Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Maharaj

PAMHO. AGTSP!

Its complicated, but due to XXX [the enthusiasm of the senior devotees here], I have had to postpone my initiation. It appears as though Srila Prabhupada's appearance day (26/08 Aust. time) will be the most auspicious and probable date for the initiation.

I beg your blessings in this regard.

Please accept my apologies for the lateness of this communique.

Your servant,

Jay.

HpS - ASA --  Jaya!  Jaya!   Jaya!      Yes, we were wondering what had happened, but this letter is pretty fast news. Yes again, Srila Prabhupada's appearance day would be a very asupicious day to take initiation. You can always remember it and take a look each year on that date how your service is growing!

Dear Guru Maharaj,

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

I have heard you've been doing quite a bit of traveling. Is it true that you will be reducing your travel before long and staying in India?

It's been very busy around here with Rathayatra going on, so it's been difficult for me to really do much else. Then, I was maybe a little too excited to get back to normal over here and I woke up with a killer toothache. I couldn't eat or sleep and I've been going all over town trying to sort it out and just this morning someone finally yanked out my wisdom tooth. I feel a little more wise now about this material world. Maybe next time I won't neglect to write Lord Jagannath a get well card.

ASA - We are all sinners in the hands of an angry God!

About your proposal I would be thrilled and honored to contribute to your project. I actually went through art therapy for about a year with one psychologist who studied Carl Jung, it really changed my life because I could tell she really cared about me. She told me nothing could help unless I found spiritual meaning in life. At the end of our time together she told me "I don't usually say this to patients but actually there's nothing wrong with you. It's everybody else that's crazy." Then she retired and went back to teaching art to kids.

ASA - Wow!!

Maybe we can discuss the details of my involvement when I come in the fall. In the meantime, there's a great opportunity to get the community in LA fired up for preaching and cultivation projects.

There is one group trying to bring the Gurukulis together, there's another group interested in art, another group restarted a weekly meeting for young people, there's a few interested in doing home programs or Bhakti Vrksha and there's one new sannyasi (H.H. B.R. Sagara Maharaj) who has ambitious plans for a huge interfaith festival here. So I'm involved in all of these things on some level, so I'm trying to organize some kind of grassroots co-op to bring all these devotees together so that we have a team in place to collate all these different kinds of outreach. So far local management seems agreeable so long as we don't make extra work for them.

Right now I'm trying to be as productive as possible while working over the phone to curate this group exhibition I have planned on the east coast in November. I'm going to try selling art in a few flea markets to buy time and make money until I can get in with local galleries. The temple is making me a great offer on a fully outfitted sankirtan van they're not using so I want to buy it ASAP and use it as my urban cottage on wheels. That will be of great use for transporting work, engaging in different areas etc etc etc. I'm just going to stay here, but it will be great to have my own space so I can put all my time and energy into making some real progress on these projects.

If you could pass along any more info about your project I would be excited to see it. Hare Krishna!

your servant,

Ekāśma Dās

HpS - We are always doing updates in the DTC and other notes. Look at the DTC today with something just for you!!

Hare Krsna Dear Gurudev,
    Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

HpS - ASA -- Apple flower feet, maybe.  We still eat improperly, but progressing.

    All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
    All glories to Guru parampara.

    Gurudev, We hope you are good in health and doing well.

    I am thinking to do PhD (through correspondence). what you would advise?
    
your fallen servant,
Girivaradhari-Gopal Das

HpS - Hmmm!   It is a big question.  It is like I am thinking of buying some land.   What is your personal motivation for doing it?    Who inspires you to do it?    Who would be your associates if you did it?   Who would benefit if you did it???

All Glories to A.C. Prabhupada and Sripada

Dandavat Pranam,

Please accept my humble obeisaces unto Guruji's padamacharan that after getting Gurujis amirtabany - reply of my previous letter I am so happy and clear all my darkness. Actually, I am not suitable  for any position or level whichever Guruji mentioned. Simply I am enquiring to Guruji Maharaja the system of Manipuri Goudiya Sampradaya. In the book Prema-vilas translated into Manipuri some quotations are enclosing whichever I have read. The question and answer between Lokanatha Gosvami and Narotama Das about bhakti, seva, sakhi, manjuri, kunja etc.

Lokanatha Gosvami told Narotama Das “ Radha-Krsna should be worship by Sidhi (Manasik). We should imitate the systems which Lokanatha Gosvami taught to Narotama Dasa that we should worship the human form of Krsna two handed and the age of 15 or16 and Radharani the age of 14. Lalita and Bishakha are the closes among the shakhis and shakhis called Radharani as friends but Manjaris did the closes works  (seva) of confidential both for Radharani and Krsna. We should try to worship Jugala Rupa in all the eight times (asta kala). According to asta kala the sites also eight places they are Nandisvara, Javata, Sangket Kunja, Barsan, Srikunda, Nirvita Kunda, Rasmandal. If we do not see the exact lila played by Radha-Krsna how we will serve Them. According to Their lilas, kalas, and places I should join and serve Them by my manasik sakhi and manjari through the head sakhi and manjari of the Yutha. We should wait the sign and signal of the sakhi and follow the manjari head of the site. 

After hearing all these instructions from his Guruji Lokanatha, Sri Narotama Dasa enquire further that in which kala, kunja and by which mantra – Krsna-Mantra, Radha-Mantra, Yugal Mantra, Kama-vija, Kama-gaitri we will worship pujah?  Guruji replied, it is a very confidential rasa and it is unavoidable.

All such systems are calling Ragatamika. We have so many systems to be taught through the Spiritual Master, but we have missed everything due to distance and unavailability of sitting together with the disciples.

We should follow the Parkiya bhaba, following sakhis, thinking the sakhi bhaba, imagining the rupa of Raha-Krsna by manasika.

HpS - ASA -- Hare Krsna!   In NOD - Chapter 15  from  Bhakti-rasa-amrta-sindhu 1.2.270-287, Rupa Goswami explains the process of Raganuga Bhakti. First we have to become competent at Vaidhi bhakti. That means we follow the four principles: No meat, fish or egg; no illicit sexual relations... and do Japa vrata, 16-malas daily, nicely... Brahma-muhurta seva such as Mangala arati etc. Then we become purified and these things become spontaneous. Then we can start Raganuga Bhakti, to follow a Ragatmika devotee in Vraja. At that point the attraction is spontaneous. It is not something that someone has to tell you. At that point we must already be Goswami and, "BG-chapter six: Jitatmana prasantasya, paramatma samahita", if we are Goswami the Paramatma, clear inspiration from Krsna, is there. Our relation with Guru, Sampradaya, is also spontaneous. We can tangible feel the presence of Narottama Das while we are chanting his songs.
So you must see if you have perfected Vaidhi-bhakti. Are you always up for Brahma-muhurta, sixteen nice rounds daily???

Another question is who is Srimati Chandrabali? What is her role in Vrndaban lila? Please highlight me the story.

HpS - She is described in Rupa Goswami's literature, no?   She is like Radharani's cousin. They love each other like anything, but they fight over how to please Krsna best. This is fight like two best friends. They fight because that is good way to get things straight. She is very submissive and cries with Krsna talks to other girls. Radharani is aggressive and chastises Krsna.
In Dvaraka she id Rukmini and Radha is Satyabhama. See the difference?  In the feast we like sweets and spicey things.

I want to follow some steps for advancement of spiritual knowledge. Please guide me.

Your fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - Managala arati, rounds... regular, good??

Maharaj. Thank you for your reply. A few things I’ve gotten to know about myself are, as much as I crave intelligence and mental stimulation, I can’t sit and read (or study) for hours at a time. I figured that was why Krishna arranged for me to leave graduate studies and start working right away. At the time I considered going back for a masters…I studied for the GRE which I hated every moment of.

And then since the score got cancelled, leading to delay in applying for this admissions cycle, I figured Krishna was saving me from loathing academics again. I don’t even know what field I am supposed to move forward in. I have so many interests. I formally studied and graduated undergrad in clinical  medicine, but self taught myself coding and computers and now work in a decent job in IT. I have a life and sadhana in this field (even though it’s not as fulfilling as medical work was)… but I figured moving forth with this would allow for more stable life.

 I don’t think im capable of doing service in the academic field : (

Help Krsna....

HpS - AgtSP.   Paoho.   As far as we understand, in the age of kali, VAD, everything is messed up. the only thing that works is Bhagavata Dharma. Chant Hare Krsna...   If you do that you will know what to do (vidya vadu jivanam). Maybe what you will realize is that you should chant more. Maybe that here is a plan for the next few weeks and it will put us in a good position to take several options in the future, but more than that even Krsna doesn't know what we should do.

So, chant Hare Krsna, get first initiation. Chant Hare Krsna, get second initiation (formally of informally) and then your VAD job will become clear eg. I want to marry Krsna, I want to enter a Vanaprastha relation, I want to marry a cool Ksatriya Dude and send him off to war to fight for the Homeland for Krsna. 

Chant Hare Krsna and be happy.

We talked to Braja-bihari Das about dates for D.C. but seems he had to wait to get back there to fix them. We will text him right now.

                    HARE KRSNA DEAR GURUDEVA,

                    PAMHO,AGTSP!!

                    WE CONTACTED CLAUDIO NARANJO AND ENRIQUE GALÁN ...AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE

                    THE MAGAZINES WE WILL SEND IT TO THEM (WE WILL TRY TO GO PERSONALLY IN THE CASE OF ENRIQUE

                    GALÁN).

                    WE ALSO CONTACTED MANUEL ALMENDRO DR. EDUARDO GASTELUMENDI´S GOOD FRIEND (HE IS THE FIRST OF

                    FOUR OTHER CONTACTS). HE REPLIED REALLY FAST AND HE IS VERY HAPPY TO HAVE AN INTERVIEW (ON THE PHONE

           OR SKYPE) IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS,

                     HE GAVE US HIS PERSONAL  NUMBER. HE IS IN PERU AT THE MOMENT...

                     IS IT OK WITH YOU?, I JUST ASKED HIM IF HE SPEAKS ENGLISH AND OFFER HIM HELP WITH TRANSLATION IF

                     NEEDED...

                    PD: WE THINK THE IDEA OF VISITING YOU IS WORTH TAKING A DEEPER LOOK, WE TRIED TO CHECK

                     REQUIREMENTS TO STUDY    THERE, BUT FOUND OUT DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES MAY HAVE DIFFERENT RULES.

                     HOW CAN WE FIND A MORE ACCURATE   INFORMATION? IS THERE ANYONE WE COULD ASK FOR HELP TO?

                      THANK YOU FOR THIS SERVICE, IT MAKES US VERY HAPPY.

                      ASPIRING TO BECOME YOUR DISCIPLES

                      SANANDA DD & BHADRA VD

HpS - ASA - Hare Krsna!!!      Try www.mtsu.edu and see if you can find any information. Get the Biography of Jung from Enrique and you all can read it if you like. Take notes and write a commentary.

Yes, it would be very nice to talk with Manuel if he is available. We are in the same time zone as Peru. Except for the regular times for classes etc., listed in the Kapi Dhvaja, we are available now.

Also might look at 

Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Tennessee

<cite>www.vanderbilt.edu/</cite>

<cite>Are you growing things at NVM?</cite>