Letters to the editor

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I can't thank you enough, I'm always surprised by your kindness.  I met with Svavasa prabhu and he also was most merciful and accomodating.  We talked it over and came to a satisfactory conclusion for everyone. Please forgive me for being a little intense, Badrinarayan Maharaj advised me that I may need to push a little bit to convey a sense of urgency.

On a spiritual level, I'm happy and I'm only interested in preaching Krishna consciousness, but after years of trying I just don't see snatching brahmacari's off the street as a complete strategy for expansion. I'm interested in cultivating Vaisnava community. Even in large temples like LA with thousands of devotees hardly anyone even knows each other, but I see tight knit community as a crucial factor in terms of both maintaining and expanding the movement.

As it happens, on a material level I also have an intense creative impetus, but I don't see my spiritual desire and my material desire as incompatible. After doing some research I'm realizing that being a professional artist means spending most of my time marketing and networking. I'm actually taking a keen interest in that lately. So if I gather a network of people interested in spiritual art, a certain subset of that group will certainly be interested in Bhakti yoga. What I've learned is that art is not about selling pictures, it's about selling yourself and your ideals. It's about becoming a leader and leading people in a direction they want to go. I want to use my art to lead people to Srila Prabhupada.

What Svavasa prabhu and I agreed on is that in the meantime, I can help Naikatma prabhu with some dhama seva a few hours in the morning (gardening, sweeping) and then in the afternoon I'm free to study and paint and mess around on the internet. Later on I can buy the extra van from the temple and use it to branch out to different cities as well.

Looks like I'm already getting over 100 hits per week on my website and I haven't even started promoting it yet! Basically my idea is to keep a weekly Tumblr blog about Bhakti and art etc etc in order to educate people about my work and about Krishna Consciousness. This is meant to generate an interest for the art I'm posting on my website. Meanwhile I'm learning how to use Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest etc etc to drive traffic to my blog and my website.  People can sign up there to an email list where they will recieve a weekly newsletter about new blogs, events and special offers. This solidifies a web community. In addition, I plan to set up a table a couple days a week in strategic locations around LA, and put pieces on consignment in local cafés, yoga studios, (veg?)restaraunts, etc. I'm a little rusty, but working with sumi ink and watercolor means I can finish 4-5 practice pieces daily which I can sell as I improve my skills and develop my ideas. When I complete some more sophisticated projects I'll begin to submit work to the list of galleries, publications and contests I've accumulated for features and exhibitions.

When all this begins to come together, I hope to utilize whatever resources I generate (after 50% net donation) to host  some kind of programs, probably somewhat related to the Bhakti Vriksha modules. During the summer I can also coordinate with music festivals to get myself and a whole crew in for free to make art and distribute books and do Kirtan etc. Hopefully we could even arrange for you to speak at some events as well.

As for your question about ashram, I have no interest for the time being in getting into family life or anything like that, I just want to go deeply into this service. Nonetheless I do feel awkward as a brahmacari essentially going into business. I'm thinking about changing ashrams just as a social consideration so I don't reflect poorly on the brahmacari ashram if I have to occasionally meet or correspond with women in the course of conducting some trade in the modern world. Would it be less appropriate to join Grhasta ashram with no intention of marriage or to bend the rules in order to remain a brahmacari? Any recommendations?

Your ridiculous servant,

Ekāśma Dās

HpS-ASA - AgtSP. Paoho. I guess you can see from the posts that we have been on "traveling Sankirtan" for weeks and months now. Meeting so many people that we can't do much with our blog-world.

How are you now, two weeks after this letter. There are lots of ISKCON artists who have started Brahmacari. Even regular artists. Don't run a business. Make it a non-profit foundation.

Our whole focus with ASA is probably going to be a global, millenium shaking symposium on "Art and the Sacred" 2018 in Peru.

Hey, you can give your self an exotic title and be part of that, its development!

You can do all your business as part of NIOS.

Also, Carl Jung, Surrealist community already use art to get to a higher, spiritual status of life, no?

Whatayousay?

All Gloritis to A.C. Prabhupada Maharana and Sripada Maharaja

Sri Guruji Maharaja and Gouranga Mahaprabhu

Radha Krsna Ki Jay and Goura Bhakta Vrnda Ki Jay

Dandavat Pranam

Thank You so much for Guruji's reply and advice me from time to time. Please accept my humble obeisances unto Sri Guruji's pdmacharan that the matters written in the previous letter is about personal sakhi & Manjari. In which direction (the eight gates of Vrndavan) and under whose sakhi’s guidance (the 8 sakhis) and what will be the duties?

            I had read the 7^th sloka of NOI and the 4.10 BG but it does not related directly with my questions. In the mean time I had discussed with prabhu Partha Sarthi Das in his house and discussed about the metter. He suggested me that such rear matters are discussed mainly in the book “Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu written by Rupa Gosvami in Sanskrit”. We need to read the book in English Translation not Prabhupada’s Nectar of Devotion. I will try to collect the book in English translation at the earliest then it will help me in future

            Again in some local books, the names of the eight Manjaris are not same and their doors and direction also not same. What will be the real names, directions, and their respective duties for Krsna?

HpS - Yes, there are details of all aspects of devotional service in Rupa Goswami's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Srila Prabhupada's Nectar of Devotion is a translation of practically speaking every verse of the BRS.   Then Danurdhara Swami has a book, "Waves of Devotion" which helps very, very much to make "Nectar of Devotion" very clear.

In Text Eight of NOI it gives the general details. Basically we have to become expert at Sadhana Bhakti first, then Bhava bhakti, then in Prema Bhakti we will understand our Siddha svarupa in Goloka. This is not a light thing. Until we ar following the four regulative principles of ISKCON very strictly for many years and chanting at least 16-very enthusiastic rounds for at least six years we can't even begin to understand these things.

It will be Fairy Tales for the most part.

How is your Sadhana Bhakti? Have ready and understood Srimad Bhagavatam completely?  Caitanya caritamrta?  Many people give the "Names of our Sakhis" etc very cheaply, but this Gopi bhava is something very, very elevated. Even Narada Muni has hard time to really understand it.

            This time, the programme of Saturday Sankirtana is performed in better way. I hope, gradually the number alos will automatically increase.

            I will see, Guruji Maharaja’s time table in the near future.

Yours fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - Just finished these very intense programs in Peru and Houston and looks like we will go to India in February of 2017 for sure and leave our body Novemer 2024.

HARE KRISNA

Por favor acepte mis mas humildes reverencias.

     El miercoles pasado celebramos el Kirtan en un parque grande de Villalba. Vinieron Jajanta y su familia, Hari Cakra, Irina y sus hijos, mi hermana, mi hija, una persona que conocí haciendo Sankirtan que se llevó un libro y yo. Estuvimos cantando, bailando, comiendo Prasadan y compartiendo entre nosostos y con esta persona el placer trascendental de cantar los Santos Nombres. Nos lo pasamos muy bien incluida esta mujer que decía que había notado algo muy bonito y especial al cantar el Maha Mantra. Estoy muy contenta porque está muy interesada y siento que Krisna también está feliz por ello. Quiero hacer esto una vez a la semana aquí en Villalba. Siento que no hay nada más importante que dar a conocer los Santos Nombres y que Krisna me guía a través de S. Prabhupada. Y creo que es porque todos los días, en mi sadhana me entrego a Krisna. Le doy todo mi cuerpo, todo mi esfuerzo, toda mi alma y toda mi mente. Le entrego mi vida porque no quiero hacer nada más que servicio devocional. Ahora estoy saliendo a hacer Sankirtan todas las mañanas de lunes a viernes. También he animado a mi hermana a que lo haga y sale conmigo de vez en cuando. Krisna es maravilloso porque me bendice siempre que salgo a distribuir libros conociendo a personas que están interesadas y que puedo ayudar de alguna manera. Siempre hay personas que se llevan libros y siento como un poquito de S. Prabhupada se va con ellas. Y eso me da mucha alegría. Percibo que él está conmigo en esos momentos y que está contento. También estoy muy feliz de que usted esté contento con todo esto que hago.  Mi próximo proyecto es ir a Segovia, la provincia vecina, a hacer Sankirtan junto con otros devotos. Mi intención es ir por la mañana temprano y estar distribuyendo libros hasta el mediodía. Despues, hacer un poco de turismo con los devotos. Ya se han apuntado dos: Yus y Kirtan y junto con mi hermana  seríamos cuatro. Le mantendré informado.

     Por otro lado, también quisiera decirle que el próximo fin de semana iré al Ratha Yatra de Barcelona con otros devotos: Jaga Mohan, Yus, Kirtan y mi hermana. Me hace mucha ilusión; todavía no conozco el templo de Barcelona y lo mejor: poder estar con el Señor Jaganatha, Baladev y Subadra. 

     Ahora y para terminar me gustaría hablarle de mi hija. Ella se llama Sara y tiene casi ocho años; los cumple en agosto. Es una gran devotita; aparte de llevar muy bien su sadhana, la gusta mucho ir al templo  y siempre está pensando en Krisna. Pone fotos de Krisna por todos los sitios, hasta en su tablet. La gusta mucho oir musica devocional, está aprendiendo a tocar el armonio y ya se sabe alguna canción que toca en los kirtan que hacemos en los parques. Le voy a mandar unas fotos en las que sale ella tocando. Y lo último que ha hecho es pedirle a Yadunandana S. refugio como Sicsa Guru. Maharajas le dijo que sí con agrado porque le estuvimos diciendo cómo es su sadhana y le pareció bien. A mi me dió mucha emoción; espero que siga así. Yo haré todo lo posible para ello. Y como yo la hablo de usted, también siente mucho aprecio y respeto hacia usted.

     Le mando unas fotos de nuestros Kirtan en el retiro y del Kirtan en Villalba el otro día.

     Sin mas, quedo a su servicio.

HpS - ASA ---- Puede ver por que nuestra respuesta es tan lento para esta carta en nuestras DTC.  Gira de Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Huston.       De su carta su vida, hija, todo es super.   Mantenga 16 buenas rondas como base y por el paso de tiempo va a desarrollar una mundo de espiritualidad increible. Ocupa otros en Sankirtan!

All Glories to Sri Guruji Maharaja and Gouranga Mahaprabhu

Radha Krsna Ki Jay and Goura Bhakta Vrnda

Dandavat Pranam

Please accept my humble obeisances unto Guruji's padamacharan that I am reporting my personal sadhana and weekly the nama sankirtana of our team along with Banomali Prabhu and his team. Last Saturday, chanting of mala one round loudly with all the bhaktas after distributing malas for new invitees and those initiated bhaktas who came without mala. We  are looking both qualitative and quantitative.

Everything is possible only Guruji's aasirbad.

Yours fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

HpS - So very very nice. How is the University and the Manipuri State?   If you can send some pictures that will be very very nice. You just add them by Browsing your computer at the place below.

Our respects to Vanamali. From the DTC you can see what we are doing.

Hare Krshna Maharaj, 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you...

Please accept my most humble and respectful obeisances.

I am really happy to know you are doing well, for me, Im doing well too; I am happy here in the temple going to get flowers for our Lordships and also trying to chant more rounds than the ones established and also following the principles, I am on a period of vacation from University but one of my family members passed away couple of days ago and I still feel some pain.

HpS - We have heard that Prabhupada said that that is natural. It is like some family member goes to a foreign country to work for 9-months. The whole family comes to see his boat leave and all feel very intense separation. They will exchange letters and phone calls, but their is a natural separation, but we dont think that the personal associate has ceased to exist!

I have a list of the ones who lead Mangala Arati Kirtan here in Mexico mandir from last week, there is nine of them: Mataji Alina, Prabhu Dharmaraja, Prabhu Ramacandra, Prabhu Adoksaja, Prabhu Mahasankarsana, Prabhu Uddharana, Prabhu Efraín, and Prabhu Hari Gopal

I hope this is useful for you. Please let me know if there is something I can do to serve you.

HpS - It is such a nice list!  Thank you. We hope people send us lists like this from other Temples.
What are the Bhagavatam class verses?

P.S.:Dear Maharaja...I also write to you.. to confirm my assistance to the airport on the 13th of July.

Your insignificant servant Bhaktin Diana

HpS - I hope all goes well and we can exit the airport and meet with everyone.

All Gloritis to A.C. Prabhupada Maharana and Sripada Maharaja

Sri Guruji Maharaja and Gouranga Mahaprabhu

Radha Krsna Ki Jay and Goura Bhakta Vrnda Ki Jay

Dandavat Pranam

Thank You so much for Guruji's reply and advice from time to time.

Please accept my humble obeisances unto Sri Guruji's pdmacharan that last Saturday the 2nd July, 2016 Bonomali prabhu and Sadhubusan Das along with other young bhaktas of about 15 came and performed Nama Sangkirtana, Gita Prabachan by Bonomala Prabhu and Sandhya Aarati at the end. This time some more invitees of local area also participated and from our side two mataji and six other initiated members also joined the above mentioned programmes.

Verbally we have decided to continue such functions at the same time and place for one year, then gradually some more new members will automatically join in our Nama Sangkirtana.

Guruji Maharaja, in every reply please advice me  one or more instructions to be done or not to be done so as to increase my spiritual knowledge. Now I am reading Bhagavatam of 6.5.20. Daily, after mangal aarati, I remember some slokas of Gita such as 4:7-8, 9:25,26,34 , 10:8-11, 18:65-66 and Bhagavatam 1:1:1, 2:9:33-36, NOI sloka 1-11, Brahma Samhita 1-5, Namaparadha 1-10 and Gurubandana.

The rules instructed in the book "Guide to Bigginers" for Pujah and Arati is sufficient or is there any more to be performed for personal daily arati?

Yours fallen servant,

Yamunesvara Das