Letters to the editor

Hare Krsna Gurudeva, please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

All glories to you Guru dev

Here we are, still alive. Now more than ever it is a relief to know that Krsna says that any progress one makes on the path of bhakti is not lost.

I am a bit shocked at how the world has changed in a short time due to the pandemic (the social situation). I realize that for me the Kali Yuga advance existed as an idea. I also realized that I still have "faith" in the material world as a refuge ... I see things differently now, although sometimes it is a bit depressing.

HpS - Only depressing if you don't accept that you and Radharani (Hara! Hare!) are not going to let Krsna's birth day party stop. O.K. Radha, I have an idea for the menu. Is it good?

Reading prayers of Queen Kunti attentively helped me a lot. Thank you and the devotees who invite me to give a lectures about this topic.

HpS - Thank you!

Hari Vamsi is very well. As you mentioned in the previous letter: Yes, helping him teaches me to understand my mind. For me, the experience of motherhood is an opportunity to improve my character, develop humility and patience very fast… Although many times I feel that lack of tools to help him.

He is going to a Montessori kinder garden, he is happy and now he asks us to teach letters because he wants to read and write. His curiosity is intense, and so is his energy.

He likes Kirtan, he is enthusiastic about offering a wick to Damodar (maybe 50% attraction to fire- 50% bhakti). He likes to listen Krsna's pastimes and he has quite a few questions about demons and details. He is also have atraction for the Monster Trucks, dinosaurs, speed and power.

HpS - He can fly on Garuda some times.

I have improved the rounds, but I still cannot go back to the standard of 16. Many times I feel helpless in the face of laziness, poor time management and lack of focus ...

HpS - Srila Prabhupada says in one letter, that that is O.K. but don't stop trying, and, yes, eventually you will succeed. Then .... next challenge!

About my work, I am working as a freelance for clients in the USA, retouching and cleaning their photographs.

Also in our house and in the garden. Some days ago four cows and two calves came to our garden and ate some things, but most of them survived (They left some compost in return). Hari helps me and already recognizes the plants, insects and removes the leaves that have fungi.

HpS - Wow! Should have collected some of their milk as a tax also.

You also asked me about my father, Ekachacra Nitai Candra das. He is very well, he attends the FMP every day and he is happy with it. He and two of my brothers live in the north of Argentina. I hope we can meet this summer.

HpS - Ahhhh! That is Ek Ch. Nitai! I was thinking it was maybe our disciple from Peru!! Big administrative progress today.

About ASA Audivisual. We download almost all the Twitter links that you posted, some are lost because our internet service is sometimes suspended and the links are only available for a few days. But we can recover those recordings from the recordings that devotees broadcast on Facebook.

I'm really happy with the service, but unhappy with me because I perform the service with interruptions. I really hope I can improve and be of useful to your Sankirtan. 

HpS - See! This is exactly what we heard from conversation with Prabhupada. As our 16/4 is steady, then our other services are just as steady. So, put effort into the better rounds because (also telling myself this) then being:

1. Mother
2. Wife
3. Citizen
4. Cook
5. Gardener
6. Photo artist
7. Channel Manager
8. Sankirtan Devotee

will all improve in the fastest and most efficient way.

I think of the channel (asa audiovisual) as a library of your classes, to keep them in an orderly manner and to be able to share with whoever is interested. We have invited more devotees to the work in a team, to translate, upload or edit more classes. Still no one joined, probably due to our faults.

HpS - Hector et al say. Ask six times and then you will get practical results.

We are working on the missing classes and the illustrated FMP. Time management is the challenge.

Please let me know what we can improve and how to be really useful.

Thank you very much Gurudev for your inspiration and constant care. Your effort in maintaining the FMP, classes, and programs. Your loving way of always finding a way to engage us in service.

your aspirant to servant

Vrsabhanu Nandini dd

These are the links of the last videos uploaded

Cosmologia Védica

https://youtu.be/tR8YIz6WHTM

Festival por la aparición de Srila Prabhupada

https://youtu.be/MYhMXPBAWT0

SB 2.7.8

https://youtu.be/JqI33mflZm0

Radhastami

https://youtu.be/LPmd5lf6mEM

Desaparición Haridas Takura

https://youtu.be/oCDg5DV2-wU

SB 2.7.7 (by Sugopi Radha)

https://youtu.be/dmVxg91nuAg

SB 2.1.5

https://youtu.be/vy3pcKdEjgQ

SB 3.2 Uddhava Siksa

https://youtu.be/w0R_Ob21Nyw

Hare Krishna Gurudeva,

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

I wanted to write to you about my Sadhana.

I have been able to follow the goals I set in the last letter (waking up at 4 AM 6 days a week, joining FMP, finishing my rounds thereafter, attending SB class,

listening to a lecture in the evening,

reading at least a few sentences of Srila Prabhupada's books,

and making one quote to share on Whatsapp every day) about 75% of the time.

As far as listening to two lectures a day, reading Srila Prabhupada's books, and making quotes, I have been quite consistent and missed very few days. However, some weeks, I woke up at 4 AM only for 4 or 5 days. I also bathe my Gaura Nitai and dress them every day unless I am extremely busy with school and do not have time in the morning (my mother dresses them on those days). 

HpS - Jaya! How many different dressed do they have?

I see positive transformations in my life after attempting to improve my Sadhana. I feel more peaceful and focused than I used to before. Likewise, on the days I do not try sincerely, I have experienced lax Sadhana's consequences. I pray for your mercy Gurudeva, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for tolerating my dull-headedness and allowing me to stay around in ASA despite my innumerable faults.

I beg for your blessings that I improve in my Sadhana, and that by the next time I report, I can document a higher percentage in my letter. I regularly read your writings about crawling to Mangala Arati and resisting sleep for Japa in hopes that I can implement them.

With immense gratitude and appreciation for your causeless mercy and austerity,

your insignificant servant,

Sugopi Radha devi dasi

HpS/ASA - We are like a bunch of pieces of wood in the fire place the more we burn the more we inspire those arounds us. Personally I am very inspired by your efforts. We are also making progress. Sometimes we want to engage in eating "pizza and pasta" at 10.30 at night, but it is not available. We have put it out of reach and now the desire is less so we can restrain ourselves. At first it is an effort then it becomes just our habitual nature.

Hari Dasa Varya / Cusco

AmD - KmDD Report

26-11-2020

Hare Krsna Querido Gurudeva

Por favor acepte nuestras humildes reverencias.

Todas las glorias a Srila Prahupada!!!

Este es nuestro reporte de Rama Ekadasi a Utthana Ekadasi.

“Diario de dos criaturas viajeras”

Desde el último Ekadasi hemos estado una semana en casa de Sita.

Allí, Krsna, Balaram y Giriraj, han compartido el altar con Hanuman una deidad muy bonita que nos regalo Akhilasraya Prabhu hace ya un tiempo, 

y le encargamos su cuidado a Sita…

ASA - 🙂

Luego la siguiente semana, la pasamos en casa de Bibhatsu Arjuna, ahí con la familia completa hemos festejado un lindo Dwali, ofreciendo velitas y mechitas de ghee, con bastante Kirtan como en las viejas épocas en casa,

y Bibhatsu Arjuna, preparo unas fiesta de pizzas para el placer de Sus Señorías...

Estamos tratando de estar conectados en FMP, y estaremos atentos al FEP ahora los lunes…

La asociación con Usted y sus bienquerientes nos mantienen vivos...Vamos a escuchar las clases en diferido por Facebook y así cuidar los datos para los programas matutinos… 

Mono Swami sigue en Arequipa pero parece que viene pronto….

HpS : El es Monoteista o Monista?

AmD: Mono Swami todo el tiempo que puede habla de Dios, pero me dijo que era monista y que su Acharya era Hanuman…. : )

HpS - Monistas son Mayavadis!! Todo es uno! Pero..... mono-teistas crean en un Dios. 😇

Hemos dejado de viajar estás semanas y hemos aprovechado para asistir al templo de Cusco. Aquí los programas son los domingos, tienen unos hermosos Gaura Nitai, a quiénes tuvimos la fortuna de despertar en el 2016 cuando llegaron de India… KmDD y Sita han sido sus pujaris antes que viniera madre Gaura por aquí…. Así es que le tenemos mucho cariño…

En el Govardhan Puja, llevamos a Giriraj y hablamos un poco de su carácter como el mejor de los sirvientes y también como Krsna mismo…. Este es el cuarto año que nos toca glorificarlo, y cada vez comprendemos detalles nuevos. Esperamos que algún día podamos ganarnos su bendición…

ASA - !!! http://kksongs.org/songs/s/sapathammurajitkarambuja.html

En el Tirobhava de Srila Prabhupada, KmDD preparo unos deliciosos Kachoris que compartimos con el suculento prasadam general que preparo Madre Taki, una Bhaktina muy entusiasta, ella es esposa de Anasraya Prabhu… Nosotros hicimos un buen tiempo de Kirtan con Raganuga Prabhu, el presidente, Sita, Sergio y los devotos y luego una dinámica con todos los asistentes, mientras degustabamos el prasadam, contando cada uno su primer contacto con Srila Prabhupada... Fue muy inspirador escuchar a todos…. 

HpS - Reverencias a todos. Es un gran dolor no visitar a Cuzco.

HpS : Eso es bueno? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qfns_aLrNY

AmD: muy bueno, no había visto esa versión…. 

KmDD: gracias por su amabilidad, no me considero fuerte y heroica como Juana de Arco, pero entendí el mensaje… Siempre estaré endeudada y eternamente agradecida por aceptarme como su discípula…

HpS - Juana de Arco recibió una misión directamente de Dios y la hizo vivir un cielo y un infierno vivos. Eso es vida espiritual, ¿no? Demasiado caliente para masticar pero demasiado dulce para escupir.

Esperamos tener más noticias la próxima. Oramos siempre por su salud y protección, nos vemos siempre en el FMP, y ojalá algún día en el mantra y en el corazón…. 

Gracias por todo Gurudeva, sus Aspirantes a sirvientes AmD – KmDD.

Hari Dasa Varya / Cusco

AmD - KmDD Report

11-26-2020

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Hare Krsna Dear Gurudeva

Please accept our humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prahupada !!!

This is our report from Rama Ekadasi to Utthana Ekadasi.

"Diary of two traveling creatures"

Since the last Ekadasi we have spent a week at Sita's house. There, Krsna, Balaram and Giriraj have shared the altar with Hanuman, a very beautiful deity that Akhilasraya Prabhu gave us some time ago, and we entrusted Sita with her care ... Then the following week, we spent it at Bibhatsu Arjuna's house, there With the whole family we have celebrated a beautiful Dwali, offering candles and ghee wicks, with enough Kirtan as in the old days at home, and Bibhatsu Arjuna, I prepare a pizza party for the pleasure of Their Lordships ...

We are trying to be connected in FMP, and we will be attentive to the FEP now on Mondays ...

The association with you and your well-wishers keep us alive ... We are going to listen to the classes delayed by Facebook and thus take care of the data for the morning programs ...

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja, pamho AGTSP!

Thank you Maharaja for the encouragement. Your responses to my last letter have given us a lot of hope and enthusiasm.

HpS - Thank you. Thank God!!

Sadhu Sanga’s mother is well. She is planning to move to Boise at some point.  And Sudevi speaks Mexican/Spanish, yes. They are really hoping that you can visit Boise again someday. They actually moved here very much anticipating seeing you.

HpS - Alway see you in Goloka!!! We are in a movie house, sitting next to each others. 😜

In response to your question: Do you continue with music?

I’m continuing to write and record. This Karuna virus has served us well in many respects. Not traveling, not playing in bars has been really nice. Incorporating the Maha mantra in a few songs. Had some devotees in the recording studio last month to sing Hare Krishna. It very much improved the songs! Lol

HpS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smz7zghQLaY  our favorite song. Hearing it is more and more education.

Not really sure who my audience is or how to find a different audience but there is a record label that will release a couple more albums for Nick Delffs. Hopefully they can be good offerings. And if they are praised I can pass it on.

When I find my self thinking “I am the creator of these songs” or “I am so great” lol I try to meditate on the fact that Krishna is the ability in man. Writing and performing has been a humiliating and humbling process as well.

HpS - ASA -- We do something. It is like a child helping his mother make a cake for his father's birthday party. He actually does stuff and has good ideas. Really.

And yes! YouTube and not needing a big audience! 

Interesting that you sent that Bear Dance painting because growing up it was in our living room and I would always stare at it and just recently we were at my parents house and it was on the wall and I was staring at it thinking about all the bears doing kirtan. Hari bol!

ASA - Support your right to arm bears.

My father was asking about you and he sends his respects. I believe you spoke with him at our wedding.

HpS - Yes, I think so. All your family seemed like rather awake people!

Thank you again Maharaja. I hope this finds well. 

Your aspiring servant, 

-Nitisara das

TB/BW - Local 'spiritual'. 1.20".

Dear Maharaja

Hare Krsna! I have not written to you for more than three months! These have been very difficult times for me. I am very sorry for my ingratitude to you. This blog is a great blessing.

HpS ASA ---- Hmmm.... Materially rough times are a product of not being in Krsna consciousness. As soon as we have the perspective of Arjuna after hearing the BG we have no material problems. 😐 Of course, being KC, using the Blog if it is really a good resource, is a great science. May take a few years (lifetimes) to learn it,,, but every step is eternal, and every level is better than the last!!

I hope you are well. May you no longer have allergies and may your body allow you to continue serving Srila Prabhupada and Krsna.

HpS - Allergys have gone. Pollen is gone. Now we have bitter cold, snow. 😎

As for myself, a lot has happened to me internally. Quarantine is already declining here in Santiago and everything is returning to "normal." However, my heart is sad, Maharaja. I have felt that I have lost enthusiasm in the spiritual life, I feel stagnant.

HpS - Think about why. You can always find your enthusiasm in your intelligence.

My work has taken my life, almost completely. I have had many responsibilities and I have not been able to focus 100% on what really matters to me. I try to do my best, but I don't think it's enough; that Krsna is not pleased with me, I cannot advance, and perhaps I never will.

HpS - It is difficult not advance because KC works. It relieves suffering. Do you want to suffer??? So, you will advance. but...... willit be

s

l

o

w

or fast. Our participation helps, required!

I try to stay firm in my sadhana; I chant my 16+ rounds, I get up early to share mangala arati with you and the devotees, I raise my deities, I serve them their breakfast, I offer them flowers, I sowed 5 Tulasi seeds that sprouted and I adore them every day, but I feel that it is not enough.

HpS - Golly ! Gosh! We are not Rupa Goswami. That is very nice. Have fun with Krsna. Do more but because KRSNA likes it. He is not a Sadist. He likes you, always has and always will. He wants to have fun with you and your friends.

I have not been able to maintain my reading habit (so sad to me!), the mental fatigue that has caused me to work so intensely, prevents me. Many times I come home with a severe headache. My eating habits have also been affected, but by the blessing of Krsna and the Vaisnavas, I have continued to get up early and keep my morning sadhana (without difficulty, thank God!).

But, how can I get closer to Krsna and not feel downcast by this conditioned life? This world full of suffering is very intense, Maharaja. I feel collapsed, really.

There is something that happened that I do not know how to face, could you guide me? (I hope not to extend the letter too much)...

The whole subject related to animals is very sensitive to me. The abuses that men/women commit towards them hurt me tremendously, and I try, within my passivity, to help people to see them as beings who have the same right as ours to live in peace.

It turns out that my boyfriend and his family had a beautiful and adorable dog, Achilles, a Rottweiler. A well misunderstood breed, since they are always treated as aggressive.

Sometimes he behaved very badly because he was territorial, and he attacked dogs and left them on the brink of death. They tied him up as punishment under the sun (poor thing), and he always stayed calm accepting his reality.

But one day, Achilles started to get a little more elusive around people, and he started to head them away and jump.

At that moment, my boyfriend's family, fearing that he might actually attack someone, decided that he was dangerous and they killed him (lethal injection), without even analyzing other possible solutions (so many more!).

My feeling may be very stupid, Maharaja, but it is difficult for me not to feel sorry, helpless and anger in the face of this matter.

I question so many things! I am having a hard time feeling compassion for the people who made that deliberate decision, because there were other options that they did not evaluate and took the easiest and cruellest path of all.

How can I not feel angry in the face of these injustices? How can I not feel hurt in the face of this? I understand that it is the product of my attachments or of maya, but what would I do without my sensitivity? Doesn't that make me more 'human'? Should I feel nothing? Would that mean that I am moving towards Krsna?

How to deal with unfair and cruel people? How to accept that act? They generate too much abersion in me and I don't want to share with them again. How to do it after having killed an innocent being?

Excuse all the questions. They may be unnecessary and very trivial. I hope that you and Krsna can help me to better understand this situation and to act in the best possible way.

Thank you very much for always being present. You are a gift from heaven. Your constant association keeps me going. And the hope of being able to advance in the process is still present, sometimes with more force and sometimes with less force.

I hope I can stay in touch more through the blog. I can no longer enter the FMP daily (so sad!); Here in Chile it's 7.30am when the program starts, and at that time I have to get ready to go to work.

Have a very good day, Maharaja. I hope my letter didn't bore you so much. (I used google translate and a little of my knowledge in english. Sorry for my mistakes on grammar)

Your eternal almost-servant

Bh. Nicole Silva.

HpS - "‘śraddhā’-śabde – viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya

kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya" find this in NOI 5. Main thing is getting your rounds done. Then you will be the most efficient instrument is reducing the suffering in this world. Krsna is the Supreme Friend. Not you and me.... When we become instruments of Krsna, like Arjuna, we can fight with so, so, many problems, bad ideas, and win.

For specific situations, talk with a lot of people in volved in the situation and then you can see practically the KC participation you can make.

Maybe the dog was someone who did the same thing to dog in their last lifetime.. Hmmm. Focus on nice rounds!!!!!!!

Respected Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

I am so grateful for your last reply. It was very helpful for me to decide my next step. You had advised me to find out how to stay within the institution of Srila Prabhupada. We had meetings with Temple President of Patna temple. I have started my service here. Since I was more interested in preaching at Darbhanga ( 140 Kms away from Patna, the main city of Mithila) while Patna required help for preaching, it was fixed up that I would be traveling to Darbhanga regularly while preaching at Patna. Usually I am 2 days in Darbhanga every week.

After some struggle, I got room at Darbhanga. Also, another brahmachari devotee from Haldia/ Kolkata has joined us. Thus I feel more secure now. Our preaching till now was few Sankirtan and house programs.

I was in Mayapur from 23-27 November, praying to Panchtattva for empowerment. I met a devotee who asked me if guru wants me to do what I am doing. In flat words, answer is I am not sure, as all initiatives in whole thing was taken by me personally. This question shook me up. Still wondering about it.

While returning I had planned to deliver the books to Professor Samresh. However, due to lockdown effect and some other troubles, I failed in my attempts. It took me 11 hours of troublesome journey to reach Kolkata from Mayapur, and I had to rush to station to board next train.

Later, a devotee Ajay Prabhuji agreed to do this service. So he collected the books from temple and delivered to Dr. Prof Samaresh within the stipulated time of 2.30- 3.00 pm. Now no books are lying at ISKCON Kolkata.

My laptop had crashed and I am unable to do many things. Due to too much traveling, I find it difficult to manage time. Also many things are in phase of creation, requiring lot of time.

I simply admire the way you are rendering so many services. As always, please excuse me for being so slow in my reply.

Your servant

Purushottam Keshav Das

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AgtSP! Paoho. We are inspired by you! It is so interesting to hear about B'cari life in Iskcon in India! We are so happy the books go tot Dr. Samaresh!!! Please extend our thanks to the B'cari who did this work.

I don't think there is ever any question of 'leaving the institution'. It is just a question of what IS the institution. If the Temple is no longer and ISKCON institution, then we have to take charge of maintaining and developing the institution to the best of our ability. Srila Prabhupada only created ISKCON as the development of Srila Bhaktiseddhanta's institution. Of course, then there is the ISKCON that is the group of friends.

Sankirtan. Sankirtan!!!!!! Everyday see progress in sense control. We are going to die. Sooner or later, but what do we die for?