asa[e] Food for Thought

From our Radha-kunda Whatsapp Group:

[7/7, 12:09 AM] Krsna Das: Yesterday I was present in Srila Prabhupada's room in Vrindavan and a special anecdote happened, I like to share🙏

I was chanting Japa in Srila Prabhupada's house, in the next room where there is a murti writing a letter....

After a while an initiated devotee around 60 came and sat on the corner near the almirah.

After sometimes he was chanting Japa, while his his other hand went on the Whatsapp mobile and his sound of Mahamantra was coming intermittently to me...

I just noticed and went on in my business.

Even if nowadays there are so many restrictions in S.P. room, no-one up to now dared to speak to a senior Iskcon devotee...not even the Vrajabasi lady Chokidar normally quite active....if one do not follow the restrictions.

At my surprise after 10 minute the devotee was absorbed in the mobile and Japa visibly...a very sweet girl around 10 years old came near, nicely dressed (not in sari but in devotional clothes) with tilak on the forehead and for a while she was standing near him watching...

Then she spoke in a nice Hindi something like this" aap kya kar rahe hain ( IN English I will tell as more easy for me:"

 *what are you doing....are you chanting Japa or doing mobile?*

The embarrassed devotee watched her saying:" *I am doing both* !🤗" and again composed himself.

The girl smiled at him saying....ohh are you are doing both! and rebuked softly: *either you chant, either you do mobile!* 

...then with a peaceful and happy face she paid pranam to Srila Prabhupada 's murti and left the room.

The devotee first thing immediately closed the flip cover and kept his mobile in the kurta, then after a few Japa mantra left the room!

I do not know... but it looked very mystic to me, how this educated and innocent girl came from nothing and disappeared after giving siksa?

....as the place is transcendental I felt Srila Prabhupada" s hand behind it.

🙏Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

HpS Posted: As we remember Balavanta told us that when he was Temple President and pioneering the temple in Atlanta, USA, they had organized a big program for the days that Srila Prabhupada was visiting.

Part of it was a fire sacrfice, and they had  promoted and advertised it as a first time the USA for this 'ancient, powerful and mystical Vedic ritual'.

There was a big crowd there in the Temple. There was a representative from the Mayor's office and a news channel was recording it on camera, but . . . they didn't really know what they were doing and kept making more and more mistakes.

He said that at one point they were even going to put the coconut into the fire.

During this Srila Prabhupada was getting more and more irritated and chastising everyone more and more until Balavanta Das was in complete panic.

Then the boy, Bhakti Leroy or some thing, whom they had arranged to fan Srila Prabhupada in a completly innocent way said, "Oh, it's alright Srila Prabhupada, just chant 'Hare Krsna'".

When Balavanta heard this he thought, "That's it.

That's it.

Now fire is going to come from Srila Prabhupada's eyes and right on publich television he is going to burn me, the boy, the audience and everyone to ashes."

Srila Prabhupada turned and looked at the boy with intense, narrow gaze and Bh. Leroy just smiled back at Srila Prabhupada and . . . Srila Prabhupada looked away and put his hand in his bead bag and started chanting Japa with leveled intensity.

Who was that little boy?

🙂

asa[e] guru-tattva. jesus christ

Hare Krsna, Gurudev.

Please receive my most humble and respectful obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and to you.

How are you? Here report and contact from Deva-Vrata das de Córdoba.

ASA - Died three minutes ago. we are trying to bring him back, TB/BW. 🐵 🐷

4/16 okay

Some days I can't get out of bed 1:40am before sunrise... 80% yes 😏

Distribution of Srila Prabhupada's books. Okay.

With your blessings I wish to distribute 200 books per month on average 🙏🙏🙏. Without your blessings and the parampara, I am powerless.

ASA - Seems we should rely more on the Parampara!! 🙂 Hope you give good service to the nice people Krsna sends!!!1

With Campaka Lata dd we are following your instructions. Thanks for your blessings. We need them to accommodate us 🙏🙏🙏

We have a program called "Family Bhagavad Gita", where 7 students of the Bhagavad Gita share 1 daily sloka (with a short comment), for whatsApp contacts we collect in sankirtan.

And on Wednesday 7:00 p.m. in Argentina, we meet online to share some topic of Krsna consciousness.

ASA- SUPER!

On Fridays we meet online with Gokulananda das, a very learned devotee who lives in Govardhana. He accompanies us in the study of the sastra.

ASA - We know him well! We lectured three times while we were in Radha Kund and want to develop a strong relationship between Bhakti vedanta Vidya Pitha and NIOS.

We also continue to read and discuss Bhagavatam with the devotees in the neighborhood. Let's go for song 6. Every 15 days we meet to talk about a chapter.

I clean the neighborhood temple weekly. That is my service. And I record audios with the chapter of the Bhagavatam that he plays.

We try to talk about Krsna to everyone...

Gurudev. Another very important issue that I wanted to tell you... In what place should I put Jesus Christ in my life?

HpS - Aaaah! Revived. I don't know. It is a personal matter. I have a personal relationship with him since I was 3-years old. I worked hard to understand Srila Prabhupada and our Lord Jesus Christ. In the end, I came to the conclusion that Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami was the best Christian I had ever met. He has so much appreciation and realization of Christ.

Basically Srila Prabhupada comments that He is our Lord, Spiritual Master, he teaches us how to serve, love God".

O.K.???

Sometimes I feel Jesus much closer than Krishna. I know there is a cultural burden... But sometimes I feel that with the Krishna consciousness process I am missing something. It's like everything our scriptures say is far away, light years away... and I feel like Jesus is more accessible and more present... it's just a feeling (and it comes and goes). I really need a contact with God. I feel like I'm disconnected from Him. what do you think Gurudev?

HpS - Again, it is a personal thing. In my experience Srila Prabhupada was not in the least disturbed that his disciples had personal relationships with Our Lord Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohamad or anyone. Trnad Api Sunicena. It is just a matter of sorting out the traditions, the scriptures, the Parampara, the mystical experiences and building your own realization.

May not be easy or quick, but should be progressive, getting better all the time.

Gurudev, sometimes I wish I had met you earlier. I have not had much personal contact with you (vapu) like other older brothers..

Gurudev, I want to ask you to tell me: how can it be useful? How can I help you?

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be united with you through initiation. Thank ou for accept my request.

One question 🙏: When it is said that the relationship with the guru is eternal... does it mean that you will be my guru in the next life? And when the guru comes back to Krsna... what about the disciple who doesn't come back?

HpS - We are connected right now. Yes, vapu is nice, but real connection is cooperation serving Krsna!

Useful to us is if you are useful to ISKCON:

1. The Institution - Fight wrong, Support good. Coordinate with the Bureaucracy.
2. The Community of Friends - Stay in touch, reveal your heart (NoI 5)
3. Srila Prabhupada - It is his Society. Get, develop, your direct experience of him.

Our, HpS, Monkey-Piggy et al, Sankirtan is ASA and its Branches. Watch the Blog, Kapi Dhvaja, and see if you can help there. Otherwise you may have so many other Sankirtan partners in ISKCON. We are trying to function as your Diksa guru in ISKCON, and Sankirtan leader, partner is other, but often related thing.

O.K.?

Any relationship in spiritual life is eternal, no?

It is like someone in prison for automobile robbery. As he sees the psychologist and resolves his psychological problems, learns a good trade eg. home construction, and repairs his relation ship with his wife and family, he is more and more involved in normal, spiritual life.

Someone acts as Diksa guru, in this life.

They may ask another Guru who is in the universe where you are, so pick you up in the next life if there has been an accident.

Eg. Big explosion in the primery school in the neighborhood. All the adults are running there. You see some children in a precarious condition and you help to get them out. You know that other people are doing the same for your children somewhere else.

After they are all out and safe then the parents find their specific children.

Maybe I am supposed to go to Lord Nrsmha, Maybe you are supposed to go to Ayodhya. After we are liberated, even in this body, these details get worked out, no?

Big topic. Hope this is useful.

See you here again soon.

Hari Bolo.

Respects to Mataji, Param pada Das et al.

Thanks for everything Gurudev. My great fortune is to have met you...

Your would-be servant.

Deva Vrata das

...........................................................

Hare Krsna, Gurudev. Reciba mis más humildes y respetuosas reverencias. Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada ya usted.

Cómo estás? Aquí reporte y contacto de Deva-Vrata das de Córdoba.

16/4 ok

Algunos días no logro saltar de la cama 1:40 hs antes del amanecer... 80 % sí 😏

Distribución de libros de Srila Prabhupada. Ok.

Con tus bendiciones deseo distribuir 200 libros al mes promedio 🙏🙏🙏. Sin tus bendiciones y del parampara, soy impotente.

Con Campaka Lata dd estamos siguiendo tus instrucciones. Gracias por tus bendiciones. Las necesitamos para acomodarnos 🙏🙏🙏

Tenemos un programa que se llama "Bhagavad Gita en familia", donde 7 estudiantes del Bhagavad Gita compartimos 1 sloka diario (con un breve comentario), para los contactos de whatsApp que recopilamos en sankirtan.

Y los miercoles 19hs de Argentina, nos reunimos online para compartir algún tema de conciencia de Krsna.

Los viernes nos reunimos online con Gokulananda das, un devoto muy erudito que vive en Govardhana. El nos acompaña en el estudio de la sastra.

También seguimos leyendo y discutiendo en Bhagavatam con los devotos del barrio. Vamos por el canto 6. Cada 15 días nos reunimos para hablar de un capítulo. Semanalmente limpio el templo del barrio. Ese es mi servicio. Y grabo audios con el capítulo del Bhagavatam que toca.

Tratamos de hablar de Krsna a todo el mundo.

Gurudev. Otro tema muy importante que quería decirle... ¿En que lugar debo poner a Jesucristo en mi vida? Siento a veces a Jesús mucho más cercano que a Krishna. Sé que hay una carga cultural... Pero a veces siento que con el proceso de conciencia de Krishna me falta algo. Es como que me queda muy lejos, a años luz, todo lo que dicen nuestras escrituras... y siento como que Jesús es más accesible y está más presente... es un sentir solamente (y que viene y se va). 

Realmente necesito un contacto con Dios. Siento que estoy desconectado de Él.

qué opinás Gurudev?

Gurudev, a veces quisiera haberte conocido antes. No he tenido mucho contacto personal contigo (vapu) como otros hermanos más antiguos..

Gurudev, quiero pedirte que me digas: ¿en qué puede serte útil? ¿En qué puedo servirte?

Gracias por darme la oportunidad de unirme a usted a través de la iniciación. Gracias por aceptarme.

Una pregunta 🙏: Cuando se dice que la relación con el gurú es eterna... ¿significa que serás mi gurú en la próxima vida? Y cuando el gurú regresa a Krsna... ¿qué pasa con el discípulo que no regresa?

Gracias por todo Gurudev. Mi gran fortuna es haberte conocido...

Tu aspirante a sirviente.

Deva Vrata das

asa[e] friensdship

Querido Gurumaharaja

Por favor acepte nuestras respetuosas reverencias.

¡Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada!

Muchas gracias por su constante asociación a través de los diferentes espacios tecnológicos, también agradecerle por aceptar invitaciones como Mayapur tv español que nos permiten más oportunidades de clases con usted y muchas gracias por sus noticias en el twitter. 

Estamos agradecidos por su visita pasada a México, también reflexionando sobre algunos puntos para poder entenderlos.

Porsupuesto entusiastas por cantar nuestras rondas, observar las regulaciones prohibitivas e incrementar las positivas como el sravanan y kirtana, también tratamos de seguir algunos programas regulares online del templo.

Con mi esposo continuamos sirviendo a la Deidad en el templo, realmente es una gran fortuna mantener la mente, sentidos ocupados con las Deidades, al inicio mi esposo no tenía mucha habilidad estética pero posteriormente se esfuerza con delicadeza y paciencia al intentar peinar a Goura y Nitay. Sino tenemos hijos podemos volcar nuestros sentidos en la forma Supremamenre bella de una manera formal. 

Por otro lado, he estado reflexionando en algo que usted ha mencionado en algunas clases acerca de saber desarrollar amistad con las personas que tenemos problemas, incluso si tenemos diferencias administrativas pero que no debemos dejar que toque la amistad. ¿Cómo lograr esto ? Suena tan elegante y civilizado que nos gustaría alcanzarlo sin una postura diplomática disforzada.

Usualmente nuestros amigos son los que aprueban nuestros pensamientos y modo de trabajo, y sino piensas o actúas igual es su enemigo y trata de destruirle si es posible o intenta desacreditarlo, he podido ver grandes amigos y luego grandes enemigos tratando de destruirse y faltandose el respeto, el que humilla más es el mejor, esto es muy contrario a la conciencia de Krsna. 

Pienso que una palabra clave es el respeto, pero hoy en día se cuestiona mucho si tal devoto merece o no respeto, esto es interesante, con seguridad en las Escrituras podemos encontrar la respuesta.

Talves podría dar el ejemplo de una pareja de esposos, hay una línea tan delgada para perderse el respeto por cualquier situación, sin embargo, si se cultiva la apreciación como vaisnavas, como personas, con la educación que nos dieron nuestros padres y los consejos de Conciencia de Krsna, por lo menos podemos naufragar como enemigos respetuosos y honestos, pero como pasar a otro nivel de una amistad real en medio de las diferencias ? 

Muchas gracias por su gentil atención.

Por favor disculpe nuestras limitaciones.

Que el Señor Nrisimhadeva proteja su sankirtana y energía para el placer de Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Vuestra eterna aspirante a sirviente.

Asta Sakhi dd 

-0-0-0-

Dear Gurumaharaja,

Please accept our respectful obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Thank you very much for your constant association through the different technological spaces, also thank you for accepting invitations such as Mayapur tv español that allow us more class opportunities with you and thank you very much for your news on twitter.

HpS/ASA - Ooof! We hope these are of some benefit. Yet all of us, you, me, everyone, in the ultimate issue, just have to speak on behalf of Guru and Krsna! If we can see them smiling and patting us on the head then it is wholly satisfying.

Of course, how does that pat come if not from the comments of God brothers, Godsisters...

We are grateful for your past visit to Mexico, also reflecting on some points in order to understand them.

Of course, enthusiastic about chanting our rounds, observing prohibitive regulations and increasing positive ones like sravanan and kirtana, we also try to follow some regular online temple programs.

With my husband we continue to serve the Deity in the temple, it is really a great fortune to keep the mind, senses occupied with the Deities, at the beginning my husband did not have much aesthetic ability bu]t later he strives with delicacy and patience when trying to comb Goura and Nitay. If we don't have children we can pour our senses into the supremely beautiful way in a formal way.

On the other hand, I have been reflecting on something that you have mentioned in some classes about knowing how to develop friendships with people who have problems, even if we have administrative differences, but that we should not let friendship touch. How to achieve this? It sounds so elegant and civilized that we'd like to achieve it without a fancy diplomatic stance.

Usually our friends are the ones who approve our thoughts and way of working, and if you don't think or act the same, it is your enemy and try to destroy it if possible or try to discredit it, I have been able to see great friends and then great enemies trying to destroy each other and disrespecting each other , the one who humiliates the most is the best, this is very contrary to Krsna consciousness.

I think that a key word is respect, but today there are many questions about whether such a devotee deserves respect or not, this is interesting, surely in the Scriptures we can find the answer.

Maybe I could give the example of a married couple, there is such a fine line to lose respect for any situation, however, if appreciation is cultivated as Vaisnavas, as people, with the education that our parents gave us and the advice of Krsna consciousness, at least we can shipwreck as respectful and honest enemies, but how to go to another level of real friendship in the midst of differences?

Thank you very much for your kind attention.

Please excuse our limitations.

May Lord Nrisimhadeva protect his sankirtana and energy for the pleasure of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

She your eternal servant aspirant.

asta sakhi dd.

HpS - Of course NoI 5 tells us that a symptom of friendship is to:

• give gifts,
• give auspicious eatables, and especially,
• to talk confidentially.

This is in the Madhyama adhikari level and of course applys in any VAD circumstance. It applys in family relations, administrative relations etc.

Madhyama adhikari goes from Diksa to Bhava, no? So many levels of making these exchanges. Yet in all of them there is still some impersonalism. We should be able to feel that. It should make us hungry, but not frustrated [!], to move to the Uttama adhikary level, NoI 6 of making friendships.

Of course, all these friendships are in relationship to our Only Friend, that dark complexioned youth who is just waiting around the corner for you too walk up to Him by accident one day.

😲

"Ho, Asta-sakhi Devi Dasi, what's up?"

Of course, at that point we fall in the ground in complete shock and what happens after that I don't know.

Having friends who help us be a friend to our Best Friend.

-0-

Do you think Radha and Candravali want each other dead? 🙂

Of course, not. They love each other like anything! They only hope that all their competition inspires the other even greater service in their mood.

[They are cousins]

In Europe one big monotheist died, and his biggest opponent, gigantic atheist, was seen by atheists friends to be crying copious tears, in great convulsions.

His friends and students asked:

Sir, why are you crying, lamenting. He was your greatest enemy and now he is dead!

The atheist looked at them in deep, deep grief and said, "Yes, yes, yes, that is true, but do you not understand! Now with whom will I argue all these points? Toward whom will I direct all my anger and rage?"

Is of some help, perspective:

At the end of the day we chant and dance together. Apologize if we were a little to rough in the fight, but understand that we have different jobs, positions, to represent.

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/4/12/3/ ???

asa[e] - sayuja mukti

Hare Krishna, Gurudeva,

Please accept my hopeful obeisances.

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada,

HpS/ASA - AgtSP! Thank you for your Blog post! We were talking with some Senior ISKCON devotee a few days ago and a thought was that 'AgtSP' should come before anything else. 'Ekaki amara, nahi paya bala, harinama sankirtane', (Ohe, Vaisvana Thakura).

Without SP we cannot chant, follow principles, respect each other... .

AgtSP!

Is correct?

We had detail conversation with HG Partha Pratim Prabhu about our own desire and Anarthas.

It came out, we never wanted to serve Krsna, we want Sayuja Mukti (merging with Krsna Body).

Moreover in this world we want Opulence of Fame of Krsna, but we wanted to famous as Renunciant, so that every other famous person ( beautiful, powerful, rich, knowledgeable) will bow down in front of us.

ASA - Even Arnold Schwarzenegger? 😲

We have accepted that we can not become Krsna, so we will try to become as close to him as we can, by even merging in him.

HG said that only good quality /hope is our attachement to you.

We did not know that we envy Krsna so much, that we are ready to eternal Spiritual suicide.

Can you kindly elaborate more in on desire of Sayuja Mukti? Can you add more of your expert comments as Guru ( finding fault with disciple for Disciple's benefit).

Who in scripture was also suffering from this disease? What steps we can take be cured from this disease?

rarest of the offender

Harsh Pradhan

HpS/ASA - Thank you for this question!

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/2/5/

This has been in the back of our mind forever.

We hear about this desire.

SP writes about it a lot, no??!

Yet, he also says that Mayavada, Sunyavada, philosophy is 'incomprehensible'.

We first read this long before initiation or living in SF temple. We were trying to understand Buddhist philosophy.

Eg. God is a circle with its center everywhere and no circumference. We were going mad trying to 'comprehend' it. Then we read Prabhupada's above comment, and 🙂 aaaah. It all made sense.

What does it feel like to merge with Krsna's body or become Sunya, zero?

It seem like a completely silly question.

It is like, "What does it feel like to be dead"? 😄 😄😄

I have heard that SP said the closest we can come to understanding Sayujya mukti is to imagine what it would be like to wake up in the morning and there was no one else in the world except for you.

Hare Krsna!

Very interesting, no?

Would all the bakeries still be working?

-0-

I can only understand wanting unobstructed fame, power etc.

Even that I'm seeing I have childish ideas of what these are. It is like a three year old child thinking that unlimited power would be to eat as many cookies as you wanted whenever you wanted etc.

Now that we are inspired in this meditation, and we have been informed how really great God really is we can start to imagine really big power.

Eg. Benediction of Vrkasura.

Ooof. Scary. Empty. We just want to be servants of Krsna, in so many indirect ways, always at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada (with you?).

Of course, our personal power, ability, beauty, can continually develop in service in ways that not even Krsna can predict.

That is our realization.

We've seen at moments how deeply rooted these desires for fame are. I suspect that you, me, HG Partha Pratim Das, are doing everything, EVERYTHING, 99.999% for selfish desire.

Only hope is that Radha is more powerful than Durga.

Mercy is the essence of justice, not truth.

O.K.?

Respects to Prabhu.

Hayagriva Avatara writes in Whatsapp:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgyy4hVnOKY

Rama's Bow

Uncle Gismo - Bachelor T. Browne responds:

Thaaaaank you! I stumbled into PraveenMohan's channel yesterday and looked at some of his work. I watched the Rama's Bow to 4.18. It is interesting, but he seems to be stuck in the perspective of trying to analyze everything in terms of Kali yuga atmosphere.

Like a cockroach in New York in the Winter, trying to understand how things we in the Fall.

Even from our little application of this Yoga we can see that just by learning to purify the body by chanting and dancing to Srila Prabhupada's tune, we start to develop such internal strengths.

Eg. Maybe we can grow piezoelectric crystals in our pineal glands.

Then you could . . .

😃

😃

. . . 😃

Whatsapp:

Hare Krishna, Maharaj ji !

Right now I am in problem, my company fired me, I am jobless now, this time is very difficult, I have wife and one small daughter in my family, I am trying to solve this problem.

If possible kindly pray for us.

Your Servant

Yadu-vara Das

ASA - Krsna is kind. He is never cruel to anyone. If He sends Tapasya it is something practical that they can handle. It is only for purification and elevation.

If He needs a new Svayambhuva Manu and Satarupa in heaven, He may starve an advanced devotee couple so that they can leave their bodies in peace and happiness in the Holy Dhama chanting Holy Names and go to Svarga. This is rare, but possible.

Putin may start a nuclear war and we may all starve to death. It IS possible.

Chanakhya Pt. says that poverty cannot stay where there is constant endeavor, ignorance cannot stay where there is constant recitation of the Vedas (SB) and sinful reaction cannot stay where there is constant chanting of Hari-nama.

Get to work!

Look for a job for Krsna's service.