Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Gurudeva 🙏, please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

Gurudeva, I hope you are very well at the time of receiving this letter.

HpS - Aaaaah! I know that you are NOT very well at receiving this answer. 😁 This body is a disease. We are like wounded soldiers trying to contribute with only 75% capacity (at best), but I think you must be an incarnation of Kunti devi and radiating spiritual potency.

I write to you by the request of some godbrothers. Some of them have expressed their desire to lead kirtan on "Full Morning Program" on line, and they have proposed to renew the group of leading singers.

HpS - Yes, even the 'Leading Singers' have also expressed that desire. Everyone who leads should please read: http://www.jayarama.us/archives/asa-mangala-arati-fmp.docx. I think even some of the current Leaders have not read it.

The group of devotees that currently are leading have been doing it for about 4 years, I think. (with some little variants). I thought it is a good idea...to make these changes so that more devotees have the opportunity to lead the kirtan on FMP - ASA.

Recently, we have also seen this good initiative from Candramukhi devi dasi : https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/11606/

There are some suggestions...like we can make a call for the devotees who wants to participate to join a list, and this list can be renewed every three months.

What is your opinion about it, Gurudeva?? 🙏 Of course, we want to hear from you about how we should do it.

Thank you very much for your constant and merciful association!!

Trying to get your mercy: Mitravinda dd 🐕

HpS - I think that it is fine. We should not change, we should keep the same system and make it stronger. So, why not those who are currently leading just organize others to lead on their day as Candra-mukhi Devi Dasi did? It is nice.

Happy birthday. Hope good reflection about previous year(s). Next year(s). Being nice dancer for Krsna.

Hare Krishna Dear Guru Maharaj,

The video Gastón Soublette's video was a relevant point of the report, but I separate the link. Excuse me. I suprise myself how fool I am, every time.

HpS - Yes, I do the same thing. At least we cannot claim that we are getting newer and newer realizations in Krsna Consciousness (at how great of a fool we are).

Now is good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N27LAd906yM

https://youtu.be/N27LAd906yM

HpS/ASA - We pasted it and the video started. We will watch it later. Now we have to do some more mail. Trim the hedges and go to NgD!! Thank you.

Is a 15 min. interview extract to Gastón Soublette, a Claudia Lira's mentor and one of the 8 or 10 most famous and important intellectuals of Chile nowadays (93 years old and still alive! and with a clear mind)

The interview is in Spanish, however, it has subtitles, and the feature of automatic translation of youtube/google have improved a lot recently, particulary to this kind of videos with a good Spanish spoken.

Mr. Soublette was in the release of Claudia Lira's book and I broached him in the last summer (January-Februay), and when I told him about you and your efforts and that maybe you both can talk, he gave me his phone. He would like to know more about a spiritual guru, swami with a western background.

HpS - We should have an exchange of ideas by mail, first, no?

He lives slightly as a hermit, so for communication, he has just cable-phone, and no smartphone and internet either, so an encounter could be possible in your next physical visit. Or maybe we can try by phone after the event.

HpS - Can you send paper-mail to him?

Hare Krishna guru maharaj. Thank you for your kind words. Sometimes we feel that never will be good enough, but still we are little "porfiados", obstinate- and we continue trying to be better.

HpS - Thank you.... Thank Carlos, thank Arjuna, than Priya sakhi Devi Dasi, thankkk... I can name so many more in Chile, Santiago, even more important. It makes us start to cry. Such nice people!!.

Hope we have our own village soon.

Replying to https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/11602/

.Hare Krishna.

Dear Guru Maharaja, All Glories to Srila Prabhupada, Please accept my humble obeisances unto you,

The event will start tomorrow 7th October Wednesday.

Your understanding is very well Gurudev. Indeed, your participation in this PUC (´P` because "Pontificia", of the Pope) event called "Coloquio Internacional de Naturaleza y Sacralidad" (International Colloquium on Nature and Sacred) Program is 21st October - 19:45 hrs. Chilean Time ( www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/chile/santiago is a useful and bonafide webpage to convert the time ).

Tom Brown - ASA -- Well, actually, it is not correct. We have 6.45PM Nashville time on our Calendar. Which is 18.45 Nashville, which is 20.45 Santiago. Bllllllsfftttttp! 😬

.... So it is 5.45PM - 6.05PM Nashville time. 🙂

The time frame is just 20 minutes (TED Talk-style - sāndra-ātmā — "whose nature is very condensed")

The content of the HPS presentation

I didn't get that you were asking me about your proposal. I think that the idea is very accurate to the public who will attend.

In fact, the BG is known already by this audience so, hear this technical approach from the BG, is very authoritative and advanced way to start for a swami who will speak about this book.

The quotations from Srimad Bhagavatam are perfect because are a good example of how this Bhagavata culture see the ideal situation of the world and how it was, actually.

In one moment I thought is not too much but then I realized that the time frame is a very short, so now, on contrary, I think that is a very focused message and that's good.

Humble suggestions

In my humble opinion, a wink [nod] or a little reference to some of the points in common between Bhagavata culture and Mapuche culture and perspective - or at least, Inca culture- about "nature and the sacred" would be unexpected but very well received if you make it.

TB - The first problem is that we have no firm idea whatsoever about Mapuche culture! What is it? Do they worship The Great One who Eats Dried Banana-chips on Ekadasi? Why is it important to the audience? Are they Mapuche? Or are they afraid of Maphuche??? Help!

For that, I recommended already check this extract of the interview to the researcher and our friend's mentor, Gastón Soublette speaking about the deep values of the mapuche culture.

TB - Awww!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N27LAd9 06yM

TB - Awk! GrONk... BlooK .,., & Black! The link does not work! 😭

Tried it five times. Just defaults to general Youtube.com and President Trump kissing..... babies... Searched "Gastón Soublette" and got over a dozen interviews of a very wise old man with a very large white beard! Same for you? Please send us the correct link!

Other way to get some insights is the presentations of the TABLE 2 - entitled "NATURALEZA Y SACRALIDAD: TRADICIONES INDÍGENAS" - 14 th October, 17:30 hrs.

TB - Seems too late for the dull brains of Brother Ass etc. and probably some funny foreign language, and probably not focused enough for our efforts. We're pretty stoopid here.

The three presentations of that day will be in Spanish, but Carlos Rold is ready to make a good three summaries of each for you, to facilitate you can get some good insights to quote or re-think something to relate to your own presentation.

TB - O.K. Very good Not more than 2,000 words and then we can ask questions! We will sound very intelligent!!

Again, this is not requested at all, I just think that could be something very unexpected and it let a "buena sensación" about vaisnava wisdom and our desire to build stronger bridges.

TB - Really, our desire to participate in these programs is first to listen and THEN to speak!!! God is too big for one religion, society, planet!

On the other hand, to mention about vegetarianism it could add useful new ideas to whose people who ignore that the concept of animals rights actually is coming from India historically, and that perspective is.

TB - I think it is indicated in the description of Yudhisthira Raja! We will look for it.

Finally, dear guru maharaja, remember our proposal to design your final presentation. 2 DAYS before the event is enough for us because they requested one day before the day.

Maybe three days before, 18th October, if you are interested in to show the "premiere" to the ASA crew.

TB - By 15th October. Maybe we make it our presentation for Sunday with ISKCON Alto Peru. https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/11650/

Book Distribution

Regarding your question, I think that Light of the Bhagavata is not available physically, I mean, I have some but just a few physical, 3 or 4 I think.

BBT Spanish Books are not yet for Amazon Kindle officially. Only Bhagavad Gita.

Science of Self Realization or the Spanish BBT book "Ecología y Supervivencia" 80 pages I think it would be good. The SSR is already in vedabase.com in spanish.

But one way that I think that would be interesting is put a link (with bit.ly tech to know then how many people enter in it in the moment, and afterwards) where the people could download an extract (for example SB 1.10-4-6) in pdf/epub formats or event the entire Light of Bhagavata or Science of Self Realization in spanish (in a unoficcial way, I can prepare it). What do you think about it?

TB - The vedabase.io link to BG 7.4 and SB 1.10.4+ could be included. They can can communicate with you all, no? Then you can filter the interest and we can expand our citations and send books accordingly? We could also include a bibliography, "further reading'!

Anyway, I think that we should focus in just one or two book.

TB - 💪

Good leader of many Apes!

The event opening tomorrow 7th October

Finally, the Opening Event is tomorrow 17:00 hrs. Chilean Time, and our friends and organizers, Claudia Lira and Elvira Ríos, will present the aims of this event, so, it would be very nice if you can join. This will be a few minutes anyway. So, if you can join, the "coordinates" are here but also everyone can join registering themselves here:

TB - 5PM Santiago, 3PM Nashville. Ententaremos.

bit.ly/35mQGQ0

Or just watch on:

www.facebook.com/InstitutodeEsteticaUC

General Description of the Event and the Institute

Institute: "We teach about valuing and appreciating culture and the arts. Aesthetics, is a branch of Philosophy linked to disciplines such as Letters, Photography, Cinema, Music and many more. We study symbolic systems and cultural diversity.:

[Official post on its Social media pages about the event] "All invited to the colloquium Nature and Sacredness: human stillness and connection with life carried out via Zoom. A call to share knowledge and reflection on the experience in religious education, the performance of rites, the investigation of art and cultures and the concrete actions of projects in development, which allow dialogue between the various manifestations. An international meeting that seeks to reflect on the return to the interior for the external expansion of nature, appreciating the interrelation of dualities (female-male, natural-supernatural, sacred-profane, religious-secular) that allow harmonic balance. Details in estetica.uc.cl "

Registration Link: bit.ly/35mQGQ0

Any question, please Gurudev just ask I'm your servant.

TB - We just asked HpS, and he asked Gurudeva, and HpS said that as far as he can understand Gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada, asks that you be a good boy and chant "Hare Krsna". Nice service!! AGTSP!

Personally we want to say that is nice working with you, and we can see that we ALL have a lot more work to do to be super professional devotees but... https://vedabase.io/es/library/sb/9/10/20/ !

Hare Krishna Gurudeva 🙏 Please, accept my humble obeisances!!

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

Gurudeva, as I told you this morning, Krsna Book is already on Vedabase.io.

HpS - ASA -- Yes, yes! We say it. We read from it. We are telling everyone! We feel that our life has been a success. Now we can rest! Thank you, everyone!

We were waiting for some missing paragraphs in Spanish from BBT. These paragraphs are missing at the beginning of chapter 51 and until we receive a reply Prahlada Nrsimha prabhu put KB on line yesterday . Also, we are waiting for agreement to correct some quotation marks that appear in opposite direction in Spanish version that we got from BBT.

So, edition at this time is not 100 % perfect yet, but we hope in next days we will be able to fix these issues.

HpS - Small things. but thank you for the news. There are mistakes still, as far as I know in the English version. Little things.

Sorry for the delay, Gurudeva, in putting KB in Spanish on line 🙏

I am struggling with my own lazyness, greediness and lustfulness that prevent me to serve you and to serve Srila Prabhupada better!! 🙏 🙏 🙏

HpS - Hare Krsna / Hare Rama. We have to all try to improve, no!!! If Srila Prabhupada told me that all my disciples are more advanced devotees than me, I could not deny it. I also have to fight lusty desires. Too many popsicles is also lusty desires.

I will inform you about improvements in KB edition.

Thank you very much for your causeless mercy!! 🙏

Your aspiring servant: Mitravinda dd.

PD: I am adding some pictures of Krishna's pastimes, I hope you like them 🙏

ASA - !!! Be sure and tell Christina, Anna, Oscar your Brothers about this!!

All Glories too Srila Prabhupada !!!

Please acept my humble obeisences!!!

Thank you very much gurudeva.

I hope you are very well. It is very impressive and motivating to hear your classes and your complete dedication to serve the devotees through the study of the scriptures, your wise advice and your way of seeing the absolute truth. I try to listen to the classes online by GoToMeeting from our Asram but it is almost impossible due to the poor internet connection and the program is very heavy, it takes up a lot of data so we listen to the classes online by facebook when possible.

HpS - It is our loss!!

I am dying of shame not being able to assist you in the translations and see the effort you make in the classes ... I apologize !!! Please excuse my failures and my lack of dedication ..

ASA - ! ! ! Hare Krsna!!!! This pandemic is a wonderful opportunity for all of to discover a new world and new resources.

When the pandemic started here in Argentina, roughly the beginning of March, I was on a sankirtan trip with our small motor home van with a lot of books and I was eager to distribute them ... and I was heading to Santiago de Chile to receive you and try to serve you or assist. ..By arrangement of providence I was forced to return to the Sri Govardhana asrama !!! to wait for the pandemic to pass and continue with the traveling Sankirtana ... but the quarantine was extended and we got focus on the SB Study, Bg, etc. So since March I'm trying to get deeper into the SB...

... we have a very nice study group here at the farm and we are finishing the study of Canto 4 and I was also leading a study group for brahmacaris for 3 or 4 months for brahmacaris from chile and others based on the study of Bhakti Vikas Swami's book ... (it was very good and I think it helped the devotees a lot and obviously me).

HpS - Yes, it is very interesting. Now Spring is coming, so you will have more work with agriculture, no? Lord Balarama's gardens.

Also, by the grace of Krishna and Guru, I have a very good study partner and we studied canto 6 complete with 4 more devotees per zoom..now we finish the canto and go on to prepare canto 1 to do the Bhakti Vaibhava online ...

...not yet we are sure where or Mayapur institute or eco.village govardhana .. but well the important thing is that I have a very good friend who likes to study a lot and is very enthusiastic ..

HpS - ASA -- To me the Eco.village program seems the best!

I remember when you said that when you lived in the temple you were looking for someone to study with systematically ... I think it was at Berkeley ... very good ...

ASA - At one point we decided that study partner was as important as teacher!!

My Japa vrata is regular and 80% mangala aratik and full program ... the monotony of staying in one place for so many months I think it has affected the sadhana a bit but we are following the regulative principles very well ... I don't see karmis movies, I don't waste time with news and politics ... I am also spending part of my time in the orchard and garden.

HpS - Super. Staying one place. You can move from one chair to another. Then back to the desk, then to the patio!! Ha! Ha! HAre! yet that is just as valid for people in the mode of goodness. Travel to the different planestary systems on your magic carpet.

Well I do not want to bore yo more with this letter ..

I ask you please not to forget about this servant who is trying to do something without personal interest and who wants to satisfy you and our dear Srila Prabhupada.

If you have any instructions or advice I would accept it with my heart ... and soul.

Your servant trying to get to your feet, panca tattva das

HpS - Writing every day? If you preach to five people that is a full time engagement!

Hare Krna dear Gurumaharaja

Please accept our humble obeisances

Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

I hope you are well. I am writing to report the following activities:

• We continue with the TTC3 course and we are 7 teachers. The VTE model for Bhakti Sastri has a different direction from the one we have been applying in Peru for the last years. The pedagogy is different, based on aims and objectives, which makes it more similar to secular university pedagogical practice. In one sense I find it interesting because it requires greater care in the design of class lessons and greater possibilities to develop varied activities. We are already in the final exams. It has been demanding but very important. Yugala Kisora ​​dd is doing a good course, after obtaining her certificate, we will continue with the process for her appointment as a BS examiner.

• On the other hand, we are finishing the study of the first Canto in the Pada Padma course. This weekend we do the test according to the MOE guidelines, in this way, we will be able to advance with the other Cantos and achieve the Bhakti Vaibhava title at the end of 4 years. Conversing with Karuna Krsna prabhu he suggested a mataji residing in Brazil (Mitravinda dd, Devakinandana prabhu's wife) to propose her as a BhVai examiner, LAD agrees. I've to get in touch with her after your approval.

HpS - Seems O.K. with me. The Ministry is so disorganized from my point of view, that you should go ahead with whoever wants to study and teach and try to coordinate with local and international Ministry programs as much as possible.

• Finally, we have collaborated with Tapana Misra prabhu in the production of 18 short video clips (12 in Spanish and 6 in Portuguese) about experiences of devotees studying Srila Prabhupada's books. These videos have been part of the Sravanam program Week of the MOE and are now available on the Ministry's YouTube channel. Coordinations have been strong. We need more regional representatives because it is a lot of work for one person!

HpS - Yes! We just spent one hour talking him and he mentioned your efforts! Remember patience is also important. Not just enthusiasm!

• I suggest Mercosur (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay) (Brazil) (Colombia-Venezuela-Guyanas and Panama) and a region for Mexico and the Central American countries. I would like to talk to Tapana Misra prabhu about this. Do you agree?

HpS - Yes.

• I have a candidate for the Colombia-Venezuela-Guyanas and Panama zone: Adhi Karta das, from Colombia (disciple of Guru Prasad Swami). He is enthusiastic and wants the service. In Brazil I am in contact with Subhadra dd. director of the national educational program, I will ask her for some possible names.

• At some point I talked about this with Baladeva from Argentina and he was a bit skeptical, I think that in Argentina the coordination can be done with Citrak das (any other suggestions?)

HpS - Alway Srima Param-padam Das! and Naranarayana rsi Das. Intiated by us. Citraka and Parma-padam Das shoul have his address.

• In Chile they are very cooperative (especially Priya Sakhi dd), who has been a great support for the coordinations this year. In Bolivia, Apsara Gopi dd has also been of great help and an excellent wing. An interesting team is building.

HpS - Yes, sounds good!!

I await your comments and suggestions Gurudeva.

HpS - Comments above. It sounds very nice!!!!!!!!!! Next letter. When we chant Japa we are together!

Your servant Gandharva das