Letters to the editor

Bhakta LeRoy writes:

Very very dear and beloved Gurudeva, I want to tell you that it's okay not to take diksha with you because currently I'm established on chanting 10-12 rounds a day, I must increase to 16,

I'm consuming cbd cannabis in food or oil or vapor (the last time I smoked was on September 17, 2022), it's my understanding that the gbc currently allows initiations for iskcon members who meet the requirements and are medical cannabis users demonstrating the treatment prescribed by the treating doctor;

ASA/UG: https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/featured-topics/CBD.html

...and I also know that your main reason is your retirement and I think perhaps the need to change the mode of preaching and prepare for your departure from this world... I want you to know that I accept your decision but at the same time I cannot lose hope to obtain the mercy of your diskha,

because I will make the efforts to continue progressing and during this first semester to establish myself in the 16 rounds and improve my sadhana... then perhaps when that time comes where I already be established myself at the minimum level and be able to demonstrate that I'm really ready to commit myself totally to you and to the minimum demands, perhaps you will change your mind and you want to give me diksha,

I will insist and also I ask your forgiveness for wanting to insist... and if I don't achieve my goal, then I will wait some time and talk to the swamis that you recommend...

and if I don't achieve my goal, the truth is that I will always consider you my guru maharaja, I will always worship your photo that I have on my altar and that you sent me with devendra das when he came to los angeles, I will always try to follow your instructions and tell the world about srila prabhupada,

HpS - Advancing in KC means seeing more and more, ultimately everyone, trnad api sunicena, as our Guru. Radharani wants to be the servant of everyone in the service of Krsna.

We learn to see many kinds of gurus and how to fit them in the proper proportion in our heart so that they, we, all feel happy and practical.

I will always carry the upadesamrita in my heart and I will try to follow your steps and read and review your tava pache pache,

if you agree I want to get a sample of your voice from one of your classes to use in one of our songs as long as you agree,

HpS - Seems O.K. to us!! We try to speak for public utility!

I also want to use some of your poems and rhymes to integrate into some of our songs as long as you agree and it seems appropriate to you.

I want to be able to have some conversation with you during this year and then publish a book with our conversation as long as you have the time and energy available...

HpS - As KRSNA permits, seems fine to us and the ASA Supreme Absolute Undifferentiated Commando. (SAUC).

I will always be grateful to Krishna and Srila Prabhupada for allow me having met you and having your valuable association and having received instructions and having performed some service for your sankirtan,

these experiences are among the most fundamental in my biography and are my inspiration...

I apologize for being so stupid and so slow in advancing and taking so long to reach the minimum level qualification;

HpS/ASA - This maybe be our seventh lifetime trying to follow Srila Prabhupada!

I always remember, and today it weighs on me, when you asked me here in Los Angeles if I was ready to enter the fire, but I wasn't because I was still smoking cannabis and you told me very lovingly "it's okay, then we have to wait"...

I just hope to reach the minimum level and obtain your mercy, and if I not, then I will accept what corresponds to me... and I only ask God to always allow me to support the srila prabhupada's movement in some way and also to nios and asa...

thank you very much for everything gm, I always carry you in my heart and in my prayers, you are the most remarkable man I have ever met in my life and srila prabhupada is the biggest man of the 20th century and for the next 10,000 years, he is the spiritual master of the world... pamho agtsp hk ❤‍🔥

HpS - Obeisances to devotees in LA. The 21st Century Bhajan Band et al.

Would you be satisfied being a dog in Nabadvipa in your next lifetime with Nimai et al?

Thank you for your kind words. We are collecting all the Annual Reports etc. in one file and then will read and appreciate them!

Be sure to also make the report in the REPORT section of this Blog!!!

Hare Krishna!

Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada, and all glories to ISKCON and all its members!

Following your suggestion, we sent the list of devotees for leading Tulasi kirtan, during FMS, for the next 3 weeks.

Monday-      HH Hanumatpresaka swami

Tuesday-       Karuna Mayi devi dasi

Wednesday- Caturatma das

Thursday-     Isvari Radha devi dasi

Friday-          Abhinanda das

Saturday-     Karuna-Sakti devi dasi

Sunday-        Priya Sakhi devi dasi / Parasurama Das

Gurudeva, we appreciate any instructions you may wish to give us in this regard.

___

Note:

It is worth clarifying that:

*This list is only for 3 weeks and does not affect the assignment of kirtan leaders that existed before the trip to Houston.

*If there is any devotee who wishes to lead one day, they are welcome.

Your servant

Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi

HpS - Thank you. Seems, agtSP, we are slowly getting nice integrated program with Temple Program and our ASA Program.

There are many aspects that we would like to improve, and we hope we are not burdening anyone unnecessarily, but is so nice to read NoD daily, look at pictures of Lord Nrsmha etc.

Maybe more devotees come outside of Temple room for our NoD and Tulasi Kirtan!

Hare Krishna Maharaja, please kindly accept my most humble obeisances; all glories to our Founder Acharya, Srila Prabhupada;

all glories to your good self,

for your many years of selfless dedication to serving him.

HpS - Hmmm. I think that our service has been quite motivated. We want him to save us from hell from our lust tongue and belly. We want to have some interesting, fun, service!!! Oooof! Obeisances to him.

Again and

AGAIN and

A G A I N !

I have never been very good at making speeches and singing the praises of others, and so I wanted to dedicate my meager words in honor of your Vyasapuja celebration. I am certain that your initiated disciples will be more qualified and sincere in expressing their appreciations than what I could offer.

HpS - Which is better apples or bananas?

Unfortunately for me, I am not one of your initiated disciples, but I have a great need to be accepted as your disciple, just to take guidance from you.

I have been stuggling with a quagmire of emotions and decisions about how to be of service and where to serve.

For want of a surrendered attitude I have failed to take proper shelter of your association.

Simply I have grieved to you about my problems, looking for emotional support in order to survive whatever trauma life gives me in devotional service. And you have extended yourself seeing my pain, and knowing that I am weak in my heart and mind to nicely surrender.

HpS - Hare Krsna!

I want very much to surrender. I once thought that I knew how to surrender, by taking initiation, by always doing the needful: and feeling genuine satisfaction because of it.

I felt like I belonged; I felt protected. I was thinking to myself "this is the story of the rest of my life," and I was in bliss believing it with all my heart. But surrender unto the spiritual master is not just some formality of initation and doing the needful, or some blissful satisfaction that is ephemeral at best.

The disciple must be willing to take shelter of the spiritual master's instructions: "ha ha prabhu koro doya." Doya means the spiritual master shows his mercy by imparting transcendental knowledge to the disciple, so that the disciple can become free from all the miseries of life.

If there is to be any hope for peace of mind and freedom from all the miseries of material existence, the disciple must make the instructions his very life and soul: otherwise what is the purpose of accepting a spiritual master?

I don't know if in this same lifetime I can ever again have the same surrendered attitude that I once had so many years ago. But I have found hope in taking shelter of your association and being able to render some menial service to you during your visits;

sharing candidly with you my humble thoughts and offerings; and feeling enlivened and inspired to sharing Krishna consciousness with others because of your association.

I wish with all my heart that I could surrender like I did so long ago. But all I can do is hope that you will accept my wishful thoughts as my offering to you, on this most auspicious day of your appearance.

Your lowly servant,

Balabhadra dasa

HpS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNVWVLkjknQ

From the stage show the 'Fantastics'.

The show's original off-Broadway production ran a total of 42 years (until 2002) and 17,162 performances, making it the world's longest-running musical.

We forget the negative aspects of our surrender in the past also, no?

You're right.

We have to not think that now I am an older devotee.

Hare Krsna Dear Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All glories to your mission of Sankirtana.

I hope you are well.

I am writing to ask you please if you can send me with Candramukhi 4 Diaries of the Traveling Creature.

And I would send the contribution of it with Candra mukhi dd.

Sri Nrsimhadeva protect you

ys and spiritual niece

Isvari R dd.

HpS/ASA - AgtSP!!! Paoho... Prahlada nrshma Das also wrote to us about Tom Brown's Diarys.

:https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/14627/

We were thinking that we could send some things to Peru, Radha Madana-bihari etal with CMD and PDD!!!

Thank you!

 ISKCON Educator and Mentor- His Grace Prana Das

His Grace Prana Das departed this material world (1-6-23), around 6. a.m. IST in Vrindavan Dham at the Bhaktivedanta Hospice. Many of you may know of His Grace Prana Prabhu.

He joined ISKCON in the early 80’s and has served most dedicatedly in the area of education in Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., the USA, and India. He played instrumental roles as a teacher, principal, education consultant, and curriculum developer, for early, elementary, and Higher Education, was a great mentor and trainer, a Sanskrit curriculum developer, and a teacher at the Mayapur Institute of Higher Education. He assisted Mother Urmila in digitizing the Learn to Read Series. Most recently (the last 5 years), he has developed online interactive learning for children (bhaktilearning.com).

Between 2014-2018, I had the good fortune of Prabhu’s association during the startup years of establishing Goswami Academy at ISKCON Houston. He served as one of the visiting education consultants. Not only was he very knowledgeable and expert in the field of education, but Prabhu was a kind, caring, compassionate, and wonderful devotee. I feel very fortunate to have had his association. Please join me in prayers to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Radha Krishna for the departure of this great soul.

Below is a must-see YouTube video in-depth link that features Prabhu joining ISKCON, his early years, services, and words of wisdom in our bhakti journey…

https://youtu.be/9WOjtWFdCho?feature=shared

HpS/ASA - We can only repeat what Subra Devi Dasi has said. We were fortunate to get Prabhu's association. He was compassionate in seeking us out when we were in his Yatra and always a friendly intelligent person.

Where is he now?

Will he be in Nadiya with Nimai???