Dear Gurumaharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I wish to inform you on how things are going. Principles and japa according to standard, and attempting to inject more feeling and sincerity.
. . . . HpS - ASA - !
Still, honestly said, it's a turbulent mental state, Gurudeva. Not much silence. The last two months i started going out for sankirtan by myself in the next big town. While i'm on unemployment benefits it is a nice thing to do, and it works miracles for my KC. Your question about collecting addresses, i hand out temple cards and invitations, and sometimes i share my personal email, but i don't ask for people's data. I heard some seniors say book distribution is not so potent if you don't keep in touch, but it feels awkward to me because i don't wanna infringe on people. Should i ask people anyway?
ASA - It is very personal. There is no harm doing what you fell is natural.
Scores are: 3 gita, 25 SSR, 16 Path to Perfection, 20 Chant & Be Happy.
HpS - Very, very nice!
I was trying to do something useful for Srila Prabhupada by seeing for publishing On Chanting Hare Krishna, but so far i didn't make much progress. Copyrights and the BBT giant needs some understanding from my side, communicating with the Dutch BBT person went slowly. The project is put aside for now, because something else came up. Already for a few years RNS devotees think about translating the Journey Home, and finally it is getting tangible. I am so fortunate to get to do the translation. I deadlined december 4th, with extra space until 23rd. I hope you can appreciate this. It is impertinent to ask for your blessings after things are already decided, but without them it will not be very auspicious.
HpS - ASA - God bless the book.
I'm happy with it, especially now that i finally have some project. So far several attempts to start something didn't really take off. So i will dedicate myself as much as possible, and i shall stay in Amsterdam temple for a while sometimes to get more work done. My wife is not too happy with my 'crazy energy' if i'm at home too much of the time.
My work as editor for Dutch ISKCON magazine will change. People weren't very interested, so subscriptions faltered, Benelux council said. At the same time i was thinking how to make it more attractive, and i started to create some new vision, but then out of nothing i was told GBC decided to terminate, and do a Dutch translation of BTG instead. "In Italy it worked." I wasn't asked anything, just a notice after the decision was made.
HpS - Hmmmf! People just don't know how to respect a good man! (Or maybe we are idiots and they just did the right thing. Ha, Ha, Hare...)
So after deliberating I decided to quit my contribution. On one side I see the servant shouldn't care about the details, but on the other side I don't like such kind of dealings. Instead I will work more on expansion of Dutch online website content, after Journey Home is finished. It dawned on me that I do serve my own agenda Gurumaharaja, i have to admit.
I had some nice exchanges with Dutch seniors while preparing for RY Amsterdam, and it inspired me to keep growing as ISKCON devotee, so that one day i might be qualified to do something that will please you and Srila Prabhupada Very Much.
I'm very happy for the South American yatra. They derive much inspiration from your coming visit. It's a wonderful life this way. Thank you very much, Gurumaharaja. May you inspire people ever more.
Your aspiring servant,
Raghava Pandita dasa
HpS - ASA - AGTSP. Paoho. Just keep going ahead. Look for a nice job where you can give you association to the workforce slowly and gently and make money and preach. Look for place to continue with the publishing efforts. You are certainly on the right path, 20-times over! Krsna will certainly send you all kinds of possibilities!!!