Letters to the editor

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(Sannyasa) Suburban Bobba

by Guy Gismo PhD, Anjana Suta Academy  (www.jayarama.us)

Urban Monk: Exploring Karma, Consciousness, and the Divine by Gadadhara Pandit Dasa; Amazon.com

We are concerned with serving Krsna:

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema 'sādhya' kabhu naya
   śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya  (CC 2.22.107).

It is our normal life. For that, we need to become immortal. If we are going to die and then become sheep, turkeys, pig-keepers, then how will we be Krsna conscious. Srila Prabhupada may not be able to hang on to us unless we get free from so many strong material attachments like … breathing air. He may lose contact with us and we may plunge again into the 8,400,000 species of life for all eternity or for an aeon.

This is sannyasa:

Nyasa - renouncing.
San-nyasa - completely renouncing.

It is like Vanaprastha Ashrama and then Sannyasa Ashrama. You give up gross sex with a woman and then you give up even joking with women.

Of course, our ISKCON Sannyasis are trying to do this. Yes, they take Sannyasa for the fame, easy life, peace, but they also do it also for the right purpose, to get free from Samsara for their benefit, for benefit of society and for … the benefit of Krsna (Yasoda-nandana).

How can we do that in the modern world??

The Lives and Challenges of Vaishnava Sannyasis in Modernity by Yadunandana Swami https://blservices.com/product/sannyasis-in-modernity/

Gadhadhara Das, in the book cited above, talks about being an Urban Monk, but Srila Prabhupada’s mission is to deliver the Western world and most of that also requires going into the Suburbs where our congregational base lives, Suburban Monk.

How do we host an ISKCON Sannyasi in the Suburbs? Help him do his work of seeking liberation, exalted devotional service and leading us to the same platform?

Discussing the cause of his fall-down H. H. Satsvarupa Das Goswami comments that he broke the first rule of Sannyasa, being alone with a woman.

“There are so many rules and regulations to be followed in the renounced order of life. Most important of all, a sannyāsī is strictly forbidden to have any intimate relationship with a woman. He is even forbidden to talk with a woman in a secluded place. Lord Caitanya was an ideal sannyāsī, and when He was at Purī His feminine devotees could not even come near to offer their respects. They were advised to bow down from a distant place.

This is not a sign of hatred for women as a class, but it is a stricture imposed on the sannyāsī not to have close connections with women.

One has to follow the rules and regulations of a particular status of life in order to purify his existence.” BG 16.1-3 (p).

Ladies should not talk to Sannyasis unless their husband, father, grown-up sons or brothers are present.

SM: Ooof! That is not practical!

It is with some effort and the result is wonderful for all.

SM: Did Prabhupada follow that with Sally Agrawaal in Butler, Pennsylvania? He came from the YMCA where he was staying and cooked lunch before Mr. Agrawaal came home. Didn’t he talk with her alone, in a “secluded place”.

UG: Yes, there are reports of some instances like this, but we find so many times Srila Prabhupada was very strict about not being alone even for regular discussion with respectable ladies. Maybe he was in the same open room while they put flower vases in place. Maybe he answered questions simply but did not initiate or extend conversation.

These are our, Prof. G. Gismo, Anjana Suta Academy, realizations, standards, an line authorized.

SM: What if I have to talk with a visiting Sannyasi about something. Can I call him?

Make a conference call with your son. Text him with a copy to your husband.

If a Sannyasi is staying in your house and you the Dude has to go to work and leave him alone in the house with the ladies, then you offer to drop him off at the library. Understand that as a host you must have a male devotee, gentleman come and keep him company if you will be out of the house.

How can we help him in his Sannyasa?  By taking advantage of his association.

Why do universities exist? So teachers can learn.

Plan on taking Sannyasa. Understand that your comfortable Suburban environment is temporary. It is a step on the way to Vanaprastha and that is a step on the way to Sannyasa.

We may think, “Oh, I am a devotee, why do I need to undergo these formalities, Sannyasa, civil widow?” The answer is that they are formalities but not without meaning. We may have deep personal commitment between a man and a woman but still they should get formally, religiously, married.

This is a good basis, no?

Question: What does your, Uncle Gismo, PhD mean.

UG: Doctor of Phalocracia. Study it with us and we will award you the same title.

SP: You are half mad, no?

UG: Yes, but… Lord Caitanya said that one can understand Srimad Bhagavatam only when he becomes a madman like him. Of course, there are many madmen, but we want to become madmen like Lord Caitanya.

Controlling the tongue, belly and genitals.
A Sannyasi who is traveling has to eat, engage his tongue and belly, in many different places. Srila Prabhupada was a “miser” but he took the expense of traveling with a personal (even female (with male secretary)) cook, no? Once we had lunch at five different ISKCON restaurants in Mexico City before we came to Houston. We were completely sick! All of the food was Sattvic but it was all different, different consciousness. Ask your guest what he wants to offer to his Deities. Don’t offer what you think he would like, which often may be opulent, or special food that you think you would like.

Often people will cook special preparations for a Sannyasi or any special guest rather than the simple food they take daily. You don’t cook these special preps every day so many times they aren’t cooked that well and if he is eating special, opulent food daily the Sannyasi will get sick and die very soon and become a street dog.

What does he want? Does he want to cook? Let him. Invite him.

Ask him what he wants. So many times we see that people ask XYZ what this Sannyasi eats and get the wrong information. Ask him.

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna.

All of us going with Srila Prabhupada to see Krsna.

Want more news, express your views? Visit us and our Blog at www.JayaRama.US.

Hare Krsna, Prabhus,

Paoho.  AGTSP. Prof. Guy Gismo, here (Uncle Gismo).

For all of you Bachelors reading, you can always offer Macaroni and Velveta cheese to your Lord Nrsmha deity.

Also, if you are eating while you are typing (well, low class, but it does happen) and you get honey on your computer keys and they stick. Then, usually you can pry them up from the side and they will pop off and then you can clean the key and then push the key back in place. We say usually but maybe it will wreck your computer.

That's Science, always and element of risk.

Personal Sadhana and Mandir report of THOUBAL

Submitted by mukta singh on Fri, 11/10/2017 - 05:57

All Glories to A.C. Prabhupada, Sripada Maharajam,

All Glories to Gouranga Mahaprabhu and Goura Bhakta Vrnda Ki Jay!

Guru Maharaja, Dandavat Pranam!

Please accept my humble obeisances unto Guruji Maharaja's padmacharan that after Guruji's reply I have more courage for reading more and more books. The meaning of Guruji's sankirtan is reading and chanting more.

Haridasa Swami informed me that the Navadwip parikrama will start from the 18th Feb. 2018 by registration so we are planning to reach Mayapur on the 17th Feb. 2018 by evening. If Guruji’s India programme is fixed it will be a golden change for us to see and served Guruji during Navadwip parikrama. We are trying to join in the English speaking team (group).

In the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu 1:2:295 - Following after the inhabitants of Vraja, one should perform service in one's physical body and in one's siddha body, with a desire for a particular bhava.

Sadhaka-rupa refers to the physical body of the practitioner. Siddhaka-rupa refers to the body which is suitable for one's desired service, and which has been developed by internal meditation.

The siddha-rupa is given by a guru on the path of raga-bhakti when he sees the qualification for raganuga-bhakti and a particular inclination in a partiular disciple. However, forms of manjaris, assistants to the Sakhis of Radha, seem to be the most prminent forms given.

From my little knowledge I think that Sakhis are the helpers of the outer parts and manjaris are the helpers of the inner part and Sadhaka is upto Nabadwip and Siddhaka is for Brndavan. Correct me if mistaken.

HpS - Hare Krsna!!  The citations above are from where?  It is a translation of Bhakti-rasa-amrta-sindhu? The translations we have are Srila Prabhupada's Nectar of Devotion, which Dhanurdhara Swami expands greatly in Waves of Devotion and also Prof. David Haberman's translation and Introduction and Bhanu Swami's translation and commentary.

As we understand "Sadhana-rupa" means the form we do Sadhana-bhakti with. This can be done with bother the Gross and Subtle body. This involves following the rules and regulations of Bhakti presented by the Acharya eg. 16-rounds on beads and three Gayatri chanting in the mind.

Siddha-rupa refers to the eternal form of the living entity when it is again awake, "upadesamrta: "nitya siddha krsna prema..."". Now it is sleeping, compressed by subtle and gross material body, but its spiritual nature is what gives life to the material body. Like we are sleeping but we are alive and that animates our gross breathing.

Sakhis are Gopis over 12-years old, past puberty. Manjaris are Gopis pre-puberty. Of course this is TOTALLY spiritual. They are all in Krsna lila in Vraja. Nabadvipa lila in Lord Caitanya and the Goswamis in external lila and as we understand there is a corresponding part in Braja where Krsna with the help of Lalita and Visakha tries to understand Srimati Radharani's ecstacy by talking about it and immitating it.

O.K?

Raganuga Bhakti is not something that is imposed. This is a mistake that it generated from the deivant Siddha-pranali sect that has been centered in Radha-kunda. Again, "nitya siddha krsna prema.." NOI. We have a spiritual situaion we are Manjaris, Monkeys, Milk, Millers, Vaikuntha-vasis, Ayodhya-vasis and we are just trying by Sadhana bhakti and then Raganuaga bhakti to wake up our spiritual form, ourselves. The spiritual master guides you in acting according to your Siddha-rupa when you, it, is a little awake by guiding you in activities that will especially wake up your eternal service relation with Krsna.

Eg. you can play the piano music from the paper, but it is very mechanica, but when your teacher says, 'I'll play it on the violin, you play on the piano". Then, in his associaton you can play with Raga, feeling, and of course, that stimulates your eternal Raga.

O.K?

Yours fallen servant

Yamunesvara Das

From: Bhaktarupa (das) ACBSP (Puri - IN) <>
To: Srivasa Pandit Das <> 
Cc: HpS (HHR) <>; Vaisesika Prabhu <>
Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2017 2:19 AM
Subject: Re: Bhakti Vaibhava certificates
As per the standards there are four areas of assessment, not just one question paper per semester. Since the kind of procedure that you used was never anticipated by the Board members, they will need to be convinced that it was satisfactory. Please prepare a full presentation of what procedures were followed in this regard for all the assessment areas, addressed to the Board.

Your servant, Bhaktarupa Das

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HpS - Hare Krsna. Prabhu, BOEX

AGTSP Paoho

You asked "Who prepared the exams" and it seems Srivasa pt. Das answered that question. The exams were done Semester by Semester, which I think is pretty common. This included a total of 200 short answer questions over eight Semesters as required and then the one-hundred pages of essays as required. The essays were written more or less as we did each chapter and then collected and edited into one document which is with Srivasa pt. Das.

The Semester Exams also included the testing on the relevant Slokas cited in each Chapter and also those cited within Purports eg. "parasya shaktir vividaiva sruyate svabhavika jnana bala kriya ca".

1. Short Answer

2. Slokas

3. Essays

Personal Presentations: Then, our structure, for four years, was roughly doing one chapter a week. Everyone would use the Chapter Study Guides we had developed and then meet with their Study Partner each week on line - usually 1.5 hours. Then there was a general meeting on-line every Saturday. One member was the Presenter and another the Chief Guest. These presentations were about 50-minutes with Power Point shows and the Chief Guest would come in if there was some confusion during the presentation and everyone would make their individual questions and comments after that. Again that was about 1.5 hours. The next week the Chief Guest was the Presenter.

There were one week for Module Reviews and one week for Semester Reviews.

In rotation each Semester one pair of partners were Curriculum Development Team and they also would set the test questions from the Semester Review Questions, like the Question Study Bank for the Mayapura Institute. The class was about nine devotees: Two PhD, four Bachelor, our selves, Vaisesika Das etc.

There are two more groups now in progress in San Jose.

The Semester Review Questions (Source of Exams) was reviewed by everybody and edited, and many or most cases Radhika-rama Das saw the question sheets and said that they were very nice.

The very last Semester the Temple President in Boise was Anantarupa Das and he had some strong criticisms of the entire world wide program  and local application that have been very useful.

So, and the students presented about every two months over 48-months.

Anything else?

In general, as Member of the Executive Committee of the Ministry etc we see, as Yadunandana Swami said, higher education in ISKCON is in diapers. 

We've watched the program in Mayapura, Govardhana Eco-village, San Jose, Houston, Washington D. C., Vrndavana, Melbourne, Brazil etc and the Board of Examiners and there is a LOT of work we all have to do to bring this up to a good standard, but the diplomas that Harvard gives now cannot be compared to the diplomas they gave in 1636!

My opinion and I hear from others in those programs that all the Sastri Studies Institutions have serious defects and we need to have more communication and cooperation, accept that people will have half a brain in their heads and understand that this is a start up program and we are rewarding students as much for their pioneering spirit as well as for their memorizing facts and concepts.

I think Srivasa pt. Das also explained how Vaiseka Das is already finishing his last Master's Class. These are great and we can include them as part of the curriculum in the future for all BhVai programs if the want.

As far as I can see San Jose followed the proposed system which was approved by the BOEX and it is the basically the same system that is being used by most everyone with adjustment for residential and on-line facilities etc. I don't see how it is something that was never done before????

Also, the students in San Jose in the current groups have physical meetings on a weekly basis now and we have been having a week of physical meetings with all the students in Boise each year.

Hare Krsna!

Hare Krsna,

Anuttama Das Prabhu,
AGTSP!   Paoho.  How is your Grace?  Atreya Rsi Das told us that of all his GBC Godbrothers Hansadutta Swami was the most intelligent, but it wasn't is intelligence he worried about, it was his morality.
Hansadutta told us that we were "a man ahead of our time", but considering that I think the next suggestion is in time.
You should run for President of the United Sates of America with your wife as First Lady and Tulasi-garbha from Hawaii as you running mate, Vice-Presidential candidate.
Please tell your esteemed wife about this (Macbeth).
Both funny and all to serious.
All ISKCON Members would vote for you and support you. All our friends would vote for you. Dharmic and even sane people, the more we get our ideas out, would vote for you and maybe we would not win this time, but maybe we could get in as Secretary of Education, Human Resouces...
O.K. Balls in you Court, Mr. President Elect.

Hare Krsna

agtsp All glories to you guru dev

we are here in cordoba with Vrsabhanu nandini and Hari vamsi dhari building our house, asrama, traying to be focus in krsna service under your guidence.  

As you ask this morning in the fmp we are here to start the Nios youtube conversation.

we are willing to serve, how we can be useful?

yours servents Vrsabhanu nandini d.d, Ambarisa das

HpS - Very nice. Can you start a channel and post the videos and maintain them?  I will send a copy of your letter to Bh. Joshua in Houston. He is helping us with all of this.