Letters to the editor

asa[e] - VAD, Sannyasa Dharma, Advisor

Dear Maharaj,

PAMHO AGTSP!

I wanted to write to you to ask your guidance on where to go from here. Next year I can pursue college as you expressed. Until then I can pursue martial arts as you guided. But before I start martial arts, I need to wrap up previous projects. I wanted to ask your guidance on an alternative place to stay? People where my parents stay ask awkward questions to which we don’t have answers to yet.

YAS,

YS

HpS/ASA - AgtSP! paoho.... We are relating to the physical and mental world through a 75-year old California body. At 30-years old the physical energy in the body starts to diminish. At fifty the mental. We can only relate to specific planning, mental plans, by writing stuff down. We can write this kind of letter because we can write and re-write it. Focus on one "local" plan.

Very funny, very fascinating.

Same will happen to you, everyone.

As your body doesn't jump and hop, mind the same, you begin to realize that you are not body or mind.

Then, "Who am I"? Because we have spiritual resources we can, and are gratefully pushed, to realize our intellectual (Buddhi) nature.

Hmmm. How is my intelligence? What is my attitude to life? Bhava? Most people never really ask this question. They just accept the attitude to life that their culture, Disney, Netfixs, gives them.

If we get the Bhava, perspective, that BG gives us, then we can reawaken our spiritual nature and go to dance in Goloka.

Cha! Cha! Cha! ....

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So, often people ask us for specific advise. We can give general suggestions and focus on a few specific situations, but without knowing the specific details, we cannot give detailed advice, Eg. In which city to live, what career to take.

It just bewilders us.

We feel like a buffalo looking at a person sitting in front of us on a motorized lawn mower, honking their horn and waving at us to move.

""Hu????"

We wrote about this topic two days ago: https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/14018/, please read that post, it should help.

We get this question often and try to explain our limits. As Mangala-ananda Das told us, "After seven or so years as your disciple, I have figured out that you are my guru, not my psychologist".

We feel bad because we would like to study every situation and help, but it is just not possible. We are not the supreme enjoyer, proprietor or FRIEND. The last mistake got Maharaja Bharata and Adam, husband of Eve.

We were pushed into Sannyasa by many intelligent people. O.K. Then we realized that it meant going beyond Kuticaka, living in a Temple cave near the Temple and just taking food from that Temple and giving advice. The administrators had some expectation that you would give advice that would be comfortable to their administrative ambitions. Oooof!

So, we took to Parivrajacacary.

We had stayed in Kolkatta helping our esteemed Sannyasa guru and Sankirtan leader, H. H. B. S. Damodara Swami, develop the Second World Congress for a Synthesis of Science and Religion for over a year. It had been my first summer in India and the hottest one in Kolkatta in 35-years. We lost 20-pounds, were so weak we had to be careful walking that we did not fall down. Yet, we still went out on Indian buses to do Sankirtan! Jay!!

Severe austerities for the B.I.

We had promised to stay for three months.

We did.

Maharaja asked to stay another three months.

.. . . . ... We DID.

Then he asked for another three months and

. . . . We D I D ! !

Then... yes, he asked again (each time by phone), please stay just a little longer. 'Don't always run away'!

Oooof!!!

We stayed and worked.

Then Maharaja, my Sankirtan leader, came to India, and the Congress was scheduled to start etc.

He was critical of how many contacts that we had been able make etc. etc.

We were very hurt. Whine. Whine. Whine. We had gone way beyond what he had asked. We had tried our, agree limited, best, and then he was criticizing us.

Ooof.

After about one-hour he came out of his room smiling and said, "Come here". I went into his room and he showed me some documents in his suitcase that he was unpacking. From the Kolkatta weather they had gotten so damp, they were sticking together, and one Brahmacari was very carefully pulling them apart so that they were not destroyed.

He laughed and said that he had to make a very serious apology to me, that he had forgotten (he was a graduate student in Kolkatta for many years) what it was like in Kolkata.

I was happy.

Often ISKCON leaders would be overly critical of us and never apologize. Between myself and Maharaja I feel a very intimate friendship. We hope to see him soon!

Yet, he is not God. He made mistakes. He could not give perfect advice.

If you want perfect career advice, you must talk with God. Srila Prabhupada, and They may say, that even they don't know.

The Jiva's have free will, and because of that they can do delightful never before dreamed of things that charm Radha and Krsna. We are all special. Unique, of inestimable value.

I could go on with this theme.

It describes how we scrounged a ticket back to USA. To leave Kolkata we had to duck under Maharaja's radar as more and more and more people were coming to organize this Congress etc. We arrived in New York in the middle of Winter and two feet of snow. No place to stay but on the street.

We just would not compromise with any of the Temples we knew to get a place to stay in exchange for being an "accommodating" Sanyasis.

We called Shankar Shastri and he was happy for us to stay for a few days, but beyond that it would interrupt his life style.

In the end we were determined, as must be you, and anyone seeking to become a Goswami and then a pure devotee, that we would rather die than lie to people about the truth.

Eg. "Prabhu, I know that you are Temple President, GBC Secretary, rich man, but I have to say that on this point you are wrong. You are being to arrogant with the devotees in this situation".

So, I was thinking that I would just go and sit behind a tennis back-board in a school athletic yard and freeze to death with honor and be found in the Spring thaw.

Then, little by little, Krsna revealed a plan for preaching and traveling for the next three months.

O.K. That's all we had, but that's enough.

!!!! Chant good rounds. Read Prabhupada's books. Talk with six good devotees who know you and then see if Krsna wants you here or in Goloka. If He wants you here, maybe the best he can do is give you a plan that will take you up: O.K. He has not given me an ultimate plan, but He has given me a career move that will have some immediate results and put me in a better position to take advantage of opportunities in the future. !!

You see we have taken a lot of time to answer your question.

Before this Blog we would have had to write this letter seven times each year!

Now we feel that we have done the best for many other devotees, because we can answer your excellent question, but for many other also!

O.K.???

We are facing exactly the same challenges as you right now.

We are trying to clarify what is going to happen with NIOS etc.

We are doing our work. We visited all of our work stations for six months. Now we are back in Kishkindha and we are trying to understand Krsna's next plan of work. Really, it is very possible that Krsna wants us to abandon this body and mind and go to work in another planet.

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As we understand many devotees, including us, had the same question wen Tamal Krsna Swami died in the car accident, "Oh, Prabhupada, how could you let this happen"?

"I need him for other work here. I let him stay with you for as long as possible. If you did not take advantage of him that is your fault, not mine".

Unless we accept that Sankirtan may kill us, Maya will always have us under her control.

Visnu priya was just as good a Goswami as Lord Caitanya.

Tell us the opinion of others about your situation, the insights from your chanting. Citations from your readings of SP's books that related to your decision making.

O.K. We look at a few more letters.

The go rake leaves!

Thank you!!

Expect to hear great results from your war on Maya!

JHpS - ASA

Hk pamho

Querido Gurudeva por motivos personales tuve que regresar a Perú, pero sus instrucciones las llevaré a cabo, ya estoy trabajando en ello, prefiero que se mantenga en reserva.

Me quedé encantada con el templo de México, la cabeza es muy importante, el GBC visita sus dominios, habla personalmente con cada persona, es muy estricto sobre todo en lo que se refiere a la atención a la deidad, por lo que me contaron, ingresa sorpresivamente y si ve algo incorrecto lo corrige en el momento. Si bien es cierto que estuvimos más en la finca, vi gran inspiración y entrega en Ciudad de México, muy buen lugar para realizar vida espiritual. Los devotos, los monges muy activos e inteligentes. Seguramente Krsna me permitirá volver y conocer más de ese hermoso país.

Por otro lado, al regresar a Lima salí un día, un rato a distribuir libros y la gente llevaba los libros. Son muy pocos los que hacen ese servicio. Posiblemente siempre que pueda intentaré hacerlo. Por favor deme sus bendiciones para poder entregar los libros de Srila Prabhupada. Ahora ya no vivo por Chosica, asisto a una iglesia franciscana que se llena de 500 personas, me llamo la atención, muy rústica, construida con cañas de bambú, calaminas, muy buena organización, vi acólitos mujeres, al parecer en todas partes la presencia de la mujer es cada vez más notoria, no me sorprendería que de aquí a unos años ellas den misa.

Con respecto a Miraflores, los devotos que aceptaron la descabezada propuesta de las autoridades, “el camello”, no elegir una propuesta, sino crear un consejo, elegir el líder de cada propuesta e incluir a la administración que se supone que salía, ¡¿A nos otros aparece locura?! Formaba parte del equipo de una de las propuestas, cuando crearon al “camello”, inmediatamente me desvinculé, creo que un sacrificio como es abrir un templo debe hacerse en bondad, con un equipo humano a fin, que compartan los mismo ideales. Es una pena, porque con ese proceder solo dejan mal el nombre de su Maestro, a quien aprecio mucho, lamento que se tomen las decisiones sin pensar en el beneficio de la prédica, hay mucho inconformismo e indignación entre los devotos por el proceder de las autoridades en este asunto, recién algunos grupos, después de tantos años desean hacer algo, un poco tarde, sin embargo, espero que se salve a la predica en Perú. Perú es hermoso, turismo, historia, comida, quisiera decir lo mismo en predica. Templo hermoso, deidades bellísimas. Espero pronto se aplique una reingeniería. Un cambio urge.

Otros grupos religiosos son exitosos, otros yatras que visito periódicamente están mejorando, y Perú se rezagó, retrocede. Todo esto es preocupante. Ud. Siempre dice que en Vrndavana solo Krsna mata demonios. Espero pronto venga la ayuda necesaria. Hay muy buenos devotos merecen tener un yatra tan bueno como ellos.

Estoy tomando un curso de sastra, continúo apoyando al programa de Bhakti Yoga los sábados con Prabhu Kolaveca el encargado de predica congregacional.

Por favor deme sus bendiciones para avanzar espiritualmente y servir sobre todo a gente inocente que desea conocer a Krsna.

Muchas gracias Gurudeva por su constante asociación on line.

Su hija que lo adora:

Yugala Kisora Dasi (el león a punto de saltar)

hk pamho

Dear Gurudeva, for personal reasons I had to return to Peru, but I will carry out your instructions, I am already working on it, I prefer that it be kept in reserve.

I was delighted with the temple in Mexico, the head is very important, the GBC visits its domains, talks personally with each person, is very strict especially when it comes to attention to the deity, from what they told me, it enters unexpectedly and if it sees something wrong it corrects it on the spot.

Although it is true that we were more on the farm, I saw great inspiration and dedication in Mexico City, a very good place to lead a spiritual life. The devotees, the very active and intelligent monks. Surely Krsna will allow me to come back and learn more about that beautiful country.

On the other hand, when I returned to Lima I went out one day, for a while, to distribute books and people brought the books. Very few do that service. Possibly whenever I can I will try to do it.

Please give me your blessings so that I can deliver Srila Prabhupada's books.

HpS - Many, many, many best wishes and hopes that we can practically help you and that you also bless us. We gave an NoI to the mechanic who worked on our car yesterday and thanked him.

Now I no longer live in Chosica, I attend a Franciscan church that fills up with 500 people, it caught my attention, very rustic, built with bamboo canes, corrugated iron, very good organization, I saw female acolytes, apparently everywhere the presence of women is increasingly notorious, I would not be surprised if in a few years they will give mass.

Regarding Miraflores, the devotees who accepted the headless proposal of the authorities, "the camel", did not choose a proposal, but created a council, electing the leader of each proposal and including the administration that was supposed to leave,

¡¿ To us it seems like madness?!

I was part of the team for one of the proposals, when they created the "camel", I immediately disassociated myself, I believe that a sacrifice such as opening a temple must be done in kindness, with a human team that share the same ideals.

It is a pity, because with this procedure they only leave the name of their Master, whom I appreciate very much, bad, I am sorry that decisions are made without thinking about the benefit of the preaching, there is a lot of nonconformity and indignation among the devotees for the conduct of the Authorities in this matter.

Recently some groups, after so many years want to do something, a little late, however, I hope that the preaching in Peru will be saved. Peru is beautiful, tourism, history, food, I would like to say the same in preaching. Beautiful temple, beautiful deities. I hope soon a reengineering is applied. A change is urgent.

Other religious groups are successful, other yatras that I visit periodically are improving, and Peru has lagged behind, is going backwards. All this is worrying. You always say that in Vrndavana only Krsna kills demons. I hope the necessary help comes soon. There are very good devotees deserve to have a yatra as good as them.

HpS - Yes, we are a little involved in the process. We receive some copies of the letters and make some small comments. Again, the first principle is that we avoid the demons, make friendship with the devotees, love KRSNA and preach to the innocent. So as much as we see devotees strongly attached to some material perspective, Madhyama adhikari, is best to avoid that aspect of their association. Preach to them from their devotional perspective and, yes, call 'HARA KRSNA, HARE RAMA" and expect RAMA and KRSNA to come and destroy the demoniac attachments in our hearts.

Let us watch for that and be ready to help.

I am taking a sastra course, I continue to support the Bhakti Yoga program on Saturdays with Prabhu Kolaveca, the congregational preacher.

Please give me your blessings to advance spiritually and to serve especially innocent people who want to know Krsna.

Thank you very much Gurudeva for the constant association of him online.

His daughter who adores him:

Yugala Kisora Dasi (the liones about to pounce).

HpS/ASA - Lioness on Sankirtan. Lamb in the Templ!

'@',m,~

THANK YOU ! ! ! for such nice photo album of Mexico. Photo journalism.

Haré krishna querido gurúrdeva

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Todas las glorias a usted

Por favor acepte mis más humildes reverencias a sus pies de loto

Quería expresarle mi enorme agradecimiento por aceptarme como su aspirante aquel día jueves y del mismo modo agradecerle por todo el tiempo y las conversaciones que aunque pequeñas siempre serán memorables en su visita a México. Muchas gracias por su misericordia.

Igualmente quería mandarle la carta que el templo de radical de México me hizo.

Su sirvienta Manjari Devi Dasi Sosa Flores

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Hare Krishna, dear gururdeva

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

all glories to you

HpS/ASA - AgtSP!!!

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

HpS - Pies de loco.

I wanted to express my enormous gratitude for accepting me as your applicant that Thursday and in the same way thank you for all the time and conversations that, although small, will always be memorable during your visit to Mexico. Thank you very much for your mercy.

HpS - Thank you. It was an honor to meet you, and now an honor to converse with you. We are very enthused to see the youth in this movement honoring the efforts of their parents, families, community.

I also wanted to send you the letter that the radical [?] temple of Mexico made me.

HpS/ASA - Radha - Krsna temple!

Your servant, Manjari Devi Dasi Sosa Flores

HpS - Can you also write here with a little of your experiences in Krsna consciousness, your family et al!

With the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, following his path, then you could take initition in October. The beginning of Kartika!!

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

Thank you for your response to my letter. I would love to visit you at your base camp and help with symposium, kids drama, movie etc. I am also very interested in channeling even a tiny tiny drop of the great Bhaktivinode Thakura through guitar music like you had mentioned. How can I do this? Only with your mercy.

With the devotee baby coming in late May or early June and many music and temple projects. I wouldn’t be able to come to Murfreesboro until July most likely. I will keep in touch with you to see when a good time for you would be of course. Please keep in mind that I can do sudra work if that is needed in any way.

We are very much looking forward to seeing the second movie you have made!

Your aspiring servant,

Nitisara das

P.S. here is a silly little poem I wanted to offer to you that was definitely inspired by you:

A Truly Positive Affirmation #1; ode to my lower lowly self

Make a space for Gods grace in your little life starting early in the morning. Let Him help you help Him. For He is both the benevolent king and the shepherd. He takes very good care of His servants as the best king would and He plays hard with His friends as any good farm boy should. So work hard in the darkness before the dawn. Walk in His sunlight embrace. Take shelter in that great fear of losing Him. That sweet smiling face. Losing track of Him, His divine reality and losing touch with the freedom you feel with Him. Chanting His names. This is the greatest tragedy but hope is always waiting for you in your bag of beads. Magic beads. Let Him help you help Him help you help Him. Take shelter in His friends. Serve Him by serving them. 

HpS - Pretty damn fine!! Thank you. When it goes to a song, it gets changed, no?

Do you have Gitavali or Saranagati by Bh. V. Thakura? I think they are on the interenet, like at ISKCON Desire Tree. Of course, we already have a few of his songs in our regular song books. I especially (!!!) like 'Udilo aruna'. Maybe the best song I know for introducing KC in the modern world.

It is in Bengali, so it is charming for new audiences to hear a little of the language.

It introduces Lord Caitanya.

It presents the basic fundamentals of our philosophy nicely.

In preaching we are look for innocent people and avoiding the demons.

What we present should be entertaining, but it is also going to have that aspect of being like an educational video, so people expect have to use some of their own patience and deterimation to get the message. The student has work. Can't expect singer, teacher to do all the work.

O.K.?

Thank you!

Ananta rupa Das sent nice message to us also.

Todas las glorias a Goura Nitay

Todas las glorias a srila Prabhupada

Querido Gurudev Cada día analizo como mejorar mi servicio en casa, con LAD, las personas, mi familia mis deidades.... etc si bien cada día hago mi sadhana con los años he aprendido a siempre superar la calidad de mis acciones y me siento muy con tenta con mis avances, sigo leyendo a las devotas de Chile y preocupada de resolver sus dudas a demás de contenerlas en lo que necesiten, recordándoles Ekadasi y saludandolas en las fiestas co. Una lectura especial a la festividad, seguimos con distribución de dulces una vez a las semana donde ta las personas están donando desde su corazón algo para krishna, leemos cada día, B gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, biografía de Srila Prabhupada, CC además de ser oyente de los cursos que hace LAD donde recuerdo y aprendo cada día algo nuevo. estoy en el curso de Pada Patma haciendo ensayos PowerPoint donde es muy bueno nuestro aprendizaje.

A mis padres les escribo a diario están muy bien, junto con mis hermanos y sobrinos el tener este contacto a diario hace qué nos los extrañe tanto, tengo muy buena relación con mi familia somos muy unidos es maravilloso tener esa hermosa relación con ellos..

Por último quería informarle que hace un mes tenemos nuevos integrantes en nuestro altar Jagannatha, Baladeva y Subhadra estoy muy con tenta y muy ocupada haciendo turbantes, pijama, joyas para todos, ropa de fiesta y así el ser pujari es increíble siempre hay que mejorar como lo dije al comenzar mi reporte pero con las instrucciones de Srila Prabhupada, las de usted gurudev además de de las bendiciones de ambos, mi esfuerzo krishna me dará la inteligencia para saber que hacer.

Se despide su sirviente Raman Reti Devi Dasi

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All glories to Goura Nitay

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Dear Gurudev Every day I analyze how to improve my service at home, with LAD, the people, my family, my deities... etc. Although I do my sadhana every day, over the years I have learned to always surpass the quality of my actions and I feel Very happy with my progress,

I continue reading the devotees of Chile and concerned to resolve their doubts in addition to supporting them in whatever they need, reminding them of Ekadasi and greeting them at parties with. A special reading for the festivity, we continue with the distribution of sweets once a week where people are donating from their hearts something for krishna, we read every day, B gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, biography of Srila Prabhupada, CC in addition to being a listener of the courses that LAD does where I remember and learn something new every day. I am in the Pada Padma course doing PowerPoint essays where our learning is very good.

I write to my parents every day, they are very well, along with my brothers and nephews, having this contact every day makes us miss them so much, I have a very good relationship with my family, we are very close, it is wonderful to have that beautiful relationship with them.

Finally, I wanted to inform you that a month ago we have new members on our altar Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra I am very happy and very busy making turbans, pajamas, jewelry for everyone, party clothes and so being a pujari is incredible.

you always have to improve, as I said it at the beginning of my report, but with Srila Prabhupada's instructions, your gurudev's as well as the blessings of both of you, my krishna effort will give me the intelligence to know what to do.

Bid farewell to his servant Raman Reti Devi Dasi

HpS - Thank you from all Blog readers for your nice report!! Thank you.... We have noticed more in the last year, months, that we are making progress every day. We try. We get shot full of arrows by The Evil One, but we go on doing what we can, and... by our little effort and the BIG pull from His Divine Grace. We make eternal progress.

We learn more materially.

We learn more about our Sadana!

Etc.

We need little, little books with stories that we can pass out to people with Prasadam, no? Some kind of story that goes on. Comments on local events. Chosika Voice!

Some pictures of people in Chosika!

Ask the Mayor to organize a different church each Sunday sing songs in front of large Jesus statue.

Have 24-kirtan, spiritual songs playing at his feet. Someone feels bad he can go and sit there and get strength . (Also good for tourism!).

Very nice pictures!! We added a very old one of the Simha dvara entrance.

Hare Krsna, Gurudev, Dandavat pranam at your lotus feet.

ASA - Lettuce feet.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

nehābhikrama-nāśo ’sti

pratyavāyo na vidyate

sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya

trāyate mahato bhayāt

Gurudev my realization and reflection is that definitely due to my being part of a established sampradaya , I am sure to succeed.

In my current stage I feel I have done some bhakti so, I might have to take birth again. But I sincerely hope that next birth I won't have the anarthas I have now. I will be born in ISKCON vaishnava family and be blessed with association of devotees from my childhood. This I somehow think might happen.

HpS - Maybe in Nabadvipa with Nimai.

I also feel that maybe by extreme mercy of Radha and Gaura Nitai and yourselves, I might be succeed this life also.

We also!

I have never tried to justify my wrongdoings by philosophizing it. By nature and it's weakness sometimes I fail. But as you said we get up again and try again. I sincerely hope Srimati Radharani will notice that. If not, still I hope to keep trying. Someday my heart will melt and that will attract Sriji Radharani to notice me.

I am chanting my 16 rounds and following the 4 regs . Mangal aarti also somedays .

I also started going to a nearby narasimha temple and sing harinaam everyday evening for 40mins loudly . No one joins but still this loud harinaam kind of gives me enthusiasm to follow.

Some one must notice!

I hope to continue it. Please bless that I can keep doing it. I feel this is better than going to ritwik temple for me now. End goal is to chant harinaam . And here I can loudly chant my heart out. I am attaching the pic of the deity there.

thankyou Srila Gurudev

Please keep your blessings on me.

Rituraj Krsna Das

HpS - Super!!!!! You are a Brahmana. Dhrda vrata. Yet, you should look toward being a part of an ISKCON community comesurate to your nature. Don your flying goggle and take off for the fight with the Flying Circus.

Now we work on our BOEX investigation.

Join Radha Natabara Friday program.

Will Tweet YouTube link.

Thank you!!!!! Best of luck in Sankirtan for Lord Nrsmhadeva.