Letters to the editor

            HARE KRSNA DEAR GURUDEVA,

            PAMHO,AGTSP!!

            HOW ARE YOU?

            WE WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN MADRID TEMPLE SANKIRTAN ACTIVITIES AS YOU ASKED...

            SOME NEW ACTIVITIES ARE STARTING: EDUCATIONAL CINEMA, BHAJANS IN THE TUBE

            AND FRIDAYS OF BHAJANS AND PIZZA, VERY ATRACTIVE PREACHING I THINK.

            WE HAVE GIVEN UP THE IDEA OF HAVING CHILDREN, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. THIS IS RELIEVING AND

            SAD IN THE MAIN TIME. BUT GOD IS HELPING IN SO MANY WAYS I CAN ONLY FEEL GREATFULL.

            PLEASE EMPOWER US TO USE OUR ENERGY AND TIME TO PLEASE SRI SRI RADHA  AND KRSNA.

             IN THIS CHALLENGING TIME PLEASE HELP US TO SET OUR NEW PRIORITIES WITH INTELLIGENCE.

             BY YADUNANDANA SWAMI´S CAUSLESS MERCY WE ARE STUDYING SECOND CANTO (I UNDERSTAND WE

             PASSED FIRST ONE).

             OH!! I AM ALSO SERCHING FOR A JOB, BEING HOUSEWIFE IS A BORE!!! (FOR ME).

                WE ARE KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH VRSABHANU AND AMBARISA TO MAKE OUR BEST EFFORTS TO SERVE YOU...

             OK I HOPE YOUR EYES DIDN´T BECOME TIRED OF READING THIS LETTER.

              ASPIRING TO BECOME A BEE ALLWAYS SERCHING THE NECTAR OF YOUR LOTUS FEET.

              BHADRA VD & SANANDA DD

HpS - ASA ---  This is one of the five best letters we have received in the last two weeks, maybe.   Sounds like you are really becoming great souls.   1)  Adopt a baby?   Has a big tradition in Vedic culture.     2) No adopt, then make Krsna your baby, make the Deities your baby.   Maybe that's why Krsna would not let you have any other babies because He wanted to be your baby.

A) House wife is booring (without babies), so get a job.   Hmmm?    Better, get a career!    Better, get a career for Krsna, 2nd initiation.    You and Swami Bhadra can get fixed in Vanaprastha ashrama, even think about it, consult, and make a formal, fire sacrifice plan.    BIG, EXCITING PLAN....   (Behind every good man, there is a good woman [behind every stupid man ...])!

Dear Gurudev, Hare Krishna,

thank you so much for blessing me with your association through your answers. good news! 16 rounds are ok!!, every days, since the last letter that i wrote you.

Thanks to your mercy 4 principles ok!! and my enthusiasm is fixed on keeping well.

My husband it's better, He start to worship the deities again, in the morning he makes govinda and in the night i do them sleep. (i have SO much to learn yet in the worship of the deities ) And his effort for chanting his rounds is better too. I think that my job its not mentally criticize to him...

Maharaj Bhakti Bhusana Swami visited us in Chile, and he went to the festival sankirtan. Is the third year of this program, and we would like to do for all the life, is so nice! sorry for my bad english. always trying to be your servant.

Bhaktin Fernanda L.

HpS -  AGTSP!   Hace mucho tiempo no oir de Vd!      Esperamos, si, sus familares son fuertes en su sadhana. Un vez yo era molestado con la Sadhana de unos de mis autoridades in ISKCON y abriendo un libro de Prabhupada, en el significado, Prabhupada dijo: No toma mucho preocupacion con los principios religiosos de otros. Eso solamente va a agitar la mente. Mejor enfocar en sus propios principios.

Hare Krsna!          O.K.  No ciego a estandard de otros, no solamente juzgando por exterior, pero mejor nuestra estandard, y la suya aparece buena!    Como esta su bebe?         Libros???

Toda Gloria a Srila Prabhupada

Por favor acepte mis humildes reverencias a Sus pies Querido Guru Maharaja,

Espero se encuentre muy bien. Disculpe la demora, EN lo perosnal bien un poco de crisis Isntitucional,pero no puedo hablar por una cuestion de que todos los devotos que le escriben pueden leer lo que digo, y en general, no todos, se dejan arrastrar mucho por la critica.

Estoy bien en el Asram de los Brahmacaris, quizas algo que no le dije, es que me voy a anotar mañana en la universidad de Filosofia, para aprender a estudiar y conocer la cosmovision de otros...., mi crisis personal es mas de Varna, me gusta hablar, nose estudiar, llevo 10 años en el templo y no lei el SB ni el C.C., esto lo digo con un gran dolor, tampoco he aprendido a tocar ningun Instrumento, tengo problemas para concentrarme en estas actividades, por que demandan que lo haga por mi cuenta y no tengo la madurez y aveses el espacio, lo que si he hecho es ser responsable con mi sadhana y lo intento mejorar, he aprendido casi todos los palabras por palabras, me gusta cantar mis rondas antes del Mangalartik por lo menos 10, y tengo un apego por el BG, asi como prediacar en las calles con los libros.

Hasta el 20 de noviembre voy a Estar en Argentina despues viajo a Chile Gracias.Estoy avanzando por su misericordia, disculpe que no me sepa comportar del todo y aveses me dominen las pasiones.

Su sirviente Adi Yajña Das

Esta fue Mi ofrenda a Srila Prabhupada, disculpe que el sancrito no supe como modificarlo Ofrenda a Srila Prabhupada nama oˆ viŠu-p€d€ya kŠa-pre˜h€ya bh™-tale r…mate bhaktived€nta-sv€min iti n€mine Ofrezco respetuosas reverencias a Su Divina Gracia A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhup€da, quien es muy querido por ®r… KŠa, habiéndose refugiado a Sus pies de loto. namas te s€rasvate deve gaura-v€Š…-prac€riŠe nirviea-™nyav€di-p€c€tya-dea-t€riŠe Te ofrecemos respetuosas reverencias, ¡oh, maestro espiritual, sirviente de Sarasvat… Gosv€m…!. Bondadosamente estás predicando el mensaje de ®r… Caitanyadeva y liberando los países occidentales, que están llenos de impersonalismo y nihilismo. Jaya Srila Prabhupada ebe jaa ghuuk tribhuvana: ¡Tu fama se propaga por los tres mundos!, me animo a pensar aquí que Srila Narothama Das Thakura esta hablando literalmente, Ahora a partir de estas palabras y otras, voy a hacer un humilde esfuerzo por glorificarte y comunicar Mi sentimiento de gratitud a Srila Prabhupada Puedo destacar que tienes muchas ideas de como llevar la conciencia de Krishna a la vida de todas las personas: Esas ideas están en Sus libros, cartas, charlas y caminatas, veo que muchos de Sus discípulos y seguidores están haciendo de todo para probar Su entrega a Sus pies, tomando Sus divinas instrucciones de estas fuentes y viendo como en cada pais se va llenando de Devotos de Krishna, y de Su influencia. Sabemos por la experiencia practica que Usted es muy influyente y que Sus libros se encuentran en todos los lugares de la sociedad, esperando a que se despierte el interés en el corazón de las personas, y a la vez generando revoluciones en esas personas Las cualidades que quisiera destacar de Usted Srila Prabhupada son Paciencia y confianza, la cuál Usted cita en el Nectar de la Instrucción. Hay que llevar a cabo estas actividades con paciencia. No se debe ser impaciente al seguir el proceso de conciencia de KŠa. Este movimiento de conciencia de KŠa, en efecto, fue empezado sin ninguna ayuda, y al principio no hubo una acogida, pero debido a que continuamos ejecutando nuestras actividades devocionales con paciencia, la gente empezó a comprender gradualmente la importancia de este movimiento, y ahora está participando con vehemencia. No se debe ser impaciente al desempeñar el servicio devocional, sino recibir instrucciones de labios del maestro espiritual y ejecutarlas con paciencia, y depender de la misericordia del guru y de KŠa. La ejecucción exitosa de actividades conscientes de KŠa requiere tanto de paciencia como de confianza. La joven recién casada espera naturalmente que su esposo le dé hijos, pero no puede esperar engendrarlos inmediatamente después de casarse. Claro que tan pronto como se casa puede intentar engendrar un hijo, pero debe entregarse al esposo, confiando que su hijo se desarrollará y nacerá a su debido tiempo. Similarmente, entrega al ejecutar servicio devocional significa sentir confianza. El devoto piensa, avaya rakibe kŠa:” Sin duda KŠa me protegerá y me ayudará a desempeñar exitosamente el servicio devocional”. A esto se le llama confianza. h€ h€ prabhu koro doy€, deho more pada-ch€y€,¡Oh, maestro, sé misericordioso conmigo! ¡Dame la sombra de tus pies de loto! Siempre en deuda EL sirviente de Sus sirvientes Adi Yajña Das

HpS - Jaya!!!  Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada.   Puedo entender como 87% de su carta.  Nuestra Espanol poco bruto.    Puede ver nuestra poposito - Chile como 6 Enero hasta 3 Febrero, y claro ya planificando pasar a BsAS - Cordoba unos dias.    Si quiere comunicar en privada de unas cosas, podemos. Espero que puede adjustar su situacion de Ashrama un poco mejor!!!!    Pienso es posible.​
 

Hare Krishna, Gurumaharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Since last letter some major things have transpired in my life, of which i wish to inform you. First of all, August 6th our second daughter was born, healthy and beautiful, named Madelein Anandini.
Because my life has been highly irregular since, i have not chanted japa regularly.
 

HpS - ASA -    Thank you for this service to this new devotee!     Look for the time. One round here. One round there.    You will become som much better servant of your babies if you do this sacrifice for purification.  At least keep track of how many rounds you have fallen behind and later  you can chant them, like old Prasadam.


I mostly take care of our eldest, and my wife of the youngest. Besides this, i still work my job in irregular hours (6 am - 2 am). All was too much on me, so i slacked. Up till august i was pretty fixed, and it is only since a week that i feel that i am getting back on track. The will is back, though the understanding of the need for chanting never faltered. I have to admit that i transgressed one of our principles a handful of times. It was bad conduct; it was calculated.

HpS - ASA --- Oink!    We are third class learners some times!

In retrospect, i see that, apart from the big family demands and obligations, i have been through a small crisis, like ones i have seen before. Just before the delivery, we had a kirtan event which for me was very powerful spiritually. Then i kind of lost my touch. Earlier in my devotional life, i lost touch twice, after i realized i couldn't match up to the people i looked up to, after first feeling myself their equals. This was like a sort of disgrace, because i realized they saw through me and i saw myself acting like a fool, and so i withdrew myself.

HpS - ASA ---  Ha, ha, Hare!    We are all going to falldown big or little. It is more important how you get back up!!!

Something similar happened again this time, but it feels now i'm recovering from that much faster, and without the leave. It is like getting up after falling, and i see the goodness of that; the getting back up. However, i am apprehensive that humility again will not go deep enough to prevent things happening again. Pigheaded is the word, me thinks. At least understanding of that specific mechanism is coming gradually.

HpS - Enthusiams is the most important, no?   But without patience then we will go sloW.  Make progress,  but perfection may take a few more weeks.

The good thing about these last two months in the desert happened on the intellectual level. I found myself connected to Hridayananda Maharaja and his Krishna West approach, and more so about his inter religious presentation. In my work i meet many elderly Surinami ladies. Surinam is a former colony where African slaves worked and lived alongside locals, Hindus, Javan and Chinese immigrants, and they lived together happily. I meet many Hindus and Christians, and many know about each others faiths, but generally there is a lack of deeper understanding of Indian history and philosophy, and so i get identified as a Hindu often. Personally, i don't like to be identified as someone who likes Indian culture, because i don't, and with the help of Hridayananda Maharaja, i have been able to have many successful spiritual conversations, in which sometimes i helped broaden understanding, and sometimes was able to explain more about Krishna's teachings about the soul to Christians. Also, my understanding of various Christian groups and their particular ideology is broadening. So i feel very enlivened again, in a way that seems new to me in my career in Krishna Consciousness. Even though i fell down in sadhana, at least this aspect of my devotional heart and mind kept flowing.
HpS - ASA --  Jaya!!!!
Before i really got attracted to KW, i purposefully wore decent normal clothes on harinams, so as to give a signal to people who saw us, that you can look like a Western guy when you're a member of ISKCON. This was inspired by meetings i had on sankirtan, where several young, spiritually oriented people told me they would not take to KC because they didn't wanna be like identified as a Hare Krishna because of our personal presentation. Of course this could be called shallow to some extent, but to me it indicates that people here in this country have reservations to join a group that expects its members to follow certain dress codes and wear tilak on their faces.

HpS - ASA -- Lord Caitanya dressed like a Mayavadi!

So i think i was a 'member' of KW before i knew it.

In Amsterdam, our temple has opened doors in a new center since earlier this month. It is a rental, and management is still saving for the down payment of 100k for buying property. There are no residential quarters, so that is a bit unfortunate, but the center is nice. It has a good kitchen, and bright and decent temple room.

My apologies for a long letter, but in conclusion, i mostly wish to apologize for intentionally breaking my vows. I have suffered from it, and i am climbing back up. Perhaps you still find me a candidate for your guidance and mercy. It saddens me to read of your struggles, but it also gladdens me because of how you deal with it and keep adjusting and keep going strong.

Param Vijayate Sri Krishna Sankirtanam!

Your aspiring servant,
Raghava Pandit das

HpS - We were wondering more, and more often what had happened to you!    Seems that this is one thing that you might add.  Write a little more often!   Your War on the Witch, is personal and individual. The White Witch will help you!   Krsna and Radha and all the Gopas and Gopis are watching (and eating popcorn??).

About 91% of what Hrdayananda Goswami says I agree with. I think similar to him and Satsvarupa Goswami.

Please give our great respects to your good wife and here great work!!!

Temple news next week?

All glories to Srila Prabhupada & U

please accept my humble obeisances

Hare Krsna Dear Gurudeva. I read bout Ur health problems. I hope U are much much better.

I had some problems to post this report… hehehehe i guess we need to write more often.

Well, first of all we want to apologize cause we don’t write so often. 

We had some health problems these months, we lost more than 20 Kilos. Rupanuga prabhu told us is has to be with emotional problems more than anything. We still struggling with our weight but we are following an ayurvedic diet. Dr. told us that our doshas are unbalanced and pitta in our case is burning everything. Let see how we can deal with it.

Despite all of these we always try to follow our vows. Sometimes we had to chant in bed cause we were very weak. Now we changed a bit our sadhana, we get up at 5.30am, then chant some rounds and worship our deities, then read, then chant more. Nothing can stop us from our vows.

We had to leave university and job. we were very stressed. But we plan to back next year to finish our studies. Meanwhile we are studying in a very very neophyte way Srimad Bhagavatam.   Drawing and painting.

Well we think that is all for now. We hope next letter we can share more things related with sankirtana and service…

Yours in Service

Patrak Das

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

HpS - ASA - If you see any good qualities, even in my humble attributes, it is by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada.

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

    Gurudev, Hope you are good in Health.

    Yesterday at 4:30 PM, back in Pune. Resumed office work today.

    Need to prepare new time table for study - SB, BG etc. Trying to search study partners, but no luck.

HpS - Ooooo!   So important.

    i had word with Vrndavan Temple Authority, connived your message for 2nd initiation and fire sacrifice.
    There is no issue, just i have to reach in Kartik in Vrndavan. There will be many Yajna during that time.
    so i can seat with their permission.

    If you can guide me, which Gayatri Mantras, need to take printout. May i pronounce before initiation? if yes, how and when and what are the
    precaution need to take care.

your fallen servant,
Girivaradhari-Gopal Das

HpS - Get a copy of the Mantras from a Brahmana. Don't look at them until after the fire-sacrifice when we are on the phone together. I shall chant them and then listen to you repeat them to be sure you have heard properly.