Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I hope you receive this in good health and spirit.

HpS - Only by Guru krpa! Other wise we should have died at about 65.

I've read in your updates about your physical struggles, and since my body is also giving me trouble with ageing, i can appreciate it more. I admire your strength in maintaining your purpose. Please find below a general update.

Tom Brown - Please find attached a photo of General Ape.

We are still a family, two daughters 8 and 5, doing relatively well. Surroundings are below average, kids education and development above average. Physically going through challenges. No strength of determination to chant 16 but i do 5 or 8. Listen to classes and audio SB or CC, read with children (Hanuman / Ramayana, Krishna Book for Children, right now Dr Edith Best's Learning English books with spiritual stories, and with the eldest we always read the "Golden Book" Srimad Bhagavatam First Canto for children before sleeping.) We listen to devotional music at home, but not all the time. Plus the children are half Russian, so that also gets attention.

TB - Top half? Bottom half?

I have devotee friends with whom i meet regularly and others with whom i call. We visit home programs, and we organise kirtan events occasionally, also in connection with ISKCON Amsterdam. Occasionally a book goes out (i carry them with me on walks). So it's still going steady, but at the same time i don't meet my vows with chanting. Some days i don't have the time or the mental (+ spiritual) energy, and some days i just relax.

My favourite days are when i have insomnia and get down to chant in the middle of the night, because the rounds are usually the best, but sometimes it is too much and i just have insomnia and no strength to chant. To chant while undergoing mental or physical challenges is really next level chanting. I never quite managed to pull that off.

HpS - Just lie on your back with your eyes half open and your beads in your hand and chant: Haw!

Ray!

Krish!

Na! .... Realizing that EVERYTHING in the three worlds will the maximum benefit from yhou sacrifice.

As for internal matters, i experience progress in seeing Krishna in everything and everything in Krishna.

TB - !

That's basically my life in a nutshell. Basically i do believe that Sri Sri Radha Gopinath or Sri Sri Karuna Nitai Gaurachandra still accept me because i do feel connected, but finding myself a wayward disciple because of the above, i don't feel very much part of our monkeywarrior yatra. I seek your blessings in finding a siksa guru with whom i can physically associate.

HpS - Me too! Krsna is so, so, so, so kind, no? https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/3/2/23/

Before i forget it, you mentioned Journey to the West, and i've read Monkey (the Arthur Waley Edition), and it was such a fabulous story!! A good reason to burn incense.

ASA - And be celibate, and only drink monastic wine, and be vegetarian, and try to get an as you like it cudgel. Then you could become the Duke of Amsterdam and set things in more order.

Still with mixed feelings of dedication and fear of rejection,

Your aspiring servant,

Raghava Pandit das

HpS - Hey, could be a L O T worse. You seem to be on the right path. As you get older and your daughters marry young men just like you, you will get a lot of impetous for Sannyasa life. You wife will be pleased with that and your daughters will fight over with whom see stays.

Work on getting more energy. How to honor Prasadam better. Does your donkey need more Pasta?

Start your own business.

Don't work for others.

¡Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada!

Querido Gurumaharaja

Por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias.

Ya falta únicamente dos semanas para la celebración del Sri Vyasa-puja, por favor nos puede decir cuál es su recomendación de ofrendas de alimentos por favor. 

Alguna o algunas preparaciones en particular que podamos ofrecer con amor y devoción? 

Muchas gracias por ocuparnos en el trascendental servicio al Guruparampara en una de las actividades que más complace al Señor Supremo y a sus devotos.

Vuestra eterna aspirante a sirviente

Asta Sakhi dd

HpS - Realmente ofrecemos todo al Señor Nrsmha Deva. Le gusta el caldo de hinojo y guisantes. Cuece las semillas y los guisantes en agua un rato con un poco de sal y luego extrae el caldo y ofrécelos con naranjas, yogur, para el desayuno.

Utilice las semillas y los guisantes que le quedan a Kitri en la tarde. P.ej. agregue avena y zanahorias y un poco de mantequilla o aceite de oliva.

Por la noche batata al horno con mantequilla.

Por supuesto, siempre le gusta la pizza con ensalada verde fresca y sopa minestrone.

Le gusta la pasta.

Pastel.

Sorbete de jugo de naranja congelado mezclado con leche.

Etc. Le gusta lo que quiere cocinar con amor.

Pregúntale a Rupanuga qué cocinar.

Hare Krishna!

Dear guru maharaj,

Please accept my dandavat pranams.

All glories to Srila Prabhupad.

Regarding your suggestion "Why don't you write? Interview people. Make comments on modern world? Krsna will give you opportunities."

The more I am getting older, I am realizing what a dumb headed fool I am.

HpS - Awww! That was Socrate's realization. He is pretty famous guy.

I was thinking that if I try to open my mouth, my foolishness is revealed. I honestly don't have any skills, guru maharaj, and kind of simpleton.

Even my chanting is mechanical and I have to walk or do something else physically so that I don't fall asleep.

I don't have slightest determination guru maharaj.

HpS - I can't believe that or your would not be bathing and smell bad.

Probably one of the most disqualified that you have as a disciple.

HpS - No!!! There was one worse! What was his name?? I forget. 😁 He only bathed once a week.

I am very much attached to money and other things. If I talk about Krishna consciousness, I would sound like a hypocrite.

your aspirig servant

Nc das

HpS - Why are you attached to money? Write for the Blog. How much money is enough in the modern world? Dollar amount with explanation? What would you want with the money?

Hare Krsna Srila Gurudev

Dandavat pranam at your lotus feet [lettuce feet].

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Hare Krsna,

Hope you are in good health and spirit.

HpS - Ha! Ha! Hare! A doctor asking if we are in good health. Body always has some ache, no?

This year we are missing your physical association in India. Every year since last few years it was a routine to travel with you and learn, but due to covid pandemic we are missing your vapu.

HpS - It has e-vapu-rated, no? Krsna is pushing us to another level. You need to become a Big Professor, Doctor, with a Big House et al.

On the sadhana front . My Kartik vrat was very nice . 16 rounds , 4 regulative principles intact with mangal aarti on regular basis ( lots of improvement needed ) , hearing classes on internet .

HpS - ! ! ! We are embarrassed by your sincerity. We will try to be as sincere as you. Eg. lot for a five year old to do 16-rounds. So, when they do, we feel he is much better devotee than us.

I took a 4 hours seminar on deity worship rituals and Pancha- anga puja on a day before Kartik rasa .Also did the Practical demonstration and vaishnava homa on rasa purnima for satisfaction of Nitai and Nimai as taught by H.G.Mukunda Datta Prabhu during my stay in vrindavan .

HpS - Soooooo o o o ! Nice. You purify the three worlds.

Need to read the Bhagawatam properly now .

Sri Narasimha Dev installation and Nitai Nimai birthday was done with great joy and very nice prasadam on Rasa purnima . It was a nice program and opportunity to preach . I have noticed that I am good in preaching through deity worship and related samskaras .

At one time I can preach /talk only to two or three people that also in more conservative lines. That keeps my own self also in line .

When I try to do it for larger groups I exhaust myself and it affects me negatively .I am better with few people only.

HpS - So was Karl Marx. He was good writer but not good in big groups, but he became rather famous, no?

In this regard I will also like to request you for re - initiation into gayatri mantra diksha , if you allow .This time the mood is suitable , I have given it a lot of thought before requesting this time .

HpS - Following everything for one year? All the Japa? Would be super for you if you can keep the work.

My preaching efforts as I have noticed are more on brahminical lines in the place that I currently stay.

I need to work on my self confidence . I feel like I have underestimated my abilities to change myself and also influence like minded people . With chanting good rounds I feel like I can help myself and also others .

HpS - Yes, confidence comes from hearing evaluation of other: Krsna, Guru and innocent people who hear us.

All in all everything is very positive currently by Krsna's mercy on both material and spiritual life .

Next month I plan to go to Sridham Mayapur and puri dham.

On mokshada ekadasi I have been invited to do a small puja and preaching in a local family home .

HpS - !!

On material academic front my masters program is going good .

My parents are also chanting little bit.

Back home ----Father is retiring from job next month . He had a stent put in his heart .They convey their pranams at your lotus feet.

HpS - My respects to them!!! A photo of them attached?

Hopefully if they become devotees then they can receive initiation someday .Main problem I feel is the fish :( being Bengali they find it difficult to leave it .

They have reduced eating fish but still they do eat .

HpS - Learn to cook "somebody" else, no?

Srila Gurudev , hope you visit India soon . Missing the mangal aarti with you in Mayapur .

Hare krsna

Rturaj Krsna Das

Shillong , meghalaya

P.S. pictures attached

HpS - We miss India also. It is India. It is more alive. The West is very mechanical. Every thing is so "lifelike". Let's answer some more letters. Come with us.

Your situation seems very nice. As long as you are chanting HK you are making progress and little by little you become transcendentally fixed.

Let's do it in one lifetime Don't come back again as a beautiful woman, and become a famous European opera star.

previous letter node: 11878

Hare Krsna Maharaj, PAMHO, AGTSP

thank for your reply.

"Four principles strictly and 16-enthusiastic rounds and basic standard"

till now we had issue with fourth rule strictly, but we think we come to that level now.

16 enthusiastic rounds, we are working on this, but we get 16 rounds done ( v r [v r = ???] demon)

basic standard-- improving on this also.

getting up early/morning program.

we get up in the range of (0130 am - 0330 am 85%) (0330am-400am 14%).

our [and?] then we hear BG all slokas with translation from one chapter at least two times, this from application on the phone.

ASA - Very nice.

then if there is some interesting verse, we read it or hear some gita . We thank your grace to let us stick to BG, it is helping a lot, v r able to connect to them.

V [V = ?] make sure we see run [Sun] rising from our window. the orange sun reminds us of Krsna's love and grace.

HpS - 😊

other things bath/ chanting /exercise --is little fickle esp it depends on our health, environment etc.

we have 75% times attended virtual mangal arti on mayapur.tv.

HpS - It is not virtual for Radha Madhava, no? They know you are there.

we are trying to get Arti/ chanting , done before sun rise... this has been struggle. but primarily its not due to get connection with Deity/chanting.

but we will get to it we are sure in short time.

so we are are up before sun rise, but activities are little varying.

regards,

suicide bomber

HpS - Sounds very nice. Six months like this and you can be a formal Candidate. We need recommendation from an administrative authority in ISKCON. Any people you know??? Very nice.

Please accept my humble reverencias, remembered Gurudev. I wish that this letter finds you happy and in good health in your marvelous conscience of Krsna. All the glories to Srila Prabhupada! Thank you very much for your questions and for your answers.

In my previous letter, the word to which I was referring was Sri Damodara and I was requesting your blessings to advance in His conscience.

HpS - I don't understand? Have to cite the previous letter for us monkey brains.

😕

Thank you for asking about Franco. He is very much engaged working in the orchard and other things. Therefore he is not carving any sculpture though he is willing to do it. He had kept some trunks for this. And Gopal has requested him to sculpt Baladeva with elephant trunk and Subhadra with elephant trunk so that together with Jagannath elephant trunk all them will be complete.

ASA - Interesting.

Last time Sara´s son who helped her sending the photos could not do it as the first time. So she was worried because it would be uncomfortable for you to open them. We apologize for the inconveniences and hope that you have been able to look at them.

HpS - No problem opening attached photos. We like them.

On page 435 of the "Nectar of Srila Prabhupada" there is a letter which says:

"... with respect to the instructions of the spiritual teacher, there is no need to take his instructions received in a dream while the teacher is still present..." When I read this I thought that I was wrong in taking your instructions in my dreams Gurumaharaja.

Please could you instruct me on this?

HpS - Prabhupada says that dreams of the Guru and Krsna are not ordinary. If we get some instructions in dreams we should of course confirm it with Sastra. Physically present Guru, and devotees. 💪

I thank you very much for your merciful answer to this question. I have read that after the last Ekadashi of these holly months of Purusottama and Kartika and in the last five days of Purosottama and Kartika it is possible to keep on fasting as much as possible. Then, is it necessary to eat grains in order to break the Ekadashi if during those five days no grains have been eaten?

HpS - I think you need to take a little halavah, chapati, to break it on Dvadasi. I don't know.

Franco prepares for Ekadashi and together with Gopalito both follow it strictly. Therefore my concern when there are two Ekadashis so that they do it correctly. Thank you very much for your answer. Thank you for taking your valuable time for reading this letter.

HpS - What do you mean Two Ekadasis? Yes some times it happens but we just act as if there was one. In the Vaisnava Calendar it gives instructions which to follow. We publish it in the Calendar in the Kapi Dhvaja. Happy Hari Calendar.

With your blessings I will be able to use what I learned as a child and a teenage, my university career, the dance, etc. all of which I dedicate to your divine feet. You teach us with your perfect humbleness how to use our studies on the service of the preaching of His Divine Grace, so that everything can serve to support the movement of sankirtan! As an atom in front of your feet I wish to be always! All the knowledge given by Krsna let it return to Krsna! We only beg to have a small service which can please your lotus feet.

Honestly I had almost forgotten these studies, my title of graduate in Communication Sciences and my theater studies. All I only remembered was dancing. Thanks to my mom who send me photos and made me remember! The dancing school will start for now only through my youtube channel.

Kindly forgive any offense committed unintentionally. Please accept our humble and respectful reverences to your lovely dancing lotus feet in the eternal sankirtan of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada whose books are now our only association, our only comfort.

Missing a lot your Association we stay at your feet: Franco, Gopal and Radha japa pratija devi dasi.

HpS - Hope you meet nice partner for you School and can teach a few students physically. Maybe you can all live together in the forest.