Letters to the editor

asa[e] guru tattva; pranama mantras

Hare Krishna, Gurudev. Dandavat pranam unto your lotus feet.

AGTSP.

We almost, all your disciples belonging to Silchar and Imphal, have agreed this Gurudev pranam mantra.

So praying to our H. H. Guru Maharaj to kindly accept this Mantra so that all your disciples of this planet can use this same mantra to pray unto your lotus feet. Hope that by the grace of lord Radha Shyamasundar gurudev you are quite fit in all respect. Dandavat pranam gurudev. Your fallen servant. Krishna Swarup Das.

Srimad Hanumat Presaka Swami Pranam Mantra

nama oṁ viṣṇu pādāya

kṛṣṇa preṣṭhāya bhūtale

srimate Hanumat Preṣaka

svāmin iti nāmine

namah—obeisances; om—address; viṣṇu-pādāya—unto him who is at the feet of Viṣṇu; kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya—unto him who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhūtale—on the earth; srīmate—all beautiful; hanumat-preṣaka svāmin—Hanumat Preṣaka Swami; iti—thus; nāmine—who is named.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Holiness Hanumat Presaka Swami, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

namaḥ akiñcana mūrtaye

bālaka­neva sarala

mita bhuk vādy­a suśīlam

samāna bhāva bhāvine

namah—obeisances; akiñcana-mūrtaye—personification of material detachment; bālaka-neva—like a child; sarala—simplicity; mita bhuk—eat very less; vādy­a—musical instruments; suśīlam—expert in playing; samāna bhāva—treated equally; bhāvine—accepted.

Our obeisances are unto you, O personification of material detachment and childlike simplicity. You eat very less just to survive and expert in playing musical instruments and treated everyone equally.

Prabhupādasyā­nucara

rūpavāni prachāriṇe

sarvato gatvā tene ca

atma jñāna prakāśine

Prabhupādasyā—of Srila Prabhupada; anucara—follower; rūpa—Srila Rupa Goswami; vāni—instructions; prachāriṇe—preaching; sarvato—everywhere; gatvā—traveling; tene—imparted; ca—also; ātmajñāna—knowledge of the self; prakāśine—enlightened.

You are the servant of Srila Prabhupada engaged in preaching the teachings of Srila Rupa Gosvami. You traveled everywhere imparting the knowledge of the self to everyone.

HpS - ASA --- AgtSP!!! Paoho. We always want more and more of your association and the wonderful Silchar, Manipura et al devotees. Just thinking about those places and the Sankirtan we are in ecstacy.

Now we are in ISKCON Houston, Texas, southern part of USA.

Is little warm here but so far is fine.

Krsna personally guarantees this place will not be perfect.

This topic of Guru-puja is very nice, no?

One of the Pancha-tattva.

"In this verse [Nectar of Instruction 5] Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī advises the devotee to be intelligent enough to distinguish between the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī. The devotee should also know his own position and should not try to imitate a devotee situated on a higher platform.", https://vedabase.io/en/library/noi/5/#bb5954

Honestly looking at our level of renunciation and determination we can see that maybe we qualify as Sannyasi, Goswami, uttama-adhikkari, in some perspectives, by His Divine Grace, help of everyone, but we do not see our selves as perfectly, strongly on the platform of Bhava.

Developing.

We must all have lotus feet in our Siddha Svarupa but now we don't feel that we have them.

Devotees offering different Sanskrit verses to glorify us for events like Vyasa-puja or other informal moments seems fine. Then we can directly comment on each one.

The first Mantra seems fine.

The second seems to be beyond our range in some ways.

We do not feel that we are the form of renunciation.

. . . Real renunciation of going out door to door each day. 🙂

Many devotees like myself are struggling to not eat too much. Some success. Some failure. No meat fish or eggs. No grains cooked by Karmis!

Third Mantra seems too general. It is pretty much included in the first and general description of any Goswami, American Goswami, member of ISKCON, no?

So, first Mantra, especially as appreciation of what Srila Prabhupada is making us, seems enough, no?

We are like you.

We like to be "glorified" if it is glorification of Krsna and Guru!!

How is the Sankirtan in Silchar?

Your Ashrama, Family?

asa[e] Bhaktivedanta Library; M'bharata & R'mayan

https://vyas-mahabharat.com/

https://www.valmikiramayan.net/

[5/28/2025 9:33 AM] Srinivasa Das:

Hare Krishna Maharaja

PAMHO AGTSP

I need to know how I can control my sexual drive so that I can remain in my vow of celibacy.

Thank you.

Ramai pandit Das

HpS//ASA - AgtSP. paoho. All of these questions are very individual, no? That is the special thing about this movement. We simultaneously are complete dependent upon our community and Krsna, but inconcievably fully independent.

Of course, this is very practical. Unless we give our full effort to developing our own character and transcendental skills, then we have nothing to contribute to the community.

Yet, we see that it is with our relationship with KRSNA and Vaisnava that we can develop these.

So, a broad answer is that one very important thing is to go on reading all of the Bhaktivedanta Library. The Srimad Bhagavatam and it's natural commentary, Caitanya Caritamrta, is full, FULL, F U L L, of stories and lessons of success, failures, recoveries with, in, from, sexual abstinence.

Of course, reality is that sex desire is Adi-rasa. The essence of all other Rasas, so we have no desire to refrain from it. We want to cultivate it.

We want to learn to assist, Radha, Krsna, Gopis, Laksmis, in Their every expanding delightful, shy, modest, intense conjugal relationships.

As we experience that higher taste, then attraction for the perverted taste in the material perspective will become insignificant, in proper proportion and a very funny, funny, binding force for the recalcitrant children who have dressed up as Radha and Krsna, and are trying to imitate them in Material Consciousness.

"Gṛhastha devotees, however, are generally engaged in material activities, and therefore if they do not take to Deity worship, their falling down is positively assured. Deity worship means following the rules and regulations precisely. That will keep one steady in devotional service."

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/7/5/23-24/#bb45382

So, if you are not in Brahmacari ashrama and can follow a Sannyasi physically to preach but are staying at home in the house of the Spiritual Master as a B'cari then you should engage in Deity worship.

Have your deities.

Serve Them with love by:

• Cleanliness,
• Punctuality,
• Offering Arati and Bhoga and other rituals according to your means.

O.K.? Is this some help? It is a progressive path.

Nanda braja Das from New Kalachandji Dhama asks:

Hare Krishna! Pamho AGTSP! Guru Maharaja, I see that you are going to go for Ratha Yatra in Boise. Any updates thoughts about me joining you in Houston and traveling to Boise?

HpS/ASA - Thank you for the question.

We are old and our donkey is lame, so we only exist in practice by the impetus of others.

First, let us please comment on titles in ISKCON.

We feel that it may be impertinent for us to be addressed as "Guru Maharaja" in ISKCON. It maybe insulting to Srila Prabhupada's position, and then how to deal with this academic "Bhaktivedanta" title.

Ooof! Too much for one small monkey to handle. 🐵

First, we remember a letter from Srila Prabhupada where one disciple asked if he could address someone such as his authority Bhagavan Das or Hansadutta Das as 'Guru', and Srila Prabhupada answered, "Yes", but that we should not forget himself as his real Guru.

Hmmm. Interesting.

We feel that maybe we can be addressed as guru maharaja very much in the perspective of ISKCON Diksa guru, and sannyasi and Shiksa, Sankirtan leader, guru in the perspective that we are 🐖

🐖 🐖 pigs become people, PRABHUS [???], by the great personal sacrifice of His Divine Grace, Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder/Acharya of ISKCON and author of book KRSNA - SPOG.

Is O.K., no?

We can't even begin to to take a so called Ritvik Guru philosophy seriously because we do not find it discussed in even one Bhaktivedanta Purport, what to speak of detailed and repeated discussion in several Purports.

Wow! 🚓

O.K. Next - 💪

💪

🐵

Prabhupada directly instructed in a letter that he wanted his disciples to become ISKCON, Vedic, scholars and earn this title Bhaktivedanta as a hereditary title.

Also, Lord Caitanya says: amar anjay guru haya, on my order, you become guru.

Vaisesika Das, ISKCON Minister of Sankirtan, said we should earn these titles and use them. Show the world our quality of education.

We feel His Holiness H. P. Bhaktivedanta Swami is quite pretentious, for us. Maybe some other devotees in ISKCON merit it?

We feel like we can survive, do practical service, with H. H. Hanumat presaka Swami [Bh. Ved].

What do you think?

Todas las Glorias a Srila Prabhupada!!

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja, por favor reciba mis respetuosas reverencias, muchas gracias por su respuesta a mi anterior carta.

Copie lo que me respondió y lo traduje con google traductor.

HpS... podemos reiterar lo que le dijimos a Candra-mukhi Devi Dasi sobre el mismo tema.

Según nuestro entendimiento del libro de KRSNA, las Gopis viven en tres niveles y esto se puede aplicar perfectamente a ISKCON:

1. Son buenos ciudadanos de la aldea de Nanda Maharaja. Pagan sus impuestos, intercambian el precio del yogur. Se quejan de lo que consideran incorrecto. Esto es ISKCON a nivel institucional.
2. Tienen su círculo de amistades dentro de la institución. El amigo más cercano del Presidente del Templo puede ser el lavaplatos del Templo. Las gopis miran a su alrededor para ver quién las observa ordeñando vacas y luego empiezan a hablar confidencialmente con otras gopis, sus hermanos, etc.
3. Cada uno de ellos experimenta una relación directa con Krishna. Claro que esto se da a través de muchos medios transparentes, pero esos medios son transparentes, incluso inconscientemente. Nosotros, tú, yo, debemos estar experimentando una relación transparente y directa con Srila Prabhupada. Por la naturaleza de tu potencia interna, eres el discípulo más íntimo de Srila Prabhupada. En nuestro servicio como guru en ISKCON, solo intentamos actuar como ese medio.

¿Quizá estos entendimientos solo sean para devotos avanzados?

A mi me puede tomar mucho tiempo en comprender todo esto, quizá a otros devotos menos.

Hemos estado y estamos viviendo esto personalmente y conocemos a otros que también lo han estado.

¿También?

¡Nunca abandones el ISKCON de SRILA PRABHUPADA!

No puedo dejar Iskcon, aunque algunas veces lo estuve pensando, pero es muy difícil dejar Iskcon, no hay otra cosa mejor que Iskcon, no hay!!!

Nunca tengas miedo de actuar con entusiasmo, valentía y honestidad, para servir en los tres niveles.

Si hay problemas en la Institución, entonces tal vez estén allí simplemente para lograr que los devotos peruanos hagan mejoras, resuelvan problemas que guiarán al mundo entero.

¡No existe ninguna restricción para que usted tome Sannyasa y se convierta en Presidente del GBC!

Hace unos años atrás seguí muchos consejos de tener una vida tipo Vanaprastha, por más que lo intente no funciono en mi persona, ahora en la actualidad y conociendo mi naturaleza nunca tomaría sannyasa.

Es muy importante conocerse a uno mismo, y aceptar su realidad, en lo personal si me tengo que volver a casar o ser Grihasta me casaría, si tengo que tener hijos los tendría, uno no puede reprimir sus sentidos auto-engañándose, mis sentidos, tengo deseos sexuales, no es un tabú, no puedo auto-engañarme, no puedo tapar el sol con un dedo, claro tampoco estoy desesperado, es una lucha a diario.

Para que alguien tome Sannyasa tiene que tener muchas características astrológicas en su carta astral, las cuales yo no tengo.

¿Si uno se conoce a si mismo, tendría que actuar de acuerdo a ello o tendría que ir en contra de su naturaleza?

Bueno Guru Maharaja me despido que el Señor Nrsimha lo proteja siempre y le pido que me perdone cualquier ofensa en mi comentario y en mis preguntas.

Hare Krishna.

Gadai Gauranga Dasa.

-0-0-0-

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja, please accept my respectful obeisances. Thank you very much for your response to my previous letter.

HpS/ASA - AgtSP!!!! paoho.

I copied what you replied and translated it with Google Translate.

HpS... can we reiterate what we told Candra-mukhi Devi Dasi on the same subject?

According to our understanding of Krishna's book, the gopis live on three levels, and this can be perfectly applied to ISKCON:

They are good citizens of Nanda Maharaja's village. They pay their taxes, exchange the price of yogurt. They complain about what they consider wrong. This is ISKCON at the institutional level.

They have their circle of friends within the institution. The closest friend of the Temple President may be the Temple dishwasher. The gopis look around to see who is watching them milking cows and then begin to talk confidentially with other gopis, their brothers, etc.

Each of them experiences a direct relationship with Krishna. Of course, this happens through many transparent means, but those means are transparent, even unconsciously. We—you and I—must be experiencing a transparent and direct relationship with Srila Prabhupada. By the nature of your internal potency, you are Srila Prabhupada's closest disciple. In our service as a guru in ISKCON, we only try to act as that medium.

Perhaps these understandings are only for advanced devotees?

HpS - Different levels of understanding these things, but I think that even at the level of 1st initiation one can experience a direct relationship with Srila Prabhupada.

It may take me a long time to understand all this, perhaps less so for other devotees.

We have been and are experiencing this personally, and we know others who have as well.

Also?

Never leave Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON!

I can't leave ISKCON, although I've sometimes thought about it, but it's very difficult to leave ISKCON. There is nothing better than ISKCON, there isn't!

Never be afraid to act with enthusiasm, courage, and honesty, to serve at all three levels.

If there are problems in the Institution, then perhaps they are there simply to encourage Peruvian devotees to make improvements, to solve problems that will guide the entire world.

There are no restrictions for you to take Sannyasa and become President of the GBC!

A few years ago, I followed a lot of advice about living a Vanaprastha-type life. Try as I might, it didn't work for me. Now, knowing my nature, I would never take sannyasa.

It's very important to know yourself and accept your reality. Personally, if I had to remarry or become a Grihasta, I would. If I had to have children, I would. One cannot repress one's senses by deceiving oneself. My senses. I have sexual desires. It's not a taboo. I can't deceive myself. I can't hide the sun with a finger. Of course, I'm not desperate either; it's a daily struggle.

For someone to take Sannyasa, they must have many astrological characteristics in their birth chart, which I don't have.

If one knows themselves, should they act accordingly or go against their nature?

ASA - 🐵 😆 😆 😆 - Like Krsna advises Arjuna, we should purify our nature and then use it in Krsna's service, no?

Well, Guru Maharaja, I bid you farewell. May Lord Nrsimha always protect you. I ask you to forgive any offenses in my comments and questions.

Hare Krishna.

Gadai Gauranga Dasa.

HpS - So, nice. Thank you.

Hope you get chance to get out OUR O U T with Srila Prabhupada on Sankirtan. See you in a few moments.

I get about three times as much mail per day as I can handle.

A lot of it is redundant eg. where are you, what are you doing, what do you think about this topic.

A lot of it is also quite important, so the Blog is the only solution we have to deal with this.

It eliminates the redundancy and puts people in touch with other people with the same service concerns.

Hare Krsna.

💪💪💪🐕