Letters to the editor

Dear Hanumat Presaka Swami Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Sorry for the delayed reply. In regards to my question about gay marriage, I appreciated very much your reference to SB 1.17.38. Some points that stuck out to me here were "One man's food is another man's poison", and that in some cases, "regulation of adharma is necessary to bring people to the path of dharma."

I had a long conversation about this recently with my old Bhakta leader, and he was saying that the reason for my confusion here was because I was equating two different vows. In others words, marriage is a vow of monogamy, but it doesn't necessarily require 4 regs. As you pointed out, in some cases even animals mate for life. Omkara prabhu said that to ban people from marriage because they don't follow garbadhana samskara would diminish protection of women and other virtues, and would be like "throwing the baby out with the bathwater?" Would gay marriage also fall into the category of adharma which may help vikarmis approach dharma through pravrtti marga? I suppose the key point here is that initiation vows are the same for everybody.

Certainly this is not the highest topic, but I only ask because I feel like I should be competent to give scientific answers on sankirtana. To feel inspired, it's important to me to be able to picture people in Krsna consciousness.

HpS - AGTSP.   Seems like a very broad topic to us. In India for example there has been a class of eunichs that were placed in a certain social situation. Traditionally India, Bharata varsa seems broad enough to fit everyone. In SB 1.9.26-28 Prabhupada gives a fantastic summary of our political science. He recomends Parasara dharma sastra. Researching it we found that Parasara gives details fo what is Adharma and what is Adharma. This is like saying what are the laws of gravity or optics. He gives details of differences of adharma in Kali yuga and says that Kali yuga is so confused that he can't possibly give rules for everything so you can ask one sadhaka totally dedicated to spiritual life for instructions about specific situations, eg. Gay marriage. If you haven't access to such a person then he says a synod of six brahmanas can arrive at the same insight.

So about things that are not detailed in Prabhupada's books and other books, then ask six nice devotees.

In general us it seems that homosexual relations can be regulated on a level below the four principles, but why call it marriage. That seems strange to us. Use the word marriage for heterosexual relation in God's sight to get nice sons.

Rama and Sugriva made a vow of friendship that was just as binding as marriage, no? But it has a differnce name because it is a different relationship.

Hare Krsna!!  Jaya!

I was also wondering if there is some standard conduct for sannyasa? Bathing 3 times daily? Sleeping 3 hours? One meal? I'm curious because such practices may help me get a taste for devotional service sooner than otherwise, and may enable me to, at least, establish a deeper foundation for grhasta ashram if it doesn't allow me to circumvent grhasta life altogether.

HpS - BG 16.1-3... One Paragraph on the basics of sannyasa. Other instructions throughout Prabhupada's books. Associate with nice devotees. They may only be 80% perfect but use your intelligence to separate the wheat from the chaff and get to Prabhupada('s books) through them. Read his books directly.

I guess you should focus on the practices for 1st initation, 2nd initiation ... in order more, no? Of course, yes it is important to have a general view, view by mercy, all the way to Goloka, no.

I passed the initiation test since last we spoke, so you should be receiving my recommendation from Svavasa prabhu shortly. Mukunda Datta das Thakur has given his permission and blessings for me to become your disciple. I hope your travels are going nicely, Maharaj. Hare Krsna!

Your aspiring servant,

Bhakta Eric

AGTSP.  We have to run to the Temple!  More in the DTC. Thank you!

07/24/15    Hare Krsna Esteemed Guru Maharaja    please accept my dandavats and pranams.

Haven't written since your helpful and wonderful visit in June.  Thank you so very much for staying in our new home and blessing us with your presence, your example.   i do not write more often because i do not want to take your valuable time.   Please know i am always praying for you and taking the dust of your lotus feet within my heart.

The ISKON Sac devotees expressed how much they benefitted from your visit.  They thought you so very humble and approachable, with the ability to illuminate sastra in a clear and unique manner.  They have asked me to ask you to put us on your calendar twice next year.   So please visit us next year twice and advise me how I may help with scheduling in advance.

We were (Dave too) out on book distribution at lg. apt. complex in Sac a couple of weeks ago.   By Krsna's mercy, we were invited to return and do home program for a group of residents!  It is this Sun.  How wonderful it is to preach this sublime and helpful philosophy of Krsna Consciousness.  Also, our group attended International Yoga Day in June by the state capital bldg.  Fortunately, I got to lead kirtan though I am always unworthy.  Also, me and Vikasananda Krsna Das were interviewed by Indian Television news so it was really so much mercy to be able to serve Srila Praphupada and this Sankirtan Movement and let the Indian population know more about our ctr!  Our group will also be at India Day and we are hoping to have an even better Janmastami celebration this year.  So lots of opportunities for service right now.  Jaya!!!

My dear Radha-Gopinatha are now in Their puja room.  I don't think our home is ready for Them to be in the front of the house;there was not a consensus about it.  Perhaps it's what they wanted.  I hope so.

Shoes ?:   So, recently Govinda Priya Dasi, who teaches deity worship in Mayapur each year, showed me how to put Their Lordships to rest at night.  Their bed is on the right side of Their altar on a table along with a brass vyasasan.  The vyasasan is too small for the murti of Prabhupada.  So i am using it to put his shoes on at night.  Then I take your shoes and put them on the table at the foot of Prabhupada's "bed"   and pray for your safety that night.  Anyway, may I continue to put your shoes like that?  Some how it occured to me to ask you if that's ok with you.

Continuing as your unworthy servant,

Kalindi Devi dasi

HpS - ASA -  Gosh!  AGTSP.  Paoho.   Yes, this pace of letters we can handle. We have noted all your content with great attention. Krsna is giving you so, so, so much chance to preach!!  Our respects to The David Prestha (which rhymes with Pasta) and all the Sacramento ISKCON Yatra. Of course we will try to visit again. We form the Calendar here.

I guess you can put our shoes some place. Off the floor I don't know. For sure lower, lower, lower thatn Srila Prabhupada's paraphernalia. We still have material desires but they are under control (now) and diminishing!

O.K. DTC>

HareKrishna Dear gurudev, PAMO< AGTSP 

Camilo from sydney.
We did the maha cleaning at the temple of Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath today,
blissful atmosphere, lots of realizations, happy ending, willing to clean more next time...

Had a chat with madhu manjari pujari, her eyes were glowing when I told her I was going to India 2 serve u, she's pretty well ithink, i saw her happy...She encouraged me in travelling to india and serving/following/being around you as much as I could, because ihave the youth to do it :)

Regarding that topic, I'll probably travel 2 india Before your arrival date, and  in the case that you are defenitely going there, I'd like to serve you personally ,if you do agree of course, Iknow you have to . The reason for that is, well first of all, I haven't been to india before and it's time now i believe, plus you are going 2 be there so the train comes only once says my heart... 
I know that vani it's more important than vapu seva, but i feel the need to have some of those samksaras... sorry if I'm speculating there... 

Pratapana prabhu (ACBVSPD)is giving some very nice classes on one or two verses from the gita every thurs, here at the ashrama, it really helps me with my crazyness and to explain things to others as well.
dreaming of some day come back 2 the books, it's pure joy and I realized we need people at the ashrama and the only way to bring them in is preaching, of course we have a great chance to bring more through the restaurant and most of our visitors joined that way, but it's just to try to please Prabhupada a bit.

One of the residents of our ashrama is from uruguay, at the beginning our conversations were long and prajapla, but we're trying to keep things sweet,simple and krishna related now, he initially started chatting me about the dark side of others, some times in the form of an advice, comment, critizicing, etc. I told him many times, we shouldn't, .but I fell down into maya's trick again and now "I" am starting those kind of conversations by inertia... even though he's much more aware of it and tries to avoid it, it is hard 4 both of us. I'd like to hear from you about it gurudev.
 

Tomorrow we are having a great ratha yatra ! :D 

Hare Krishna, Thanks for being always inspiring to me from the distance, I have a poems' book by you that Madhu-Manjari gave me few months ago.
Jay Srila Prabhupada patita pavana ! 

Ys

HpS - AGTSP paoho.   Thank you for the news. We put more of our news in the DTC later.  Running to the Temple now for Sunday Feast and lecture.

Thank you so much.

Guess we will go to India like Feb-Apr. Guess we can serve each other a lot then!!!

The biggest selling Christian book after the Bible is Imitation of Christ by Thomas Akampis. Is like 16th century or something. Very nice. You might like to read it with Uraguay devotee.

He says, when we meet with Brethren, B'caris, we can talk or read scripture together, but probably better to read scripture because if we talk it will probably fall into criticism of others.

Interesting. Relgion is universal.

So, get some reading circle going with others and some negative conversations for a positive purporse. Isopanisad recomends that!!

Hare Krsna Beloved Gurudeva:

AGTSP

PAMHO

Hope U are fine ¡¡¡¡ Once and again thank u all so much for FMP ¡¡ for the recordings,tweets, blog, Kdh etc etc etc. All of that bring peace to us . We feel secure.

Mangala fixed, We read SB , review BV, 4P, 16 R ok 

I just wrote: We feel secure ¡¡¡ Security.. SECURITY. That is what a lady needs and then she can expand ¡¡ Stri ¡¡¡

I was reading the blog I saw the answer that U give to Sita lalita.. and also your comment about the behaviour of a lady towards a sannyassi...

A lady always needs to be protected  I realized that since my father left his body bad things happened to me. And also because i did not follow iur instructions.  But anyway I feel the protection of my father in my life... U told me once that my deities will protect me..  Krsna will personally manifests ¡¡¡¡¡ So I find myself in that position right now, I have an elder sister, not brother :(   And honestly a grhasta couple umm in the past that did not work either.. because nowadays in kali yuga grhastas are more interested in their own problems and that is fair I guess. Godbrothers umm I do not see who may take care of us, who may want to deal with this crazy lady jajaja. My security is my major concern.. who take care of my mom also ?? KRSNA ¡¡¡¡ I always ask for Krsna's mercy..

And you mention that we as ladies should take care of sanyassis but mostly mentally and physically ¡¡ Jaya I completely agree. Whenever I have the fortune to have iur association I just stay near and listen to iur classes and try to be around the most I can so I may get purified by iur association.  I just want to ask for forgiveness because I did not take care of u mentally >I just give U problems and discourages so sorry.

I will continue with my life.... smiling as U say in your answer to Namacarya ¡¡¡ And yes I have a lot to smile , as U say Brahmanas have good reasons for not to be depress umm i do not consider myself a Brahmana but just having iur association is the BEST BLESS BLISS that I have.. Thank U Thank U Thank U

As Draupadi my two arms are in the air and just depend on Krsna, I will continue with physchoterapy,yoga and some service.. I have no fixed service due to my schedule is not define yet.. so i am waiting... 

I talked with abhiram so we may help in your programs in August. I am correcting the BV exams that I left..  ¡¡¡ Jaya ¡¡ Thank U Gurudeva and I am so so sorry to be an embarrasment

Trying always to be iur disciple

Lunatic monkey

HpS - ASA --- AGTSP paoho. Very special are the prayers of Kunti. Draupadi had the most powerful husbands and Daddy on earth but look what happened to her. Yet, Krsna saved her. Still, if we do not feel protected NOW, that we have to ask for protection, we are probably not accepting the mercy that Krsna has already sent.

Life is simple and happy and purifying with Krsna.

TLGASP

PAMHO,

Hare Krishna Dear Gurudeva, deseando que se encuentre bien, la presente es para comunicarle sobre la salud de Bhaktin Amparo, su estado es reservado, acaba de pasar por una operación por lo que puede moverse muho, esta información me fue brindada por Amala Karuna Prabhu, el tratamiento es muy costoso. Dear Gurudeva, la presente es para solicitarle si por favor pudiera existir la posibilidad de que la madre puediese tomar iniciación Diksa, por el mal estado que se encuentra, ella está llevando el Curso de BS con Prabhu LAD, y a pesar de su estado canta sus rondas, lo que ella puede tener en este momento es su Ilimitada Misericordia. Dear Gurudeva nosotros estamos solo para obedecer sus instrucciones.  Dear Gurudeva, aprovecho la presente para disculparme por la carta anterior, esta la traduje por el google translator, y fue todo un caos, este robot no es muy inteligente, menos nostros, pido disculpas si causo algún malestar pues no fue eso que queríamos expresar, no podemos opinar más alla de nuestros torpes ojos. Dear Gurudeva, muchas gracias por su asociación, oramos siempre por UD. QUe la misericordia de Sri Krishna se derrame siempre sobre UD. Hare Krishna Dear Gurudeva.

su inutil aspirante a sirviente

Govardhana dasa

HpS - ASA --- No recordamos 'la carta anterior'. Si utiliza palabras y gramatica simple, el robot funciona bastante bien.  La formalidad de iniciacion no es tan importante que la realidad de nuestra sinceridad. Krsna conoce exactamente como benficiar a  ella.  Si esta cantando y todo para un ano, entonces es bien posible puede tomar votas. Estamos en Peru pronto. Podemo hablar.

Por favor acepte nuestras respetuosas reverencias ! 
Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada! 
Querido Gurumaharaja : 
Hoy tuve una platica con Govinda, necesitamos consultar  lo siguiente: 

Prabhu Hare Krsna de Saltillo- Mexico, desea participar del Congreso de Houston, pero en calidad de conferencista, con el tema : Educación en casa. 

Necesitamos saber si Ud considera: 
-hablar por teléfono con el devoto, quizás desde Houston. 
- Envía una respuesta con nosotros o con quien debemos dirigirlo? 

Muchas gracias por Su misericordiosa atención. 
 

HpS - AGTSP paoho. El puede llamarnos por telefono. +1 209 505 3219

Pienso vamos a organizar un evento cada dia de las 10.30 hasta 12.00 en Espanol. Manana vamos a Houston. Tood mas claro entonces.  GRACIAS