Letters to the editor

hare krsna maharaj, pamho, agtsp
in http://hps.monkeywarrior.com/node/4100
you asked us about our thesis work.

its actually not going well, we had change guide a year back, and now there is shift of topics every now and then.. so we have not finalized the topic yet.

we can see in intellectual work , only clear intelligence helps, which requires one to be in mode of goodness..
we intellectually agree that enthusiastic chanting , 4 rules, mangal artik, SB .. should be our first priorities.. however practically things are differenet. we seem to be faith less and insincere rascal.

but by  your and mother Urmila's instruction things are becoming better.... we r starting to  focus on how we respond in compaisrion to what happened to us or what people did to us....... this is a big step for us... even more imp than PhD degree.

we hope things will be fine, we would be able to give you better picture of thesis in coming time.
regards,
harsh

    HpS - ASA -- Prabhupada told B. S. Damodara Swami if you just sharpen your intelligence on BG and SB then you will be able to take all the research and facts that people already have and explain them in a better way!

All Glories to Sri Sri Gauranga Nitiananda!
All Glories to Patita Pavana Srila Prabhupada!
All Glories to You!
All Glories to devotees.

Please accept my humble obeisances to your feet. 

Dear GuruMaharaja:
                                        Hope your health is ok. :)
I follow my initiation vote, thanks Krsna, Srila Prabhupada and you. I can stay fix, sometimes is hard get done my rounds but follow your instruction about priorities and fix it quickly and 4 pples ok. I think Krsna bless me and I fell so fortunate to be here in KC and it's my impulse to keep on, working things. Keep working about sincerity, feelings, attachments... I just depend on your mercy... nothing else can help me.. 
I try to keep occupy in service to Krsna. Japa, deities, reading books. And Maya of course :S

I have no answe of my annual disciple report. Tell you because u say u can't see which one was answered. :o)
Why sometimes we have some expectations about situations, and when we get it, we keep unhappy?

    HpS - Don't know. AGTSP. Maybe because we desired something limited. If we ask for benedictions we should ask for infinite benedictions!
 

I keep reading Bhagavad Gita, "Surrender to me" (Bhurijana P) and start to read "Teachings of Kapiladev" to understand more deeply your answer of my previous letter about Devahuti and Kardama Muni. I have read the SB verses thats talk about that too. I have a project to enforce your preach instruction. Keep seeking workgroup. 
GuruMaharaja this world is really bleak for me.. I really want to back home, thank for engage me in KC. To be sincere I'm really afraid you leave me here. Sorry, for say it, but is what I feel.
I have no more news. Thanks for you time, thanks for association and for be a a explample of life.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Your disciple who want to be your servant
Rati-Manjari Devi Dasi

                  HpS - AGTSP.   How do you see Vrndavana Dhama reflected in Buenos Aires? Is there any value in Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges?

Nice fotoes!!!!!

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaj!

Please accept my most humble obeisances.  All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada!

Oof.  We are finally feeling a little bit like we are on some stable ground.  Two weeks ago we came back from Canada.  We were very happy that you advised us to seek out advice from the local devotees because those local devotees sincerely saved us mentally, emotionally, spiritually with their counseling  during a very uncertain time.  Under their advice we stayed, continued to do the offerings, some deity service daily and chant our 16 rounds at the farm before our official departure date.  The experience helped us (Aja and I) become spiritually STRONG though we seem to be a little materially weak.  We are staying in a Bhakta Nick's basement presently so Aja can have time with his father.  Bhakta Nick is still pursuing his successful music career and with a musician woman.  Okay!  So in this way it feels a little like a temporary ashram situation.  

We do the same things we did in Boise and Canada....rounds first thing in morning if we can help it before Aja wakes up, mangal arati, dressing small deities, doing small arati with the stuffed animals jumping around, and Srimad Bhagavatam reading via Aruddha's small childrens Srimad Bhagavatam resource link.  We have completed our fifth chapter in 8 weeks time.

              HpS - AGTSP.  Wonderful!   Krsna will bring all the lose threads together and make everything very auspicious.

Art, role playing, puppet shows everyday...we are in heaven during those hours.  Other hours are spent doing the needful, cooking, cleaning, chanting, reading, etc..  We have been enjoying daily classes by Srila Prabhupada on our iphone.  This is a life saver when we are feeling much boo hoo sense gratification from feeling sorry, tired in current position.  But since we cannot be like the goswami's and sleep under a different tree (even though we can understand what an amazing position they must have been in to endure this!)  we are trying to settle on a nice place to live, do service, keep going while trying to be better everyday in what we do.....

We have recently been talking to Hari Vilas prabhu, Gopal Hari Prabhu, and Jai Sacinandana in Portland.  We have given a devotional service history to Hari Vilas Prabhu and Jai Sacinandana.  Gopal Hari Prabhu recently suggested that if we would like to do deity/cooking service, he will give a recommendation to Jai Sacinandana Prabhu.  He suggested it may be easier of course to do service in Portland since we will be closer to Nick.  Jai Sacinandana said he is open to the idea of having a local devotee help serve the presiding deities Nitai Sacinandana in the morning (evening services are covered by grihastha community) verses hiring a pujari from India.  We are enthusiastic to contemplate this idea since Nick said he can help take care of the toddler in the mornings while we do simple arati and cook an offering.  But without your blessings, guidance, instruction on the matter, we are still beside ourself on if this is what Krsna wants of us and is the most practical service.  The service as it stands, just looking at the positive factors is it is 1) Steady, 2) We will be in close association with devotees which has always helped our enthusiasm and determination and 3) we will learn a lot.  Also, 4) we can continue homschooling after the offering each day which makes us happy since Mom and baby could continue reading the Bhagavatam daily.  Hooray!  The devotees just purchased a very big building that was a presbyterian church, has many classrooms, kitchen, etc..  I guess there are many classrooms and we are invited to stay in one of the classrooms since it would be easier to do 5:30 am mangal arati and cooking.  

The only prerequisite is they are requesting that I ask or aspire for second initiation.  Of course, we do not feel very qualified until we complete bhakti sastri formally.  Also, last year we were not steady for 4 months while letting maya bombard us with supposed obligations towards full time masters clinical mental health counseling program, and part time social work to maintain a one bedroom house.  We were MISERABLE and plan on not doing anything like that again.  Krsna saved us in November.  Before this, Maharaj, we did I think pretty okay with maintaining principles and chanting since initiation in 2009 to 2013, about 4 years.  There were month or two slumps during finals, school projects (so many EXCUSES, we are very sorry) but after all of this blessed suffering the last 5 months we have been steady with 16 rounds and feel motivated by our individual efforts (homeschooling, daily reading really really HELPS).  In summary, I do not feel qualified to ask to be an aspiring candidate.  I do want to ask though in hopes that with the mercy of the Vaisnavas, Srila Prabhupada, and Guru, I will become qualified...  I feel very strongly that without devotional service and constantly practicing sravanam, kirtanam, vishno smaranam I am not much of a human being.  Also, at this point we are not very concerned about finding a husband since this does not seem to be in Krsna's plans and we pray that if it is meant for us, Krsna will send.

 We could finish our degree in 2015 (2 more classes to go!) then counsel people to get out of tama guna (dialectical therapy?) part time in the evenings when Dad has Aja.  My goal, Maharaj, if you approve of this service, is to commit to doing it for at least two years.  I think it will be good for my rascal mind. We would also like to dedicate ourselves to formally finishing bhakti sastri (since we started it a long time ago in 2010-2011 but did not take the formal test) with Sri Hari who may be starting a group in May...? We hope!  

We may be over our head.  We want to serve Srila Prabhupada though.  We feel it is our only hope for now and if our mind obeys forever.  We apologize for how long this letter is.  We are feeling very very bad for not staying in better contact through letters.  Our lease was up in January and we were without internet and we felt very bad about being a month late in writing a Vyasa Puja and then did not write at all. :(( We feel really really bad about this and ask for your forgiveness for being so negligent and unsure of ourselves.  There were many hidden desires wrapped up in thinking life with greener pastures and cows was in store in New Vraja Bhumi, Quebec.  We hope to have a more realistic view of devotional life and our proper ashram situation in the future.

Pictures are homeschooling pictures of Bhismadev on a bed of arrows and Krsna Leaving Hastinapur are below...!

Thankyou for listening Maharaj.  We pray to stay engaged in whatever way you see fit.  

Your aspiring servants,

Kamagayatri dd and Aja Narayana

               HpS - Wow!   We started scanning the letter at a certain point but got most of it. It seems that you are doing O.K. to try now to become a Brahmani. Tried this, tried that and NOW we know what we should do. It's like Devahuti and Kardama.

If you could stay in Portland seems fine. We will be traveling in Northwest in August.

In general its best if you can just think, "I have a husband, I have our child, he may not be 100% regular in his situation, but its better to act properly, try to be a good example for everybody, and at least for a few years (Parasara says six), look for him to get his trip together".

Take a deep breath, do your best in the current situation, and by the time you have to take your next breath you will be 73 years, old and leaving your body for Goloka! See you there.

Hare Krsna, Beloved Gurudeva

AGTSP

PAMHO

I hope this meets U in really good health ¡¡

First of all thank U all so much for being so merciful and give us iur DAILY association in Japa Joe, blog, twitter, Bhakti Vaibhava, etc

I was thinking about to write to U a few times  about this topic. I was wondering if on private may be better but I do not have anything to hide.

In one of your last answer to my NIMSAR’s report U told me if I want to become a Sanyasini  jaja well the answer is NOT YET NOT NOW  jajaja. So at this point I want to be completely honest with U. I want to form a Krsna consciousness family and try to be useful to SP and to iur Sankirtan.  I am an stupid unintelligent romantic lady

My behavior has been questioning sometimes. Last year for instance devotees started to say things about the way I dress , etc.  So I want to be honest:  I work , I like fashion I AM in MAYA jaja BIG NEWS ammm Nevertheless I always keep on mind that I am a devotee and at work for example I just interact with my students I do not have any friend that is not devotee I know that it is not also good that it is better if  I preach but I can not be a person who I am not, I like devotees Krsna katha, I like all that being a Hare Krsna means but at the same time I like to dress well and also go out with friends I am not dating anybody , but I go out with devotees who are my friends male and females  we just go out and take prasadam, go to the movies, walk or  talk a little bit about Krsna and many topics.  In that way I released all my lust and relaxed. I NEVER go  to the disco or something like that … Concerts yes sometimes…

At the same time we do our service, we had our sadhana, lecture, and principles fixed.

And devotees sometimes do not understand and maybe U neither why I am not a complete nun jaja I can not I am not like that I like to serve Krsna and being with devotees and at the temple but also I like to look good with nice haircuts, dress etc. Many many times Gurudeva I had encountered with many devotees who said something and do the complete opposite or are not completely honest but now today I am not selling U a fake candramukhi  I am presenting before U with all my faults as I always do but now in more depth because at some point I was feeling that I was not completely honest with U. And I really really hate that.

It really bothers me that lately many devotees says things like look with whom cmdd talks or what she does, dress etc . For me is more important to work together and try to be good tools for SP. Anyway I just want to be natural without hypocrisy and I absolutely refuse to be one cmdd at the temple and another outside the temple. I follow the etiquette at the temple..

Last year I learned a lot not to trust everybody, to be more cautious in the way I relate to others specially the opposite sex, but I also learned that being honest is the BEST POLICY.  I feel really happy with my saris but at the same time also good with one michelle belau outfit haw haw haw. Maybe I am crazy I am sure that I am but I really feel that I should have written this to U earlier.

I always try to do my best in order to be a better disciple of Yours really. I really try.. I try to be honest first with myself then with U.

So please forgive if I am an embarrassment for U. But this is who am I, and I hope some day I can see U at the eyes and said yes Gurudeva now I want to be sanyassini.

Question : What should be my actitude If someone said: Why she /he is acting like that or not doing something what shall I say to people that are very interested in searching faults in others??? Gossips , etc instead of  trying to be better themselves??? And I have to confess that in the past I was one of those people….

With complete honesty

Always trying to be iur disciple
Candramukhi dd

       HpS - ASA -- AGTSP. Paoho. We read the history of Hannibal, Alexander the Great, BBC History of the English Language (at the worst Rambo and the Temple of Doom), and we try to chant Hare Krsna all the time we do anything to see how our passions can be connected to Krsna. Prabhupada discussed India politics with world historians.

... and . . . we follow very four principles strictly, we're up by 1.15AM daily, 26 rounds/day, SB 2-hours/day, administrative work in the Sankirtana movement, individual counselling, Sankirtan in the academic and cultural areas.

Prabhupada would eat robust Bengali subjis. What is our level? Adau sraddha, sadhu sanga...? By acting on that level we advance.

We PUSH to be more strictly engaged.

Did Devahuti and Kardama Muni need an ariel palace?
 

We are in Madhayma adhikari stage. Kardama and Devahuti had to experiment with material enjoyment. What you describe is very much within what seems like sane situation.

We looked up: michelle belau

Hmmmmm!  Candra-Vogue!

Why don't you invite Michelle Belau to go to India with you for a foto-shoot, maybe she could pose with Ulysses well groomed??? <img alt="smiley" height="24" src="http://hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.png" title="smiley" width="24" />

We want to eliminate some things by being austere and "blindly" following the Acharya's instructions, we want to eliminate others by testing them and then realizing their lower taste. We want to keep some after testing them because we realize they can be useful for pure devotional service.

ADELANTE!

Hare Krsna, dear Guru Maharaja

It's me, Germán, from Lima. I'm very glad to write you.

   HpS - ASA - AGTSP! We are very happy to hear from you!

The last couple of months have been very busy at work. I think I'm trying too hard, it's not good for my spiritual life. My sadhana is getting stronger but now I realize that I'm struggling meaningless. In the other hand I have a good wife, the books I read, the devotees, your instructions and specially, the Holy Name. I have taken the time to read, I finished the Srimad Bhagavatam's first canto and I'm in the middle of the Mahabharata, shortly before the beggining of the battle. The Srimad Bhagavatam is just fascinating. I discovered two great personalities: Bhismadeva and Vidura. The prayers of the first and the philosophical accuracy of the second have rocked my world. I'm loving The Mahabharata too. Yudhisthira Maharaja is such a person. Dharma is a difficult concept to understand, but all the through the depiction of this personality I'm starting to comprehend the meaning of this deep word. Luckily both books have left unanswered questions for which I humbly beg you to do so.

The first question is: Why if The Lord is absolute and perfect he owns an inferior and imperfect energy as Bahiranga Sakti? Is this true or we are the ones that are unable to perceive the perfection in this kind of God's manifestation?

 HpS - ASA - Go to "http://vedabase.com/en/iso/invocation" and then the paragraph starting, "All facilities are given to the small complete units ..."

The second question is related to SB 1,8,31. The most perfect relationship to wich we aspire with God is the one in wich the pure devotee 'forgets' or 'ignores' that Krishna is the Supreme Lord and treats Him as his or her son, for example? But where, in this rasa, resides Krishna's consciousness if we perceive the Lord not as God?

HpS - It is a little hard for us to understand Krsna's consciousness, but He also feels like He is the son of Mother Yasoda. A naughtly little butter thief. But He feels Her chastisement and full of love, there is no feeling of expliotation, so He is in that conscioussness that he has to do what mother says.

Dear Gurudeva, I hope not to bother you with my questions. I want to thank you in advance for your answers. 

Always hoping to serve you and wishing the best for your health.

Germán

     HpS - Very nice questions. Who also can answer these kind of questions in Lima? But we also like to answer a few!!!

We see you soon!

Hare Krisna, dear Gurudeva. Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I hope your’re fine in all aspects. By Krisna’s Mercy we are at 120% and happy, tired, so tired but happy, so happy.

We were distributed in February 564 books, and 1394 in March in the Temple. A reception-boutique was created in the Temple to receive to the guests. We were start to sell Radha-Govinda Candra’s Mahaprasadam from New Vrajamandala, and we tripled bread’s and cupcakes’ Prasadam selling. Some devotees cook Prasadam in their homes and bring it to sell it in the Temple, and we are selling all. Preaching program is very strong, all days during the week. The Ashram is full and we want open Matajis' Ashram in the apartment close to Temple, which is rented by Jaramara Hari Das.

Over 100 people coming to the Temple for have Prasadam during the weekend, and the Prasadam’s program has a good healthy from Monday to Friday. We are distributing about 40 Prasadam’s plates for Food for life program.

The Temple’s team is wonderful. They are many committed with the project and we would like to open a new Temple this year, if it’s possible. But we need to consolidate the team and the project.

Bhadra Vardhana Das and Sananda Devi Dasi are developing a devotee care program with Akrura Das’ help, and already we are implementing WIN-WIN agreement with the devotees.

Jayanta Das prabhu coming to the Temple. We miss him so much. We take a Humility and Sorry course by Gurú Prasad Swami the last Saturday. I think it can help to normalize the relationship between our varied communities. We want this. Time to time.

On other hand, Carcika and me are fine, in dialog. Sometimes up, other times a little down, but always in dialog. We have no many time for us, many service for Krisna and His devotees. Really we are trying to serve to Srila Prabhupada and devotees like you, Yadunandana Swami (Bhaktivedanta Institute) and many many others. Our sadhana well, Mungala Aratik all days except Sundays, we read all days. Me between 16 – 20 rounds per day, 4 principles, fighting.

The Carcika’s biologic clock is “Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnggggggg” and I “uuuuuuuuffffffffffffff!!!!!!!!!!!!”. One year ago I said her: “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”, 6 months ago I said her: “Noooooooooooooooooo”, 3 months ago I said her: “no”, 1 month ago I said her: “May be”, now I say her: ”It will be what Krisna wants”, I think in a 1 month more I’ll say her: “Ok, lets go to get a new devotee?”. I don’t want to be wrong. I know that family life is a tangle, but may be a possible devotee son can gives me the freedom from material illusion or I can give him a Vaisnava education to give him the freedom from material tangle. I don’t know. I’m a mess. Inside me I would like to be a Bhramacharya or Vanapastra, but I can’t yet. One side of my face is Grhasta, and the other one wants or I think it’s Bhramacharya or Vanapastra, or I would like it were so. I don’t know. What can I do?. The better gift I can give to my wife is one son, Vaisnava son. She deserves, but I’m an egoist. I suppose. I don’t know. Krisna knows.

If finally we want to have a child. What we must to do to let come a Vaisnava soul?.

This morning during  the Japa Joe, You give me a great surprise when you said us may be you come to Europe in a tour to do programs in the Universities. May be you can come to Spain and Madrid to develop some programs in de University. When finally do You come at Europe?. Do You know it yet?

And finally, in these days I’ll write bhakta Pablo Parikrama’s recommendation letter for his initiation. I asked him about following 4 principles and 16 rounds and everything is ok. I’ll send you the recommendation letter by email and I’ll post it in the blog too.

I don’t take you more time. Thank you so much for all.

Please, let me keep under Your Lotus feet in your service and Srila Prabhupada’s service too.

Your servant, Dandava Das.

 HpS - Jaya! AGTSP. Paoho. I edited the letter a little bit for clarity, no? Is nice letter. Thank you. Yes, having children is center of Grhastha Ashrama. Is normal. If one partner needs children, O.K. Krsna will help. You can pray for Bhakti-siddhanta Sarasvati to be your son. Ha!  Ha! Ha!

Then nobody in Spain would have any rest!

Just being friends is the first thing, no?

Visit to Europe? Vraja-mandala-parikrama. After so many years of regular travel now we are trying to settle down for last few years and write. We are learning a great deal about our body, mind, Ashrama. As that is becoming clear then we can make travel plans. That is second now. Unless we leave something is writing we are a disgrace to the Sannyasa ashrama.

We would come for the release of Dr. Bandhyopadyays second book with us. "The Contribution of Classical India to Making a Better World". Is inaugurated by former Justice of Supreme Court of India, two former Govenors of West Bengal, many university Presidents and is actually interesting and good book. It will be finished in June.

We miss Jayanta, Adi-rasa, Jara-mara, you, Jaga mohan, Muraru, Venu .........   RADHA GOVINDA CHANDRA, Nimai, Gundica and A L L  THE R E S P E C T ABLE LADIES. (Maite, Luis, Miche, Tirtha, Antonio, Jarikhanda... ... ... )... .