Letters to the editor

Respected GuruMaharaja Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I am sorry, my annual report got delayed. I posted it in the 'Annual Disciple Report' section. My trip to India was good though it was very tiring. I came back sick two days ago and didn't go to work yet. It was probably Krishna's arrangement that we missed our connecting flight in Dubai. Sugopi and I were feeling bad that we will be in transit for your Vyasapuja tithi. However, due to missing the connection we got a hotel in Dubai. We were carrying a mridanga to US which we were suggested by airline staff to take as carry on. In the hotel we took a shower, put on tilak, clothes (dhoti, sarees), unpacked our Gaura Nitai and used a good table as altar. Found some flowers, fruits, nuts and bottled water for offering. In the middle of the airport, inside the hotel, we sang bhajans with mridanga, did pushpanjai and celebrated nice vyasapuja! I met Prahlad Narsimha prabhu and Sudhama Sakha prabhu in Mayapur. Prahlad Narsimha prabhu is doing great work on the next version of vedabase.com and he showed high level design to me. I think there will be tools that will be very useful for general users as well as serious students of Srila Prabhupada's books. Looking at how travel makes me fall behind on certain things and makes me sick I look with amazement how you accomplish what you do at your advanced age. Thank you for taking on such austerities for the benefit of conditioned souls like me. I very much miss our Srimad Bhagavatam meetings and looking forward for your association again. Your insignificant servant Srinivasacarya dasa

Todas las glorias a Su Divina Gracias A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada                                                                                                                                         Todas las glorias a Su Santidad Hanumat Presaka Swami

Acepte porfavor mis más humildes reverencias

Me llamo Diana Karla González Ramírez y soy estudiante de Filosfía e Historia de las Ideas en la Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México. Actualmente canto diez y seis rondas diarias y sigo cuatro principios.                                                                                                                                                            Hago varios servicios fijos en el templo cómo guirnaldas, raja bhoga, cambiar a Srila Prabhupada, ayudante de pujari y paso algunos días ahí para mangala aratik. 

Porfavor humildemente le pido sus bendiciones. Su sirviente Bhaktin Diana K. González

HpS - ASA --- AGTSP. Very nice to meet you. Bhktn Diana K.G. ...     Bendicion: Canta Hare Krsna y sea feliz!!!    Tiene unos professores interesantes?

Sadhana Slipping or re-gripping?

January 4, 2016

Dear Maharaja Hanumat Presaka Swami,

      Please accept my humble obeisance’s, All glories to Srila Prabhupada, all glories to your service!

     Concluding another year, (2015 on the Christian calendar) has brought some very poignant realizations. Of course your report request is a good reminder of the need for perfection.
      This year was pushing the limits of my japa more than any, the 16-4 rule is “written in stone” as is sincere service. Where is the difficulty? It is in the latter, service/seva. Taking on many projects, personal demands of perfection have brought havoc on the japa. Always catching up on the Mala, some days only getting partial rounds in, then have 20-24 rounds the following days.
       Unfortunate for my seva-holic-ness or bless-fully fortunate for the Soul, the Lord reminds us that japa is the Supreme sacrifice, “…of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [ japa]” Bhag-gita 10.25. In all context it is something that must be performed. Some exceptions were noted by his divine grace, Maharaja Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (MBST), in the “Bhakti Vaibhava” within the service of bhakti-seva. One should be especially careful, for rationalizations can pave the road to hell better than good intentions and I easily fall in this category.

        The great fortune I’m grateful for is in your reciprocation when I dwell on and over-signify errors, with sluggish sadhana, am so glad to have things cleared up in your association, even your nuances bring relief.

         Accept that limitations exist due to karma and acknowledge it can be changed. As time passes gentle reminders of the dangers at every step are there (just broke a bone in my foot). While hoping to finish with a happy-ending in my sadhana report, reality is it has declined in some aspects this year. Though there was one positive gain, managed to read more books by MBST and many S.P. disciples.
        Regardless; trading association, Mandhir programs & reading for daily sadhana is not rational. As heard, “If you’re not getting your rounds done, you’re dumb”.  In the latter I’m qualified & could rest on those laurels of ignorance. Initiation is a vow to change and have had wonderful results in your association along with other Vaisnava’s. In keeping that advancement going, shall continue on the bhakti-path though limitations may invade from the past as a  Dr. Spock groomed, “Baby-boomer, T.V. cartooner and a flash-back doomer” the battle is not over for this ol’ brain.

       Won’t dwell on what has been, just hope I’m not condemned…may have to use a few more lifetimes to get dialed in. Though, Srila Prabhupada’s resend, “Do it in this lifetime”… would be a Godsend.

       Thank you for your most valuable time, please excuse my piteous ramblings and taking advantage of your association. Have to get back to japa and accept that in this lifetime it can be perfected.     

Again, All glories to your service!!

Your servant in training,
"Burning-Mud"
caitanya caritamrta das, das anu das.

HpS - Oink!!!!!       Get a Japa partner. Report to them and them to you, no?   In general you seem to be doing good.  Yes, the Karma yoga temptation is very real: Doing what WE like to do for Krsna, rather than what KRSNA likes us to do for Krsna.  Then easy to sink down.......

             HARE KRSNA DEAR GURUDEVA!,

             PAMHO,AGTSP!

             HOW ARE YOU?

             I AM WRITTING ABOUT THIS TOPIC  FOLLOWING YOUR INSTRUCTION.

            SEX  BRINGS GREAT PAIN, THAT IS MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE (NOT JUST THEORY), AND YET IS A BIG CHALLENGE

            TO GET RID OF IT, SPEACIALLY WHEN ONE IS MARRIED.

            I SUPPOSE IT IS ALSO FEAR THAT CUTTING IT OFF ALTOGETHER MAY MEAN DIVORCE , ADULTERY, OR LACK OF PHYSICAL AFECTION (I MEAN HUGS)

             FOR SOMETIME  I HAVE BEEN CHANTING MY ROUNDS AND THEN WAKE THE DEITIES UP, BUT THEN IT´S TOO LATE AND

             I FEEL OFTEN TIRED, SO I HAD ALLREADY SET TO CHANGE THIS HABIT AS A PRIORITY, TO IMPROVE MY SERVICE TO

            THEM.

             YOU PROPOSE DEITY WORSHIP TO GET FREE FROM ILLITCIT SEX ...SO WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO IMPROVE?

              THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND SUPPORT

              ASPIRING TO YOUR SERVANT SANANDA DD

HpS - ASA -- Of course, we can only discuss these things as B'caris and Sannyasis. Get nice Ashrama Gurus, nice Grhasta, lady, devotees to advize you.  Prabhupada says that the husband can go our daily to collect funds and then wife can work in the house to arrange nice service for their deities with whatever he brings home, a lot or a little, and make their home a very nice place.

Of course, there are details. For example, the lady may be going out with other ladys for preaching programs with someones father and brother while their husbands are working in the Court etc.

But the basic principle is to focus the routing work of married life on the Deity. When you buy new clothes bring them home, put them in front of your Lord and Lady and say, "We just got some new clothes for Your servants. Are They proper?"

O.K.   Hug your Deities.

Help your partner be engaged the same way.

Maybe be Vanaprastha.

Progress can be rapid.  Yes, girls fake sex to get love and men fake love to get sex, but after a little education they both figure out how to really engage in Radha-Krsna seva to get Prema.

In Vaikuntha there are husbands and wives, Jiva souls.

O.K.   Airplane!!  >>>>>

P.S. Read Krsna Enters Dvaraka, SB canto one.  Jiva Goswami says hugs are O.K.

Hare Krishna Esteemed and beloved Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada,

We are still on the run, struggling to be a sane Iskcon member!! reach the standard, join the two parts of the elephants.

We began this harinam / sankirtan program during the marathon and it was so extatic that we are going to continue it during january!! We go out chanting and distributing books before the sunday feast. Very nice program, kids like it a lot.

HpS - Invite nice people.

16 R 4 P ok, very little Fmp and no Fep. A little bit of reading. Bg, Sb, Cc, Kb, what is the difficulty by Srutakirti prabhu.

ASA - Early to bed and early to rise and Maya goes hunting for other guys.

We will be in bs as from 15 to 18 of january and in cordoba from 22 to 25 january to have your glorious association. Hope we can be of any use for your Sankirtan!!

ASA - Jaya.

We are trying to simplify our life to focus more and more in devotional service!

Thank you Gurudeva, you are like an utsaha booster, feeling your kindness and love increase our faith in the process, rasa!!

Trying to become your disciple,

Nikunja Bihari das.

Hare Krsna!   Catching the airplane.