Hare Krishna, dear Gurumaharaja.
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Thank for answering my letter.
I should have explained mysef better
HpS - ASA -- AGTSP paoho... We have been wondering what has happened to you! Several days with no communication. First decision is:
Am I going to serve God or the Devil.
God.
The devil has faster parties and better whiskey but in the long run prospects don't look so good.
I’ve been there. No more, enough.
Second decision is which Acharya am I going to select to approach God? Jesus, Mohammad, Caitanya?
Lord Caitanya
Are you fixed in staying under Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet eternally?
Definitly
His ISKCON?
Yes, indeed
Next we got GBC details etc. Varna-ashrama details. These are still part of our transcendental service. This is where things can start to get very practical and very detailed.
I would suggest first thing is your Ashrama. There really are only four: B'cari, Grhasta, V'prastha and Sannyasa. If you start inventing Brahmastra, Grhacari etc you are an easy target for Maya.
Right! I was wondering…I felt that my mind was trying to decive me.
You don't have Sastra to tell you what to do. Good people don't know how to relate to you.
No bona fide ISKCON organization is going to suggest something other than Varna ashrama Dharma.
The junta agreed when I brought up the white issue…Maybe they don’t know either. Here you turn white as to say: girls, watch, I’m available.
This is one dis-accord [amongst the many more accords] that we may have with Hrdayananda Maharaja. We remember him saying that there is no such thing as "Vedic Culture" in Vedic tradition, but then next day we saw in Prabhupada's books the statement, "Vedic culture, Varna-ashrama-dharma". We did not want to bring it up, so as not to create a polemic, argument, over a more minor point, but there it is.
I just say that I like Krishna west, I don’t endorse everything they say.
We are b'cari, grhasta, vanaprastha or sannyasa, or sastric approved subdivision. Yes, we can take to some mixed, mental concoction for illusiory sense gratification,
Yes, I was suspicious of myself…trying to enjoy out of frustration.
but we will only get mixed clarity of intelligence and a mixed chance of human body in this life or the next. Of course, Krsna, Guru, will still try to help us and engage us in pure devotional service and get us back on the track.
So, now you are a B'cari. Dress in peach colored clothes in the temple, and as much as possible outside. Dress in secular dress as needed for Sankirtan, but for short term contact for preaching purposes only.
Still not sure about wearing ropes [robes?]. For me are not comfortable, and it’s kind of unnatural to me… Definitly for giving class, altar service, festivals…but those dipers [diapers?] I don’t like, really.
ASA - Not sure about what are "diapers". Wear peach colored yogi pants and a kurta?
Who is experience great succes in the modern world? Russia, China, USA? Krsna West or some other entity is designed to connect with the successful material culture? No, that is not the idea. There is no, "Main Stream Successful Culture". Are we right?
There is only a "Main Swamp Confused Culture", and yes, Lord Caitanya shaved off his Sikha, but he didn't take a Sannyasa name, so we have to adjust but with intelligence.
Yes, That’s pretty clear to me. Mingle with people for preaching, to enrich human culture, no play their games.
We offer our advice to you and others. It is very nice discussing with you, but victory, rather than seeing your life becoming a defeat,
I consider myself a winner. I’m a warrior of Lord Caitanya’s sankirtan movement!
depends on good advice, and good advice comes from many counselors. Talk with Mathuresa Das, Omkara Das. . .
I’m gonna talk to more people…already to junta as I mentioned.
The Peru yatra, to our vision, is a mess in terms of administration. The USA is a mess.
I sadly agreed. That frustrate me again and again. That’s when NIMSAR comes as a sane (more or less) proposal to change things.
Men can marry men and give each other a big lusty good-by kiss in the airport and the Supreme Court agrees!
1. In any case don't deviate from ISKCON management structure. If it comes to the fact that the ultimate managing authority, the GBC, is itself fallen, then we can go directly to Prabhupada for adminitrative solutions.
No problem with that. You’ve been by my side in my worse moments in ISKCON. You know that. I’ll never quit ISKCON and Prabhupada or deviate.
They told me that Daru Krishna is leaving Narayana’s maharaja group ‘cause he wants to do things in his own way…No surprise. He always wanted that.
2. Always be a part of the solution. Always think how I can improve the situation, help others, rather than run away and get my own benefit.
Yes, sir, I’m still helping in Chosica but from education perspective, with NIMSAR, etc. (despite that faultfinding and back stabbing continues, I don’ mind)
3. Always keep your Sadhana. FMP.
No problem with that.
4. Wear orange as a B'cari. Consult with Guru, Brahmanas et al, about changing Ashrama and then if you are going to go into Vanaprastha Ashrama, then wait until reasonable arrangments have been made by sane family (ISKCON) memebers and formal aggreements made, even signed documents, fire sacrifice, then change color.
OK
The Witch will howl and gnash Her teeth in dismay but you will be safe and strong. Your wife will be safe and strong (She may even have a little mustache). Your nation will be safe and when you die they will make a tomb for you in central Lima and write on it: He was a Cool Dude, and people will come to offer flowers at your tomb and pray for benedictions (and unless there is a proper roof, pigeons will also drop splendid offerings on your monument).
And by the way... Where is our Word Doc for the NIMSAR Regional Encounter and we know about the Youtube posting. Ambo/Vrsa have been pretty professional to tell us where it is.
I’ll tell to our president Gandharva prabhu
HpS - We noted it on our response to the Ekadasi report.
You are one of our ASA Main Guys. Monkey and Piggy et al, don't care really what you do, too much, as long as you keep making these great blog posts.
Yes, GM, I’m getting excited about write here.
I have more hot topics related to my ISKCON perspective!
Thank you very much. I was going through a bad moment. But still, I think a have to consider my ashrama. I’m contemplating Karuna krisna and Patraka examples. They both went home and authorities suggest wearing white. I’m not sure if it applies in my case.
HpS - Yes, that's another thing. Some temples have a standard that only B'caris living in the Ashrama can wear Saffron. Main thing is to dress so that people know that you are in B'cari ashrama. Change to Vanaprastha in a sane way and don't spend too much time worrying about it. Sankirtan!!!
See you soon.
The LAD
HpS - Yes, we will be in Peru in January! Also, we have lots more work to do with ISKCON Education Ministry. We are doing a lot here.
NOw to the DTC.