Letters to the editor

Hare Krisna beloved Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada,

It is so nice to participate in MA on SM every morning with you and devotees.

As you already know i catched up my rounds and now we are ok with 16 rounds a day and 4 pples striclty. We are even chanting extra rounds.

Now for me is time to think about my asram service. I feel myself in a very dangerous position, as if i had a sign which says AVAILABLE AND SEEKING.

My life is intense Gurudev, i have about 1200 patients (80% are women), i have two little kids to raise and i'm alone.

Up to this point the only thing is very clear to me is that i want to be part of this SANKIRTAN movement, be part of ISKCON life and serve under your guidance through my whole life and beyond.

My doubt is how to accomplish this, wether to marry again or jump to vanaprastha and so on.

I remember you told me to wait until second initiation to make this decision. But i feel to make the final call i have to experience get into a relation again.

I have very clear in my mind that defining my asram wont solve any problem, that we didnt born to be happy but to make austerities, so i will have to make them wether grihastha or vanaprastha. duhkhalayam asasvatam.

To be honest with you i feel myself more as a grihastha than a vanaprastha, but i'm scared. Sastra is convincing :

" Highly advanced spiritualists therefore recommend that one should not enter the gṛhastha-āśrama. It is better to prepare oneself in the brahmacarya-āśrama for austerities and remain a pure brahmacārī throughout one’s life so that one will not feel the piercing thorns of material life in the gṛhastha-āśrama." (SB 5.14.18 purport).  Also i had a bad experience before.

Lately i started talking with your beloved daughter Candramukhi dd and we get along quite well. I see her as a serious and chaste lady who really wants to serve in this ISKCON Mission, so i feel we can make a good team to serve. She helped me a lot with my sadhana and i really feel inspired to protect her and her mother and sister.

An astrologer told me that we have very good compatibility like 70% and the spiritual aspect of both is good but there is a  nakshatra ( i think is a constelation) which makes that i will suffer a lot by her (ufff!!). Anyway Krisna is stronger than billions of Rahu so for me your opinion is the most important.

So Dear and Beloved Gurudev, I have already given my life to you, so whatever you tell me i will do.

Do i have your benediction to start a formal relation according four principles with Candramukhi dd or i should remain alone until i take second initiation?

Runing to reach your lotus feet

Nikunja Bihari Das.

HpS - AGTSP! Paoho - - Hare Krsna! I think that it might possibly, maybe, perhaps have a chance of working if you have the special mercy of the Supreme Master of all the gods, time, space and destiny in all the universes combined. <img alt="angel" height="23" src="http://hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/angel_smile.png" title="angel" width="23" />

With those reservations, "Yeah, why not!"

Talk with a few other people, both of you write down what you plan for/from the relationship for the next few months and then after that re-evaluate things.

In general it is not such a big deal. You seem to have already realized that to a large degree so do it and everybody go on with figuring out what is their Sankirtan.

AGTSP !

Please accept our humble obeisances

Dear Maharaja

Thanks for answering the last letter, a bit sad you won't make it to Montreal,  Chicago is a bit far for me.   Back in Montreal we're just keeping it simple but focused.  Reading Chaitanya Bhagavata mainly but not only, chanting, deepening insights, listening to kirtans (Vishnujana Swami-Aindra Prabhu) on the portable player.  We Made a very simple space for Panchatattva pic and  Krishna - Balarama small-5cm ?  hand carved icons,  Krishna is playing His flute on top on Macchu Picchu hand carved mini  sculpture !  with garlands from the Temple's small Radha-Krishna deities.  Can't feed them (they are so, so small, not proper deities)   I had an idea while chanting the other day (or was inspired to) to build a whole Vraja forest on that whole surface,  we've seen in a DC garden how bonsai gardeners do it,  may be even a Govardana hill ?  some day it may happen.   On the intellectual front  we've begun to study Carl Jung's historical development and ideas, seems that there was a mystic in there, now we understand why you were and are so interested in his career.  We got in contact with the Bramacharis, they are moving constantly now,  this is the way how it was done in the past here in the Canadian east and it seems it will continue to be so.   They invited me to join their Florida December book distribution Marathon, may be even Cuba in October and Mayapur in February -Gaurapurnima with a Vrindavana parikrama,  Maharaja, we wish to go so much,  I remember what you adviced me, but still is it possible to have once in a lifetime pilgrimage to Mayapur and Vrindavana ?  We feel there is no other place worth going for inspirational purposes.     

  I hope this doesnt sound ofensive but we Know that Srila Prabhupada is taking care of us,  and You Maharaja are His trusted Liutenant.  We are simple sudras but the mercy is abundant, all Glories to Srila Prabhupada !   Gaura Nitai  jaya !  even us get a chance to be cleansed and filled. 

your servant

Raul

HpS - ASA - AGTSP!!!! Such a full spiritual life. Get initiated in ISKCON. Get a Temple President or Sankirtan party leader and do this stuff! Sounds wonderful. Then you can also develop your own Sankirtan ideas and become a Sankirtan leader!

dear Swamiji, 

AGTSP, PAMHO. In your last letter you said that I should take harinam diska. Will you give me harinam diska?

HpS - ASA - Jaya! Read www.jayarama.us/kd/guru-tattva.txt !

Dear Swamiji,

AGTSP, I have asked a number of devotes and non devotees that I know. Most of them tell me to forget her and go to the Philippines. I've also been told not to marry a muslim. she seems favorable and willing to learn bhagavad gita.

HpS - ASA - AGTSP I sure can't help much from here, but the basis is get fixed in the service of Lord Caitanya then you can see everything in the powerfil perpective of doing good service!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my most humble and respectful obeisances <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" />

Here is  Bhakta Rodrigo Hernández Piceros from Santiago, Chile. Sorry. Sorry. I can’t to write  before!

The last times have been very intense and complicated for me. Many things in the material world, many things in my life conditioned. Chaos and confusion, too much MAYA.

1-Honestly the last time we have experienced an existential crisis, where we are reviewing our lives: past, present and future. Our mistakes, our triumphs. Our desires, our attachments, our lust, our sins, our failures, our falls, nuestras caídas, etc.

Now on October 12, I’m 40 years old!!

We thought a lot about:

What do we do with our lives?

What are our goals and objectives?

What are our challenges and problems in our spiritual life?

How to solve our problems?

Why we write poetry?

The final conclusion is that we want to live and die in Krishna Consciousness. But we have so many anarthas!

2-Thank you very much for your "TPP" Composition book / 7.  it's beautiful and surrealist!

It's one of the best gift that I received in my life. I received it 26 days ago from the postman. Thanks so much. For me it is so important to get the association of my spiritual master. Thanks Gurudeva, thanks!

3-In 1997 we created Surrealist Group DERRAME  with friends (Chilean poets and painters). They are also our family. This September 1 Braulio Leiva, poet from Grupo Derrame,  left the body. He died at age 35 years old of a heart’s attack. Braulio was a conference of  You and he was very impressed, very happy. He wrote a surrealist poem after  your  conference (details in another letter).

I understand that  Bhagavad Gita (Gita B. 2, 11) says that "Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead" but how I can explain this to the parents of Braulio and his girlfriend?

HpS - AGTSP Thank you for your letter. You have a fight to make with Maya. Always keep a little peaceful and cheerful. Krsna will help. He is a nice person. Even if we have got ourselves in a complicated situation He will help is get out without great problems.
I don't know them. It may be very easy to explain it to them. They may already know from previous lives or it may be new to them. Try to listen to them and then explain what you know simply expecting them to do their work of trying to understand.

Also, since the beginning of August my friend Roberto (another Grupo Derrame’s member)  is in the psychiatric hospital for schizophrenia. My friend left her medications and entered into a deep crisis. I visit my friend in the hospital whenever I can, several days a week (details in another letter).

4-Fortunately  our bipolar depression is controlled. For almost 7 years ago we took  Quetiapine (900 mgs) every night.
We are going to  workshops about bipolar disorder. We are 4 patients with bipolar depression and 3 psychiatrists. Our idea is in the future to help people with this disease, perhaps write a book. Once you gave me the instruction to "write for the benefit of others".

5-Our current problem is overweight, almost 100 kilos. All this is causing problems for our body: Chest pains, in the heart, high  cholesterol and high blood pressure. Our problem is to eat more than necessary, we suffer from anxiety. Before practicing Krishna Consciousness I smoked cigarettes all day.

6-For some months ago I'm  with Adaba Therapy. The therapist is very good. She found three “Cuerpos sutiles” (bhutas) in us, these 3 “cuerpos sutiles” and they were stealing our energy for the last time! Fortunately she managed to expel them. Our therapist is helping us a lot, a lot.

7- We're in meetings to work for next visit to Chile from you. Jagat Guru dasa, Priya Sakhi dd and other devotees.

Dear Gurudeva sorry for  this long letter!!

To your  lotus feet

Your aspiring disciple
With my eternal obeisances
Bhakta Rodrigo Hernandez Piceros

HpS - Very nice letter. I wish I had more time to be with you, but again, Krsna is your friend. Try to follow His advice and expect to see rapid progress, but be patient also. We can solve millions of lifetimes of problems in one minute.

<img alt="smiley" height="23" src="http://hps-d6.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.png" title="smiley" width="23" />Hare Krishna Maharaja<img alt="smiley" height="23" src="http://hps-d6.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.png" title="smiley" width="23" />

I hope you’re doing very well. I write you, firs of all, to pay you obeisances and respects.

I thank and glorify Srila Prabhupada for showing me his mercy in this way.

There are some philosophical issues that have been very clear for my understanding in your classes and have helped me a lot in daily life. I find so much inspiration in your preach and many realizations in your recommendations. This is why I’m very thankful with you and your disciples who share your classes in both, audio and video.

I wrote you in march, exposing my wish to serve you, before I did it I have already told to Jiva Sakti prabhu, who answered me telling me that he had talked to you and told me that if I was ready what it takes to take the disciple test, I could do it when I feel ready. I haven’t done it because, in the first place, I want to strengthen my sadhana. Once you said that doing spiritual life is like building a skyscraper and it need to have very deep foundations.

At the present time I’m studying the last semester courses of my graphic designer career and I’m trying to carry out your instructions, my duties at school, home and the Bhakti-vrksa program to which I belong.<img alt="smiley" height="23" src="http://hps-d6.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.png" title="smiley" width="23" />

I still chanting sixteen rounds and I keep practicing the four principles. I’m reading the second volume of the Mahabharata and I’m trying to learn more songs that glorify both Radha- Krsna and the vaisnavas.

Generally, everything looks as a beautiful and sunny scenario, a bit hard, but my growing devotion for Lord Govinda inspires me to keep on trying. It’s a tough battle against mind and ego to make them understand which are the most important things to sustain my saddhana and the likes to be detached from. That’s why I’m asking you for your mercy to understand what devotional service is so I can serve Govinda, Srila Prabhupada and you in the best way.

It’s okay if I write you once a month through this blog? I wish, if your mercy allows me, to keep in touch and receive your guidance.

My obeisances to you

Hare Krishna

HpS - ASA --- AGTSP.   Santa Isabela!    All respects to you and the German. Yes, please write as you need to. We try to answer as best we can. I think you will find many answers in letters from others. We have many challenges in common.

Your reading sounds nice. Maha bharata gives real perspective on the BG and even the SB. Of course, we have heard from Hrdayananda Goswami that Madhava acharya says that the Maha-bharata that we have has been corrupted. SOme things have been added, some things removed, and some things in the wrong place. BG is standard. So, take what you find there in terms of Srila Prabhupada's books!