Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Maharaja, please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Jayananda Prabhu! All glories to you! 

Thank you so much for all of the links to the songs and the lyrics. It’s been a great source of inspiration and study. Deeper perspective and illuminations on songs I already knew(or thought I knew) and then songs I hadn’t heard before like PPM’s hymn and PS’s wedding song!!

Susan Boyle (bolo) was a real shocker and very inspired by her down to earth/realness and sincerity, particularly in that TV show setting. Reminds me that amazing artists and musicians are everywhere and connected to the source(Krsna). Also, you have inspired me to dive deeper into Phil Ochs. He definitely takes the observer roll in his writing to great heights and has so much sincerity/depth. 

Also, really appreciated the It’s a Beautiful Day song you played in class yesterday about Time. It was an exciting answer to prabhu’s question. Relating all of these songs to our teachings is very enlivening for us because I always knew there was something there in them before meeting devotees and now I am beginning to see more of the full picture as a listener but also as a writer my self.

Music and writing has always been a call and response type of thing for me. Hearing fully with one pointed attention then responding. Responding like it could be my last breath informed by the mood of the call. Kirtan. This is what I love and have always loved and you are helping me understand more and more. Got a long row to hoe though!

Maharaja, here is a link to a music video and song I wrote. It’s pretty silly but has some meaning perhaps. There is some really nice puppetry we got from Lokantha Prabhu that is featured. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IAsqxkXCz9I&pp=ygULbmljayBkZWxmZnM%3D

hps/asa - great/ like 7.5/10! hard to hear the lyrics. instru. loud for us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U93NR-t9ZH4&t=5s

abraham lincoln on power.

https://www.acton.org/research/lord-acton-quote-archive

lord acton.

run the quotes as visuals??

Actually Maharaja, this whole album that’s coming out in July is dedicated to you and is my offering to you. The music and the album art. Sound and form. But I would say it’s only 20 percent Krishna conscious maybe (lyrically and also Maha manta and Nitai Gauranga made it into a few songs).

60 percent spiritual preservative and maybe 20 percent just karmi music lol. Any amount of the depth in it is because of you and Parampara. I’m pretty happy with how it all came together.

About 4 years of writing, producing and praying to God to allow it to happen and that it may have some worth. Always a little nervous that it was “over-endeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain”.

Lastly, morning program is going very well.

Sometimes it’s just me and Madhava Prabhu but later in the week and weekends we’ve been having a couple new devotees and the new devotees who live here now. Dina Tarani and Dayalu Prabhus. They are in their early 20s but have so many talents and strengths to offer our community. Kalakantha Prabhu and Radhika Ramana Prabhu have both had instructed me to mentor Dayalu prabhu. It’s very challenging and purifying but have been having really good classes and discussions in the mornings. Class every morning! With rotating schedule thanks to Anadi TP. Also, I have been taking more and more guidance from Madhava Prabhu here(our head Pujari). That relationship is expanding with the help of your last letter guiding me to NOI text 5.

Thank you Maharaja, I could write you a novel but am trying to keep it short and more frequent. It’s so wonderful to hear your classes everyday (past and present). Thank you. 

Please pray that Aja doesn’t forget about Krishna in the onslaught of teenage years. He’s having a very rough time to say the least.

HpS - Canakhya Pandita writes like, every young man's years from 18-25 are his greatest battle with his senses, but whatever he can win from the war are his greatest assets for the rest of his life. 😄

Best wishes to him and hope we can even be of some inspiration.



All the best with your travels to Huston and celebrations of Jayananda Prabhu and Lord Nrsingha Dev installation !! 

Your aspiring servant, 

Nitisara das 

P.S. There will be vinyl records, tapes and CDs made and it will be available on all streaming platforms. When I get the physical copies we will be doing more of a formal offering to our deities, Prabhupada and you. In the liner note credits it is dedicated to you and an old songwriting friend that left his body last year. Here is the album art: 

asa- good art. a picture of you after biting a lemon?



asa[e] sankirtan, world classical literature; youtube play list.

Hare Krishna Maharaja, please accept my humble and respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! 

Maharaja, you answered so much of my question about becoming too institutionalized this morning in class. I’m just trying to understand how to use my karma in service still. It’s a difficult bajan! 

I haven’t been attending Sunday love feast program for a month now. I’ve been leaving before the program starts but still doing all my services and cooking sometimes. I just want to do other things for Krishna and the program has been really difficult for me on so many levels. It feels like it’s out of humility (knowing where I am at) but then it could be escaping the battle or coping out. I think I like being more behind the scenes but once again I don’t know if that is just my comfort zone I need to break out of. How do we know the difference?

hps - one way is to be associating with Srila Prabhupada through his books... and process... and initiated disciples who are worshipping the Deity.

NoI 5.

"sādhu-vāda-nikaṣaṇāya — to the Lord, who is like a stone for examining all the good qualities of a sādhu;" , https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/5/19/3/

I’m so much more interested in the morning program and it’s going well. Krishna has sent a really nice new devotee (ex Christian/going deeper into Christs teachings with the help of Lord Nityananda:) that texts me great questions every single day and he is coming to Mangala aarti regularly. I feel like he is helping me out more than I am helping him! Bhakta Conar. And we are having so many good discussions during SB class with Madhava Prabhu in the mornings. Pushes me forward into the hectic days with strength.

Maharaja, I would really like to see you and serve you somehow this year. Are you able to visit Boise if we can arrange some nice programs for you? And could I travel with you again? I’m really good at doing the 24 hour check in now for SWA:)

HpS - Sri Hari Das is coming April 3rd, wednesday. we hope more calendar clarity after that. your current class, blog etc participation is very useful.

I hope the weather in Murfreesboro warms up soon and the sunshine on your shoulders makes you happy.

ASA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5sbTHMP0Ig

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMF5numTEkU

Sunday morning, very bright, I read Your book by colored light

That came in through the pretty window picture.

I visited some houses where they said that You were living

And they talked a lot about You

And they spoke about Your giving.

They passed a basket with some envelopes;

I just had time to write a note

And all it said was "I believe in You."

Passing conversations where they mentioned Your existence

And the fact that You had been replaced by Your assistants.

The discussion was theology,

And when they smiled and turned to me

All that I could say was "I believe in You."

I visited Your house again on Christmas or Thanksgiving

And a balded man said You were dead,

But the house would go on living.

He recited poetry and as he saw me stand to leave

He shook his head and said I'd never find You.

My mother used to dress me up,

And while my dad was sleeping

We would walk down to Your house without speaking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdNPEX7bY-k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sP0_7ware8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUHImtxGuuI read the description. 1/2million people. boxer's song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk

Her number is 432 (= 4 x 108).

Susan Boyle ( susanbolo)

She comes across in the beginning as an absolute looser, but when they push the button, the world was never the same.

128Million hits. The YouTube crashed.

2.31 - Amanda knows that this is the musical point. This is the hard, HARD, impossible note to hit and ... she pegs it!

She picks such high class songs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables_(musical)

I dreamed a dream in time gone by

When hope was high and life worth living

I dreamed that love would never die

I prayed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid

And dreams were made and used and wasted

There was no ransom to be paid

No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night

With their voices soft as thunder

As they tear your hopes apart

And they turn your dreams to shame

And still I dream he'd come to me

That we would live the years together

But there are dreams that cannot be

And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be

So different from this hell I'm living

So different now from what it seemed

Now life has killed the dream, I dreamed

We can imagine Srimati Radharani singing something like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEm67QbgEGY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uGlL0xafP8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfHnzYEHAow

o dream the impossible dream

To fight the unbeatable foe

To bear with unbearable sorrow

To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong

To love pure and chaste from afar

To try when your arms are too weary

To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest to follow that star

No matter how hopeless, no matter how far

To fight for the right without question or pause

To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest

That my heart will lie peaceful and calm

When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this

That one man, scorned and covered with scars

Still strove with his last ounce of courage

To fight the unbeatable foe

To reach the unreachable star

After 2.18 I don't know if it is worthwhile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFAfbkOeOPs&t=442s

Midnight, not a sound from the pavement

Has the moon lost her memory?

She is smiling alone

In the lamplight, the withered leaves collect at my feet

And the wind begins to moan

Memory, all alone in the moonlight

I can dream of the old days

Life was beautiful then

I remember the time I knew what happiness was

Let the memory live again

Every street lamp seems to beat

A fatalistic warning

Someone mutters and the street lamp sputters

And soon it will be morning

Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise

I must think of a new life

And I mustn't give in

When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory too

And a new day will begin

Burnt out ends of smoky days

The stale, cold smell of morning

A street lamp dies, another night is over

Another day is dawning

Touch me, it's so easy to leave me

All alone with the memory

Of my days in the sun

If you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is

Look, a new day has begun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJRg35dTIGE

Suzanne [GURU] takes you down to her place near the river [Yamuna]

You can hear the boats go by, you can spend the night beside her

And you know that she's half-crazy but that's why you wanna to be there

And she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China [Braja]

And just when you mean to tell her that you have no love to give her

Then she gets you on her wavelength

And she lets the river answer that you've always been her lover

And you want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind

And then you know that she will trust you

For you've touched her perfect body [Siddha Deha] with your mind

And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water

And he spent a long time watching from his lonely wooden tower [Cross]

And when he knew for certain only drowning men could see him [Materially Exhausted]

He said all men will be sailors then until the sea shall free them

But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open

Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom [Jnana] like a stone

And you want to travel with him, and you want to travel blind

And then you think maybe you'll trust him

For he's touched your perfect body with his mind

Now, Suzanne takes your hand and she leads you to the river

She's wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters

And the sun pours down like honey on our Lady of the harbor [Statue of Liberty]

And she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers

There are heroes in the seaweed, there are children in the morning

They are leaning out for love and they will lean that way forever

While Suzanne holds the mirror

And you want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind

And then you know that you can trust her

For she's touched your perfect body with her mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLk4vdY28Q

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallelujah_(Leonard_Cohen_song)

The lyrics are like self confessed religion in the mode of passion, but the chorus is just the name of God, hallet jah = praise jehovah. Artist is alone with God and the Holy Name.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_NpxTWbovE

Brahmacarini? 😎

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PjkKLhKcAk

Funny.

All this stuff is like a partially reflection of what is clearly in the Krsna book. Volume Two of Two. Big edition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toYfeN0ACDw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YnfCH7LNcM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyJRsp5t9mA

this is maybe the top?? We did a power-point to it with BBT art of Mother Yasoda and grown men where wiping away the tears.

Comments say that it can be a young girls lament in separation or a prayer to God.

etc. etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dXoh12er88

Both Sides Now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w70-1b9SCj0

Radha??? Had to close our eyes to some of the video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9fWjzYiRUE

So much Phil Ochs is nice. Also L. Cohen, but Ochs seems more sincere??? Why do we look for these artists, because we think some of them, their communities, can appreciate the KRSNA book, Volume Two of Two. Srila Prabhupada's Maha-mantra Kirtan.

Then it all merges into transcendence.

A Sannyasi should travel and report to the GBC where there are good places to open ISKCON Centers.

Gauranga!

Your aspiring servant, 

Nitisara das 

Dear Maharaja,

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

I hope this email finds you well.

As you requested I have attached the information about the subjects and speakers for the Radhadesh ISKCON Europe Communications conference which will be held from the 25th -28th May: by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, I am presenting the service of my Guru Maharaj at the United Nations and the Gita Govinda on Sunday the 26th.

I would like also to share the following video (4 min) about a summary of the Gita Govinda presentations that we performed at six ISKCON temples in Delhi last February 2024:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB9Swemxt-M

Begging for your blessing to continue serving the Vaisnavas.

Your servant,

Bhadra Rupa Dasa

HpS/ASA - Thank you, agtSP, so much. I am sorry that it took us six days to post this. We were in Texas with hurricanes and Sadhu Sanga of 3,000 people.

Please, PLEASE, P L E A S E ! Send us more news on these topics as you can.

Peruvian culture has a unique mode for presenting Bengali, Caitanya Vaisnavism.

So nice.

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you!

I hope you were able to leave Houston before the Thunderstorms came in.

The day after Sadhu Sanga, we had a very bad thunderstorm in Dallas and 80 mph winds.. About 1 million ppl lost power and it is still being restored. Thankfully we were not affected by the power outage.

Radhanath Maharaja was here for a few days after Sadhu Sanga and I was able to present him with a copy of TPP. Maharaja wanted me to convey his gratitude to you. This Sunday, we will have Candramouli Maharaja give the Sunday feast and I'll try to give him a copy too.

Should I ship a few copies to Srirama so that he can distribute it when you are in Atlanta?

HpS/ASA - Let us ask him when we talk.

We went for Mataji's check up today and everything looks ok. The baby is not in any worry for now. Four more weeks before birthday.

HpS-ASA - Hare Krsna.

Srinivasa Das says he can be agent for Amazon NIOS.

Maybe talk with him before he leaves on Sunday.

Thank you... all.

Hare Krishna, please accept our humble obeisances.

All glories to our Jagat Guru Srila Prabhupada. All glories to H.H. Hanumat Presaka Swami. All glories to all devotees!

By Your mercy and guidance, and the blessing of veteran devotees, like H.H. Guru Prasad Maharaja and the venerable Adoksaya Das Prabhu, and the magnum power of Nandita🐮… Gadadhar Gosai Prabhu & Anandamaya DD with the aid and donations of other devotees like Bhakta Ramses, and Gunavira Das (former Bhakta Guimo), after more than 2 years, finished the adquizition of a 2,200+ square m. which is a branch of Montemorelos, México's, New Govardhan.

Land DD was adquired to [from] a family of christian devotees in their elderhood. Long journey up here, praying and acting for a growing community in a growing land. 

Anyway, as servants of your servants, we just paid attention to follow your nectarean instructions on real state. We are feeling surrounded by your holy association. 

Gadadhar Gosai Das and Gunavira Das.

HpS - Wonderful. Land, next cows, then Brahmanas! Wonderful. Did you attach a map?

____________

Hare Krishna, por favor acepte nuestras humildes reverencias. Todas las glorias a nuestro Jagat Guru Srila Prabhupada. Todas las glorias a S.S. Hanumat Presaka Swami. ¡Toda gloria a todos los/las devotos/as!

Por Su misericordia y guía, y la bendición de devotos veteranos, como S.S. Guru Prasad Maharaja y el venerable Adoksaya Das Prabhu, y el poder magno de Nandita🐮... Gadadhar Gosai Prabhu y Anandamaya DD con la ayuda y donaciones de otros devotos como Bhakta Ramses. , y Gunavira Das (antes Bhakta Guimo), después de más de 2 años, finalizamos la adquisición de una superficie de +2.200 m2. que es una rama de Nueva Govardhan en Montemorelos México.

Esta Tierra DD fue adquirida a una familia de devotos cristianos en su vejez. Ha sido un largo viaje hasta aquí, orando y actuando por una comunidad en crecimiento en una tierra en crecimiento.

De todos modos, como sirvientes de tus sirvientes, simplemente prestamos atención para seguir tus nectáreas instrucciones sobre las Bienes raíces. Nos sentimos rodeados por Su santa asociación.

Muy atentamente,

Gadadhar Gosai Das y Gunavira Das.

Hare Krishna Maharaja,

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

I would like to give you an update of our program of this weekend. We've had our 3rd annual Amsterdam Kirtan Mela, paired with a Holy Name Retreat with His Holiness Sacinandana Swami Maharaja. The event received a good 300 visitors, plus several devotees who took up active services. Unfortunately i haven't seen much good photo's online yet.

We took some effort to draw in people from the yoga communities and have seen several faces unknown to us. Still, most of the visitors were ISKCON affiliated, Surinami Hindus and some of the Indian diaspora. I should say there were a lot of 'white bodied devotees'.

After three rounds we concluded this was the best one, with some good lessons learned. We again sold tickets (€25 for grown ups, €5 for kids under 16), and again we received some complaints and had devotees who we've known for years who boycott us). Still we believe it is alright what we do. I've asked feedback from some devotees to hear their thoughts, so we learn a bit and came to conclude that both ways have their advantages and it might not make a big difference. From how everything went, we believe Krishna was pleased with our effort, despite the arguments of some.

The idea that yoga students from around Amsterdam would come because of fixed price tickets is not yet proven. I tend to think the bastion of ISKCON wards of some people. We could make more effort next year to visit more schools and have a talk and see where they stand, and see if they can appreciate what we have to offer.

asa/tb make, agtsp, the popcorn free but salty, then charge a euro for glass of lemonade?

So that's more or less my missionary work for the year. Although i got some impression this weekend that Krishna pulls at me to get my spiritual life together. I've received good food for thought from the retreat today, as well as a lot of inspiration.

I hope you are doing well Maharaja. I hope you feel satisfied in the way you're instrumental in Srila Prabhupada's mission. I haven't followed your steps, i admit. I do think fondly of your example of educating yourself and build bridges. In that sense i am following in your footsteps in my own tiny way actually. I'm doing eclectic reading, bit of history, cultural philosophy, literature (short stories), biographies. I get to know my self and my range better with age. Its funny how that works, its kind of like board games; once you get going nicely, the game is almost over.

Hare Krishna,

A fallen householder,

Raghava Pandita dasa

ASA/hps - what do you think of our twitter posts.

even do it once a year and it accumulates!

nimai evan has dog following him, no?