Letters to the editor

Guru-Lila (Part 6)

20th March 2016
On the way to Pune, three persons in the car, Guruji and Harsh Prabhu (behind the wheel) and myself-the famous (or infamous) Buffalo Headed Punjabi, Jai.
Harsh Prabhu is fired-up and is driving with high speed, Guruji is sitting next to him, and I am on the back seat. We passed through Khandala, a famous hill station near Mumbai, very beautiful views.  Going, going and at some point, we made a few phone calls to some devotees to know the exact location of Pune temple, but still some confusion was there, but by Krishna's mercy, as we were entering Pune city, we saw a Bramhachari waiting on the roadside to get a lift to the temple, he was happy that he got a free lift with us to the Temple and we were happy that he saved us from the harassment of making more phone calls to find out the proper address for the temple.

In the backside of the temple, there is a multi-storied building, and many many devotees are living in that building. now, I can't remember that we were on which floor.  So we entered the temple from the backside and the devotees took Guruji directly to his room, leaving me behind and it was very humbling experience, no one came there to pick me up for more that 15-20 mins and finally, somehow, I found the way.

It was Ajita Nitai Prabhu's house- a disciple of His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj, house is very well built, beautiful and fancy.

There I also met with another god-brother for the first time  --  Shriman Girivardhari-Gopal Prabhu, a nice and sober devotee and so many other devotees-mostly disciples of Radhanath Maharaj, they are all well-educated and well-behaved towards our guruji, and very humble as well, I have to learn from them.

Guruji took bath, shaving etc. He does not shave every day or every 2^nd day or 3^rd day, he says that let people know that I am getting old, he may shave once in a month or earlier if there is some important preaching program, but here in this video, you will see that he looks bright, he shaved yes, but lustre from the purity also, whatever is there inside, it appears outside.

I was very happy with the prasadam the host devotee family offered to guruji, it was opulent, but moreover, it was made with love and affection and served to guruji with the same mood, and needless to say that the dog of guruji got a plenty of remnants. Now here is my bold declaration: - I am ready to remain a dog life after life if guruji keeps giving me his remnants.

After sometime, we moved toward big pandal program, more than 15 thousands youths, program is by ISKCON Pune and Bhartiya Sanskriti Vidyapeeth, many big and prominent people are there.  From ISKCON side, there were His Holiness Gopal Krishna Maharaj, His Holiness Loknath Maharaj, His Holiness Bhakti-Marg Swami and our dear guruji His Holiness Hanumat Preshak Swami Maharaj, you would see all of them in the video, also was there Vraj-Vadhus band (Param Das and Gaura mataji) and you would also see three maharathi disciples of Radhanath Maharaj----Radhe Shyam Prabhu-who is Pune TP and Gauranga Prabhu-he appears on Indian TV many times and Gaur-Gopal Prabhu-the famous You Tuber. They also asked guruji to lighten-up the lamp.  You would also see that guruji is putting ear-plugs because of heavy blasting sound from the speakers, but I doubt if the ear-plugs offered him any help, but the funny thing is that Indian people had no problem from the sound, including our Swamis, it appears that we Indian bodied people don’t mind the sound, since we grow-up with it, but Westerns have really hard time with it.

I also remember many years ago during Ludhiana Rathyatra, guruji was trying to go away from that part of the procession where there was 50 Shahnayi Wala(the guys playing trombones) and big Indian drums. Anyway, altogether, the program was nice, we came back, host asked for more prasadam, but guruji politely refused and retired to his room, we were asked for Prasad, superficially, I said no but the host-Ajita Nitai Prabhu insisted and we happily surrendered, so four of us---Ajita, Girivardhari Gopal, Harsh and the Pretender took prasadam.

More in next episode, thanks.

yours servant,

Raktak Das

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV-BQRpiz54

HpS - Hare Krsna!   Jaya!   So, sorry that you got left at the door when we arrived in Pune!   Please forgive us!!!  Next time bark loudly!
We shave every two weeks, the day after Ekadasi. Once Prbhupada mentioned it as an acceptable standard. Especially we do it because ourselves and our good father were surgically certified as mildly hemophelic. Our blood does not clot as fast as normal people. When you shave, even with best razors, there is always a little cutting and scratching of the skin. For normal people this heals quickly, but for us it is a little slower, so if we shave daily we start to get a rash then infections and we become prime candidates for skin cancer, so, all things considered, once every two weeks.
Thank you for these Diarys. They are very interesting to us!

INGLES ABAJO

Hare Krishna!
AGTSP
Paoho y BW
Caturatma Das o cualquiera que pueda contraer. ¿Cómo estás? Como hemos discutido con tu buena persona, Jayapataka Swami, Jaga-jivana Das, Mathuresha Das, Atmananda Das, Divya-Priya Devi Dasi y otros, creemos que podemos ayudar un poco con la administración en el Perú Yatra. Esto se basa en nuestra experiencia pasada en ISKCON y administración secular y la respuesta de los devotos antes mencionados y otros.
Por supuesto, como luchando Sannyasis queremos mantener todas nuestras ideas público y contribuir desde una perspectiva apropiada.
Tenemos muy actitud hacia todos los miembros de la Junta Nacional y Legal y alguna declaración que hemos hecho declaraciones públicas que Ganga Devi Dasi-no calificaron ser un administrador no es cierto.
Hay tantos detalles, y nuestra primera comprensión de la administración es que nadie puede hacer frente a todos ellos. Es un trabajo pragmático. Los Brahmanas se supone que son dealling con la verdad absoluta.
Como hemos mencionado a usted, creemos que la organización de los trabajos de la Junta Nacional es muy importante paso para hacer Perú el país líder en el mundo. Aún más específicamente que el mantenimiento de un libro de las Actas del Consejo es esencial.
¿Quién es el Secretario estimada ahora?
¿Han sido capaces de mantener un registro de las actividades del Consejo que se comunica correctamente a la Yatra en general?
Se suponía que las actas previas a ser sometidos a un recogimiento y compiliation?
Ha ocurrido eso?
Por supuesto, nos damos cuenta de que nuestras ideas son tan limitados como los demás, sino también sentir que son tan valiosos como los demás y tenemos algunos poco que ofrecer en la esperanza de que ISKCON Perú puede tomar el papel muy, muy esencial que debe desempeñar en esta gran batalla de Kurksetra del Señor Caitanya.
Hanumatpresaka Swami

=================================

Hare Krsna!
AGTSP
Paoho & BW
Caturatma Das or anyone who can contract him. How are you? As we discussed with your good self, Jayapataka Swami, Jaga-jivana Das, Mathuresha Das, Atmananda Das, Divya-priya Devi Dasi et al, we think we can help a little with the administration in the Peru Yatra. This is based upon our past experience in ISKCON and secular administration and response of the above mentioned devotees and others.
Of course, as struggling Sannyasis we want to keep all of our ideas public and contribute from a  proper prospective.
We have very friendly attitude toward all the Members of the Legal and National Junta and some statement that we made public statements that Ganga-devi Dasi was not qualified to be an administrator is not true.
There are so many details, and our first understanding of administration is that no one can deal with them all. It is a pragmatic job. The Brahmanas are supposed to be dealling with the absolute truth.
As we mentioned to you, we feel that organizing the work of the National Junta is very important step to making Peru the leading country in the world. Even more specifically that keeping a book of the Minutes of the Council is essential.
Who is the esteemed Secretary now?
Have they been able to keep a record of the activities of the Council that is properly communicated to the Yatra at large?
The previous Minutes were supposed to be undergoing a recollection and compiliation?
Has that happened?
Of course we realize that our ideas are as limited as others, but we also feel that they are as valuable as others and we have some little bit to offer in the hope that ISKCON Peru can take the very, very essential role that it must play in this great Battle of Kurksetra of Lord Caitanya.
Hanumatpresaka Swami

Querido Gurumaharaja: 

Por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias!

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada!

Gurumaharaja, nosotros no merecemos,  pero si necesitamos muchísimo Su asociación vapuh. 

Entendemos que hubo una gran diferencia de $$$ en los precios de ticket para el viaje a India y surgieron cambios de fecha para México. 

Seremos muy afortunados si aún existe la posibilidad de tomar su asociación vapuh en las fechas de Navidad de este año. 

Prabhu Radhika Raman también vendría con Usted a México ? 

Esto sería increíble, porque de esa manera podriamos hacer el reporte oficial de " Psicología y lo Sagrado" junto con madre Lalita Gopi y podemos hacer algo de tours por Tulansingo también.

Marathon termina 31 de Diciembre y la mayoría de sankirtaneros regresan la primera semana de Enero para hacer la fiesta de Sankirtana. 

Muchas gracias Gurumaharaja, porsupuesto,  primeramente deseamos no sobrecargar Su agenda de viajes dando prioridad a Su importante prédica. 

Por favor disculpe que recién escribo, gracias a Srila Prabhupada estamos bien. Si estuvimos un poco  ocupados con algunos servicios regulares de pujari, (puja y snana) 

En los festivales también nos permiten poner el vestido de flores a Sri Sri Radha y Krsna chota, tratamos de esforzarnos, entiendo que las Deidades son las principales predicadores. 

 Producciones Artísticas Natabara ( Lavanga dd, Karuna sakti dd y Asta Sakhi dd) presentó la obra " El malvado  Kamsa" en Janmahstami, enfocando básicamente el lado de la irreligiosidad y los motivos principales por lo que el Mismo Señor Supremo desciende a ejecutar Sus lilas. Parece que fue buena prédica. 

Adjunto algunas fotos. 

Por favor disculpe nuestras ofensas. 

Su eterna aspirante a sirviente 

Asta Sakhi dd

HpS - ASA --- Jaya!   Nuestra vuelo a India (como llegar para el simposio en Tirupati 2 Enero) es 30 Deciembre a las 4PM de Houston.
Entonces, vamos a ir a Mexico como 25 Deciembre, Navidad?  Va a ser un disturbio para la marathon?  Hay muchos modos distribuir libros.   Posible podemos relacionar esta visita mas de esta manera.  Otro opcion es pasar por Mexico cuando regresamos de India como 15 febero.

Gracias noticias de sus Dramas, todo!   Super.  !SANKIRTAN!

Esperamos su respuesta y commentarios de otros.

Letter to Prahlad-ananda Swami

Hare Krsna, Maharaja,

AGTSP paoho.

We hope this meets you in the best of Sankirtan spirits!    We have a ticket for India from 1st Jan to 15th Feb.

First is Vaisnava-Christian Dialog and then a Symposium on the Bhagavata that Radhika-ramana Das and Krsna-ksetra are organizing.

The conclusion is the GBC, Guru, Sannyasi Sanga in Mayapura.  I hope to sit with Braja-bihari Das in November and discuss the program, but I also wanted to discuss it with you.

I asked him if you were on the Organizing Committee but he said no, but you attended.  Why is that?   Hmmmm?       It seems as Minister of Sannyasa Services you should be intimately involved with the project.

We have some very poignant thoughts on this topic: GBC Sannyasa relations, that we really feel are essential at this point in ISKCON's development.

What about you?

What about Bhakti Purna Vidya Swami's ideas?

Maybe we could even write small paper and present some ideas at the Sanga.

Bhakti rasa amrta Swami made the point that in Buddhism there is the Sanga and the Sangha. The Sanga is the association of devotees and the Sangha is the organizational institution and the relation between these is clarified.

Thank you

HpS

We would like to circulate all these ideas amongst our little Sankirtan team.

Hare Krsna!  "Monkey", Bhakta Tom, asked us to post the following for comments:

VAISNAVI
We have been little confused by what seems to be the introduction of the term “Vaisnavi” into our ISKCON culture. We never heard it much and then it was becoming very prominent and a political slogan.

The position of women, the position of Sannyasis, the position of chocolate, in ISKCON are all topics that are important for creating the proper ambience for Bhagavata Dharma, sravanam, kirtanam et al and we are certainly willing to discuss our opinions on the topics as it is profitable.

Our primary discomfort with the term Vaisnavi has been that it seems to put a bodily conception on the Vaisnava. It seems to be degrading the Vaisnava from pure spirit soul using a material designation, to one actually determined by that designation. It is offensive to see the Spiritual Master, the Deity in the Temple or a Devotee from a materialistic point of view, no?

We have been sitting on these inquietudes with our tail tucked away for a long time trying to understand them, and have seen very exalted Matajis have the same comprehension that they also feel that the term puts a material conception on their right to be Vaisnavas, as if we would say Atma and Atmi.

Well, by golly, we looked up the term on Vedabase.com and it is cited variously in Prabhupada’s books, but the majority of cases it comes back as a name for goddess Durga.

There seem to be only three other cases where Prabhupada uses it: For the prostitute who tried to seduce Hari Dasa Thakura and then became a Vaisnavi, for Diti who tried to murder her sister’s babies and them became a Vaisnavi and Prabhupada’s own sister.

These are all elevated souls. We should be so lucky to achieve their positions, but is there some material conception still lingering in their realization? Maybe yes, maybe no.

Prabhupada appears to have unlimited affection for his very, very esteemed sister, but the general ambience is there that other family members still retained some flavor of material conception in their worship of Visnu, and therefore do we think of them as mildly materially tinged Vaisnavas and Vaisnavis such as Maitreya Muni before he met Krsna with Uddhava et al.

Well, we asked HpSwami to post this so that people could give us there opinions. There are like 9-more things that we could say about this but then we would not be able to get to Sannyasa and Chocolate, so we will stop here.

Jack London: Before you can write even 100-words worth publishing, you have to write 100,000 words of trash, so start writing trash.

Monkey/Piggy - I think we are up to about 45,000 now so guess we have to put our nose to the grind stone and push on.   Go and do thou like wise:

The Devil's Lawyer: Well, why do you want to write anyway?     Why don't you just to some serious work?

M/P: Because we only have so much material, linear, serious, strength. It seems that we have a lot more spontaneous strength, non-linear, as Hari-lila Das describes it, Free Association.

WE WANT TO write for Radharani who has been kidnapped by Raw Vana and hankers to be with Ram.

He inspires Her to service all the live day long.

Writing books, building dams in the Yamuna so that there are ponds of water where the cows and calves can have a drink and the boys and us can swim and dink.

Life is simple in Vrndavana Dham. People forget the outside world of Bing!  and  Bam!   Kamsa killed his donkey who was a rat who killed a crow, who was a snake who ate a mouse, and where this all started is something we don't know.
News from 'thura, News from Spain, News from Russia, News fills our brain.
In Vraja people forget what's News,
And people outside want no News of Vraja because it's not filled with golden hues. Just fruits and flowers, cows and figs, and in the evening puppets and music with local kids.

Oink!   Oink!!!