Sophocles and Bhagavata Philosophy, Personal Sadhana

1 year, 2 months ago by rohini in Personal Sadhana Reports, Special Category B

asa[e] sankirtan; world classical literature; sophocles.


Hare Krsna, Gurudeva

My respected Gurudeva, please accept my most humble and respectful obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!


I always wish you the best for your health.


¡Om namo Bhagavate Narasimhaya!

Today I watched the movie Edipo Rey by Sophocles. On this topic I only had remembered The Edipo Complex seen according to Freud.


In Greece, the arts were greatly promoted, theater was a very efficient means to educate, to transmit the necessary messages, the principles that lead man to become a human being.


Bg 1.39-45 came to mind, that family tradition that knows its lineage, so that when a new family is formed, it is known where it comes from, avoiding so many social misfortunes.

Considering each woman as if she is his mother, has a deep meaning. Consulting all relatives and respectable older people about the origin of the gentleman or the lady is so fundamental, for people, for the family, society and the world.


Education is very deficient, currently the basic principles that make a good family are unknown. We are governed by the instinctive-motor and sexuality without giving way to reflection.

There are many important contents in this tragedy, another is Karma, it is necessary to know WHO I AM, to accept ourselves and direct ourselves along the right path, where we will suffer less and cause less suffering to others.


Knowing that each being comes from Krsna is a great solution; If Krsna really guides our lives, with every breath we will keep Him in mind for small and big decisions, if we associate our breathing with the Mantra Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, it would be beautiful, right?


HpS/ASA - Right! So right it reminds me that should be chanting while I am reading! Who am I to read and write without the association of the Holy Names? 🐵


Thank you very much for your attention Gurudeva, your time and mercy.

His disciple

Rohini dd.


HpS - Thank you! Did you read Sophocles as part of a broader educational program? We like the Phaedo? Have you read that?

We will put this letter in the ASA Encyclopedia.

Hope to be more involved with your Sankirtan!!!

Seeking Guidance on Grhastha Life and Spiritual Matters

1 year, 2 months ago by milan in Personal Sadhana Reports

Hare Krishna Maharaj Ji,

I offer my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.


As per your inquiry in my last post, I confirm my willingness to discuss my concerns with proper Grhastha devotees and yourself.


Understanding that the ongoing Kartik month likely brings additional responsibilities upon you, I will patiently await your response, Maharaj Ji.


Following your instructions, I have included my email and WhatsApp details:


WhatsApp: +91 637xxx


Thank you for your attention to this matter.


HpS - Thank you Milan.

AgtSP.

We get many letters about similar situations and it is not that it is Kartika. You can see that we answered your other letter.

Usually it takes us about three days minimum to answer Blog Posts. Sometimes longer, and of course, unless there is WiFi connection in the womb of our next mother we won't be answering at all.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

Thank you again!

Gratitude for Acknowledgment: A Heartfelt Thanks to Maharaj Ji

1 year, 2 months ago by ramesh in Personal Sadhana Reports

Respected Maharaj Ji,


Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I offer my humble obeisances at your lotus feet, Maharaj Ji.


I am Milan. My heart was in constant pain. The situation in which that devotee placed me was beyond my threshold. Out of desperation, I wrote to you whatever came to my mind. Later, I realized that the format of my message was not proper. I also acknowledge that I could have conveyed the context more politely. However, at that emotional moment, I couldn't control what I was expressing. If any part of my text seemed disrespectful, I beg sincere apology.


HpS - AgtSP!!! Thank you. We certainly do not know that we are any better in our dealings. We are fortunate to have the association of such an Acharya as Srila Prabhupada.


Perhaps my approach was not the best way to convey my message. But I felt there was no other option for me, Maharaj Ji. . . . .


Men's mental health is in crisis, leading to many suicides. I, too, am a victim, and I felt it was Krishna's will for me to inform you.

....

Maharaj Ji, as in my previous post, you requested my email. Here it is. I would be immensely pleased to personally communicate with you.


WhatsApp: +91 637xxx


Sincerely, Milan


HpS - Thank you Milan. From what we have heard from about five different devotees involved in this situation, there is distress amongst many people involved.

We will make a discussion group on WhatsApp to see if we can help a little.

Right now, 7.46PM we are having strong headaches and should not really be doing this work, but of course we will try to do a little.

Hope to see you in WhatsApp, but again, the best help we can give, have received and tested is chant Hare Krsna continuously until Krsna gives us intelligence like He did in BG!

Jaya!

🙂



Personal Sadhana Report

Hare Krishna Dear Gurumaharaja

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and the Vaishnavas empowered by the grace of the Guru-parampara like you.


HpS/ASA - And you, and all of our Vaisnava readers!

 

I sincerely hope you are well, as much as this world can allow us. You are always in my thoughts, even though I do not express it so much. I try to compensate for my distancing by always hearing your recorded classes, SP classes, or inspiring Vaishnavas like Bhurijana Prabhu or Amarendra Prabhu.


HpS - Who is Amarendra? Is he from Los Angeles?

 

I have always felt fulfilled in KC, but since the second initiation in Govardhan, all has become more clear that my contribution to the Sankirtan Movement should be in a more steady manner. However, I’m still fighting to find a way of doing it.


Since your last visit to Mexico, many great ideas developed, but we tried to work on getting a key team, it didn’t succeed. Ricardo was helping at the beginning, but his intentions were not pure. A couple of devotees are there, but I have to be honest, I had felt a fade in my energy to continue pursuing Academic/Preaching efforts, I was worried I could be an offender of devotees or disturb their efforts instead of helping.


Raj Bhoga every Sunday to Sri Sri Radha Madhan Gopal, cooking for festivals, or organizing Drama or Kids activities has been our service to ISKCON Mexico.


The last September we attended the Sadhu Sanga Festival here in Mexico. 30 Tava Pache Paches provided by Srinath Krishna Das and Abhiram Thakur were distributed (15 TPP in Spanish ($150 USD collection sent to AbhTD, 15 TPP in English, Collection $150 USD in NIOS Mexico). All devotees were quite happy to have the Spanish version. Also 1 Bhagavatam Set sponsorship and 3 NOIs were distributed.


Ranchor Krishna Prabhu has been in Bhaktivedhanta Ashram Govardhan/India since August assisting Asita Krishna Swami, and will be back on December 1st. He has been actively working with the Indian Communities in Mexico and preaching programs have been quite successful .. I send you photos from Asita Krishna Swami visit and Janmastami Festival in Cueramaro Community (Nueva Bahulavana).


Nueva Bahulavana is located in Guanajuato Mexico a very cultural state, the families there have worked hard to have an amazing Cathedral Temple, the workers supposed to travel during COVID pandemic to Rome, but Krishna arranged for them to serve in the construction of the temple.


BBT Latinamerica office and ILAEV School are also based on its premises, an ashram for students, Devotee houses, a Hostel, and recently the cows. A very nice community.


HpS/ASA - We visited several times over the years!


For the month of Karthik, I will be staying in a small cabin in Nueva Bahulavan, since is away from big cities, but still within one hour from the city of Leon.


Mexico City feels heavy on me, the traffic, people rushing, pollution, and all the constant rush sicken my body easily, so we are considering moving to a calmer community like Nueva Bahulavan. But of course, we would like to read your thoughts on this.


Actually, you visited the farm in the 90s when there was nothing but the desire to create a community, Trilokanath Prabhu (The founder and owner of the property) showed me the photographs, and since then your wise instruction to devotees has been to acquire land to develop communities under the principles of KC and Srila Prabhupada teachings.


Since this year I was unable to visit physically Vrindavan, I'm reading Ananda Vrindavan Champu with my dear friend Premarani from Canada via Zoom to try to keep our minds there, obviously is very advanced for me, but is just so so beautifully poetic that I have enjoyed grasping at least a millimetric surface of it. We are currently reading about the seasons in Vrindavan. So we hope to stay engaged during Karthik.


HpS - Jiva Goswami, no?

 

Gurudeva, please keep accepting our small efforts of Japa, and keep engaging us in your sankirtan because we are weak by ourselves. As every day grihastha struggles, we try to balance work, finances, sadhana, and personal relationships… so forgive us if we are attached to our individual pursuits.


In one of your recent classes, you mentioned that Houston Nilamadhava Dham is planning seminars in Spanish, which sounds very exciting, please let us know if is any opportunities for service.


Also, as the trend in the letters, many disciples are enthusiastic to know where your Vyasa Puja will be held. We are drops in the petal flower, so any of your association on such auspicious occasion is very dear to us.

 Writing this letter with some melancholy (Joep Beving https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qQ5OLwg5f4 ) that I have not written you often and when we communicate, we speak about the secrets of food. Don’t want to let pass another day without telling you that, I feel in real debt to you and Srila Prabhupada, and that I love you deeply. We are learning to kiss the feet of the master.

 

Your aspiring disciple

Govinda Pramodini Dasi


HpS - Thank you. Sorry little slow to answer.

You can see our response to The Ranchor Krsna Das, no?

Chant as much as possible.

Chant out loud so others can hear.

Read Prabhupada's books to others.

Hare Krsna. Hare Rama.

Thank you.


Bought a house by Krishna's mercy.

1 year, 2 months ago by sriram in Personal Sadhana Reports

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.


I am chanting 16 rounds and following the 4 regulative principles. Attending weekly bhakti vrikshas, Sunday program at the temple and daily reading of Srila Prabhupada's books. Trying to do FMP for Paramananda Gaura Nitai every day. So sankirtan is going nicely Guru Maharaj.


Vishaka is taking good care of Paramananda Gaura Nitai with nice dressing and prasadam every day.


We had such a wonderful time in Boise Guru Maharaj. Thank you for spending so much time with me.


We spent Bhaktivinod Thakur's appearance day at Radhika Raman Prabhu's house in Logan and had a great time with him, mataji, chaitanya and purushottam.


The verse book is coming along nicely. All the verses are ready and we are formatting it now based on your suggestions. Planning to finish it by end of November so we can do multiple rounds of edits and release it on your Vyasa Puja day.


We are buying a house here in Atlanta - https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/7346-Cardigan-Cir-NE-Sandy-Springs-GA-30328/35937623_zpid/


We will close on 31st and move in there sometime between 1st and 3rd Guru Maharaj. Please bless us so that we can use the house nicely in Krishna's service. Vishaka wants to name it Srivas Angan.


We are leaving for India on the 4th of November and will be there till December 16th. We are visiting Mayapur from 23rd Nov to 27th Nov during Kartik, Guru Maharaj. I am so excited to visit Mayapur after 6 long years.


Please let me know if I can bring anything for you from Mayapur, Guru Maharaj.


We will visit Houston in January for your vyasa puja, Guru Maharaj.


Eagerly waiting for that day in January to have your association.


xxx


HpS - ASA - AgtSP. Thank you so much!

This Text and the previous are interesting. Even Funny:

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/7/14/6/


All this service in Grhastha Ashrama, any Ashrama, is really like playing in a puppet theater. It is for people who cannot talk directly to each other.

Crazy people. 🙂

So, Krsna engages our attachments for purification, and as we advance then he uses our puppet work to help in the purification of others.

Jaya!

AgtSP.

For Krsna it is play, but for us it is very serious reality?

Thank you!!

Best wishes for your Tirtha Yatra also!


Your humble servant

Sri Rama Krishna Das



Priyasakhi dd

1 year, 2 months ago by priyasakhi in Personal Sadhana Reports

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja.

Por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias.

¡Todas las glorias sean para Srila Prabhupada!


Gurudev, espero que se encuentre muy bien.

En esta carta solo quiero comentarle algunas cosas.

Salí del "comité de educación" y "comité de festivales" debido a que quiero concentrar mi energía en un proyecto más grande. Sin embargo, continúo impartiendo Bhakti Sastri a los devotos y devotas del Yatra. El próximo año terminamos con el último grupo.

También estoy dando un curso "introductorio de Bhakti Yoga" a una devota nueva, no como curso oficial de ISKCON Chile. Ella me pidió ayudarla a entender más la filosofía y la estoy ayudando. Me inspira mucho preparar material del curso introductorio, porque hace mucho tiempo no lo hago.

Continuamos con el estudio del SB (BvB) con Param Padam Prabhu. Vamos en 4to canto capítulo 3. Muchas lindas e importantes reflexiones.

Seguimos con nuestro sadhana en casa y servicio. Veo que Sukadeva e Indira están creciendo, y están interiorizando más la conciencia de Krsna. Es muy lindo ver como ellos se inspiran en la vida espiritual, preguntan sobre las prácticas de la CK, y lo hacen parte de sus vidas.

Está de visita SS Bhakti Sundar Goswami, y hemos escuchado sus clases y bhajans.

Nos hace percibir Vrndavan y recordarlo a Usted.


Muchas gracias GM por Su tiempo.

Su aspirante a sirviente

Priyasakhi dd



--o'0'o---



Hare Krsna, Guru Maharaja.

Please accept my respectful obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!


Gurudev, I hope you are well.


HpS/ASA - It, agtSP, the Sun is at 6.15PM. Sunset was at 5.52PM. 😟 Let us stop for our Gayatri!!!

. . .

. . .

. . .


6.23PM

Chanted with the stop-watch in front of us. Four seconds for the longer Mantras and one second for the short ones.

Lot of room for improvement.

We have Reformed Hippy Mind.


In this letter I just want to tell you a few things.


ASA 🐵 🐷 🗿..... 👍

I left the "education committee" and "festival committee" because I want to focus my energy on a bigger project. However, I continue to impart Bhakti Sastri to the Yatra devotees. Next year we finish with the last group.


ASA: 👍


I am also giving an "introductory Bhakti Yoga" course to a new devotee, not as an official ISKCON Chile course. She asked me to help her understand the philosophy more and I am helping her. She inspires me a lot to prepare introductory course material, because I haven't done it in a long time.


We continue the study of SB (BvB) with Param Padam Prabhu. We go to the 4th Canto, chapter 3. Many beautiful and important reflections.


ASA - Krsna's legs!


We continue with our sadhana at home and service. I see that Sukadeva and Indira are growing, and are becoming more internalized in Krsna consciousness. It is very nice to see how they are inspired by the spiritual life, ask about the CK practices, and make it part of their lives.


HH Bhakti Sundar Goswami is visiting, and we have listened to his classes and bhajans.


HpS - He is a very close friend. The Arab and the Austrian?


He makes us perceive Vrndavan and remember You.

Thank you very much GM for your time.

Your would-be servant

Priyasakhi dd


HpS/ASA - Other family? Partners in the Yatra?

Feminism.

Rural Development?

🐮 🐮 🐄