Letters to the editor

ASA - Submitted several weeks, months, ago!! Hare Krsna.

Hare Krsna, Guru Maharaj,

Please accept our most humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We are very excited to have your darshan at the morning program in Houston on your Vyasapuja. It is so nice to chant with you Guru Maharaj. You have and continue to be our reason to be inspired in Krsna Consciousness. Currently we are watching the Vyasa Puja on YouTube.

We wanted to present a small offering. It is a compilation of your poetry and illustrated manuscripts. There are 30 posts from the last four months on the blog: https://poetry-anthology-by-hp-swami.tumblr.com/ . If we have your blessings, we hope to keep looking through twitter and the blog from the last ten years to create an anthology of your poetry.

HpS/ASA - Amazing! ! ! AgtSP!!!!!! . . . . We looked at the first one third. It seems to be like Moon Beams from a Larger Madness.

Little birds and bees that ornament the forest trees of Srila Prabhupada's cogent symphony.

Read a few a day:\?

We asked Srinath prabhu a few months ago if it was possible to print an anthology that could be up to 300 to 400 pages. We are thinking that it may be that long Gurudev because of how prolific your writing has been through the years and how important it is to preserve your writing that means so much to your disciples and everyone in the Vaishnava community who appreciate your art. Srinath said it is possible to publish this many pages and is happy to help with the process. It would be an irreplaceable gift to the devotees and disciples, as well as every human and of course non-human that could hear near and far.

ASA - Kindle? Printable format like Word and PDF that people can publish as they like.

We have a lot of questions about how you would like to organize it Gurudev. We would also like to find other Vaishnava poets in the ISKCON movement or beyond to help with a preface.

We can ask Radhika Raman Prabhu and others about possibilities. Also in blog form we could make changes and edits and can send the login info to you also to make edits. We can send this in a separate message.

ASA - You can see that even though we wanted very, very much to answer your post, looking at it and others often, we just do not have the strength.

After months in Houston we are getting some kind of working schedule.

Not planning on changing our Camp site before August 15th, Janmastami.

How is the Army!

Spaniards, Cowboy American Kids, Missy's, Potato People?

We also have questions for publicizing such as: Should we have just one poem per page or is two ok if it is under 8 lines? What kind of Titles for each poem would you like? For now we put Date above the poems and if there were more than one publication the time was also included.

We also noticed how special the picture icons are with the accompanying poems. When we transferred from twitter on the computer to word the pictures became very big. If we copied from the phone though they stayed the same. Would you like the pictures with the poems Gurudev? We included some with and some without. We are curious if emojis could be published.

On another note, we felt like Idaho city home got transformed being able to honor you Gurudev for Vyasapuja. We made a veggie pot pie dish and made holiday cookies. Also you requested from my husband pictures. Jahnavi wanted to draw the Syamataka Jewel and was very happy to hear that it was a pastime you are also fond of. Sita wanted to draw Radha Krsna "getting married" and said she really wanted to see them get married. She said it was not in the Krsna book but said it did happen in the forest and wanted to share it with you.

Here is a poem:

Dear Guru Maharaj

The snow falls

The suffering

the hurt continues

like a Robert Frost poem

people are getting lost in thinking...

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,  

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

We know another road less taken

Where Krsna plays

Gets lost in the woods

with his best friend

holding each other through the storm

and frolicking thereafter

All of the devotees wanted to believe Krsna is theirs only

And when the trees fell down and demigods came up

the rumors spread

Krsna is extra Ordinarily special

Still

they couldn't stop believing that Krsna is our family member, best well wisher

Our life force now and forever

Guru Maharaj we want the same

You gave us a glimpse of

Being our utmost friend, well wisher

We sometimes forget like Krsna's friends and family

Your position

Because we are so happy to be with you

And get this attention we never feel worthy of

From Krsna's special friend

Its other worldly

and we never want it to end

Missing your association means we miss

going to the watery source

We want to draw/leap/forget what is painful with you

and just serve

You gave us a family

Your oasis source of Srila Prabhupada

The spiritual world that's opened up to us like a tent in the middle of Kansas

escorted us to join the circus of our childhood dreams

Thankyou 🙏

You said a few years ago

With a jovial laugh

"Your old enough now to be a grandma"

We are sad to see jealousy, remorse, sadness, lamentation

Not leave us even with the gravity of age

What an exhausted sigh and opening monkey warrior

we get steadfastness to Srila Prabhupada's process

every prose or excerpt is a passage

on how to step into the spiritual world

where every step is a dance

seamless, easy, simple and natural

to just slow...... down

with japa; studying service and gandarva prance

Make it our main skip line and Dandavats

At your and Srila Prabupada's lotus feet

Every waking and evening prayer

We beg to transform dry limerence and notoriety

into being a servant of the ants in the temple or the worm tiller of the rosemary outside

who serves the herbs that find its way to Krsna's plate

In the woods we wait 🙏

We miss you Gurudev. Please let us know when we can see you again. We could take turns going to Houston. Happy Vyasa Puja!

Your servant,

Kamagayatri dd, Murari, Aja, Jahnavi, Sita and Arjun

HpS - Wow! As soon as we ask a question you answer it.

I hope our Blog Posts, Twittttttter and no anveSaka have been able to keep you informed about us.

Poetry is great.

You are putting something very, very substantial on the plate!!!

Don't wait.

Don't hesitate.

Distribute in bite size pieces wherever you go, whomever you meet.

Those who will take to distribute also, to whomever they meet, dump a bagful at there feet.

Todas las Glorias a Srila Prabhupada!!!

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja, por favor reciba mis respetuosas reverencias.

Por lo pronto sigo en Huancayo-Perú, no se si me mude a otra ciudad de Perú, quizá lo haga para mediados de año de éste 2025, pero mientras tanto continuo por esta zona.

Salgo a distribuir los libros de Srila Prabhupada una o dos veces por semana. Esto me apena mucho, lamentablemente el lugar donde vivo es muy lejos, y el gasto es mucho mayor para mi, siento que estoy haciendo muy poco por mejorar mi Sankirtan, ante está situación voy a analizar y tomar una decisión para mejorar mi distribución de libros. Le pido que por favor me de sus mejores deseos y bendiciones para tener la inteligencia adecuada para mejorar mi sankirtan y poder satisfacer a Srila Prabhupada 🙏

Mangal artik 4 y 30 am conectándome a Goto con usted, por ahí alguna ves no puedo conectarme por problemas en la red, 16 rondas de yapa diarias, 4 principios, lectura del Krishna book, también estoy estudiando el Bhakti Vaibhava con Prabhu Laksmana Agraha, algunas veces falla la red, el motivo es por lo lejano del lugar donde vivo, pero, veremos que ocurre.

También sigo estudiando Jyotish y Samudrika, ahora Jyotish y Samudrika enfocado al Ayurveda. Son ciencias que me gustaban desde muy joven. Por ahí estuve haciendo algunas lecturas de Jyotish y Quiromancia a unos familiares a forma de práctica y felizmente todo muy bien, dándoles como remedio algunos libros de Srila Prabhupada.

Mis padres ya dejaron el cuerpo en el 2024, felizmente pude comprender la situación y predicar a mi familia y todo gracias a Srila Prabhupada y sus libros, no fue fácil, tuve que fortalecerme externamente e internamente a pesar de que internamente tenía muchos sentimientos encontrados, usted sabe, muchos recuerdos de ellos, risas, lagrimas, pero, así es, es parte de la vida, nacimiento, enfermedad, vejez y muerte, comprender lo que es la vida y la muerte solo lo puedes comprender con las palabras de Srila Prabhupada, no hay más!!!

Estamos de pasada, lo más probable es que yo sea el siguiente en la lista, y por mis actos, es seguro que vaya un buen rato al infierno, pero, mientras tanto seguiré en servicio devocional hasta el final de mi existencia.

Se podría decir que éste es como mi reporte de los cuatro primeros meses del año 2025.

Bueno, me despido Guru Maharaja, que el Señor Nrsimha lo proteja y nuevamente mis respetuosas reverencias.🙏

Hare Krishna.

Gadai Gauranga Das

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All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja, please accept my respectful obeisances.

For now, I'm still in Huancayo, Peru. I don't know if I'll move to another city in Peru. Perhaps I will do so by mid-2025, but in the meantime, I'll continue in this area.

I go out to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books once or twice a week.

HpS - ASA - ! 🙂

This saddens me greatly. Unfortunately, the place where I live is very far away, and the expense is much greater for me. I feel like I'm doing very little to improve my Sankirtan. Given this situation, I'm going to analyze and make a decision to improve my book distribution.

I ask that you please give me your best wishes and blessings so that I have the intelligence to improve my sankirtan and be able to satisfy Srila Prabhupada 🙏

HpS - Please do the same for us! All of us.

Hare Krsna!!!

Mangal artik 4:30 am connecting to Goto with you. Sometimes I can't connect due to network problems. 16 daily rounds of Yapa, 4 principles, reading the Krishna book. I'm also studying Bhakti Vaibhava with Prabhu Laksmana Agraha. Sometimes the network fails, the reason being because I live so far away, but we'll see what happens.

I'm also continuing to study Jyotish and Samudrika, now focusing on Ayurveda. These are sciences I've enjoyed since I was very young. I've been doing some Jyotish and palmistry readings for some relatives as a form of practice, and fortunately, everything goes very well, giving them some of Srila Prabhupada's books as remedies.

HpS - We understand that Bhanu Swami also uses these as a way of meeting people and bringing them to Vedic culture.

My parents passed away in 2024. Fortunately, I was able to understand the situation and preach to my family, all thanks to Srila Prabhupada and his books. It wasn't easy. I had to strengthen myself externally and internally, even though I had many mixed feelings inside—you know, many memories of them, laughter, tears—but that's how it is, it's part of life: birth, illness, old age, and death. Understanding what life and death are can only be understood through Srila Prabhupada's words, nothing else!

We're just passing through. Most likely, I'm next on the list, and based on my actions, I'm sure I'll go to hell. . .

[This is not Hell?! 😲

]

... for a while. But, in the meantime, I'll continue in devotional service until the end of my life.

ASA - That's not permitted! We will continue to do our service... life after life, or in eternal life!!!

You could say this is my report on the first four months of 2025.

Well, I bid you farewell, Guru Maharaja. May Lord Nrsimha protect you, and once again, my respectful obeisances. 🙏

Hare Krishna.

Gadai Gauranga Das

Hare Krishna, Siksha Guru Maharaja; please kindly accept my most humble obeisances; all glories to Srila Prabhupada; all glories to your good self, his exemplary disciple;

HpS//ASA --- AgtSP. Paoho. we feel like 87% egoistic morons, so any advice we can give will be mostly from SP in spite of us!

all glories to all the devotees of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. I trust that all is going well with you in your own devotional service.

HpS/ASA - 😆

I finished my rounds this morning.

HpS/ASA - It 🌞

is at 3:18 Post Meridian, pushed both long, hard and sharp this morning for our Japa, and we still need to finish 8-rounds. Yet, the quality of the Japa is better than ever.

There was a feeling of surprise when I did, as if saying to myself "is that all? Shouldn't there be more?" Lately, I have had to wait until late in the evening to finish my rounds. I get very disturbed when I fail to finish my rounds in the morning. I keep vowing to not let it happen again, but I am embarrassed to say that sometimes it does. I have so much sinful karma and so many anarthas in my heart.

HpS/ASA - Ditto except we don't feel any real, "is that all". A little passes our mind, but we are so satisfied being able to do the Vaidhi bhakti that we are permitted to do.

Lately, I sometimes find myself feeling rather cold and heartless towards the world around me, not caring for the troubles of others so much, nor the political intrigue sensationalized in the media. Neither am I interested in the accomplishments and preaching efforts of the greater, worldwide ISKCON: which is probably a very offensive for me to think and feel. I feel so removed from all caring, like I'm in another world.

By your grace my daily sadhana is still happening, with Deity worship, Tulasi prayers and prayers to the spiritual master.

HpS - Our grace???? His Divine Grace? Yes, His Divine Grace and your and my and Niti-sara Das grace added like little peanuts to His Divine Grace's grace?

My daily readings of Srimad Bhagavatam and my japa are still ongoing. My online attendance of the Hawaii classes each morning is still happening, pretty much every day-unless something unexpected arises. My evening online attendance and my hosting classes on Bhagavad gita 3 times a week is still ongoing. I'm still maintaining my Prison Ministry preaching via conventional mail. And lastly, my distribution of books whilst driving for Uber continues, as modest as it may be.

HpS - As the black doctor told Janis Joplin when she described her daily drinking standard, "Honey, you do'in jus fine"!

I will close here, so as not to annoy you further with my lunacies.

ASA 🐒

- https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4064 ❓

Please kindly bless us so that we can remember Krishna in our final moments. I wonder if I will be so fortunate as to remember Krishna in my moment of death. I think about such things a lot: I'm 74.

Yls, Bbd 🙏🙏

🐵

- Honey, you do'in jus fine! ... Yet, gotta keep push'n. Wanta be Nabadvipa vasi, Radhakunda grass in next life. Or just closer to Srila Prabhupada's sankirtan, no?

Hare Krishna Beloved Gurudeva,

Please accept our humble obeisances,

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada,

Dear Gurudeva,

I wanted to share some reflections with you and express my growing realization of the importance and value of preaching on an academic level.

Although I don’t yet find the intelligence or motivation to fully immerse myself in this field—perhaps due to my frustration witnessing the poor intellectual standards at the university where I teach, or perhaps due to my own lack of sincerity—I am beginning to understand what you meant when you described this time as a “second Renaissance.”

I can see that science is starting to develop a kind of dogmatism or fanaticism, not unlike the way religion was viewed during the Middle Ages. The cases of Piero Anversa at Harvard and Marc Tessier-Lavigne at Stanford clearly illustrate that the times are changing, and the debate between science and spirituality is becoming increasingly significant.

It is within this context that I recognize the immense importance of ISKCON’s message and its academic outreach.

On a personal level, the project that inspires me and to which I would like to dedicate my life is the development of a Gurukula. I am including a link for you and the readers of the blog to review, hoping for your and their feedback. (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SJh4CO5izMVZgfPCnqbENAP3pfbfTTtJ/view?usp=drive_link)

It is deeply inspiring to see what the devotees are accomplishing with Goswami Academy in Texas and Avanti Schools in England.

I hope one day to visit these and other similar projects to learn from their experiences. Whether this vision becomes a reality depends on Krishna’s mercy to send the right team and the right people to bring this dream to life.

Thank you for your inspiration and tenacity over all these years. Without a doubt, your instructions, unconditional love, and exemplary life provide the strength to keep moving forward. You give our existence a profound, transcendental purpose.

Eternally grateful,

Your aspiring disciple,

Nikunja Bihari das.

HpS - It, the Sun, is at 9.16PM. It has taken us long time to get to this wonderful letter. We will note to look at the above link tomorrow.

In the attached picture we notice that Krsna or Balarama are not looking at the lesson, they are looking at the teacher!!!

Guru kula!

Hare Krishna, Amado Gurudeva,

Por favor, acepte nuestras humildes reverencias.

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada.

Querido Gurudeva,

Quería compartir algunas reflexiones con usted y expresarle mi creciente comprensión de la importancia y el valor de la prédica a nivel académico. Aunque todavía no encuentro la inteligencia o la motivación para sumergirme completamente en este campo (quizás debido a mi frustración al presenciar los bajos estándares intelectuales en la universidad donde enseño, o quizás debido a mi propia falta de sinceridad), estoy empezando a entender lo que quiso decir cuando describió esta época como un “segundo Renacimiento”.

Puedo ver que la ciencia está empezando a desarrollar una especie de dogmatismo o fanatismo, no muy diferente de la forma en que se veía a la religión durante la Edad Media. Los casos de Piero Anversa en Harvard y Marc Tessier-Lavigne en Stanford ilustran claramente que los tiempos están cambiando y el debate entre ciencia y espiritualidad está adquiriendo cada vez mayor importancia. Es en este contexto que reconozco la inmensa importancia del mensaje de ISKCON y su alcance académico.

A nivel personal, el proyecto que me inspira y al que me gustaría dedicar mi vida es el desarrollo de un Gurukula. Incluyo un enlace para que tú y los lectores del blog lo revisen, esperando recibir tu opinión y la de ellos. (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SJh4CO5izMVZgfPCnqbENAP3pfbfTTtJ/view?usp=drive_link)Es profundamente inspirador ver lo que los devotos están logrando con la Academia Goswami en Texas y las Escuelas Avanti en Inglaterra. Espero algún día visitar estos y otros proyectos similares para aprender de sus experiencias. Que esta visión se haga realidad depende de la misericordia de Krishna para enviar el equipo y las personas adecuadas para hacer realidad este sueño.

Gracias por tu inspiración y tenacidad durante todos estos años. Sin duda, tus instrucciones, tu amor incondicional y tu vida ejemplar brindan la fuerza para seguir adelante. Le das a nuestra existencia un propósito profundo y trascendental.

Eternamente agradecido,

Su aspirante a discípulo,

Nikunja Bihari das.

HpS/ASA 250412 - After several days, weeks, we read your proposition above and inserted some comments and attached it as a word doc below! Thank you.

there was, agtSP, a duck named harris fin.

he lived in dub lynn and had no grin.

he spoke both french and greek and yellow sward,

but no friends to talk with in dale or ford.

rama rama hare hare.

but that's not real.

it cannot be.

we are born with friends and foes

and smirks and toes.

everyone has bacteria that indwell our gut.

without them we could not digest our bib and tuck.

KRSNA is our eternal friend.

from our friendship He does not bend.

He is so busy in enjoying at a rapid pace.

it's like an annual derby race.

He needs us back on board against the foe.

we know what to get and where to go!

Dear Guru Maharaja,

In your reply to Candramukhi, you wrote:

"In this phase, Hanuman is no longer searching for Sita, Kali-yuga in his grand form. He is dreaming.

So, we take that as our participation in many ways."

Could you elaborate on this?

Does the Ramayana mention Hanuman having a dream?

What does this mean to you, and how does it relate to your participation?

In what way do you see yourself involved? How that may/will have an effect on me?

Thank you!

Your servant Namacarya Das

HpS/ASA - AgtSP and his ISKCON Bhakta-vrnda!

https://vedabase.io/en/library/mbk/1/27/#bb1551745 gives nice description of this from the Mahabharata, no?

Hanuman did not engage in the fight. He sat up on the flagstaff and roared every now and then, by Krsna's mercy!

Maybe our stage of life, VAD, Sannyasa, is to dream of so many Sankirtan activities. Of course, that is a new challenge. Even in dreaming we can make choice about which dreams to enter.

https://www.amazon.com/Conscious-Dreaming-Spiritual-Path-Everyday/dp/051788710X

Is this book any good? I think I heard part of it. I think this was the technique Jung used and was used earlier by some Western mystical/scholar who had moved to Egypt.

So, we just dream of setting up a Department of Media Sankirtan in the Houston Temple and only grossly participate by 'sleep walking'. 🙂

O.K.?

I think this is a path that you and others will also take in your right old wisdom, no?

We are trying to publish our dreams???! I guess that is like Jung's Red Book.

How is your Ashrama, family relations???

Thank you!!!