Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj

Dandavat Pranam unto your lotus feet.

HpS - AGTSP!!   Our lettuce feet. We are still in the process of purification also.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu.

Dear Guru Maharaj,

On behalf of my father your disciple Krsna Swaroop Das, I beg for apology for his not being able to communicate with you frequently through this blog as he is not comfortable in handling techy stuff. He remembers you and prays unto your lotus feet everyday.

HpS - We are so happy to hear about him and youer Ashrama and community. Maybe he could write a few words about his Sadhana and Sankirtan and you could pass them.

Guru Maharaj I pray and beg to seek some answer for a question which has been a topic of confusion. As it is well known to everyone that Krsna, the Supreme Lord is omniscient and we as tiny fragments of Him have a freewill; a minute independence to choose. So does Krsna know "EXACTLY" what our choice will be???(say for example what I am going to eat in the morning 10 years from now on Jan 1st,2027). To me, it feels that the way Krsna "knows" is that He doesnot necessarily know all the details but as He knows our nature so chipping in a way He can narrow down to the most likely choice. i.e He does not know in the way 2+2 gives 4. But some devotees they argue that Krsna knows EXACTLY (all details with no room for other possibilities) what my choice will be everytime. This idea of theirs seems to me that it makes us like robots with no freewill at all. I feel there should be some (at least a tiny little) uncertainty (probabilistic way) associated with God's way of knowing things as we are also individuals with a separate identity and a freedom to choose. Some devotees even argue that the answer to this question is subjective i.e the answer depends on the individual's level of understanding. To me it seems like an excuse to avoid being caught wrong.

Please be merciful to me to explain and clarify this subject matter and let me know if I am wrong and kindly correct me. 

Dandavat pranam unto your lotus feet.

Hope it meets you in good health.

Expecting your merciful association.

Your fallen servant

Bishal

HpS - ASA -- Hare Krsna!   Very ancient, very contemporary and very important question. After our summary of our thoughts there is a list of references. I think you can find them all at www.jayarama.us/archives/abc-ndx.docx. We will post this answer in the Archives in our asa-encyclopdeia.

The soul is sat-cit-ananda, so it has free-will. It can do fun, interesting, things that even Krsna doesn't expect. The Gopis are full of unpredictable, intense, emotional states that even they can't predict, nor Krsna, but happy surprises.

Krsna, Krsna's Devotee and Devotional Service (Purnamasi Devi?) all come together and dance and no one can quite figure out who is in control.

We are growing. We can grow faster or slower. That is our choice. Krsna, us, no one knows our potential.

In the material world in the mode of ignorance we are forced to act. Our actions are predictable. Of course, one might be in the mode of goodness in his senses and mind and be in the mode of ignorance in his intellignce, heart, like a Buddhist, Mayavadi monk who is clean, honest, generous, but at heart is fixed in the conception that he will become the supreme, original, transcendental being, God. This is really stupid.

In the mode of passion there are some choices but the impulse act in a certain way is very strong.

In the mode of goodness we can actually make choices. Of course, they are being given by Mayadevi under the order of Krsna, so they may be material options, smoke the cigarette, don't smoke it. Then we set in motion ignorant, passionate or good reactions.

Maharaja Nrga, 10th canto, Krsna book, did lots of materially pious activities and he surmises that that led him to transcendental thought. Why not?  God creates this world so that by dealing with matter, plastic dolls, correctly we can come to deal with real babies.

Of course, Krsna has His free-will also. If we act submissively, friendly, under the modes of nature then He can give us transcendental choices or not.

O.K?

As far a the concepts of "chance, random events" occur in science, we find that the concepts are not clear. We heard that Bertram Russell, the Nobel Laureate, said that the concept of Chance is the most important concept in the 20th Century, because no one has he slightest idea what it means.
What is the etymology of the word?
A chance event is one whose cause can Absolutely not be Known, no?   Does such an event exist?   We have to have Blind Faith (see purport to BG 4.34) in this Axiom, Postulate.

If we accept this Godly entity, Chance, then the result is a philosophy of "neti-neti", no Not this, not this.  What is the Absolute Truth? It is not this, not this, not this; Absoute Ignorace, a Saiva, Nihilist or Mayavadi conclusion.

O.K?    Big topic.

===============================================

www.jayarama.us/archives/abc-ndx.docx
Free-will:
   allows chance to understand one’s relationship with God, SB 4.25.26 p
   allows one to change guna and karma in present life, SB 5.1.14 p
   in human life provides opportunity to get out of repeated birth and death, SB 1.16.9 p
   in material existence, SB 2.9.2
   of liberated souls, SB 1.6.37
   So even in the material nature there is a chance of an independent choice by the living entity, and according to his choice the material energy offers him different varieties of material bodies, SB 2.9.2,
   “The living entities are given freedom to make their choice…”, SB 2.7.49

From: Eduardo Llaser
To: Hanumat Preshaka Swami
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2017 6:32 AM
Subject: PP2_Puranic Cosmography.ppt
Download Attachment

Available until Jun 14, 2017

Dear Hanumat Preshaka Swami

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

Could you kindly check this out and see what needs to be added or correct?

Click to Download

PP2_Puranic Cosmography.ppt

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Your Servant Ekanatha Gaura Dasa 

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Hare Krsna, Prabhu,

AGTSP. Paoho.   Ekanatha gaura Das from Peru, no?  Who made this PPTX?    It is very concentrated. For whom is it meant?

To detailed for us to examine all the details.

We are always brought to the consideration that this is happening on different levels of consciousness. It was spoken at the end of Dvapara yuga. People and the universe were much finer then.

The yojana is a multiple of a finger width. Whose finger? What age?

For example, the earth is spinning on its axis at 1,000 miles per hour. Thus it covers 24,000 miles in 24-hours. It is like a top, but like a spinning top it also has a a precessional rotation with reference to the stars. This takes about 26,000 years.

Life of Brahma is 100 years x 360 days/year x 2000 divya-yugas/day x 4,320,000 earth-years/ divya-yuga = 31.104 x 10*12 earth-years.

Life of Brahma 31.104 x 10*12 earth-years / Life You-me 100 earth-years = 31.104 x 10*12 

If one recessional rotation takes 26 x 10*3 earth-years for us then that would be:

26 x 10*3 / 31.104 x 10*12 brahma years = .836 x 10*-9 brahma-years.

If a movie is changing frames at slower than 24-frames per second (critical flicker frequency) then we begin to see each frame. So if the recessional rotation of the earth's geo-magnetic field is spinning at such high velocity for Brahma loka, it would appear and act as a solid cone shaped mountain with its peak downward, no?

For Indra loka, Kuvera loka, there would be different relative "Critical Flicker Frequencies".

Do you see our perspective?

The analysis we see in the PPTX are all from the viewpoint of Bhu-mandalis like us, no?  We have other insane speculations based upon this different dimensional perspective that match up with the rings of oceans of different substances etc.

We can go to these different "Lokas", locus, locations, by pranyama etc.

Rasa-raja Das said that our cosmology was completely mental. Well, we graduate first place in psychology from the University of California in 1970 so that is our perspective.

For whom is the presentation intended?

hare krsna maharaj, PAMHO, AGTSP

its incredible to see that your grace puts so much effort to help others irrespective  of  their evolution level.

ASA - Whoop!   Whoop!    Oink!   Oink!

I am actuall mentally numb to write anything due to my own stupid behavior.

ASA - Numbki!

But SPOG arranged for circumstance leaving us no work on internet, so we thought its better to  write to Blog.

ASA - Supreme Personality of Blog-head.

It was surprising to see in node 7865  by Abhimanyu ji from Chile.

" Yes, if we artificially push Vaidhi bhakti, Japa for example, weeds can grow with the creeper and it can result in many crazy things.. I knew several cases of where people stole the tape of Prabhupada chanting the Gayatri mantra and listened to it and then went crazy."

Can you kindly tell us more  about " artificially pushing Vaidhi"...and how it can water the weeds.  Where does Srila Prabhupada write about it?

ASA - http://www.vedabase.com/en/cc/madhya/19/158   . . .   Is O.K?     Daksa worship the one true God, but he also wanted to hold the the Great King's Rod!

...till now our own assessment was we are just being little lazy/ unintelligent in pursuing Vaidhi bhakti. But your answer seems to direct about something else.

As you are our  guru (not Diksha guru) can you please tell us what rules/angas according to you are not artificial for us?

HpS - We don't live with you so much to give detailed advice, our mis-fortune, but finding a devotee who you can read and share your experiences with is one that we can all do, no?  We just read what they are reading each day at the Boise Temple and then Text our little thoughts, then look for a bigger Sanga once a week.

Of course, as much as we chant HKHKKKHHHRHRRRHH we are always making progress, First thing our of your mouth each morning HKHKKKHHHRHRHRRHH! 

horse victim upastha vegam

ASA - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasta         One thing leads to another. Seek the root of the sin. Then you can apply the Mantra, and the whole tree will be clean again.
If we are sincere for a long time, it means that our attachments are deep. Some of them are rooted in our ontological rejection of Krsna. Those are DEEEEEEEp!      NOI 7!
Usually our sins at this stage are not, something that has to be rejected. They are attachments based upon something valid. We just have to figure our what it is.

One devotee we know. She was always agitated sexually but following the principles. Them she had one more child, the one who seemed to be waiting to be her daughter, and she was never agitated after that.

What is the real cause of our sin?

Are we suppressing a real power?

Hi,  Guys!

What do you think of this?   Comments?  Did you submit your offerings?

================================

Vehicles

Hanumatpreṣaka Swami (Prof. H. H. Robinson)

We are very delighted to write for this second issue of Solaris. To our experience the first issue was very well received. We heard comments from around the world and so far it seems to fill a necessary position in the global cacophony. In it we were delighted to ride upon the empty boat in the chariot of the mind with a culture of happiness in the company of Dionysius and others. From our point of view it needs a more organized system of developing the theme and articles for each issue and a more explicit Editorial Board. This is like saying a crawler needs to become a toddler.

­­For this issue let us contribute that after reading Shakespeare, Solomon, Cervantes and Rama [Confucious, Journey to the West, Agatha Christie. . .] we have come to the conclusion that the ancient, mystical, religious Bhagavata Purana as relished in medieval Bengal is the greatest of all world classical literature.

George L. Harte, University of California, A Rapid Sanskrit Method, Motilal Banarsidass, Dehli, 1989

Preface

“It [sanskrita]is, like Chinese, Arabic, Greek and Latin, one of the few languages which has been a carrier of a culture over a long period of time. 

Thus, the variety of writings in it, and the quantity of those writings are staggering. . . . Kalidasa ranks with the greatest poets, Panini is without question the greatest pre-modern grammarian, the Mahabharata ranks with the Iliad and the Odyssey, and the Bhagavata-purana is among the finest works of devotion every written, being equaled in my opinion only by other works in Indian languages.”

David Haberman, Bhakti-rasa-amrta Sindhu of Rupa Goswami, Motilala Banarsidass, 2003

The Bhāgavata holds a particularly eminent position in the school of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, for whereas other Vedantic schools produced commentaries on the Vedanta Sutra, the Gaudiyas consider the Bhāgavata as Vyasa’s own commentary on the Vedānta Sūtra.

The Bhāgavata is complete in 12-cantos, comprising about 18,000 verses. It systematically takes the auditor from the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, God, to his smiling face. This reminds us of St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s extensive number of sermons on the Song of Solomon wherein he describes that yes, with God there is the kiss of the lips, but first we must learn the kiss of the feet and then the kiss of the hand.

In his commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.12 (http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/2/2/12), Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami writes,

“And as one gets free from the intoxication of sex indulgence by purification of intelligence, one should step forward for the next meditation, or in other words, the progress of meditation on the different limbs of the transcendental body of the Lord should be enhanced in proportion to the progress of purification of the heart. The conclusion is that those who are still entrapped by sex indulgence should never progress to meditation above the feet of the Lord; therefore recital of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by them should be restricted to the first and second cantos of the great literature. One must complete the purificatory process by assimilating the contents of the first nine cantos. Then one should be admitted into the realm of the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.”

We would be glad to join the readers of this article in a progressive study of theses first two cantos, and as we are freed from any unnatural sexual lusts we would like to go ahead with them through cantos 3-6. Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami recommended the first six cantos with the diploma of Bhakti-vaibhava and the final six as Bhakti-vedanta.

Encylopedia Britanica; Philosophy of Education, contributed by Harvey Siegel, Professor,  Department of Philosophy, University of Miami [https://www.britannica.com/topic/philosophy-of-education]

"The Western philosophical tradition began in ancient Greece, and philosophy of education began with it. …

The introduction by Socrates of the “Socratic method” of questioning (see dialectic) began a tradition in which reasoning and the search for reasons that might justify beliefs, judgments,

and actions was (and remains) fundamental; such questioning in turn eventually gave rise to the view that education should encourage in all students and persons, to the greatest extent possible, the pursuit of the life of reason.

This view of the central place of reason in education has been shared by most of the major figures in the history of philosophy of education, despite the otherwise substantial differences in their other philosophical views."

This reading of the Bhāgavata is not just lip-service, acquiring information, reasonable analysis, nor even poetical justification of life and its aims. Its challenge is that it will take us to the throne of God in the celestial world if we read it in the company of like-minded people and professors.

In the first Canto we see a Preface to the great work: What is the purpose of the work, under what circumstances is it written, what is the character of the author and what are the qualifications of the reader.

The situation described in the Bhāgavata is the end of the Age of Bronze, when Methusalah and others were living hundreds and even a thousand years (See Genesis 5:21–27) and the beginning of the Age of Iron when we a lucky of we live an active 100-years. Maharaja Parikṣit, principal student, is about to die. He was a highly moral, enlightened and powerful world Emperor and has now renounced everything to prepare for death. Sukadeva Goswami, a universally respected teacher of the time, only 16-years old, is selected to give the supplicant, and all of us, the properly enlightenment for this crucial moment.

SB 1.3.43

kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate
 dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha
kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa
 purāṇārko ’dhunoditaḥ

This Bhāgavata Purāṇa is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the Age of Kali shall get light from this Purāṇa.

(http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/1/3/43)

Establishing the credentials and motivation of the teacher and student, the general need for such a text, in the Second Canto, Suka-deva Goswami actually begins his teachings with the Mantra:

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

O my Lord, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

In the first three chapters he then describes the Absolute Truth as Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān, which we can translate as the progressive spiritual realizations through Pantheism, Mysticism and Monotheism. As we progress to the other ten cantos we will see a didactic organization that is extremely pleasing and practical to the modern systematic mind, also voluble as the highest quality of poetry. Please invite us to join you in this most congenial of studies.

SB 1.2.28-29
vāsudeva-parā vedā
vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ
vāsudeva-parā yogā
vāsudeva-parāḥ kriyāḥ
vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ
vāsudeva-paraṁ tapa
vāsudeva-paro dharmo
vāsudeva-parā gatiḥ

Synonyms:  vāsudeva — the Personality of Godhead; parāḥ — the ultimate goal; vedāḥ — revealed scriptures; …

Translation:  In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion [dharma] is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life.

<=>

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Esteemed Prof. Juan Dejo, Swami Yadunandana
By this letter let us introduce you too each other and introduce the idea for an excellent project.

Prof. Dejo, Yadu Swami has been a very good friend of ours, and the whole world, for many years. He is Spanish and became involved with ISKCON and this tradition of Bengali, Caitanya, Vaisnavism many years ago. He has been very actively involved with education in ISKCON and a celibate monk for about 40-years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yadunandana_Swami

He recently published an excellent academic study on monastic tradition in our Bengali heritage and now it has been suggested by some very senior academics that a super excellent book would be a study on the contrasts and comparisons between Bengali (Caitanya) Vaisnava and Jesuit Monastic Traditions.

The very strong consensus has been that this would be enthusiastically received by academics but maybe even more so by many common people.

To our understanding the natural human situation is for a substantial number of men not to marry. This has been evidenced in European Christian heritage and of course in Asia.

Happy life, and very useful life.

I could write about this a great deal but here would just like to offer this suggestion and see what you all think about this.

Yadu Swami, We had the honor of meeting Prof. Juan Dejo S.J., Director de la Escuela de Posgrado de la Universidad Antonio Ruiz de Montoya, through the 2016 conference on Psychology and the Sacred that we co-sposored in Peru. I understand that he is very respected educator and administrator in the Peruvian community.

How many young men would decide to pass their lives as Monastics after reading such a book of history and modern reality!

From: David Aguilera. Vsvambara Das - bhaktischool.org
To: HpS (HHR) <[email protected]> 
Sent: Sunday, March 26, 2017 5:25 PM

Dear Maharaja,

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

Apologies for being out of communication. You have caught me at an incredibly busy time as we prepare for our International Baccalaureate authorization visit this coming week. This is the culmination of 4 years of work that will determine if Bhaktivedanta Academy becomes an International Baccalaureate World School. 

I look forward to participating in the conference this year. The June date is much better. Let’s connect after April 1 to discuss how I can best be of service. 

I think Alachua is a natural location for the 2018 conference. Our students perform Shakespeare yearly, so we will plan on putting on a show for you. :-)

Yours in service, 
Visvambhara Dasa
Head of School
Bhaktivedanta Academy
386-462-2886 x1 (office)
===============================

HpSwami

Esteemed Visva-ambara Das et al,
Hare Krsna!!!        AgtSP!!!!     paoho.....      Thank you for the letter.     We hope the accreditation work is very successful.  The Symposium is developing very well as far as we can see.  Again, the dates are Thursday, 15th June to Sunday, 18th June, at the Seattle ISKCON.

We have a very balanced crew now with representation from Pre, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Schooling. Educational perspective of ISKCON Ministry of Education. Temple Presidents. Grhasta Vision Team. University and Government Educational Preaching. Sastric Education.

Harivilasa Das has taken the post of Anchor-man for the Seattle Temple as we start off and says that they can accomodate about 15-devotees in private homes. Also, the Temple can supply Prasada for a small fee to cover their costs, and the meeting space is perfect.

CONFIRM ACCOMODATIONS
We need to know soon who is going to be coming in their physical body (and who will be participating on line). Now, physical presence, we have confirmed:

Partha Das and Uttama Devi Dasi (Accomodate Two)
Nitya-ananda Das (Accomodate One)
Sesa Das (Accomodate One)
Kartamasan Das (Accomodate One)
Rama-giri-dari Das (One)
Hari-lila Das (One)
Subra Devi Dasi (One)
Ananda-vrndava Devi Dasi (One)
TOTAL T/D - Accomodate Nine

TRAVEL
See if you can travel with another local person. For example, Myself, Rama-giri-dhari and Hari-lila Das will all be coming on the same flight from San Jose. Maybe Ananda-vrndavana Mataji would like to join us. Temple is about 45-minutes from the Seattle-Tacoma airport.

SCHEDULE
Now we are roughly planning:

Thursday - 6-8.30PM - Supper, Reception and Orientation. Possible presenters: Sesa, Harivilasa,
Nityananda, Temple President Seattle, Rama-giri-dhari Das.

Friday/Saturday -  Full-morning Program (SB class), Breakfast, Three lecture and discussion programs each morning, lunch/rest, Workshops in individual interest areas each afternoon, supper and cultural program each evening.

Possible presenters (Theme):

1.   Partha-Uttama (Educating in VAD, Grhastha-ashrama, how it should be implemented in our Primary, Secondary schools etc.),
2.   HpSwami-Harivilasa (Philosophy, Strategy for Education),
3.   Vaisesika Das (Education for Book Distribution in Primary, Bhakti-sastri etc.),
4.   Visvambara Das-Synergy School Leader (Primary+ ISKCON Schools in North America)
5.   Sastric Education (Hari-lila Das, HpS, Srivasa Pandita Das, Govardana Das), University Level Studying and Preaching (HpS, Radhika-ramana Das).
6.   Poster Session (Many people get three minutes to introduce themselves, then can stand by their "Poster Display" which will all be up for the entire symposium so attendees can pass from display to display to ask questions.

Each Lecture Discussion Program would be about one hour with no more than 25-minutes in the first pass and then discussions. Presenters can submit Abstracts by end of April and a full document by end of May. PLEASE add subtract adjust this list, workshop list!

Sunday - Breakfast, Closure, Fixing Final Action Items, Fixing Standing Committees.

We are also expecting physical confirmation and on-line participation from Ananta-rupa Das, Boise, M. Arrudha Devi Das, Srivasa Pandita Das, educators from Mexico, Peru, Chile, Argentina. Maybe 75-local Seattle devotees and 85-on-line. Everything will be well recorded.

O.K. That's our news now. The result depends on everyone making personal commitment. We will be in Spain from 1-12th of April, but should have some communication. We will be in Boise and San Jose for one week each before Seattle and we expect to be working on all these themes there, so the fun starts now!   Ten weeks of communication, demonstration, integration and Spifibivication for The Witch.
ISKCON Ministry of Education, Ki Jai!    ISKCON's cutting edge Sankirtan team.
Radha-Nila-madhava, ISKCON Seattle, Ki Jai!

HpS - Mnistry of Education, Anjana Suta Academy, NIOS

P.S. Grhastha Vision Team et al: What do you think of the video of The Taming of the Shrew with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor for the Cultural Program one evening?  Let's have fun. Let's see rapid progress.

HpSwami - 209 505-3219. [We get texting even while in Spain.]
Harivilasa Das - 425 499-6408.