Letters to the editor

Haribol Hanumat Presaka Swami Maharaj,

Please accept my obeisances,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I apoligize for messaging you Maharaj as I know you have more important matters to attend to. I wanted to wait until I had my rounds straightened out to speak to you but I felt it still shouldn't stop me from communicating.

HpS - ASA --- A G T S P !    paoho.   Yes, we all need association to advance from level 127 to level 128, so please stay in touch so we, the ASA Blog Society, can all help each other advance our service to Lala and Lali!

I'm still here in Boise, writing papers for undergrad-college, getting braces to hopefully fix these raksasa-teeth and selling stuff at the counter.

ASA - What counter???

Thinking of moving to a more clean job at the end of this spring semester. Happy to still be alive and happier to be in association with Balabhadra dasa prabhu and his wife Lalita devi dasi mataji, through their shelter they help inspire me to stay conscious of devotional service and be able to learn to associate and serve Vaishnavas. But the reason I wanted to send a letter to you was to ask some questions.

I gave away these RK and JBS deitys and some others I have had in storage for a long time, along with some beautiful dolls I got from Mayapur all to the Boise temple, Sri Arjuna’s family and Balabhadra prabhu. I felt that they needed to be in qualified care, rather than letting them stay in dark boxes. It’s sort of an anxiety I guess I’ve had pent up that I hadn’t taken care of. My mother considers them “hers” but I want her to trust my judgment by putting them in the hands of more willing and qualified devotees. I try not to worry about my mother, but I guess I still consider it my duty to ensure she is safe and has money? I feel by giving her money much like my grandmother and my father used to, it enables her to be more co-dependent on me as a source of income. Although if I cold-shoulder her, I’m ignoring my duty to her as a son and being hard hearted?

HpS - We try to act in Varna-ashrama institution in a nice fashion. It is created by Krsna to create a nice psycho-social situation in which the dormant spiritual qualities of the spirit soul can develop. If this spiritual qualities are not developing much then we don't invest too much energy into it. Whatever ever we can easily do. Krsna will do any extra that is required.

In the Bhagavatam I believe it's explained we lose our memory after birth. Is it possible devotees can experience things that may relate to their past lives? Devotional images or Paraphernelia that may give them a sense of "familiarity"? Are feelings or voices experienced with it whether positive or negative - from the self, demons, ghosts possibly inhabiting the conditioned material mind/body?

HpS - You last sentence is not clear: Unclear pronoun reference and maybe a missing comma, but yes, as far as we know, even ordinary experiences from the last life are still available until about three years old. It is like when you wake up, you can remember dreams for some time and then the force of your current life pushes them back. For devotees, special situation.

Finally, I had a realization a few weeks ago thats been sitting deep in my mind every day since. I've felt it very rarely in the past few years and I admit I'm ashamed I never realized this years ago or even before that day I first set foot inside the Boise temple. Thats why it's given rise to the most important question I think I want to ask you. 

ASA - My God! The suspense is killing us!!!!

Maharaj, what can cause a living entity to have a heart so hard that it feels nothing?

HpS - Killing cows. Aborting babies in your womb... Super-bowl football.

A heart so silent and so empty for so long that they forget themself and even other living entities have a heart? How can we open that heart to feel with it again and then purify it from all these material desires? Most importantly, how can we listen to the holy name and hari-katha sincerely within our hearts?? 

Maharaj, how can I find a heart??

HpS - ASA - I have, had, the same problem. I think ....   The basic answer is "brahmanda brahmite kona ...", that it is Krsna who is going to make us feel different. Especially in His humour of Lord Caitanya. He comes. He smiles at us. He sits with us when we are sobbing in pain and gives us some help. Sooooo, we have to cultivate the mercy we have.

You were born in a Gaura family. You have contact with Gaura's devotees. You have some Gaura intelligence! You have to cultivate that with utsahan, niscayad, dhairyat (NOI 3).

It won't get soft, responsive to the Name of our beloved, immediately, but it will go from feeling like a rock to feeling like an auto mobile tire, little flexible but tough.

Adau sraddha... BG 4.10 purport... is Ruci we start to get a soft heart, no?

Please forgive my offenses,

Your aspiring fallen servant,

Reilly G.

Thank you so much for you association. Our respects to Balabhadra and Mataji and everyone. Looks like 97% confirmed we will be in Boise for Rathyatra! On to the next letter. Join us!!!

Hare Krsna, AGTSP Paoho

Thank you for the below letter. From 11th February to yesterday we were very, very, very weak from the exhausting trip to South America. Then there was paralyzing cold for the same time. Some nights it was -20 degrees Celcius. It took us 30-minutes to get the ice off of our old car to visit Nitai-gaurasundara's home. After that we could not really travel at all.

Krsna arrangment. We slept a lot, but felt very refreshed and now feel with energy to work again.

Also, it is triple effort for us to handling letters not in the Blog. If you can write to the Blog, please do so. MANY other devotees will see your letters there with great joy. They all want to hear how you celebrate Gaura-purnima in Manipur!

Our travel plans are changing because of the Ministry of Education work.

Are you getting our Newsletter? It is always posted every Amavasya and Purnima at www.jayarama.us.

Of course, we are very, very happy for any news we can get from you.

What verses are you reading in the 4th Canto?

Our respected to our Sanskrit Pandita and congratulations on his book. We also hope devotees kidney transplant was useful.

Keep the daily Mandir programs as useful, but this is Kali-yuga, so home programs may be more effective. Srila Prabhupada spent a whole lifetime in preparation!!!

O.K. Waiting for your answers, news (we hope in the Blog).

On Monday, February 16, 2015 12:50 AM, Mukta Okram <[email protected]> wrote:

All Glories to Sri Hps Guruji Mahara Gouranga Mahaprabhu

Radha krsna Ki  Jay and Goura Bhakta Vrnda Ki Jay

I am  submitting my humble obeisances unto Sri Guruji's padmacaran that Prabhu Nandagopa Das has produced a new book titled Saran Sanskrit Shiksha for the bigginers  of Sanskrit language. I also purchased a book and started reading the book. It is a very useful hand for learning Sanskrit language. It will be use a  text book in the UBC.

Another thing, Guruji might be in tour so that I could not get Guruji's reply in connection of the previous letters relating to Guruji's visit in India, Manipur and Thoubal. After knowing Gurujits timing we want to arrange and inform to all bhaktas who are interested to take initiation. So please communicate us for the time in advance.

Now I am reading regularly the 4th Canto 8th Chapter about Dhruba Maharaja's tapasya for getting Narayana.

Yours fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

Dear Gurudeva, How are you ? I am very  thankful for being able to talk to you in BS. I am writing to ask you a question about deities. First i  want to  ask  you  if recommend me  worshiping Gaura Nitai  at home. Another question I want to ask you  is about the material of the deities,  several devotees have recommended metal, but here in bs a few  devotees make deities  of resin and a type of  marble. what do u think about that? I hope you are well.  Bktn Lali

HpS - ASA - AGTSP Paoho.  Metal is fine. Resin is fine, but may not be so durable. Maybe more warm.
Picture of Pancha-tattva is also fine. Hmmm.   Is very personal.  What attracts you?

Some folks worship Their Japa Beads: Squeeze Them, feed Them, take them for walks, give Them a sunbath every day.

Hare Krishna dear maharaja!

pamho! AgtSP

Thank you so much for your answer!

I wish Lord Nrsimhadeva always protect you. Thank you for all your effort to preach Krishna Consciousness even with the nuisance and issues produced by the body. You inspire me a lot!

I regret the issue about prasadam, maybe it could have been avoided.

His Grace is grhastha and the name of his wife is Jahnava devi. They live in Mayapur with their daughter. 

I understand what you are saying to me. He knows about my status but maybe I should talk with him deeper about it. Anyway I don’t know if it’s the most important. Is it? I Just wanted to know your thinking about it.

HpS - ASA -- AGTSP.  Seems to our bewildered intelligence that first thing is to just have fun in ISKCON: Go to the Sunday Feast. Chant when you walk to work...  Then start to chant regularly: 16-rounds, 4-principles, SP's morning program. If you do that you get Hari-nama Diksa. That's realization that you are servant of Krsna. Sambandha. If you go on with that then you start to understand what is your service in terms of your lifetime VAD: Woman, Ksatrini.... So it would seem now the center is getting first initiation.

Then the VAD, you need a mirror. We always need a mirror. Krsna is the greatest mirror. What is your VAD? Great mirror is a devotee like Mahatma Das. A guru is fixed in his Hari-nama rasa, his VAD position. What is next? A guru's wife is natural mirror for guru's lady disciples. Ask Mahatma Prabhu if you could write to her to introduce yourself???? Maybe she is very shy person and doesn't serve her husband so much in that way.  Maybe she does. Get know your VAD gradually as you get to know the VAD situation of your gurus, no?

 I don’t understand  when you tell me that If I want to clarify my ashram I have to know my guru’s ashrams status. Should be my status related to his status?. Most of his disciples are ghrasthas, but not all. 

HpS - Above, no?

So If I don’t live in the temple for at least 6 month, I can’t take hari-nam diksa? There’s no way?

HpS - No, just have practical relation with Sri Hari, Temple President, so that he can recommend that you have told him that you are following Temple program practically at home and he trusts you.

Yes I’m following the principles about a year ago but I don’t think to live in the temple now. I have many responsibilities with my current service that I can’t just give them up. 

Thank you for your advices about relationships with men and with senior devotees. I will implement it.

All glories to you for inspires us with your steadiness, wisdom and humility.

Thank your for YOUR precious association!

Hare Krishna,

your servant,

Belen. 

HpS - AGTSP. Thank you. You really seem to have been a Sannyasi in your last lifetime but . . . .   Oooops!!!!   ... <img alt="devil" height="23" src="http://www.hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/devil_smile.png" title="devil" width="23" /> . . .  [Back on track. One more mile to Goloka]

HARE KRSNA DEAR GM

PAMHO AGTSP

THAT CONGRESS OF EDUCATION IN CHILE WAS VERY INSPIRING GURUDEVA THANKS FOR ALL YOUR EFFORT,

HpS - ASA - AGTSP paoho. It was wonderful. We almost had a brain stroke, but it is just the beginning. More in todays Kapi-dhvaja!  Very nice to hear from you all.

NOW WE ARE IN COLOMBIA WITH SANKIRTAN GROUP OF DSAL , JUST PASSING 105 BOXES OF BOOKS OF VENEZUELA, A LITTLE DIFFICULT MISSION FOR THE  ACTUAL SITUATION IN   VENEZUELA .

HpS - ASA - - -  !!!! HK / HR...  Krsna killed 17-auksahinis of Jarasandha's warriors!

WE ARE TRAVELING BY SEVERAL CITIES,  THE IDEA IS dISTRIBUTED 80 BOXES, IN THESE TWO WEEKS DISTRIBUTE 36 BOXES OF BOOKS AND IN THE NEXT TWO WEEK WAIT YOUR BLESSINGS TO DISTRIBUTE 40  BOXES OF BOOKS.

HpS - Blessing is in the Mantra!  We bless you, please bless us!  May Srila Prabhupada bless us all!!

IN COLOMBIA HAVE SEEN MY DEVOTION HAS BECOME AN EXTERNAL STANDARD NOTHING MORE, SEE THE DEVOTION OF THESE COLOMBIAN DEVOTES;  STRONGLY HOLDING SRLA PRABHUPADA'S BOOKS , AND ALTHOUGH NOT HAVE THE HIGHEST STANDARDS , FEEL MUCH LOVE FOR KRSNA AND DEVOTEES, THAT INSPIRES ME A LOT. 

I humbly pray you to tell me which is the meaning of devotion ?  HOW I INCREASE MY INNER AWARENESS ?

 MY LIFE IS DELIVERED TO YOUR SERVICE PLEASE TELL ME I CAN DO TO HELP YOU IN YOUR SERVICE TO RADHA KRSNA

TRYING TO BE HIS DISCIPLE

Vrajendra Kumara DAS ( B. BURRO )

HpS - More news in the DTC for today, but was very nice to get your personal association during the events in Chile with Jagad-guru Das, Arjuna, Rodrigo et al!
What is devotion: "anyabhilasita sunyam..." - BRS 1.1.11... Cited in NOI, no?  Purport in Text Three of NOI. It means activity. Activity for whom? For Krsna. For Krsna's devotee, Srila Prabhupada, Krsna's Deity, Name, Movement.

In NOI 7 - SP discusses Raganuga bhakti. Then we try to follow the Raga of Srila Prabhupada. Do you read the Lila-amrta? Are you hearing Prabhupada's words in his books as personally written for you?

Hare Krishna dear maharaja,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

How is your health?

HpS - ASA -- AGTSP. Paoho. The temperature right now, 3.32PM, Sunday, 15 February, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is -3 celsius. Our cottage is not well heated so that puts a lot of stree on our body and it is hard to offer and honor Prasadam properly. So, our health is pretty good. Recovering from the stress of our South American travel, but still 30% weak from that.
We have already got a LOT of work done here.
Because we could not eat so properly we ate too much salad and so we feel like our stomach is going to explode. Prabhupada had the same problems. Sometimes he would vomit from improper Prasadam, but like him we do our best in this crazy material world and use whatever health we have for Sankirtan.

I was in Mar del Plata with my guru maharaja when you were here. Anyway I could take some association from you for two days. Better than nothing. Hope you come soon again! Thank you again for bring the camera and please forgive us to all the issues that you had because of that. 

I’m still learning how is it work. Anyway I filmed a looooooot of videos! 

Well about my sadhana, I’m trying to improve it again and learning “the art of delegate service”.

Reading “Teaching of Lord Caitanya” and some verses of BG or SB every day.  I really needed to read because I really enjoy it a lot!!! 

I feel very strong keeping 4 principles strictly and chanting 16 rounds, trying to focus more in Krishna and if he wants I will go to Mayapur at the end of this year. H.G. Mahatma wants me there to help him with service and I want to study also. What do you think? 

HpS - Very nice! Is Mahatma Prabhu in Vanaprastha or Ghrastha ashrama???  What is name of his esteemed wife?

Well now that I know you said: “"No existen preguntas tontas, hay tontos que no preguntan”. I will ask some questions! ha!

I was thinking about my ashram also.. It’s a new kind of ashram: “The hidden ashram of the West” ja! it’s like bramacarini but outside the temple. How Prabhupada would see it?  What would he think about it? It’s right or wrong?  I remember when you said me: "now you can understand that attraction to opposite sex for sense gratification described in flowery language is "a real drag” I get it and If association with somebody means "don’t following principles", I really don’t want to do it and I’m sure and decided about it. So what lies ahead for me in the future? For now I have the shelter of my spiritual father but he is India. Maybe I have to learn self-defense!

HpS - That is why I asked the above question about Mahatma Prabhus Ashrama. If you want to clarify your Ashrama then obviously you have to know your Guru's ahsrama status.

Related with this, how can we preach to new men in order to get them near to Krishna Consciousness without generate confusion in them? Because sometimes it becomes uncomfortable to me. I don’t want to be so serious because I’m preaching love through teachings of Lord Caitanya, but I’m not so loving because of that and sometimes I feel that I’m very impolite. So I don’t know how can I deal with this. I think bramacaris have the same issue with girls when they go to distribute books.

HpS - Prabhupada says that devotees are allowed short term association with the opposite sex for preaching purposes. So you can talk a little bit to orient the men and then connect them with a male devotee (which of course includes Prabhupada.   [0:)  ).

About service: How can I deal with seniors devotees when I have to share service? For example if we are not agree about how to do something..

HpS - Discuss it resepctfully.  If they are really 'senior' then they will be better at handling the relation than you. If they are older but not senior, then you have to discuss like with a friend or if they are less advanced but older you have to help them like a child, appreciating their blind-spots being confused and thinking they are more advanced with they are not.

About diksa: Everybody is asking to me when I will take diksa!! I don’t want to be pressured, What is the rush? I think the most important is to follow the instructions and develop the relationship between guru and disciple and diksa is just a formality. Anyway I've already talken with my guru maharaja about it because I’m committed with him in the same way than if I was taken diksa and I feel ready to do the formality. He is agree and wants some recommendation. What do you think about it? Do yo think I should do it or wait more? For me there’s no difference.. 

HpS - Hari-nama Diksa by Srila Prabhupada's standard was for anybody who followed the principles for six months in full cooperation with the temple (living in the temple). If you have been doing that, then you can take Hari-nama Diksa as far as I would understand, for second initiation there must be more consideration.

Maharaja, I feel very very happy with my spiritual life and all the time I'm trying to improve myself. Krishna is giving to me too much mercy and I feel very enthusiastic and encouraged all the time. I need more hours per day because 24 it’s not enough!

I wish to see you again very soon!

My all respect to you dear maharaja

My obeisances at your lotus feet!

your servant,

Belen.

HpS - AGTSP.....  Thank you for your association. If you are feeling big enthusiasm, don't be surprised to get big tests also.<img alt="smiley" height="23" src="http://www.hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.png" title="smiley" width="23" />

Waiting for your next letters.