Dear Gurumaharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I hope this letter meets you in good health and good spirits. It's been a while since i last wrote you. In my last letter i wrote that Benelux council cancelled the magazine, and that i felt like dropping the service that would follow. After writing you, i decided that would be very childish and i decided to do whatever came up. Besides that, i filed a complaint against the impersonal tactic of making decisions without asking input from those involved, and because of that the council decided to keep the magazine on for one more year to see how things developed. That was interesting.
HpS - ASA - AGTSP paoho. Very nice to hear from you!!! How is your family? Also very nice to hear about your dealings with the Administration and the magazine. Paper copy magazine? On-linne Blurb? Seems little paper copy by someone in parallel with the the E-zine, no? Best damn periodical in Europe! People clammering to submit articles.
The Benelux yatra is in heavy weather. Amsterdam Temple council was disbanded, and it is almost like a rudderless boat. Temple activities are going on but several groups of people have different ideas (some have only those, without helping practically). Deity worship is faltering, that is main concern for most people. With the upcoming obligation to move (August 2015) these are challenging times. I don't feel like involving myself in any way, because the list of people who got fried is endless. So is the list of people from the old days who got together again recently and are willing to do something for Srila Prabhupada. That is brewing. Time will tell what will happen.
HpS - Do what you can. This movement depends on you!
The Nama hatta's are also experiencing bad communication, and lack of strong and present national leadership is said by many to be the reason, also for Amsterdam.
Myself I experience dry times. I had a 5 day 64 rounds retreat during kartik, and that brought me much good, but at home i struggle to get up early and chant with gusto. Some days i've missed my rounds. Caught up pretty much everything, but i go through a drought. In my own leading kirtan also, the substance feels like missing. In our family i am the only one doing sadhana right now, and i feel like Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, when he is singing:
ekākī āmāra, nāhi pāya bala,
hari-nāma-sańkīrtane
tumi kṛpā kori', śraddhā-bindu diyā,
deho' kṛṣṇa-nāma-dhane
One thing i learned after the retreat was done, was the enormous clarity i had and penetrating power of mind. It dawned on me that generally your classes from Hawaii, for the most part, seem to fly right over my head. This frustrates me. It is humbling.
The Journey Home book translation is halfway, so far so good. It's a personal struggle, and that is good. Of course, my drought will also change, as things tend to do usually, but in the meantime i have not much else to share. Family life had some big hills to climb, but this yajna is so necessary and i'm happy to get the chance. But in general, i think the main topic is that i'm an external devotee, wanting to get more internal and realistic, but struggling to do so. I guess i should see for a bigger timeframe where to see things in, accept things as they are. Is there anything you can say about that, Gurudeva?
With gratitude,
Your servant in the mission of Srila Prabhupada,
Raghava Panditas dasa
HpS - AGTSP. From your letter you seem to be doing quite well. Things are tough all over. This is Kali-yuga. Do what you can to help Lord Caitanya in Mission of giving he fallens souls the science of Krsna by getting inspiration from the Param-para, Rupa-Raghunatha, Srila Prabhupada, and then when you reach your limit pray for Krsna and Rama to help! Hare Krsna, Hare Rama and they will send people. Self-motivated people.
A King for Benelux!
Yesssssssss. . . Big Picture. Then you don't get bewildered by the little ups and downs and lefts and rights. If your family is following the four principles then they will be inspired by whatever example you set. Shoot for nice time together in the morning and evening.
Finally, the Full-Morning-Progarm [FMP] results because we have association. That's how we are doing it. Our Buddy, our Body, says, "Just five more minutes of szleeeeeep!!!", but our ego, says, "Hey, Buddy, everyone' gonna be on line at 4.30AM and you better have a good report and join the show!".
So, get some European partner. Call each other up. Have a conference call, daily, occasionally...
Give us more feedback on Hawaii Friday's we are trying to improve, make them part of our, your, Sankirtan!!
