Letters to the editor

Querido Gurudeva:

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

How are you? Sorry I don't write to you more often.

Yesterday, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Iskcon in Spain. The event was organized mainly by Yadunanadana Swami and it took place in a very beautiful theater, in Madrid. A lot of distinguished guests were invited. Definitely, it was a very entertaining and emotive celebration.

ASA - Jaya!

I am going on with my difficulties on chanting NICE rounds. I chant 16 but no nice. I usually get up at 4:30 - 5:00 am and chant 8 rounds before my "morning kids routine" begins. I chant the other 8 rounds during the day (recess time, lunch...) but it is so difficult to be on my own! And when the kids go to sleep, I am so tired that I fell slept too. Anyway, I know I should improve the quality of my rounds, but sometimes I feel I don't know how to do it.

ASA - You need a partner. Japa partner. Chant one round together, or report to each other how your round was every day. Then increase it.

Concerning to Gurukula, I make activities for the little ones (2 to 4 y.o.) every Thursday evening at home and activities for 5 to 12 y.o. every weekend at the Temple or at a park (depending on the weather and the activity). I am trying to do my best, but I don't know if I am doing it totally right or not because I am alone with it. I try to follow the examples of devotees doing this service in another countries. Thanks to them, I can go on.

HpS - With whom do you have association from othe countries. You are a great hero. We want to follow your example.

Still working at school. It is a private school (from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm) where I have Jaganattha, Baladeva and Subhadra dolls Deities in an handmade altar. The kids wake them up and put them to sleep at the end of the school day. The children are enjoying watching Krishna cartoons and, at the end of the day, we make our "disco time " with some nice kirtans. A lot of fun!

Thank you for reading this message and helping me to stay in the right track.

Hoping one day I will really become your humble servant.

Purnamasi devi dasi

HpS - ... and how is The Jayanta!   How old is Nimai?  What is he doing?

Such nice fotos. We added one of Krsna that we like. Maybe He will come with His friends to be in your school.

Hare Krishna ! 

Por Favor Acepte mis reverencias y que todas las Glorias Sean  a Srila Prabhupada !!

Paramakaruna Sri Sri Gaura Nitay Ki Jaya !!

Todas  las Glorias a Ud Gurudeva !!

h[H]are Krishna Gurumaharaj por favor acepte mis reverencias queria agradecerle por su respuesta la cual ayudo mucho a mi dia a dia con todos los servicios,  ya no estoy como comandante y tampoco en el bbt . solo me encargo del pujari y de mi  buena esposa y continuar teniendo buena asociacion con los vaisnavas, por lo tanto mi corazon esta mas tranquilo. confiamos que Sri Sri Gaura Nitay Pueden hacer los arreglos que quieran.

Ahora mi inquietud es otra , y tiene que ver con el Señor Krishna en forma de Silas . la situacion es la siguiente si bien un devoto aqui me ofrecio regalarme una, y que fuera a la casa a buscar,  lo cual no acepte sin tener su permiso , por lo tanto no fui nunca. aunque de una manera u otra ya tenemos toda la parafernalia para su comodidad . pero luego de un tiempo vino prabhu Paundra , se acerco y me dijo que ya no iba a adorar su sila y que la unica persona que pensaba era en mi , y me la dejo ,.,... practicamente sin darme muchas opciones  y le dije pero todavia no le pedi permiso a gurumaharaj ... en fin al finde semana siguiente le paso algo parecido a mi esposa y le dieron una sudarsham . lo cual la persona que se la dio (madre) no sabia que ya nos dieron una hacia unos dias .....quiza especulando o entendiendo que krishna se nos presenta debemos atenderlo ??  entonces la pregunta es si ud nos daria la misericordia y el permiso de poder ocuparnos en asistirlo a ud  en esa adoracion ??? Aqui en el templo estoy adorando a Saligram Gopal Sila  Y Giri Govadhana . hace ya unos 6 meses todos los dias .

Aqui le dejo algunas fotos.

Muchas gracias por su tiempo y misericordia para con esta alma , que intenta asistirlo cada vez mas , por favor nunca permita que pierda la asociacion de los vaisnavas o las Deidades . 

Dandavat

Su sirviente eterno Garga-acarya Das 

HpS - Para adorar los Silas tiene que ser un Brahmana, Dvija, de caracter. Siempre levantando para Mangala-arati? Sus rondas terminado bien cada dia? Buen fotos.

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my obeisances, all the glories to Srila Prabhupada!
It's been so long since I wrote to you, but I'm still so happy I got to see you in Lima and Mayapur early this year, but as you requested a while ago, here goes a short report. 

As I told you before and by your suggestion I'm at university studying a Bachelor of Commerce and will be majoring in Accounting, I'm almost half way through doing it part time.

HpS - Ooof, ever since there has been money and bags of grain there has been need of accountants.

We were living in Brisbane, but have recently bought a house in Murwilumbah, it is the town where most devotees live and it's only 10 minutes drive to New Govardhan Farm and Gurukula. We decided to buy our house here because we would like Suryani to spend time with other kids her age that will attend Gurukula with her. She will start attending pre-kindy (2 days a week) next year. We have many friends here too, friends Dhruvananda grew up with, and hope our kids grow up together as well.

The community is just amazing! The new generation of Kulis are just too sweet, no dramas, no worries! Just a big group of friends that get together to do kirtan, eat prasadam and be there for each other when need to.

I just love it here!. I'm hoping that once settled into our new place, I can get some service at the temple, already been invited to do service for the deities...

By Krsna's mercy my father-in-law Atul Krsna Prabhu has given us a flat in Sri Mayapur Dham, and lovingly has furnished it for us. We hope to visit every year for 3 months and are very grateful you gave us your blessings to do so. Suryani is growing too fast, she is 3 years old already, very sweet little girl that brighten our lives and learns very quickly whatever is taught.

She mentions you often and ever time she sees your picture in our altar she remembers you and sweetly says: this is Tickle tickle Maharaja, (she remembers that you tickled her).

We are hoping to visit India in mid January and stay until early march. We are really looking forward to seeing you as it is one of the main reasons of our trip.

HpS - Hare Krsna. Yes, we are fixing our Calendar now, but won't be in Mayapura except for a few days. Maybe you will travel to Delhi or something.

I've noticed in your calendar, that you will only be in Mayapur for 3 days! Do you think we could join you for any of your other trips around India? We will try our best not to be a burden and to be helpful where we can.

HpS - Ha!!!  Great minds think the same way. Where we will be going might be of special interest to you all also. Maybe even visiting the North East. It is like visiting Narottama Das Thakura in the 16th century.

I suppose this is all for now, hoping I didn't took much of your precious time.
Looking forward to hearing from you.

Trying to be helpful 
Dhanesvari Devi Dasi

HpS - Of course, your letter was written before Raktak Das departed for Gokula... Thank you for your communication in that perspective. Please write more often as practical. Dhruva's preaching activities are wonderful and we con go on expanding our co-operation eternally in Srila Prabhupada's Sankirtan movement, no?!!  Respects to your Father and Mother, Brothers.

                     HARE KRSNA, DEAR GURUDEVA,

                     PAOHO, AGTSP!!

                     HOW ARE YOU?

HpS - ASA -  Aaaaaaa!   Suffering like anything.   I guess anyone in this world in suffering. Maybe some think that things aren't so bad because they have very limited vision, but then when the enevitable destructions (of work, wife, family, society) happen they suffer much, much more than we are suffering.
Also, we are reducing our suffering at the root. We learn better and better how to deal with the problems. We guess this will develop into skills that will go to our next lifetime. Same for you?

                      WE HAVE MOVED LIKE FIVE TIMES SINCE BHADRA QUITTED HIS JOB, NOW WE ARE FINALLY STAYING HERE.

                      THE IDEA HERE IN ALMERÍA IS TO FIND A PLACE TO HOLD A MONTHLY PROGRAM, SIMPLE,

                       SOMETHING WE CAN KEEP UP WITH OVER MONTHS, YEARS MAYBE.

HpS - That is nice.  We have little bit of a Monthly program, but our stonger rhythm is our bi-monthly program with the Kapi Dhvaja at the heart. Then we have some pretty regular weekly program and of course daily program.

                      AT THE MOMENT WE ARE CHECKING DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES.

                      NARANJO RECEIVED SOLARIS MAGAZINE FROM HECTOR, RODRIGO´S FRIEND. WE JUST SEND

                      ONE TO MANUEL ALMENDRO AND ANOTHER TO ENRIQUE GALÁN.

                      GANDHA MANJARI AND ALFONSO WILL CONTACT NACHO BAÑERAS AND GIVE IT TO HIM ALSO.

                      I ASKED ALMENDRO WHAT  HAPPENED ABOUT THE INTERVIEW YOU WERE SUPPOSED

                      TO HAVE, HE SAID HE IS BUSY AT THE MOMENT WRITTING A BOOK. HE ALSO SENT

                      ME AN ARTICLE I JUST SHARED WITH KALYAN CHAKRAVARTY, TO WHICH E-MAIL  ADDRESS CAN

                      I SEND IT TO YOU?

HpS - [email protected]

                      I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE BRIDGE BETWEEN EAST AND WEST AND I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION

                      THAT MY BRIDGE IT´S BEING MYSELF, DOING WHAT I LOVE ACCORDING TO MY NATURE AND SHARE.

HpS - !!!!!!

                      KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS FROM THERE (I AM A THERASPIST, I CAN´T HELP IT).  

                      I BELIEVE NIOS AND SOLARIS INCLUDES THERAPY SO I FEEL IT COULD ALSO BE MY BRIDGE, IF

                      YOU AGREE, OF COURSE. I HAVE FOUND A NEW THERAPY I WISH TO STUDY  FOR MENTAL AND

                      EMOTIONAL HEALTH "DECODIFICACIÓN BIOLÓGICA ", I HAVE EXPERIENCE IT AND IT HAS BEEN HELP-FULL.

HpS - Yes, yes, yes.... we are always looking for new places to do Sankirtan and how to improve the old one is exciting new ways as we have them!!   That is what Goloka means.    Keep your feet on the ground with Brahma-muhurta, Mangala-arati, Kirtan, SB, Good Early Rounds, Strong Four Principles, Good Association, and then go Hog-wild in looking for new preaching areas where you can "be your self".   Everyone is SUFFERING. Share your medicine.

                      I WAS ALSO THINKING A LOT ABOUT STUDYING IN USA WITH YOU, BUT FOUND NO REALISTIC WAY TO

                      DO IT (BHADRA CAN´T LEAVE SPAIN AT THE MOMENT AND I CAN´T LEAVE ON MY OWN), SNIFF!!!

HpS - The Tirupati conference was just cancelled. Maybe we stop over in Spain from 31st Dec - 4th January? We want to teach someplace. We only plan on two more years based in USA, then three in South America, then Three in India, then >>>>  Next Body (Buddy).

We are trying, trying, trying to get English Solaris out. Making progress. Is difficult to do something good, but when you do it it lasts.

                      I AM SORRY TO MAKE THIS LETTER SO LONG, I WANTED TO WRITTE YOU FROM SOME TIME AGO...

                      WE THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOUR ASSOCIATION AVAILABLE EVERYDAY.

                     ASPIRING TO SERVE YOU BHADRA VARDHANA DAS AND SANANDA DEVI DASI

HpS - What happened to Yasodananadana and family??   Your letter is very nice!!!   What is Bhadra-vardhana Das' Mission in Life (which of course will drag in his wife)

Hare Krsna.

We found a website with Srila Prabhupada's letters. Then we found our initiation letter:

Letter to: Bhakta dasa
—
Bombay
24 November, 1974

74-11-24

San Francisco

My Dear Bhakta dasa:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 10, 1974 with enclosed photographs of the Hare Krishna Restaurant. It is very nice. I had been there to Stanford University. So you can get Mr. Malkani in New York to help you in the restaurant. He went there to start a restaurant, but now he is cooking in the New York temple, so you arrange for him to help you. Are books being sold also in the restaurant?

Regarding the Ratha Yatra Festival, keep it always gorgeously alive, but do not change the principle. The principle should go on as usual. Yes, it is all right to make something in the park as you have suggested. Why you want to change the wheels? This is unnecessary. Don't do this. Keep the old system strong, and if necessary repair it. Don't change from this to that. That is your American disease. This is very serious that you always want to change everything. Spoked wheels will never be as strong and hard as the old way. Never do this. Neither there should be any separate float as you have suggested for me.

Regarding having the crowds come forward to touch Lord Jagannatha's feet, that will also be impossible to manage. So for the time being this program may not be taken.

Regarding the devotees you have recommended, I am pleased to accept them as my disciples and their names are as follows: Marilyn—Manini devi; Jamie—Janjapukandhi devi; Carol Hansen—Kelilalita devi; Carol Tungate—Kalpalatika devi; Huber—Hanumatpresaka dasa; Steve—Satkrta dasa; Lou—Lankesa das; Kirk—Kalanidhi dasa. Also I accept the following as twice born initiated brahmanas: Vatsala dasa; Sasikhala devi; and Vaisesikha dasa. The sanctified threads and the mantra sheets are enclosed. Hold a fire sacrifice, and the gayatri mantra should be heard through the right ear from my tape recording. I am glad to see that you are taking these initiations seriously.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/bs

According to G-cal, 24 November 1974, was Dasami, the day before the disappearance of Gaura-kishora Das Babaji, during Kartika. Interesting.

Hare Krishna Maharaj

PAMHO. AGTSP!

I thought I best update you as to what is happening in my world.

I am now working with Adi Kesava Prabhu (the same Swissman from Chile) three days a week at Food for Life in Brisbane whilst looking for legal work part-time (there may be a development in that department there soon also).

We are also now doing a 'loft' style program there on Friday evenings at 18:00. You may be familiar with the location (Food for Life, 226 Brinswick St, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane). Its a simple program which we inaugerated last Friday 18 November with five visitors, consisting of kirtan, class and prasadam. We will try to get some sannyasis there soon :)

I find it a little much to stay in Brisbane the entire week so I simply commute back to Murwillumbah ISKCON on the weekend for recuperation. 

Otherwise everything is copasetic.

I am looking forward to getting married, I just work out who the bride is going to be :P

HpS - Has she also worked out that you will be the husband?

I very much would like to make it to Mayapur for your sanga but have serious financial commitments with my occupation. Perhaps Krishna will allow anyway.

Your servant,

Janardan-hari das.

HpS - Thank you for the news, thank you for the news, thank you for the news.      So nice to hear from you. Sounds like you are in the totally correct path, it is just a matter of picking ups speed.  See how high your can reach in the nation with your Kirtan. Please offer our respects to Adi-kesava Das. It has been TOO long since we had any contact with him.  We wait for more news!