Letters to the editor

Hare Krsna Gurudev

🙏

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada!

Todas las glorias sean a usted. 

Por favor acepte mis reverencias a sus pies de loto.

HpS - Pies de (mitad) loco.

Espero que al momento de recibir esta carta lo encuentre muy bien de salud. 

Quería contarle que me encuentro en un momento estable, con un Sadhana y conciencia firme para expandir la misión de Srila Prabhupada. 

He seguido sus instrucciones, y esto me a llevado a una mejoría completa, tanto a mi como a mi entorno social y familiar. 

Gracias a su misericordia logro dia a día poder predicar en mi trabajo y en el lugar donde estudio sobre la misión de Srila Prabhupada, repartiendo libros e invitandolos a programas. 

Particularmente hoy tengo una sensación hermosa en el corazon, el cual se debe a qué siguiendo tanto sus instrucciones, cómo la de devotos mayores de mi Yatra local, me entrego a su infinita misericordia, luego de tomar el curso y el examen de discipulo, me acerco a usted con el fin de pidirle su refugio formal. 

Agrego también una copia de la carta de recomendación de Prabhu Lakshmana Das (presidente de templo Iskcon Buenos Aires)

Su eterno sirviente Bhakta Ever.

HpS - Felicidades. Por supuesto, considerando las circunstancias, estamos muy felices de tratar de servirle como diksa guru en ISKCON bajo el refugio de Srila Prabhupada. En cuanto a las formalidades administrativas, lo aceptamos como refugiado, y ahora lea el Kapi Dhvaja y envíe informes cada dos meses con preguntas, comentarios, con los códigos de prioridad, para que podamos estar seguros de verlos, y luego después de las seis. meses más, 1ª iniciación.

Super!!! Felicidades!!

Hare Krishna, Gurumaharaja, acepte mis humildes reverencias, Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada.

Gracias por la respuesta y misericordia.

Me informan que S.S Guruprasad Swami vendrá al templo de ciudad de México hasta el próximo año.

Madre Govinda , viajará de México a Perú del 17 de Diciembre del presente año al 4 de enero.

Ella me puede hacer el favor de hacerle llegar a UD la Japa y también traerla de regreso a México, está sería otra opción si a UD le parece bien.

HpS - Aparece bueno! Es deficil correro Peru a Mexico, obteniendo Japa aqui. Posible funciona DHL. Peru ell viene en solamente tres semanas.

Me gustaría saber su opinión Maharaja.

Quedo pendiente a cualquier instrucción que UD decida darme.

Infinitas gracias Gurumaharaja por su gran misericordia.

Su aspirante a sirviente. Marco Antonio Galván.

HpS - Muy feliz conocerte. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Esperamos unos devotos de Mejico nos visita en Houston.





All glories to Srila Prabhupada

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga:

Please accept my humble obeisances dear Gurudev, I wish you a happy Damodara month.

I wanted to ask you if you are doing any treatment for your tired eyes? Have you tried placing cucumber slices or aloe vera leaves cut in half and without thorns, placed on the closed eyelids?

HpS - The best treatment is to look at Radha Mandana bihari and not to work hard. Then they are fine.

Thank you for your blessings to be able to sing the rounds, it really is magic. I have not chanted the rounds for a long time and now I sing every morning, I am amazed by the blessings of the spiritual master.

HpS - ASA - AgtSP!!!!!

In this month of November we are going to visit the devotee who has the deities of Jaganatha, Baladeva and Subhadra to see if he can lend them to us for the Ratha Yatra, I think there will be no problems.

I am writing to you on November 5 at 1:49 in the morning, I will sing a few rounds and then you rested a bit, I have finished digging the wallipini. I am growing cherry tomatoes, butter lettuce, round tomatoes, bell peppers, peas and soon I will plant other vegetables.

With Radha JPJ and Gopal we are offering our wicks to Damodara every day, in the morning and in the afternoon.

It is a shame that we cannot go to see it, but it is sure that it is in our hearts.

I am very happy that I am in Peru with the devotees there, they have a good heart.

You asked me about my relationship with the neighbors, I have a relationship of respect and cordiality, they are generally good people.

I don't have much news to tell, dear Gurudev, I have a fairly routine life. Now I am building the house bathroom that has no roof and no door, you can see the stars while taking a bath😄

With no further news to report, my best feelings for you,

Please forgive any offense committed in this letter inadvertently.

Your would-be servant: Bhakta Franco

HpS - So, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, ..... so, so, so, ............... nice to hear from you.

asa[e] - Rathayatra

You news is very, very enlivening. Srila Prabhupada gave so much emphasis on Rathayatra.

Our God sister, Keli-lalita Devi Das, saw a poster advertising Rathayatra in San Francisco n Golden Gate Park. She went with her husband and it was attractive: Beautiful carts, Jagannatha, dramas, many nice booths, Prasdam and a devotee sold here a book.

She said that she took it home, read a little bit and put it in here bookshelf and probably would have never read it again.

The next day or so she was driving from San Francisco to Santa Cruz in the mountains in her Volkswagon Beetle with her husband as passenger.

The steering wheel came off!

Car crashed and she was tossed out.

Car caught on fire and her clothes caught on fire with the broken gas tank.

Her husband was inside and partially unconscious. She tried to pull him out but the flames became to intense and so the last thing she remembered was her husband screaming as he burned to death.

She woke up in the hospital some days later and the first thing she was conscious of was the smell of cooked meat. Then she realized who was the cooked meat, her own body, and the first thought that went though her mind was, Lord Krsna, if I think I am this body I am going to go mad.

Her face and body were seriously scared. Not enough to frighten children but remarkably. She went to the Temple.

They didn't look at her from a bodily point of vew.

She moved in. Distributed hundreds of books. Collected and donated more money than what it had cost to organize the whole Rathayatra.

So.... good luck with your Rathaytra. If you and Krsna make even one devotee it can be complete financial and Sankirtan, book distribution success.

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Todas las glorias a Sri Guru y Gauranga:

Acepte mis humildes reverencias querido Gurudev, le deseo un feliz mes de Damodara.

Le quería preguntar si está haciendo algún tratamiento para el cansancio de sus ojos?

ha probado colocarse rodajas de pepinos u hojas de aloe vera cortadas por la mitad y sin espinas, puestas sobre los párpados cerrados?

Gracias por sus bendiciones para poder cantar las rondas, realmente es magia. Estuve mucho tiempo sin cantar las rondas y ahora canto todas las mañanas, me sorprende las bendiciones del maestro espiritual.

En este mes de noviembre vamos a visitar al devoto que tiene las deidades de Jaganatha, Baladeva y Subhadra para ver si nos las puede prestar para el Ratha Yatra, creo que no habrá problemas.

Le estoy escribiendo el día 5 de noviembre a la 1:49 de la mañana, cantare unas rondas y luego descansaste un poco, ya terminé de cavar el wallipini. Estoy cultivando tomate cherry, lechuga de manteca, tomate redondo, morrón , arverja y próximamente plantaré otras hortalizas.

Con Radha JPJ y Gopal estamos ofreciendo nuestras mechitas a Damodara todos los días, por la mañana y por la tarde.

Es una pena que no podamos ir a Verlo , pero es seguro que está en nuestros corazones.

Estoy muy feliz que esté en Perú con los devotos de ahí, tienen un corazón bueno.

Usted me preguntaba mi relación con los vecinos, tengo una relación de respeto y cordialidad, son buena gente en términos generales.

No tengo muchas novedades para contar querido Gurudev, tengo una vida bastante rutinaria. Ahora estoy construyendo el baño de casa que no tiene techo ni puerta, puede ver las estrellas mientras se baña😄

Sin más novedades que reportar, mis mejores sentimientos para Usted,

Perdone por favor cualquier ofensa cometida en esta carta sin querer.

Su aspirante a sirviente:

Bhakta Franco

Dear Gurudeva:

All Glories to Sri Sri Radha Krishna

All Glories to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

Please accept my humble obeisances

Many changes have happened since my last letter, I am sorry I did not write sooner. This will be a small report with the news.

HpS/ASA - 🙂 🙏

I got married on November 5 and have been living in Switzerland for a month and a half. That day was Govardhan Puja, so after the wedding we went to the temple to celebrate.

Now that we got married i applied for residency. We are done with the procedures, now we just have to wait for permission to be granted.

HpS/ASA - All of us four Brahmacaris here salute you!!!! May you help your husband progress to complete Sannyasa and follow him in body, speech, and mind. Read the marriage of Kardama and Devahuti together, Canto Three?

Switzerland is different from Argentina in many ways, so I am still adjusting. I live in a small village called Wängi, in the countryside, there are many animals, mainly cows, there is a small forest where I go to chant rounds with my husband Philip.

He is a nurse, he works in a home for people with disabilities, taking care of them. The shifts are rotating, so it is somewhat difficult to have a routine when the schedules change every day. If his work allows us, on Sunday we go to the temple and cook for the festival, sometimes we go to other programs in the houses of devotees.

HpS - You are a very, very lucky girl!

It is not possible for me to connect regularly to gotomeeting due to the time difference, I think when I get used to these new schedules I will be able to connect more frequently.

Meanwhile I miss your association very much. Here the devotees are very friendly, I felt well received. The head pujari invited me to serve as a pujari, I would like to start next year, so I have a little more time to adapt to all the changes.

I am trying to be a good wife, I would like Philip to always feel inspired and happy in Krishna consciousness, if you could give me some advice on how to keep other devotees inspired or any other advice associated with my new situation I would really appreciate it.

HpS/ASA - We have no magic formulas. Just can remind you of what you already know. Please do the same for us. If you follow four principles strictly, chant 16-nice rounds daily, keep a full morning and evening program and see that anyone under your authority and you you inspire others to do it, you will have NO POROBLEMS. You will have effective preaching and preaching opportunities!!!! Details and options in the KRSNA book.

Thank you. Congratualtions.

Our best wishes to Nurse Phillip.

Your aspirant servant

Kirtida Devi Dasi

Querido Gurudev: Pamho. Toda gloria a Srila Prabhupada y sus seguidores fieles.

Espero que se encuentre animado cuando lea esta carta.

Seguimos su sankirtan a través del blog. Interesante. En mayor o menor grado solemos tener todos los mismos desafíos.

Lo mas sobresaliente de mi informe es, que después de conocer a Prabhupada a través de sus libros hace 38 años aún sigo apreciando cada vez mas su personalidad. También es resaltante que mi deseo de ser un buen devoto sigue intacto. Y no menos importante es que sigo identificándome con ISKCON, a pesar de las diferencias de criterio que tengo con el GBC.

En el plano interno estoy apreciando sinceramente la pureza de intenciones de los devotos en dos aspectos:

a) La intención de volverse devotos.

b) La intención de ayudar a otros a que se hagan devotos.

Hemos estado de vacaciones en el sur del pais, visitando a la familia y a los devotos en Málaga y es muy gratificante estar en sadhu sanga. Despues hemos estado en Santander con Jara Mara, Tirtha Kirti y otros; también muy bien. De Santander a NVM, donde hay un ambiente muy bueno y donde se estan haciendo cosas muy interesantes.

Despues de la partida de Avesa Rupa hemos decidido dejar el proyecto de Navalakunda. La propiedad la hemos donado a la Fundación Abhay (creada para gestionar las propiedades de ISKCON España). Hemos donado 3160 euros a ISKCON Tenerife, que han comprado el local donde tenían el Templo. La furgoneta de sankirtan la hemos donado a ISKCON Madrid y a Nueva Vrajamandala le hemos donado libros, parafernalia, etc y 100.000 euros en efectivo.

Ahora estoy centrado en el Sat Sanga de la Sierra de Guadarrama y Purnamasi en actividades con los niños.

No le ocupo mas tiempo y, espero que nos veamos de nuevo con estos viejo cuerpos.

Sin mas

su sirviente

Jayanta das

PD. - Esta carta es de hace varios meses, y la verdad es que es una carta irrelevante, escrita con la única intención de mantener la relación con el gurú y sus asociados. Me sorprende que las cartas que no lleven el CP pierdan su interés. Creo que es una medida algo exagerada. Cuando una carta lleva un tiempo razonable sin ser atendida pasa a ser prioritaria de forma automática. Por supuesto que respeto su criterio pero creo que de ese modo siempre estamos escuchando las opiniones de los mismos y parece que hay una escasez de críticos evidente y necesaria.

=-=-=-=

Dear Gurudev: Pamho. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his faithful followers.

I hope he is encouraged when he reads this letter.

ASA/TB-BW - We also!

We follow his sankirtan through the blog. Interesting. To a greater or lesser degree we tend to have all the same challenges.

The highlight of my report is that after meeting Prabhupada through his books 38 years ago I still appreciate his personality more and more. It is also remarkable that my desire to be a good devotee is still intact. And no less important is that I continue to identify with ISKCON, despite the differences of opinion that I have with the GBC.

HpS - GBC is ultimate managing authority in ISKCON. Having disputes is guaranteed part of management, no? If everybody agrees on management work then it is very, very, very suspicious. Probably somebody is lying, plotting. 😎

Internally I am sincerely appreciating the purity of intentions of the devotees in two respects:

a) The intention to become devotees.

b) The intention of helping others to become devotees.

We have been on vacation in the south of the country, visiting family and devotees in Malaga and it is very gratifying to be in sadhu sanga. Later we have been in Santander with Jara Mara, Tirtha Kirti and others; also very well. From Santander to NVM, where there is a very good atmosphere and where very interesting things are being done.

After Avesa Rupa's departure we have decided to leave the Navalakunda project. We have donated the property to the Abhay Foundation (created to manage the properties of ISKCON Spain). We have donated 3,160 euros to ISKCON Tenerife, who have bought the place where they had the Temple. We have donated the sankirtan van to ISKCON Madrid and to Nueva Vrajamandala we have donated books, paraphernalia, etc. and 100,000 euros in cash.

HpS/ASA - 😮 We hope you prayed a lot about the decision and consulted with many nice people. devotees. Seems like B I G decisions, but can also be fantastic preaching. Thank you for all the effort.

We plan to visit Spain from like middle of July to first week in October. We want to come after the heat is a little lower and leave with everyone possible to got the India for Kartika.

What do you think?

Best dates?

We would probably just stay in NVM where people could visit us and you know the kind of work we are doing: Consolidating all the Sankirtan efforts.

Now I am focused on the Sat Sanga of the Sierra de Guadarrama and Purnamasi in activities with the children.

I don't take up any more time and, I hope we meet again with these old bodies.

No more

his servant

Jayanta das

asa[e] - Uncle Gismo, Information Management Science

P.S. -This letter is from several months ago, and the truth is that it is an irrelevant letter, written with the sole intention of maintaining the relationship with the guru and his associates. It surprises me that the letters that do not have the CP lose the interest of him. I think it is a somewhat exaggerated measure. When a letter has not been attended for a reasonable time, it automatically takes priority. Of course I respect their criteria but I think that in this way we are always listening to their opinions and it seems that there is an evident and necessary shortage of critics.

HpS - Thank you for your comments on this topic. It is very important. Before the Blof we were getting 400-500 letters a month! 90% had the same basic three questions:

1. Where are you?
2. How is your health?
3. What are you doing?

We tried, but we just could not answer so many letters. Then with the Blog many sincere devotees began to read the answers to question by others and did not have to ask the three basic questions above, nor ask the other more general questions such as:

1. Can I take initiation from you?
2. What is the relationship with family and Temple?
3. How can I control my mind?

Even the more specific questions about SB, BG, etc. Were answered for those who read the responses to others, so our letters dropped to 150/month.

With the Letter Types listed above, the work load decreased even more eg. I will tag this letter Calendar Development and Category B which means that we can start filtering it for devotees who are interested in the European ASA Calendar Development, and that it includes things, Letters to the Editor, that should go for permanent reference in the ASA-Encyclopedia.

Yet, even 150/month can be heavy load as our eyes become more week. You can see how many letters we have answered so far. You can see that we sent a basic report in the DTC before we started and now our eyes are strained. We will push it a little and probably cause a little permanent damage, but that's life. We are all going to die, so why not die for something eternal.

Also, a lot of the letters involve mental work, as opposed to sensual and intellectual work, so we get headaches after a certain number.

Please send us your thoughts!

! ! !

One immediate response is, you should get a secretary. Bonk. We have tried it. We will continue to try it. Has advantages and drawbacks.

Thank you.

Writing to you like this is very, nice. We remember your Ashrama, everything.

-0-0-0-

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Todas las glorias a usted mi muy querido Gurumaharaja 

Por favor acepté mis mas humildes y respetuosas reverencias 

Querido Gurumaharaja disculpe por favor mis faltas , tengo mucho que contarle , resumiré un poco y escribiré más frecuentemente 

Seguimos 4 principios

16 no tan buenas rondas pero seguimos esforzándonos , siguimos su instrucción de 3 días por lo menos de servicio en el templo actualmente 5 días a la semana entre cocina , compra de bhoga y flores apoyamos lo mas que podemos en los festivales y el templo en general , pienso que mi vida material es un total fracaso sin embargo la asociación de sri krsna y sus devotos hacen que está vida valga la pena , por ahora tenemos mucha asociación con los devotos y eh tenido la oportunidad de acercarme a más devotos y los eh tratado de servir lo mejor posible ,  en tiempos de cuarentena me fui a refugiar al templo por 4 meses y apoyamos en lo que nos pedían por ahora solo me dedico a trabajar, al servicio devocional y poco estudio de la sastra 

Gurudeva disculpe mi atrevimiento no se si recuerde que en su última visita a México en ese entonces prabhu jamuna presidente del templo me recomendó para tomar segunda iniciación ahora las autoridades del templo me pidieron que le escribiera para pedirle su misericordia y poder tomar segunda iniciación , eh preguntado a 5 buenos brahmanas a discípulos de Srila Prabhupada y algunos devotos mayores y me animaron a escribirle a usted yo sé que me falta mucho camino por recorrer pero ahora estoy seguro que quiero morir en manos de sri krsna y no de mayadevi 

Siempre trato de recordarlo por lo menos tres veces al día , por su misericordia es que estoy tratando de poner un pequeño granito de arena a la mision de Srila Prabhupada y tratando de complacerlo a usted , por la mañana oró al señor nrisimha deva para que siga resguardando a iskcon y por las tardes le pido que por favor lo cuide a usted mi quiero Gurudeva 

Disculpe que casi no me conecte a sus programas de predica con el trabajo y servicio terminó algo cansado , asisto por lo menos dos días a la semana al programa matutino y vespertino por lo pronto es todo Gurudeva disculpe mis ofensas y por favor acepte mis mas sinceras y respetuosas reverencias 

Vande gurú sri caranaravinda 

Vande gurú sri caranaravinda

Si aspirante a sirviente Arya-srestha das 

-=-=-=-

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

All glories to you my very dear Gurumaharaja

Please accept my most humble and respectful obeisances

Dear Gurumaharaja please excuse my faults, I have a lot to tell you, I will summarize a little and write more frequently

We follow 4 principles

16 not so good rounds but we keep trying, we follow his instruction of at least 3 days of temple service currently 5 days a week between cooking, buying bhoga and flowers we support as much as we can at festivals and the temple in general.

I think that my material life is a total failure,

HpS - If we are chanting 16-rounds and following four principles as initiated devotees we do not have Material Lives, no? You "material life" is one aspect of your service. Maybe it is not so good. O.K. That means better 16/4. Better Karma/Bhakti yoga. Use your personal psycho/physical resources to do better Karma/Bhakti yoga for Krsna. Follow the example of Arjuna.

....however the association of Sri Krishna and his devotees make this life worthwhile, for now we have a lot of association with the devotees and I have had the opportunity to get closer to more devotees and I have tried them to serve the best possible, in times of quarantine I went to take refuge in the temple for 4 months and we supported what they asked of us for now I only dedicate myself to work, devotional service and little study of the sastra.

Gurudeva excuse my daring, I don't know if I remember that on his last visit to Mexico at that time, Prabhu Jamuna, President of the temple, recommended me to take a second initiation, now the temple authorities asked me to write to him to ask for his mercy and to be able to take a second initiation, eh I asked 5 good brahmanas disciples of Srila Prabhupada and some older devotees and they encouraged me to write to you I know that I have a long way to go but now I am sure that I want to die at the hands of Sri Krsna and not Mayadevi.

HpS - Considering all the aspects that I know, I think you are probably ready.

Have you taken the Disciple Course? Have to pass that.

Are you regular in your morning program, up by Brahma muhurta, Mangala arati, Kirtan, reading group for SB, S A N K I R T A N according to your nature and ability?

I always try to remember him at least three times a day, by his mercy I am trying to put a little grain of sand to Srila Prabhupada's mission and trying to please you, in the morning he prayed to Lord Nrisimha deva to continue protecting iskcon and in the afternoon I ask you to please take care of you my love Gurudeva

Excuse me that I almost did not connect to your preaching programs with work and service finished somewhat tired, I attend the morning and evening program at least two days a week for now it's all Gurudeva excuse my offenses and please accept my sincerest and respectful obeisances

Vande Guru Sri Caranaravinda

Vande Guru Sri Caranaravinda

If aspiring servant Arya-srestha das

HpS - Jaya! How is your father? He had construction company, no? Has more work during the pandemic?