Questions to Sri Ananta Das Babaji - Your suggestions sought for the booklet

Madhava - Sat, 28 Aug 2004 18:07:39 +0530

So, let's hear some suggestions on questions that should be asked. If the questions are dIkSA or siddha-praNalI-specific and are something you'd consider not for those not yet initiated, then PM me. Otherwise, please post in here any such questions.

Braja, I'd be curious to see what's inside that booklet from Haridas Shastri's followers. How long is it? Could you scan it in, or send me a copy?

Tamal Baran das - Sun, 29 Aug 2004 07:25:42 +0530

QUOTE (Madhava @ Aug 28 2004, 12:37 PM)

Braja, I'd be curious to see what's inside that booklet from Haridas Shastri's followers. How long is it? Could you scan it in, or send me a copy?

I am also interested, as i have previously mentioned, in that booklet.I still can't see that book on sale on Loi Baazar website though.

Madhava - Fri, 03 Sep 2004 23:18:16 +0530

So let's hear some suggestions on what you'd like to hear and see Baba talk a moment about...

vamsidas - Sat, 04 Sep 2004 04:19:00 +0530

QUOTE (Madhava @ Sep 3 2004, 01:48 PM)

So let's hear some suggestions on what you'd like to hear and see Baba talk a moment about...

Dare I suggest that he be asked about the Fifth Canto, and whether it should be understood as literal, allegorical, or both? Perhaps he could comment on the interaction between Western empiricism and Chaitanya Vaishnava devotion -- do they each inhabit separate-but-appropriate spheres, or must a devotee give up all vestiges of Western empiricism and the "scientific method" even as an approach subordinate to devotion?

Madhava - Sat, 04 Sep 2004 04:34:52 +0530

Yes, I can give it a try. I have no idea, however, on how much up to speed he is with the scenario, and I would much prefer if such a discussion could be undertaken by someone fluent in both Bengali and the scenario, such as Jagat.

Jagat - Sat, 04 Sep 2004 06:47:10 +0530

I have written a draft of part of a letter in Bengali for Maharaj where I discuss some of these questions. I'll try to finish that up this long weekend, along with a few other odds and ends.

gauraprema - Thu, 16 Sep 2004 08:45:07 +0530

Dear Madhava!

Radhe Radhe!

I just thought of a question that maybe either you can answer, if you already know them, or we can ask Baba when you are there..

1. What should we do in terms of tulasi seva? Same as what was taught in GM, or different?

Just a simple one, some thoughts on this would be nice as I am planning to plant some more tulasi this Spring!

THanking you in advance,

YS
Sudevi dasi

Malatilata - Thu, 16 Sep 2004 15:59:07 +0530

Dear Sudevi,

did we ever sent you the tulasi mantras we asked from Baba for you?

Somehow I feel we have forgotten this..

Tamal Baran das - Thu, 16 Sep 2004 16:08:21 +0530

Dear Malatilata,

Is it possible that i can get them too? That would be really great.
Thanks...

Madhava - Thu, 16 Sep 2004 16:48:17 +0530

QUOTE (Malatilata @ Sep 16 2004, 11:29 AM)

did we ever sent you the tulasi mantras we asked from Baba for you?

Somehow I feel we have forgotten this..

I believe this topic covered the mantras rather well. I'll see if there is something we are missing, there's one mantra Baba recited from a manual called Manohara-bhajana-dipika, but I didn't get it down in its entirety. I'll try and dig up my old notes and track it down, but otherwise it's pretty much covered in Siddha Baba's Sadhanamrita-candrika cited in the above topic, which is the basis for most arcana-paddhatis today.

DharmaChakra - Tue, 19 Oct 2004 02:01:04 +0530

QUOTE(Jagat @ Sep 3 2004, 09:17 PM)

I have written a draft of part of a letter in Bengali for Maharaj where I discuss some of these questions. I'll try to finish that up this long weekend, along with a few other odds and ends.

Jagatji
If you don't mind, would it be possible for you to post a translation of the letter?

Madhava - Thu, 11 Nov 2004 23:33:53 +0530

Some people have expressed an interest to write letters to our Baba. During our stay at Radha Kund, we will be happy to convey to him any questions you may have. I have been thinking, so as to not burden Baba, to just have him dictate the answers instead of writing. We can then transcribe them, and also send you an mp3 of the answer if you are interested.

Rasaraja dasa - Fri, 12 Nov 2004 01:11:22 +0530

I def. think this is something that would be useful for Baba. I know SDG and many others do this which makes answering the letters quicker and more "personal" in that they are done in a spoken format.

Jai Radhe!

QUOTE(Madhava @ Nov 11 2004, 10:03 AM)

Hari Saran - Fri, 12 Nov 2004 03:56:03 +0530

QUOTE

Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!
Many Thanks!

Madhava - Mon, 22 Nov 2004 03:37:32 +0530

If you have letters, please preferably send them before I leave if possible, I would much like to print them here, as I don't have a printer in Vraja, not yet anyway.

* * * * *

Would someone be interested in Baba's lectures in Bengali (without translations)? There are 15 of those lined up if there is interest.

JD33 - Sun, 28 Nov 2004 02:45:50 +0530

Yes Madhava - I am interested in the lectures in Bengali language - how can I get tapes or cd's of them? Anyone? I would like them soon.

In regards to questions for a booklet:

Kindly ask about the amount of Nam-Japa that is standard each day? (64 rounds?).

Also questions geared to clarifying the Caitanya tradition from the Saraswati thing. _ know of all people - you Madhava will be able to arrainge some interesting questions so that many people who come to our tradition from IGM will be able to discern a real difference here and appreciate it!

Madhava - Sun, 28 Nov 2004 03:05:30 +0530

Sorry about not replying to your letter yet. I seem to be keeping awfully busy here.

The Bengali lectures will be available as soon as Yugal can make them available. Otherwise I can also start uploading them once I get to Vraja, I don't have them myself yet. Are you OK with downloading, or do you want CDs? If you need CDs, perhaps someone here can then download them and burn them for you?

In regards to those two questions:

Japa - Baba has told that we should all strive for a chanting a lakh, but that we have to build it up gradually. I asked this the last time over. When we discussed the matter and I suggested that perhaps I should start chanting a lakh right away, he instructed me to not take fanatical vows that would be hard to uphold at difficult times, but rather build it up over time. However I will of course be asking further on the matter of nama-bhajan, with or without booklets.

Saraswatas - Baba is clear in his opinion that they do not have a proper parampara. At the same time he respects for example the preaching achievements of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami and insists that people should not make ninda towards each other. I don't know what else we might want to ask in that regard. If we seriously want to contrast the GM doctrine with the rest of the tradition, we would need to pour through piles of Bhaktisiddhanta's writings, something I am quite confident none of us are too interested in spending our time doing, given that we have heaps of other, more urgent engagements to look after. I doubt that Baba would be interested in undertaking an exhaustive study of this in his old age.

JD33 - Sun, 28 Nov 2004 03:26:44 +0530

Thats for sure - no need to spend time that we don't really have to begin with. Yes either download - I will see if I can do it on my computer - Thank you! Did you look at the advice when traveling?