Dear Hanumat Presaka Swami Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I sent this letter through Nikunja Bihari prabhu on the 18th of last month and haven't yet seen a reply. I just wanted to resend in case it slipped through the cracks somehow, if not, please forgive my lack of patience. Haare Krsna!
HpS - ASA - AGTSP!!! paoho. Guess it slipped!
I hope you are in good health. I am just preparing for another sankirtan expedition with my team. In spring and summer time we go to music festivals, like Woodstock. Everyone is trying to transcend the daily grind so we're trying to give them something more substantial.
Lately I've been having a little trouble adjusting to temple life again after traveling so much. For almost four years now I've been going out for a month or two, and coming back for a week or so in between. I trained for almost a year with RVC. Outside I have to be surrendered internally, I have to veld motivated, I have to prioritize, and make determined goals; but when I come back to the temple there is a lot of pressure to conform externally to a formula. I realize the importance of setting an example, and I try to get into it, but sometimes I find it hard to stay motivated and sometimes I regret that it may come across as disrespect. I actually like KC activities, but I find it a little frustrating when I feel forced, or if I have to do everything just a certain way. I can't help it, I'm rascal #1 but I'm just trying to contribute what I am able to. I can't seem to live it yet, but I'm at least trying to form a concept of obedience. One brahmacari recently posted this excellent quote by Tolstoy about monasticism. Tasty! https://www.facebook.com/16rounds/posts/10206283068813001
Some high points lately: I managed to complete some new illustrations for my main shiksa guru's translations of Sri Bilvamangalacarya (HG Mukunda Datta prabhu.) I also had the privilege to visit your servant Radhika Raman prabhu and his family; and also Bhakta Adrian and his good wife as well, last time I was in Utah. It was really great to see them again. Bhakta Adrian was my first roommate in LA!
I was inspired by one of your lectures where you described one interfaith conference where the devotees were talking shop with a Mormon cleric about preaching. He said the most effective preaching is the follow up rather than the cold calling. I'm not such a good book distributor in terms of quantity, so I was inspired to create this website as a recent attempt to build a quality preaching platform on the foundation of my book distribution: Radhakrsna.weebly.com
I'm trying to make some arrangement to visit you in Seattle during your stay there (July 8-11, correct?) Please pray for my colleagues and me, and I will likewise pray to Nrsimhadev for your safe travels as well
Your humble servant,
Bhakta Eric
HpS - ASA - Hare! Krsna! Awwwk! I can't remember who you are, Prabhu!!!! Awwwwk. Past 50-then energy in the body is finished and past 60-the short term memory goes. BUT old age is a great friend for a devotee beause it pushes us from Sensual to Mental to Intellectual platform. Then if we can get completely on the Atma platform we are eternal!!!
Remind us of who you are.
Your clash with Temple Sadhana seems normal. Like you say you just have to learn how to adjust to it, no? The Tolstoy quote is nice. Compare with BG 4.34, no? Prabhupada says, that blind faith is condemed. So we have to understand the postion in the administrative structure and the spiritual development (and even esoteric taste) of our ISKCON associates.