Letters to the editor

Respected Guru Maharaja, all glories to Srila Prabhupada. Please accept my humble obeisances.

Nirgata and I were asked to share our understanding of the current situation in Pula with the local, national, and/or broader community, or with anyone who may wish to read it. Therefore, we prepared a summary, which I am sharing with you in full.

HpS - Let us, agtSP, look!

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This is a summary response to an inquiry about the current situation and happenings in Pula. We will try to be as objective as possible in sharing OUR PERSPECTIVE and accept that there may be, or are, different experiences. 

At the present moment, there is a dynamic devotional service to Kṛṣṇa at Pula, the ISKCON property, centered on harināma saṅkīrtana. Some devotees organize programs, small festivals, and casual gatherings with singing and reading. During this time, they organized and invited some inspiring devotees, including a few sannyasis. There are even new people coming to those programs. Among local devotees, some regularly attend, and others visit occasionally, while others practice Kṛṣṇa-bhakti in different locations (such as their homes or other temples). 

At the same time, looking at the community as a unit, there are indications of intolerance, discord, narrow-mindedness, and prejudice—particularly an unwillingness to accept views, beliefs, or practices that differ from one’s own.

Starting around a year ago, there were open, inclusive discussions in which anyone interested could participate. At one point, an incident involving local and national management, as well as the GBC secretary, occurred. This led to feelings of insult and defensive reactions among some individuals toward another person, which in turn caused hurt. At that stage, those gatherings and the dialogue itself came to an end.

This situation could be addressed through respectful communication among all parties regarding the coordination of services, property maintenance, and finances. Moreover, if necessary, by using ISKCON mechanisms such as ISKCON Resolve.

If these efforts do not lead to a resolution, civil legal avenues remain available.

HpS - We have applied the principle that first we go to three GBC secretaries then we can go to Srila Prabhupada directly. It has been acceptable to leaders.

At present, from our part, some lingering grievances may still be present, though there is no fundamental animosity toward any individual.

For any further details, please feel free to contact us.

THE END

Trying to serve,

Nirgata Devi Dasi and Namacarya Das

HpS - ASA - Seems very nice. We have our comments on the general principles in other posts.

Hari Bolo!

Hare Krishna!!! Jaya Gurumaharaja!! Please accept my humble obeisances🙏🏻👣🪷 All glories to SRILA PRABHUPADA!!

Here I send You the letter that our dear sankirtanera and wonderful person, Mother Jambabati Devi Dasi, sent me in the form of 3 audios.

I transcribed it exactly as it was, just as she asked me to, even my name repeated twice by her, Radha 😊, I copied it exactly as it is in the audio.

I also attached the photos She asked me to send to You. All I did was enlarge the letters and add color to, "as I understand it 😊", make it easier for Her lotus eyes, beloved Gurumaharaja, to read.

Here it goes..!!!! :

" Separated " ...

Nitay Gaura Premanande..!!!

Dear and ever-remembered Gurudeva, thanks to the mercy of Mother Radha Japa Prati Jalpa Radha, whom I always respect, admire, and love very much, she is doing me the great favor of allowing me to send this letter to You.

Since the last time I saw You, Dear Gurudev, my father's situation has become increasingly complicated, implying that he has no fixed residence due to various circumstances; he has been moved from place to place, and I, as always, am making arrangements to be close to him, in the service of his care.

That helped me maintain enthusiasm in the service I'm performing. I try to see my father no longer in a materialistic way. Little by little, my father's purifying phase is coming to an end. Everything passes and everything ends.

I recall a verse from Srimad Bhagavatam 1, 8, 25, which states that one should not pay so much attention to the calamities of this material world, for they are merely fleeting dreams. Whenever I felt distressed and discouraged, I would remember You, Gurudev, when You once told me that You would only accept my tears if they were for Krishna. Anything else was my ego.

That oriented my mind and gave me the strength to continue. I am always separated from you, whom I miss so much, and that is why I cry. I am also separated from the temples, from the Vaishnavas, from the distribution of books.

But I know that in the near future I will again have the opportunity of His association. It will all happen because of the faith I have placed in His divine lotus feet, which is the only hope for this worthless sinner to be brought to Krishna.

Her useless and clumsy servant:

Mother Jambabati Devi Dasi

P.S. In mid-July of last year, my father had an accident and fractured his right hip. He was only able to have surgery in November, and then came the worst part: waiting for the prosthesis they put in to heal. That took about two more months. His Alzheimer's progressed significantly due to all the nervous disorders caused by being restrained—his feet, hands, and chest.

His prosthesis is now fitted. He still needs rehabilitation to be able to walk. His care currently requires 24-hour attention. These past few months I have faced very difficult trials, but always placing at the center of my life the most important service, which is the chanting of the holy names.

Despite the limitations of not having internet access and a barely functional cell phone, I maintain occasional contact with my devoted friends, who are always inspiring me with their service. I once read that Srila Bhaktisidanta Sarasvati said we should view this material world and everything in it as filled with ingredients for the Lord's service. This entire world is intended for the service of Krishna. He said, "Try to see your father and mother as Krishna's father and mother."

" En separación " ...

Nitya Gaura Premaanande !!

Querido y siempre recordado Gurudeva , gracias a la misericordia de madre Radha Japa Prati Jalpa Radha, a quien yo siempre respeto, admiro y quiero mucho. Ella me está haciendo el gran favor de poder enviar esta carta hacia Usted.

Desde la última vez que lo ví querido Gurudev, la situación de mi padre se fue complicando cada vez más, implicando no tener residencia fija por diferentes circunstancias fue trasladado de un lugar a otro y yo, como haciendo arreglos, y como siempre haciendo arreglos para estar cerca de El , en el servicio de su cuidado.

Eso me ayudó a mantener entusiasmo en el servicio que estoy realizando . Trato de ver ya no a mi padre con un concepto material. Poco a poco la etapa purificadora de mi padre está llegando a su fin. Todo pasa y todo se termina .

Recuerdo un verso del srimad bhagavatam 1, 8, 25, en dónde se dice , en dónde se afirma que no hay que prestar tanta atención a las calamidades de este mundo material que son sólo sueños que se terminan. Siempre que me sentía angustiada y desanimada lo recordaba a Usted Gurudev, cuando una vez me dijo que Usted , aceptaba mi llanto sólo si era por Krsna. Lo demás era mi ego.

Eso ubicaba mi mente y me daba ánimos de seguir. Siempre estoy en separación de Usted a quien extraño tanto y por eso lloro. También en separación estoy de los templos, de los vaisnavas, de la distribución de libros.

Pero sé que en el futuro cercano nuevamente tendré la oportunidad de Su asociación . Todo va a ocurrir por la fé que tengo puesta en Sus divinos pies de loto, que es la única esperanza para que esta inútil pecadora sea llevada a krsna.

Su inútil y torpe sirvienta:

Madre Jambabati Devi Dasi

PD. A mediados de Julio del año pasado mi padre sufrió un accidente y se fracturó la cadera derecha. Recién pudo ser operado en noviembre y luego vino lo peor : Esperar que la prótesis que le pusieron, suelde. Eso llevó cerca de 2 meses más El Alzheimer le avanzó mucho por todos los estados de alteración nerviosa que le provocó, estar amarrado , de pies, manos y tórax .

Actualmente ya fijó su prótesis. Todavía está pendiente su rehabilitación para que pueda caminar. Su cuidado actualmente demanda las 24 horas del día. Estos últimos meses estuve afrontando pruebas muy difíciles, pero siempre poniendo en el centro de mi vida, el servicio más importante que es el canto de los santos nombres .

Mantengo, dentro de las limitaciones de no tener internet y un celular que casi no funciona, comunicación con mis devotos amigos de cuando en cuando, que siempre me están inspirando con su servicio . Una vez leí que Srila Bhaktisidanta Sarasvati dijo que debemos ver este mundo material y todo lo que se encuentre en El, cómo lleno de ingredientes para el servicio del señor. Todo este mundo está destinado al servicio de KRSNA ,El decía, trata de ver a tu padre y a tu madre como el padre y la madre de ...

Hps - ASA - AgtSP.

We were able to talk with Jambavati Devi Dasi for more than half an hour while in Lima with the help of Gandharva Das.

It was very satisfying and I hope it helped her get some more practical perspective for her service to Krsna through her father etc.

Now the Sun is at 2.27PM here in Mexico.

Leave for the Sunday Festival at 3.30PM

Leave for the airport for USA at 1.15AM tomorrow.

Hare Krsna.

Sankirtan.

Sankirtan.

Sankirtan.

More Mail!

Please Gurumaharaja accept my humble obeisances to Your feet. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!!

Jaya Gurudeva!!!

I hope you had a good trip to Santiago, Chile

I'm leaving for Santiago tomorrow night. Please forgive me, I would have loved to arrive in time to greet You. But I was given a week's leave 😊, and I preferred to stay until Gaura Pournima with your wonderful Gurumaharaja Association. I'll be traveling alone; sadly, neither my husband nor my son will be able to come with me. But I'm happy to have this opportunity to receive your Darshan, beloved Gurudeva!

Here are some photos of my students from the workshop I started this year. They're already waiting for me to return so we can resume classes. They love Hindu dance and traditions. I still have so much to learn and improve in my teaching technique.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Her pathetic attempt at being a maid:

Japa Prati Jalpa Radha Devi Dasi

HpS - AgtSP. Paoho. Seeing you here is like seeing the sun appear on a Spring day.

Thank you.

Hope this event is great help for your spiritual progress back home!!!

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja!

Please accept my respectful obeisances !!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Sorry this is late in the day....it's already tomorrow for you and you are with Chan Ting.

As you have requested, i am chanting more! It feels great, thank you so much for the recommendation.

Actually I'm going to more harinama's now, and more kirtan at the farm and temple.

Everyone just celebrated Radha Krishna prabhu's Vyasa Puja. And there was also the appearance of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur and the disappearance of Tamal Krishna Goswami.

Meitreya Rsi is having back surgery, and Krishna Kripa prabhu is in the hospital too. They had to remove a tumor.

We replaced 5 out of 6 of the iron temple gates today. The ones that slide back and forth on the altar. They are made with small wheels from China, but I think roller skate wheels would work better.

Thank you for all of your mercy and encouragement! I have some work to do to make my japa more pleasing for Krishna. But I want to keep going and never stop!

I'm reading more, too! Jaya Srila Prabhupada! (Bhagavad Gita, SB classes daily, and we're going to casually start the CC). Plus I got a copy of Your Ever Well Wisher but I haven't started it yet. I did watch the YouTube video though!

I took my first Sadachara SSR test and I think I did okay! (It's Krishna's mercy!)

Here is a list of books distributed in January and February:

Maha books- 108

Big books- 31

Medium - 1

Small books- 132

Total- 272

Plus

1 Brhad Bhagavatamrta Set

1 Krsna Art Book

Jaya Srila Prabhupada!!

I don't have many photos from the events but I can show you some doodles if you like??

Your servant,

jaya hari

HpS - Please send Doodles.

Your news of Iskcon Houston is great.

36 hours from now we go to Chile.

Hope anveSaka and this Blog send good pictures.

Who is Maitreya? Why in hospital?

He was Navy Corpman before?

Thank you!

Hare Krishna. Pamho, AGTSP!

I just talked to Abhiram. On sunday, M. Arruddha seminar at 11 then you can have Lunch and leave. On Rama navami, first class and then drama. Bhaktin Annie and some others devotees are going to perform the Hanumatpresaka passtime.

Thanks a lot for everything.

Ys LAD

HpS/ASA - Thank you.

AgtSP.

At 78-years old we kind of exist in a fog in terms of the future. Yet we do try to note all things properly.

These festivals event do change our heart, no?

Each year they help us wake up a little more!

Hope you are able to get out and meet interesting people!

Hare Krishna, dear gurudeva. Pamho, AGTSP!

I hope yor sankirtan is going well.

HpS/ASA - TlgaSP!!! Very nice to hear from you.

Our occupation in Srila Prabhupada's, Sri Sri Nitai-Gauranga Sankirtana is wonderful. It is their mercy. Only hope that we can expand it more and more. That ISKCON can become a healthy part of the nation of Peru.

I've been talking to Abhirama about programs in Chosica for your visist. He said that you are coming to Chosica 2 different days.

I've been talking to Karuna Krishna also, about details for Temple activities.

We have proposals for Sunday, March 23th and 26th (Rama navami festival):

On Sunday 23rd a Guru-tattva seminar, a shared conference between you and Radhika-raman Prabhu at 8 am until Govinda 9.30 am.

At 4 PM, after lunch, a seminar on education by Mataji.

You can come for Mangal-aratik that day.

For Rama-navami, Thursday, 26th March, a working day, we have afternoon program:

Four-thirty pm is Abhiseka, 5.30 pm Drama, 6pm Class, 7 pm Gouraratik. Could be 5.30 class and 6.30 drama. You, may be, don't need to be here since Mangalartik.

ASA - Jaya! Maybe Drama after Class. Talk about the Drama and then see it.

Anyone will want to come from Lima after working hours and join a program in Chosica? All go back to Lima in the evening?

Maybe morning program in Lima. Fasting until Noon.

What is the latest that people should leave from Chosica to get back to Lima timely?

We are looking forward to have a little Vapu with you in Peru.

HpS/ASA - We have been restricted from travel by the body, buddy, but now the doctors agree that if we deal with it properly, then it can travel well enough.

Peru... Peru... Peru... Contributing the family life that we all once knew!

The cult of Vasudeva and Sankarsana! The original Gods of the Andes!

Write stories, books, preach the Krsna book!

We don't have the general Calendar in front of us of dates for Peru visit, but trust your lucidity 😃.

Your servant,

The LAD

ASA - How are the Priests/Mayor of Chosica?