Hare Krsna, Dear Maharaj,
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Please Accept my Humble Obeisances.
First of all, I would like to apologise for my procrastination and lack of communication with you. I always think about the things I want to tell and ask you, but I never get around to actually acting upon it and this is my fault for being too lazy. Please forgive my disregard in this manner. I am forever indebted to you.
HpS - Hare Krsna! Are you the daughter of Raktaka Das??? We forget you from just your log in name! Maybe it will be revealed in your letter.
Welcome to the ASA Blog.
It has been too long I don’t even know where to begin.
HpS - Hari Bolo!
How are you Maharaj? How is your health? I am following you on Twitter and there is a Facebook page that updates on your schedule and activities. You authored a book? That is awesome.
HpS - As the Kapi Dhvaja says, and posts here in the Blog, we are suspecting that we will be in this body for about two more years. At heart we seem to be making progress in eternal purification by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Nityananda.
Thank you for being so compassionate and funny and awesome. We love you.
How was your Vyasapuja?
HpS - Nice. We really had a chance for all of us to glorifiy Srila Vyasadeva, Parampara and our individual positions in it.
Peru.
We filmed a small video, our family, and sent it through one of papa’s god sisters. Same as the previous year. We hope you received them well and we appreciate everything you do and the time you always give to hear us.
HpS --- Awwww. I think we saw them. Dhruva did it, no?
In regards to myself, I have been slacking in my sadhana. I have not been chanting so consistently and I really want to change this. I know if it’s something I want to do, I just have to do it, rather than talk and pretend like I want to do it. But sometimes I just find it hard to motivate myself. A couple of years ago, I was so on top of it and chanting even before midnight to at least finish my rounds. Now, I may say, “oh, I can just do it the next day” and so on. I’m trying to find a strong base for me so that I can desire to chant and love doing it, not begrudgingly.
HpS - Good attitude. Any progress you make in chanting is eternal. Right now let us chant one Maha-mantra.... !!!! !!! ! ! !! ! ! !.
We made progress. There is NOTHING that we can do that is better than chanting HKHKKKHHHRHRRRHH. Sankirtan, health, social re sponsi bility, wealth..... all will improve at the maximum pace.
On this note, I also have a question in regards to chanting that I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while.
I’d been told that one should not chant the Pancatattva Mantra on the Big Krsna Bead. I tried to research a little bit about it. The thing is, I also only recently finished Chant and Be Happy (which is an awesome introductory book actually) and at the end it is said that the Krsna bead should not be chanted on. I think I have found this elsewhere as well and many devotees follow this.
I cannot remember who taught me to chant (probably Papa), but for practically my entire life, I have chanted the Pancatattva mantra on the Krsna bead and I’m sure my father would’ve said if it was wrong if he’d seen me do it. I asked my mother and she said she does not do so.
I found my papa’s old videos on YouTube and in the “how to chant” video, he says one can chant the Pancatattva mantra on the Big Krsna bead.
I know my papa only preaches what he knows to be correct and bonafide, but in many other places and instances, it says one should not chant anything on it. My uncle also confirmed this.
May you please shed some light on this? And is it offensive to have chanted on the Krsna bead? Or is it a small technicality I should not worry myself over? Is it okay to chant the Pancatattva mantra on the Krnsa bead?
HpS - As far as I, in my limited knowledge, know. We should not chant on the KRSNA bead. I even try to avoid touching it as much as I can. I chant the PT mahamantra by itself without necessarily touching any beads.
Maybe your esteemed father just had a wrong impression.
That's what I know.
You may have noticed, I seem to be the most technical person and I like to be accurate where I can and follow the regulations nicely.
Please guide me.
I have had many other questions also and I will get to them later perhaps, in the next message. Before this one will get too long.
On another note in regards to me, I am still studying graphic design. I am taking it slow (3 units per semester rather than the usual 4-full time) and so I may have 2-3 years left. It’s okay. Not exactly the best, but much better than business and I’m learning a lot. I can serve Krsna in many ways with some skills. I have designed a really cool t-shirt on the Adobe programs. I will upload an image of it. It can be very sattvic and fun I think.
I have been working at Spotlight (a craft/art/fabric/all-round kind of store) casually for almost 2 years now. So far, it’s okay. They pay well and it’s good to have extra paisa. The first day actually I wanted to quit because I felt the colleagues were quite mean and the boss was a little scary but I calmed down and here we are now. I am buying lots of fabric always and have been sewing a bit lately too.
So far I’m also lucky that they haven’t kicked me out as our family is not vaccinated. My mother isn’t too keen on it and didn’t want us to get it. Also my auntie’s family. My uncle had to leave Govindas due to this unfortunately. What a time we live in.
The only thing I’m most sad about is the travel restrictions. I am missing India so much and would also love to visit Baku but we may have to wait a couple years till we will be able to do that, Krsna willing.
I really hope you will be able to visit Australia at some point soon. We already have 3 Maharaj’s coming to Brisbane in the next month. We are in dire need of your mercy and we miss your association.
Last year I started reading the Bhagavad Gita. This is very shameful but better late than never.. Anyway, I am almost done now and I’m quite excited to read Srimad Bhagavatam and other books. Sometimes what is written can be very confusing for my little mundane brain to understand, but I persist. I really am bewildered by the fact that I was born into this movement and I may find it difficult to understand, whereas people who have never heard of it, read it, and they completely accept everything. It amazes me and I commend all the devotees.
I’m simply trying to understand all the philosophy for myself. Rather than accepting it blindly and following without understanding it or without any faith. I want to have that revelation where I see, “WOW, this is really it.” It may take me years or lifetimes to come to that conclusion. But I’m hoping it will be sooner.
I am receiving so much mercy from Guru and Gauranga and the devotees. That - I have no doubts about.
I am doing Tulasi Seva here. I have been now for at least a year at the temple. Usually about once a week where I can, I go and cut all the manjaris. I’ve recently also started to make Manjari Garlands from them too. It is such a nice, peaceful service and I really enjoy it. I will definitely keep at it. At home too, I cut all the manjaris. Sometimes it can take a couple of hours. Tulasi just flourishes.
Anyway,
I have practically now written enough for an essay hahah. I will stop here and tell you more next time.
Lastly though, I have a question.
This following part was from the previous year’s Vyasapuja and so I’m just copying my question from there.
We would like to wish you well on this most auspicious day of your appearance. We are very happy that you are always serving Srila Prabhupada and his mission and delivering the devotees. I have wanted to double check on which exact day it is. I read on your blog that it’s on the appearance day of Locana Das Thakur, 2 days before Jive Goswami disappearance. And so, according to our time here, that makes your appearance on the 14th of January, Vedic time. Google bhagvan (as papa used to say) says it’s on the 12th of January, 1948.
So, what is the day? Vedic and Non-Vedic days. We would like to know so we can celebrate properly.
HpS - Locana Das Thakura's day!
JAI GURUJI!!!
I wish to tell you more and more but I will save it for later. And I’m really keen to ask you a question that is most exciting. I will wait.
Thank you for everything always Maharaj, your mercy is unlimited.
Please accept my not so humble Obeisances. (I heard this in a class lately. Maybe we aren’t offering our ‘humble’ obeisances)
Your servant,
Lakshmi
HpS - Well, how's the Bhima?? Any dreams about your esteemed father? Has Silky had any children yet?
