Letters to the editor

Todas las Glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Todas las Glorias a Usted muy querido Guru Maharaja

Por favor acepte mis rendidas reverencias

Deseo se encuentre en buena salud y muy feliz sirviendo a Su amoroso Maestro Espiritual.

Por mi parte, estamos luchando por sobrevivir a este manicomio, este año ha sido particularmente difícil para mi…Han pasado meses desde mi más reciente carta.

... Después de estar en coma inducido por casi 20 días, mi mamá se recuperó del “Karuna Virus”. Sobre esa experiencia ella recuerda muy poco. Dice que en ese estado de “Sueño” sentía mucho dolor y que la mayor parte del tiempo NO recordó a nuestro Señor, solo recordó a varios devotos en algún festival y, también en sus sueños, les predicaba a los doctores sobre el Srimad Bhagavatam y sobre el Ramayana. Nosotras, dentro de todo esto, pudimos percibir la protección del Señor en todo momento.

¡Cuán misericordioso es nuestro Señor! Que aunque mi familia y yo no somos devotas, no estamos rendidas a Él; Aún así, Él Señor nos dio todo lo que necesitábamos y cuido de nosotras en todo momento. Así que nuestras dificultades han servido para dar testimonio de la misericordia sin causa de nuestro Señor y sus Devotos.

Por otro lado, cuando mamá volvió a casa, necesitó muchos cuidados en todo momento. Así que por casi 40 días yo no pude cantar apropiadamente mis rondas. Me sentí muy avergonzada con usted Gurudeva, es por eso que no quise escribirle antes de ponerme al corriente con mis votos. Por favor discúlpeme Gurudeva.  

Al principio, recuperar las rondas perdidas fue muy difícil, pero su misericordiosa asociación a través de FMP, clases online y el blog, paulatinamente nos dio la fuerza para retomar el ritmo y refugiarnos en las instrucciones de Srila Prabhupada. Ahora que nuestras rondas están al día, estamos tratando de volver a asumir nuestros servicios prácticos de forma estable.

Hay otras cosas que me gustaría compartir, pero deberá ser en otro momento…

Muchas gracias Gurudeva, usted me rescata constantemente de mis tonterías, mi deuda con usted es cada vez mayor… Por favor, le ruego que me perdone por causar tantas molestias, trabajaré sinceramente para poder ser útil de algún modo en su trascendental Sankirtana.

Gracias por todo Gurudeva.

Su aspirante a sirviente

Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi 

=-=-=-=

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

All Glories to You very dear Guru Maharaja

Please accept my bows

I wish you are in good health and very happy serving your loving Spiritual Master.

HpS - Probably just like you, only a little older and a little less serious.

For my part, we are struggling to survive this madhouse, this year has been particularly difficult for me ... It has been months since my most recent letter.

... After being in an induced coma for almost 20 days, my mother recovered from the “Karuna Virus”. She remembers very little about that experience. He says that in that state of "Dream" she felt a lot of pain and that most of the time she did NOT remember our Lord, she only remembered several devotees in some festival and, also in his dreams, she preached to the doctors about Srimad Bhagavatam and on the Ramayana.

HpS - Super, super, super util austerity!

We, within all this, could perceive the protection of the Lord at all times.

How merciful is our Lord! That although my family and I are not devoted, we are not surrendered to Him; Still, the Lord gave us everything we needed and took care of us at all times. So our difficulties have served to bear witness to the causeless mercy of our Lord and his Devotees.

On the other hand, when Mom came home, she needed a lot of care at all times. So for almost 40 days I couldn't properly sing my rounds. I felt very embarrassed with you Gurudeva, that is why I did not want to write to you before catching up on my vows. Please excuse me Gurudeva.

HpS - How many rounds did you fall behind? Were you doing a minimum every day eg. 4? Make them up as you can.....

At first, recovering the lost rounds was very difficult, but his merciful association through FMP, online classes and the blog, gradually gave us the strength to pick up the pace and take refuge in Srila Prabhupada's instructions. Now that our rounds are up to date, we are trying to get back to our practical services on a stable basis.

HpS - Super! Super Chica!!

There are other things that I would like to share, but it must be at another time ...

Thank you very much Gurudeva, you are constantly rescuing me from my nonsense, my debt to you is increasing… Please, I beg your forgiveness for causing so much trouble, I will sincerely work to be able to be useful in some way in your transcendental Sankirtana.

Thanks for everything Gurudeva.

Your would-be servant

Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi

HpS - Did you read the letter from Karuna-mayi and Ananda Maya Das!? https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/11772/

Krsna will surely give you intelligence and association how to advance :>>>>>> in your service.

Hare Krsna Dear Gurudeva

Por favor acepte nuestras humildes reverencias.

Todas las glorias a Srila Prahupada!!!

Este es nuestro reporte de Pasankusa Ekadasi a Rama Ekadasi.

“Diario de dos criaturas viajeras”

Mono Swami...

[ASA/TB-BW - El es Monoteista o Monista?]

...aún esta en Arequipa, nosotros en el Cusco, estuvimos en casa de Bibhatsu Arjuna unos días y otros en casa de Sergio y Sita, luego hemos estado en el Valle Sagrado, Calca, Lamay... Muy bonitos lugares... Viajar es bonito, pero algunas veces es muy austero, como todo, tiene sus pros y contras... Hemos tenido una dura prueba con Karuna cuando estábamos en Lamay, pero hemos podido superarla, hace mucho, mucho que situaciones asi no se presentaban en nuestras vidas. Así que hemos asumido viajar un poco menos y menos austeridades, por un tiempo.  

HpS - Srila Prabhupada said that Sannyasa is a difficult situation, but for one who accomplishes it correctly, returning back home, back to Godhead, is guaranteed. Vanaprastha is preparation for Sannyasa. The wife can travel with husband as servant, and we see incredible examples of Ladies like Gandhari and Arci and Puranjan, but often it is too difficult so she stays with adult children. It is just as difficult for a lady as a man, but different. It is like committing suicide! Yet, we equally realize that our eternal life is waking up. Maybe we won't accomplish it all in one lifetime. Why do I have a lot of Sannyasa karma? Was I a good devotee lik Karuna-mayi Devi Dasi in my last life???

Estamos cantando nuestras 16 rondas, siguiendo los principios, y haciendo Kirtan y Harinam donde podamos.

HpS - ASA ---- Incredible! Vds son la mas gran activo de Peru!

Finalmente hemos dejado a Nrishimhadeva con Bibhatsu y ahora solo estamos con Krsna Balarama y Giriraj a quienes adoramos junto a Srila Prabhupada y a Usted en nuestra puja diaria.

HpS - !

Nos duele mucho no tener siempre internet a la mano para conectarnos, especialmente a las clases... Por ahora estamos solo en los FMP los días martes y compartimos con Parama Karuna, y posiblemente con Sita, que canto el martes que pasó... Por la tarde - noche en el FEP compartimos con aquellos que este inspirados y se comuniquen con nosotros, sino hay nadie, somos muy felices de participar... 

Se nos acabaron los libros, así que ahora les hablamos de Krsna a todos, especialmente a los hijos, devotos y personas con los que nos cruzamos... En una feria en Calca conocimos a muy buenas personas, algunos interesados en conocer un poco nuestra filosofía, asi que sin libros, solo le enviamos el link del Veda Base... libros virtuales... Quizás Catur pueda enviarnos unos libros desde lima...

Hablamos de Grhastha Asrahm en casa de Anansraya prabhu en Santa Ana un barrio colonial, de los más antiguos aquí en Cusco donde habían organizado un programa bonito de Nama Hatta.

El primer día de Kartika dimos la clase en el templo de Cusco, y pudimos ofrecer un prasadam familiar a los devotos... Ahora vamos este domingo para Govardhana Puja, llevaremos a Giriraj, y hablaremos un poco sobre las glorias de Haridasa Varya Govardhana.. “Con las bendiciones del Guru, hasta un mudo puede volverse un predicador elocuente” . Siempre esperamos sus bendiciones, sin ellas difícil mantenernos...

Karuna habla poco y yo soy un poco aburrido, ojala Mono Swami este por acá y escriba algo el siguiente reporte...

Sus Aspirantes a sirvientes AmD – KmDD.

Hare Krsna Dear Gurudeva

Please accept our humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prahupada !!!

This is our report from Pasankusa Ekadasi to Rama Ekadasi.

HpS - ¡Hay muchos devotos en ISKCON que han bajado las armas y abandonado la lucha, pero escuchándote están entusiasmados de volver a levantarlos! Todos debemos ayudarnos unos a otros.

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

"Diary of two traveling creatures"

Monkey Swami is still in Arequipa, we in Cusco, we were at Bibhatsu Arjuna's house for a few days and others at Sergio and Sita's house, then we have been in the Sacred Valley, Calca, Lamay ... Very beautiful places ... Travel It is beautiful, but sometimes it is very austere, like everything else, it has its pros and cons ... We had a tough test with Karuna when we were in Lamay, but we have been able to overcome it, long, long ago that situations like this did not arise in our lives. So we've assumed a little less travel and less austerities, for a while.

We are chanting our 16 rounds, following the principles, and doing Kirtan and Harinam where we can. We have finally left Nrishimhadeva with Bibhatsu and now we are only with Krsna Balarama and Giriraj whom we worship together with Srila Prabhupada and You in our daily puja.

It hurts us a lot not to always have the internet at hand to connect, especially to classes ... For now we are only at the FMP on Tuesdays and we share with Parama Karuna, and possibly with Sita, who I sang last Tuesday ... In the afternoon - night at the FEP we share with those who are inspired and communicate with us, if there is no one, we are very happy to participate ...

We ran out of books, so now we talk about Krsna to everyone, especially to the children, devotees and people we come across ... At a fair in Calca we met very good people, some interested in knowing a little about us. philosophy, so without books, we only send you the link of the Veda Base ... virtual books ... Maybe Catur can send us some books from Lima ...

We talked about Grhastha Asrahm at Anansraya prabhu's house in Santa Ana, a colonial neighborhood, one of the oldest here in Cusco where they had organized a nice Nama Hatta program.

The first day of Kartika we gave the class in the temple of Cusco, and we were able to offer a family prasadam to the devotees ... Now we are going this Sunday for Govardhana Puja, we will take Giriraj, and we will talk a little about the glories of Haridasa Varya Govardhana. "With the blessings of the Guru, even a mute person can become an eloquent preacher." We always await your blessings, without them it is difficult to maintain ourselves ...

Karuna talks little and I'm a bit bored, hopefully Monkey Swami is here and write something in the following report ...

Your Aspiring Servants AmD - KmDD.

https://youtu.be/dWP-X_bRBio 

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj,

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

I have been chanting 16 rounds regularly and have been following the regulative principles. I mentioned in the last letter that i am serving the Atlanta temple by helping them with the monthly Newsletter. I am still doing that maharaj. I am also attending the local bhakti vriksha every friday on Zoom. We are also doing daily Damodar arti on Zoom in our BV.

HpS - Incredible!!

I am also trying to read Srimad Bhagavatam for 15 to 30 minutes everyday and i am currently in the second chapter of 3rd Canto guru maharaj.

HpS - We also!!

I have also passed the ISKCON disciple course. I am attaching the certificate. I am currently waiting for the recommendation letter from ISKCON Atlanta. Because i have been in Atlanta fo just under a year and haven't had much chance to serve the temple directly because of Covid, the temple authorities have asked for a couple of letters of my record of service from previous temples. I have requested those letters from the Chennai temple and the Connecticut temple as those are the two centers under which i have served in the past.

Once i get them, i'll forward them to the Atlanta temple and then subsequently receive the recommendation letter. I am hoping this should happen in the next 15 to 30 days, hopefully.

Tulsi maharani is also growing nicely maharaj.

Your servant

Sriram Arunachalam

HpS - Awk!!! We don't remember previous Blog posts from you. We are either becoming senile or becoming overwhelmed by Asta-sattvika Bhava. Can send links for previous letters. Most important thing is that Krsna knows all these things and He is the original Guru!! Only observation is that we have to have this hour in the morning and evening for SB/BG. Of course it may be 15-minutes of NOD + 15-minutes of CC etc, but it is one of the requirements of Bhakti Yoga. If we don't have this habit then it is like a diet of rice, beans and bread with no beans or something. We will continue with it for a few years and then die. We will continue in Bh. Yoga w/o the full program and then quite and say, "Oh. I treied that and it didn't work for me..". Very sad!! It is a science!

What do you think?

Hare Krsna gurudev. Por favor acepte mis reverencias. Y sean todas las glorias a su divino maestro espiritual Srila Prabhupada.

Espero que esté muy bien de su salud física.

Perdón por no escribirle más seguido. Siempre siento que estoy en deuda con usted y no hago mucho para remediarlo.

Estoy un poco mejor de mi último reporte. He mejorado mis rondas, aunque sigo sin cumplir las 16 rondas todos los días. Los cuatro principios están bien. Estoy participando de mangalarati con usted, aunque el cambio de horario no me vino bien. Estoy trabajando con una familia de devotos vecinos como ayudante de cocina y con el calor empiezo a las 7:30 am justo cuando ahora empieza mangalarati y los martes y jueves voy al Mandir Radha Krsna del barrio a mangalarati (la construcción que hizo Kesava swami en un pequeño terreno donado por Pancadhara das, falta bastante pero tenemos un salón muy hermoso terminado y un baño a medio terminar, ahora nos reunimos allí) . El martes pasado di una pequeña clase de media hora de Bhagavatam para los devotos. Estoy levantando a mis deidades casi todos los días, aunque no siempre a la misma hora. También me ocupo del servicio de tesorería del mandir. Estoy un poco mejor de mi energía física, he empezado una limpieza ayurveda hace unos 20 días.

Muchas gracias gurudev, lo poco que puedo hacer es gracias a usted, sinceramente!!!

Su discípula que lo quiere mucho, madre Campaka lata dd.

Hare Krsna gurumaharaja!!! Que Krsna lo eleve cada día más cerca de Su morada.

=-=-=-=

Hare Krsna gurudev. Please accept my obeisances. And all glories to your divine spiritual master Srila Prabhupada.

HpS - OUR divine spiritual master! Jaya!

I hope your physical health is very good.

HpS - Ha! Ha! Ja! At 72-years old our donkey, motorbike, is falling apart. 2024 is estimate of final survival. We hope to be devotees in our next life.

Sorry for not writing to you more often. I always feel that I am in your debt and I don't do much to remedy it.

HpS - I feel the same way!

I'm a little better from my last report. I have improved my rounds even though I still miss 16 rounds every day. All four principles are fine. I am participating in mangalarati with you, although the time change did not suit me. I am working with a family of neighboring devotees as a kitchen helper and with the heat I start at 7:30 am just when mangalarati starts now and on Tuesdays and Thursdays I go to the Mandir Radha Krsna in the mangalarati neighborhood (the construction that Kesava swami did in a small piece of land donated by Pancadhara das, there is still a lot but we have a very beautiful finished room and a half finished bathroom, now we meet there). Last Tuesday I gave a little half hour Bhagavatam class for the devotees. I am raising my deities almost every day, although not always at the same time. I also take care of the mandir's treasury service. I am a little better in my physical energy, I started an ayurveda cleanse about 20 days ago.

Thank you very much gurudev, the little I can do is thanks to you, sincerely !!!

His disciple who loves him very much, mother Campaka can dd.

Hare Krsna gurumaharaja !!! May Krsna raise him closer to His abode each day.

HpS - Super. You think this is not a battle of Kuruksetra? Everyday somebody died and at least Arjuna, everyone go shot full of arrows.

Focus on the rounds. Everything else will improve in the most efficient way if you do that.

Respects to the devotees there. Honestly your association and news are very important to us!!!!! The world.

Hare Krishna Maharaja, please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you! 

I am listening to your English classes almost everyday. Very grateful to the devotee who posts them on to FB.

These classes are our saving grace..though they are beyond our capacity to understand. The humor, insight and the personal stories that you tell are very uplifting and bring us closer to Srila Prabhupada’s books. Thank you Maharaja. I am here because of you. Your personality have always been so familiar and inviting to me.

HpS - Hmmph! We have always been inspired by you and your family. Maya may knock Nick Deffs down but he got back up!! 💪 "Okay, if that way won't work, maybe this way!!"

Maharaja, you have inspired me to take work seriously and by Krishna’s grace and your mercy I have carpentry work that is creative and challenging and my boss is favorable to KC.

HpS - Same Dude you described before! Very interesting!

I am very thankful for this. Because of you I am trying to always remember that the money that I make is Krishnas and should be used in His service.

So many great devotees have left us here in Boise. We are missing their association and feel foolish for not taking more of their association when they were here. The work load around the temple is heavy and the physical association with devotees is scarce but we are holding to our morning program at the temple and at home with Aja. Needing to develop our evening program. We are trying to read Krsna Book every night and do kirtan.

ASA - Super! Super! Super! I think that if we can be KC in these circumstances, we can also do it in a coffin! (At last a little peace and quiet! (But then another buddy, body). Things will change. Guaranteed. But Krsna and His Associates and His pastimes are eternal.

Sadhu Sanga Prabhu (You have been on the Vrindavan Parikrama with him. He used to have a different name that started with a T) his good wife Sudevi Mataji and their fiery son Dhruva have moved here from Bellingham WA. Anadi and I feel very like minded to them and we seem to all work very well together. We are very grateful for their help and guidance.

HpS - Great!!! Yes, we lived through the Parikrama with him several times. It is like having lived through the Vietnam War with somebody. We really miss his association. Respects to him, them. She speaks "Mexican", no? How is his mothe?

Married life is difficult! We are trying to have a good sense of humor about it all and not get to entangled or attached but it is very difficult.

HpS - Ha! Ha! Ha! ... but Vanaprastha is tougher and Sannyasa is even more tough! but in the end you are as pure as gold! They erect monuments to you in citys. You become a person on the stature of Narada muni and the Parampara acharys. On the other hand the problems are all created by us, and as soon as we say, "Nityananda! Prabhupada", with our hands raised with a loud voice, we know how to use Grhastha Ashrama etc. very well!

Considering getting therapy again but this question comes up:

Is revealing ones mind in confidence to a professional, non devotee therapist not recommended? 

HpS - No, but to a nice Mexican lady, Catholic, is okay. Just gotta understand people in terms of NoI-10. Then even Karmis and Jnanis can help us in our service. Of course, it often happens that therapists say that they go more help in their personal life than they feel they gave in the sessions.

Thank you for all of your online classes and for being a torch light in this dark material existence🙏🏻

Your aspiring servant,

Nitisara das 

HpS - To us you seem like you are in the top 5% of humanity on the planet. Go ahead!!!!! Do you continue with the music? Looking for a different audience? Don't need a lot of people. You tube videos. Respects to the Better Half.

All Glories to Sri Guru Parampara,

Radha Krsna Ki Jay, Gouranga Mahaprabhu Ki Jay, Goura Bhakta Vrinda Ki Jay

H. H. HpS Maharaja! Dandavat Pranam!

H. H. B. S. Damodar Swami, Ki Jai!

Srila Prabhupada, Ki Jai!

Hare Krsna! Please accept my humble obeisances unto Sri Guruji Maharaja’s Padama Charan that I am so happy to get Guruji Maharaja's reply so soon, and it is the same address written not to write in this blog.

In my previous letter I had asked the differences of "Mantra and Gaitri" and Guruji replied as HpS - We do not understand your question too well. Can you give details? The details are as under : 

1.     Guru

Mantra : Eing Srigurube namah;

Gayatri - Eing Srigurudevaya bidamahe krsnanandaya dhimahi tano guru:

                pracodayat.

2.     Gouranga Mahaprabhu

Mantra : Kling Srikrsnacaitanyaya svah.

Gayatri : Kling Gourangaya bidamahe biswambharaya dhimahi tano goura:

    pracodayat.

3.     Nityananda

Mantra : Kling Nityananda candraya svah.

Gayati  : Kling Nityanandaya bidamahe balaramaya dhimahi tano Rama

                pracodayat.

HpS - Hmm? We still do not understand. 😟 Can you send your whatsapp number or e-mail address and we could communicate in some more detail about the Mantras.

 I am now reading Bhagavatam 11:20:30. Narrating the different concepts of happiness in general public and bhaktas spiritual views. Normally everybody thinks that the greatest happiness is the Maya; but the real happiness is worship of Sri Krsna – because He is the only sources of happiness. Actually, even now, I can’t experience the feeling of happiness in chanting Mahamantra and seeing the Murti. When I will get the same feelings which were experience by Gosvamis and other bhaktas? Sometimes tears rolled down from my eyes but could not grapes [grasp] the idea of happiness in my practice.

Guruji! Please guide me if there is any mistake in my practice or in the systems.

Yours fallen servant,

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - You have tears from the eyes but you are not happy?

One time Hari-sauri Das described that he was traveling as Srila Prabhupada his secretary and when they arrived at the airport many devotees were there and chanting and dancing in great jubilation. Then the same thing happened when they arrived at the Temple.

When they got to Srila Prabhupada's room, Hari-sauri Das said that he wished he had the love for Srila Prabhupada that all the jumping and chanting devotees had, and then Srila Prabhupada looked at him and said, "Oh, you don't want to be my secretary any more"?

Hari-sauri Das felt terrified and said, "No, Srila Prabhupada, I want to continue as your secretary as long as you will keep me!"

Srila Prabhupada smiled and said, "That is love".

So the real test of love is not that we feel some ecstasy, but that we are attached to doing practical service for Krsna. We feel that we HAVE to chant our rounds. That feel bad when we don't do it.

Yes, Krsna, His murti should become so very nice to see afte we do regular service to Them.

Do you have Deitys in your home?

Pictures.

We may have tears, trembling etc or maybe not. It may take some life times to become purified, but we won't give up. That is all we can say. Get advice from others also. Tell us what they say!