Letters to the editor

Dear Guru Maharaja:

All the glories to Sri Sri Radha Krishna

All the glories to Srila Prabhupada

All glories to you

Please accept my humble obeisances

I am going through a very introspective moment,

ASA-HpS - So was Balabhadra Das in the last letter!

I have noticed some bad behaviors in my mind, some more gross and others more subtle, in the principle for me they were imperceptible and now I see them as anarthas, I try to be very attentive to detect the moment when Maya wants wrap me up and see how I can get out of that situation in a favorable way, sometimes I can realize when it's starting to happen, other times when it's already happening, others when it's already happened, dealing with the mind is exhausting and I do not always have the intelligence to beat it, but I'm trying, day after day.

HpS - Wow, this is exactly how I live. I seem to have little intelligence to make progress, but it seems possible!    To make great progress everyday, for three days.

It's hard to recognize that there are undesirable qualities in my way of being, it hits my false ego a lot, but it's okay, because it reminds me that it's there, sometimes my mind hits me so hard that I think I will not be able to stand it.

HpS - Maybe God does not show me what rascal I am. Knows I am not as sincere as are you. We can always smile and go ahead.

Recently I realized that I have small explosions of anger, I say explosions because it's something that escapes and makes a puffffff, it's only a few seconds, I do not know what to do with that.

Once you told me two things that are really meaningful to me: Put sankirtan first! Chant your rounds directing to our Guru, Srila Prabhupada. I'm giving baby steps, sometimes I think I'm being negligent because I'm not giving everything, other days I think I have to be patient with myself, every day I keep these instructions in mind, I do not go out to distribute books, but every time I can I speak about Krishna and I give books as gifts. To be honest, it makes me a little scared to go out and distribute books to the street, my mind tells me that no one is going to want them, that someone might treat me badly. I'm going to improve, I want to improve, I want to give everything, I feel I need to be just a little braver. With respect to singing my rounds to Srila Prabhupada, it is something that helps me, inspires me in the service, and above all I feel that my love for him grew a lot. I dare to say that I love Prabhupada. Years ago I did not understand that love that the devotees feel for him and it made me very sad, because I wanted to know how it was. Sometimes I get very distracted in my singing but I always remember going back to Prabhupada.

I am trying not to get involved in conversations where devotees speak badly about devotees, it is difficult, sometimes I want to do it, my mind wants to be satisfied, but I try to focus on what I really want, Krsna Prema, criticizing someone is not going to give me it, so I see it as an obstacle and a waste of time.

I have a question: If I feel that someone as close as a friend is a bad association, what should I do?

HpS - Of course, the general answer is to try to help them, but the situations are full of details. That is why we have 18,000 verses in the SB and then other books. What should I do if a friend is sick? Answer that question and you have the answer to your question.
Send us this question and then you thoughts.

I have read and hearded about Srimati Radharani, who is she, her qualities, her pastimes, her relationship with Krisna, I know that I receive her mercy because of the beautiful services that I have, which for me are very special, like to sew beautiful clothes, wash and iron towels and gamsas for the Temple's Deities. I feel blessed because those services connect me with the deities, I think in the deities every day, thanks to that. But there is something that hurts me and is not feeling the same love for her that I feel for Sri Krsna, first of all, the intensity is less, and secondly is that the relationship is not the same, I do not know how to relate with her, and I need to know.

HpS - One very good way is to become conscious of the the Name "Hare", "Oh, Hara", in the Maha-mantra. Say it sincerely and She will let you know what is Her situation.

Last question: The Rasa that one has with Krsna, whether as a friend, father, mother, brother, lover, is it something that I can choose? Or is it something that is already determined and I have to discover what is our rasa?

HpS - Seems a very subtle, but common, question to us. We are, no choice, Sat Cit Ananda, the essence of these is free will. Up to Sakhya rasa, even a little higher kind of Sakhya-rasa, we belong to Krsna. Then Krsna belongs to us, Mamata. We start to make decisions about Krsna's future etc. Krsna likes that.

Nitya siddha krsna prema.... look for it in NOI and then follow the link to CC and read on both. We have to wake up!  Then we can go on growing. Discovering newer and newer qualities in ourselves, that even Krsna doesn't know. Krsna is growing, He needs different thngs, so we decide to serve in different ways. It is a big question, like three year olds trying to understand play and work. In our current stage there are many chances for choices even now. We just try to see what Krsna needs. What Radha and the Gopis, Srila Prabhupada, help us to see that Krsna needs.

We are so happy you came to Buenos Aires soon, we miss you, and we are waiting for you.

Your aspirant servant

Bhaktin Carol

HpS - We are just one little devotee. We feel that you are our Guru is the happy light of Krsna and Srila Prabhpupada. We act as Diksa-guru in ISKCON as a service. We hope we can be of some use to you with advice and we advice that you take advantage of so many Siksa gurus besides us. Tell us about the good guidance that you find in other ISKCON devotees, other Vaisnavas, even in nature.

Nice fotos.

Have you read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interior_Castle  ?

Hare Krishna Maharaja, please kindly accept my most humble obeisances; all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

It's quiet, on this morning of Srila Advaita Acharya's appearance day.  We just finished reading about his life from the book "Five Features of God" by Satyaraja prabhu.  Now, it is quiet and I am alone, contemplating my existence.  There is more physical pain in my body: muscular tightness all over my back and hips; my knees feel sore and the soles of my feet feel somewhat numb.  I am wondering if I don't have an early case of diabetes because of these things.  I am keeping these health concerns quiet from my wife, as I don't want her to weigh in on my maladies at this time.

In my mind I am reflecting how old my body is, how my life is now mostly behind me, and my regrets for having spoiled my life with so much sense gratification.  My persistence to maintain my sadhana has been a saving grace. and the Bhagavad gita gatherings have also been priceless.  I feel so much gratitude that I was able to practice Krishna consciousness in this life, in spite of being such a poor example of a devotee.  I feel pain in my heart because of such weak devotion, and that in turn causes both my wife and I so much anxiety.  Sometimes in my heart I feel tears, lamenting that I want to be a better devotee, but am too weak to be more serious.  Sometimes I feel the urge to improve and increase my determination, but maya very cleaverly puts some obstacle of temptation in front of me to discourage me.  

I decided to write these thoughts down before my chanting of Bhagavad gita this morning because of the gravity that fills my mind at present; knowing that if I wait until after my reading, that the mood won't be there, and I will wish I had trusted my gut feelings.  I think of you often, all the preaching that you are doing; feeling jealous because I want to do some nice service like you.  What am I to do, given all the sinful desires of my heart?  My only solace is my personal and private place of worship and sadhana.  

I need to go now; very busy day and I want to return to my Bhagavad gita before resuming my worldly affairs:Haribol.

Your lowly servant,

Balabhadra Dasa

HpS - AgtSP!    Paoho...   How can I do things better now. That seems to be the only standard, no?   How many devotees were initiated with me in the same letter, at the same Yajna?   Where are they now?

What about Sannyasa?

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!
All glories to Guru Maharaj HpS!
Please accept our humble obeisances at Your sweet, sweet Lotus feet!!
HpS - Lotus feet we do not greet, but looking at them from our desk-top seat, at least they are not cancerous or nor swollen.

Hare Krishna dear Maharaj,

Thank you so much for the reply. Thank you so much for giving us this great opportunity to serve the devotees of Tennessee....Radha-Krishnachandra longs to give darshan.....you are making us cry!!!

HpS - ASA -- I think Monkey is peeling onions.

Is there a remote chance of getting Guru Maharaj's darshan at Manipur this year? 

October will not be cold....will be pleasant....even if it rains...maybe a little bit. It would perhaps be the best time..mid oct would be beginning of Kartik. We would go house to house singing Damodara Astakam ...like last year. We can arrange a pilgrimage tour  visiting the significant Vaishnava temples here. Please instruct us what best can be done for the devotees once they reach here. Guru Maharaj ...we will try our best. 

Usually I visit Nabadwip and Vrindavan in the month of Kartik. Please let us know the itinerary so that we may adjust our timings.

Yesterday....Sunday kirtan was ecstatic....a little disturbed in the beginning when a drunk man kept following and teasing....at the end he also started dancing with the prabhujis!!

Your ignorant servant,

Sarada Gaurangi Devi Dasi

HpS - Even a dog can take part and dance in ecstacy.  O.K.  We will discuss the tour tonight with NGD. Of course, he and maybe others will be Medical Doctors, so we can also work on anothe educational symposium.

Hare Krsna, Gurudev Maharaja!
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, Sripada, and Guru Parampara, Goura Bhakta Vrnda Ki Jay, Radha Krsna Ki Jay. Dandavat Pranam Guruji Maharaja!

I have downloaded Gurujis amritabani reply of my previous letters. I am so happly to get Guruji’s reply and I thing I am just siting with Guruji’s and discussing about different topics. I had narrated Bhagavatam 9:15:1-15 last Sunday in the Radha Krsna Mandir, Thoubal. In sloka no. 12 Translation : Satyavati later became the sacred river Kausiki to pirify the entire world, ………What is the full story? How human being became river? Is it any crush or boon from a God or Demi God? Guruji! Please explain.

HpS - AGTSP!!!   Paoho....    Manipuri nagar sankirtan, Ki Jai!!   More and more devotees in the Kirtan. We experience Krsna's association, so will they!
We don't know the details of how Satyavati becime Kausiki, but these things happen on a subtle level. You may have a book on your USB drive. It is real. It is there and you can transfer the file to another USB drive or... it can become a spiral bound book, or it can become a movie...  So the demigods exist on a subtle level, like we somtimes experience in dreams where things can change from one to another easier then here. Ice is hard to move, but when turned to steam it and be pumped all over the place, no?

I am continuing my routine work of japa of 8 rounds in the morning after mangal arati, remembering some selected slokas from Gita, Bhagavatam, BRS, NOD etc. and reading some books before going to Office. For the last one week I could not heard Goruji’s amrtabani. I think it may be Guruji’s full engagement in other programmes. Yours fallen servant, Yamunesvara Das.

HpS - Our full engagement in other programs can many times just trying to survive. This is not Goloka and so we have to just rest and read books or play ball sometime.  Ooof.   As we get more purified we learn how to rest with more and more connection to Krsna, and then we never rest!
How much longer you will work at the University?  Many people want to come to Manipur in middle of October. Is that a good time?  Good weather? Any cultural events??
More news!   More news!   Manipur can save the world!

Hare Krishna Dear Maharaja 
Accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
ASA - Lettuce feet.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
ASA - !!!  !  Who is so, so, tolerant!!

Dear Maharaja,
I had trouble with my laptop, lost my charger and completly forgot where, finally i found it and im able to do my weekly report.

 things have gone intensly good and bad , due to some changes, i'm getting to know myself better thru service, which amazes me the most, i've been cleaning the main hall at the temple, where the deities are, washing prabhupada's cloths and making garlands, attending to mangal aarti again this week because last week was really hard for me, but atending every sunday to the main party and doing service on sunday and  as well doing another services  requiered in the temple. I already spoke to the temple's president in order to let him know im following steps in order to get all the  requirements  done, and hopefully get to be under your shelter. following my 4 principles takes me to been fallen a month ago, i broke principle of not having sex  before marriage with my boyfriend, it's being hell...i'm still recovering due to the damage i did to myself, i feel truly ashamed of myself but i couldnt go on without letting you know, i fail myself, i fail to you, to my daughter and to my devotee friends, i want to be honest and sincered with you because you are my main guidance. i'm learning that the best way to learn (yes i said it) it's telling when one is making or believes being making a mistake to your head superiors. i'm ashamed for what i did and im doing everything is possible to get back on track and keep doing my best, it's a hard process, but i see the small results in every act. i could be saying im the most fallen but i know i would be speaking from my ego, im surprised how im starting to know myself and learning to be hard on me when its need it after falling. i thank you from deep inside my soul for guiding me and ask mercifully to forgive me for breaking principles as such an early start, if there is a consecuence i will asume it and take it as deserve for my actions.

HpS - ASA --- Hare Krsna, Mataji.  We all thank you for your honesty. Probably six more people who had the same falldown as you within the last few months are feeling very respectful toward you that you have the courage to admit this.
Illicit, stupid, sex does contaminate our consciousness. Socrates said exactly the same thing... Mohammad, Jesus, Shakespeare....   It STRONGLY conditions you to experience things from a meangingless, or at least superficially meaningful, point of view. I don't see the spirit in the other person. I just see, and feel, their tool, their body.
Yet, it can be a deep attachment. We learn from our falldowns. If we just enjoy attention from the other sex because of our intelligence, material skills, that is also a falldown.   We have to be in LOVE with Krsna, again.

For this community, this Blog, it is like talking about something after a Sunday Feast lecture with the 6-7 devotees who come up to the speaker after the lecture for more confidential discussions. No need to go into such detail. If necessary we can talk in private with another devotee as a chaperone, but usually the general principles are enough.

Even in marriage the only natural gross relationship between husband and wife is to get great kids. Eat for strength.

. . . also my chanting it was improving but i keep losing track,  there is no excuse for losing track of my chanting but it stills hard for me to discipline myself into chanting my 16 rounds.  what else can i say... im not doing my best right now, and im taking responsability of my acts by being honest to you, and to myself, i dont know if its normal in the process to go thru all of this, falling from time to time, and everytime being more aware at what im failing at, im not proud of this at all. i spoke to H.H Bhakti Sundar Maharaja about it, and he told me, it was ok for me to feel bad about braking principles, because feeling bad meant i was aware i was doing something bad, and that's my main punishment.

HpS - Jaya, Maharaja. Everyone is different. Someone may be free from illicit sex within the first month but still be addicted to tobacco 20-years later and be sincere.

 I'm a mess, i know that now, but i deeply and sincerily want to make it better.

 Krishna, Prabhupada, you and my daughter is everything i've got  and i dont want to lose any of you for being a fool and making such stupid mistakes....

 Please forgive me.

 Bhaktina Andrea. 

HpS - ASA -- Seems you are doing O.K.  Go ahead. Help you fiancee and whole world to go ahead!   Waiting for more news.

HARE KRISHNA Dear Guru Maharaja !!
AGTSP
PAMHO

How is your health?

ASA - Srila Prabhupada said (they say), 'This body doesn't get diseases, this body is a disease.' We are purifying our material attachments, using this material attachment. 

And, where on the planet are you right now?

ASA - We are sitting our our big, old, donated desk. It has three drawers on each side. This way we sit cross legged and then our feet don't swell up. Also puts us as high as the window and we see all the cars going by which keeps us awake. Where are you sitting?? Planet desk, Murfreesboro Tenneessee, "The City Dedicated to Creating a Better Quality of Life".

I'm writing to you because 3 different subject matters, but, off course, in some way they are all connected.

1. I sent you a letter on december 5, telling you my experience working on the Ratha Yatra Festival, and you said to me the 2 following instructions: "Next write about a Sunday Festival in Santiago. Distribute this letter locally." So, until the moment, I have concreted only the second instruction that you gave to me. Last wednesday, january 15, I could translate our letter and sent it first to the email group that your chilean disciples use to communicate, and later I posted the letter on the Facebook group we use to coordinate the Ratha Yatra communications, there are almost 500 devotees in that group. Was amazing to do it, many devotees reacted and posted comments about the letter, they really love you, some friends and family said to me phrases like "Maharaja is a surreal genius...".

ASA - You letter was nice. You should be a Journalist.

2. Saturday, january 20, we had an online meeting with your disciple PND. He showed to me how to do the importation from english to spanish on Vedabase. The first mission he gave to me is to import the second chant [canto] of the Srimad Bhagavatam. So far I have been able to import chapters 1 and 2, they are already imported! I realized it is a lot of work, easy to do, but takes time, but I love to do it, I feel this is a blessing to me, I'm a writer, I love words and language, this is a job for me! While I was importing, I readed every verse of the conversation between Sukadeva Goswami and Maharaja Pariksit. I have no more words to describe my feelings about it, just gratitude. What a conversation they had! My heart resounds and vibrates with every word they share... someone like me does not deserve this...  All glories to Srila Prabhupada !!

ASA - ...and how many more people will be able to read it because of your effort!

3. My brother in law, Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur Das, during the past year, was working on organizing a tour to India, about yoga and ayurveda, in association with a travelling agency. So, the opportunity to get a low cost ticket to travel was presented to me. I have never left Chile and I have never traveled by plane. I have to ask for permission in court and the procedures are flowing positively. If everything goes well, I will travel with the group on February 14. But I will not participate in the tour with them. If everything goes well my plan is to go to Vrindavan and be there during 2 months and later come back to Chile. If I do this, I probably can not travel to visit you during your visit to South America. What do you think about, Guru Maharaja?

HpS - ASA --- Hmmm. Going with  devotees who have some knowledge of ISKCON India is very useful. To go alone is like going to New York city alone. Vrndavana may still be cold then. Again, you have to know who to meet. We can give you some help.  Of course, it would be nice to see you when we are there. So we are kind of in the middle. It is nice to get a chance to go to Vrndavan, but better with a guide and we will miss you when we are there. Chant Hare Krsna, talk with some more devotees and you can make a good decision, both seem possible to me.

And my last question in this letter! May you let us know how will be your travel itinerary during 2018?

ASA - jayarama.us/kd/cal.htm

Many thanks, Guru Maharaja, for your patience with this foolish human being and, please, forgive the mistakes I commit (and without etiquette) in my communication to you. I really wanna be your disciple someday.

HARE KRISHNA !!!

Your aspirant to disciple and servant,

Carlos Rold. 

HpS - ASA --- Yes!!   Report on the Sunday Feasts in Santiago!