Letters to the editor

On Tuesday, February 16, 2021, Govinda Nandini, ...rns@gmail wrote:

very dear Maharaj, 

please accept my most humble obeisances

all glories to Srila Prabhupada

Hare Krishna

dear beloved Maharaj, 

I has been quite long time since we met or spoke last.

I do hope you are well and I always follow your trace on Earth to get the wonderful inspiration and knowledge you offer to this world.

I write to you now thinking mostly about your connections with the vaishnava academia.

I have been promoted at the university and now, I am the Head of Undergraduate Communication Program. and for that post, it is a requirement to hold a Phd., therefore i have been requested to register in one as soon as possible. 

In order to do so, I am in search of a good phd. program on vaishnavism. specifically on Women voice in Srimad Bhagavatam. I have been thinking about this topic for many years, bcs vaishnavism is probably the only monotheistic spiritual tradition that gives so much voice to female persons. I compare it with christianity, for example, where we don´t know what any of the women that are mentioned in Sacred literature, thought or did, except from the voice of another person. wherears in Srimad Bhagavatam, 

all of the characters present (regardless of the gender) show great culture and capacity/space to express themselves as individuals.

I found a couple of vaishnava programs in the west, and i did like what they offer, but there is no way to contact the responsible persons (https://fvc.edu/art_doctorate.htm) and that is a little bit suspicious to be honest.

I wonder if you know about some postgraduate program whether in India or outside which offers such a degree.

As I know you are a very busy person, I dont have much expectations regarding you answering me but I had to try. 

I wish I could talk with you personally one day, not only because I deeply miss your association but also because I feel the need to have everything clear with you, a person that I respect, admire and love very much from the first day I met.

Thank you so much for your time.  

ys

Govindanandini d.

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Hare Krsna. AGTSP.... Paoho.... We cannot remember your Form, Character or Pastimes!! Nor the Vaisnava Academy. 🤔 Please enlighten us. At 73-years old we are packing our luggage for a long journey and a lot of the stuff we are leaving behind are memories.

🙂 Arjuna advanced in civil life as a Prince of the Kurus and then Krsna enlightened him how to use it for Him, no?

May you become even more well situated in your University.

Women's voice in Srimad Bhagavatam is a great topic. Can we call it Daivi-stri-dharma? I guess you could get two big volumes out of the SB, CC et al. You could organize the information, stories, related modern information and perspectives so that it would be very interesting.

I don't know of any university that would offer a PhD in that topic, but it seems there might be several that would promote that as a topic within Political Science, Sociology, Religious Studies, Sanskrit etc.

Are you in USA? Radhika-ramana Das, Garuda Das, Hrdayananda Goswami have posts and would know favorable institutions better than we. We know that Sugopi-radha Devi Dasi just started a PhD program in Yale with a Sanskrit emphasis and seems some interest by the faculty.

That's all we know.

Please send letters here to this Blog. We don't do much e-mail!

I think if you continue with this you will find many others who want to develop this theme. Maybe you will become like Devahuti in your next life???

H. P. Swami

ASA

NitayGoura premanande!!! querido y siempre recordado Gurudev,

por favor acepte mis humildes reverencias,

TODAS LAS GLORIAS A SRILA PRABHUPADA!!!!

Le pido perdón, querido GuruMaharája, por ocasionar sus lágrimas y ponerlo en ansiedad, soy muy estúpida, mi cerebro es demasiado pequeño para saber manejar mis circunstancias, ... soy una hija ingrata provocando que mi padre me haya buscado angustiado, sé.que sólo me espera el infierno!!! .... le prometo que no volverá a ocurrir, Gurudev!! por su compasivo pedido de ayuda para ésta tonta alma, ... he recibido la ayuda de m. Candramukhi con el donativo de 100 soles y prabhu Janardana, su esposa y Deva la donación de 200 dólares, ... con los donativos he podido comprar libros al bbt pues, ya casi no tenía libros y, con los 100 dólares que quedaron pude comprar lentes para mi padre y, sus demás medicinas ..... Muchas gracias a mis hermanos espirituales que demuestran el inmenso amor que tienen por ud.

Querido Gurudev, estaré reportando periódicamente mis servicios, ...p. Janardana me pidió que compartiera un pasatiempo de Sankirtan: " había subido a un bus, con la mascarilla y protector facial, y estaba por presentar los libros , pero, el chófer subió el volumen de su música a todo lo que da, ... pensé dentro de mi, bueno, seguiré con mi servicio ..... entonces, empezé a hablar por su puesto nadie me lograba escuchar, los libros los tenía en alto para que la gente los puedan ver .... cuando terminé de hablar me senté y comenze a guardar los libros en mi bolso, de pronto un señor que había estado al fondo del bus se me acercó y me pidió los libros para verlos, luego escogió uno y se lo llevó, un jóven levantó la mano y me llamó también se llevó otro libro ... bajé del bus , y, una chica que bajó junto conmigo se llevó otro más, me dijo: te estaba llamando pero, no me escuchabas...... estaba muy feliz! entendiendo en mi corazón, que hasta un mudo puede hacer Sankirtan, recordando sus palabras Gurudev, cuando decía si no tienes voz puedes llevar un cartel y mostrar los libros, ... el Sankirtan día a día me hace recordar que sólo soy un perro viejo saltarin en las calles, llevando los libros de Prabhupada! ...pues, ya todos los libros tienen sus dueños sólo los estoy llevando a entregar, guau, guau.... "

Infinitas gracias! querido Gurudev por ocuparme en su servicio, infinitas gracias por su ilimitada compasión que siempre está orando por sus discípulos para que podamos ir con Krishna!!

Radhe, Radhe, Radhe..

su inútil y torpe sirvienta

M. Jambavati d.d.

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Nitay Goura premanande !!! dear and always remembered Gurudev,

please accept my humble obeisances,

ALL GLORIES TO SRILA PRABHUPADA !!!!

I beg your forgiveness, dear GuruMaharája, for causing your tears and putting you in anxiety, I am very stupid, my brain is too small to know how to handle my circumstances, ... I am an ungrateful daughter causing my father to have looked for me in anguish, I know. only hell awaits me !!!

HpS - ASA --- I doubt it. Probably you will take birth in Gaura lila in your next life time.

.... I promise it won't happen again, Gurudev !! for your compassionate request for help for this silly soul, ... I have received help from me. Candramukhi with the donation of 100 soles and prabhu Janardana, his wife and Deva the donation of 200 dollars, ... with the donations I have been able to buy books from the bbt because, I already had almost no books and, with the 100 dollars that remained, I was able to buy glasses for my father and his other medicines ..... Thank you very much to my spiritual brothers who show the immense love they have for you.

Dear Gurudev, I will be periodically reporting my services, ... p. Janardana asked me to share a Sankirtan story: "I had gotten on a bus, with my mask and face shield, and I was about to present the books, but the driver turned up the volume of his music at all times, ... I thought within myself, well, I will continue with my service ..... then, I began to speak of course no one could hear me, the books were held up so that people could see them ... when I finished speaking I sat down and began to put the books in my bag, suddenly a man who had been at the back of the bus approached me and asked for the books to see them, then he chose one and took it away, a young man raised his hand and called me She also took another book ... I got off the bus, and a girl who got off with me took another one, she told me: I was calling you but you weren't listening ... I was very happy! understanding in my heart , that even a mute can do Sankirtan, remembering his words Gurudev, when he said if you have no voice you can carry a poster and show the books, ... the Sankirtan day by day reminds me that I am just an old dog jumping in the streets, carrying Prabhupada's books! ... well, all the books already have their owners. I'm just taking them to deliver, woof, woof .... "

HpS - So nice!!! So very nice. We have the tryptic that you made as a regular part of our altar and the Monkey and Piggy that you gave us are doing practical work in the Sankirtan and Puja in the room. We were anxious to hear about you. We wish we could be of more service to your good self.

Infinite thanks! dear Gurudev for engaging in his service, infinite thanks for his unlimited compassion that he is always praying for his disciples so that we can go with Krishna !!

Radhe, Radhe, Radhe ..

his useless and clumsy maid

M. Jambavati d.d.

HpS - How is your father? What is he doing? Do you get any association of devotees? What books do you distribute?

Hare Krishna Maharaja PAMHO AGTSP

Here we are still alive (Will be 50 years old in 10 months)

HpS - If we live that long, we will be 74-years old in 11-months. Have you lived a good life so far? Seems like it.

Still based in my parents property (They are getting older over 75 now)

We got 5 hectares land and planning to develop Rural community

Planing to get a 50+ capacity youth hostel near the spot. (Would be a Asrama to host gests and students).

Keep developing projects, getting funds from European Union for developing nice projects for the youth, and supporting ISKCON organizations all around Europe. (Collecting and distributing over 1.000.000 € every year)

Now the good news:

We had a motor bike accident, Clavicle, hand and 3 rips broken.

Surgery, some titanium and glue and ready for service again.

ASA - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Six_Million_Dollar_Man. Hope it was very, very useful for your eternal realization!! Big asset.

I was asking my self why Krishna and Balaram let this happen

I didn't need such a big signal just to learn to drive safely.

So It happened that after surgery I had to stay in bed for like 3 weeks.

So I didn't know what to do with all my natural passion.

Finally i decided to focus in trying to understand how to distribute Srila Prabhupada books through internet.

So after many youtube tutorials I Got to a plan

And decided to give it a try.

So I started with the system 23 November

Till Today 10 February we have distributed:

702 Bhagavad Gitas

Over 100 Small books

over 16.000 Euros collected and this is only in 2 months in Spain

Best of all I didn't have to move from my home

I just have to go to the post office once a day

HpS - ! Upadesamrtas? Light of the Bhagavatas? Making your customers in to salesmen??

And over all we got 800 contacts with Address, email and phone number

So we can keep helping this souls to get closer to Krishna, get more books, invite them to festivals, seminars, digital meetings, etc.

HpS - Super! That is the system, no? Distribute a few books and then train those people how to distribute.

We really think this is gonna be a revolution in the Sankirtan movement

The system is just on its first steps so it can be much more productive.

We are now looking for Sankirtan partners so we can expand the system every where:

Already set it up In:

Italy, México and Estonia.

We will start the E-Sankirtan this week in:

Argentina, Colombia, Germany, Sweden, Denmark.

We are setting up to start next week in:

UK, Australia, France, Croatia, Poland, Bielorrusia

Already seting up also for:

France, Portugal, Chile, Bengala, Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg....

We keep in the process of expansion and hopefully we will have cover 30 countries by the end of this year. (Including USA, Canada, India,Russia, etc)

So I believe this will make Prabhupada very happy on his 125 anniversary.

All this has been possible thanks to your constant inspiration.

ASA - AgtSP!

So I kindly ask you for your benediction to be able to serve at the best of my possibilities to your dear guru maharaja (Srila Prabhupada) and Lord´s gauranga Sankirtana movement and your good self.

HpS - Is there some way people who want to join you can contact you?

I am also really trying to set up an ideal rural community as I believe this exemplary communities will also very much make SP happy.

HpS - So are we now. We like the name, New Ashokavan, named after Hanuman's lila of giving the ring to Sita!

In 10 months I will be 50 so I hope I would be able to delegate more in the younger Sankirtan partners like Prema Rasarnava, and Mantri Ram so I can start focusing in more reading and profound chanting.

HpS - Hmmm. Yes, but continue with your Sankirtan, now as a General rather than a Lieutenant.

Marta is being and amazing support, our relationship is getting more mature so less fights and more complicity in the service of Krishna Balarama.

She is very good packaging the books we sell.

HpS - Our respects to her!!! We only hope we can serve her. She is a very great person.

My son Vrindavan is in his first year university studying chemical engineering.

Marta´s father left his body so she is occupied solving all the administrative stuff.

Our garden keeps providing big percentage of our daily meal.

ASA - Also Meals for Moles?

We also have two bee hives and got some 5 Kg of honey for Krishna and Balarama.

Well Thats all for now

Please, Let me know if I can serve you in any way

Your fallen servant

JMHD

HpS - ASA - How is your Japa, Kirtan, Deity worship? Full morning program? We teach who we are more than what we know, no? 🙂

We hope more devotees join you. Respects to your father.

Hare Krishna dear Maharaja

Please accept my obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

How are you?

HpS - Very happy to receive a letter from you! With more work than our tiny brain can handle. Especially at 73-years old brain. So we prioritize for everyone's benefit and know Krsna is God.

I try to write, and then I find redundancies in my words, and without further ado, I suspend the writing.

HpS - Better just to edit and send, no?

Despite everything ... - my doubts always dissipate when I enter the Blog and read your comments, advice and blessings .. It is a great relief to experience happiness in the face of such mercy.

For example: A few days ago, while we were doing work with one of my sons on a terrace, he had an accident falling and seriously fracturing several bones in his arms.

HpS - My car only started after five attempts a few days ago. Of course, body is more close than car, but is basically the same, no?

Witnessing the incident, and as desolation, despair, frustration and grief invaded me ... I did not remember Krishna! Rather, lamentation was the only focus of my soul. A great sorrow in my heart. So you wrote: TB: Krsna sends advice through the devotees and the heart, but if we ignore that, then He sends a strong impetus from the environment (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIRE0FSvrw8) that we can't ignore the message. We just have to accept all this mercy. (hps)

So, without pretending to justify my failure to deprive myself of blogging and sharing, I call on myself to have to deepen my service, over the vanity that indolence inspires.

In another vein, the agricultural activity seems to be directed towards the desired purpose ("Tons of beans for the boys of Nanda braja"). The citizen garden model is seen as adequate to the current circumstances.

Chanting Hare Krishna before sunrise.

The observance of regulative principles progresses.

Thank you very much Maharaja. Their association is undoubtedly the result of the causeless mercy of Srila Prabhupada, His Lordships Goura-Nitay, Krishna,

Ekachacra N C das

HpS - I only remember having your association for a few hours when we were in Argentina. Your good self is father of Vrsabanu nandini Devi Dasi, no?

You impressed us as a very potent person.

It is a matter of understanding how to release that power, no? Where to focus? In this life or the next.

Just short notes of your service and of your community would be wonderful.

Hare Krishna estimado maharaja

Por favor acepte mis reverencias

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Como estás?

Intento escribir, y luego, hallo redundancias en mis palabras, y sin más, suspendo el escrito.

Pese a todo… - mis dudas siempre se disipan cuando entro al blog y leo sus comentarios , consejos y  bendiciones.. Resulta un gran alivio experimentar la dicha ante tanta misericordia.

Por ejemplo: Hace unos días, mientras realizábamos con uno de mis hijos un trabajo sobre una terraza, él se accidentó cayendo y fracturándose seriamente varios huesos de sus brazos.

Presenciando el incidente, y mientras me invadía la desolación, la desesperación, la frustración y la pena… ¡no recordé a Krisna ¡ Más bien, era la lamentación el único foco de mi alma. Una gran pena en mi corazón.

Entonces usted escribió:  TB: Krsna envía consejos a través de los devotos y el corazón, pero si ignoramos eso, entonces Él envía un fuerte ímpetu desde el medio ambiente (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIRE0FSvrw8) de que no podemos ignorar el mensaje. Solo tenemos que aceptar toda esta misericordia. (hps)

Así pues, sin pretensiones de justificar mi falta por privarme de escribir en el blog y compartir, me llamo a tener que profundizar mi servicio, por sobre la vanidad que inspira la indolencia.

En otro orden de cosas, la actividad agrícola, pareciera hallarse encaminada hacia el propósito deseado ( “Toneladas de frijoles para los chicos de Nanda braja” ). El modelo de huerta ciudadana se aprecia adecuado a las circunstancias actuales.

 Cantando Hare Krisna antes del amanecer. La observancia de los principios regulativos progresa.

Muchas gracias Maharaja. Su asociación es sin duda el resultado de la misericordia sin causa de Srila Prabhupada, sus señorías Gouranitay Krisna.

Ekachacra N C das