Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja!

Please accept these respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I'm still processing our week with you in Boise and my time with you in Houston. Intense purification and Fun.

Thank you for this perspective on the Trnvarta pastime song. Indeed the traveling minstrel, the observer is the perfect and natural archetype to merge into for singing these folk songs...And so fascinating, the aesthetic difference between Dvaraka /Mathura and Vraja. I’ve always loved simple folk music(American and Peruvian). But also have some appreciation for the sophistication of orchestra music and the English gardens. Being in Radha Nilamadhava Dham was refreshing and deeply inspiring.

While I was there I had a really nice conversation about temple presidency with Saranga Thakur Prabhu after the boat ceremony. He said 50 percent of the job is knowing how to take criticism and then he said Jaya Krishna Prabhu after so many years of this service said it’s actually more like 75 percent of the job.

So I’ve been thinking a lot about what is criticism. Of course we should be focusing on our own shortcomings and how to improve, more than on others. But then if you are in a managerial position it seems like that has to intensify(fixing yourself up) and so this is why the purificatory process speeds up? Extra mercy may be given? And can a neophyte devotee give auspicious criticism (three fold) according to Bhativinoda Thakur’s definition of that term?

One little/big improvement: We are finally starting to play nice mellow kirtan/bajans on our speakers at the perfect volume during the Sunday Feast while devotees take Prasadam. After wanting to do this for so long and hearing it from you so many times..something finally clicked. Little steps in the right direction but seeing big improvements and nice steady momentum in New Biharvan Dham.

Slowly but surely my service here is feeling like a personal project. Thinking of it like this is helpful, Maharaja. Like a song or a play..I’m wrapping my head around your instruction and wanting to take it to heart. Personal projects can be collaborative. The rugged individualist and isolationist in me kicks and screams sometimes but I may have him under control. He’s a lonely simple guy that is ultimately looking for something more. Not satisfied.

HpS/ASA - AgtSP. Achintya bheda abheda tattva, dictates that as we develop our own unique character, we realize how it is properly, proportionally, and eternally connected to our society.

you have to play your instrument in the band, but you realize so much of it in terms of the performance of the whole band.

Maharaja, can gandharva’s or angels help with management just like they help with creative projects?

HpS - I guess, so? I think Krsna takes more responsibility in inspiration for management.

Relationships between devotees doing service at the temple are getting stronger/deeper. It seems like Radha Bankibihari are in control. Supreme disrupters and mischief makers, always looking for a good time at any cost.

Carl Jung’s ideas on the psychology of addiction has been such a helpful barometer and jumping off point when talking with new comers and in our own self analysis. And I keep thinking it is by your mercy that we have this wonderful bridge. And specifically a great connection to NOI.

More news to share soon. Until then we will be chanting japa with you, for you and because of you..and taking part in the morning Houston SB classes on YouTube in addition to our own KRSNA Book reading..

All the very best with your Janmashtami celebration! Thank you, Gurumaharaja.

your aspiring servant,

Nitisara das

HpS - We take criticism in terms of NOI 4, 5 and 6.

Then we ask ourselves if it is really letting us see things that we need to improve?

Maybe we are not even the target. Maybe the people crticizing us are just projecting there enemies of torture victims on us because of our social role or other things. then we see their emotional, psychological and spiritual problems as we avoid the assault and take helping them as our service.

Hmmm! 🙂

Thank you for our association!!!!!!

We hope Boise becomes very ISKCON conscious.

Hare Krsna, respected and dear Gurumaharaja.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Please accept our humble obeisances, and we hope you do well in the association of devotees from Houston.

Many things have happened recently: my father in law passed away at home, accompanied by us and the maha mantra sounds all time.

This is the first time Parvati has lost someone very loved and she is going through her grieving process. At home, we are doing well thanks to the mercy of Sri Sri Gaura Nitay at our altar, which helps us greatly to keep our faith strong.

I also wanted to inform you that Caturatma and me have begun doing service at Sri Radha Madhama Vihari´s kitchen in Chosica on Sundays and please send us your blessings to be more in service.

HpS - AgtSP!!! paoho. Hare Krsna. Hare Krsna. Krsna Krsna. Hare Hare // Hare Rama. Hare Rama. Rama Rama. Hare H A R E! We feel so happy to see pictures of RMB. Who is managing the Temple? How are the festivals and Mangala arati and SB class.

By the other side, I want to share with you the information about the collection we made in Peru for your hearing aids. Through the mercy of Krishna we were able to join forces and raise $828 with the support of the following devotees:

Candramukhi dd ($108), Nitya Kishore dd ($83), Jana Pavana das ($20), Abhirama Thakur das & Maria ($101), Jambavan das ($308), Govardhana das - Cusco ($30), Jagadisvara das - Cusco ($20), Roy Ramananda das - Arequipa ($50) and Palika dd ($108).

Thank you very much for your mercy, Full Morning Service, your classes and many ways You always help us to keep in contact with Krsna and His devotees.

Your foolish servant,

Palika dd

HpS - Thank you for your news!!!!!

How is your Sankirtan.

Hare Krishna remembered GURUMAHARAJA! Please accept my obeisances at your merciful lotus feet🙏🏻🙇🏻‍♀️🌷🌺🌹🎵

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!! All glories to Sri Gauranga's Sankirtan Movement!!!

I have so much to tell you.

First, I'm sorry I couldn't contribute to the purchase of your hearing aids. And I also thought of Sti Sri Radha Madhana Vihari and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai of Lima Mandir. Of all the help you've given me!!!...!!! And I've never been able to send a donation to them yet...

It's funny... but I'm going to collect and give all the Lakshmi to my husband, whom I consider a good administrator. My two accounts, one with a bank and one with PayPal, are empty. The bank account, Franco withdraws whatever is there on the same day. And the PayPal account is only open for donations from my father, etc.

I'm thinking of asking for donations when I make my dance videos so I can donate something to the deities. I'm really happy with very little. I just need a lot of warm clothes in the winter and just enough prasadam. Since I don't save anything on my own, it's becoming increasingly difficult for me to make our trip to India. If I save anything, I spend it on butter to make ladhus for my ladhu, Gopal.

Since my sales are so small, my mother helps us with a monthly donation. But this donation for you came to me unexpectedly, and I couldn't contribute. I hope to be able to contribute in some way next month.

I think I don't know how to relate well with Mother Laksmi Devi

HpS/ASA - We have heard from cultured Indians that there is a general statement in India, that Sarasvati and Laksmi usually do not bless the same person.

So you can be a poor teacher, or a rich queen or business person, but not both. Of course, devotees do attract both Matas!

Guru pournima:I had never considered this before. Could you please tell me what I should do on this special day? I thank you so much, Srila Prabhupada, and our sweet Krishna every day... every moment, with so much feeling, for what you have done for me. My way of trying to repay you is that when I go to do the daily "collection," I tell innocent people about you! I think my face reflects my happiness, and people always start reading the books, and even several, or I don't know how many, have gone to the preaching center. This is my way of feeling part of ISKCON. For me, ISKCON is in the streets, in every person who is encouraged by my words to follow Prabhupada to self-realization. You are my big family. Franco and Gopal are an extension of you. Whenever I saw the devotees at harinama, I thought: there is my family! And from the first few times I read a small book by Srila Prabhupada, like Ecology and Survival, I thought: I want to go live with Him! I want to be part of their mission!!!

For years my feelings of missing you have led me to cry inconsolably, it's normal now I know, in a silly girl like me. Many times I have stopped watching your class videos so as not to cry because Franco and Gopal worried so much. It was bitter tears of disappointment, of knowing that this world will never be as we want it... because it is not our home... frustration of not serving you, seeing you, etc. But now I try to endure this because I love your classes and you as a person.

purusottama month: Please could you help me, dear Gurudeva? Last year, 2024, I saw on my Vaishnava calendar that the month of Purusottama came and that it lasted almost 15 days... and this year, 2025, the same thing happens. I like to do some special activity during that month, and I thought the month of Purusottama was last year, and when I see this year there are almost another 15 days of the Purusottama month, I got confused, because I know they are every 3 years. Please help me. Thank you very much.

Please forgive me for any unintentional offense in this letter.

her eternal servant, a tree? that can dance in Goloka😀🙇🏻‍♀️🎵🌹🌺🌷🙏🏻

Japa Prati Jalpa Radha Devi Dasi

HpS/ASA - AgtSP. Thank you all!

Why not develop some programs with local devotees?

Who are the devotees in your neighborhood. Within 4-hours?

Dances to illustrate Jaya Radha Madhava and Gaura-arati song, Dasa-avatara stotra, and Udillo aruna and Radha and the Bee are all great, no?

Dear Maharaj,

Please accept my most humble obeisances Maharaj, and all glories to your service to Srila Prabhupada. I am so very happy to provide some service in the form of articles to send to Abhiram Prabhu for the Solaris magazine. I am very glad that I can be of some service to Abhiram Prabhu and the editors of the Solaris magazine.

Thank you for your association and for involving me in some academic service.

Your humble aspirant servant,

Aja Govinda Das

HpS - Thank you! We hope to read your articles. We hope that Solaris is well formatted and distributed.

We would like to see articles that give our ISKCON, BBT, OCHS, BRC, BI perspective, but also give us links to other groups with whom we can learn, partner and help!!!

We are going to an evening program now in Boise.

Kama gayatri Devi Dasi's Brother's Yoga/Sound center.

Hope to share and compare with many sincere yogis.

Hare Krishna, Gurumaharaja,

please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you so much for the letter and prasadam. The illustrations and messages are very refreshing and we feel so fortunate to have this exchange with you. I really like the red that you added to my drawing and letter. It’s a wonderful visual representation of how you enhance and bring color to our lives.

We had a really nice Snana Yatra and now we are gearing up for our Gundicha Marjan tomorrow. Deep cleaning and scrubbing of the heart. Getting the externals and the internals ready for the great Ratha Yatra procession. A truly transcendental parade..there is an electricity in the air and a buzz in the temple. We feel a push forward everyday and a nudge in the right direction.

Loved hearing from you the other day how Jayananda Prabhu would take breaks and read Prabhupada’s books with others. Sometimes I work like an ass and forgot why I’m working and who it’s for and lose perspective.

Been very inspired by watching this again..the documentary and commentary on the SF Ratha Yatra that you filmed:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lyM6nTZN1Cg

and then I heard you mention it in a class right after watching.

Looking forward to having you here very soon. I will be in contact about program schedule and temple card that goes on prasadam packets. Both things are developing. Thank you for the guidance in this regard. You have appeared in my dream three times in a row now guiding me as well. First dream we were setting up for a program in someone’s big mansion. We were building a really nice bench together and I was helping you saw but I got distracted while talking and you told me to focus! Another dream: we were on a walk and I could not keep up with you. You were so calm but somehow moving so fast! There have been so many dreams but these two really affected me. Thank you and see you soon.

your aspiring servant,

Nitisara Das

P.S. here are some pictures of our home Deity’s that you asked about. And some pictures of our siksha gurus:) and a carpentry project that was done while listening to your classes. Every time I see it I think of so many points you made and stories you told ✨ they are infused within it?

hps/asa - we are, agtSP, reminded how a real Vaisnava, Guru, like Srila Prabhupada, can build a palace using bent nails like us.

our experience at the first idaho rathayatra, we built the cart with lokannatha das et al, was that if we can only offer a little bit externally eg. simple cart/kirtan, KRSNA in the audience's heart screams at them to pay attention.

packing for the trip.

...

We did not send this.

So much, emotional, intellectual, physical packing.

Now we are in our cave on ISKCON Martha Street, Boise, Idaho.

We published a trip review in anveSaka, and you and Nanda braja Das are honoring Prasadam in the other room of the cave complex.

Thanks to you all.

The accommodations are more than Vaikuntha. They are Goloka.

This is a good place to sacrifice your entire life!

Please accept my obeisances at your immaculate lotus feet. Eternal thanks for being my Guru Maharaja🙏🎶🙏🎶🌷🌻🌹🙇🏻‍♀️

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada!!

Al Glories to You , my espiritual master eternal🙏🙏🙏🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🎶🌹🌻🌷💐

I was traveling back home and someone threw a rock at the window near where I was standing. A shard of glass fell on me, but it didn't hurt me. A man who was standing near that window hurt his head; fortunately, the others weren't hurt, although all the windows on that side shattered.

This made me think about everything I still want to do. One of the things is that I'd like you to hear all my songs to Krishna before you leave. The truth is, I'm really embarrassed to post them.

When Franco created this YouTube channel for me, I felt uncomfortable posting my dances. And now my songs... I need to learn to dance well. In fact, I almost always make up steps, etc., which is why it takes me so long to post.

I always trembled before dancing, but when I enter the world of the pastime, it makes me forget that I'm recording or that I'm on stage. Only when I remember Your words, Gurudev, and think that I'm contributing to Srila Prabhupada's sankirtan movement and think that our Krishna is pleased, does it make sense, and I want to do all the things I still need to do.

I remember your words, Gurudev: You used to tell me, "Later... later..." to some questions I once asked in public. And I thought... yes! I'm leaving a lot of things for "later." And I don't deserve your answer.

Here, with all the shame I feel for posting this... ☺, are some of my feelings toward our Govinda. I hope you like my Gurudeva and help my son Gopal remain a devotee forever. Eternal thanks for blessing my son.

 https://youtu.be/ASTfUYwn_AY?si=919babAPor_NCO5i

I translated it especially for you, beloved Gurumaharaja🙏🙏🙏🎶🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

Trying to please His adored Lotus Heart, taking refuge eternally in the sweet dust of His immaculate lotus feet:

Radha Japa Prati Jalpa Devi Dasi

HpS/ASA - We, agtSP, will look at them.

Why did you break the window?

It sounds like a crime against humanity, and ultimately Krsna, everything belongs to Him, no?

Even if we neglect to offer proper respects to a richman, or big scholar, even if he is atheist, Krsna will not be happy with us because He has awarded these things.

Thank you.