All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to HH. Hanumat Presaka Swami Maharaj.

HpS - Awwwg! Very few glories to HpS but yes, AGTSP!

Please accept our humble obeisances at your lotus feet Guru Maharaj.

HpS - Lettuce feet. AGTSP.

Guru Maharaj, I am Nilanda Ningthoujam ( a medical aspirant), a 19 year old aspiring devotee from Manipur. I have been attending Mangal Arati and Sandhya Arati since 21st February 2020.

HpS - Wow! Radha Govinda-chandra must know you!

I have read 'The Science of Self realisation', 'Perfect questions and perfect answers', 'The Nectar of Instruction' etc and it has been an eye opening experience.

HpS - So, so much depth in Srila Prabhupada's books! Treasure them like beautiful works of art. Look at each one from different perspectives at different times. Place them in relation ship to each other. Use them properly for the different situations and people you meet.

I am also currently reading Bhagavad Gita As it is and The Path to perfection.I am also chanting 16 rounds everyday.I have been very fortunate to have the association of some amazing devotees(namingly Saradiya Gaurangi Devi Dasi and Ramanujana Das Prabhu) and they have served as a guiding light for me.I would be forever grateful to them.

Also I got to know about you Saradiya Mataji.

Guru Maharaj,It's been less than a month but I am already experiencing some major changes.The ecstacy I feel when attending temple services,while chanting and reading about Krishna is unprecedented and fantabulous. Srila Prabhupada books are so enchanting and I want to read it again and again.Also my curiosity and spiritual spurt seem to be on a rise every day.I want to devote all my time into devotional service and reading Prabhupada books but being a medical aspirant I also have my academic duties.So it is very challenging to manage my time between both.

HpS -Yes, one of ther first things in our devotional career is how to establish priorities. Ultimately service Krsna safifies all offer demands.

Also,Guru Maharaj, I would like to know from you the relative importance of participating in temple services, chanting, association with devotees, reading books and other devotional activities and also how to balance them.

HpS - Srila Prabhupada gives a balance: 16-nice rounds first, 4-principles, full morning and evening program.... associate with some Brahmanas like saradiya en Manipura and they can tell you. Then you have to adjust in terms of your detailed situation. Krsna in the heart will give inspiration.

Also I want to get initiated very soon. I have seen a glimpse of the life of a devotee and it fascinates me more than anything. I would also love to know some of your earliest experiences in spiritual life. What is your advice to a youngster who is held spellbound by the amazing revelation made by Iskcon about spiritual culture.

I offer my humble regards to Guru Maharaj again

Continuing with our Bhakti Sastri

Your insignificant servant

Nilanda Ningthoujam

HpS - Please read the Kapi Dhvaja and letters to other devotees here and I think a lot of your questions will be answered, because many of them will be answered in letters to others.

Ultimately you can just chant the Maha-mantras, follow 4-principles and all your formalities will be acomplished and all you questions answered!