Letters to the editor

Dear Hanumat Presaka Swami Maharaj,

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

Sorry for the delayed reply. In regards to my question about gay marriage, I appreciated very much your reference to SB 1.17.38. Some points that stuck out to me here were "One man's food is another man's poison", and that in some cases, "regulation of adharma is necessary to bring people to the path of dharma."

I had a long conversation about this recently with my old Bhakta leader, and he was saying that the reason for my confusion here was because I was equating two different vows. In others words, marriage is a vow of monogamy, but it doesn't necessarily require 4 regs. As you pointed out, in some cases even animals mate for life. Omkara prabhu said that to ban people from marriage because they don't follow garbadhana samskara would diminish protection of women and other virtues, and would be like "throwing the baby out with the bathwater?" Would gay marriage also fall into the category of adharma which may help vikarmis approach dharma through pravrtti marga? I suppose the key point here is that initiation vows are the same for everybody.

Certainly this is not the highest topic, but I only ask because I feel like I should be competent to give scientific answers on sankirtana. To feel inspired, it's important to me to be able to picture people in Krsna consciousness.

HpS - AGTSP.   Seems like a very broad topic to us. In India for example there has been a class of eunichs that were placed in a certain social situation. Traditionally India, Bharata varsa seems broad enough to fit everyone. In SB 1.9.26-28 Prabhupada gives a fantastic summary of our political science. He recomends Parasara dharma sastra. Researching it we found that Parasara gives details fo what is Adharma and what is Adharma. This is like saying what are the laws of gravity or optics. He gives details of differences of adharma in Kali yuga and says that Kali yuga is so confused that he can't possibly give rules for everything so you can ask one sadhaka totally dedicated to spiritual life for instructions about specific situations, eg. Gay marriage. If you haven't access to such a person then he says a synod of six brahmanas can arrive at the same insight.

So about things that are not detailed in Prabhupada's books and other books, then ask six nice devotees.

In general us it seems that homosexual relations can be regulated on a level below the four principles, but why call it marriage. That seems strange to us. Use the word marriage for heterosexual relation in God's sight to get nice sons.

Rama and Sugriva made a vow of friendship that was just as binding as marriage, no? But it has a differnce name because it is a different relationship.

Hare Krsna!!  Jaya!

I was also wondering if there is some standard conduct for sannyasa? Bathing 3 times daily? Sleeping 3 hours? One meal? I'm curious because such practices may help me get a taste for devotional service sooner than otherwise, and may enable me to, at least, establish a deeper foundation for grhasta ashram if it doesn't allow me to circumvent grhasta life altogether.

HpS - BG 16.1-3... One Paragraph on the basics of sannyasa. Other instructions throughout Prabhupada's books. Associate with nice devotees. They may only be 80% perfect but use your intelligence to separate the wheat from the chaff and get to Prabhupada('s books) through them. Read his books directly.

I guess you should focus on the practices for 1st initation, 2nd initiation ... in order more, no? Of course, yes it is important to have a general view, view by mercy, all the way to Goloka, no.

I passed the initiation test since last we spoke, so you should be receiving my recommendation from Svavasa prabhu shortly. Mukunda Datta das Thakur has given his permission and blessings for me to become your disciple. I hope your travels are going nicely, Maharaj. Hare Krsna!

Your aspiring servant,

Bhakta Eric

AGTSP.  We have to run to the Temple!  More in the DTC. Thank you!

07/24/15    Hare Krsna Esteemed Guru Maharaja    please accept my dandavats and pranams.

Haven't written since your helpful and wonderful visit in June.  Thank you so very much for staying in our new home and blessing us with your presence, your example.   i do not write more often because i do not want to take your valuable time.   Please know i am always praying for you and taking the dust of your lotus feet within my heart.

The ISKON Sac devotees expressed how much they benefitted from your visit.  They thought you so very humble and approachable, with the ability to illuminate sastra in a clear and unique manner.  They have asked me to ask you to put us on your calendar twice next year.   So please visit us next year twice and advise me how I may help with scheduling in advance.

We were (Dave too) out on book distribution at lg. apt. complex in Sac a couple of weeks ago.   By Krsna's mercy, we were invited to return and do home program for a group of residents!  It is this Sun.  How wonderful it is to preach this sublime and helpful philosophy of Krsna Consciousness.  Also, our group attended International Yoga Day in June by the state capital bldg.  Fortunately, I got to lead kirtan though I am always unworthy.  Also, me and Vikasananda Krsna Das were interviewed by Indian Television news so it was really so much mercy to be able to serve Srila Praphupada and this Sankirtan Movement and let the Indian population know more about our ctr!  Our group will also be at India Day and we are hoping to have an even better Janmastami celebration this year.  So lots of opportunities for service right now.  Jaya!!!

My dear Radha-Gopinatha are now in Their puja room.  I don't think our home is ready for Them to be in the front of the house;there was not a consensus about it.  Perhaps it's what they wanted.  I hope so.

Shoes ?:   So, recently Govinda Priya Dasi, who teaches deity worship in Mayapur each year, showed me how to put Their Lordships to rest at night.  Their bed is on the right side of Their altar on a table along with a brass vyasasan.  The vyasasan is too small for the murti of Prabhupada.  So i am using it to put his shoes on at night.  Then I take your shoes and put them on the table at the foot of Prabhupada's "bed"   and pray for your safety that night.  Anyway, may I continue to put your shoes like that?  Some how it occured to me to ask you if that's ok with you.

Continuing as your unworthy servant,

Kalindi Devi dasi

HpS - ASA -  Gosh!  AGTSP.  Paoho.   Yes, this pace of letters we can handle. We have noted all your content with great attention. Krsna is giving you so, so, so much chance to preach!!  Our respects to The David Prestha (which rhymes with Pasta) and all the Sacramento ISKCON Yatra. Of course we will try to visit again. We form the Calendar here.

I guess you can put our shoes some place. Off the floor I don't know. For sure lower, lower, lower thatn Srila Prabhupada's paraphernalia. We still have material desires but they are under control (now) and diminishing!

O.K. DTC>

Hare Krsna Gurudeva

Please, accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I hope you are in good health and that your proyects are going as expected.

HpS - ASA - So nice to hear from you. AGTSP. Please see the Kapi Dhvaja with answer to the above hopes.

We are very happy to have you for these weeks and more happy to serve you. Regarding this issue, we consult on your stay in Chosica. Prabhu Chaitanya Chandrodaya offers a space in his home. It is very comfortable and nice, but a bit further away from the temple. On the other hand, at Kanu Pandit Prabhu you can also stay, it is closer to the temple. Also, I live 80 feet away and that allows me to serve you in a better.You decide, please.

HpS - I think Kanu pandita's house is fine, no??

During the last week I was cooking for Bhakti Bhusana Swami Maharaj and was a wonderful experience to be close to Maharaja and able to talk with him and listen to his lectures and accompany him in his walks and other activities.Maharaja have much knowledge and is impeccable in his behavior. It has been a great lesson for me. I continue to study the Bhakti-Sastri, very impressed with the Bhagavad Gita. I read the text twice before studying it but this time I discover and understand some points that were missed before. The BG impresses me by its force. Possibly it lacks the philosophical depth of the SB but is like a handgun: short, precise, and is the Lord's spell. I don't leave my amazement. I have two questions for you, Gurumaharaja.

HpS - ASA --- It is interesting. Seems we have BG As It Is. This is different thatn BG. This is Srila Prabhpada's illumination which includes perspective from SB and even CC!

What is the difference between the pantheistic perception of Brahman and the omniscient perception of the Lord of a pure devotee?

HpS - ASA - As we know, Professor Alfred North Whitehead. Santana Professor of Philosophy at Harvard University said that there is no inevitability as long as there is a willingness to contemplate the present. We have remembered that when in great provblems. That is Sat and Cit, no? In Brahman we realize there is a reality. Then in Pantheism, Virat rupa, Paramatma we begin to see form of this eternal reality. For example we realize that our body, name, job are all Asat, Nir-brahman. They are not eternal, but Masculinity and Femenity are eternal. Siva Pravati, Laksmi Narayana, Radha Krsna are all eternal.

O.K?   A devotee see, "premanjan churita bhakti vilokayena..." he sees reality as the effulgence of Krsna. Presence of the King in the Kingdom. He sees the paramatama, hand of God, as Krsna's hand.

What is the difference between following the footsteps of a pure devotee and imitate him? Srila Prabhupada raises the importance of not confusing these concepts but sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference, at least in my level of progress.

HpS - Imitating Srila Prabhupada is trying to be the Acharya of our Sampradaya immediately. Sit on a big seat, receive big worship and gifts. Following in the footsteps is to follow the path that Srila Prabhupada took to get to the positon of Sampradaya Acharya. You act like he acted when he was in your level of existence. He set an example. Made a path.

Thank you in advance for your answers. See you soon Your servant

HpS - ASA --- Thank you.

From: Mukta Okram , Jamunesvara Das, Manipur

To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> 

Sent: Friday, July 17, 2015 1:49 AM
Subject: Personal sadhana report

All Glories to Sri Guruji Maharaja and Gouranga Maha Prabhu

Radha Krsna Ki Jay and Goura Bhakta Brndiki Jay

Please accept my humble obeisances unto Guruji's padmacharan that I could not  write further letters due to law and order situation in Manipur. Now in Manipur, a big issue of Inner Line Permit System is going on demanding a law through Legislation Assembly.

 In the month of September to Oct. I am planning to go Nabadwip, Mayapur, Brindavan and Bangalore with my wife and a friend. 

From 21st Sept Imphal to Kolkata by flight and stay at Dabadwip and Mayapur upto 24th Sept.

25th Sept Koktata to Delhi by Train for Brindaban and Radha Kunda and stay upto 29th Sept.

29th Sept evening Delhi to Bangalore by train and stay there for 5 days and

on the 5th Oct. Bangalore to Kolkata by Train one day hold at Kolkota then

on the 8th Oct. Kolkata to Imphal by flight and reaching home.

I have gone through the journal Kapidhaja and know Guruji's time table and other activities.

My daughter is in Thoubal who was working at Bangalore as Computer Engineer in a Multi National Companany. She will go back to Bangalaore on the 2nd Oct. 2015

My son has got appointment letter and will submit his offer form shortly.

Tomorrow we will go to Imphal ISKCON Temble and will participath the Ratha Jatra of Bhagavan Jaganath, Brother Balabhadra and Sister Subhadra.

Yours fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - Jaya!!! So nice to hear from you. We are very, very, very busy with four education conferences. I guess you can see the work in the Kapi-Dhvaja. So busy. We are barely keeping up with the letters at the Blog. Excuse us, but this e-mail is much harder for us, so we sometimes are slow in answering your excellent, excellent letters.

What will you do in the Holy Dhamas?

All respects to your good wife and Sankirtan partner.

Who is the other devotee who will go with you?

What is the Inner Line situation?

Your children do some ISKCON chanting or reading?

Haré krsna!

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to sankirtana movement of Caitanya.

All glories to your lotus feet Gurudeva [Lettuce feet, AgtSP], thank you for always showing us with your example that everyone who takes sincere shelter of the Holy name can keep on his service to the spiritual master and also help others to reach that platform.

We have a lot of mercy from the devotees here, last month we received H.H. Dhanvantari Swami, many guest came to see and hear Maharaja, I spoke with him a little bit with him, he told me I have to work more on my self-esteem! Any advice there?

HpS - ASA - I think he gives good advice. Basic principle is self-realization. As we become more Krsna conscious, we become more self conscious and then we can have an accurate estimate of our body, mind and soul!

Also last week Hanuman Prabhu came to Queretaro, he stayed for the weekend and said that he was very happy that finally there are more places to visit in this country; many many guest came to hear the preaching of Hanuman Prabhu. I really try to keep up to the ritm with all our programs here in the preaching center and restaurant, even though I think I would ask for 26 hours day je je. I have to recognize that this last month i haven't read enough for my personal reading, and further more, the last days I haven't had enough space to complete all my rounds, even if I try to chant at every free moment, even without attention, I just don't get them done.

HpS - "sraddha sabde...". Look for this verse cited in NoI and then look for the context and purports in the original location. If you chant 16-nice rounds ALL you other service and sense gratification will improve in the maximum possible way. Get up early and get your rounds done!

Gurudeva please pray for me so I can detach from sense gratification at least enough time to get my rounds done. Your always aspiring to disciple Krsna-kirtana Dasa

HpS - Hey!   To be our "Disciple" you gotta follow our discipline. It has some advantages, like getting our rounds done and 4-principles etc. but also must be a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, follow his disicipline. He is the Acharya for all of us, no?

AGTSP !!

Please accept my humble obeisances

Dear Maharaja

We are so grateful for this digital link with you, it keeps us going with full faith and confidence in Srila Prabhupada's sankirtan.

HpS - ASA -   AgtSP!...    Thank you for your criticism. It helps us enormously to know what services are valuable.

We are chanting 16 & +   rounds daily,  we realized (finally)  16 is just the minimun,  so always go for more hopefully one day reaching 24 or 32 ..following in your footsteps. Trying to take your Vani as far as we can in our poor condition.  We shaved our head and left big sika,  we are accepting our identity as a Vaisnava monk,  the only identity that really matters, the essential identity...took us so long but here are with your mercy and all Vaisnavas.  Our service to the Temple is mainly through the Bramachari ashram,  harinama, programs, etc  we had a very inspiring and full of service Montreal Rathayatra and very blissfull and instructive Toronto Rathayatra.

ASA - Devotees went the the Toronto Rathyatra and brought some Mahaprasad for us. They were very stimulated by the festival.

Played the bansuri for the sunday school presentation of Ramayana !!  ki jay !!   Hanuman and the army of monkeys, like 29 kids, storming the stage from everywere!  To fight Ravana's army !  Blissful, transcendentally joyful!

We are still hoping to receive harinama iniciation from you Maharaja,  we pray and pray and hope the letter of recommendation will finally come.  Then our life as a Vaisnava monk will be complete and ready to take off further.      The grounding you recommended is always our base camp. 

your aspiring servant

Raul

HpS - We are just rough servants in the link. The Diksa comes from Krsna, through our Sampradaya Acharyas. We are just acting under Srila Prabhupada's shelter as we understand he wants us to do. You should also be a link in the chain. 'Yare dekhe...', wheverver you go just tell people about Krsna based up BG, SB ....

May you Sankirtan potency increase and increase!