Letters to the editor

Dear Maharaj,

PAMHO AGTSP!

Adding question here on blog on your request: Maharaj, do you suggest we move to Nashville now, or should I complete metal weapon training for another 6 months and then we move 🙏🏻.

your servant,

SM DD

HpS - AgtSP. Please accept out humble obeisances and well wishes!!

Thank you for your question here, and any inconvenience in having to wait for a week for an answer.

95% of three hundred V-puja guests gone home!

Our NIOS Campus Development Committee = HpS, NgD and ShD will meet for the second time, tomorrow.

So far we all have interest but I am focusing on first meeting, getting a place to meet, for full morning service in Murfreesboro or so.

I put the common Sadhana as the basis of physical locations before land and buildings, but they are related.

NgD home might be nice, but problem is they are often taking care of their grand daughter = Heroes!

Then there is possibility we could rotate between different houses on different days of the week in The Boro. Other possibility is renting a place in the Mall across the street from our 902 Hillcrest building.

Without progress in this facility we would be pushed to go on to Spain, New Vraja Mandala, and anyone who wants could follow!

Then Radha kunda (follow us)

.... and Nabadvipa is another universe with Nimai!! (Follow us)?

So.... first I would think that Sri Hari Das might want to see what is the situation for a few weeks, month(s) before making a move to Tennessee. Houston or Austin might be better????

Although we see Nashville as prime place for ISKCON Teacher Training College etc.

How much longer to finish your studies?

Few months?

We can't give any more help than the above information.

What does ShD and AGD et al think?

A requirement, agtSP, for anyone taking Diksa from us, under the authority of Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON, is that they file an Annual Report. Basically this has to be filed at the Reports link listed in this Blog.

An annual report to the Add Letter link is not sufficient.

These are formalities, but not meaningless formalities.

This is how we take this job.

🙂

Reports were due on January 9th 2024.

This is the list of Reports we have now on 2024 January 19th:

1. Divya Dristi DD 
2. Parasurama Avatar Das 
3. Priyasakhi Devi Dasi 
4. Vrsabhanu Nandini Devi Dasi 
5. Sarad Gaurangi DD 
6. Jaya Prema Sakhi DD 
7. Murari dasa 
8. Indu Lekha dd from Chile 
9. Jiva-Sakti dasa 
10. Madhvacharya das 
11. Nanda-braja das 
12. Aja Govinda das 
13. Aristasena 
14. Ekangi dd 
15. [email protected] 
16. Karuna Mayi devi dasi 
17. Anandamaya das 
18. Tarangaksi Devi Dasi 
19. Subhadra Mayi DD 
20. Campaka Lata dd 
21. Gopi Radha DD 
22. Rukmini Devi Dasi 
23. Citrasakhi Devi Dasi 
24. Sacinandan Das 
25. Mani Kundali Devi Dasi 
26. Mandali bhadra das 
27. Bhakta Guimo 
28. Nikunja Bihari das 
29. Palika devi dasi 
30. Abhirama Thakura dasa 
31. Indu Lekha dd desde Chile 
32. Ramakrishnananda Das 
33. Satyabhama dd 
34. Srinatha Krsna dasa 
35. Braja Raja Krsna Dasa 
36. Srinivasacarya Dasa 
37. Annual Report 2023 
38. Sudama sakha dasa 
39. Asta Sakhi dd 
40. Radhika Ramana dasa 
41. Dhanistha Devi Dasi 
42. Rukmini Sundari-Arequipa 
43. Krishna Pramodini Devi Dasi 
44. Srinivasa Muktipaty (Subala Sakha Das) 
45. Prahlad-nrsmha das 
46. MANYARI DEVIDASI 
47. Rtu-raj Krsna Das 
48. Sri Rama Krishna Das 
49. Tungavidya devi dasi 
50. Candramukhi dd 
51. Parama Karuna das 
52. Aniruddhakrsna Das 
53. Nadiya Nivasi Dasi 
54. Deva Vrata das 
55. Jaya-hari das 
56. Divya Sri Devi Dasi 
57. Nilachala Chandra Das 
58. Indira-Sakti Devi dasi 
59. Mitravinda devi dasi 
60. Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi 2023 
61. Laksmana-agraja das 
62. Patrak das 
63. Govinda Pramodini Dasi 
64. Namacarya Das 
65. Loka Bandhu Rama Dasa 
66. Hayagriva Avatar Das 
67. Jayanta das (Madrid) 
68. Purnamasi devi dasi 
69. Jayanta das 
70. Jana-pavana das 
71. Adi Yajña Das 
72. Radha Japa prati Jalpa Devi Dasi 
73. Sugopi Radha dd 
74. Gadai Gauranga Dasa
75. VISALA DAS 

So, basically we will only send reports to Srila Prabhupada and claim responsibility as his Diksa guru for these 75-disciples.

😃 Makes our life manageable.

Every body else - we'll give you another month maximum.

We will post the notification in the Kapi Dhvaja... AGAIN 😦

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.