Letters to the editor

Esteemed Jayapataka Maharaja et al,
Hare Krsna.     Paoho.     We finished the "Psychology and the Sacred" symposium in Peru with great, great success as your good self knows.   Then we flew to Cusco, La Paz and Cochabamba with Mathuresa Das et al.     The Sankirtan everywhere was intense.
After that an Education Symposium with devotees in Chosica and trip back to USA through Mexico City and Houston.

In Houston...
... we are making great progress in developing this Bhakti-vaibhava Diploma in North and South America, and the Ministry of Education had its 3rd Annual North American Symposium on Education with ISKCON.  All these things are seeing great progress with GBC participation.

Finally, we were able to send the Summary Video of the Peru Symposium to the Latin American Regional GBC address and got nice responses from Guru-prasad Swami, Hanuman Das et al.   Did your Holiness see it?

The link is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smE_l_o9vX4

We also included the Bio-data of the participants as you requested.   We would be very, very enthusiastic to discuss the progress  of these events with your good self as you desire. Basically we are aiming now for a global event in 2018 titled, "Art and the Sacred" which should attract sincere participation from very respected leaders around the world.

MANAGEMENT PERU
I can recount my glories in ISKCON management with Hansadutta, B. S. Damodara Swami, Atreya Rsi Das et al but in general we have excelled in first level work, as something like Zonal Legal Officer.   In that regard we have always been informed about the legal structure in Peru and because of our frequent visits and active work there many people approach us on these issues.
As Sannyasis and also at 68-years old we don't feel too competent to work at the hands on level, but we have an excellent relationship with your good disciples such as Mathuresa Das and Caturatma Das.
We would like to review the structure of the legal and administrative systems in Peru with their help. We have already been through it to some degree for various reasons and our rule has always been that Vaisnava relations come before Management relations. We like everyone in the Yatra but some of the administrative functioning seems extremely precarious.
For example, after working a lot with Yamunesvara, Ganga devi dasi, Omkara, Raghu-varam, Jiva-shakti Das et al, it seems that the National Council has not kept any Record Book of their Resolutions. This is the testimony of the current Secretary etc. This becomes problematic when these Resolutions are referred to as Peru National Law in very critical situations.

So, we would Formally Propose that with your best wishes we, with Caturatma and Mathuresa Das, review the legal structure of the Peru Yatra and make very serious proposals that would be functional in the Peruvian ambience. We feel very enthusiastic about this, even to the degree that we would now propose that unless the National Council rectify its record keeping problems, it should be disbanded and the function assumed by the GBC Secretary.
(Pretty enthusiastic, no?)     -(;o)/\___

DEITY INCOME
As Daru-krsna Prabhu's structure dissolved we felt the empire that he had created was too big for ourselves (or anybody) to manage, so we decided to focus on Education and Deity worship.     The Educational work has been moving on and we can make a broader report on that as your good self desires, and we have always been trying to help in the Deity program.
Our disciple, Gaura-gadadhara Devi Dasi, was head Pujari in Chosica for many years and sustained verbal and physical abuse that no girl should be expected to tolerate. Also our disciples have been Head Pujaries in Wilson etc. We gave a lot of help so that Gaura could stay in Mayapura and take Nrsmha-kavaca's full Deity course.
How can we help more in this area?
We were Pujari, Head-Pujari, in San Francisco for years. We have bathed and dressed Srila Prabhupada's original Jagannatha and Radha-Gokulananda over 1,000 times.   Obeisances to Them. Obeisances to Them. 
In terms of $$$ support we have suggested practical programs several times and even implemented them to some degree.
1. Sunday Feast Sponsor.   This program is so, so effective in USA and other places.  There are so many Radha-Mandana bihari expatriot servants that I think it would be very well received to ask them to donate once a year in honor of their family or spiritual events eg. anniversary of their Vedic wedding, children's birthdays, Janmastami. $500/devotee/year would be $25,000/year budget for Radha and Madan-bihari.
Of course, this would need reciprocation. We have already experimented with this with very nice success. For example, the names of the Weekly Sponsors are posted very nicely for all to see at the Festival, fotos and even a DVD of the Festival and the Srngar and even extracts of the lecture given to sponsors. If they get six copies they can share the beauty of Radha-Madan-bihari with their friends. Beyond this, fotos for framing. We did a $1-million DVD of a the history and Puja of RMB with Peruvian director Oscar Natars. He was named Best Director of the year by Hispano-american critics last year. It is National Geographic level and was done during your visit. That could also be in the packet.
2. Also, there are many retired outfits. RMB can be dressed in them one last time and photos taken. Then the outfits can be made into Bead-bags, Book-bags, Baby hats and Vests etc.  We did this and we had to fight people off with a stick when we offered them to the devotees in Houston. You get the paraphernalia and fotos of the Deities wearing them.
Nobody can beat Peru in at least two things: Handicrafts and Tourism.
3. With Puspa-gopal we have been pushing this forward. He took our suggestion and we got 50-nice, NOI size, book bags made up with 1st class, cloth Jagannatha badges on them. Again, they have gone like hot-cakes in Texas and here in Tennessee. We gave like $500 to Puspa for RMB. 
So, that is our suggestion. Sunday Feast sponsors and abundant reciprocation in DVDs, fotos, movies, remnants.

Ooof.   We have been thinking about your questions for a long time.

We love your association so much and hope that we can be of use to you and all of Radha Madan-bihari's servants.
Our phone is +1 209 505-xxxx
Our Skype is hanumatpresaka_swami
But best way to communicate is through our Blog: www.hps.monkeywarrior.com
Hanumatpresaka Swami et al

Hare Krsna Dear SS Hanumat Presaka Swami.

PAMHO. AGTSP

I hope this regaining its energy and health.

Here  our brief report:

1.-Intense talks of education with SS Hanumat Presaka Swami to Chosica temple day 6 ,7 ,9 July.

Thanks to this  NIMSAR included several aspects.

2.-Closing program with Padayatra of Dominical School. Here books were distributed and 800 cokies.

3.-Nimsar have a new member collaborator: Caturatma das (SSJPSS).

And also soon Jiva sakti d ..what do you think?

HpS - Very, very nice.

4.-NIMSAR also collaborates with the Chosica temple giving 2 classes SBG (mornng) per month.

These classes are tematic..

5.-We will create a link for you have access direct to our records of agreements and treasury.

Thank you very much for being an example of service for all us.Your efforts will be rewarded.

Sri Nrsimhadeva protect you.

with appreciation

hs and spiritual niece

Isvari dd 

Hps - Hare Krsna. Thank you so much for your efforts. We can do something very nice as Krsna desires.

Bhakti vaibhava meetings in Houston and USA have also been very productive. So much work to do. We must chant Sri that Krsna will show us the priority.

We will have lot more contact in next few days.

Hare Krishna, dear Gurumaharaj, please accept my obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I hope you're well after your succesfully latinoamerican tour.

HpS - AgtSP! So nice to correspond with you. Of course you know, after Latin America was Houston. Now we are traveling back to Nashville. There we should be able to get more writing done.

LAD- I have to be more fix in the blog!

We'd been working a lot with you regarding education within ISKCON. That's a great honor.

In Chosica we had a very productive seminar.

1st day Education in school

2nd day Education in College

3er day Building a Educational Community in Chosica and workshops

4th day clousure

and a nice programa in La Cantuta University!

After my educational trips to Arequipa, Cuzco and Ecuador and working with you, I'm very enthusiastic to continue with this work for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada!

Now, I'm planning traveling to Tarapoto and Bolivia for the same purposes!

We'been talking about going to Ecuador. You agreed to go to work on education. We can have a seminar like in Chosica!

We have to talk more about details maybe by skype very soon!

Than you very nuch!

your servant,

LAD

HpS - Yes, let's talk. You seem to be making great progress in devotional service, great character change. Krsna must have big plans for you.

Hare Krishna <img alt="smiley" height="23" src="http://www.hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.png" title="smiley" width="23" /> .

Por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias SS Hanumatpresaka Swami Maharaj
Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada 

Mi nombre es Bhaktin Emily pertenezco al Yatra de Guayquil-Ecuador.

Para nosotros fue un gusto inmenso poder contar con su discípulo el Prabhu  Laksmana Agraja Das que fue nuestro instructor  y amigo, los jovenes del yatra a raiz del curso discípulos en ISKCON quedamos muy motivados  y comprometidos en ayudar en la misión de Srila Prabhupada.

Nos organizamos con guía de los devotos mayores para realizar este sábado el primer Harinama del 2016.

Disculpe cualquier falta u ofensa, estaba muy nerviosa y no sabia como presentarme.

HPS-ASA - Hare Krsna, Bhaktin Emily. It is very nice to meet you. Use translate.google.com. We wish you all success in your Sankirtan. Please send some reports to this Blog. We also hope we can visit Ecuador. Are you chanting a regular number of rounds?

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.