Letters to the editor

On Tuesday, May 8, 2018, 10:31:03 PM CDT, Atul Krsna Dasa wrote:

Maharaja….this is what i had sent….

Respected Maharaja….Sahasra dandavat pranama apnar padapadme….

Up to this point, the BOEX (ISKCON Board Of Examiners ..for sastric study,..) has developed standards for the sastric degrees starting at one end (bhakti sastri) and working up….Problem with this approach is that we don’t really know where we will end up…

What about if we looked at all the 4 degrees simultaneously, from a broad perspective, based upon the statements Prabhupada made, then filled in details accordingly…?

Considering this…from a broad perspective, based upon the statements Prabhupada made…what would you consider to be symptoms of the respective degree holders in terms of their:

acar …(behaviour)

vicar ..(knowledge)

pracar…(missionary commitment)?

Bhaktisastri?

Bhaktivaibhava?

Bhaktivedanta?

Bhaktisarvabhauma?

Looking forward to reading your thoughts on this at your soonest convenience…

Thank you very much...Your servant, Atul Krsna Das,   BOEX Chairman

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Hare Krsna. A Latin American GBC, Executive Committee Meeting Started at 8AM. Now it is closing at 10.15AM. Ooof. Our eyes are better but still some struggle.

1. I have a lot of ideas about the diplomas, Sastric Education. I would like very much to talk with you about it.

2. Basically, as we see it now, there are so many ways to associate with Srila Prabhupada through his books, but he specifically suggested these formal studies. It was not just a passing mention as some people say but he persisted in this for much time.

3. Is there a collection of the room conversations and letters on his formation of these formal studies? Even a history of the application etc would be good, but is a big project.

4. We feel that ISKCON management does not appreciate education in our institution sufficiently. One response to this is that educators in this perspective have to enlighten them.

5. That these diplomas mentioned by Srila Prabhupada were to correspond to Secondary School (Bh. Sastri), Bachelor (Bh. Vai). PhD (Bh. Vedanta) and Professor (Bh. Sarvabhauma).

6. We think it is very important that Prabhupada mentioned that each diploma should include the previous books. Then Bh.Sastri, BG, would be a Secondary School reading. In Bh. Vaibhava the student would teach it to Bh. Sastri students and read Bhurijana Das's commentary for example.

Prabhupada expected the Sannyasis, Bh. Vai, to know the Mangala archana Prayers and I would also say that we should be testing on knowledge of the basic songs and prayers of the full morning and evening program.

Thus we could say that at first initiation one should be able to follow the full morning program. At Second Initiation (Bh. Sastri) one should be able to lead the full morning program and at third initiation, Sannyasa (Bh. Vai) one should know the word by word meaning of the full morning program.

Then the same development should be there for knowing BG verses for example.

8. The verses are a specific topic that I would like to discuss. For example, one could become Bh. Sarva Bhauma and never know, "nityo nityanams, cetanas cetananam... Katha 22.13) because it is not in the verses of the texts we are studying. So we would prescribe important verses from the Purports as well as verses in the Texts themselves. We would also require review testing on the verses. Not memorize for the test and forget. We would also require strict testing only on singles Padas of verses if that is all Prabhupada uses. Of course, one does not have pass 100% on any of these things. Different tastes for different people.

These are some of our miserable ideas.

We have invested a tremendous amount of blood in developing systematic Sastric education and would like very, very much to discuss it with you.

Can you be available on-line June 21-24th for our American Regional Education Symposium? Physically it will be in Alachua, Florida and your participation will be super useful.

We see that systematic Sastric study should inspire spontaneous study, be fun, and be based upon developing skills of how to associate with others in this endeavor.

At your service, Mate,

HpS - ASA.

Dear Maharaja
pamho agtsp
Thank you very much for the invitation to Lima for Art and the Sacred. We are truly honoured. After much consideration with my good wife Dhanesvari we are thrilled to inform you that we accept your invitation. We have purchased our tickets already. My wife, our two daughters and I will all be in Lima from approximately 9th - 29th October 2018. We are very much looking forward to meeting with you again and assisting with this grand event in anyway possible.

HpS - 'are Krsna, Mate!!!     AgtSP.    We just got back to Murfreesboro, our Base Camp, and things do seem to be sorting out. Had to pay the gardener, pay the smog tester, pay the auto registration, chase out the rat, pay the auto insurer, deposit the NIOS donations, pay-refuel our Body, Buddy .... Can The Dhanesvari Devi Dasi, Mother of Two, write to the Abhirama thakura Das and get you all into the Event Management Team?    I think you will find that there is a LOT of FUN work to do. You can even bring Primitive art from Australia.

We should have the link up for the S U P E R promo video that Oscar did in just a few moments.

A story.

This morning we drove to Brisbane. Passing us with great speed were two motorcycle riders who had thrown caution to the wind. Swerving in, around and through the array of vehicles moving in unison, it was like we were nothing but a stage for their selfish thrill seeking. The first rider to pass us was the alpha. He slowed to the legal speed in front of us then he sat up, lent to the side in a relaxed position and put his left hand on his thigh as if to say “65mph is my casual speed”. Arriving shortly after was the second rider who’s body language was timid and who appeared to be being pulled along by the influence of the first rider. Initially I was angry. How could they be so disrespectful to put the lives of myself and others in danger? After passing the fixed speed-camera check point they raced off weaving through the four lanes of traffic, putting all the weekend drivers on alert and on edge again. In watching this display I remained angry at them for a few moments until I realised that I do this also. In fact many of us do. If our commitment in life is “me” then everyone else around us, every other personality and object becomes the extras, the stage and the props for the “me  show”. Not only do we then need others for our “me show” we actually think it is our right to have them. The motorcycle riders disappeared from relevance and we proceeded to the Brisbane Jaganatha Ratha Yatra where thousands gathered to pull Jaganatha back to Vrindavan in time for the eternal Radha Krishna show.
Ys
Dhruvananda Das

ASA - Such an incredible story!     I remember some poetic lines coming on just that theme when I was stranded in the San Jose airport in Costa Rica for 5i-hours in transit. One young woman was walking back and forth with that kind of egoistic attitude, very well dressed.

I can I be a Temporary Standup, Standout,  in your Spectacular?
Can I be an Extra in your Movie Show?

But the bizarre thing is that when you acknowledge peoples false egos, they feel really flattered and then they are willing to listen to other comments!

Prabhupada says in like Canto One where M. Yuddhisthira is seeing ill omens, about Chapter 13 or 14, that when the asses run in herds striking the ground with their feet that feel very respectable, "We are the asses!".

I saw two biker guys like that waiting for the light to change in front of our Temple in San Jose, reving their engines, and saluted them and they saluted back, "Another guy you dresses and lives like he wants to live. Hare Krsna, Dude!".

Prabhupada: A demon does not have to be an extremely ugly person or someone with fangs or horns. He can be very handsome. A demon is someone who is concerned with his own sense gratification even at the expense of others.

Great fotos.    The picture of the Boar Hunt is a Super Classic. One thing it makes you think of is the fight between Lord Varaha and Hiranyanksa.  https://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/3/18/10

Thank you.... Sir.

On Saturday, May 5, 2018, 3:02:42 AM CDT, Paul OSullivan, prana das wrote:
Hare Krishna Dear Devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisnaces. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
1.       I am requesting information about the status of sales of SV series including the picture dictionary (Which the Goloka Trust now have as an asset in their portfolio)

2.       The status of the SV 2 publication – printing and distribution plan

3.       Audit figures of available stock in hand – full break down

4.       Plans for completion of SV Bk 3

5.       Overall plan for the future development, marketing and distribution of the materials.

Please note that we have no official position on the IP of the Sanskrit materials – nothing is yet signed.

I would suggest that in light of the responses to the above questions we might review the current status quo. Whatever will be best for the interest of all stakeholders, most importantly, the potential end users.

I have been going to contact the US Goloka Foundation for a long time, but unfortunately, my health had taken a turn for the worse and I had obvious other priorities. When I received the diagnosis I was Vice Principal of the New Govardhan School in Australia, in charge of the secondary college. Now I will perhaps focus on personal projects, tutoring and online development as I can no longer make long term commitments to school expectations.

Although they are keeping my position open I don’t see myself back in that role for a long time to come, if ever again. Therefore, I have a renewed interest to push the Sanskrit agenda and I have some channels to achieve some degree of success. I have had recent communications with the CEO of Avanti schools (before diagnosis)  as well as home schoolers in Australia who are still keen to take the resources. I am confident that other ISKCON Schools will be interested once we have a complete package for them to utilise (and they know it is available).

Let’s have another look at the IP and make a realistic decision on where it will best flourish and serve as many stakeholders as possible. It is no use if the resources simply gather dust in someone’s godown for the next 20 years. However, if the resources are moving and the projections look healthy then no need to change the status quo. That’s a decision that will be best taken by your core members in the Trust, whom I have full respect for and faith in your decision-making capacities. You are all much more experienced in number crunching than I will ever be and therefore I leave it in your capable hands.

Please get back as soon as possible as I have to begin a new chapter in my life. I am currently in Malaysia, 3 weeks into an Ayurvedic treatment for cancer and will be finished here in 2 weeks time. I will fly back to Melbourne and either start Chemo or remain solely on the Ayurvedic medicine depending on the progress of the tumour. Either way I will be anxious to get back into some form of livelihood, depending on Krishna’s master plan of course.

Ys Prana dasa

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ASA - Hare Krsna,

Prana Das et al,

First please accept our humble obeisances and in general we have been talking about you and your good fortune. Lucky rascal!   Got notice of your transfer.  Probably end up being a classmate of Nimai in Nadia. Get milk sweets made by Mother Saci. Damn rascal!  Leaving all of us here in Tennessee.

In general, I and NIOS don't have much going with the Sanskrit initiative directly. We bought about 30 or the full sets a few years ago. We tried about three different schemes to get them moving, even translated the Teachers Guide into Spanish, but nothing systematic is happening. Krsna Culture in Texas continues to sell the few sets we have with them.

The Goloka Foundation is not doing anything yet. We are keeping it running as a place holder only and any work right now is being done through NIOS, which again is some beginning, though serious efforts by RGD and Mother Ambica.

They are using your system to some extent in Goswami School in Houston I think. Harilila Das will respond about that.

Personally I am always trying to develop systematic education based upon NOI. I have wanted for a long time for someone to develop a little Sanskrit education booklet that will be the same pocket size as the NOI.

Hari-venu had a little intro that helped me a lot.

I think there is a BIG difference between Sanskrit learning for old folks (above 7-years old) and kids who grow up with it. At 30-years or any age we can develop a Practical Knowledge, something we can use in our practices of investigation and preaching, but real fluency usually seems to have to start from childhood, no?

Very happy to hear from you and be of any service.

HpS - ASA - NIOS (Goloka Foundation (A Texas non-profit corporation))

NGD - Texts:
Next 'Soul Food Sunday' topic is Truthfulness:The foundation of all Virtues what should we present Maharaj.

ASA - Texted:
HK/HR - Why not print out SB 1.14, Disappearance of Sri Krsna, as a hand out. Explain that SB competes as the essence of all religious life and moral principles from the Bengali spiritual tradition, and that here is a description of the coming of the current age, the dark age.     Read some of the English and Sanskrit. Then just comment that in the following chapter, chapter 17, it is further explained that all the virtues stand on four pillars and mention them. Then explain that they disappear in each age until in the last age only truth is left., which of course, is the valiant goal of the sciences, but even that is diminishing, but there is one good hope, congregational recitation-singing of the glories of God will save all those who take shelter of Them. Make the handout as a link to Vedbase.com and give our contact info!

Hare Krsna Maharaj,
Please accept my obeisances,
Jaya Srila Prabhuapda,

HpS - ASA -- We try to answer a few letters from some of the most sane and most crazy people in our In Box and then when we start to write we remember them and feel VERY, VERY, sad that we have not been able to keep more in contact through Blog mail... but it is also so nice, to be physically in touch with hundreds of devotees on these tours. Hmmm.
Can you kindly give your view on

https://www.stephen-knapp.com/stephen_knapp_cv.htm

Have you ever interacted with him ?

horse
P.S. Sense gratification as indulgence (not neccesity) is symptom of meaninglessness.

HpS - No higher taste and then we have to settle for a lower taste, no?   No playing ball with Krsna and we must play with the Manchester Hooligans!

We looked at Sri Nandanandana Das' website on the link you gave. We have read a few of his books but don't think we have ever met him physically.

He seems to be a very nice devotee with obviously strong literary inclinations. We were glad to read his webpage and hope that we can interact with him more.

We hope to have better Blog connection next month.

If anything Urgent happens, please write!!! We are your servant.

Todas las glorias a Radha y Krishna

Todas las glorias a Goura Nitai

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada

Querido Gurudeva

Por favor reciba mis reverencias

Espero que se encuentre muy bien, acá Bhakta Rodrigo de Santiago de Chile.

HpS - Realmente pensamos en usted mucho y somos feliz cuando oigo de vd.

Entiendo que usted está en Perú para luego viajar a Brasil.

HpS - "Art and the Sacred (Peru)", GBC College (Campina Grande)", Ya en transito en Sao Paolo (30-million people) y manyana Turkish Airlines a BsAs.

Tal vez usted se encuentre en Brasil al momento de leer esta carta.

Lamentamos mucho  no escribir antes a usted.

HpS - Monstro!

En mi última carta (12 de enero 2018) usted al final de su respuesta me pide “Escribanos de sus actividades!”.

http://hps.monkeywarrior.com/node/8941

Entonces yo espero poder resumir mi nueva carta de hoy lo mayor posible:

*Durante casi todo noviembre 2017 estuvo en Santiago de visita Prabhu Visuddha-sattva, él vive en Venezuela. Yo tuve la oportunidad de estar bastante con el devoto, yo pude grabar muchas clases de él.

Él y yo tuvimos muchos momentos juntos, mucha asociación y ahora tenemos una muy buena relación. Mucho contacto por email y whats up.

*Desde el 7 de diciembre 2017 mi madre estuvo en el “Hospital Salvador” muy grave. Durante su primera  noche en el hospital  su cerebro estaba sangrando y era muy seguro que iba a morir.

Sin embargo, Krishna tenía otros planes para ella y mi familia. Mi madre estuvo todo el mes de diciembre en el hospital muy mal de salud. Mi padre, mi hermano, yo y mi familia visitábamos todos los días a mi madre.

Yo cantaba rondas (sigo cantando rondas) y todas las noches cantaba Nrismha kavacha pidiendo por la salud de mi madre. También muchos devotos y devotas orando por la salud de mi madre. También personas católicas y evangélicas. Muchas personas.

HpS - Hmmm.  Posible sus oraciones estan deteniendo ella de ir a mejor sitio. ISKCON de Srila Prabhupada en su proxima vida.

Mi madre fue operada de su cerebro el día 30 de diciembre, tenía un tumor en su cerebro y la operación fue un éxito gracias a Krishna, pero pudo haber muerto porque la operación era muy delicada.

Creo que mi madre volvió a casa el día 8 de enero.

*Todo enero y febrero estuvimos cuidando a mi madre en nuestra casa durante el día y en la noche. Ahora en marzo ella está muy bien, gracias a Krishna está mejor que nunca.

Pienso que Krishna dio una nueva oportunidad a mi madre, pienso que Krishna nos dio una nueva oportunidad a mí y a mi familia.

ASA - Hare Krsna.

Yo desde siempre he tenido una relación muy difícil con mi madre, desde que yo era un niño pequeño porque ella era muy violenta conmigo.

Sin embargo, puedo decir que desde diciembre del año pasado estoy verdaderamente amando a mi madre. Krishna me dio una nueva oportunidad para amar a mi madre, para aprender a amar a mi madre.

Mi madre ahora es una nueva persona: Está más alegre, tiene mejor ánimo, ya no es agresiva. Dejó de fumar (fumaba 600 cigarillos cada mes) y dejó su adicción a la Coca Cola.

*Marzo: Seguimos trabajando en el almacén (neighborhood store) de nuestros padres. Seguimos cuidando a nuestra madre y estamos retomando nuestros proyectos con Dharma Comunicaciones.

Desde el año pasado Dharma Comunicaciones también es una editorial, ya hemos publicado 3 libros.

Ahora a fines de abril espero tener en mis manos mi libro “Visiones, sueños y mantras”, es un libro de poemas místicos surrealistas y está dedicado a usted y a Srila Prabhupada.

Junto a la Embajada de Portugal tenemos dos proyectos para junio: Se celebran los 130 años del nacimiento de Fernando Pessoa, uno de los poetas más importantes de Portugal. Ya estamos trabajando en esto.

Con Dharma Comunicaciones tenemos muchas buenas ideas y proyectos pero NO  sabemos cómo conseguir dinero, necesitamos encontrar alguna persona que tenga cualidades de vaisyas (vaishyas).

Nuestra idea y meta es poder vivir económicamente con nuestro trabajo que hacemos en Dharma Comunicaciones. Ganar nuestro dinero para poder tener nuestra propia familia, ayudar a nuestros padres, poder hacer eventos culturales  y ayudar a la prédica a nuestro maestro espiritual.

Querido Gurudeva, antes de terminar esta carta quiero  preguntar lo más importante:

¿Cuándo usted piensa visitar Chile?

Un año sin usted es mucho sufrimiento.

Pensando mucho en usted, siempre.

Su aspirante a sirviente,

Bhakta Rodrigo  Hernández Piceros

HpS -  Ya viene el typhoon. Thunder in the afternoon sky. Cielo de tarde.  Pienso vamos a Chile en Noviembre. "Arte y lo Sagrado" en Lima, biblioteca nacional 24-26 Octubre con otros eventos antes y despues. Misericordia para los almas caidas. Socorro!

Vamos juntos a Goloka?   Si, es buen idea esforzar obtener dinero de su editorial. Si haz lo, otro medios de dinero va a entrar y salir automaticamente, como razgar su nariz.

Como esta el Presidente, del Templo....  (((y Chile))))

Hace muchos anyos no tuve contacto con Visuddha satva Das. Era uno amigo mio y B. S. Damodara Swami.. . . .