Letters to the editor

Hare Krsna, Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Shraddha is the first level in the development of Bhakti. What I want to know from Gurudev is that how can one enhance one's Shraddha to the point that it becomes unaffected by any externalities?

HpS - ASA -- Thank you so much for this letter... AGTSP!!!!! paoho....

Nectar of Instruction (NOI) - 7, paragraph starting, "The conclusion is..", Srila Prabhupada paraphrases the verse "adau sraddha, sadhu sanga...", with all the stages. This is one of the most principle verses in all of SP's books! Study it. Learn the stages. Find your stage. See BG 4.10 purport for the Sanskrit!

Then in NOI-5 SP cites, "Sraddhavan jana...". This verse points out that every one of the different levels: Sraddha, sadhu sanga, bhajana kriya..." etc, are just different levels of Sraddha. Sraddha is another name for Bhakti. When our Sraddha is unaffected by externals it is at the Nistha stage, no? Read the NOI-7 text above to see how to get to that stage. Of course the basic principle is chant 16-enthusiastic rounds per day, and follow the 4-principles strictly, under SP's authority. All the details are in NOI in the first level.... Then SB, CC, NOD!! Asking devotee Bhagavatas.

We can advance in devotional life only through Krsna's and guru's mercy. What makes one worthy of mercy?

HpS - If we had to be "worthy" then it would not be "mercy", it would be "earned". We get the mercy by accepting it when Krsna sends it. He sends a boat to take us out of our flooded house, but we are too vain and proud, and expect a helicopter with red cushions. Look for the mercy that Krsna is sending, and then TRY to accept it. Maybe is is austerity. Maybe it is resting.... Beyond that, yes, we can try to become qualified to earn the mercy. Apply the process to the best of our ability.

Vedas have to learnt through aural reception from self realised souls. One also has to do self study at home. So how can one approach that?

ASA - Attend classes with devotees. Discuss Srila Prabhupada's books with them for an hour or so in the morning and evening and then do, an hour or so of your own private study, association, with Srila Prabhupada.

We read CC before Mangala arati online but don't discuss it, just share our screen, Then we tweet our location and study question.

Then we read ISO etc in Spanish with devotees on line after Mangala arati with some comments. Then 6.30-7.30AM pepare SB class and writing projects, 7.30-8.30AM Class with devotees. Evening program. You develop your program based upon your association, service.

A Vaisnava is one who is compassionate, empathetic, kind,humble, peaceful and very tolerant. In today's world, how can one develop these qualities but at the same time not become a doormat to other opportunistic people?

HpS - By recognizing who is a demon and who is an innocent person. Avoid the demons (Aikido) and teach the innocent! Of course these two will be mixed in the same bodies usually.

Gurudev, in Bg 18.66,Krsna says to Arjuna to abandon all varieties of religion. This is explained in the purport but couldn't gain a proper understanding of it. Please explain what does "all varieties of religion"mean.

ASA - Conventional social duties eg Good Mother, Good Police man, Good Artisan.

Also what is complete surrender?

HpS - We smile and say, "As much as you can." . . . Just surrender to Krsna as much as you can, as much as you can't, then try to cultivate Dhyana, Jnana, and Karma. Chant your rounds, do your service with attention (Dhayana), understanding. logic and intelligence (Jnana), according to the rules (Karma)

Cc Madhya Lila 22.62,Text 62. "By rendering transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa, one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. This confident, firm faith, favorable to the discharge of devotional service, is called śraddhā. What do 'all subsidiary activities' mean?

ASA - Same as above: Venerated public duties (Karma), Janana and yoga. Hanuman didn't make much of a plan or collect special tools when he went to Lanka to find Sita. He just said, "Jaya Rama!", and jumped. Of course he is Hanuman. Maybe we should pack a GPS.

Gurudev, I am 3 months into this journey, so still a novice.

HpS - We are over 40-years and still neophyte in many ways. Also, we are attracted because we have been doing this is a previous life, thus we take birth in a certain community.

Spiritual life has captured all my interest and attention. I am fascinated by every aspect of devotional life and also would love to be a part of it. I want to take initiation as soon as possible and can't wait to embark on this path of transcendence.

Your humble servant wants to know your advice on how I should go about in making this big step.

A guru is the representative of God and Guru will take us back to Godhead. Seeking a spiritual master is the most important step in self realisation. How can we choose a spiritual master and how to seek him? How can one muster up the courage to have complete dependence on Krsna.

HpS - Is an unlimited topic. Balarama is the orignal Guru and He is every expanding. Read NOI-5. That will help a lot. I am trying to function as Vartmana praparsika Siksa guru, now, show you the path, then some one initiates you according to the rituals and that is Diksa guru. Now you are a Matriculated student. Then there is more Siksa (advice, but now it is how to travel the path). If you engage in whatever practical devotional service that you know you should do, then all the knowledge about how to progress will be revealed.

Lastly,Gurudev, spiritual path has been 'a road not taken' among my near and dear ones. So I sometimes feel a little bit uneasy and oddly different following an unconventional path although I completely trust the whole process. Please shed some light on how to develop nishtha with respect to the said concern.

HpS - Look at the example of Arjuna, Prahlada, Vibhisana, they all had to adjust their association, reject family members, accept others, to progress in spiritual life. It is not new. It is the common confrontation!

Thank you, Gurudev.Please accept my humble obeisances unto your lotus feet.AGTSP

Your insignificant servant

Nilanda Ningthoujam from Manipur

HpS - Sri Sri Radha-Govinda Chandra, Ki Jai. Please write again after you have some time to apply these discussions. Respectst to all in Manipura.

Hare Krishna querido Maharaja. PAMHR. TLGASP.

Disculpe la confusión. Mi nombre es Diego. Vivo en Canarias. Nos conocimos la semana del 15 al 21 de septiembre 2019 en Madrid porque viajé expresamente para conocerlo. Estuvimos juntos en Nueva Vrajamandala. Yo le pregunté sobre Paramadvaiti y Vrinda porque llevaba 13 años sirviéndole. Antes de servir a Paramadvaiti yo le conocí, hace 14 años, en Brihuega también. Y en aquel momento ya me robó el corazón. Por eso desde la primera carta le he pedido que me de refugio a Sus pies de loto, en ISKCON, tal y como Srila Prabhupada nos enseña.

Fuimos a la conferencia en la Universidad Complutense el 20 de septiembre. Pero yo no fui con usted a visitar al director. Imagino que eso fue con Marcos.

Aunque siempre muy agradecido poder servirle en algo.

Tengo 35 años, soy fisioterapeuta y osteópata, y estoy casado con una madre que también sirvió a Paramadvaiti durante 9 años, se llama Paula. Vivimos en La Gomera, Canarias.

Adjunto fotos.

A Su servicio,

Diego.

HpS - Hare Krsna. Muchas gracias su car ta ta!! Desculpa demura! Somos estupidos y tratamos balancear nuestras tareas!!!! Espero su conneccion con Krsna por tan mucho via-medias transparentes (y semi-transparentes) son bueno! Wake-up. That is our focus. We have so much service to do for Krsna!!!!!

We give class for Chile tonight. We hope to be of some use to you in your service.

All glories to Nimai Nitai!!

Agt SP!

Hari bolo Guru Maharaja!

About CDS, MMS;

Chlorine dioxide is acidified sodium chlorite. Can be acidified with citric acid (50%) or hydrochloric acid (4%). You can buy a ready-made CDS preparation in some places, but it is in my opinion, better to buy sodium chlorite (NaClO2) 25% and hydrochloric acid (HCl) 4%. 1ml de CDS (acidified sodium chlorite, chlorine dioxide) is like 1 drop of sodium chlorite (25%) + 1 drop of hydrochloric acid (4%. the activator). This is 1 drop activated.

In the long run it is more economical, it does not have to be refrigerated to avoid losing the ClO2 gas (chlorine dioxide), and it is more medicinal because of the dose.

There are many protocols, but one of the most used is 1 drop activated (1 drop of sodium chlorite + 1 drop of activator) every 1-2 hours. I have been taking 1 drop activated every hour for a while, but I do not advise less than 1 month, because it has to oxidize many toxins and bacteria-viruses in the body and requires some continuous treatment, Even so, I, to get used to it, started with 3 drops of CDS one day, 5 the second, 7, 9, 11, 12-15, and the first days I noticed how my throat was deflated, and changes in my blood and stomach. After 1-2 weeks using already activated drops, no CDS prepared, with a dose of 1 drop every hour, I have noticed more changes, such as I no longer have fat in my head, a decrease in Ph in the blood, and more details. I don't know if because of the first doses, and because of the protocol, but it worked perfectly for me. Now I can eat milk again at any time, and soon I have it digested, and more. I therefore do not advise less than 1 month a serious protocol.

The more one takes, the more it works. But also, it is good to use it as a medicine to kill normal infections, like the flu and that, so one does not have to use it often, which should be normal, but as an oxidation cure, it oxidizes heavy metals, toxins, medicines lodged in the body in a chronic way, bacteria, etc etc, I, from what I have read from experts, and from what I have experienced in person, I motivate people to try it to get used to that product, and to lose fear, and then to come up with a cleaning protocol to be able to detoxify the body of the heavy metals of the vaccines, the pathogens that carry the vaccines, and the bactericidal infections that it has our body for all this, of all these past years.

It is as if I had applied a Panchakarma Ayurveda treatment, I have recovered health that I did not know I had lost.

It is true that I tried it, and seeing the results, I took it seriously, and I adjusted the diet with a protocol to apply the synergistic effects well, and I am very happy.

I hope it can serve other people as it has served me.

Even more so now that the Karuna virus is there, since it cures many illnesses caused by toxins because it burns them, but viruses and basterias is almost immediate as it kills them, with which I think it can be a great self-protection.

Excuse me Gurudeva for writing so much lately, and giving you a lot of work, and for insisting so much on such a vulgar subject, but I wanted to share something that has at least been incredible to me.

Pages to self-report and to view protocols

https://genesis2church.ch/

https://andreaskalcker.com/

Again Guru Deva, Dandavts, and Thaks You a lot for all.

I hope that You are always in my heart.

radha-krishna prana mora jugala-kisora

jivane marane gati aro nahi mora

(1)  The divine couple, Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, are my life and soul. In life or death I have no other refuge but Them.

https://vaishnavsongs.iskcondesiretree.com/radha-krishna-prana-mora/

I lost the CD with you singing this song, the best of all.

https://youtu.be/eM8eBwlI7mU

HARE KRSNA!!!

Jay Srila Prabhupada!!!

HpS - Jaya!!! Amazing. We will discuss it with others as we get the chance and tag this article for future reference. Thank you.

AgtSP!

Paoho...

As we remember,when we were in San Jose (California), with the new Temple there, Bh. Vatsala Das, Vaisesika Das' brother-in-law, and a super manager in the medical-insurance industry, was flabbergasted by the problems with the Temple management. So he decided that he would offer to become Temple President, and it was enthusiastically accepted by one and all.

After two to three months he told me, as he shook his head in astonishment, that managing in the non-profit sector was completely different than the business sector. So much of the work for Wikipedia, Green Peace, PETA, is all done by full or partial volunteers.

They are not working because you are paying them, they are working because you are inspiring them. You have to keep high-ideals and broad philosophical perspective alive in the day to day work of the corporation.

What to speak of the religious sector!

He said that managing in ISKCON was like herding cats.

You try to get all the cats rounded up and moving in the same direction, but half of them just look at you in incomprehension and peacefully begin to lick their paws and groom themselves.

Ayeeee!

On the other hand, he said, when devotees are motivated, they will do things that you cannot people pay any amount of money for them to agree to do it.

Dear Guru Maharaja

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

Thank you so much for helping ISKCON Dallas get the Bhakti Sastri center approval. All the devotees were very grateful for your guidance.

We finished our overview of the Bhagavad Gita course a few weeks back. We had 16 students and most of them attended all the 9 sessions. We had a very personal connect with all the students and all of them gave very positive reviews. A couple of students even gave dothis to us after the course as a mark of dakshina!

HpS - AGTSP.. The Mormon missionaries get neck ties!

Since I have been coordinating the adult sastric education program in Dallas, I have been getting a lot of questions by email from the students. It is sometimes very personal. I have questions on how they need to deal with certain specific situations. I am comfortable answering philosophical questions, but it is scary when they ask for advise. I don't think I am qualified to act in that capacity, but I have been praying to you and Krishna before answering them so that the right words may come out of me.

Please tell me how I should handle this service Gurudeva, because I anticipate more and more people asking such questions as we continue this program.

HpS - Just be honest. That simple. If they have an false impression of who you are then try to correct it.

In terms of Bhakti Sastri, before starting the program, the education team (Devadarsana Prabhu, Nrtya Kisori Mataji, Rasaraj Prabhu, Hemangi Mataji and myself) had a few questions. With the current circumstances, it also looks like Krishna's arrangement to give us some time to prepare before starting the Bhakti Sastri course.

1. Are there any syllabus materials for teachers that we can have access to such as VHIE, MIHE, etc

HpS - I don't think so. You have to ask them.

1. Are there any student handouts that we can have access to?

HpS - Same.

1. We had requested the BoEx for a teach and learn program where some of the teachers teaching the course could also earn their BhS degree. So, for the tests, can someone else give us the exams and grade the exams so that we don't need separate exams for the teachers without BhS degree.

HpS - What did they say when they gave permission? We did similar and we had separate test for the Testers.

1. Considering our community is a grihasta community, what should be the scope of the BhS course? How may hours is a student expected to put in apart from attending a 2-3 hr class every week? Do we need essays every week or is there a minimum number of essays we can have per module and one closed book short answer exam per module?

HpS - Hmmm! This was not all clear when they made you a teaching and examination center? It is funny. Again, I do not know what the current standard is. The only persona that I think who might know is Radha Krsna Das in Houston.

Thank you so much Gurudeva for engaging me in this service.

Your servant

Srinatha Krsna dasa

HpS - Does this file have some help is it? http://www.jayarama.us/archives/tpp-bs.docx

NAMA OM VISHNU-PADAYA KRISHNA-PRESTAYA BHUTALE

SRIMATE HANUMATPRESAKA SWAMI ITI NAMINE

OM AJÑANA-TIMIRANDHASYA JÑANAÑJANA-SALAKAYA

CAKSUR UNMILITAM YENA TASMAI SRI-GURAVE NAMAH

Estimado maestro espiritual. Primeramente desearle un feliz Vyasa-Puja. Quiero expresarle mi gratitud por la oportunidad de ser su discípulo y comentarle lo importante que esto ha sido en mi vida. Ya que como comenta Srila Prabhupada:

Aquel que no está iniciado de manera apropiada puede presentarse como si fuera un gran devoto, pero de hecho, sin duda, encontrará muchas dificultades en el progreso hacia la comprensión espiritual, con el resultado de que habrá su plazo de existencia material sin alivio. Una persona así está desamparada y se compara a un barco sin timón, porque, sin timón, un barco no puede llegar a su destino (C. C. Adi Lila, Cap. 1, verso 35).

               Por otra parte muchos quisiéramos prestar servicio directo, continuando con los comentarios de Srila Prabhupada. “Si no le es posible servir directamente al maestro espiritual, el devoto debe servirle recordando sus instrucciones. No hay diferencia entre las instrucciones del maestro espiritual y el maestro espiritual mismo” (C. C. Adi Lila, Cap. 1, verso 35).

               Lo que me interesa a mí es afianzar mi interés por participar en actividades de su proyecto Educación y lo Sagrado para lo cual pido sus bendiciones. Quisiera que este fuera el aspecto central en mi proyecto de servicio para este año, y desde luego seguir sus instrucciones.

               Le deseo buena salud y que conserve esa energía que le permite seguir los pasos de Srila Prabhupada.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

NAMA OM VISHNU-PADAYA KRISHNA-PRESTAYA BHUTALE

SRIMATE HANUMATPRESAKA SWAMI ITI NAMINE

OM AJÑANA-TIMIRANDHASYA JÑANAÑJANA-SALAKAYA

CAKSUR UNMILITAM YENA TASMAI SRI-GURAVE NAMAH

Dear spiritual master. First of all wish you a happy Vyasa-Puja. I want to express my gratitude for the opportunity to be your disciple and tell you how important this has been in my life. Since as Srila Prabhupada comments:

He who is not initiated properly can present himself as if he were a great devotee, but in fact, no doubt, he will encounter many difficulties in the progress towards spiritual understanding, with the result that there will be his term of material existence without relief. Such a person is helpless and compares to a ship without a rudder, because, without a rudder, a ship cannot reach its destination (C. C. Adi Lila, Chapter 1, verse 35).

On the other hand, many of us would like to provide direct service, continuing with the comments of Srila Prabhupada. “If it is not possible to serve the spiritual master directly, the devotee must serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no difference between the instructions of the spiritual master and the spiritual master himself ”(C. C. Adi Lila, Chapter 1, verse 35).

What interests me is to strengthen my interest in participating in activities of your Education and the Sacred project for which I ask for your blessings. I would like this to be the central aspect in my service project for this year, and of course follow your instructions.

ASA - We are still working on Education and the Sacred, but especially on the magazine, Solaris! Yes, you help would be very valuable!

I wish you good health and keep that energy that allows you to follow in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada.

HpS - Gracias!!