Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Gurudeva, please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

All glories to Hanumatpresaka Swami!!

This is a brief summary of what we consider, the most outstanding points of the international symposium THE ART AND THE SACRED held from October 24 to 26 at the National Library of Peru.

1.- This event has allowed us to maintain and expand our range of action. In relation to the former, the participation of prabhu Radhika Raman (professor Ravi Gupta of USA) and of mother Lalita-gopi (professor Dolores Chaves of Mexico) has been very valuable. Regarding the extension of our call, at the National University of Music (formerly National Conservatory of Music), teachers Nilo Figueroa, Aurelio Tello and teacher Maria Tuslokova, said that we can count on them for another call and congratulated the completion of the event. The same happened with Carlos Sánchez of the University Center of Folklore of Peru, Patricia Llosa of the Metropolitan Museum of New York, José Luis Valencia of Mexico, Paula Miranda of Chile and Gustavo Corso of Argentina. At this point we would like to thank Druva O'shea (Druvananda d.), From Australia, for his interesting and enjoyable conference and his wife Dhanesvari for all their collaboration.

2.- The SOLARIS Magazine is positioning itself very well as an integrating vehicle of our academic and cultural activities, under the guidance of SS Hanumatpresaka Swami, the magazine was the axis to develop the content of this Symposium. This edition No 3 has almost 200 pages (16 articles and 4 reviews) with contents from the USA, India, Japan, Italy, Australia, Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Peru.

3.- On Saturday, October 27, we held a camaraderie lunch with the exhibitors. By consensus, three points were agreed: 1) To suggest to NIOS that the content of 2019 continues to be based on ART AND THE SACRED (this content allows develop fully bridges between East and West in all academic disciplines) and also add, as specific content, this year to ECOLOGY, 2020 could be ART, THE SACRED AND EDUCATION ... 2) Starting in January establish a monthly meeting with all the exhibitors, it can be through GoToMeeting, to define and refine the details, participation and new guests. And 3) Support the dissemination of SOLARIS and invite some important academics from their environment in each country to write articles.

4.- The organization team has really had moments of hard work and dedication, we want to thank very much all those who in a direct or indirect way participated and helped the realization of this Symposium THE ART AND THE SACRED, sincerely without their cooperation it would have been impossible to perform this activity.

In particular we want to thank again and again our spiritual mentor His Holiness Hanumatpresaka Swami. GURUDEVA his inspiring sadhana, his classes of Bhagavatam and his auspicious guidance and association have been and are the compass that guides our humble service.

Personally, for his mercy I have been able to better understand BG 9.2. Life in this world is hard, but based on spiritual knowledge it is always possible to have a positive and ironic perspective of our existence and therefore there is always the possibility of doing seva with good conscience and joy. MANY THANKS FOR ALL GURUDEVA.

Hare Krishna, his insignificant servant, Abhiram Thakur das.

HpS - ASA --- AGTSP paoho. We just feel like little part of this machine now. We are getting such global contacts. At any moment it may all fall apart by Krsna's desire or it may become a participant in the struggle against evil on the global level. Thank you. We will try to help everyone!!

Este es un breve resumen de lo que consideramos mas resaltante del Simposio internacional EL ARTE Y LO SAGRADO realizado del 24 al 26 de octubre en la Biblioteca Nacional del Perú.

1.- Este evento nos ha permitido mantener y ampliar nuestro radio de acción. En relación con lo primero ha sido muy valiosa la participación de prabhu Radhika Raman (profesor Ravi Gupta de USA) y de la madre Lalita-gopi (profesora Dolores Chaves de México). En cuanto a la ampliación de nuestra convocatoria, en la Universidad Nacional de la Música (antes Conservatorio Nacional de Música), los maestros Nilo Figueroa, Aurelio Tello y la maestra María Tuslokova, manifestaron que podemos contar con ellos para otra convocatoria y felicitaron la realización del evento. Lo mismo sucedió con Carlos Sánchez del Centro universitario del Folclore de Perú, Patricia Llosa del Museo Metropolitano de Nueva York, José Luis Valencia de México, Paula Miranda de Chile y Gustavo Corso de Argentina. En este punto queremos agradecer a Druva O´shea (Druvananda p.), de Australia, por su interesante y amena conferencia y a su esposa Dhanesvari por toda su colaboración.

2.- La Revista SOLARIS se está posicionando muy bien como vehículo integrador de nuestras actividades académicas y culturales, bajo la orientación de SS Hanumatpresaka Swami, la revista fue el eje para desarrollar el contenido de este Simposio. Esta edición No 3 tiene casi 200 páginas (16 artículos y 4 reseñas) con contenidos provenientes de USA, India, Japón, Italia, Australia, Argentina, México, Chile y Perú.

3.- El sábado 27 de octubre realizamos, con los expositores, un almuerzo de camaradería, por consenso se acordaron tres puntos: 1) Sugerir a NIOS que el contenido del Sankirtana académico del 2019 siga siendo EL ARTE Y LO SAGRADO (este contenido permite desarrollar plenamente puentes entre oriente y occidente en todas las disciplinas académicas) y además agregar como contenido especifico este año a la ECOLOGÍA, el 2020 podría ser EL ARTE, LO SAGRADO Y LA EDUCACIÓN… 2) A partir de enero establecer una reunión mensual con todos los expositores, puede ser a través de GoToMeeting, para definir y afinar los detalles, la participación y nuevos invitados. Y 3) Apoyar la difusión de SOLARIS e invitar a algunos académicos importantes de su entorno en cada país para que escriban artículos. 

4.- El equipo de organización realmente ha tenido momentos de ardua labor y entrega, queremos agradecer sinceramente a todos los que de una manera directa o indirecta participaron y ayudaron a la realización de este Simposio EL ARTE Y LO SAGRADO, sinceramente sin su cooperación hubiera sido imposible realizar esta actividad.

En particular queremos agradecer una y otra vez a nuestro mentor espiritual Su Santidad Hanumatpresaka Swami. GURUDEVA su sadhana inspirador, sus clases de Bhagavatam y su auspiciosa guía y asociación han sido y son la brújula que orienta nuestro humilde servicio.

En lo personal, por su misericordia he podido comprender mejor el BG 9.2. La vida en este mundo es dura, pero en base al conocimiento espiritual siempre es posible tener una perspectiva positiva e irónica de nuestra existencia y por lo tanto siempre hay posibilidad de hacer el seva con buena conciencia y alegría. MUCHAS GRACIAS POR TODO GURUDEVA.

Hare Krishna, su insignificante sirviente, Abhiram Thakur das.

Dear NGD, RRD, Srinatha Krsna Das, Directors of NIOS,

Hare Krsna, Prabhus,

AGTSP!

Paoho.

According to our dull brain you, Srinatha Das, must be a Grhastha by this time!  Congratulations. We follow the example of Devahuti and Kardama Muni to ultimate success for everyone (as opposed to Romeo and Juliet which leads to destruction for everyone).

We are running like dogs for Krsna (and a certain percentage for Maya) in Peru and Chile but not forgetting ASA publications within NIOS. I sent a request for approval to take up the work to our Board of Directors as I remember but have not got any direct response. So I will just outline the project here again for everyone's benefit and then move ahead assuming that it is O.K.

1. Anjana Suta Academy (HpSwami [H. H. Robinson]) is an esoteric community for promoting full creativity etc in Krsna consciousness, but a lot of its productions with some proper editing can be useful to NIOS, our esoteric effort.

2. With editing of materials by HpS, Radhika-ramana Das and Srinatha Krsna Das we will present things as an aspect of NIOS.

3. Now that includes a small, good quality book, Twirl Your Beads, which we showed to most everybody, that included Tweets, Kapi Dhvaja, blog posts and DTC articles edited from 2017; and next a commentary on NOI and then essays on Sankhya, structure of SB etc.

4. Srinatha Krsna Das will act as agent of NIOS to set up an account with Amazon for distribution by  print-on-demand and also e-book format. He will check with HpS before signing any documents and HpS will keep in touch with the Officers and Directors of NIOS.

Qui tacet consentire dicat

Srinatha Ji, here is the NIOS EIN (20 0875 105) for setting up the account. Any income should be sent payable to NIOS to Dr. Ravi Singh, President NIOS; 2129 Stratford Rd.; Murfreesboro, TN 37129.

O.K.??

HpS - ASA

ART AND THE SACRED

Academic and Cultural Preaching Program

AgtSP

Paoho… First let us apologize that we have not submitted this earlier. We have tried several times and the pace of the Sankirtan here in Chile has been so intense that we could not, but I think it shall still be of good use with our short verbal presentation at the Latin American GBC meeting today.

Of course, this preaching has its roots in our opportunity to work with H. H. B. S. Damodara Swami and the Bhaktivedanta Institute and his cultural programs such as the Manipuri Ranganiketan Troupe.

This year, with our NIOS (North American Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies), we have again realized an intense program with the Peru National Library. For the three previous years it was Psychology and the Sacred but by advice of the Ambassador of India and many others it has expanded to Art and the Sacred. At heart, our contribution to the events is still Psychology and the Sacred culminating in our efforts to preach through the via media of the excellent world of Carl Gustav Jung. Srila Prabhupada concluded Spiritual Dialecticism by saying that of all the Western philosophers Jung had the most sense. Jung’s community is still incredibly dynamic and has volumes to offer ISKCON devotees in terms of psycho-therapy and excellent bridges between East and West.

This year in Lima the event went from the 24^th-26^th of October and, for example, featured:

• Oscar Natars, Director of the Year for 2017 from the Latin American Critics Association and Premio Nacional de Cultura, the highest cultural award from the government of Peru;
• Patricial Llosa, teacher and curator for the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and co-founder of the Jungian Philemon Foundation;
• Jose Luis Valencia Gonzalez, Professor of Cultural Anthropology, ICONOS Mexico, with vast knowledge and research of the still alive, pre-Hispanic tradition of dance and ritual, La Colchera.

The variety, quality and depth of the presentations was over the top in terms of international standards.

ISKCON people included Dhruva O’Shear from Australia, Radhika Ramana Das and H. P. Swami from USA, Dolores Chavez from Mexico.

A twenty man orchestra from the National Peruvian Music Conservatory did one hour of 18^th century religious music that brought the house to its feet for roaring and extended applause.

The conclusion is that here is a rich field of communicating the rich resources of Sri Krsna Chaitanya and Srila Rupa Goswami’s cultural heritage to a much beleaguered modern world. It is a format that satisfies Srila Prabhupada’s vision of a cultural presentation meant to review today’s materialistic and self-destructive civilization. We are very disqualified to even participate in these efforts and beg you all to take a hand to guide and develop these efforts.

Central to the effort is our annual NIOS publication, Solaris. Which show-cases the writings and art of this global effort and then clearly offers scholars and devotees a chance to contribute their voice into the choir.

Right now we are in the middle of the same effort, Art and the Sacred, here in Santiago. With dialogs with the national poet Laureate, Raul Zurita; Christian Contreras (Dr. File), https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristi%C3%A1n_Contreras_(periodista), who has about 30,000 people on his Face-book account et al. ISKCON devotees here are incredibly talented, and the level of university faculty involved is also amazing and instructive.

Please write to us if you have any questions or comments. We printed 1,000 full color copies of Solaris in Peru and are sending them to Chile, Mexico, Argentina; and expect to have it on the internet soon.

We were the first to read a letter that Srila Prabhupada sent to the USA to Jayatirtha Das in 1976 and were shocked when we read the last line: You cannot exist without my mercy.

It was so strong to us, but our intellect bowed down and accepted it, but that surprise even expanded more when we read the whole comment: You cannot exist without my mercy, and I cannot exist without your mercy. This mutual respect, this mutual love, is Krsna Consciousness.

Again thank you and please help us.

Hanumatpresaka Swami and all the Advisors, Directors and valiant members of NIOS.

Hare Krsna Dear Gurudev,
    Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

HpS - ASA - Paoho and agtylf.
    All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

ASA - !!!
    All glories to Guru parampara.

ASA - ! !      !*

    Hope you are good in health.

HpS - We are immortal but Brother Ass, the Donkey that we ride through this world, IS a disease. Our eyes are failing, two teeth gone, half deaf, short term memory diminished, knees getting weak, respiration shallow, but even though it is an old car it is well maintained. AGTSP, ISKCON, and we look forward to good service until the final collapse (2024).

Personally, we are surprised that we are making spiritual advancement, AGTSP, ISKCON, we are really trying to get ready for life after death and waking up, and developing our eternal service and its application in this world.  Jaya, Sri Hanumatpresaka, Sri Ramacandra Bhagavan.

    Wanted to be good in Kirtan so thinking to start practice from tomorrow.

    So if you can advise anything which can help to pick it fast, would be good for me.
    i would focus on those points while practicing.

    While, i have finalized topics for preaching in Chhattisgarh. Planning to go in
    December first week for 15 days.

    Continuing with 32 rounds, hope to increase 40 rounds after a certain time.

    Hope to keep upgrading spiritually as you expect from me.

    Thank you so much Gurudev for everything.

your fallen servant,
Girivaradhari-Gopal Das

HpS - We admire your determination. Please write to us when you leave for Chhattisgarh. Then we shall see you at the end of January. Now looks like land 23 January and then head to Govardhana Eco Village GEV. Let's all go. Education symposium. Then back to Pune (BBY) for the same in ISKCON and outside universities.     Then Delhi/Vraja.      Then 15 Feb - 15 Mar (?)   Kolkatta Mayapura.        Then two, three weeks in the North East.

By "Kirtan" do you mean singing and dancing in the Temple and Public, or do you mean direct distribution of books?     In either case, listen. When you chant, lead a Kirtan, listen to the response that the others make. When you approach people to show books, listen to their response. Then from your K.C. nature it will be natural to respond.   1) We must be pure (eg. FMP),  2) Krsna will send innocent people,    3) They must be patient to understand the situation of this material world.

Thank you.   Respects to everyone!

Hare Krishna Gurudeva, please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!
All glories to Hanumatpresaka Swami!!

Now we are in full layout and design of the magazine SOLARIS No 3, to finish today and then send the sample to Dr. Samaresha. We have just done all the planning of the events, in the next report, which will be in a week, the details of the whole sankirtana from October 17 to 26.

Regarding the event, the program of the Symposium was defined in this way:
International Symposium THE ART AND THE SACRED

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24 FROM 6 TO 9 PM
1st SESSION / Theme: RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ART AND THE SACRED
Art as a way to transmit sacred knowledge.

1. Speaker: Hanumatpresaka Swami (USA)
Conference: CONTEMPLATIVE DELEITE, MEMORIES AND FEELINGS OF A PILGRIM

2. Speaker: Ramón Mujica (PERÚ)
Conference: LOS SANTOS, ERMITAÑOS AND VIRREYNAL PERUVIAN ART

3. Speaker: Patricia Llosa (PERU)
Conference: FOOTPRINTS OF THE NUMINOUS IN ART AND DREAMS

4. Speaker: Héctor Béjar (PERÚ)
Conference: SACRED ART AND THE EASTERN PHILOSOPHY

5. Speaker: José Luis Valencia (Mexico)
Conference: THE SACRED ART OF PRE-HISPANIC CONCHER DANCES IN MEXICO
 
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25 FROM 6 TO 9 PM
2nd SESSION / Theme: THE NATURE OF BEING AND ART
Eternity, knowledge and bliss.

1. Speaker: Ravi Gupta (India)
Conference: SACRED SOUNDS: MUSIC AS A REVELATION IN THE VAIṢṆAVA TRADITION

2. Speaker: Paula Miranda (Chile)
Conference: SACRED WORD AND POETRY: MISTRAL, VIOLETA PARRA AND CHIHUAILAF

3. Speaker: Dolores Chávez (Mexico)
Conference: SPIRITUALITY IN THE SOUND AND MUSICAL DIMENSION

4. Exhibitor: Juan Pedro Egoavil (PERÚ)
Conference: THE CONTEXT OF THE SACRED IN PERUVIAN ART

5. Speaker: Emma Carpio (PERÚ)
Conference: THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SACRED, IN THE FOLCLÓRIC DANCES, QUECHUAS AND AYMARAS DE PUNO

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26 FROM 6 TO 9 PM
3rd SESSION, Theme: THE SACRED IN THE ART
Knowing the transcendent and enjoying the transcendence

1. Speaker: Dhruva O'Shea (Australia)
Conference: THE SACRED ART OF INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA

2. Exhibitor: Nilo Velarde (PERÚ)
Conference: EL AYLA - MUSIC AND THE SACRED IN THE ANDEAN POPULAR TRADITION

3. Speaker: Ananga Malatesta (Italy)
Lecture: THE HINDU CLASSICAL DANCE: A SACRED INVOCATION

4. Speaker: Raúl Zevallos (PERÚ)
Conference: FROM THE NATURE OF ART, TO THE ART OF NATURE

5. Speaker: Carlos Daniel Sánchez (PERÚ)
Conference: THE AYARACHIS: THE DIVINE AREA OF THE INDIGENOUS MUSICAL FORMATIONS OF PERU

Hare Krishna respected GURUDEVA, his insignificant servant, Abhiram Thakur das.

14avo. Informe de EL ARTE Y LO SAGRADO.

Ahora estamos en plena diagramación y diseño de la revista SOLARIS No 3, para acabar hoy día y luego enviar la muestra al Dr. Samaresha. Ya acabamos de hacer toda la planificación de los eventos, en el próximo informe, que será en una semana, los detalles de todo el sankirtana del 17 al 26 de octubre.

En cuento al evento el programa del Simposio quedo definido de esta manera:

Simposio internacional EL ARTE Y LO SAGRADO

MIERCOLES 24 DE OCTUBRE DE 6 A 9 PM

1era SESIÓN / Tema: RELACIONES ENTRE EL ARTE Y LO SAGRADO

El arte como camino para trasmitir conocimientos sagrados.

1.            Expositor: Hanumatpresaka Swami (USA)

                Conferencia: DELEITE CONTEMPLATIVO, RECUERDOS Y SENTIMIENTOS DE UN PEREGRINO

2.            Expositor: Ramón Mujica (PERÚ)

                Conferencia: LOS SANTOS, LOS ERMITAÑOS Y EL ARTE PERUANO VIRREYNAL

3.            Expositora: Patricia Llosa (PERÚ)

                Conferencia: HUELLAS DE LO NUMINOSO EN EL ARTE Y LOS SUEÑOS

4.            Expositor: Héctor Béjar (PERÚ)

                Conferencia: EL ARTE SAGRADO Y LA FILOSOFÍA ORIENTAL

5.            Expositor: José Luis Valencia (México)

                Conferencia: EL ARTE SACRO DE LAS DANZAS CONCHERAS PRE-HISPANICAS EN MEXICO

JUEVES 25 DE OCTUBRE DE 6 A 9 PM

2da SESIÓN / Tema: LA NATURALEZA DEL SER Y EL ARTE

Eternidad, conocimiento y bienaventuranza.

1.            Expositor: Ravi Gupta (India)

                Conferencia: SONIDOS SAGRADOS: LA MÚSICA COMO REVELACIÓN EN LA TRADICIÓN VAIṢṆAVA

2.            Expositora: Paula Miranda (Chile)

                Conferencia: PALABRA SAGRADA Y POESÍA: MISTRAL, VIOLETA PARRA Y CHIHUAILAF

3.            Expositora: Dolores Chávez (México)

                Conferencia: LA ESPIRITUALIDAD EN LA DIMENSIÓN SONORA Y MUSICAL

4.            Expositor: Juan Pedro Egoavil (PERÚ)

                Conferencia: EL CONTEXTO DE LO SAGRADO EN EL ARTE PERUANO

5.            Expositora: Emma Carpio (PERÚ)

                Conferencia: LA MANIFESTACIÓN DE LO SACRO EN LAS DANZAS FOLCLÓRICAS QUECHUAS Y AYMARAS DE PUNO

VIERNES 26 DE OCTUBRE DE 6 A 9 PM

3era. SESIÓN, Tema: LO SAGRADO EN EL ARTE

Conociendo lo trascendente y disfrutando la trascendencia

1.            Expositor: Dhruva O'Shea (Australia)

                Conferencia: EL ARTE SAGRADO DE LA AUSTRALIA INDÍGENA

2.            Expositor: Nilo Velarde (PERÚ)

                Conferencia: EL AYLA – LA MÚSICA Y LO SAGRADO EN LA TRADICIÓN POPULAR ANDINA

3.            Expositora: Ananga Malatesta (Italia)

Conferencia: LA DANZA CLÁSICA HINDÚ: UNA INVOCACIÓN SAGRADA

4.            Expositor: Raúl Zevallos (PERÚ)

                Conferencia: DE LA NATURALEZA DEL ARTE, AL ARTE DE LA NATURALEZA

5.            Expositor: Carlos Daniel Sánchez (PERÚ)

                Conferencia: LOS AYARACHIS: EL ÁMBITO DIVINO DE LAS FORMACIONES MUSICALES INDÍGENAS DEL PERÚ

Hare Krishna respetado GURUDEVA, su insignificante sirviente, Abhiram Thakur das.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Please accept my humble obeisances! 

I have not written to you in a while Maharaj.. Sorry about that. I can't say I've been particularly busy with much. 

I am on holidays now. Term 3 of Year 12 is complete - apparently the most important, stressful term. After this week completes, I have another term remaining. This term only has 6 weeks and then I'm free. I'm free from the imprisonating clutches of high school :) But then I have to go to uni, more study yay ;) I've had to put my application in, for which courses I choose to do. For now, the road is business; it is broad and simple. If something I like reveals itself to me, perhaps I may change later on. 

Anyway, regarding our holiday Maharaj, the flights have been booked. We will be departing Australia on the 24th December for Azerbaijan. We will stay there for 3 weeks and then go to India. We will then stay in India for one week (quite short unfortunately). We will arrive back to Australia by the 25th of January. I very much hope that somehow you will grace us with your visit to Australia. 

HpS -  Oooof!    We arrive in India, Bombay, on the 23rd of January. Now it looks like we will not get to Australia, but Dhruva and Dhanesvari and their two kids will be arriving in Peru in one week.

Maharaj, I'm also thinking of taking initation from yourself at some point. I am not, as of yet, chanting 16 rounds a day, but hopefully I will be in the near future. Of course I am the most unqualified person to be taking initiation,

HpS - There are a few people less qualified than you, <img alt="devil" height="23" src="https://hps.monkeywarrior.com/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/devil_smile.png" title="devil" width="23" /> but I think among others it would give some satisfaction to our Sriman Raktaka Das, wherever the devil is now!

. . . but, it is a thought of mine. Time is running out and I need to be as vigilant as possible. Hopefully, as you are doing already, you may impart ever more of your wisdom unto my insignificant self. 

Besides that, as usual, I have some questions :)

1. This may be perhaps a sensitive question.. Sorry for my bluntness... As in ISKCON, killing life is considered wrong, what is the view on abortion? Especially, sometimes people ask, what if the woman was forcefully impregnated, under severe circumstances.. Does she then have the right to abort the baby? Will that be her karma? The baby's karma? 

HpS - ASA --- We tried to write most of our thoughts in: https://hps.monkeywarrior.com/node/9640. O.K.?

2. Should devotees be able to keep pets? What is ISKCON view of keeping pets? Should it be allowed? Or is that enslaving the soul? 

HpS - Krsna has many, many pets. His pet peacock is named Tandavika and he has a house dog and a big tough mean dog who helps to protect the cows. See http://www.jayarama.us/archives/rkgd.pdf. You can have a parrot and take it on Hari-nama Sankirtana and feed it grapes when it chants the Maha-mantra. 

3. What is your view of devotees becoming Vegan? As we know, cow torture is horrendous today.. but also, if we offer the milk of the cow, is it not liberated? How shall we go about this? Sourcing Ahimsa milk is not always convenient and easy...

HpS - Basically if you live in a forest and don't have much brain work then you can live on roots and fruits, but if you have to be counselor of a King then you are going to need the cerebral nutrition that milk gives. Cows were treated worse when Srila Prabhupada was here but he showed that milk was important food for us and that we can take the public milk. Of course, we can do finer and finer things. Like getting Ahimsa milk etc.

4. Also Maharaj, should it be acceptable for devotees to eat from fast food places? For example, sometimes buying milkshakes or chips from outside? Is that okay?

HpS - It is offensive to offer grains GROWN by non-devotees. So we have to be as pure as we can. Of course, the standard for fast food places will not be so great so chips may, and probably are, cooked in non-vegetarian fat. Be a pure as you can. I would say that milkshakes are O.K. but not the chips unless they swear that it is vegetable oil.

Sorry for the overload of questions... :) Please excuse my foolish self.

As always Maharaj, I hope your health is in best condition! I hope to receive your reply soon :) 

Your foolish servant, 

Lakshmi

HpS - We all thank you for your letter. Our health is pretty good. For 70-year old Berkeley graduate it is a miracle.   AGTSP!

We had like three hours of consulting today and some rest from the stress of La Paz (13,333 feet [no oxygen]) so we cannot get to to many letters. Now it is getting dark and in 15-minutes we start and evening program!   Jaya!

Life is fun if you are a devotee.  Our respects to you divine mother and sister and aunts and uncles and The Bhimasena!