Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Bhakta Adrian- Thank you so much for you last reply. It really helped me straighten out my mind. I had that inclination, but was getting some different feedback from different people. It is nice to have a set goal. I have just finished typing a formal statement of commitment for initiation and surrender to Caru Prabhu, and will have it signed by the devotees in this congregation. I am feeling really good about the way things have been set in motion. I had already made a daily schedule for my service that includes book distribution, kirtana, reading, outreach programs, etc. I think it is going to be really good! Thanks again for your guidance!!

HpS - ASA - AGTSP!     paoho.

Bhaktin Reb- Hare Krishna maharaja, please accept my most humble obeisances and All Glories to Srila Prabhupada! 

I want to apologize for my last message to you, I believe I spoke to you in an inappropriate manner and that is not right... Please forgive me. 

ASA - We didn't notice (Tom Brown, Monkey, writing.)

I am also very happy for your instruction here and I am trying my best to surrender to the situation as it is. My attachment to material life is still pretty strong. This is my first time ever living away from my family and having to be fully dependent upon Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada's causeless mercy. I am also trying to surrender to Bhakta Adrian, as my future partner in Krishna Consciousness, I want to follow his instruction as well. 

This is a very emotional subject for me... My most recent, most confidential, most helpful siksa guru has told me that long distance instruction is hard for them, so I have been dealing with that a bit. For that reason, I am feeling surrendered to your instruction because you are so merciful to have this blog and to be so helpful to all aspiring devotees.

In that regard, I am humbly requesting that you please consider accepting me as an aspiring disciple of yours. I promise to try my best in all circumstances and to follow your instruction to the best of my ability. Also, I really like to idea of Adrian and I having the same guru. I have found a lot of inspiration through your recent instruction as well as the instruction given to Adrian, and his following his example. 

In your last reply to Adrian, you requested us to surrender to the temple and become full-time devotees for a total of two years- if possible and if allowed by circumstance. I was planning to go back and finish my degree for college starting next Spring, which would seriously interfere with that plan, so I am wondering what I should do? I am definitely planning to get my degree in something that will help to propagate Krishna Consciousness and serve the temple further, but it would hinder my immediate plan to serve you by becoming initiated into the movement. 

HpS - ASA -  Formal Aspirant means you take shelter of Srila Prabhupada and follow his program strictly for at least six months.  Then with blessings of Temple President you get a clear relation with someone like me who is just acting as a representative of our Guru, Srila Prabhupada.

As far as school or Temple, I think the last letter had all the details we can add. You have to discuss it amongst yourselves with devotees there. Maybe you going to school and Adrian full-time devotee won't conflict. Have to talk with devotees there and get their advice.

Thank you so much, maharaja. We hope you are well and happy!!

Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

your aspiring servants,

Bhakta Adrian & Bhaktin Revati

Hare Krsna Maharaj,AGTSP,PAMHO
hope your health is fine. we know u r expanding Srila Prabhupada movement in Argentina.  here is our fortnight report

ekadsai: no grains taken rounds: 6, dwadasi rounds : 41 after breaking fast.
gaur purnima nothing special: fasting till 12noon. 17 rounds
 

Report date                  9march  27feb    8feb       
avg no of rounds            14          12         14                
mangal arti attended 
in 15 days                      0                  2            2
avg time of finishing
rounds by                      1800           1700      1030     
avg sleep per day          7                 6.5         6.5hr       
SP book avg/day           15              15          15min    
hear record lect/day      5                  20            30min

asrama situation:
1.talked to sri hari pr twice, he told life will be struggle for next 5 years in all aspect.
2. we have frequent tussle with our wife over trifle matters..
3.Sri hari pr was suggesting to take job, but we somehow got attached to phd as we think in long run we can contribute to HK movement.

confession:
in this movement we like books the most,  like to read ,re read, memorize, hear[ these days we are very irregular] but we feel sorry that nothing comes out as practical action....

maharaj we dont what has happened to us our mind or intelligence is always hovering ABAT/KC philosophy... we are always preaching mentally. we dont find any material or academic work of worth. as they are infected with sense enjoyment or hypothesis based research method.. it feel awkward to devote 8+ hrs to such work.[and devote at max 4 hr to the real thing  that to if circumstances permit]. just to earn bread and get ability to pay stupid bills... unfortunately somehow we are not ready to work to just earn money even though we have family..
i think we have mourned enough:

quadro perguntas

Question 1: i am doing X activity for Krsna ? how to make sure that i get attached to krsna not X. as u said once the X gets bigger krsna becomes shorter.

HpS - ASA - By keeping association of nice devotees and following the rules and regulations.

Question  2: how to identify [if] we are trying to compete [with] krsna in opulence of renunciation ?

Same as 1:

 Question 3: we think maya is attacking us by hate [ lamenting] not lust [ usually we hanker for  KC environment]. our mind is blaming people, self, circumstances etc... is there any way out of this hate weapon of maya ?

Try to help the people you hate in their service to Krsna.

Question 4: will taking intiation help us in any sort ?

Yes, but it is the content that is most important not the external formality.

we thank you to advent in our life, and provide us your association. we are very sorry that we disturbu with such  thoughts. but we think we are trying our  best.

we are very bad at expressing ourself through writing and composition..

regards,
harsh

ASA - In what media are you good at expressing yourself?

Querido y recordado Gurudev, por favor acepte mis mas humildes y respetuosas reverencias a sus piesceitos de loto, todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada!

 Todas las glorias a Sri Sri Gaura Nitai!

 todas las glorias a Sr Sri Radha Madhana Vihari!

Espero se encuentre muy bien, queria escribirle contandole que no podremos ir a buenos Aires en esta semana, estamos viendo la posibilidad de ir para la ultima semana que Usted este en Bs As, para mi cumpleaños;

ASA - Jaya!   TlgaSP  Pero, no molesta su salud con al bebe!!

nos gustaria mucho, pero mi bebito ya cumplio 7 meses asi que me han recomendado reposo.

ASA -  Si, si, SI...  No viene!!!!!    Llama por telefono.   549 - (11) 36 44 75 41. Eso es el cellular que tenemos en Argentina.     Esperamos su llamada!   Muy bien.

En la ultima ecografia salio que es varoncito y tengo que cuidarme, ya que he viajado bastante. Franco tambien desea verlo, parec que nos queda la oportunidad de verlo cuando ya estemos en peru. Estamos viajando para setiembre - octubre si krsnita nos permite.Argentina no es para  nosotros.. necesitamos la asociacion de los devotos de Peru. Ahora me encuentro haciendo los controles y analisis del embarazo.

Extraño mucho Su asociacion pero Krsnita me dara la fuerza para tolerar Su separacion y de los devotos de Peru. Para fin de año pensamos ir a chiclayo ya que nos estableceremos cerca de ahi, tenemos varios proyectos de predica, uno muy importante es una escuela en casa.Siempre me acuerdo de Madre Arudha y todo lo que nos enseño asi que ahora intentare aplicar sus enseñansas. Gurudev, nos gustaria que nos sugiera un nombre para el devotito. tenemos uno:  Krsnaram Gopal das, que le parece?

ASA - Casi larga!     Porque no solo Gopal Das y Apellidos??

Cuando le di mi reporte le hice tres preguntas, y voya hacer la primera ahora y las otras se las hare tambein por este medio. queria saber si Ustes cree necesario las ceremonias que estan en el libro d elos samskaras, estuve leyendo y me gustaria hacerlas yo misma ya que no tenemos cerca a ningun devoto que lo haga, Usted me da el permiso y tambein queria saber su  valiosa opinion.

ASA - Si hay in sacerdote como Varuthapa o otros es bueno.  Si, no, Harinama yajna es suficiente en Kali-yuga.  Sentir con familia y cantar Hare Krsna juntos y el Bebe y Gopal puede oir!!

 Que pase un hermosa fiesta de Gaura Pournima!!!! voya extrañar Su asociacion, pero al hablar de Usted, lo siento muy cercano!

Su discipula que extraña ver danzar sus piecesitos de loto: Radha japa prati jalpa dd.

HpS - ASA -  Jaya!   Muy bien.  Llegada de una gran Alma.   Quien es??

Hare Krishna

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

I am having conflicting feelings, and am similarly getting conflicting advice from different people about my current situation. I am looking for employment. But since I have come to Utah, I have been given facility up at the Salt Lake City Temple. Caru Prabhu is hoping that we can spend a lot of time distributing books, looking after the gift shop, harinams, college and other outreach programs, and establishing a solid evening program with kirtana and class. I have become the designated mridanga player at this temple. There are only five devotees here, including myself, Bhaktin Revati, and Bhakta Tracy. All of us are looking for employment. I have actually started training for a position with a health care company, helping care for disabled persons. Today is Gaura Purnima! Ki-Jai!!! The devotees were hoping that I could participate in kirtana for the festival, but my training for this job conflicts with that schedule. I have predicted that this will continue to interfere with the large amount of preacing Caru Prabhu has asked of us. Something to consider is that as long as we do service then we can have a place to stay here and food to eat. Besides that, the only material obligation I have at the moment is to pay a 50 dollar payment for my student loan every month, but while I am unemployed I am not liable to make payments, but can continue to if I do come across some money. With that, Caru Prabhu is saying that whatever difference in money I make from the books over the printing cost, I can keep for myself. That would easily help with my loan payments. I had reached the conclusion that I should strive to focus on serving Caru Prabhu. I would have a full schedule if I did all I would like to do for him and this temple and Caitanya's mission. However, I am feeling pressured from my family and fiance that I should just get outside employment. I do understand that arguement, the temple may not be able to support us forever. We have plans to travel, including making our way Boise to get your association when you go. I have been taught that my best option is to just surrender to the temple. My mood has been that if I surrender and do what service is in front of me, that Krishna will arrange whatever is proper for me. But I do understand that we can't sit idly by and let Krishna do all the work. So, I'm a bit bewildered.

Should I continue with my training at this job? Or should I back out while I still can and surrender to the temple?

Your lowliest servant, 

Bhakta Adrian-Utah

HpS - AGTSP   paoho.   I don't know all the details, but one strategy might be to stick with the Temple program for six months.  Both you and Revati become Formal Candidates for Initiation.  Then stop to reconsider the situation, with the intention that if there are no emergencies continue for the next six months.  One year total and take first initiation.

At that point if you can see ISKCON as an important part of, or your whole, carreer in life then continue on with a lot of focus on Temple service with goal of Second Initiation after two years.

For example, after First Initiation you may be really inspired to become a teacher and want to go to study at Radhadesa in Belgium with the idea of teaching at the Krsna Avanti Schools in England.   Just an idea.  Be a full time devotee until you are approved by Caru Das as a Formal Candidate and then reconsider stuff, with inclination to stay in the Temple for one year total.

After that maybe tendency is to move to more practical career track and be a super active congregational member.

Discuss it with a lot of people.

Get the final plan in writing signed by a lot of people!   VICTORY!

Hare Krsna Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I apologize for the delay in my report. Yesterday was a busy day: on Friday we went with the devotees from Franco da Rocha to Nova Gokula (like 4h trip) to see Bhakti Brihat Bhagavat Swami, we attend very nice classes about Caitanya Caritamrta in order to prepare conciousness to Goura Purnima. Then on Sunday  at 4:50am we left Nova Gokula to Franco da Rocha. When we arrived we had to prepare the templo because Maharaja was coming to Franco da Rocha too. Also chanting Japa, serving in the festival... At night when I wanted to do my report the school was closed... 

My sadhana is very good, I chant all my rounds or almost all my rounds in the morning program. I miss your association in the japa course, but because there a conection heart to heart because I remember your association and this inspires me.

I apologise also because I am not there now to help to serve you, I am returning March 10th. I didn´t realized I was missing this days when I took the ticket.

I am helping a little to do some classes to the children in the school, I always remember I am supposed to have some inclination for teaching. I would like to experience my tendency in a natural way, not imposed (...?)

Thank you very much for all the inspiration
Your aspirant servant
b.Natalia

A funny detail: When I first came to stay here everybody was coming to mangala aratik because the school was in holidays, but when the school started the service increased and only few devotees went to mangala, especially the matajis. They were going to sleep very late. Every week, all devotees meet on wednesday to do Istagosthi, and to divide the services, so the last week they took the determination to shut down all light of the temple at 9pm. The president goes at 9pm exactly to the general swicth at shut down all lights, I liked a lot this! They are very pratical. (pd: ah, I woke up to managala aratik also those lazy days... :P)

HpS - Jaya.  Very nice to hear from you.   Also, your news is very good for us. We feel happy when we get your association.  Your father and brother are with you?