Letters to the editor

Dear Swamiji

PAMHO, AGTSP. If you feel 2 days is too short then can we plan for later next year?

Your servant,

Ken

HpS - We are just looking at general circumstances now that you asked.

HpS - Everywhere people report using Vedabase.com.  What happened to the Share Line, Tweet, button that was on each page. We used it. If it is too much of a problem that is o.k.    Also, as you get more and more languages it seems that you are going to have to put them in a Pull Down List, no?    Do you get Book Distribution Points for every hit?

Yes, new version uses dropdown so screen is kept clean. I removed Share Line because added more languages. Tried to put back widget but for some reason it doesn't work anymore. 

No book distribution points :) But this month we broke round number of 55000 record (in last 30 days it is 55,823 unique visitors).

HpS - Very nice!!!   We were hoping to hear from you!   So, you settled back in Sridama Mayapura?

I will try to post news more often. We are in Mayapur only temporarly. Planning to go to Europe as in case of pregnancy medical care here is unacceptable and Mataji who was doing homebirths (with many years of experience and over 1300 birth) had to leave Mayapur this year due to situation. So February, March or April we will be moving to Slovakia for some time it seems.

We read that some devotees got a public apology and cash, but you didn't get any cash. (Ha! Ha! Ha!)

I didn't want to go there, but Jayapataka Swami was only manager who contacted and spoke with me and then he send one of his servent and ask me to come, so couldn't refuse him. Was funny as 2 hours talks were just about that to use violance against devotees is not good :)  Two of attacker who got indentified went to apologize. My mental state is better although when I am on mangala arati my mind comes with all different scenarios what will happen, who will attack or kill whom. So generally I don't like to be in temple much.

Can you send your annual financial report for NIOS.  Where the money came from and where it went to?
 

Will prepare it and send you.

Our respects to your good wife.  Are you going to live as Vanaprastha couple??

I hope not, at least not in next 20 years. We would like to get children, but due to period intervals (2 or 3 month) we didn't get much oportunities. Just before last calculated day my wife got heavy ear infection, so had to cancel. I am somehow ok as I have faith Krishna will send us children one day who will be devotees, but my good wife is getting stressed. One devotee friend also suggested that maybe somebody using black magic or some curse on us. Let see what is Krishna's plan.

Your servant Prahlad-nrsimha das

HpS -  Black is beautiful!      Took Nanda and Yasoda a long time to get a son, but they did pretty well.       Just keep so busy, with early Japa at the basis that there is not time for speculation, then you will eventually become a Great Wheel in the Big Machine!!!!     Has your father found any interesting bells lately??

Hare krsna gurudev

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Please accept my pranams at your lotus feet.

HpS - Wow!   AGTSP!!!   Everyone keeps writing that we have lotus feet, but we sure don't see that. We are wrestling with desires to drown our sorrows in Sweet Rice, but keep some control.    We hope we are useful servants to Srila Prabhupada. May he be glorified in our lives.

Braj dhama is very merciful like mother and also strict like a father. My sadhana is again unstable but trying to become stable again. Sense control is also not good but will try better. You asked how long I plan to stay ? Maybe if krsna and your mercy stays then maybe till Kartik 15 th November or atleast till 10th November. But don't know if krsna will allow.

I am planing to shift with other devotees. I was living alone before so I think mind and body was not allowing me to do bhakti properly. If I stay with devotees then maybe under them I may improve. They are very sincere so might be I will become sincere.

HpS - It certainly shall help.

I am learning slowly about myself. Should we love ourselves?

HpS - Of course, but just enough to serve Krsna!  He is very unhappy without our service, friendship!

If with all the faults and unnatural perverted tendency should I love myself. Does spiritual life means dislike towards one's body. We are not the body but should we dislike ourselves?

HpS - Again, it is not so much a matter of like or dislike. It is a matter of understanding: This is the kind of body, mind, Karma that I have.  Everything comes from Krsna. How can I use it for Krsna's service.   Of course it is always an individual challenge!  Always new. Different. You are not a spefici type of dog. You are a new type of dog.

Gurudev, I got  Gaura Nitai deities and am arranging the paraphernalia for their worship. Maharaj kindly give them a name and pray for Them to come in the deity. Mukunda Dutta Prabhu taught me deity worship .The sodaso upachara  puja.

HpS - Well, they are not really, "Deities". They are Gaura Nitai. Thing is to get to know Them as soon as possible so They can be comfortable in your home.

Below are their picture. Kindly give them a name and please request to appear into the deity . I am not qualified to worship them but somehow please you and Srila prabhupada allow me to assist you in your service to them.

Always trying to be a servant and indebted to you and Srila Prabhupada .

Rturaja krsna das 

Vrindavan

HpS - Start with the names Nitai and Nimai and see how They like that. Better get some clothes for Them before they freeze to death!

Hare Krishna dear Gurumaharaja

Please accept my humble obaisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I hope you are in good health and preaches continue with more force.

ASA - Jaya!

I write and delete this letter many times, and to be honest I'm not sure how to write this letter. For first time in my life I felt that I disappointed someone that really loves me, who gave me the more precious gift ever and showed mercy upon this cover with anarthas soul.  I jump your autorithy and I acted in a capricious way, moved by my own desires. I feel so embarrassed, but I beg for forgiveness. I can do nothing without your blessing.  Instruction is our primary relationship and I forget.

HpS - ASA --  Yeah, yeah, a few superficial irregularities, but basically you seem to be acting as a very nice. Thank you.

Just before to travel to India I was in a unconfortable situation, trying to fix my mind on my service in the school but fighting with the desires of family life. When I approach to elders they were trying to help me; my parents and even some of them under your request (like CC and subhra), looking for prospects for me. It became and spiral of interchange of life perspectives and information to end in nothing, I just felt unfaithful and a waste of time. I was talking at that time to my now husband Ranchor Krishna Das, but in the end I stop to talk to everybody. I stop my prayer to the Lord for a good husband. I just realized how silly I was to ask Him that when he can fulfill everything! He can create and destroy everything in a blink.

When I reached Vrindavana finally I felt in peace. I didn’t have knowledge of how to start to see vrindavana. I was reading the book that you recommend me, but still was hard for me. After just one day I saw Ranchor, he was there. He help me and the family that I was traveling with to take darshan in the different places in Vrindavana, Barsana, Gokul, Radhakund-Syamakund, I did with him my first vrajamandala parikrama and also my first Govardhan parikrama. I felt greatful.

I feel that Krishna knew my hidden desires in the heart. Ranchor and I were very honest about our expectations and direction in grihasta life, and we find a very similar perspective. He inspires me very much in devotional life and is very supportive in a personal aspect. He talked to my parents and we talked to his Siksha guru and they agree with the idea of us together. And Im a rasal [rascal], because even you were in my mind all the time, many details in Vrindavan remind me your person, I just remain coward and never write to you. I just beg for your understanding and trust that I took a good decision in my association.

We interchange garlands in Noida temple and sign papers in Delhi, the same day I flew back to Houston. Was maybe after one week that i realized the whole situation. Since then we were been reading SB, Queen Kunti together trying to focus our mind and soothe the separation.  We were being learning and asking from different grihastas details about how to keep a good relationship with each other keeping Krishna in the center. Mind is little bit more peaceful.

HpS - ASA --  Finding a perfect marriage situation in Kali-yuga is like finding a Brahmana in Las Vegas.  From your descriptions it seems like you have acted in sane fashion. This is Kali-yuga. Varna-ashrama-dharma is the best use of a bad bargain. If you stick to devotional service as you have then your marriage will be nice. Can be super-nice (as service together). Ranchor seems like he might have been a Mexican in his last life??!

In my service to Goswami Academy I feel confident managing the classroom and interacting with the other staff. Im also trying to improve in my teaching skills, I took a TOEFL test; it was around 4hrs long, so soon I will have the chance to start college English classes. I got my degree evaluation and seem that is equivalent and complete in the U.S. According to the evaluating agency I completed Bachelor of Science in Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

HpS - Wow!   You can revive dead bodies, turn lead into gold, rescue super-man from Kryptonite!   That is a pretty heavy degree.

Reading some points in SB about varna asrama dharma, sadhana going in a bumpy road, and japa sometimes hitting the 16 very late, fighting with our eating.  Working some Krishna art projects (sculpture and paintings). We took Guru disciple course with Anuttama prabhu, very interesting and inspiring ( Srila prabhupada ki jay!), lots of association here in Houston.

Dear gurudeva, I don’t know how all this blessing are coming to us, I just know that is by your mercy and Srila Prabhupadas. Please keep this family at your service, and consider our ineptitude our disease..

Another enjoyer monkey

Govinda Pramodini Devi Dasi

HpS - Congratulations.   Number one, get up early and get your rounds done!!!

Bigger deals are yet to come.

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaj.

Dandavat Pranaam unto your lotus feet.

HpS - All glories to Srila Prabhupada (AGTSP!). We feel that we still have like "lettuce" feet. We still have material desires mixed with our desires to serve Krsna.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

PAMHO.

Guru Maharaj, I am inspired by your kind reply and spiritual instruction. As material profession, I am Divisional forest officer and I work in Guwahati. I have to be in this stupid profession every week Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.

Although  few, I have got the association of some disciples of His Holiness Bhaktiswarupa Damodar Maharaj and His Holiness Subhag Swami Maharaj, at Guwahati. We have regular Bhagavad Gita discussions on Sunday evenings where we exchange thoughts and concepts on Vedanta.

HpS - Very, very, very nice!  Expand it to include new people. Expand it to once more a week like Wednesday evening. It does not have to be everyone, maybe just one or two people who live closer to you during the week. Sunday and then once during the week makes a very strong program. Then Krsna can inform us how to make more adjustments (BG 10.10-11)

Guru Maharaj, please grace me to make myself render unalloyed service to your lotus feet through Kapi Dhvaja this  time onwards.

I am very pleased to learn about your kind India visit. I am eagerly waiting to have the darshan of your lotus feet. Therefore, I shall certainly come to Mayapur during your period of stay there. So kindly let me know. Also, Guru Maharaj, we have most humbly requested Haridas prabhu to make arrangements for your North East visit.

Again Dandavat Pranam unto your lotus feet.

Your most fallen servant

Krsna Swarup Das

Silchar

HpS - What are you discussing in your Sunday programs?    We mentioned to Yamunesvara Das in another Blog letter answered today that we are going to fix start fixing our India tickets with the next few weeks.  We have exchanged two letters recently with Hari das Das from Nigeria.

AgtSP

Agt Guru and Gauranga

Jay Sri Sri Radha-Krsna

Hare Krsna Maharaja

Budanath das from the little mountain.

I hope you are fine in all aspects.

HpS - ASA  ---  Hare Krsna. This is the material world, no?  It is painfully hot, we have allergy, hay-fever, for many days now. Today it is especially strong. We are surrounded by vikarmia and karmis et al, but we have your association and so, so many other nice devotees. Krsna is in our hearts, cave, NGD house, SB!

Throughout these weeks I have had many good days, others less so, and this last week a lot of work.

I have not read too much, I have to adjust my schedule better and obligations.

I tried to write every day the most important things to tell you when I want to write, but in the end I never remember writing it. Whenever I have the feeling that I will not write something right, and take long to write.

I have had many accomplishments, really, and every day I am happier with my life, like I could die happy now, or something.

HpS - Sadhan Bhakti has two divisions: Relief from material distress and the everything starts to become harmonius, aspicious. Then comes Bhava bhakti.

One thing I wonder. Once I read in the books of Srila Prabhupada, I do not remember whether in translation or meaning, when one encounters the Devas or celestial entities, must continue without entertained with them because it can slow down your spiritual advancement. But at the same time mystic yogis seek these meetings to check on that platform are performing.

When the devotee tries to see Krsna in everything, and it begins to perceive more and more, I guess that goes through these phases in a natural way, relating it to Krsna directly. finally, after all, are the qualities of Krsna embodied with matter in the material platform ... right?

HpS - ASA - Try http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/2/2/21    The answer to this question can have many different aspects. Arjuna acquired mystical powers, deva-shakti, weapons for fighting for Krsna, but as you say it is also a way to see if we are advancing in devotional service. The surest way is to see how much we are attached to Krsna-katha!!!!

If one perceives the Devas, you can also perceive the mighty asuras, their opponents in the same plane right? My question whether, is right that the devotee use his friendship with the Devas to fight the asuras, but I'm wrong is normal in traditional Vedic culture, right?

HpS - As we mention above this can be normal thing, use divine powers to fight the Asuras FOR KRSNA.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu didn´t use their weapons against Jagai and Madai, and Nityananda told him it was not his incarnation to kill asuras, but I imagine it was also because Jagai and Madai repented and threw themselves at his feet thanks to Nityananda.

HpS - Yes!

My question is, is not a something different feature an incarnation that comes to relieve the weight of the darkness of the universe, as justice in person, that the person who defends the devout and the innocent from harm from the bad? I have always read that a devotee is not indifferent to the suffering of others, and not allow damage to the devotee or innocent.

HpS - In terms of "material" good and "bad", organic food, giving charity to poor people, a devotee does this in a civilized fashion, seeing that these are beginning steps to go to Bhakti yoga. So it is natural to act in this way. Arjuna was right, he should have revenged Draupadi and Yuddhisthira, but that by itself was not enought. He had to fight because it was a part of a larger plan for Krsna.

Thank you so much for everything and hope not to bore you.

I think a lot about your person, I hope to spend some time in the future with you in Peru or India. Have your association.

Manjaris are growing in the tulasi forest.

Yours, one fool of this world.

HARE KRSNA MAHARAJA, GOOD DAY, I SEE YOU IN THE TIME OF THE SOUND INSIDE THE HOLY NAMES AND MEMORIES. SOOO NICE YOURS NEWS. NECTAR.

HARI HARI!!!

HpS - Hare Krsna!!!!