Letters to the editor

Dear Guru Maharaja

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

I went through the files recorded in startmeeting and downloaded the NOI reading files. There were complete reading files for Preface, Text 1 through Text 5 and Text 7. Only part of Text 6 (Until "he falls from the platform of paramahaṁsa"), Text 8 (Until "regarding the cultivation of devotional service.") and Text 9 (Until "eternal loving affairs between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī (rati-vilāsa).") were there.

I couldn't find the files for Text 10 and 11. I was also not able to find the Education Symposium files of Mother Urmila you told me about.

I also think some of the recordings with wonderful presentations like the one you gave couple of months back summarizing Srimad Bhagavatam can be uploaded in the ASA youtube channel.

Guru Maharaja, please guide me on how I should proceed further. It would be great if we can talk for a few minutes about this.

We have 431 tracks so far with a few more that will be uploaded this week. We have had 2301 plays so far and about 35 plays on an average per week. People from more that 50 countries including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have listened to the lectures.

I have also changed the soundcloud url to make it easier to remember. The link is now - https://soundcloud.com/hpswami. Can you please add this in the kapi dhvaja?

From my previous letter, you asked me about my younger brother. His name is Sriram and he is doing his Masters in Computer Engineering in Connecticut.

Your servant

Srinatha Krsna dasa

HpS - Hare Krsna...  AGTSP   paoho...   We will try to remember to post the address to the Kapi Dhvaja.  Yes, let us talk. We downloaded and transcribed the NOI files. I have about 41 files in that directory.

I just spent about 10-minutes reseaching Mother Urmilla's and Radhika etc's presentation for the first symposium in Houston. My records indicate that it was June-Aug 2014. The record of the files shows up but it says they were deleted.  I never remember doing that.   Maybe there is a time limit on how long the records are kept.

O.K. Let us talk.

Sound cloud address to KDh.   Please text us, Call us.

Querido Gurumaharaja 

¡Por favor acepte nuestras respetuosas reverencias!

¡ Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada!

El grupo de estudios de iniciación Harinama queremos hacerle una pregunta.

Estamos hablando del tema  "Fe y Religión en Conciencia de Krsna"

Hemos leído que  un madhyama adhikari aunque no sepa respaldar su posición con las sastras su FE ES FIRME pero si no toma asociación de un devoto de primera clase el madhyama adhikari no progresa. 

La pregunta es:

¿ La fe de un madhyama adhikari puede caer a la posición de kanistha adhikari?

HpS - Unos esta dejando servicio devocional completa, no, y convertiendo a Karmis. Entonces, fe de ellos es en actividades frutivas basado en su recursos materiales.

Entonces, si uno puede caer de Madhayma a Kanistha. 

La próxima semana estaremos enviando detalles del taller de estudios.
HpS - ASA -  Jaya!  Harinama Sankirtana en Mejico!   Musica!   Banderas!    Baile...  Tamales!   KRSNA en la corazon...

Gracias por Su misericordiosa atención Gurumaharaja.

Sus aspirantes a sirvientes. 

HpS - ASA  --- Hare Krsna/Hare Rama!     Jaya Radha/Jaya Shyama!      Vamanos a la proxima carta! >>>>>>>>  >>>>>>  >>>>    Buena suerte con su curso...

Dear Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Herein I am answering to your question from Twitter: “CC Madhya 9.362. Why is this purport worth $1,111? Please answer in Blog [paib].”

• If one is envious, the first two sentences give a method how to become non envious. (One must have firm faith in the process of devotional service and the scriptures that support it. If one hears the activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with this faith, he can be freed from his envious position.)

• (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant for such nonenvious persons, nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām.) I find this sentence important but can not collect my thoughts to write it down why is so. <img alt="indecision" height="23" src="https://hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/whatchutalkingabout_smile.png" title="indecision" width="23" />

HpS - It struck us that we are envious. Thus we cannot understand SB.

• (In this age a person should not envy Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement but should chant the holy names of Hari and Kṛṣṇa, the mahā-mantra. That is the sum and substance of the eternal religion, known as sanātana-dharma.) Gives the basic meaning of eternal religion.

HpS - It also gives the more basic understanding of "Hare" in the Maha-mantra as the vocative form of "Hari" rather than "Hara". Most people would take the Maha-mantra as addressing Hari, Krsna and Rama, not Radha, Hara. We have access to an esoteric meaning!

•  

• One who follows a pure devotee and fully realized soul [you will have to find him/her first], the evidence of transcendental sound and chants the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will actually be situated in the transcendental disciplic succession. Meaning, you want to be in the chain of transcendental teachers, then do this. Moreover, by doing this a follower attains life’s ultimate goal.

• Srila Prabhuapada gives a verse from Srimad Bhagavatam in the purport, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.19.17). It is interesting to compare this translation with the one by Srila Prabhupada’s disciples. Then thinking about it, few ideas come:

  • how translations differ but in the deeper meaning do not differ (is that so?)

  • There are the four kinds of evidential proof. Everyone should stick to these principles for the realization of the Absolute Truth. Meaning, direct perception, history and hypothesis are also good to use for a devotee and not just get rid of it completely.

HpS - Of course, these are the three aspects of epistemology that we see in the Introduction to the Isopanisad and we have heard that they are also the basis for the Tattva-sandarbha of Jiva Goswami!  Is it all coming from this SB verse!  Is SB really the basis of all these things!

~~~

Do not know why, but just by sitting down, considering your question and writing the ideas, I feel a solid fulfillment. <img alt="heart" height="23" src="https://hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/heart.png" title="heart" width="23" /><img alt="smiley" height="23" src="https://hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.png" title="smiley" width="23" />  Partly it could be because of CC Madhya 9.364 The more one hears the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with faith, analytically studying them, the more one attains the ecstatic riches of love of Godhead.

Thank you!

Your servant

Namacarya das

PS: At the end of your question you wrote “[paib]”. What it means?

HpS - Post Answer In Blog.  We noted in our heart that this Chapter of CC is very long... but the last few verses are incredible quide to our books, epistemology. I want to get free from lust and find my position in the cowherding Goloka again!   Lot to do.

Thank you!!!

Dear Guru Maharaja

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

Please forgive me for submitting this essay so late. It has been a hectic few weeks with the shutting down of office in SLC and planning the move to Dallas.

ASA - We are worse.   AGTSP!!!   We were told that "hectic" comes from "Hecate", a name for the Devil, Satan, The Evil One. Then Hectic days would be Satanic Days!!!

Thankfully, my brother is here with me for the summer and has been helping me with the move.

HpS - ASA -- Jaya!  What is his name?  Is he an Olympic Wrestler, Bollywood movie star?

We will be visting Boise for the Rath yatra on 4th July and drive to Texas from there. I am so eagerly looking forward to having your association in Boise in August.

I have been chanting my rounds and following the principles strictly. I have also been continuing my  FMP and am currently reading SB 2.5 for my daily SB reading.

HpS - Super!   You are becoming a very useful tool for Lord Caitanya!

My parents have also fixed my marriage date on the 28th October 2018 in Chennai. We need your mercy and blessing to successfully execute the ashrama in Krishna's service.

HpS - I bet you (and your esteemd fiancee) will be very nervous on that day. It is a formality but not a meaningless formality. Is very nice to read the Marriage of Kardama and Devahuti together, with family and friends, and discuss it. Intensely inspiring advice.

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VARNA ASHRAMA IN MODERNITY

Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that the four divisions of the society are created by Him and it is based on guna and karma. Unfortunately, in the times we live in, the varna system has been deeply convoluted. Instead of looking at the modes of nature in which a person is situated in and the work associated with them, to decide the varna, it is based upon birth. I was born in an orthodox South Indian smartha brahmana family and considered myself a brahmana until I associated with the devotees. In the purport for BG 4.13, Srila Prabhupada writes

“as Kṛṣṇa is transcendental to this system of the four divisions of human society, a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also transcendental to all divisions of human society”. 

We see in our own society in ISKCON that the qualities of a brahmana can be cultivated by anyone who follows the process and they can even transcend it by becoming a Vaishnava.

Guru Maharaja, you always quote Chanakya pandit on getting good advice from many people to make a good decision. I have been getting advice on my nature and how I should proceed from my brahmachary ashram as my parents have been pushing me to get married. The advice I got was to get married and make this the last time. Primarily, it would break my parent’s heart if I don’t get married. I am so attached to them that I cannot bear to see that happen. I have also come to realize that although all the gross material desires are under control, I have so many subtle desires and going through grahastha ashrama will purify me of those desires and make me realize what I sing every day - “Attachment to the lotus feet of the Spiritual master is the perfection that fulfills all desires.”

Thinking about grahasta ashrama and my position, I was reminded of Kardama muni from Srimad Bhagavatam. Although I am nowhere close to Kardama muni’s platform, I know for a fact that grahastha ashrama is going to slow my spiritual progress, I have to go through the ashram one last time and with the awareness, so that such desires are permanently vanquished.

HpS - Hmmm.   Doesn't have to slow your progress. Didn't slow Kardamas. If he had stayed B'cari in his current life he might have come back again to get married.

Kardama Muni prays in SB 3.21.14

Your lotus feet are the true vessel to take one across the ocean of mundane nescience. Only persons deprived of their intelligence by the spell of the deluding energy will worship those feet with a view to attain the trivial and momentary pleasures of the senses, which even persons rotting in hell can attain. However, O my Lord, You are so kind that You bestow mercy even upon them.

In BG 8.28, Srila Prabhupada writes that during brahmacharya, one studies Vedas and undergoes austerities by serving the spiritual master and the result of such education is good character. Hopefully, by Krishna’s mercy, I can take my education during my brahmachary ashram and apply those in grahasthasrama and lead a life centered around Krishna and execute the ashrama as a service by creating a Krishna conscious atmosphere at home and help everyone progress in their Bhakti.

HpS - Likw Bh. vinode Thakura.

I have been reading Srimad Bhagavatam daily and when I was pondering over the essay, I read the verse 2.3.22. I realized how Srimad Bhagavatam is a living scripture. Srila Prabhupada’s purport is very instructive. 

Especially for the householder devotees, the path of Deity worship is strongly recommended. As far as possible, every householder, by the direction of the spiritual master, must install the Deity of Viṣṇu, forms like Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa or Sītā-Rāma especially, or any other form of the Lord, like Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Gaura-Nitāi, Matsya, Kūrma, śālagrāma-śilā and many other forms of Viṣṇu, like Trivikrama, Keśava, Acyuta, Vāsudeva, Nārāyaṇa and Dāmodara, as recommended in the Vaiṣṇava-tantras or Purāṇas, and one’s family should worship strictly following the directions and regulations of arcana-vidhi.

He continues to say, 

Engagement in such worship of the Deity, under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, will greatly help the householders to purify their very existence and make rapid progress in spiritual knowledge.

In due course of time, after the responsibilities of grahastamsrama are done, I will hopefully be purified of my material desires and can become a nice tool for Krishna, so that He can use me full time for His service in vanaprastashrama. Again Kardama muni’s example is a very practical one, where one waits for the time when he can fully dedicate himself towards the service of Guru and Krishna.

HpS - Why wait?   If He wants Krsna can have us run over by a cement truck at any moment and take us directly back to serving in Goloka. If He wants us here then there must be intense service here. G. ashram can be just as much engagement as Sannyasa. Style is different and the formalities are different, but essence is the same, Krsna-bhajan.

Only by your grace can I cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krishna.

Your servant

Srinatha Krsna dasa

HpS - Thank you for this nice essay.  We are all inspired!    Now, write another one about onw year from now!  Make it into a book.  Keep notes. Involve other in writing.

Hare Krsna gurumaharaja. Por favor acepte mis reverencias a sus pies y sean todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada. Espero que usted esté muy bien.

HpS ! TlgaSP!

Primero quiero pedirle disculpas por no comunicarme con usted durante mucho tiempo.

HpS - Si... Es gran pena..

Y que ahora lo haga por una inquietud que tengo con respecto a la discusión que hay en el yatra de Argentina con respecto a la legalización del aborto. Lamentablemente hay muchos devotos a favor de esto. Lo que me inquietó es un post del faceboock que puso Syama Kunda das discípulo suyo se lo copio tal cual:

"... es obvio cual sería la posición del Acarya ....pero si la mujer decide hacérselo de todas maneras? No creo que SP diría - bueno ahora pudrete en el infierno y espero que salga mal y te mueras... creo q la compasión sería lo más lógico y diría - hazlo en un lugar seguro y después ven y canta hare krsna con nosotros..." 

Yo me he quedado sin palabras y sin saber que hacer. Por favor tal vez usted pueda ayudarnos. Muchas gracias.

Su bienqueriente y discípula, madre Campakalata dd.

HpS - No puede entender la  español de SK muy bien. Pero en SB 1.9. Instrucciones de Bhisma a Yuddhisthira Srila Prabhupada dice que tenemos que seguir Parasara Dharma Sastra y el dice aborto voluntario por una mujer  es igual matar a una vaca.  Puede ser como una mujer llevar un bebe a un sitio secreto y matar lo.

 Claro hay detalles. Era loca? La bebe en la vientre purificada? Era violada? Visitado a un bar y violada o mientras su esposo proteja.

Ofensa 7 es realizar actividades pecaminosos y espera protegida por Krsna.

Hare Krsna Maharaj.

Ram Navmi lecture going on Sri Sri Radha Parth Sarthi temple.

there are four lines by Srila Prabhupada

a. Books are the basis b. Purity Is the force c. Utility is the principle d. Preaching is the essence.

can you elaborate on the last two statements. Esp the words principle and essence.

what could be deviations for the last two lines .. What can replace utility as principle and pricing as essence.

horse trying to be human

harsh

HpS - ASA ---  In the NOI we remember Srila Prabhupada saying that Devotional service is not a matter of imaginative ecstacy nor sentimental speculation, rather it is preactical activity in the forefront.  So, we see whether our service please Krsna. He is a humble person. He is pleased in a very natural simple way. So we see if we are pleasing Him by having a Sunday Love Feast when we come to the West in 1960s.

Preaching, Teaching, Sankirtan is the essence.  This is of course true for Kali-yuga. In your life if you try to give people Krsna then you feel essential satisfaction. Of course, they may not be able to take more than pantheistic ideras eg. He is the taste in water, but the more we know the Bhagavata, the more we can preach, teach, them!    Congregational singing of the glories of the Lord is the essence of all sprititual bliss (CC).

More!