Letters to the editor

Hare Krsna!

AGTSP Paoho..... Here it is 2.57PM. We are pausing our work to write this letter because we need to say the same thing to many people. Our donkey is very low on energy.

Hey! What's the surprise. He's 72-American years old!!

Our teeth, eyes, ears, lings, heart, short-term-memory, are all going. "Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything" https://poets.org/poem/you-it-act-ii-scene-vii-all-worlds-stage

In contrast, our intelligence, purity of heart is quite enlivening.

We cannot handle individual letters. If we do we get like 400-500/month. So, write here! We see it, other ASA Friends, Members and Intelligent Enemys see it, and we can make our little, maybe precise, comments!

There are so many people with such important news!!!! Please don't let it get lost! Post it here. The ASA Blog. One of the most important websites in the universe.

AGTSP Paoho

A very good dialog may be developing in the Ministry of Education about Ladies as Senior Administrators in ISKCON.

We have suggested that it is not a good use of their talents and another has commented that he sees no reason why a lady cannot be a manager because of her gender.

Our response is:

AgtSP.  Thank you for your concise response.  Paoho. I hope my comments are being taken from the viewpoint of the five (?) blind men trying to understand what is an elephant.  From the viewpoint of this blind man, me, Sannyasa, rather stereotyped one, I do see reasons, but they are far, far, far secondary to whether Mataji is a devotee or not. That is super first for me.

Since she is a very manifest first class devotee and very well situated in her Davi-varna-ashrama Dharma then my suggestion that being a senior manager in this Ministry service comes within that perspective.

I am thinking that ABC Das, who is associate of senior scholarly devotee whom you all know, PhD from very respected univerity, recently married, Associate Professor in USA university, might be a good candidate, but.... and here is my suggestion. Unless there are such qualified ladies as part of the management team to give the advice, perspective and encouragement then such young fellows as ABC Das I don't think do this work.

My idea is Rama raja. Rama is the King, Sita is the Queen, Hanuman and Lakmana are the advisors. Looking at Priyavrata taking up the post of Manu, we see that one cannot be King without a wife, feminine perspective.

Hmmm?  What do you think, Prabhus?  Of course, this discussion has very wide implications for all of ISKCON and here in the Ministry is maybe a very unique place for it to develop.

Thank you.

HpS

AGTSP paoho

We get letters from nice devotees about corruption in ISKCON. This can range from Leaders involved in breaking Four Principles, not chant their rounds, arrogant and abusive behavior, mis-managment of money and exploitation of resources.

Of course, there are big and little thieves. Using temple auto to go for refreshing drive on the way back from the bank.

First, we personally heard from Srila Prabhupada's lips when we was in Berkeley (San Franciscco) in 1973, when asked by a reporter, 'Swamiji, are there problems in your Temples?', "This is the material world, there are problems everywhere!".

When Krsna was personally present in Vrndavana there were demons entering that were so terrifying that they were causing some of the girls to have mis-carriages!

So, we can expect problems in the Temple, ISKCON, but if it is Braja, if it is an ISKCON Temple, then it is under Krsna's control, awareness.

What should we do?

In Braja only Krsna and Balarama kill demons - The rest of us can all chant, "Hare Krsna!!! Hare Rama!!", and Krsna and Balarama will take care of the situation, and, yes, they may empower us to deal with it.

I have personally experienced this even to being physically violent with insane visitors at times.

We will see that Krsn took physical charge of my senses like in Kurukshetra. Or that Krsna gives us unavoidable, clear intelligence how to do our part and we see simultaneously He does his part. We have had strong experience of this.

Yes, in the beginning force may be necessary, physical or verbal, but unless it is done expertly, empowered by Krsna, then there will be a bad taste for everybody.

The Gopis, members of ISKCON live at three levels:

1. We are good citizens of Nanda Maharaja's village. We pay taxes. We act properly in the institution give respect and following instructions, but if there are problems we take institutional action.
2. We have our friends. ISKCON is a society of friends independent of the institution.
3. We have our own individual, direct experience of Srila Prabhupada. He knows what we are doing, and we know what he wants of us. Of course, we know that this only will increase as we become more sincere. It will be through so many transparent via-media, other devotees, books, deities, parama-atma, but the experience is direct.

We must be brave and honest to deal with problems in the Institution. We go to GBC, three GBC, Executive Committee, GBC general Assembly and we can even go to Srila Prabhupada directly, but if everyone is crazy then we should personally declare that in an institutional framework and take charge of Srila Prabhupada's institution.

At this moment, we try to deal with so many problems from our perspective as member of the institution and we see that things are moving on. ISKCON seems about 75% functional at this point, but if I can personally claim that level of functionality it is great.

Look at your own weakness before your criticize others.

Some thoughts.

PAMHO. AGTSP. I just spoke to Matsya Mataji, and it seems Nitai Gaurasundar Prabhu has a not too severe case of the virus. How is your health, Gurudeva? Any symptoms?

0o0o0o0

AGTSP! Ass Katha! ! St. Francis of Asis said that this body is an ass that we ride through this world. Don't spend all of your time taking care of an ass, but Rupa Goswami adds, nirbandhe, Krsna sambandhe, yukta vairagya ucate, seeing the relation of your carrier to Krsna and protecting and using it that way is real renunciation.

Brother Ass always has fever symptoms. He is at least 70% Pitta. Today the pollen level is Extremely High and so he is sneezing, sore throat, etc. From 8.30-10.30AM we were involved in going to, waiting for, documenting the payment for, the KV test. Sat in the car. One of the techs, young lady, was interested in Jagannatha on the bag around our neck. We tried to explain things and then gave her a NoI.

No special symptoms.

Very prolonged tachycardia this morning. No feeling of distress but heart going with light vibrations rather than lub-dub.

"We're all going to die! It's how you live that counts," Conan the Barbarian.

"Why, said Socrates,—is not Evenus a philosopher?

I think that he is, said Simmias.

Then he, or any man who has the spirit of philosophy, will be willing to die, but he will not take his own life, for that is held to be unlawful.",

Phaedo, [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1658/1658-h/1658-h.htm#link2H_4_0002}

"While the King was thus repenting, he received news of his imminent death, which would be due to the bite of a snake-bird, occasioned by the curse spoken by the sage’s son. The King accepted this as good news, for it would be the cause of his indifference toward worldly things." https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/19/4/

"SB 4,23.21. - When Queen Arci saw that her husband, who had been so merciful to her and the earth, no longer showed symptoms of life, she lamented for a little while and then built a fiery pyre on top of a hill and placed the body of her husband on it."

"ŚB 4.23.29 - The great sage Maitreya continued speaking: My dear Vidura, when the wives of the denizens of heaven were thus talking amongst themselves, Queen Arci reached the planet which her husband, Mahārāja Pṛthu, the topmost self-realized soul, had attained."

"Bg. 2.14 - O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed."

So, in one aspect we are just surprised, that people, technicians, our gardener Don the excellent Christian, devotees, take this Karuna Virus seriously. It is just some material flip and we should deal with it out of hand: Oh, I am dead! Oh, I am rich!.... and focus on our eternal participation in the Sankirtan party. We have so much to do to improve that!!!!

Then another aspect, when looking it straight in the face. We are going to die in seven days, then we saw that we could really become ECSTATIC.! Like Socrates. Such a great opportunity. Where will we go!???

Thank you.

HpS - Thank you, CCD!!!! This is the secular name for Candra-mukhi Devi Dasi. She is PhD, teaching in university.

Is nice letter. Will be in touch with you soon.

Maharaja,

This reply was from a post of your disciple on "Fakebook", ["Fakebook"???? Not "Facebook"] so please excuse some of the informalities. Thank you! _o'/\__,

Yes, HPS is perfection in practicality, especially through personal experience. Others, he will empathize to a degree, yet he still knows certain processes individuals must go through. The learning curve is necessary.

As in any business Maharaja understands management positions, the unique bearing in ISKCON is that we're dealing with individual and collective services.

The hierarchy is complicated sometimes and not always in exact lineage which can cause dismay in responses. Maharaja noted the 3 levels of interactions and the subtle fourth being Paramatma, that's the mystical facet of ISKCON.

We may use standard business protocols in most cases, though the "Paramatma" brings the need for spontaneous compensation that usually does not occur in modern management.

So, if we can get mutual universal understandings and still get individual instruction for TPC (Time, Place & Circumstance) within ISKCON that would re-establish some of the tones of Srila Prabhupada.

It's getting everybody on the same page that will be the trick, communications is vital so all information is shared amongst those involved while keeping transparency and still minimizing unnecessary exposure to devotional creepers of the individuals.

Whilst this is devised, we still have to wash pots, cut bhoga, shower-up and go to Mangals at home or the Temple, keeping regulated amongst our quandaries and problems. If we do so Sri Bhagavan will assist with the answer or solve the problem.

Regardless, remember that we must serve faithfully, if not... step back and inhale, re-examine our minds and focus on our service. If this is not clear, consult Hari, Guru, Vaishnava...Bhagavad Gita until you get an answer.

All glories to the Vaishnava's !

https://www.facebook.com/groups/136923586685893/permalink/1189680594743515/

Claudia Quispe

Hare Krishna Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisances,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada !!

This report is about the progress of the indexing process and the final part of the edition for the publication of SOLARIS No 5, by the mercy of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, we hope to have the digital version of the magazine ready on the day of its Glorious Appearance on 30 of August.

HpS - Enthusiasm is more important than patience but without some patience turns into patience. We all look forward to the Big Voice of NIOS.

We have been in permanent communication with Miguel Polo and Héctor Béjar. With Miguel, after several sessions we have defined the standard for the presentation of the journal's articles and contents (it is the first requirement in the indexing process). In Héctor's case, he has read articles to approve their publication. In my case, as editor and coordinator of the journal, I have managed with professors and institutions the preparation and delivery of articles and content (it only remains to refine the details of the part in English to finish this point), I have also managed with the CIEPS - Center International Registration of Serial Publications the assignment of two ISSNs (one to ratify the printed version and another number for the digital version), finally, at the moment I am in the design and layout (80% ready).

HpS - Gandhava Das made excellent presentation for Viplavah etc. today in NIOS Board of Director's meeting. Everyone was very impressed. We have to put the management of NIOS in the loop as we apply for these numbers etc. Excellent work.

The work of homologizing and standardizing SOLARIS is very strong, but it is necessary, to pass, the first filter of the indexing. They are formalities, they are not difficult, but if they are laborious, they are not unnecessary formalities, on the contrary, this is currently the standard of how scientific and academic information is ordered and cataloged in the world. Basically, this first step (two more to go) consists of 3 topics:

1.- Standardize the presentation of articles according to the pattern established by the APA (American Psychological Association). The set of these standards is what is known as the APA style or standards. We follow the APA 6 style, this was the recommendation of Miguel and also of another professor, who has already indexed his journal (at this point we appreciate the valuable work of Carlos Rold who approved the footnotes and bibliographic references of almost all articles, in Spanish, he also did a bit of proofreading, a super service).

HpS - Jaya, Bhakta Carlitos.

2.- Create for each article a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) ​​is a unique and permanent identifier that provides information on the description of digital objects (in our case the articles and other contents of the journal) this makes it easy and accessible the location of content on the internet.

3.- Build a portal (your own website) where the articles can be downloaded in thematic or chronological order through metadata (author, title, publication data, etc.) this is in the process of being elaborated (in the next report more details on this point).

HpS - This was also discussed at the BOD meeting today. Subal sakha Das from Richmond, Virginia, can possible help us with general strategy for the website and NIOS web pages. His company charges $500/hour when he does this work. He will design and manage the work of teams of 25-programers as they migrate Capitol One bank's account date from one server to another in a live process over 18-hours. If it fails while moving they start losing $27,000 per hour!

In parallel, we have the validation of articles by pairs, that is, a group of academics who approve the publication of the articles in the journal.

At this point the English editing team (they can delegate validation to other colleagues) would be made up of Radhika Raman and Aja-Govinda, (humanities and applied sciences, great), okay?

HpS - Maybe!!!? We can always be fully engaged. If we become anxious for some material result, fame, prestige, I know!, then we create problems. Aja and Radhika are both pushed to the limit with their academic, profession, family, ISKCON responsibilities. ... Maybe they will not have time to do this. We have to look at things and see if we can do it. If not then O.K. we will do something else and GET a good result. Better to do something smaller with 85% good result that something bigger with 15% result, no?

The Spanish team is made up of Héctor Béjar (agrees to evaluate two articles per Magazine) Miguel Polo (agrees to evaluate two or three articles per Magazine) Paula Miranda and Lalita-gopi D.D. (Ramon Mujica, Carlos Aquino, Walter León and others are also there but they are occasional)

Here is the content of SOLARIS No 5:

INDEX / INDEX

Articles / Articles:

1. THE SACRED FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL, Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty.

2. EDUCATION, NATURE AND THE PARADIGM OF THE SACRED, Héctor Béjar Rivera.

3. A BHAGAVATA PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION, Some Preliminary Thoughts, Ravi Gupta.

4. NARRATIVE AND SPIRITUALITY IN FRONT OF POSTHUMANISM, Luis Arturo Amaro Sáenz.

5. FROM THE NATURE OF ART TO THE ART OF NATURE, Raúl Zevallos.

6. THE VISUAL DISCOURSE IN THE CENTENNIAL GENERATIONS, education for a global ethics, Ma. Dolores Chávez.

7. IMAGE OF THE ORIENTAL AND INDIA SOCIETIES IN THE PERCEPTION OF LATIN AMERICAN AUTHORS, Murad Ahamad Khan.

8. THE RETURN TO THE WORLD IN DŌGEN AND IN SHINRAN: THE PRACTICE OF ZAZEN AND NENBUTSU, Rebeca Maldonado.

● Cultural Portal / Cultural Portal:

POETRY, A WAY TOWARDS THE REUNION WITH THE SACRED. In Memoriam by Rodrigo Hernández Piceros, by Carlos Rold / illustrations: Sebastián Riveros.

A POET DRESSED IN HUMILITY, Enrique de Santiago.

● Interviews / Interviews

THE ROLE OF CREATIVITY IN ZEN BUDDHISM, Miguel Polo interview with Berta Meneses.

● Round table / Round table

KARMA-VIRUS or KARUNA-VIRUS, approaches to the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic

● Reviews / Reviews

● Institutional Exchanges / Institutional Exchanges

Gurudeva, by your mercy and that of Sri Gauranga, the academic sankirtana is going well, in the next report we will talk about the interesting relationships of NIOS and SOLARIS with the Spanish Society of Religions Sciences (www.secr.es) (Spain) and the Aesthetics Center of the Catholic University of Chile (www.estetica.uc.cl).

Hare Krishna Gurudeva, his insignificant servant, Abhirama Thakur das.

HpS - Again, be careful. Keep it enthusiasm, not passion. We are just now beginning to get these projects into the Blog as practical works. Should have happened some time before, but no body (especially us) are perfect.

All glories to His Divine Grace. We all thank you! We thank Maria for giving your so much love and respect.

EDICIÓN Y PUBLICACIÓN DE SOLARIS No 5 EN LA RECTA FINAL

Hare Krishna Gurudeva

Por favor acepte mis humildes reverencias,

¡Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada!!

Este informe es sobre el avance del proceso de indexación y la parte final de la edición para la publicación de SOLARIS No 5, por la misericordia de Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, esperamos tener la versión digital de la revista lista el día de su Gloriosa Aparición el 30 de agosto. A continuación, los detalles:

Hemos estado en comunicación permanente con Miguel Polo y con Héctor Béjar. Con Miguel, después de varias sesiones hemos definido el estándar de la presentación de los artículos y contenidos de la revista (es el primer requisito en el trámite de indexación), en el caso de Héctor él ha leído artículos para aprobar su publicación. En mi caso, como editor y coordinador de la revista he gestionado con profesores e instituciones la elaboración y entrega de artículos y contenidos (solo falta afinar los detalles de la parte en inglés para acabar este punto), también he gestionado con la CIEPS – Centro Internacional de Registro de Publicaciones en Serie la asignación de dos ISSN (uno para ratificar la versión impresa y otro número para la versión digital), finalmente, en estos momentos me encuentro en el diseño y la diagramación (80% listos).

El trabajo de homologar y estandarizar SOLARIS es muy fuerte, pero es necesario para pasar el primer filtro de la indexación. Son formalidades, no son difíciles, pero si laboriosas, no son formalidades innecesarias, al contrario, este es actualmente el estándar de cómo está ordenada y catalogada la información científica y académica en el mundo. Básicamente, este primer paso (faltan dos más) consta de 3 temas:

1.- Homologar la presentación de los artículos de acuerdo al patrón establecido por la APA (American Psychological Association). El conjunto de estas normas es lo que se conoce como el estilo o normas APA. Nosotros seguimos el estilo APA 6, esta fue la recomendación de Miguel y también de otro profesor, que ya indexó su revista (en este punto agradecemos el valioso trabajo de Carlos Rold que homologó las notas al pie y referencias bibliografías de casi todos los artículos, en español, también hizo un poco de corrección de estilo, un súper servicio)

2.- Crear para cada artículo un DOI (Digital Object Identifier) es un identificador único y permanente que proporciona información sobre la descripción de objetos digitales (en nuestro caso los artículos y otros contenidos de la revista) esto hace fácil y accesible la localización de los contenidos en internet.

3.- Construir un portal (una website propia) donde se puedan descargar los artículos por orden temático o cronológico a través de metadatos (autor, título, datos de publicación, etc.) esto está en pleno proceso de elaboración (en el próximo informe mas detalles de este punto).

Paralelamente, tenemos la validación de artículos por pares, es decir, un conjunto de académicos que aprueben la publicación de los artículos en la revista.

En este punto el equipo editor en inglés (ellos pueden delegar a otros colegas la validación) estaría conformado por Radhika Raman y Aja-Govinda, (humanidades y ciencias aplicadas, buenísimo) ¿está bien?

El equipo en español está conformado por Héctor Béjar (se compromete a evaluar dos artículos por Revista) Miguel Polo (se compromete a evaluar dos o tres artículos por Revista) Paula Miranda y Lalita-gopi D.D. (también están Ramon Mujica, Carlos Aquino, Walter León y otros pero ellos son ocasionales)

A continuación, el contenido de SOLARIS No 5:

INDEX / ÍNDICE

Articles / Artículos:

1. THE SACRED FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL, Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty.
2. EDUCATION, NATURE AND THE PARADIGM OF THE SACRED, Héctor Béjar Rivera.
3. A BHAGAVATA PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION, Some Preliminary Thoughts, Ravi Gupta.
4. NARRATIVA Y ESPIRITUALIDAD FRENTE AL POSTHUMANISMO, Luis Arturo Amaro Sáenz.
5. DE LA NATURALEZA DEL ARTE AL ARTE DE LA NATURALEZA, Raúl Zevallos.
6. EL DISCURSO VISUAL EN LAS GENERACIONES CENTENNIALS, educación para una ética global, Dra. Ma. Dolores Chávez.
7. IMAGEN DE LAS SOCIEDADES ORIENTALES E INDIA EN LA PERCEPCIÓN DE LOS AUTORES LATINOAMERICANOS, Murad Ahamad Khan.
8. EL REGRESO AL MUNDO EN DŌGEN Y EN SHINRAN: LA PRÁCTICA DE ZAZEN Y DEL NENBUTSU. SOBRE LA COMPRENSIÓN DE LA ENSEÑANZA EN LA ERA KAMAKURA DE DOS BUDISMOS OPUESTOS ENTRE SÍ, Rebeca Maldonado.

●      Cultural Portal / Portal Cultural:

LA POESÍA, UN CAMINO HACIA EL REENCUENTRO CON LO SAGRADO. In Memoriam de Rodrigo Hernández Piceros, por Carlos Rold / ilustraciones: Sebastián Riveros.

UN POETA VESTIDO DE HUMILDAD, Enrique de Santiago.

●      Interviews / Entrevistas

EL PAPEL DE LA CREATIVIDAD EN EL BUDISMO ZEN, entrevista de Miguel Polo a Berta Meneses.

●      Round table / Mesa redonda

KARMA-VIRUS o KARUNA-VIRUS, aproximaciones a las implicancias de la pandemia del COVID-19

●      Reviews / Reseñas

●      Institutional Exchanges / Intercambios Institucionales

Gurudeva, por su misericordia y la de Sri Gauranga el sankirtana académico está marchando bien, en el siguiente informe hablaremos de las interesantes relaciones de NIOS y SOLARIS con la Sociedad Española de Ciencias de las Religiones (www.secr.es) (España) y el Centro de Estética de la Universidad Católica de Chile (www.estetica.uc.cl).

Hare Krishna Gurudeva, su insignificante sirviente, Abhirama Thakur das.