Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Still relishing our time with you in Houston. A fire was lit and we are keeping it stoked. Some times there are just red coals and other times there is a lot of light. Maintenance and steadiness is our constant work. Internally crying selfish tears half the time, though. Noticing everyday and sometimes many times within a moment, how I am like a spoiled brat. An ungrateful child in the hands of so much mercy. Not fully taking advantage of what I have been given. A kind of purgatory. And then your voice comes in..Durga has given the reins to Radharani. And your illuminations are remembered. A few things I know by heart and text 3 and statement in the purport of NOI comes to mind/heart: devotional service is so pure and perfect that once having begun, one is forcibly dragged to ultimate success.

Wow.

I endeavor to be dragged? Enthusiasm is more important than patience as I’ve heard you say. We’ve observed that when most rounds are done before breakfast and there is class then that momentum carries and we are able to actually give to others. Otherwise there is nothing to give really and it can feel like hell or purgatory. I don’t want to waist this life that you have given.

A lot of exciting new projects and pioneering work ahead here in New Biharvan dham. Our dear Kalakantha Prabhu has made Boise his number one focus for Krishna House and Krishna Lunch. Him and his good wife Jita Mitra Prabhu will be living here for a year and they are bringing other angels and experts to give us a strong push to get things going.

The New Biharvan perspective and bonsai tree is growing nicely despite so many challenges and opposition. I think about what you said a lot when I am feeling unhopeful..the temple is Sat Cit Ananda. I try to just lean into that and do my duties. Sing to God in His home, fix things here and there and be the janitor. Pretty good gig! Hope to just keep doing this after I die? Long row to hoe..

Here is a song/poem(it will change to fit music) I wrote for you this morning:

Profoundly Dying 

For you, we are trying 

But there is no try, there is only do? 

Well I know what will be done 

Can be done more for you  

Giant steps, baby steps 

Or a slow and steady crawl 

A leap of faith, an effort made 

or a care free flippant fall 

I want more with you 

And connection to that line 

Disciplic succession 

No more waiting for a sign 

It’s you, the one I will die to follow 

It is me, the false ego 

Many bitter pills to swallow 

To garland your shadow 

What is the need? 

When the root is watered 

And it grows from the seed 

Lighter, brighter days ahead 

And the mercy river flows 

Saintly joyous attributes 

From the crown down to the toes 

Rising above the gunas

Your arms stretched out like wings 

Attention sharpens 

If I can only hear you in the mornings 

Divinity blues sung in the darkest hour 

Preservation, cultivation 

Then the light comes rushing in 

As I offer you a flower 

Now it’s a good day to die, to die profoundly 

Thank you Maharaja for the constant inspiration. Your enthusiasm keeps our fire bright and illuminates Srila Prabhupada’s teachings for us. Praying that you heal quickly from the dental surgery! Transcend~dental

Eternally grateful and indebted, your aspiring servants,

Nitisara das, Anadi and Yamuna

P.S. We got the Improvisations for the Theater book like you suggested and have started trying out some of those exercises/games on our own and at Krishna Lounge. Thank you for that suggestion! Amazing young people coming each week and a very very sincere ex Christian.. hallelujah/hare Krishna!

HpS - The beginning part is very nice, where she talks about the fundamental principles of drama theory. she capitalizes the word Environment.

It think it is Paramatma yoga???

Very nice news.

You see we have been drowning in blood etc.

Yet getting to this wonderful mail, no!!



Hare Krishna Gurumaharaj.

Please accept my obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you for taking the time to read Rumi's poem that we shared and give your comments, which are very much appreciated.

Krishna Consciousness is ever-evolving, perhaps as you said, Rumi might be now an ISKCON devotee.. why not, that means going deeper into bhakti, the refined mellows that can be found only if you get entrance into Gaudiya vaisnanavism, especially, Lord Caitanya's teachings, six goswamis, down to our merciful Srila Prabhupada. Thank you for clearly and emphatically pointing it out.

Your wishes for the complete purification of my heart, less and no selfish motives, is my source of spiritual strength and enthusiasm to endeavor in KC, Bhakti process.

I know that you are busy with many important preaching services despite your physical health challenge. Nevertheless, please allow me to request you to have a look at my last annual report written more than three weeks ago, there are some questions that I hope you may answer eventually, if you consider it appropriate.

We will pass on your message to Aniruddha prabhu (who has to cancel his India trip due to manor strock like symptoms and medical recommendation).

Today is Jagannath Ratha Yatra festival here in Melbourne, Mahavishnu Swami and Harinam Ruci group are leading the Harinam Party.

Some visualisation can help me sometimes, so we attempt to envision you in the San Francisco Ratha Yatra, when Srila Prabhupada was there raising his arm chanting Hare Krishna mantra, entuesing devotees.. and of course, you in the some other Ratha Yatra festivals.. like the one in Chosica 1993 (?) with the whole gurukula kids and big Gaura Nitai deities (Them came from Wilson preaching Centre, all the way to lead the Hariman Party.

Thank you Gurumaharaj.

My obeisances and gratitude.

Ys,

Madhumanjari dd

HpS - ASA - AgtSP! Paoho. We are really struggling with the oral surgery, intense pain, bleeding, tons of Temple programs, Sankirtan efforts like the 4-movies which are meant to offer a consolidated perspective on whatever preaching Srila Prabhupada occupied us in.

The V-puja offerings and reports come in volumes!!

The best we could do was to;

copy and paste,

copy and paste,

copy and paste,

copy and paste,

...

copy and paste,

then into one file, where we can work on them all at one time.

It may take us a year to digest the whole V-puja!

On the other hand, if there are specific things that need more immediate attention. Then we can try to address them here with new posts!

Thank you.

Respects to The Anirrudha Das!

Hare Krsna Dear Gurudeva, please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Always praying to Nrshimhadeva for your health, I hope the ailments you have get better...

I'm copying part of my diary to send it to you as a report... Forgive me because it's a lot...

We started our trip to India from Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. We had spent a week sick with Dengue before starting the trip. From Ciudad del Este it is almost a day's trip by bus to Sao Paulo... We stayed there for two days and it was enough for us to participate in the temple program at Susano Mandir together with two friends: Bhakti Arjava Prithi Vardhana Swami from Mayapur and Baladeva Brahmacari from the Philippines...

That program was Saturday, the day we arrived in Sao Paulo... The next day, Sunday, at night we left for India after a stopover in Ethiopia, we only had to stay three hours and then leave for Delhi...

  But at immigration entering Ethiopia, the police detained us for five hours on suspicion of carrying drugs. Six police officers took a Brazilian woman and me to the hospital about an hour from the airport to scan our stomachs because they didn't find anything in our luggage. In Ethiopia all people are black and Muslim. Near the airport it is very nice, but as you move further away, you can see a lot of economic and cultural poverty.

In the police car they realized that they had not checked my bag (camera bag) where I carry Krsna Balaram and Govardhan and they asked me forcefully for it. But I refused because they were rude when checking my luggage and I didn't want to give them... They told me your camera, give me your camera... I responded that I didn't have a camera, that I had my God... But they insisted and A little annoyed I shouted at them: Here I only have my God, and my God is black... In my English as you learn... They started laughing... Then I took out my Krsna Shyamasundar and put it on my head and I told them: my God is black!!! And when they saw it, they were surprised and somehow respected and did not touch them... That led to many questions about our religion... And we ended up doing a small Kirtan of a few minutes with the Muslim police officers of Ethiopia on the bus on the way to the hospital. ...

I asked myself... Lord, is this why you made me come here?... It's okay... Everything Krsna does is good...

After all the investigation, the Brazilian woman did have drugs in her stomach, and they investigated her connection with me because we came on the same flight from Brazil..

  That took several hours, they took me to the airport, but I had missed my flight, so they did all the paperwork to reschedule my flight the next day and took me to a hotel...

The next day we reached Delhi... And everything was different... Everyone greeted me with Radhe Radhe or Hare Krsna...

I was in the economic line with many people in immigration, next to the first class line where there were only a few people... And the man who attended called me... I was surprised and I went and told him that it was not first class and He replied: Hare Krsna are always first class!!! And I sealed everything very quickly and went to look for my suitcase that had arrived the day before with the flight I missed....

I was a little confused and worried because I couldn't find my suitcase... And I gave up for a few minutes without coming up with anything... When a very young airport employee asked me what my problem was... I explained my situation to her and she I took her to a place where I found her very quickly... I had to board quickly for Calcutta, a flight that I had to buy again because I had also missed it and in India they don't give you the option to reschedule or it is very difficult... Less bad Mother Gaura Gadadhara and her kind husband have been attentive to help me in these procedures...

The young airport worker, seeing me in a hurry, told me as I was leaving: I love Krsna and I want to go to Vrndavan!!! I could only shout in my learned English, that Krsna was very good, that he would take her away soon...

My flight to Calcutta was rescheduled several times, and we had to spend the night at the Delhi airport... Finally we arrived in Calcutta where a taxi was waiting for us sent by Mother Prayoyana, an older devotee from Colombia, sister of Mother Ojasvini, who She has lived in Mayapur for a long time... She is like a mother to the majority of Latinos who come to Mayapur... There in Mayapur she was waiting for me, my brother and friend Parama Karuna... To be continued...

Your aspiring AmD servant.

HpS - AgtSP! Amazing! So much opportunity for purification!! So, much! What will be next???

Hare Krsna Dear Gurudeva, por acepta mis humildes reverencias, todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada.

Siempre orando a Nrshimhadeva por tu salud, espero mejores las dolencias que tienes... 

Estoy copiando parte de mi diario para enviartelo como reporte... Perdóname porque es mucho... 

Empezamos nuestro viaje a India desde Ciudad del Este en Paraguay. Habíamos pasado una semana enfermo de Dengue antes de iniciar el viaje. Desde Ciudad del Este es casi un día de viaje en bus hasta Sao Paulo... Allá nos quedamos dos días y nos alcanzó para poder participar del programa de templo en Susano Mandir junto con dos amigos:  Bhakti Arjava Prithi Vardhana Swami de Mayapur y Baladeva Brahmacari de Filipinas... 

Ese programa fue sábado, día en el que llegamos a Sao Paulo... Al día siguiente, domingo, por la noche partimos hacía India previa escala en Etiopía, solo teníamos que quedarnos tres horas y luego partir a Delhi...

 Pero en migración entrando a Etiopía, la policía nos retuvo cinco horas por sospecha de llevar drogas. Seis policías nos llevaron a una mujer brasileña y a mí al hospital como a una hora del aeropuerto para escanear nuestro estómago porque no encontraron nada en nuestro equipaje. En Etiopía todas las personas son negras y de religión musulmán. Cerca al aeropuerto es muy lindo, pero mientras se aleja más, se puede apreciar mucha pobreza económica y de cultura. 

En el carro de policías ellos se dieron cuenta que no me habían revisado mi bolsa (bolsa de camara fotográfica) dónde llevo a Krsna Balaram y Govardhan y me la pidieron enérgicamente. Pero yo me negué porque eran toscos al revisar mi equipaje y no quise darles... Ellos me decían tu camara, dame tu camara... Yo les respondía que no tenía camara, que tenía a mi Dios... Pero ellos insistieron y un poco molesto les grite: Aquí solo tengo a mi Dios, y mi Dios es negro... En mi inglés de aprendis... Ellos se echaron a reír... Entonces yo saqué a mi Krsna Shyamasundar y lo puse en mi cabeza y les dije: mi Dios es negro!!! Y ellos al verlo se sorprendieron y de alguna manera respetaron y no los tocaron... Eso motivo a muchas preguntas sobre nuestra religión... Y terminamos haciendo un pequeño Kirtan de algunos minutos con los policías musulmanes de Etiopía en el bus camino al hospital...

Yo preguntaba para adentro... Señor para esto me hiciste venir aquí?... Está bien... Todo lo que Krsna hace es bueno...

Después de toda la investigación, la mujer brasileña si llevaba droga en su estómago, y ellos investigaron su conexión conmigo porque veníamos en el mismo vuelo desde Brasil..

 Eso tomo varias horas, ellos me llevaron al aeropuerto, pero yo había perdido mi vuelo, entonces ellos hicieron toda la gestión para reprogramar mi vuelo al día siguiente y me llevaron a un hotel...

Al día siguiente llegamos a Delhi... Y todo fue diferente... Todos me saludaban con Radhe Radhe o Hare Krsna...

Estaba en la fila económica con muchas gente en migración, al lado de la fila de primera clase que solo había pocas personas... Y el señor que atendía me llamó... Yo sorprendido fuí y le dije que no era de primera clase y el respondió: Los Hare Krsna siempre son de primera clase!!! Y me sello todo muy rápido y pasé a buscar mi maleta que había llegado un día anterior con el vuelo que perdí....

Estaba un poco confundido y preocupado porque no encontraba mi maleta... Y me rendí por unos minutos sin atinar a nada... Cuándo una muy joven empleada del aeropuerto me preguntó cuál era mi problema... Yo le expliqué mi situación y me llevo a un lugar donde la encontré muy rápido... Tenía que hacer mi embarque rápido para Calcuta, vuelo que tuve que comprar de nuevo porque también lo había perdido y en India no te dan opción a reprogramar o es muy difícil... Menos mal Madre Gaura Gadadhara y su amable esposo han estado atentos a ayudarme en esos trámites...

La joven trabajadora del aeropuerto al verme apurado me dijo mientras yo me iba: Yo amo a Krsna y quiero ir a Vrndavan!!! Yo solo pude gritar en mi inglés de aprendis, que Krsna era muy bueno, que él la llevaría pronto...

Mi vuelo a Calcuta fue reprogramado varias veces, y tuvimos que pasar la noche en el aeropuerto de Delhi... Finalmente llegamos a Calcuta dónde nos estaba esperando un taxi que nos envió Madre Prayoyana una devota mayor de Colombia, hermana de Madre Ojasvini, que vive hace mucho en Mayapur... Ella es como una mamá para la mayoría de latinos que llegan a Mayapur... Allá en Mayapur me estaba esperando, mi hermano y amigo Parama Karuna... Continuara...

Tu aspirante a sirviente AmD.

Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances unto your lotus feet.

hps/asa - lettuce feet.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. [!]

All glories to you Guru Maharaja. 

Guru Maharaja, I have opened my X account and followed you and I am now seeing your every post on X, it’s all by your mercy upon this fallen servant of yours.

I am also regularly reading Kapi Dhvaja facebook group updates and attending your classes too on GoToMeeting and ASA Carnaval (either by live or after the live session). 

HpS - Please help us become pure devotees!

Guru Maharaja, I have requested many disciples of yours from Tripura, Manipur and Assam to regularly read your monkeywarrior blog posts. They were really unaware about submitting the annual disciples’ reports. They have submitted the reports very lately by somehow or other. I was also unaware about submitting the report because of my negligence of reading the blogposts regularly before.

HpS - We try to communicate it clearly before initiation. 💪🐵

Please kindly forgive me for that.

My mother Padamashri Devi Dasi doesn’t know English and she also doesn’t have any idea about using Email, Blogs, Whatsapp, Facebook, etc.

Because of that her annual disciple report was submitted from my sister Ratnavali Devi Dasi’s account in the last week of January.

My mother Padamashri Devi Dasi, my sisters Kalpalatika Devi Dasi, Ratnavali Devi Dasi, Sachimata Devi Dasi, my cousin sister Rupamanjari Devi Dasi, my neighbor grihastha devotee Indravahan Das and myself, Manjuali Devi Dasi, we all are your disciples.

HpS - Even if we fall down, like Maharaja Bharata et al. Please do not desist to be a disciple of Srila Prabhupada who is associate of Gauranga, no?!

Indravahan prabhu’s annual disciple report was submitted very lately from my account because he also doesn’t know English and doesn’t have any idea about using Email, Blogs, Whatsapp, Facebook, etc. I am humbly requesting you Guru Maharaja to kindly include all of us in your disciple’s list. 

HpS/ASA - I think Krsna has already done it, and we will try to do it also!

Very nice community. Seems Krsna may glorify you in front of the whole world.

I am continuing Srila Prabhupada’s book distribution (2-3 times a week) regularly, Guru Maharaja. Recently, I have distributed Bhagavad-gita Bengali (3 copies), NOI Manipuri (8 copies) and other 3 small books. 

HpS - Boom! Boom! Boom! 😁

Guru Maharaja, because of my stupidity and laziness, I was not giving time for reading Srila Prabhupada’s books before. However, after keeping in touch with you regularly through the Blog posts and classes, I am now regularly reading Krishna book, Srimad Bhagavatam and Prabhupada Lilamrita with some other devotees through conference call over mobile phones.

I am reading Prabhupada Lilamrita on a devotee’s insistence. That devotee said if we read Lilamrita, our love for Srila Prabhupada would be increased a lot. Is it ok to read Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita Guru Maharaja?

HpS - It is super. It is different than Srila Prabhupada's direct books. You have to just understand that and then it is perfect window on to Srila Prabhupada.

Actually you are living Lila-amrta.

Guru Maharaja, my greatest weakness is my mode of ignorance. This is affecting my sadhana a lot, daily routine and seva of Gaura Nitai. How to overcome this, Guru Maharaja? Please kindly guide me on this matter. 

HpS - Bhisma say, "By prowess! Rising up!". Just open your mouth and say, "Krsna, Krsna, Hare Hare"!

Then go on!

Gradually, Sattva guna becomes our habit.

Even though I am unfit for your Vapu and Vani seva, still I have strong desire and love for rendering my humble services at your lotus feet.

Whenever and wherever, Guru Maharaja is in India, please kindly allow me to render some Vapu seva of yours.

Please bless me Guru Maharaja so that I am able to follow your Vani very rigidly.

I am a teacher by profession.

I get very minimum holidays in a year.

Despite that, I will make myself available for serving your Vapu whenever and wherever Guru Maharaja is in India. This is my humble desire. 

Thank you Guru Maharaja. Please give me Krishna prema in this lifetime. Hare Krishna. 

Your humble servant

Manjuali Devi Dasi

Kaptanpur, Sichar, Assam, India

HpS - Krsna, Subhadra Devi, will make all the wonderful arrangements for our physical circumstances, meetings etc in Krsna Consciousness.

We just appreciate them as they happen.

Join us!

[From https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/14761/]

NANDA-RAJA DAS - Yes, Mahārāja, I went through this. But, I don't see any good in switching to Grihastha ashram either. I'll lose many opportunities for services and a lot of time will go in earning money. Besides, controlling senses would be tougher there. I don't see a willingness in me unless that's the only option.

I always think of bouncing back. I've lived a joyful brahmachari life but that was with my brahmachari friends. Now, I only aspire for it.

HpS/ASA

AgtSP

Paoho 🐒🐒🐒🦍

Wonderful!

What happened to your brahmachari friends? Make new ones? Join our ASA Sannyasa aśrama?

What about Vanaprastha? Vaisesika, Virabahu Das, PM Modi? No kids. One kid, a Ray of Visnu? Your brother stuck in a female body. No, minimal physical contact just emotional stability. Meet once a day, week, year - both preparing for next ashrama, Goswami? She maybe even more serious, humble than you?

Wife raises dogs to sell as pets, working dogs, with enough income to cover all her, extra grhastha expenses.

Thank you.this nice dialog.

Hare Krsna. Hare Rama 🙂.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja.. Danḍavat pranāmas. 

I am in distress and need advice from you. 

I'm not finding peace of mind in Brahmachari āśrama partly because my brahmachari friends have left and partly because I'm unable to keep my initiation vow of following 4 regulative principles. 

When I consulted seniors here, they say marriage is no solution. 

Personally, I like to teach and preach and this opportunity makes me attached to Brahmachari āśrama. 

Maharaj, you're a liberated soul, a pure devotee. Kindly advise - if I should continue in brahmachari ashram with my struggles or accept grihastha life with different other challenges. I'm in dilemma. 

Your servant 

Nanda-raja das.

HpS/ASA - Hare Krsna... Hare Rama... Have you contemplated this verse, pastime: https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/8/2/30 ?

Hansadutta Swami told us that SP said that 'Every psychological circumstance we can encounter is in the SB'.

Some other thoughts but guess this is first point of clarification.