for reading, studying, srila prabhupada's book with just the intention of getting his intimate association.

beyond that different systematic studies are there.

Divya nama Das said the Temple was looking at starting a program around janmastami time.

houston might be starting about the same time or sooner.

then you can look for the vidyapitha in the govardhana eco village.

!!!

Hare Krishna Gurudeva.

YHS

-Subala Sakha Das

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja.

Por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias.

Todas las glorias sean para Srila Prabhupada!

Querido Gurudev, espero se encuentre muy bien.

Aquí seguimos. Ahora tenemos 12 estudiantes en Bhakti Sastri.

Indira Radha cumplió 6 años ayer. Celebramos con pizza y torta prasadam.

Gurudev, tengo algunas preguntas, la primera es de un estudiante de BS.

1- Cuando hablamos de cumplir con nuestro deber, en el capítulo 3 del BG, Krsna nos dice que debemos cumplir nuestro deber, sino cometemos pecado. ¿Qué pasa con las personas transgénero? Por ejemplo; Un hombre se siente mujer y actúa como mujer, ¿ está incurriendo en pecado por no cumplir con su deber de comportarse como hombre?

2- En BVB ha surgido una discusión sobre poner "Pie de página" en los libros de Srila Prabhupada, para explicar ciertas cosas como cuando se habla que la mujer es inferior, o que la raza negra es inferior. ¿qué piensa usted sobre eso?.

3- En un verso del capítulo 5 del canto 3 del SB, Srila Prabhupada dice que Krsna se interesa por las personas civilizadas, que toman un maestro espiritual. Por otro lado el Señor Caitanya dice que debemos dar el Santo Nombre a todas las personas, sin discriminación. ¿el santo nombre es para todos, y los libros solo para personas civilizadas, o inteligentes?.

4- Con respecto a los Anarthas. El NDD dice que al cantar el santo nombre vamos purificando los Anarthas y que estos "salen". ¿cómo podemos identificar cuando estamos purificando nuestros anarthas? A veces actuamos mal, entonces ¡cómo sabemos si es nuestro anartha manifestado o es nuestro anartha que sale porque estamos purificándonos?

Gurudev, espero que se entiendan las preguntas. Muchas gracias.

Su aspirante a sirviente

Priya Sakhi dd

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Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja.

Please accept my respectful obeisances.

All glories be to Srila Prabhupada!

Dear Gurudev, I hope you are very well.

Here we continue. Now we have 12 students at Bhakti Sastri.

Indira Radha turned 6 years old yesterday. We celebrate with pizza and prasadam cake.

Gurudev, I have some questions, the first one is from a BS student.

1- When we talk about fulfilling our duty, in chapter 3 of the BG, Krsna tells us that we must fulfill our duty, otherwise we commit sin. What about transgender people? For example; A man feels like a woman and acts like a woman. Is he committing a sin by not fulfilling his duty to behave like a man?

HpS - AGTSP In the purports to Bhisma's instructions on Varna ashrama dharma to Yuddhisthira in Canto One, Chapter Nine, Srila Prabhupada recommends Parasara's dharma sastras for answering such questions.

As we remember, Parasara says that Kali yuga is so complicated that he cannot possible give the laws of nature for every situation, but he will give some examples, and then the rest you can fill in by consulting uttama adhikari like Srila Prabhupada (his books) or if he does not give details then you can get clear advice from consulting six nice Brahmanas, devotees.

I would say that everyone's duty of to chant HK and follow the four principles. That is first.

If they can't do that, then they should help Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON and that will bring them up to that platform.

Just do this in a way that does not create a disturbance in your local ISKCON community and you will be fulfilling your duty.

Hare Bolo!!

2- In BVB a discussion has arisen about putting "Footnotes" in Srila Prabhupada's books, to explain certain things like when it is said that women are inferior, or that the black race is inferior. what do you think about that?

HpS - Depends on the specific situation. In some cases I think it is the proper thing. In general I don't think Srila Prabhupada ever says any body is "inferior". We were lost in the woods one time and one dog came and we followed him out.

Who was "inferior". Different bodys serve Krsna differently.

3- In a verse of chapter 5 of canto 3 of SB, Srila Prabhupada says that Krsna is interested in civilized people, who take a spiritual master. On the other hand, Lord Caitanya says that we should give the Holy Name to all people, without discrimination. Is the holy name for everyone, and the books only for civilized or intelligent people?

HpS - Need to see the exact citation. Send a Vedabase.io link!

4- Regarding the Anarthas. The NDD says that by chanting the holy name we purify the Anarthas and that they "come out". how can we identify when we are purifying our anarthas? Sometimes we act wrong, so how do we know if it is our anartha manifested or is it our anartha that comes out because we are purifying ourselves?

HpS - Again need the exact Vedabase.io citation. What does "come out" mean? Like the dirt comes out when we turn on the light or the dirt comes out when we wash the clothes?

Not looking too much at the source of our wrong doing, we should try to fight them as much as we can, ask Krsna for help, and then if we sincerely fail to stop or relate them to devotional service, then we can be sure that our effort made eternal progress and our past karma will have less and less influence on us each time we try!

Gurudev, I hope the questions are understood. Thank you very much.

Your would-be servant

Priya Sakhi dd

HpS - Hare Krsna!!!!!

Hare Krsna.

Pizza for Lord Jagannatha but also for Radha Krsna????