Dear Guru Maharaja

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you!

We received the DTC you sent along with the Stretch Island prasadam last week. It came at the perfect time for me because, work has been very very busy. We have a new VP who is very difficult and micromanages a lot. On the day the DTC arrived, my company layed off 1500 employees. By Krishna's mercy, I still have a job in these trying times. My weekends are also completely full with the education programs in Kalachandji Dham (we are now registered as Bhaktivedanta Vedic Academy). I have been running and running for the last few months and the DTC gave me some perspective to sit and think about why we are doing it. Your focus on Japa was a great instruction for us. We feel very fortunate to have a spiritual master who is so loving and merciful.

Please send us the scans of the DTCs Guru Maharaja so that I can archive them. It is very valuable. Anyone who wants to access them can download it from https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11EPWsm3vFp9WmKMOsw7EXLhexnazc3Dt?usp=sharing

We are overwhelmed by your affection. You perfectly embody the 6 kinds of loving exchanges from NoI. Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport that "The life of the Kṛṣṇa conscious society is nourished by these six types of loving exchange among the members." In my experience after moving to Dallas, personal relationships among devotees are very shallow. The 6 loving exchanges rarely happens, especially guhyam akhyati prcchhati. You are so personal in your dealings and always prioritize sanga over the process. Your association nourishes our Krishna Consciousness Gurudeva. We are very very grateful to you for having given us shelter at your lotus feet.

Guru Maharaja, in today's Bhagavatam class, you spoke of different levels of consciousness when chanting and you referred to NoI 8 in terms of Nama, Rupa and Carita. I was thinking about a paragraph in the purport where Srila Prabhupada talks about the steps to sampatti dasa starting from sravana dasa. Like the verse we read (SB 2.2.24) that spoke about how you can change your consciousness by the hatha yoga process, can we also practice raganuga Bhakti? or does it automatically occur to us when we achieve asakti or bhava?

HpS - AgtSP!!!! Paoho. Thank you for your association. If Krsna takes your job away it means He has something better for you to do. Even materially I have seen that with devotees!

As we understand, we can begin practicing a little Raganuga Bhakti Yoga as soon as we realize that Krsna is a person and it is 'how' we do the service as much as the 'form' of the service. Eg. we are making the noon offering for Radha Kala-candji on time with all the proper dishes, Mantras etc, but we feel that it is very mechanical, then we think, well, how does Mother Yasoda offer lunch to Krsna, the cowherd boys. So, we can try to say the prayers with that attitude, see the altar with that attitude, not to enjoy Krsna, but to try to give some more feeling for Krsna. Srila Prabhupada says that we have to learn the little art of crying for Krsna. Certainly if we have taken second initiation and even before we can start to try to follow the sentiments of a Nitya-siddha persona like M. Yasoda, Lord Nityananda.

O.K?

I would say that is really the practical work with we come to the level of nistha and ruci.

Thank you so much Guru Maharaja for everything you do for us.

Your servant

Srinatha Krsna dasa

Maharaj, you asked me to summarize my marriage for the benefit of those who may be going through similar situations. My heart and prayers go out to them.

[Edited by ASA Board of Editors]

Here are points I'm grateful for in my husband:

1) He orders good quality stuff for the house, cheap and best

2) He is an adventurous and mostly jolly person otherwise

3) He likes new things and places

4) He doesn't use me for his physical needs

5) He loves to eat good food and I like to cook

6) He likes to experience happy new moments

7) He likes the best of everything and tries to arrange for it

8) At least he follows 4 principles, and chants 16rnds and somewhat follows a siksha guru. Difficult to find even this standard these days.

Here are the problems I see in character of my husband:

1) After three years, no kids. Too much "virtual romantic-reality games".

2) Difficult for him to stick with one women, job or place. He feels he is missing out on happiness, adrenaline rush, available in other places. Feels burdened by marriage, requesting divorce, feeling like can no longer cope with the marriage or act in a way to inspire respect from spouse.

3) He has issues talking about anything deep, or dealing with negative emotions or communicating about them. Immediately wants to leave. So, not much of substance can be sorted and as it builds up inside him it comes out through intense scary physical violence

4) Can't follow schedule or rules because he needs complete freedom. Wakes up around 10/11am, goes to sleep very late in the night wanting to be alone to do gaming and romantic website. My marriage to him was arranged by all of my superiors and KC mentors to give me spiritual partnership.

5) He doesn't like to include me in any decisions he wants to make, where we will live, children, his life goal: To give his parents a currently unaffordable house in a very high, class posh locality because that is their dream.

7) He tells me every other female is better than me: My cousins, my friends, his female co-workers, sister, mother are all better than me.

Maharaj, I was seeking your guidance on what to do now at this point. Not for my sake, but for the sake of SP.

I am ready to do anything I can to save this marriage despite all the problems. Your mercy is our sustainence. Thank you so much. As you requested for this summary, I am from my heart sharing it here. If reading my life story can benefit anyone struggling in their own life, i am grateful for the opportunity to serve. I request blessings from all the Vaishnavas 🙏.

Your aspiring servant,

Yajnaseni DD

HpS - ASA ---- Too many points to address in one letter. First thing is quote from Chanakya Pandita: Victory comes from good advice, and good advice comes from many counselors.

You say that all of your superiors and KC mentors arranges the marriage. Well..... we didn't arrange it.... no sir! 😳 If we had arranged it we would have suggested second initiation for both parties first, I, all the superiors and KC mentors, discuss the situation together before coming to a recommendation.

So. . . Emergency First Aide: Chant Hare Krsna and be happy. Draupadi tried to save herself by so many methods, appealing to all of her superiors and KC mentors, but they just turned away. She tried to use her personal strength.... Then in the most fortunate situation in the world, completely helpless she said,

He, Govinda !

and Govinda helper her (Like new saris)!

It takes a lot to make a grown man cry, but sometimes the emotional, social, pain, harassment in ISKCON in situations arranged by all of my superiors and KC mentors has been so bad (and others agreed it was) that we have just literally thrown our hands in the air and surrendered to Krsna.

He, Govinda !

What did Govinda do? He put us on our feet, took us out the door, walked us around the corner, down the street and sat us down on the steps leading up to someone's house. Was in the city, and we just kept on Chantng.... Chanting... Chanting.... and little by little, maybe 15-20 minutes, our mind and intelligence worked through the situation, and we came to a very clear understanding of what was wrong with the situation, and how to deal with it.

Krsna did not give Arjuna a super weapon. He gave him clear intelligence. We already have more power than all the Indras in all the material universes combines. Is that enough for you?!

It is just being covered by our own stupid conditioning.

The Japa got us on our feet again, took us back around the corner through the Saturday traffic and right into the office to confront "The evil one". There were arguments from some of my superiors and KC mentors, and even The Evil One Himself, but our intelligence was clear and we faced all of them. We had to leave on congenial terms, that project.

We were surprised that TEO submitted more easily than we expected, but we later learned that the Temple PResident who had be present during our crucifiction, commented when we went out with tears welling in our eyes to TEO, "If you don't stop harrassing Hanuman Swami like this I'm going to shove you through the window!" Was a second story window!.

So, I am suggesting.... Take shelter constantly of the Holy Name from sastric evidence, Guru vakya, and many personal experiences.

I have always really loved TEO, and its is learning these adjustments that have made that more and more possible.

Did Suniti take Uttanapada back to Godhead?

Now... let us see if even more formal and improvised focus on the Holy Names solves 75% of the problems.

Then as there are remaining issues, let us deal with them one at a time, rather than as great carton of  Lernaean Hydra.

Sankirtan!

Respected devotees from Nila-madhava Dhama wrote:

Hare Krishna Dear Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga and Srila Prabhupada.

It worries us to hear about your vision. I hope the doctor can prescribe some remedy. Please let us know how we can serve.

We humbly pray to Sri Sri Radha Nilamadhava and Their Divine Associates to bless you with a long healthy life for the benefit of fallen souls like me. 

Humbly pray for your blessings always,

Your servant(s),

Sukha-sagari DD (Gopal & Meera)

-0-0-0-

HpS - It is just 'jara'. It will happen to you, Gopal, Meera.... It is unavoidable duality of youth and old-age. When your car gets old you start thinking, enjoying the thought of a new car, no? That is material life. It is all shallow, relative, dualities, no?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5hcaYEcAp0

Google the Text "all the world's a stage". SP, 'If you want to understand word power, read Shakespeare'. ... sans teeth, sans eyes, sans everything....

We all enter and exit as "toothless suckers". 😊

Hare Krsna, Maharaj, PAMHO, AGTSP

Please see this link to the playlist on videos on SB by Gauranga Darshan Prabhu:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhtmKWc6vRTBIyicMjjR2JcmTdUyb5gCv

HpS - ASA - Thank you!!

Please also find link for online courses at cheap rate.

https://vedvarsity.com/all-courses/

HpS - Again thank you. Would require investigation more who is the Vedvarsity.

Suicide bomber ---- One could see story of Character of Rambo. Its like one man army.

HpS - We hope so! More and more power to students to fight Maya!

Hare Krishna, Gurudeva,

Please accept our most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you. I am looking at the Anvaya that my father did, and I made a few changes to the first verse. If it is possible for you to kindly give us some feedback, that would be very helpful for us to finish revising the rest of the verses.

NOI 1

vāco vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁ

jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam

etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ

sarvām apīmāṁ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt

Synonyms

vācaḥ — of speech; vegam — urge; manasaḥ — of the mind; krodha — of anger; vegam — urge; jihvā — of the tongue; vegam — urge; udara-upastha — of the belly and genitals; vegam — urge; etān — these; vegān — urges; yaḥ — whoever; viṣaheta — can tolerate; dhīraḥ — sober; sarvām — all; api — certainly; imām — this; pṛthivīm — world; saḥ — that personality; śiṣyāt — can make disciples.

Translation

A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind’s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.

English Word-Order

saḥ — A

dhīraḥ - sober person

yaḥ - who

viṣaheta - can control

etān — the

vegān — urges 

jihvā - vegam -  of the tongue,

manasaḥ - mind,

udara-upastha-vegam -  belly, genitals, 

vācaḥ vegam - speech,

krodha- vegam – [and] anger,

śiṣyāt - can [ api — certainly] make disciples

sarvām — all around

imām — this

pṛthivīm — world

Note: In some places we used English articles in place of Sanskrit pronouns for better readability (I learned that this is an acceptable practice in translation in my Sanskrit classes). We also omitted the translation of “vegam” after each urge, and slightly changed the order of the urges so that the sentence remains simple. Please let us know if a similar emphasis on English readability is acceptable for the rest of the verses Gurudeva. Thank you very much for tolerating us.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Your insignificant servants,

Srinivasacarya Dasa and Sugopi Radha Devi Dasi

HpS - ASA -- It looks super. Do you know what is the biggest room in the world?

:

:

The room for self improvement. 🙂

Or as one French poet said, "No one ever finished a poem. They just stopped working on it". So this format seem fine for this edition of TPP-NOI, a very satisfying offering to Srila Prabhupada and the previous Acharyas! We will change the world!

Hare Krishna dear Gurumaharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisance and gratitude to you, again and again.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!.

While visualizing you to the extend [extent] that our limited perceptual capacity allows us and appealing to your kind and compassionate nature, [we actually have a very selfish demonic nature but by Srila Prabhupada's intense love it is under control and diminishing] we write this as another attempt to approach you.

It is like a mischievous dog after wandering and sniffing around got its muzzle smashed; then, it runs, looking for its master for safety and when it is almost nearby, it crawls towards the master carrying a straw with its teeth along with remorse and embarrassment.

HpS - Sounds like a Bengali dog, Rupa Goswami's dog.

PLEASE FORGIVE me GURUMAHARAJ, due to my rebel attitude, false ego and pride I kept myself aloof from you, starving myself from your direct protection (looking at you from a distance and wishing to be close to you = self-inflicted pain). Please Gurumaharaj help me to COME BACK AND TAKE SHELTER AT THE SHADE OF YOUR LOTUS FEET FOREVER. I don't want to be away anymore!!

HpS - ... and Narottama Das Thakur confesses that he is lower than the Jagai and Madia. I feel that I probably have the same attitude toward Srila Prabhupada in so many ways.

This is a public confession of my mistake = faults.

HpS - Not public, this Blog is only comprehensible to members of the Anjana Suta Academy, a pioneering branch of ISKCON.

Due to your compassionate, practical and visionary nature, one of your instructions to all of us is, to write and contact you using this Blog. There are many reasons for it; mainly, everybody can derive benefits by reading your responses to ours letters; yet, out of false ego, pride and selfishness I dared not to follow your instruction and questioning its validity; excusing myself by saying 'THE BLOG BLOCKS ME', alleging the need for confidentiality (what the heck, Madhumanjari?).

HpS - As far as I can understand, the desire to be an intimate associate of Guru and Krsna can have two elements: Pride and Natural impulse. We remember Srila Sanatana Goswami writing that... every cowherd boy thinks that he is KRSNA's closest friend, and this bothers him... "How can Krsna deal with me like this??? There are so many other boys greater than me, who love Him so much more than I do?".... So he thinks, "I am Krsna's closest friend!?!", and Sanatana Goswami says, "By the nature of the internal potency it is a fact".

So this is a reality. You, me, we ARE Krsna's closest friend. Srila Prabhupada's closest associate. Sikhi-mahiti's sister was one of the 3-1/2 closest associates of Lord Caitanya (try and top that), but as a Sannyasi she never got within smiling distance of Him. Iskcon is OUR movement. Its health and success depends on us.

... but material desire for fame (I am worse than you {I am the most fallen, Ha! Ha! Ha!}) also motivates us to be a 'special disciple of Guru/Krsna. Of course, that very stewpid desire keeps us from becoming and intimate disciples, gotta keep sweeping it out.

This is GURU-APARADA. I have offended you again Gurumaharaj and deprived myself from your guidance and protection, putting myself at risk. Please forgive me Gurumaharaj!!!. I am really sorry!!

Despite of my offences, there is a bit of spiritual consciousness in me, which is there only because of you Sir, you care for us (your disciples), you hold us all alive. I give witness of that.

In spite of my stupidity, the thoughts of you, remembering your example of dedication, service and surrender to Srila Prabhupada, your selfless and intense preaching, by remembering your compassion and forgiving nature, your purity and transparence in your dealings with devotees and people in general, your knowledge, witty and wisdom, your all encompassing and visionary approach to spirituality, your humble and meek attitude, your firm conviction and faith in Srila Prabhupada's books, your deep faith in the Holy Name - Maha mantra HARE KRISHNA, your taste for chanting and remembering Krishna, your creativity and out of the box view of life and death, your constant effort for taking care of us (your disciples) in a personalized manner. The remembrance of all these and more gives me the strength to face my weakness of character and to surrender to you.

What a great fortune!!!

HpS - AGTSP who can use devils as instruments to deliver a pure message.

Due to causeless mercy, we have the great fortune to have you Gurumaharaj as our spiritual master. It is only because of you that we can have the opportunity to be engaged in devotional service, giving real meaning to our existence and be part of Srila Prabhupada's movement (with all that that implies) - ISKCON (Srila Prabhupada's offering to his spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura). It is because of you that we all eventually will go back to KRISHNA. For all these and more, THANK YOU SO MUCH GURUMAHARAJ!!.

Gurumaharaj, I pray to you, Srila Prabhupada and Krishna that this attempt to follow and please you, it should not remain just as an attempt rather it should become a constant attitude and a fact.

It seems that this became too lengthy. Sorry Sir.

HpS - It is O.K. It is in English! (😎) Good English.

I planned to write you about many points, but got stuck with this important one; thus, now there is another reason to push me to write you soon.

Please forgive me for all my offences and kindly bless me.

Thank you Sir.

Your aspiring servant

Madhumanjari dd.

HpS - Thank you for giving us some perspective on how to go ahead in our own relation to Krsna and Guru. Honestly we face challenges. Because we are taking this role of Diksa guru for Srila Prabhupada we should comment that we have been able to follow the four principles since before initiation. Of course, in the beginning there were so many bad dreams and etc, but that goes away. However, until death lusty thoughts will not go away, as long as we have this Western body. We get 16-rounds done.. well... but so often have to catch up from day to day.

We have confidential confession from so many disciples about their very unfortunate falls into Maya, but we always remember what we read, that Rama told Laksmana: There is no mistake we can make that we cannot correct.

If we pay for the murder of cows to be served as beef we have to approach them and apologize and compensate for the damage we have done to them until they are happy with us.

Thank you! I think you have done pretty well. At least 65%, maybe 95%. Like you say we have not been too much Siksa guru for your good self, but that is O.K. if you have been taking advantage of others eg. Devamrta Swami? Anniruddha Das? ... Diksa is keeping the link by 16/4. We are your servants!! AgtSP! Next letter.