Hare Krsna, Gurudev Maharaja!
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
HpS - And ours to the feet of everyone who has taken birth as Manipuri Vaisnava!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada, Sripada, and Guru Parampara,
Goura Bhakta Vrnda Ki Jay, Radha Krsna Ki Jay.
Dandavat Pranam Guruji Maharaja!
I have downloaded Gurujis amritabani reply of my previous letters. I am so happly to get Guruji’s reply and I thing I am just siting with Guruji’s and discussing about different topics.
Guruji I had seen in the T.V. news that in America now adays the temperature is too low upto -12 to 15 c.s degree and snow fall upto 1- 4 feet in the plains. What about Guruji’s areas?
HpS - We are almost in Nashville, Tennessee. Yes, it also cold here and we must fight with it to some degree but the material world means austerity, but if we use the austerity for Krsna then we can asvance in devotional service.
We use the cold and isolation to learn how to be close to Krsna and become more qualified, qualified, in His confidentieal service.
In Manipur also it is winter season and the temperature is 3 degree c.s. So, I am facing a difficult to do mangal arati but continuing regularly.
To-day, is a strange one for me, when I am japing Hari Nama Mahamantra, after mangal arati, I remember the qualities of Sri Krsna – He is the father of fatherless, mother for motherless, He is so kind to the inoents, helpless, wealth for the poors. He receives the offer of tulsi leaf, wather, flower and fruits if we offer honestly and sincerely. On the other hand I think and asked myself whether He is hearing my japing. Suddenly tears falling down from my eyes and realize myself that He is listioning attentively and excuse my unclear pronunciations. He is satisfying in my unexperience services.
One more thing I want to know that everybody says, “Krsna is so beautiful and attractive”. But I could not feel such situation when I look Krsna’s pictures hanging on the wall of my house. When will I start feeling such instincts, and when my eyes will see attractively?
HpS - There is not like a fixed mechanical process and time. The verse "adau sraddha sadhua sange.." in purport to 4.10 BG, from Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, gives all the stage in such detail of the advancement. One step along the path is Ruci. Of course, we can get glimpses of it before we arrive there in full consciousness. Then Nistha, Asaktis, Bhava... the taste expands. You can also look for better pictures.
Guruji! I have search A. C. Prabhupada’s lectures in the internet and found the visual life history of Prabhupada and different lectures. I have downloaded some lectures and the life history (visual-picturisation) in English in 18 volumes. When I am free in the office, I see the pictures. In the picture Prabhupada told his deciples that “Generally people worship Lord Krsna because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but we (ISKCON) devotees are the worshipers of Srimati Radharani. We love Krsna because Radharani loves Krsna most”. Please comment.
HpS - Generally people are Karmis. They, we, want things because we think things will make us happy. If they take to religion it is to get things. They are nice Karmis. If their idea of God becomes more personal they see Him in his aspect ofr Maha-visnu, master of the universe, but we increase our service, pleasure giving to Vaikuntha, Ayodhya, Mathura, Vraja.... NOI 10 has wonderful summary.
Maybe we can understand the Gopis to some degree, but we have to fit into practical service at a least appreciating that the Rasa-lila is the ultimate pastime, but maybe the fastest way to join that service is by first going through Ayodhya.
Chant, chant, read and then we can see our level and type of advancement. Then we can be very satisfied that we are really contributing something useful at every level and advancing our realization and service.
Yours fallen servant
Yamunesvara Das