Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Gurudeva

Please accept my obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

After reading your last response I realize that it is true, I do not read the other letters on the blog, I must make an effort to do so, since your responses are also addressed to other devotees.

I have been quite disconnected from classes, Twitter, etc. My apologies for that. I remember those mornings in the temple when I ate breakfast while listening to his classes.

My sadhana has been stable, except for getting out of bed, I am still struggling with ignorance.

16 rounds with 30% enthusiasm and 4 strict principles, trying to be cleaner.

ASA - 🐒 🐷 👍

• I'm singing all my rounds in the morning.
• I do a little worship at my altar with Govinda, a flower and incense.
• I read the scriptures personally daily and every night I study the sastra with other devotees
• Studying at the institute is going perfectly, the course is easy and I am ready to finish.
• The preaching is going very well, I always leave home with books and when the opportunity arises, I distribute some. I made a bookmark with the Maha Mantra and my contact.

I want to sell books online, I already have the planning to start, but I am waiting to regularize my situation in ISKCON Chile to take that step, so as not to bother anyone.

HpS - We hope, agtSP, that you can do that. We always remember that Rama told Laksmana that there is no mistake we can make that we cannot rectify.

Yet, we have to do the work.

Eg. Allow our victims a few good kicks in our backside etc if they are desirous.

After having collected a list of Sankirtan contacts and talking to those most interested, at the beginning of this year I have been creating short Krishna consciousness content that I send to them privately on WhatsApp periodically.

I extended an invitation to those same people to meet via Zoom and thus study the scriptures together with the study group to which I belong. Two of those souls were enthusiastic and we have already had 3 satisfactory sessions (October 20, 2023).

I have also created a WhatsApp group in which I publish daily small excerpts from Srila Prabhupada's books. This content is aimed at devotees who are already practicing Krishna consciousness.

These internet facilities allow us to preach in an interesting way. For example, in my "down time" traveling, etc., I can dedicate myself to writing and planning.

As for preaching in the arts, I have been working on new musical compositions, lately of social criticism based on the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. For example, the last song talks about industrialization and the damage it has caused, this is also motivated by the classes I have heard from you.

I have already finished my first draft of a novel of what I call "Veda Fiction", since it is like science fiction, but based on Vedic knowledge. You have several times spoken of the coming of a soul similar to Maharaja Parikshit who will stabilize the situation of the planet. Well, this novel places the planet in a dystopian, Matrix-like future where Kali has completely enslaved humanity. In the midst of that horrific scene, Maharaja Parikshit takes birth again on this planet to fight against the dark side.

I have been lazy in composing the songs of the Acaryas. Taking the advice of a devoted friend, I am going to use the temple songbook and start composing based on those songs, I got stuck in wanting to be very exquisite with the songs.

I promise to start making Mangala Arati next year. I also want to take an English course and I wanted to tell you that I intend to start studying another degree next year, I want to study musical production, so I'm happy, it's not sound engineering like you advised me, but it has something to it.

Hare Krishna Gurudeva

My obeisances

Your servant

Piyari Mohan das

HpS - So much content that we had to start skimming near the end. Sounds very nice. Are you still with bi-polar personality?

This letter sounds like someone in the active rather than the depressed stage.

On the other hand.

Maybe you have become stable this level of energy.

There is another letter by your good self below.

We really hope to get to it.

Thank you!!!

Hare Krishna, Gurudeva 🙏🏻

Please accept my humble obeisances!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I am writing to tell you that I arrived in Sri Vrndavana Dhama six days ago. In these first days it was difficult for me to adapt here. But, little by little I am becoming more familiar with the place, people, etc.

I am staying near the ISKCON temple, Krishna Balarama mandir, in the house of a devotee from Peru. I have also found here some Peruvian devotees who have come to visit the Dham. They have kindly helped me in different matters.

In a week Rukmini (daughter of Tarangaksi dd) will be arriving. I am going to stay the rest of the time here in Vrindavana with her. Then I plan to go to Mayapur to take the courses with mother Devaki, she is from Germany.

Gurudeva, I would like to take advantage of this stay in Vrndavana, and thus be able to do some spiritual progress.

I again ask for your blessings and mercy..

I miss your association, Gurudeva. 🙏🏻

Thank you for all the things that you have done for us..

HARE KRISHNA!!!

Your aspiring servant:

Mitravinda dd.

HpS - Thank you. Thank you so much for taking us with you. Keep detailed journal. Even things that seem so simple will bring back very complete memories when you read about them in your journal years later!

How is everything in Vraja spiritual? The piles of sand that block half of the road that are being used in building construction?

Respects to The Rukmini Devi Dasi.

Thank you!!

💥

💥

. . .💥

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!!!

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!

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!

🙂

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 1^st. 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.