Letters
We welcome your letters. Write to BACK TO GODHEAD 51 West Allens Lane Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19119
Please accept my thanks for your wonderful magazine. My daughter and I love every issue. Also, there is a Govinda's restaurant in town, and the food is great! We have nothing but praise for what you are doing.
Robin Noll Santa Cruz, California
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In the entry for Astanga-yoga in your "Yoga Dictionary" [BTG Vol. 16, No. 8] you list the steps for the eight-stage practice of yoga, but I only count seven.
Charles Newell Brooklyn, New York
A typist slipped up, so we left out prāṅāyāma (control of the breath), which is the next step after pratyāhāra (withdrawal from sense objects).
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The graphics in your magazine are indeed superb, and must be envied by many other publications.
I have known and loved Śrī Krishna's devotees for many years, and though I am a Buddhist and not a member of ISKCON, I am in close touch via letters with one of your sisters here in Adelaide. What a happy family you seem to be!
Angela Adamson Brighton, South Australia
In our monastery we are admirers of your excellent magazine, back to godhead. You are doing a really first-class job of spreading Truth. Sincere best wishes for the continuance of your good work.
Swami Sahajananda Vedānta Society of Northern California San Francisco, California
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I would be grateful for an explanation of fasting on Ekadasi. How should the fasting be observed? What is its significance? Jagdish Patel Newark, New Jersey
The word ekādaśī (literally, "the eleventh day") refers to two days a month: the eleventh day after the new moon and the eleventh day after the full moon. On these days, devotees strive to deepen their attitude of loving service to Kṛṣṅa by using even more of their time to chant Hare Kṛṣṅa, read books like Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and discuss topics of devotional service.
To observe ekādaśī, devotees also simplify their diet by fasting from grains and beans. (Since Kṛṣṅa’s devotees don't eat meat, fish, or eggs, on ekādaśī they eat only fruits, nuts, milk products, non-bean vegetables, and so on.) People today follow all sorts of harsh or complicated diets to improve their health or enhance their spirituality, but simply by observing this ekādaśī diet twice a month one can easily improve one's health and enrich one's spiritual life.
You can easily observe ekādaśī to advance in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, even at home, and this is recommended in Vedic literature. And if you don't gel a chance to visit a Kṛṣṅa temple frequently, ekādaśī is an excellent day to come to the temple, see the beautiful form of Kṛṣṅa, and associate with His devotees.
You'll find the ekādaśī days listed every month in back TO godhead in our "Hare Kṛṣṅa Calendar," which appears as part of our regular feature "Every Town and Village." This month it's on page 19.
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I am so overjoyed that I couldn't resist writing a letter to you and letting you know about my pleasure. So far I have received four issues of back to godhead magazine. But I thought I must write you a letter for thanking you for such a wonderful magazine. I am deeply moved by the Hare Krishna movement. I realize that Krishna is everything. Herewith I am sending money for a one-year's subscription to back to godhead. Here in South Africa I am trying my best that more and more people read this magazine. Thank you.
S. Bhula Johannesburg, South Africa