Hare Krsna

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

Dear Maharaj,

My name is Aja Kripa, I currently live in the Bramachari Ashram on New Govardharna Farm & Temple in Murwillumbah Australia.  I greatly enjoyed your visit to New Govardharna last year and had been listening to as many of your lectures as I can ever since.  Dhruva O'Shea Prabhu has let me know that this is the best way to contact you as I had discussed with him the possibility of opening a relationship with you with the hope of being able to take shelter at your lotus feet.

HpS - ASA (Anjana Suta Academy) -- More likely Lettuce Feet.   AGTSP!

Please excuse any deficiencies in etiquette I may display in this request, I am quite nervous and not the most proficient communicator.

HpS - Seems like you have all the qualification to join this Blog!

I can at least tell you a few things about myself so you may better understand how I am placed.  I am forty-five years old and first had contact with Krsna Consciousness in the early 1990's when I would attend sunday feasts and stay at the Temple some weekends for the period of a year or so.  I had always kept some contact with ISKCON Temples and Centres throughout my life to listen to lectures and take Prasad.  I've also always had copies of Srila Prabhupada's books in my library, despite this I had lived a very material life for many years.

Still I have chanted on and off over the years and always kept a spiritual practice throughout my life.  I was raised a Jehovah's Wittness practicing under my parents until I was 16, so I was well educated in religious and spiritual concepts from an early age.

My spiritual practice became much more focused in the past five years or so, although this was mainly a mix of Hindu philosophy with a very strong japa, meditation and asana practice.  A year ago I came to New Govardharna as I was quite interested to see the various changes that I'd observed within ISKCON over the years since my first contact with the vaishnavas and I have stayed here at the Temple ever since. 

I began staying in the 'Yoga Village', which I found quite challenging, and then entered into the first batch of the Krsna Pada program (a kind of half-way ashram) before finally ending up at the Bramachari Ashram.

HpS - Sir, you are making rapid progress!

During this time I have been fully engaged in devotional service, sometimes at the cost of my study time, however I have completed the Guru Disciple Course.  My mentor is Nrshima Kavaca Das and I have discussed with him my intention of seeking shelter at your lotus feet with a view of takeing Diksha which both he and Ajita Prabhu have approved of. 

My main service is the care of Tulasi Devi and I work in the Deity Department repairing the Deity jewelry and accessories and assisting with the Deity's clothing as well as dressing Prabhupada.  I also assist the Paraphernalia manager training new Prabhu's in the care of the Lords Paraphernalia as well as performing these duties myself. 

I attend the Bhakti Sastri course run by Shanti Parayan Das four nights a week.  I greatly enjoy Mangala Arati each morning and am sure to maintain a strong Sadhanda under the watchful eye of Nrshima Davaca Das.

This is my situation in a nut shell, though I am happy to provide any further information or answer any questions that you may have.  I am sure too that both Ajita and Nrshima Kavaca would be happy to provide any necessary information you may require.  My self expression has always been somewhat lacking however, I can say that the material world has always left me feeling very much out of place.  I have never had any sympathy with the general western dirve to 'achieve', 'succeed' materially and strive for social status, especially considering that my initial conditioning with my parents was 'to be in this world but not of it', we were raised to always be separate in concept and association.  Krsna Consciousness, all glories to Srila Prabhupadda, has provided me with the understanding for a sense that previously seemed almost awkward in the context of this material system of conceptualization.  This is that my constitutional position is that of Servant of Krsna and for this recognition I am eternally grateful.  I have never comprehended the driving factors of this material system of things, especially the emphasis on control, judgement and ownership all of which clearly belong to the Supreme Being and not to the miniscule entities here in this small realm.  Many thanks for your kind consideration in this matter and I look forward to your reply.

Humble Sincerity

Aja Jai Ishwara Kripa

Hare Krsna

HpS - Jaya!!!   My Lord, how did you get this name, Aja Jai...??   It is very nice to meet you. Diksa in part is a formality but not a meaningless formality. It is like the wedding ceremony as part of getting married.  Here we are getting married to Krsna, no?

Send a few photos of yourself?

What about taking initiation from some who lives closer to you. whom you will see more often, and taking us as a Siksa guru, advisor?

We are very happy to serve you in many capacties.   You have a lot to do in this world.