Letters to the editor

Hare Krsna Maharaj, Pamho, AgtSP
You are the one person, because of which, are hanging on Hare Krsna movement.  Hence your opinion matters to us most.

HpS - Not, to joke, you are a very, very central example for us of determination. You face such challenges, but you don't give up.

We wrote broken record as subject, as this has been in our mind for many years>>

 We hear from many people that Srila Prabhupada's sister was married to strange man. She was elevated devotee, but still she decided to cook meat for him. can you please give your comments on that ?  -- we are asking you because we keep hearing from you save yourself first.. this action of her seems to be contrary to that.

similarly, when its other way around, for man , is has been adviced to us by three counsellors to follow illicit sex.  one of them even say he follows it, he is second intiated devotee and  his wife not interesed in ultimate goal of life. we have heard in one public/recorded seminar  of chowpatty, illicit sex is unfavorable but not having it mainer times disastorous for family life.

one more female authority (a big shot) illicit sex
" My understanding of the "bottom line" of illicit sex in grhastha life is: only with husband/wife without chemical or mechanical means to avoid pregnancy normal sexual relations (right organ with the right object, as the Buddhists say) with an attitude of offering to Krsna one's body, one's emotional relationship with the spouse and any children that result accepting physical and emotional pleasure as the Lord's mercy to be a brahmacari-grhastha one would also limit sex to the days in the month when the woman is fertile"

we have some how convinced now, that there are some or may be many, first/ second intiated devotees of almost all  intiating gurus they indulge in illicit sex (not for procreation),  it happens even when both husband and wife are intiated....


seeing both cases one of no meat eating and no illicit sex. whats your opinion on family life and four rules.. esp when once you said four rules are not themselves spiritual.

HpS - AGTSP!   This is bizaare. Just five minutes ago I got a letter from a devotee in Germany who has been under weight for over a year. His doctor told him that he may die if he continues vegetarian diet. He asked me about eating some meat to put on weight:

We wrote: [10:48:26 AM] hp swami: It is a difficult question. In one Purport Prabhupada says that if the cows are being given enough grains, but at not producing milk and people are starving, then it is lamentable, but you CAN kill the cows to feed starving people.
[10:48:45 AM] hp swami: He doesn't say that you MUST kill the cows.
[10:51:19 AM] hp swami: So, one aspect is that you can make the choice, and tell your doctor, that I have decided that I will not kill a cow (pig, sheep (chicken(fish))) so that I can live. I would rather let my life go than kill them. Of course, I have written what I understand is the hierarchy above of how much suffering is being inflicted: child>cow> sheep/pig> chicken> fish> plants
[10:52:49 AM] hp swami: As far as I know there is just as much protein in beans, milk; and oils in those sources. It may be more expensive because there is subsidy to the meat industry, but it is there. Are you getting lots of cheese and strong beans every day?
[10:53:49 AM] hp swami: Meat is less digestible as far as I know also.

We have never heard Prabhupada say that Pisima cooked chicken or goat for her husband. Sometimes a Muslim cook is hired or the whole process goes on outside the house.

In over 10,000 pages of written communication from Prabhupada in his most intimate condition, we have read Prabhupada repeatedly say that all of his initiated disciples must chant 16-nice rounds daily and follow the four principles strictly. It does not mean that he won't try to be Vartmana pradarsika guru for you, get you back, or, for the first time, onto the path, but he is not your Diksa-guru until you are followning. We "can hardly expect him to come back for us if we don't sincerely follow his orders given at the time of iniation". Orders that he knows we can follow eventually and Krsna will help.

These are quotes.

In the beginning Marijuana may help you realize the mental platform above the gross physical platform, but later it is poison. In the beginning, giving unatural sex, receiving, may be a show of love, like giving excess candy to children who demand it, and then suffer diabetes attack.

Even as an institution, there is direct GBC statement with, as far as I know, not one dissenting vote, that anything other than sex between married couple during wife's time of conception, after chanting. 50-rounds is conducted in the mode of ignorance and there will stupid results, in larger or lesser degree.

If you engage a woman or let her engage in illicit sex, just to relieve tension in the body, pleasure, then she will be FORCED to experience just the same amount of pain, and you will her here screaming, moaning in just as much PAIN as there was PLEASURE.

This world is duality.

..and she will NOT be able to pull her mind away from the pain. The Bhagavatam says that one who engages women in illicit sex is a torturer of women.

]]-But it will save the marriage.

That is not a "marriage". It is an agreement between a prostitute and her client. [[Let us call it a cortesan and her lover.]]

]]-But it will save the children.

From what? If the wife leaves and gets a long-term 'contract' with a "lover", "marriage", then in the end the children will know, KNOW, K N O W, the message my father and mother gave me. My father upheld the standard and he's happy. My Mom was a little bit too weak, so she divorced, found a like minded Dude. They fornicate 3.2 times/week (USA standard 1965), fight, but keep it to that, and now at 65 my mom smokes, drinks a little, shares the house with my father and watches television.

That is how we understand the situation.

100% it is your sincerity and your relation with Krsna. If that is there then maybe you have to break 25,000 regulative principles (for Brahmanas) and become a bacteria and copulate with your entire body, but Krsna will be closer to you, the amoeba, than an insincere Brahmana (like us).

O.K????   Thank you so much for your news of so called Senior devotees who are  . . .

<img alt="devil" height="23" src="http://hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/devil_smile.png" title="devil" width="23" /> .ASA.

Hare Krsna,
Esteemed Manonatha Das, Cakori-radha DD Prabhus,
Whatever is sent us in these matters is public amongst our friends. I've just made that decision as a Sannyasi. Here is Cakori's reponse to us and I hope she sent a copy to you, Manonatha Das. Details beyond this I don't know. The question would be, did she take money that went to the Developer, then take 2%, and contribute ton of work, and then the current relation is between you, Manonatha Das and the Developer.

O.K.   Her comment is in the letter below and I will publish in our Blog also so everyone has had there say in this.

See you all  in Delhi 1st January maybe.

HpS - ASA
 

From: Carolina Madera <cakori@...
To: HpS
Sent: Saturday, December 3, 2016 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: Regarding Cakori Radha
 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Dear Guru Maharaja
Manonath Maharaja
Please accept my obeisances,
I have very little knowledge about what is been talk in vrindavan, since I had to shift to Delhi due to work.
I had a nervous beack down a comple of months ago due to external factors  (not eating well, long travels and little sleep) since then my husband has taken my phone and media usage.
First I would like to make clear that to the only person I have talk about any of anything to do with manonath maharaja is a disciple of gurupasad swami, Parameshvari devi dasi, not even my husband! she is a nice person. I, under my knowledge have never said anything about sexual exploitations. The only coment I ever maid was that, I thought I should not have so much contact with a maharaja. Specially when my intelligence told me that to. Though I explained her that I did felt ofended by the statement that she said maharaja said that I took advantage of maharaja financially.
I did a couple of sales (3) in vrindavan to different people and I charge 2% of the value of the property including 40.000 of inscription to everyone . Beyond the 40.000 of inscription owner has to pay the rest.
So I sold the property and got a really good price for him + extra square meters,    Usually the properties are ready, so I offer myself to help finish the 2 flats, because they where not finished. And  I did help, more than 2 months (almost 3) supervising. Going 4 days a week with money of my pocket. I bought the tiles doors, change the doors when they broke, (do to some weather conditions) The only things I left without making was to put the AC and installing the fan (that I bought),  but the flats where  ready, finished . At this point I start working in delhi from 8 to 8 and I couldn't and didn't wanted to continued. I return parameshari 3.000 that I got left from the 18.000 that maharaja ledt for expenses.  But I fail to give her the 7 fans. Due to multiple reasons, one of them an internal fight I had with her.
So the fana are in the house of a devotee in vrindavan, Where I left also a cople of things.
I don't have parameshvari's phone number, and I don't want to talk with her also. So I left it for tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and it never came.
I offer Maharaja through parameshvari to do the inscription of the property with a devotee, Vrindavan das. But according to her, maharaja didn't  wanted to, which I understand.
So honestly I do understand the upsetting of Maharaja. But also I think that I did help plenty and more that what i was supposed to do. To be treated like that for 15.000
I have never acted wrongly,  only when I broke principles with my husband before we where married, but I talk about that with my Guru Maharaja. I do procrastinate things, and it is a big fault that affects other.
So if there is any more information I can help with. But I'm unable to go to vrindavan untill February, because I work all day and take care of my children beside, my husband is outside the country.
And to be Honest Guru Maharaja I did say something to parameshvari in confidential and I told her that it was guhyam akhyati pricchati, but I never said anything bad about maharaja, I only talk about me, my point of view and my perspective about how much a woman should associate with a Guru, and how carefully we have to be. To don't commit ofenses. And i ask her to start helping me finish his apartment, like bringing things upstairs and installing  the AC and fans. So to be clear, I charge him 2% of the value of the property for selling it to him. I did not charge for 3 months of supervision, or buying furniture or mayerials nor the transportation. Maharaja gave me 18.000 for expenses for the apartments and I gave 3.000 to parameshvari that I had left. Remaining is 15.000 that I used to buy the fans + the car I used. I have them in vrindavaan, but I can not give them untill February, but I can transfer the money to parameshvari. 
I hope that I have made this more clear.
Hare Krsna.

AGTSP and YOU!!!

Hare Krsna dear Gurudeva... PAMHO

Here is the report ...

Fisrt, i have to say that back to usual sadhana will take some time but we are very enthusiastic and positive...

Since the last letter i planned many things but at the end i had to keep what i really can do ... So until this last EKADASI I have been chanting 6 rounds a day, reading Srimad Bhagavatam and worshipping deities... To be honest it took a lot of effort at the beginning ....  Aristotle said: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." So we are trying to be fixed.

HpS - ASA -  The Black Witch is NOT happy with you!

Our plan is to increase 2 rounds each ekadasi... so  this Saturday (Nov 26th) we started chanting 8 rounds... Of course this is just a plan... i have to see how things go in order to not fail again... I want to keep things sane and back to 16 rounds but naturally...

thanks a lot for all your support and patience...

your servant

Patraka Das

HpS -- Raktak Das has gone, next Patraka Das, then Citraka Das?   If we are trying to follow Srila Prabhupada's instruction: 16-nice rounds, 4-principles strictly etc...   Then he is trying to catch hold of our hands and pull us out of this Samsara.
Do you want to be rich?
Do you want fame and friends?
But in Vrndavana all these things see their highest, pure end.

We are struggling just like you. Most likely you are more sincere than we are.  Sadhana leads to Karma-yoga. You can get your secular Karma connected to Krsna!   Zoooooom!!!!!

Paoho...

Hare Krishna Maharaj

PAMHO! AGTSP!

So much for my proof reading skills. It was supposed to read: 'I just have to work out who the bride is going to be'.

Another punchline massacred.

Thanks for the encouraging words nonetheless Maharaj. I will give my best to Adi P.

Hari-haribol.

Your servant,

Janardan-hari das. 

HpS - Know any good lawyer jokes?

Pamho adored Gurudev. Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada!

Thank you very much for your reply. ExCuse me please for always writing to you so much.

This month was wonderful because we did Gaura Aratik everyday to sing Damodarastakam. The Mechitas [ghee wick lamps] make a magical atmosphere. Gopalito surprised us a lot, singing with us, although in a blasted way, he knows the tones very well! ... My only vows were not to fail to sing and offer mechitas morning and afternoon..and increase one round. But now increase the number of rounds.

Dream 4 times with [of] you. In a dream was also Maharaja Jayapataka. In another, you said to me: you are failing to read as you should. Now is a good time to read.

Thank you for your daily writing instruction. It serves me a lot.

I was getting up late many times... I was already worried... But always after ekadasi i start again.

I try to go on Saturdays to do dance performances. My great inspiration is the little girls who get to dance, especially when I dance Krsna Makanchor.. me surprising how this song attracts children.

I ask Her please for Her blessings to make a good Sadhana, to be a good Mother, companion and to continue dancing and that my approach is to please Krsna.

When I invite people to the program of preaching to encounter people who read the Bhagavad Gita, etc. It makes me happy to know that they somehow conect with Srila Prabhupada.

Thanks Gurudev for his inconceivable mercy. Please accept Franco and Gopalito dandavats.. please excuse my offenses.

Learning to be his disciple: Radha japa prati jalpa dd.

HpS - ASA --- Very nice letter, Thank you.

Who are some prominent devotees, people, in your Yatra? What regular functions, festivals to you have?

Get up early and get your rounds done. That is the BEST way to be a good Mother, Wife, friend...

Dear Guru Maharaj, 

Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada!

It was a lot of work, but the "Anatomy of Self" art show turned out quite well for a trial run. Everyone was impressed with what we were able to accomplish in such a short span of time. We had a great lineup of emerging artists, the space was perfect, we sold a few pieces, and everyone seemed happy.

In the course of about one week while I was preparing for the event I made some of the biggest sales of my life when I sold a handful of artworks for just about $1000, but at the same time my van got towed in California so I had to spend my last dime to get it out of impound :(. Krishna giveth and Krishna taketh away, but I'm just grateful that I didn't lose my van and now I feel sure that I can actually make a living like this!

The lady who bought my art was a chef, so she helped us with some simple vegetarian preparations that we could offer and serve as prasad. There is so much potential for more elaborate events, but mainly I feel like this was a great learning experience for me and I'm full of ideas for what I want to try next time.

We made disclaimer forms, press releases, flyers, social media advertisements, we set up a silent auction... I even learned how to make my own business cards practically for free. I established valuable connections with tons of artists in Charleston over the course of the event and we had some great discussions on art and philosophy. I feel like I grew tremendously from the experience and was able to pique some interest in Krishna consciousness along the way. 

If I do this again, some things I would try to improve are that I need to get better at advertising. Even though we had ads in most local publications and I put up tons of flyers and facebook ads, still we didn't have anywhere near the number of people I was expecting. Probably I should've tapped the local artists for contacts of local influencers and tried to get the former owner to invite people. If we had started sooner we would've been more likely to get a news feature and I think that would have significantly helped to bring more new people outside of our personal circle of friends and family.

HpS - ASA --- One thing in our respect in doing these things is that there is no force like reputation and personal recomendation.  If you d the same event again, people will know you.

Also it would've been great to have some kind of performance, or guest lecture or something. Instead of having an opening, brunch, and closing reception over the course of a week I think next time I would just focus on one reception and make it more epic.

I'm happy also that I'm starting to accumulate a good body of work with the kind of content I've been going for. At this point I feel like I'm about 90% ready for a solo exhibition, so now I feel confident to start approaching LA galleries and museums to find gallery representation. 

I think the next steps for me will be to start traveling to art fairs, start seeking gallery representation, and start signing up to do live art at music festivals over the summer. My hope is that if they let me on board I can get book distributors into events for free. After some time, if I can save up a little, I hope to return to New York for maybe a few months to take courses at the Art Student's League. It's one of the best art schools in the country but its inexpensive since it's more of a conservatory which does not offer degrees. I think spending even just a little time there will help me refine my message and penetrate into the art world.

HpS - Are you getting in touch with the big, big community of professional ISKCON artists? In Canada there were some who were very rich and successful.

DAKOTA PIPELINE
Have you heard much about the events surrounding the construction of the Dakota Access Oil Pipeline in North Dakota? The story has really captured my heart lately and I'm actually considering going up there for some time to participate and gather some inspiration after taking a week or two to catch up on some sadhana. Basically a massive oil conglomerate deceptively attained permits to construct a huge pipeline through the sacred grounds of a large indian reservation in North Dakota without consent from the tribes. Concerned that the water supply for millions of people will be contaminated, 1000's of "water-protectors" from around the world have been gathering there for months in peaceful protest while the Oil company is bringing in militarized police and armed mercenaries to assault the protesters with mace, rubber bullets, LRAD cannons, concussion grenades, attack dogs, and freezing water. So far hundreds of people have been injured (some critically) and hundreds more have been arrested. Despite a media blackout for months, social media has carried the story to the point where it can no longer be ignored and now its drawing international outrage.

This protest strikes me as different from others because although externally the demonstrations are about protecting mother earth, I'm seeing that there is an internal message that goes much deeper which has resonated with people all over the world. Basically I see the environmental concerns as merely a point of friction between two opposing worldviews about the direction of human civilization. On the one hand, you have a culture that values a simple, God-centered life in harmony with nature; and on the other side you have a culture that values a self-centered life of conquest and sense- gratification which lies at the root of modern industrial kali yuga civilization. Central to the ethos of the demonstration is that no one can have any intoxication on site and nobody can strike out in anger. Everyone is practicing meditation and self-restraint. At a time when people are probably more divided than ever, people from around the world are gatheringfor the sake of dharma. This incident is drawing young and old, democrats and republicans, celebrities and veterans, buddhists and politicians. If it's ok with you I would like to go there for a while myself to represent the Hare Krishna movement and do whatever I can in terms of prasad, kirtan, and book distribution, and also artistic social commentary. I think I've mentioned to you before that for years I've thought it would be an extremely valuable alliance to establish interfaith connections with the native american community, so it seems like now this is the perfect opportunity to do so since this incident seems to already be turning the course of history in our favor.

HpS - We just heard about it from Bh. Daniel, who is staying with us for a few days. Yes, it seems that it falls within the category of Vikarmis vs. Pantheists (SB 2.1) with a ready nature to consider God. I would say that you should just confirm any participation with the GBC for the place and then keep a Krsna conscious perspective on whatever you do.  SB 2.1 calls Pantheism the first step in God realization, but. . . It says that unless there is a service attitude toward the Virat-rupa, rather than using and integrated perspective for cooler exploitation of Mother Nature, then there won't be much result.

Attached are some photos of my friends Blake and Chap who helped and the art show and the pieces I showed. Basically the series I completed for this event illustrates the interactions of body, mind, and soul. The first three are about different kinds of folly which result when people work to serve the  body, when people work to serve the mind, and when people think to serve the body. The examples I chose to illustrate each are a chain gang, virtual reality, and the trans-humanism movement. To complete the series I want to make one that shows what happens when one thinks just to satisfy the mind. I was thinking of depicting a daydreamer builiding "castles in the sky" with a superimposed image of time flowing out of an hourglass. Some other possibilities were images showing when someone misplaces their heart or their devotion to serve the body or the mind but I'm still thinking about that. The rest of the series basically illustrates karma, jnana, and bhakti (using body, mind, and soul in the real interest of the soul) with  interfaith examples. The first image shows a native american offering a sage flower, the next one  is inspired by the greek philosopher Diogenes studying near a barrel where he was said to live.  Then the "bhakti" image depicts a gospel choir glorifying God. This was inspired by the great  gospel singer Mahalia Jackson who was instrumental in the civil rights movement, and it was also a tribute to the Emmanuel Church, who set a tremendous example of grace and forgiveness in the face of a racial shooting that occurred some years ago there in Charleston. The culmination of the whole series shows samadhi or total spiritual apsorption in the example of Radha-Krishna at Kusum Sarovara. I hope you like it! 

What are your thoughts about all this?

HpS - ASA -- That it is very good and you seem to have good guidance, and we cannot give much more than a general perspective, and this point, and PLEASE keep us Bloggers in the loop like this. How can we contact you?   Web-page???   And please see what we are doing with NIOS and Peru etc!

Your servant,

Ekashma Das