Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Maharaja

Receive my obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I wish that you receive this letter in good health and love for life in Krishna consciousness.

I am writing this letter after the suggestion of Maharaja Bhakti Prabhupada Damodara, for the matter that you are already aware of. I still didn't want to write you this letter and I feel almost obligated to do so, but here I am. I understand and appreciate the good intentions of BPD Maharaja but it causes me distress that he has communicated with you (once again) without taking into account my opinion about it and that makes me feel dejected, I feel that with this action he has disregarded my sense of individuality. I apologize to you for causing unnecessary distractions with this matter that is personal, important to me but it is a matter that I did not want to make public yet and the reason being the following.

Since January of this year I have gone through ups and downs that have affected me a lot in my service and sadhana, I am working every day to fix it, talking with my mind and acting to follow your instructions. However, as you have already noticed, I am absent from the daily programs with you and the reason is that unfortunately (for me) I am having doubts as to whether I am the type of disciple who can follow your instructions. For me it is difficult to write public letters, I prefer personal dealings, create a more personal guru-disciple relationship and lately I am not perceiving that with you, it seems a silly or superficial reason but it is affecting me more than I want, another reason is that, you always say that you are going to leave the body soon and that scares me. I feel despondent because it took me a lot to find you and value your position as a teacher as it should be and when I read that, I feel anguish of losing something extremely valuable.

Many years ago I knew that the relationship with you was with public letters and with daily programs, I accepted it and I got closer to you, since you inspire me greatly to be better every day, you awaken in me great admiration, one that I have not felt in other teachers.

 But in my heart there is also joy and inspiration with the instructions of another prabhupada disciple that I prefer not to mention for now. I am sad because I was sure that you were the teacher who inspired me to follow the path of bhakti but that inspiration, for now, I cannot perceive. I have looked for another preaching style to be able to "feel" that I am advancing in my spiritual development. I understand that it may be due to my irregular sadhana or lack of good association, there may be many reasons, it is my mind that is sabotaging me constantly.

It disheartens me that I would like to feel I am at the right level to be considered an excellent disciple, but as of now I am not doing so well. I am embarrased to write this letter and miss the great opportunity to continue to work with you on your daily programs. I am not sure how to conclude this letter since there are no apparent solutions and I do not want to occupy your time in small matters, I just want to apologize to you for any inconvenience and thank you for each of your teachings and your inspiration.

Stefani N. Salazar Michelena

(Petti Michelena)

Chile

HpS - ASA --- Hare Krsna. It is very nice to hear from you. Even now our eyes are growing a little weak and it is difficult to see the keyboard clearly. Happens to everyone. Srila Prabhupada could not see well at all near the end of his physical body.

First the kids feel afraid of going to school, then they learn that it is so much fun they don't want to stay home.

We are afraid of losing bodily connection but then we learn that only when we give up the bodily conception of life can we actually have a personal relationship.

Madhumangala Das from BsAs told me about three years ago, that after being initiated by us for seven years he had finally figured out that we were not his psychologist we were his spiritual master. So, it is like that. Fear really comes from ignorance. Not so easy to understand Krsna. Not so easy to understand Balarama, the original Guru. Even Radha is trying to understand Balarama better.

I talked with BPVD Swami and I think he was just trying to do the austerity of arranging things for his disciple and of course he wanted to know my relationship with your good self. I told him that we had not had much contact her or in individual letters. So that forced him to try to approach it from different angles.

You can see that your situation in general is like, like maybe six more people. I can even name some of them. I cannot possible communicate about these more general perspectives with everyone. I was getting 450 letters a month before we started this Blog. Now is is probably manageable if we work at it.

Then again, for specific details there can be specific letters.

When I was living in the Berkeley temple but probably not initiated yet, Revantinandana Swami visited for some time. He had been Srila Prabhupada's secretary and spent a lot of time with him physically. He told us that one time he asked Srila Prabhupada that some of his disciples thought that he (Prabhupada) was conscious of everything they were doing eg. washing the temple floor, and was it true?

He said that SP said that he was not the super soul. When he needed to know something about a disciple then Krsna would inform him and usually externally.

The only really personal relationship that will satisfy you is with Krsna. He is everyones dear-most friend. It will come through father, husband, sons, Diksa gurus, Ashrama gurus, etc.

So again thank you.

We are very happy if you can develop relations with so many siksa gurus who can connect you with Srila Prabhupada. You have to have a personal relationship with him.

All Glories to Sri Sri Goura Nitay!

. . . . All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All Glories to you Guru Maharaja

. . . .Please accept my respectful obeisances.

I hope you are in very good health.

HpS - Three weeks to answer this letter! This body does not get diseases, this body is a disease. My body is a 73-year old disease. My car is a 21 year old Mercedes. The power-train is excellent, but the luxury items like electric windows and even thermostat on the room heater don't work. Okay. We fix it so that it will work for a few more years and then pass it on to the next generation.

Someone might ask you how old is your disease [body].

First of all I want to apologize for my vague communication through this medium, but we always hold you in our thoughts, hearts and service, always looking forward to your association. I want to thank you for all your service, because thanks to the technology and the devotees who spread on social networks, we can listen to your classes daily, thank you very much for your constant service and mercy to us, thank you for your example of perseverance and trustworthy faith in Srila Prabhupada Guru Maharaja.

It has been a long time since my last letter, at that time we were in service in a temple restaurant and without a pandemic.

The pandemic arrives and we remain at the mercy of the Lord, as Prabhu Lalita Madhava Das has already commented to your esteemed self, now we are delivering prasadam, almost from Monday to Monday we work, they have been months with ups and downs, but we managed to survive. We have not yet finalized our marriage union due to the eternal waiting lists for the pandemic, we have been constant despite everything, supporting each other and being exemplary for each other.

HpS - Your report to just this point makes you an example to the whole universe. [Maybe your were married as god and goddess in your previous life 😎]. Chile is blessed by such ISKCON.

We follow 4 principles, rounds every day the most we can and fixed sadhana daily.

HpS - At least 16???

I am going to the temple to do garland service once a week and that gratifies our heart and spirit, although the allergy keeps us very bad for more or less three days, we have daily association with Raman Reti Devi Dasi with his audio books very good service, very active in reading.

Hoping that this year we can have your association in person.

His would-be servant Manjulali Devi Dasi

HpS - ASA --- !!! Thank you!!

We will write an essay on the future of ISKCON Temples and the Global Pandemic in the DTC. Please take a look at it.

Please have lots of disciples along with Prabhuji.

Your family?

Any dreams of your Poppa?

Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja!

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to your wonderful service to him.

Whenever I finish school work early on any given day, I have been reading Memories, Dreams, and Reflections. So far, it is a very interesting and smooth read. Carl Jung analyzes his childhood with a level of depth that I never used to think about my own childhood experiences. I thought I would write to you on a few points that seemed intriguing to me from the first 50 or so pages.

1) Jung felt more comfortable with God, than with Jesus Christ, because he heard that no correct conception or image can be formed regarding God (27). Based on this page, my preliminary impression was that Jung was attracted by mystery as opposed to certainty, more of an impersonalist approach as opposed to personalism. Is this correct, Guru Maharaja?

HpS/ASA - AgtSP!! I think this can be a very useful endeavor. Please keep your notes.

Next, I have heard criticism (Prof. Shyamdasani?) that it is not exactly an auto-biography that lady who co-wrote it put her biographical notes in as Jung's own comments without complete authorization, so some things may be a little off.

I would say that it might be as you say. I and most of us are contaminated with impersonalism to some extent, and so to some degree negating material personalism for mysticism is a better way to approach God unless you get a 'bija' by the mercy of Guru and Krsna.

In perspective, and maybe not true, but my impression is that Prof. Jung was on the level of Hiranya garbha realization ie. above Virata rupa but not up to Paramatma. All three of these have some impersonalism, but a lot less than a gross Karmi.

2) Just when Jung was six years old, he found an "inexhaustible source of interest" the illustrations of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva in a children's book he had, and secretly believed that they resembled his "original revelation" (17). While it is unclear what exactly the nature of this resemblance is, I think it would be interesting to hold on to the idea and attempt to dissect it further as I read the book.

HpS - Yes! I don't remember that!

3) I was also struck by the deep and negative impression his mother's absence made on Carl Jung. He speaks of his mother repeatedly throughout the pages I've read thus far. He mentioned that his feeling associated with the word "woman" was that of "innate unreliability," due to his mother being away from him for a few months on account of illness (8). I couldn't help but think about the modern practice of sending children to India for a few months or dropping them off at daycare centers for 8 hrs/day so that their mothers can work, and how drastic of an effect it may have on children's psychological and emotional health as they grow. In relation to modern methods of child-rearing, I remembered BG 3.35, where Krishna instructs us that it is better to perform one's one duty, even faultily, than performing another's duty perfectly.

HpS - Haw! Haw! Haw! This is exactly how I was raised. My parents were very nice people for the time and circumstance, but I grew up speaking English and had to go through the Hippy culture.

Seems like you have a good start.

.Srila Prabhupada ----- Jung.

Thank you very much for tolerating me and engaging me in service, Guru Maharaja. I will continue to read the book, and hopefully, I can come up with more substantial notes. I am trying to consciously improve in my devotional service every day, as you instruct. We had a nice Nityananda Trayodasi festival (pictures attached) for Gaura-Nitai, at home.

Your fallen servant,

Sugopi Radha Devi dasi

Hare Krisna, Gurudev:

PAMHO.

Toda Gloria a Srila Prabhupada y sus seguidores fieles. Reverencias a todos los blogeros locos y cuerdos.

ASA/HpS: !!! 🙏 🙏 !🙏

Espero que se encuentre animado cuando lea este mensaje.

La salud es para los jóvenes. Hay un dicho que dice: " Si a partir de los 50 te levantas de la cama y no te duele nada es que estás ..... muerto!"

HpS - Yes, we read in one Purport, Srila Prabhupada said that the energy in the body is finished by fifty years old, maybe you can push it to 55. Yet, I remember that when I was young I had stomach aches and different things also.

Por aquí seguimos buscando el equilibrio y haciendo ajustes para el cuidado del alma, mente y cuerpo.

Teniendo en cuenta lo ocupado que está usted siempre he pensado participar en el blog cada dos meses (ni mucho ni poco) en vez de escribir cada mes. No hay grandes cambios externos, seguimos desde hace mas de ocho meses con el grupo de lectura de Bhagavad Gita lunes y jueves; y también nos reunimos los viernes (pese al covid) con otra familia de devotos cercana para cantar, leer, comentar, tomar prasadam e intercambiar regalos.

HpS - Una experiencia de virus Koruna es que no necesita muchos amigos, no? Si, son devotos es bueno.

En lo interno los cambios son imperceptibles. Solo se perciben cuando miramos varias décadas atrás.

Por ejemplo hace mas de treinta años era consumidor habitual de marihuana, LSD, cocaina, heroina, etc y desde hace mas de venticinco años sólo soy adicto al azucar (dulces y otras comidas), y de forma esporádica galletas de chocolate y algún caramelo sabor café.

También el sadhana hace que cambiemos nuestra perspectiva del medio ambiente y veamos que el mundo cumple perfectamente con su función sin ningún fallo.

HpS - !!! [Isopanisad, Invocation]. Entonces, estamos poco pertubado cuando la gente son asustados por algo que pasa con ganancias, perdido... guerra nuclear entra Korea Norte y EEUU... Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Es como una pelicula en el cine.

Creo que tengo un cierto gusto por el sadhana (me sienta bien) y estamos atisbando un interés por lo que hay detrás del sadhana. Poco a poco estamos preparándonos para encontrarnos con esa persona tan interesante a la que le gusta tanto jugar y hacer bromas.

Así que desde hace unos 38 años que conocimos al Acarya (a través de sus libros) han sucedido muchas cosas buenas y su influencia es bastante notable en nuestras vidas.

Agradezco profundamente a sus seguidores fieles, entre los que se encuentra usted, que esten ayudandolo para que los mas torpes no nos quedemos rezagados.

Sin mas y deseandole a usted y a los demás blogueros lo mejor para su avance espiritual se despide

vuestro sirviente

Jayanta das

P.D. Le envio unas fotos de casa en Enero.

HpS - Y El Nitai y La Sarasvati? Quienes son la famlia con quien associa?? Vida por telecomunicacion? Nuevo adornos para sus Deidades??

Dear Maharaj,

PAMHO & AGTSP!

Dear Maharaj, my husband's Siksha guru is advising him to divorce (he and my devotee parents arranged this marriage despite my resistance). My husband speaks to other women (and planning to meet them prevented by Covid). He has been asking for divorce for past year. One Prabhu from Gaudiya Math has expressed marital interest in me. I have been trying to hear and chant as seriously as I possibly can. I have no clarity how to tolerate the situation with my husband honestly. Should I let him go? More specifically, where should I live now? Should I ask my husband to move out, or should I move out?

Your servant,

Yajnaseni DD

HpS - AgtSP. Paoho. We passed through similar marriage chaos. Kali-yuga. We have not been able to have any dialog with your husbands Siksa guru, even though his preceptor instructed him to talk with us.

It is hard to get a good perspective on these problems since it is often second and third hand communication: She said, that he said, that he said... ??? Ooof.

You should take shelter of Krsna. Of course, the Rascal may be specifically arranging all these things just to get your association!

Well, give it to Him!

Husband is only useful as he represents Krsna.

Then look for good advice from many people. Of course, you may have to filter their bad advice from their good advice, but the original relationship with Krsna will allow us to do that.

This is Sastra, Prabhupada and our own direct experience.

If you are forced to give your husband legal divorce then get a clear statement from him and his associates that this was NOT your desire. That you desired to resolve the conflicts and be married, but it was ultimately force from his side that made this happen.

Of course, that has to be the truth.

Srila Prabhupada would be very, very happy with you if you are avoiding divorce.

As much as possible you should live with devotees.

I think you have a nice family. Maybe they are only 70% perfect, but everyone else in the Kali yuga is dealing with 15% perfect.

HpS/ASA

Dear Maharaj,

PAMHO AGTSP!

As per your instruction, I'm trying my level best to maintain my marriage. Only one problem. I cannot sleep before 1/2am each night as my husband plays videogames and is roaming around the house and I just can't sleep. Then he chants his 16 rounds. So I'm never able to wake up rested or early. Is maintaining my marriage this way better than divorce? 🙏

your aspiring servant,

Yajnaseni DD

HpS - Sometimes devotees have been put in jail and there is television playing outside the community 'cage' all day. Loud. They turn it off at night and reduce the intensity of the lights. Then the devotees would chant.

Do the best you can to sleep early. Krsna will make up the difference.

If you keep trying to engage in devotional service as you know you should then gradually, gradually, all the option will clarify and you will see very clearly what you have to do.

"Don't leave, don't deviate", SP

Just stay in your position on the aircraft carrier firing your anti-aircraft gun until you are dead.

Go down shooting.

Then quite naturally, when you need some rest eg. go to very nice flower show etc. you will take it.

"I have done practical austerities, now I need some rest".

I just can't recommend divorce and remarriage.

If partner wants to go that way, who can stop them, but girl should like move near where her father, brother, are and have a VERY, VERY, VERY happy life. *Then die*

Hare Krishna - Hare Rama

ALL GLORIES TO SRILA PRABHUPADA!

Dear Guru Maharaja.

Please accept my humble obeisances.

As always, quality (?) of a soul in decline, we have a tired mind that only seeks self-satisfaction. What about this body?! Have been heavy days with a lot of stress at work. Hotel industry fell a lot and the bosses only seek to enrich themselves. Gossip is around and we find ourselves exhausted.

We just started the guru disciple course online with Prabhu Parampara Das. We keep singing 16 rounds and waiting for the end of the world... at least this body.

New challenges, continuous changes: looking for a new house, looking for a new job, new horizons and establishing a relationship with the couple.

Health of the family is good, the pandemic prohibits having visitors but we greet each other from a distance. Temple in Mexico City increasingly sick, Radha Madana Gopala always ecstatic, lordships are the light of the way.

We hope the children arrive from Mayapur (Goura -Nitay) to have their blessings at home. Tulasi growing (new) since the previous one left the body for extreme water (she was "left to the care of others" and did not like the change).

Still making seva in Radharani´s kitchen with the last offer, parafernalias and garlands to G-N and gurus (4 o 5 days at week), practicing Odissi two days and sleeping Srila Prabhuada three days.

Last letter you asked what is "GVT", it is "Ghrihastha Vision Team".

Hopping for your body to always get better, grettings from your ever aspiring servant..

Bhaktin Natyelli Garza.

HpS - Thank you! Fight against the mode of ignorance when it comes, and fight with the mode of goodness when it comes.

In the evening there is desire for 'pizza and non-alcoholic beer', but fight it and do Gaura arati.

In the morning there is desire for Mangala arati, so join with that desire.

Rapidly you will see how to be in the mode of goodness all the time. You will become like Sikhi mahiti's sister (Vedabase.io?).